The Perfections
Leading to Enlightenment
by Sujin Boriharnwanaket
Translated by Nina van Gorkom
2007 First Edition
ZOLAG•London
First edition published in 2007 by
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Copyright © Sujin Boriharnwanaket
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iii
The Ten Perfections in Daily Life 7
Characteristic, Function, Manifestation and Proximate Cause of
the Perfections 9
The Perfection of Generosity 13
The Perfection of Morality 29
The Perfection of Renunciation 41
The Perfection of Wisdom 51
The Perfection of Energy 71
The Perfection of Patience 91
The Perfection of Truthfulness 125
The Perfection of Determination 149
The Perfection of Loving-kindness 165
The Perfection of Equanimity 175
The Defilements of the Perfections 187
iv
Acharn Sujin’s book on the Perfections which I translated from Thai,
can be of great assistance to understand the significance of the
perfections in our daily life as supporting conditions leading to
enlightenment. The Buddha taught us satipațțhåna, the development of
right understanding of nåma and rúpa in daily life. However, we are
often forgetful of the nåma and rúpa which present themselves and our
understanding of them is still weak. We need to develop all the
perfections along with satipațțhåna so that eventually enlightenment
can be realized.
The quotations from the “Basket of Conduct”, the Cariyåpițaka, from its
Commentary and from other texts which we find in this book are most
impressive. We can be inspired by the stories of the past lives of the
Buddha, when he, as a Bodhisatta, developed all the perfections with
utmost endeavour and courage. We can be reminded to be patient, not
to be discouraged about the length of time that is needed to develop
right understanding and all the perfections.
I am most grateful to Acharn Sujin for helping us with this book
carefully to consider the characteristic of each of the perfections and to
verify for ourselves which of the ten perfections is still deficient. It is
beneficial to be reminded that none of the ten perfections should be
neglected and that we should develop them time and again in our lives,
whenever the occasion arises.
The text of this book consists of transcriptions of oral lectures given by
Acharn Sujin at different occasions. The footnotes are mine. In my
translation I have tried to reflect as faithfully as possible the spoken
words of Acharn, as they come straight from her heart.
I wish to acknowledge my gratefulness to the Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi
who kindly gave permission to quote from his translation of part of the
Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”, which is included in his book
“The All-embracing Net of Views”, The Brahmajåla Sutta and its
commentaries, B.P.S. Kandy, Sri Lanka.
I also wish to offer my thanks and appreciation to Kom Tukovinit who
gave me great assistance whenever I came across difficult passages in
the Thai text. I am grateful to Alan Weller who has made the
publication of this book possible.
May this book inspire us to develop all ten perfections with
perseverance! Nina van Gorkom.
6 - The Perfections
Introduction - 7
The Ten Perfections in Daily Life
The ten perfections, påramís, are most important as conditions for the
complete eradication of defilements. We should develop every kind of
kusala for paññå to arise which can eradicate all defilements, stage by
stage. Kusala is not always a perfection, and, thus, it is necessary to
understand correctly when kusala is a perfection and when it is not.
Since the ten perfections are essential for the eradication of defilements
we should study them, understand their significance and further
develop them.
The ten perfections are the following:
generosity, dåna,
morality, síla,
renunciation, nekkhamma,
wisdom, paññå,
energy, viriya
patience, khanti
truthfulness, sacca,
determination, adițțhåna,
loving-kindness, mettå,
equanimity, upekkhå.
It is beneficial carefully to study the ten perfections so that we can
consider and investigate for ourselves which perfections have not been
sufficiently accumulated. We should develop all of them and in this way
they can be conditions for the realization of the four noble Truths. If
someone’s goal is the arising of sati that is aware of the characteristics
of realities as they naturally appear in daily life, but if he does not take
8 - The Perfections
into consideration the development of the perfections, he will notice
that time and again he is overcome by akusala kamma. There are more
conditions for the arising of akusala kamma than for the arising of
kusala kamma.
We cannot know for how long in the future each one of us will have to
develop and accumulate the ten perfections. However, during the
lifespan that we can do so, we should develop each of the perfections as
much as we are able to. The ten perfections have lobha, attachment, as
their opposite and, therefore, we should not forget that we should
develop them not because we expect a result of kusala, but because we
see the danger of each kind of akusala. We should not develop the
perfections because we wish for a result to materialize within the cycle
of birth and death, but because our aim is the eradication of defilements
and eventually to reach the end of the cycle of birth and death. The end
of the cycle can be attained when all defilements have been eradicated
completely. So long as we have defilements there is no end to the cycle
of birth and death. Thus, one should not develop the perfections in the
expectation of a result of kusala in the cycle of birth and death.
Therefore, if a person sees the disadvantage of avarice, he develops
generosity, dåna. If someone sees the disadvantage of the transgression
of morality, síla, he observes síla. He sees that by heedlessness as to
action and speech and by the committing of evil deeds and speech, he
will come to harm. One may not realize that even speech that was
carelessly uttered can harm oneself as well as other people. Therefore, if
a person sees the danger of the transgression of moral conduct, he will
observe morality and will be evermore heedful as to action and speech.
If someone sees the disadvantages of all sense pleasures including those
connected with married life, he will be inclined to renunciation,
nekkhamma. If a person realizes the danger of ignorance and doubt, he
will be inclined to the study of the Dhamma so that he will know and
understand realities as they are, and this is the development of the
perfection of wisdom, paññå. If someone sees the disadvantage of
laziness, he will be inclined to energy, viriya. If a person sees the
disadvantage of impatience, he will develop patience, khanti. If
someone sees the disadvantage of insincerity in action and speech, he
will be inclined to truthfulness, sacca. If someone sees the disadvantage
of indecisiveness, he will be inclined to determination, adițțhåna. If a
person sees the danger of vengefulness, he will be inclined to loving-
kindness, mettå. If a person sees the disadvantage of the worldly
conditions, such as gain and loss, praise and blame, he will be inclined
to equanimity, upekkhå. All these qualities are actually the ten
The Ten Perfections in Daily Life - 9
perfections which should gradually be accumulated and developed.1
Characteristic, Function, Manifestation and Proximate Cause of the
Perfections:
We read in the Paramatthadípaní, the Commentary to the “Basket of
Conduct” Cariyåpițaka Khuddhaka Nikåya, about the characteristics of
the ten perfections.2
“Giving (dåna) has the characteristic of relinquishing; its
function is to dispel greed for things that can be given away; its
manifestation is non-attachment, or the achievement of
prosperity and a favourable state of existence; an object that can
be relinquished is its proximate cause.
Virtue (síla) has the characteristic of composing (sílana,
observing); coordinating (samådhåna) and establishing
(patițțhana) are also mentioned as its characteristic. Its function
is to dispel moral depravity, or its function is blameless conduct;
its manifestation is moral purity; shame and moral dread are its
proximate cause.
Renunciation (nekkhamma) has the characteristic of departing
from sense pleasures and existence; its function is to verify the
unsatisfactoriness they involve; its manifestation is the
withdrawal from them; a sense of spiritual urgency (saṁvega)
is its proximate cause.
Wisdom (paññå) has the characteristic of penetrating the real
specific nature (of dhammas), or the characteristic of sure
The Jåtakas, the ‘Birth Stories”, deal with all the excellent qualities the Buddha
developed during his former lives, although not exclusively with the ten
perfections. The “Basket of Conduct”, the Cariyåpițaka, Khuddhaka Nikåya
(Minor Anthologies III), describes the perfections and relates how they were
developed. The Commentary to this work, written by Dhammapåla in the sixth
century, explains them more systematically and in detail. They are also
described in an abridged version in the sub commentary (tíka) to the
“Brahmajåla Sutta”, of the “Middle Length Sayings”(I, no. 1). The ten perfections
are also mentioned in the “Chronicle of Buddhas”, Buddhavaṁsa (Minor
Anthologies III).
For my quotations from the Commentary to the Basket of Conduct and the
definitions and descriptions of the perfections, contained in the last part, the
Miscellaneous Sayings, Pakiṇṇaka Kathå, I am using the translation of this part
of the Commentary by Ven. Bodhi. This translation is included in “The All-
embracing Net of Views”, The Brahmajåla Sutta and its commentaries, B.P.S.
Kandy, Sri Lanka.
10 - The Perfections
Energy has the characteristic of striving; its function is to fortify;
its manifestation is indefatigably; an occasion for the arousing
of energy, or a sense of spiritual urgency, is its proximate cause.
Patience has the characteristic of acceptance; its function is to
endure the desirable and undesirable; its manifestation is
tolerance or non-opposition; seeing things as they really are is
its proximate cause.
Truthfulness has the characteristic of non-deceptiveness in
speech; its function is to verify in accordance with fact; its
manifestation is excellence; honesty is its proximate cause.
Determination has the characteristic of determining upon the
requisites of enlightenment2; its function is to overcome their
opposites; its manifestation is unshakeableness in that task; the
requisites of enlightenment are its proximate cause.
Loving-kindness has the characteristic of promoting the welfare
(of living beings); its function is to provide for their welfare, or
its function is to remove resentment; its manifestation is
kindliness; seeing the agreeable side of beings is its proximate
cause.
Equanimity has the characteristic of promoting the aspect of
neutrality3; its function is to see things impartially; its
manifestation is the subsiding of attraction and repulsion;
reflection upon the fact that all beings inherit the results of their
own kamma is its proximate cause.”
Apart from these definitions, many other passages in the Commentary
to the “Basket of Conduct”, Cariyåpițaka, deal in great detail with the
perfections. To what extent such details should be studied depends on
the ability of each individual to see their value and to investigate
realities. Everybody would like to fulfil all ten perfections, but in order
1 Concentration of the eightfold Path performs its function while it accompanies
the wisdom of the eightfold Path. The four noble Truths are the object of paññå.
2 Being resolute as to the requisites of enlightenment, and these are the ten
perfections.
3 Neutrality towards beings.
The Ten Perfections in Daily Life - 11
to do so, one should very gradually develop and accumulate them.
Before we listened to the Dhamma, akusala citta was likely to arise
often, and we did not understand at all how to develop the eightfold
Path. When someone has listened to the Dhamma, he acquires
understanding of the development of paññå and of the eightfold Path.
However, when people have gained already some degree of
understanding, they can notice that sammå-sati, right mindfulness, very
seldom in a day arises and is aware of the characteristics of realities.
Therefore, it is necessary truly to know oneself and to find out the
reason why right mindfulness arises very seldom.
It may be that someone has understood the right way of the
development of paññå that can eradicate the wrong view of self and
realize the four noble Truths. However, what is the reason that right
mindfulness does not develop in accordance with one’s understanding
of the Path? The reason is that everybody has defilements, and this can
be compared to suffering from illness. We are like a sick person who
does not know how to recover and gain strength. We see that the way
we have to travel is extremely far, but when our body is not healthy and
strong we cannot travel all the way through and reach our destination.
The eightfold Path is the long way we have to travel in order to reach
our destination, that is, the realization of the four noble Truths. If we do
not examine and know ourselves, we are likely to be a person who
knows the right Path but who cannot go along it. We are like someone
who does not know the way to gain strength and recover from his
ailments. Therefore, listening to the Dhamma and considering it so that
we gain understanding, can be compared to the situation of a person
who looks for the right medicine to cure his illness. Someone who does
not listen to the Dhamma and does not even know that he is sick, will
not look for medicine to cure his illness. As soon as he finds the
Dhamma and has right understanding of it, he is like a person who has
found the right medicine that cures his illness so that he has sufficient
strength to travel a long way. The dhammas that make the citta healthy
and strong so that one can walk the eightfold Path all the way through
are the ten perfections.
We should carefully consider the perfections so that we have correct
understanding of them, otherwise we shall not be able to develop them.
We may listen to the Dhamma every day, but we should know and
consider why we listen: we should listen with the firm determination
and intention to have right understanding of the Dhamma so that we
can apply it, now and during each life to come. We should know the
right purpose of listening: the development of paññå that can eradicate
12 - The Perfections
defilements. In this way the perfections can begin to develop while we
listen.
When we listen, the perfection of determination can develop. We
should know the meaning of the perfection of determination; without
mental strength one cannot fulfil this perfection. Some people who
perform kusala, such as generosity, express their determination by
prayer, but they do not know the meaning of determination. When one
has the firm, unshakeable determination to reach the goal, the
eradication of akusala, determination is a perfection, and this is an
essential condition for the development of paññå.
If we do not study the perfections, we may continue just to listen
without knowing the right purpose of it, and because of this we surely
shall not realize the four noble Truths. We should consider whether the
perfections begin to develop while we listen to the Dhamma. Whenever
we have the firm determination to listen with the right purpose, the
development of paññå, we develop and accumulate all ten perfections
so that they can reach accomplishment.
Chapter 1 - 13
The perfection of generosity is mentioned first among the ten
perfections. As we read in the definition of dåna, given by the
Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”:
“Giving (dåna) has the characteristic of relinquishing; its function is to dispel
greed for things that can be given away; its manifestation is non-
attachment, or the achievement of prosperity and a favourable state of
existence; an object that can be relinquished is its proximate cause.”
Most people know that generosity is the giving away of things for the
benefit and happiness of others. Laypeople cannot give away all their
possessions because they still cling to sense objects, but when there is
an opportunity for generosity they should practise it. If one is unable to
give away something one possesses, be it small or great, for the benefit
of others, it will be so much harder to give up the clinging and
attachment to the nåma dhammas and rúpa dhammas one takes for
self, beings and persons.
Therefore, it is necessary to give away things for the benefit and
happiness of others as much as one is able to, in order to eliminate
defilements, including attachment to possessions as well as clinging to
nåma dhammas and rúpa dhammas one takes for beings, people and
self. Thus, in our daily life we should not neglect the development of
the perfection of generosity. We should know whether our generosity is
a perfection or not. No matter how much we give away, generosity is
not a perfection if we do not see the need to eradicate defilements.
People who have understanding of the Dhamma and practise generosity
should consider whether their generosity is a perfection. If someone
gives away things without expecting a reward, not even rebirth in a
heavenly plane, then his generosity can be a perfection. However, if
someone wants to receive a reward, when he wishes for rebirth as a
millionaire, or for rebirth in different heavenly planes, or if he wants to
receive gain, honour and praise, then his life is still bound up with all
kinds of expectations, and his goal is not the eradication of defilements.
If we reflect about this we can know whether our giving at a specific
moment is a perfection or not.
14 - The Perfections
The perfection of generosity is a condition to cross over to the further
shore, namely, the eradication of defilements, different from the realm
of defilements. It is an extremely long way to reach the further shore,
the eradication of defilements; it is not easy to reach it. We should
clearly understand what the eradication of defilements means.
Therefore, we should know whether at the moment of giving we are
hoping for a reward or not. Giving that eliminates lobha, attachment, is
giving with the aim to eradicate defilements, and that means that we
should not expect any kind of reward.
Besides generosity by way of material aid, there is a higher kind of
giving, and that is the giving of Dhamma. This is actually the gift of
right understanding which will be beneficial both in this life and also in
the lives to come. When we give material things to people who are
needy and poor, this has only a temporary effect for them. We may not
take into consideration the root cause of their poverty. The fact that
people are poor is the result of akusala kamma, and so long as one
commits akusala kamma there are conditions for rebirth as a poor
person.
Besides assistance in a material way, we should help people by going to
the root-cause of their poverty, and that is, helping them to have right
understanding of the truth of the Dhamma. Thus we shall see that we
are really able to help each other in daily life, both with material gifts
and with the gift of Dhamma. By the gift of Dhamma we help others to
gain right understanding of the Dhamma and to apply the Dhamma as
well. Moreover, helping people to gain right understanding of the
Dhamma can be a condition for them also to develop more kusala:
generosity, morality and mental development.
Therefore, a person practises loving-kindness, mettå, when he helps
others in different ways to understand the Dhamma, by propagating it
through radio programs, by printing Dhamma books, by Dhamma
discussions, by explaining the Dhamma, without expecting a result for
himself. In that case his actions of generosity are a perfection, leading
to the eradication of defilements. He has the firm understanding that
developing kusala not bound up with lobha, attachment, is development
of the perfections. Some people who like to propagate the Dhamma
want to evaluate the result of their good deeds. However, the true result
of someone’s efforts has nothing to do with the number of people who
listen to the Dhamma he tries to propagate or the amount of good deeds
he has performed for this purpose. The result of his efforts manifests
itself in the citta of the listener who is thus better able to develop his
understanding further and to apply the Dhamma.
The Perfection of Generosity - 15
When someone who listens to the Dhamma gains right understanding,
he accumulates sincerity, and this is the perfection of truthfulness, sacca
pårami. He also accumulates the perfection of determination: he has an
unshakeable conviction of his aim, that is, the eradication of
defilements. We can evaluate the benefit of listening to the Dhamma at
this very moment: have we accumulated more kusala and eliminated
akusala?
There is another kind of dåna, generosity, and this is abhayadåna, the
giving of freedom from danger and fear.
We read in the “Gradual Sayings”, Book of the Eights, H IV, §9,
Outcomes of Merit, about eight outcomes (yields) of merit: going for
refuge to the Triple Gem and five gifts1. We read about these five gifts:
“Herein, monks, a noble disciple gives up the taking of life and abstains from
it. By abstaining from the taking of life, the noble disciple gives to
immeasurable beings freedom from fear, gives to them freedom from
hostility, and freedom from oppression. By giving to immeasurable beings
freedom from fear, hostility and oppression, he himself will enjoy
immeasurable freedom from fear, hostility and oppression...”
The same is said about the abstaining from stealing, sexual misconduct,
wrong speech and intoxicants. Thus, síla can also be considered under
the aspect of dåna. Abstaining from deeds that harm others as well as
giving protection from danger is included in giving freedom from fear,
abhayadåna. Moreover, also forgiving can be seen as an aspect of giving
freedom from fear2. When we forgive someone, we do not give in to ill
feelings or revenge.
If someone does not know that forgiving is a perfection he will not
forgive someone else who has done him wrong. If we do not forgive
others how can we attain enlightenment and eradicate defilements? If
we consider this it may be a condition for the gift of freedom from fear.
This is a way of generosity higher than the giving of material things,
åmisa dåna. If we cannot forgive someone we do not like, it means also
that we cannot develop other kinds of kusala with regard to this person.
If we do not forgive him or if we are still angry with him, we cannot be
generous to him, we cannot even give him material things. Neither can
we give him the gift of Dhamma, Dhamma dåna, in helping him with
Dhamma discussion, or advise him as to what is beneficial in life and
1 I inserted this sutta and my additional remarks. I am using the translation of
Ven. Nyanaponika, Wheel no. 238-240, B.P.S. Kandy, Sri Lanka.
2 In Thai to forgive is to give abhåya, freedom from fear or danger. Bhåya is fear
or danger, and a is a negation.
16 - The Perfections
what is not beneficial.
The gift of freedom from fear is a condition for the perfection of
morality, síla påramí, to develop; it is the condition for abstinence from
wrong action and speech. If we do not forgive someone else, our
conduct will not be that of a friend and thus kusala cannot develop.
How could we then cross over to the further shore, namely, the
eradication of defilements?
This shows us that our consideration of the nature of kusala in daily life
should be very refined. A person who develops paññå that can realize
the four noble Truths, should know the nature of his citta; he should
know when he is mentally ill and has no moral strength. If that is the
case, how could he travel the extremely long road that is the eightfold
Path? He should consider the nature of his citta, so that he can gain
strength of citta by means of the perfections. He may know that the
Path is satipațțhåna, the development of understanding of the
characteristics of realities; but sati does not arise if the perfections are
not strong enough for the realization of the four noble Truths. We all
should develop the ten perfections with paññå, also when we practise
generosity in our daily life. We should know the truth, we should know
the difference between giving without paññå and giving with paññå,
such as in the case of the Bodhisatta who gave with paññå. In this way
we can consider and understand the perfection of truthfulness, sincerity
for kusala, so that we can follow in the the footsteps of the Bodhisatta
who developed the perfections during each life. He did not develop in
one life just the perfection of morality, and in another life just the
perfection of renunciation, but he developed all ten perfections, without
exception, during each life.
Now I shall deal with generosity that goes together with sincerity, with
the perfection of truthfulness, and in this context we should reflect on
the generosity of the Bodhisatta.
The “Paramattha Dípaní”, the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”
(Cariyåpițaka, of the Khuddhaka Nikåya) explains about three kinds of
dåna pårami, perfection of generosity: the giving of material things
(åmisadåna), the giving of fearlessness (abhayadåna) and the giving of
the Dhamma (dhammadåna). We read about the giving of external
objects:
“When the Great Man gives an external object, he gives whatever is needed
to whomever stands in need of it; and knowing by himself that someone is in
need of something, he gives it even unasked, much more when asked.”
The Perfection of Generosity - 17
A person who is ready to give something useful to someone else when
he sees that he is in need, has a refined understanding of the
performance of kusala. As soon as he has seen that another person is in
need of something, the citta accompanied by compassion arises, and he
gives immediately, he does not wait to be asked.
Further on we read in the Commentary:
“He gives only when there is something to be given.”
He does not trouble himself nor feel disturbed when at times he wishes
to give but he does not have anything he can give. The Bodhisatta gives
only when he has something he can give.
We read:
“When there are things to be given he gives what people like to have, not
what they do not want.”
When other people are in need of something, he gives it away, provided
there is something to be given.
We read:
“He does not give because he expects something in return. And when there
is not enough to give sufficiently to all, he distributes evenly whatever can be
shared. But he does not give things that lead to affliction for others, such as
weapons, poisons and intoxicants. Nor does he give amusing things which
are harmful and lead to negligence. And he does not give unsuitable food or
drink to a person who is sick, even though that person might ask for it, and
he does not give what is suitable beyond the proper measure.”
If we really want to help someone, such as a person who is ill, we need
to reflect with compassion on the way we will give him assistance. We
should not just give without any discrimination, but we should also
know to what extent our gift is suitable and useful to a sick person. We
should know in detail what is kusala, and we should be discriminative,
not neglectful of kusala. Just as a doctor should precisely know the
condition of a person who is ill and the dosage of medicaments to be
taken that is suitable for each individual, even so should we give with
discrimination.
The Commentary states:
“Again, when asked, he gives to householders things appropriate for
18 - The Perfections
householders, and to monks things appropriate for monks. He gives to his
mother and father, kinsmen and relatives, friends and colleagues, children,
wife, slaves and workers, without causing pain to anyone. Having promised
an excellent gift, he does not give something mean. He does not give
because he desires gain, honour or fame, or because he expects something in
return, or out of expectation of some fruit other than the supreme
enlightenment (in the case of the Bodhisatta). He does not give detesting
the gift or those who ask. He does not give a discarded object as a gift, not
even to unrestrained beggars who revile and abuse him.”
Each time we give, we should carefully investigate our citta. The citta
should truly be gentle and tender. We should not have contempt for the
people who ask for something or dislike the things we give; we should
not give discarded objects, not even to unrestrained beggars who revile
and abuse us.
Can we follow this up? The person who receives a gift may be annoyed,
or sometimes his behaviour may be most impolite. But still, the citta of
the person who gives can be gentle and tender. He can give without
dislike of the receiver. It may happen that the receiver is unrestrained in
his behaviour, that his conduct is improper, or that he reviles the person
who gives; he may be angry, he may say that the other person gives too
little, or that he does not want to have the things that are given.
However, in spite of this, the citta of the giver should be steadfast in
kusala.
We read in the Commentary:
“He gives invariably with confidence, with compassion and respect.”
In this way one can eradicate one’s own defilements, also when giving.
The Commentary states:
“He does not give through belief in superstitious omens: but he gives
believing in kamma and its fruit. When he gives he does not afflict those who
ask by making them do homage to him, etc.; but he gives without afflicting
others. He does not give a gift with the intention of deceiving others or with
the intention of injuring; he gives only with an undefiled mind. He does not
give a gift with harsh words or a frown, but with words of endearment,
congenial speech, and a smile on his face.
Whenever greed for a particular object becomes excessive, due to its high
value and beauty, its antiquity, or attachment accumulated since a long
time, the Bodhisatta recognizes his greed, quickly dispels it, seeks out some
recipients, and gives it away.”
The Perfection of Generosity - 19
A person who understands himself well knows the extent of his
clinging, he knows when he can give up something or when he cannot.
Sometimes he may think of giving, but he is not able to give. However,
as we read, it is different for the Bodhisatta.
The passage quoted above deals with the giving of material goods,
åmisa dåna. The Commentary gives many more details of the
Bodhisatta’s practice while he developed the perfections in order to
attain the supreme enlightenment as the Sammå-Sambuddha. However,
now only a few details are dealt with so that people can investigate
more carefully their own citta in order to develop kusala further.
The Commentary states about the giving of freedom from fear, abhaya
dåna:
“The giving of freedom from fear is the giving of protection to beings when
they have become frightened on account of kings, thieves, fire, water,
enemies, lions, tigers, other wild beasts, dragons, ogres, demons, goblins,
etc.
The giving of the Dhamma, Dhamma dåna, is a non-perverted discourse on
the Dhamma given with an undefiled mind; that is, methodical instruction
conducive to good in the present life, in the life to come, and to ultimate
deliverance (diììhadhammika samparåyikaparamattha). By means of such
discourses, those who have not entered the Buddha’s Dispensation enter it,
while those who have entered it reach maturity therein. This is the method:-
In brief, he speaks on giving, on virtue, and on heaven, on the
unsatisfactoriness and defilement in sense pleasures, and on the benefit in
renouncing them.”
People may have understanding of dåna, of the danger in sense
pleasures and the benefit of renouncing them, but when one is unaware
and does not listen to the Dhamma, one is bound to be overcome by
defilements. When we often listen to the Dhamma, even though we
hear what was said before, or when we listen to what has been said
about daily life, we are reminded to reflect and be aware of realities,
and, thus, there are conditions to accumulate more kusala.
We read further on in the Commentary:
“In detail, to those whose minds are disposed towards the enlightenment of
disciples (såvakabodhiyam adhimuttacittånam), he gives a discourse
establishing and purifying them (in progress towards their goal) by
elaborating upon the noble qualities of whichever among the following topics
is appropriate: going for refuge, restraint by virtue, guarding the doors of the
20 - The Perfections
sense-faculties, moderation in eating, application to wakefulness...”
One should know the degree of one’s understanding. As we read, the
Buddha gave a discourse in detail to those whose minds were disposed
towards the enlightenment of disciples, he gave a discourse establishing
and purifying them (in progress towards their goal) by elaborating
upon the noble qualities as was appropriate to them.
Those who want to develop satipațțhåna, to develop right
understanding of the characteristics of the dhammas that are appearing,
and to develop the perfections in daily life, are already disposed
towards the enlightenment of disciples, and that means that they go for
refuge to the Triple Gem, that they observe síla, guard the doors of the
sense-faculties, are moderate in eating and apply themselves to
wakefulness and energy, time and again.
We should develop the perfections together with satipațțhåna, life after
life. The Bodhisatta had developed the perfections for aeons to an
incomparably high degree. He accumulated the perfection of generosity
together with paññå and all other wholesome qualities which formed
together the conditions (as the khandha of formations,
saṁkhårakkhandha1) for the realization of the four noble Truths when
he attained Buddhahood. The accumulation of the perfection of dåna
and the other perfections led to this result.
We read in the Commentary about the Bodhisatta’s accumulation of the
perfection of giving:
“When he gives a material gift, the Great Man gives food, thinking: ‘May I,
by this gift, enable beings to achieve long-life, beauty, happiness, strength,
intelligence, and the supreme fruit of unsullied bliss.’ He gives drink, wishing
to allay the thirst of sensual defilements; garments to gain the adornments
of shame and moral dread and the golden complexion (of a Buddha); vehicles
for attaining the modes of psychic potency and the bliss of nibbåna; scents
for producing the sweet scent of virtue; garlands and unguents for producing
The Perfection of Generosity - 21
the beauty of the Buddha-qualities; seats for producing the seat on the
terrace of enlightenment; bedding for producing the bed of a Tathågata’s
rest; dwellings so he might become a refuge for beings; lamps so he might
obtain the five eyes1. He gives visible forms for producing the fathom-wide
aura (surrounding a Buddha); sounds for producing the Brahmå-like voice (of
a Buddha); tastes for endearing himself to all the world; and tangibles for
acquiring a Buddha’s elegance. He gives medicines so he might later give the
ageless and deathless state of nibbåna. He gives slaves the gift of freedom so
he might later emancipate beings from the slavery of defilements. He gives
blameless amusements and enjoyments in order to produce delight in the
true Dhamma. He gives his own children as a gift so that he might adopt all
beings as his children by granting them an ariyan birth. He gives his wives as
a gift in order that he might become master over the entire world. He gives
gifts of gold, gems, pearls, coral, etc. in order to achieve the major marks of
physical beauty (characteristics of a Buddha’s body), and the gifts of the
diverse means of beautification in order to achieve the minor features of
physical beauty. He gives his treasuries as a gift in order to obtain the
treasury of the true Dhamma; the gift of his kingdom in order to become the
king of the Dhamma; the gift of monasteries, parks, ponds, and groves in
order to achieve the jhånas, etc.; the gift of his feet in order that he might
approach the terrace of enlightenment with feet marked with the auspicious
wheels; the gift of his hands in order that he might give to beings the
rescuing hand of the true Dhamma to help them across the four floods 2; the
gift of his ears, nose, etc. in order to obtain the spiritual faculties of faith,
etc.; the gift of his eyes in order to obtain the universal eye; the gift of his
flesh and blood with the thought: ‘May my body be the means of life for all
the world! May it bring welfare and happiness to all beings at all times, even
on occasions of merely seeing, hearing, recollecting, or ministering to me!’
And he gives the gift of his head in order to become supreme in all the
world.”
All his deeds of generosity contributed to his realization of the four
noble Truths when he became the Sammå-sambuddha. We read further
on about the gifts of the Bodhisatta:
“The gift of sounds (sadda dåna) should be understood by way of the sounds
of drums, etc. It is certainly not possible to give a sound as one gives a
1 These five eyes are the fleshly eye, the divine eye by which he sees the passing
away and rebirth of beings, the wisdom eye, by which he sees all dhammas with
their characteristics and their conditions, the Buddha-eye, by which he sees the
dispositions of beings and the maturity of their faculties, and the universal eye,
his knowledge of omniscience.
2 Floods, oghas, are sensual desire, desire for existence, wrong views and
ignorance.
22 - The Perfections
cluster of lotuses, tearing it out by its bulbs and roots and placing it in the
hands. But one gives a gift of sound by giving its base. Thus he makes a gift
of sound by presenting a musical instrument, such as drums or tom toms, to
the Triple Gem.”
One may offer a drum for the benefit of a temple as an offering of
sound, because it can be used to announce the time, the hours or the
watches (of the day and night) and so on. One may play music as an
offering of sound to the Triple Gem, by using instruments such as a
drum or tom tom. One may arrange for oneself or for someone else to
use an instrument such as a drum, with the intention to give sound as
an offering.
The Commentary explains further about the ways of offering the gift of
sound:
“... by giving medicine for the voice, such as oil and molasses, to preachers of
the Dhamma; or by announcing a lecture on the Dhamma, chanting the
scriptures, giving a discourse on the Dhamma, holding a discussion, or
expressing appreciation for the good deeds of others.”
One may invite people to sit close for a Dhamma discussion or ask
others to invite them for this purpose. Also when expressing words of
appreciation, anumodana, one can give sound as an offering. When one
speaks these words aloud or invites others to join in the expressing of
them, one offers the gift of sound. This is a condition for others to also
take part in the offering of sound by way of the expression of
anumodana.
We read in the Commentary:
“Giving thus, the Great Man does not give unwillingly, nor by afflicting
others, nor out of fear, moral shame, or the scolding of those in need of gifts.
When there is something excellent, he does not give what is mean. He does
not give extolling himself and disparaging others. He does not give out of
desire for the fruit, nor with loathing for those who ask, nor with lack of
consideration. Rather, he gives thoroughly, with his own hand, at the proper
time, considerately, without discrimination, filled with joy throughout the
three times (before, during and after giving). Having given, he does not
become remorseful afterwards. He does not become either conceited or
obsequious in relation to the recipients, but behaves amiably towards them.
Bountiful and liberal, he gives things together with a bonus (saparivåra). For
when he gives food, thinking: ‘I will give this along with a bonus’, he gives
garments, etc. as well. And when he gives garments, thinking: ‘I will give this
along with a bonus,’ he gives food, etc. as well...”
The Perfection of Generosity - 23
His generosity is boundless, and he gives something else as a bonus to
accompany his gift. In our daily life we all should investigate and
examine the realities that arise within us as they really are. Although
we have listened to the texts about the Bodhisatta’s giving, the way we
give depends on conditions and we cannot equal the Bodhisatta in
generosity.
Further on in the Commentary we read what the Bodhisatta is thinking
when he has an object that can be given but his citta is not inclined
to give:
“When the Bodhisatta possesses objects that can be given and suppliants
are present, but his mind does not leap up at the thought of giving and he
does not want to give, he should conclude: ‘Surely, I have not been
accustomed to giving in the past, therefore, a desire to give does not arise
now in my mind. So that my mind will delight in giving in the future, I will
give a gift. With an eye for the future let me now relinquish what I have to
those in need.’ ”
Thus, we see that giving cannot be forced. A person who has
accumulated the inclination to give often, time and again, is able to give
immediately, without hesitation, without having to think about it again
and again. Therefore, when someone’s mind does not leap up at the
thought of giving immediately, or when he hesitates, it can be known
that he surely did not accumulate giving in the past.
We read further on:
“Thus he gives a gift, generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishing; one
who gives when asked, delighting in giving and sharing. In this way the Great
Being destroys, shatters, and eradicates the first shackle to giving.”
Here we see that we should investigate our citta when we are not
inclined to give. We read:
“Again, when the object to be given is inferior or defective, the Great Being
reflects: ‘Because I was not inclined to giving in the past, at present my
requisites are defective. Therefore: though it pains me, let me give whatever
I have as a gift even if the object is low and inferior. In that way I will, in the
future, reach the peak in the perfection of giving.’ Thus he gives whatever
kind of gift he can- generous, open-handed, delighting in relinquishing, one
who gives when asked, delighting in giving and in sharing. In this way the
Great Being destroys, shatters, and eradicates the second shackle to giving.”
When someone does not give, he may reflect on it; he may realize that
he did not accumulate generosity and that, from now on, he will try to
24 - The Perfections
accumulate it. Or, he realizes that the things he could give are defective
or scarce because he did not give in the past, and that he from now on,
even though he has little, should give.
We read further on:
“When a reluctance to give arises due to the excellence or beauty of the
object to be given, the Great Being admonishes himself: ‘Good man, haven’t
you made the aspiration for the supreme enlightenment, the loftiest and
most superior of all states? Well then, for the sake of enlightenment, it is
proper for you to give excellent and beautiful objects as gifts.’ Thus he gives
what is excellent and beautiful, generous, open-handed, delighting in
relinquishing, one who gives when asked, delighting in giving and in sharing.
In this way the Great Being destroys, shatters, and eradicates the third
shackle to giving.”
Sometimes when a person regrets it to give something away, he should
consider what he really wants: does he want to keep that object or does
he want to realize the four noble Truths? Reflection in this way could
be a condition for the arising of generosity and at that moment a
shackle to generosity is destroyed.
We read:
“When the Great Being is giving a gift, and he sees the loss of the object
being given, he reflects thus: ‘This is the nature of material possessions, that
they are subject to loss and to passing away. Moreover, it is because I did
not give such gifts in the past that my possessions are now depleted. Let me
then give whatever I have as a gift, whether it be limited or abundant. In
that way I will, in the future, reach the peak in the perfection of giving.’ Thus
he gives whatever he has as a gift; generous, open-handed, delighting in
relinquishing, one who gives when asked, delighting in giving and sharing. In
this way the Great Being destroys, shatters, and eradicates the fourth
shackle to giving.”
Some people believe that when they give things away their possessions
will vanish, but in reality, it is already in the nature of possessions to
vanish. No matter whether we give or do not give, when it is the right
time for our possessions to vanish, they will disappear. Some people
who have many possessions fear that if they do not share them out they
will vanish, and therefore, they believe that they should rather give
them away. When calamities are caused by fire, inundation or robbers,
or when possessions are confiscated by kings, one may regret it that one
did not give things away. We can see that possessions do not vanish
because of giving, but that it depends on kamma whether one has
The Perfection of Generosity - 25
possessions or whether one loses them.
It is most difficult to develop the perfections, even though one has
listened to the Dhamma and learnt much about the perfections. It
depends on the capacity of each individual to what degree he can
develop kusala. The perfections should very gradually be developed
together with paññå, they should be developed time and again. We
know that this is necessary if we realize that we have many defilements
and that it is difficult to develop the paññå that can eradicate them.
Therefore, during each life defilements should gradually be eliminated,
so that the four noble Truths can be realized when one becomes a
streamwinner, sotåpanna. Then one has reached the first stage of
enlightenment, and one will not be reborn more than seven times.
We should know what kind of paññå accompanies the perfection of
generosity.
The Book of Analysis (the second Book of the Abhidhamma), in Ch 16,
Classification of Knowledge, 325) explains about different kinds of
paññå, such as wisdom by means of thinking, wisdom by means of
hearing, wisdom by means of giving, wisdom by means of síla.
The “Dispeller of Delusion” (the Commentary to the Book of Analysis, in Ch
16, 412) explains that understanding associated with the intention or
volition (cetanå) of giving is “understanding based on giving” or
“understanding by means of giving” (dånamayå paññå).
When we read this we should investigate in detail the paññå which is
accompanied by the volition or intention of giving (cetanå of dåna).
Paññå cannot arise with akusala citta, it cannot arise when someone
expects a result.
We read in the “Dispeller of Delusion”:
“...that understanding which arises associated in this way with the volition of
giving, this is called ‘understanding based on giving’ (dånamayå paññå).
But that has three forms, namely, prior volition, volition of relinquishing and
subsequent volition, according as it arises in one who thinks: ‘I shall give a
gift’, in one giving a gift or in one reviewing after having given a gift.”
The “Dispeller of Delusion” speaks in detail about paññå which
accompanies the kusala cittas that are intent on generosity. Kusala citta
can be unaccompanied by paññå or accompanied by paññå. Kusala citta
of the sense sphere accompanied by paññå cetasika (mahå-kusala citta
26 - The Perfections
ñåṇasampayutta 1) can be kusala citta of the level of dåna, of síla, or of
bhåvanå, mental development, including samatha and satipațțhåna,
which is the development of vipassanå. When we develop the perfection
of generosity, the aim should be the correct understanding of realities
as they are, without any expectation of a result for ourselves. This is the
condition for paññå which is understanding based on dåna (dånamayå
paññå).
We read in the “Basket of Conduct”, Division II, the Perfection of
Renunciation, no.1, “Conduct of Yudhañjaya”, about the Bodhisatta
Yudhañjaya, a King’s son. He saw a dewdrop that vanished by the heat
of the sun and this reminded him of impermanence and caused him to
wish to renounce worldly life. The Commentary to this section states:
“Paññå of the beginning stage that considers the impermanence of realities,
knows which dhammas are beneficial concerning generosity etc. and which
are not. This is the perfection of paññå.”
Dåna, generosity, is the giving away of objects for the benefit and
happiness of others. When we give things away we are not selfish.
Paññå of the beginning stage considers the impermanence of realities.
Did we ever consider at the moment of giving that there is nothing
lasting? Even possessions that we still have today and that we have not
yet given away may vanish before we can give them away, because they
are impermanent. Even we ourselves who have not yet given away
things are impermanent, we may die even before we have the
opportunity to be generous. When we reflect on the impermanence of
those who give and those who receive, kusala citta may motivate us to
give assistance to others. When we give away things that are beneficial
to others with the understanding of the impermanence of everything,
the perfection of wisdom can develop. We can only know for ourselves
whether we consider impermanence at such moments. When we meet
people who are poor, we can reflect on the unsatisfactoriness of life and
on impermanence before giving, at the moment of giving and after
having given, thus at the three moments of wholesome intention, kusala
cetanå, with regard to giving.
Some people feel joy with regard to some kinds of dåna, not to all
kinds, and when they recollect their generosity afterwards they are
delighted and have attachment to their generosity. This shows that
there may be wholesome intention, kusala cetanå, before giving, and at
The Perfection of Generosity - 27
the moment of giving, but that afterwards there may not be kusala citta.
We should investigate, when we recollect our generosity after we have
given, whether the citta is kusala citta or akusala citta. We may be
happy when we consider that we have done something beneficial, that
we have given assistance to people so that they are free from suffering.
Others may not give assistance to them because they may not know of
their needs. When we have given assistance to people and we recollect
the kusala we have performed, we may feel delighted, but this is non-
self, anattå; it is beyond control whether happiness arises or not. Happy
feeling may arise because we had an opportunity to help someone who
was in need and whom we should give assistance. However, if we desire
to recollect our kusala in order to have benefit for ourselves, it is not the
perfection of generosity. The difference between generosity that is a
perfection and that which is not, is very subtle.
28 - The Perfections
Chapter 2 - 29
The Commentary to “The Basket of Conduct” defines the perfection of
morality as follows:
“Virtue (síla) has the characteristic of composing (sílana, observing);
coordinating (samådhåna) and establishing (patiììhana) are also mentioned
as its characteristic. Its function is to dispel moral depravity, or its function is
blameless conduct; its manifestation is moral purity; shame and moral dread
are its proximate cause.”
The transgression of morality, síla, such as killing, stealing, sexual
misconduct, is motivated by akusala: by attachment (lobha), aversion
(dosa), and ignorance (moha). When someone commits evil deeds he
lacks mettå, loving-kindness towards others. All akusala kammas are
conditioned by clinging to visible object, sound, smell, flavour, tangible
object and the wrong view that there is self, being or person.
The streamwinner who has realized the four noble Truths and attained
the first stage of enlightenment, has eradicated the defilements in
accordance with that stage of enlightenment. He observes the five
precepts perfectly, he cannot transgress them any more. If one is not a
streamwinner which precepts can one observe? Even before we are a
streamwinner, we should not transgress the precepts. The coarse
defilements can be subdued and worn away until paññå will be
developed to the degree of a perfection and is able to realize the four
noble Truths.
“When the Buddha was the ascetic Akitti, he dwelt in a Kåra wood with
strength and energy to fulfil the ascetic practices (tapa), that is, the
perfection of síla. Síla is indeed called asceticism, because it burns the
impurity of akusala. Even so the perfection of renunciation and the
perfection of energy are called asceticism (tapa), because they burn by their
strength the impurity of clinging and laziness.”
1 See the Akitti Jåtaka, no. 480.
30 - The Perfections
The ten perfections are supporting conditions for each other, also at the
time the Buddha was the ascetic Akitti. He accumulated the perfection
of síla together with the other perfections, such as renunciation and
energy. We read:
“At the time he was the ascetic Akitti he built a hermitage beside a great
Kåra tree. When this tree gave fruits he fed on them, and when there were
no fruits he fed on its leaves sprinkled with water. Thus he had time and
opportunity to apply himself to the attainment of jhåna.
The ascetic Akitti searched for Kåra leaves that were sufficient for only
one meal a day, because he found that searching for food for two meals
would not lead to the eradication of defilements.”
This is the perfection of patience, because his life was not involved with
the urge to eat. We read:
“His behaviour caused Sakka, the King of the devas, to wonder why the
ascetic Akitti had such pure conduct of action, speech and thought, was
devoid of attachment in his life, and had Kåra leaves as his only food, which
were ascetic practices most difficult to perform.”
We should know the aim of our practice, such as the observing of síla,
morality. People who want to give up attachment to visible object,
sound, odour, flavour and tangible object should know why they are
doing this. We read:
“When Sakka saw this, he wondered why the ascetic Akitti observed such
practice. He thought that the ascetic Akitti practised in this way because he
desired to become Sakka, King of the Devas.
Sakka, in the guise of a brahmin, came to see the ascetic Akitti, thinking, ‘If
the ascetic Akitti wishes to become Sakka, he will give me his sodden Kåra
leaves, but if he has not such a wish, he will not give them away.’ ”
Sakka thought that if Akitti would aspire to become Sakka he would fulfil the
perfection of generosity, dåna, and give away his food. We read:
“When the ascetic Akitti noticed that the brahmin was in need of food, he
took the sodden Kåra leaves and gave them all to the brahmin. He did the
same the second day and the third day.”
Here we see that the kusala he performed at those times were actually
the perfections of generosity, dåna, of morality, síla, of renunciation,
nekkhamma, of patience, khanti, of energy, viriya, of determination or
steadfastness, adițțhåna, and of truthfulness, sacca, that is, sincerity in
the performing of kusala. He fulfilled the perfections in order to attain
The Perfection of Morality - 31
Buddhahood. All perfections are interrelated and they support one
another.
Akitti was steadfast in generosity, he did not hesitate because of
avarice. He did not long for anything in life, not even for something
very slight. This is the perfection of sincerity. We read:
“The ascetic Akitti was unshakable in generosity while he offered his sodden
Kåra leaves for three consecutive days.
He fulfilled the perfection of loving-kindness, mettå, by his disposition to give
assistance to all beings. He fulfilled the perfection of equanimity, upekkhå,
by evenmindedness or neutrality, not being disturbed by controversial
conduct of people or by trying events.”
Sakka begged for food for three consecutive days, but the ascetic Akitti
was unshakable in his determination to give, and he gave, no matter
who was asking. We read:
“As regards the perfection of paññå, he knows which dhammas are beneficial
conditions for the fulfilment of the perfections and which are not. He
abandons the dhammas which are not beneficial and he directs his practice
towards those which are beneficial. When Sakka knew the disposition of the
ascetic Akitti, he offered a boon, whereupon the Great Being, the ascetic
Akitti, explained the Dhamma with regard to the receiving of boons.”
Further on in the Commentary we read:
“Sakka noticed that the ascetic Akitti dwelt in contentedness. He asked
him: ‘What, great Brahmin, are you wishing for, that you are dwelling here
all alone in the heat?’ ”
Sakka interrogated Akitti because he wanted to know about his
sincerity in practising virtue to the highest degree, so that even Sakka
called him great Brahmin. We read:
“Akitti answered, ‘Sakka, King of the devas, rebirth is dukkha, the breaking
up of the body is dukkha, and dying with delusion is dukkha. Therefore I
dwell here all alone.’
Sakka answered: ‘Well spoken Kassapa1 , you expressed this very well. I will
give you a boon, choose whatever you wish.’ ”
One may have wonder what this means. Here the firm determination
for the development of kusala is shown of the ascetic Akitti who wishes
1 This is the name of his clan, the Kassapa clan.
32 - The Perfections
for a boon. The boon that he wishes for are all ten perfections. We read:
“The ascetic Akitti said, ‘Sakka, lord of the devas, you have offered me a
boon. People who have children, a wife, possessions and all kinds of pleasant
things, are attached to them, even though their attachment does not cause
any harm. However, I wish to be free from all degrees of attachment to such
things. That is the boon I would like to have.’ ”
This shows that he had a precise understanding of his cittas: he did not
wish to have attachment even if it would not cause any harm. Someone
who has no firm determination in the development of the perfections
may believe that attachment makes life comfortable and pleasant, and
that, so long as attachment does not cause any harm, there is no danger
in it. However, Akitti wanted to be free from all attachment. This is the
steadfastness in kusala to the degree of a perfection. We read:
“Thereupon Sakka said, ‘You have well spoken, Kassapa. What else do you
wish for?’”
Do we wish for a boon that will be a condition for kusala to become
more steadfast, just as in the case of Akitti? What he just asked was not
sufficient yet. The following boon that the ascetic Akitti wished for
shows again the meaning of kusala to the degree of a perfection. We
read that Akitti said:
“ ‘Sakka, the lord of all devas has offered me a boon. Lands, goods and gold,
cows, horses, slaves and relatives decay and pass away. May I not have such
unsatisfactoriness.’ ”
The loss of possessions is akusala vipåka, the result of akusala kamma
that has been performed by oneself. There will not be such loss if one
does not commit akusala kamma. We read that Akitti asked as a boon:
“ ‘May there be not any akusala kamma that could cause such loss.’
Sakka said, ‘Kassapa, what else do you wish?’
The ascetic Akitti said, ‘Please give me this boon: may I not see or hear a
fool nor be in his company, and may I not like to converse with him.’
Sakka asked, ‘What is the reason Kassapa, that you do not like fools nor
wish to see them?’ ”
If we wish to develop the perfection of renunciation we should consider
this passage. If we associate with fools we cannot develop renunciation.
The perfections are interrelated and from the beginning we should
consider all of them. We read:
The Perfection of Morality - 33
“The ascetic Akitti said, ‘Fools advise to do what is improper, they are likely
to be engaged with improper activities 1; it is difficult to advise them to
perform good deeds. When someone speaks to them in a wholesome way,
hoping that they will become righteous, they retort with anger. Fools do not
know the rules of right conduct (vinaya). It is beneficial not to see fools.’
Sakka asked: ‘Kassapa, what else do you wish for?’
The ascetic Akitti said: ‘Sakka King of the Devas, if you like to give me a
boon, I would ask you the following boon: people should see wise men, they
should listen to them, seek their company and cherish conversations with
them.’ ”
Sakka questioned Akitti so that he would give a clear explanation for
the benefit of those who wish to have precise understanding and who
study the Dhamma.
We read:
“Sakka asked Akitti, ‘Kassapa, please explain the reason why you like to
associate with the wise, why you wish to see the wise?’
The ascetic Akitti said, ‘The wise advise to do what is proper, they are not
engaged with improper activities. It is easy to encourage the wise. They do
not retort well-spoken words with anger. They know well right conduct. It is
good to associate with the wise.’
Sakka asked, ‘What else do you wish for?’
The ascetic Akitti said, ‘When the night is spent and the sun, the ruler of the
world, rises, may divine food and holy mendicants appear, and may the food
that I will offer not become exhausted. May I not repent my deed but give
with a pure mind. This is a boon I wish for.’
Sakka asked, ‘What else do you wish for?’
The ascetic Akitti said, ‘Sakka, King of the Devas, if you want to give me a
boon, may you not visit me again.’ ”
This is the last boon the ascetic Akitti asked for. This shows that he was
not heedless with regard to the akusala he had accumulated. Sakka was
most surprised because everybody wishes to see sons and daughters of
34 - The Perfections
devas, divine beings. Some people develop kusala to the degree of calm
in order to see devas. But the ascetic Akitti wished that Sakka would not
visit him again. We read:
“Sakka said, ‘Many people wish to see, because of their righteous conduct,
sons and daughters of devas. What is the danger in seeing me?’
The ascetic Akitti answered, ‘I may transgress my vow of asceticism when I
see the appearance of devas, beings who are full of glory and delightful to the
senses. This is the danger in seeing you.’
Thereupon Sakka said, ‘This is good, revered one, from now on I shall not
visit you again’ and he departed.
The Bodhisatta dwelt in the same place during his whole life. After he passed
away he was reborn in the world of the Brahma. The reverend Anuruddha
was Sakka, the Buddha was the ascetic Akitti.”
The ascetic Akitti was heedful, he did not want to see what could be a
danger to him. We can learn a lesson from this story, we should
consider the perfections with regard to our own life. We have a long
way to go in order to attain the realization of the four noble Truths and
the eradication of defilements. If we do not understand what the
perfections really are, we do not have firm determination to study the
Dhamma in order to have right understanding, to apply the Dhamma
and to practise it with sincerity, which is the perfection of truthfulness.
We should study and practise without being disturbed by the worldly
conditions of gain, loss, honour, dishonour, praise, blame, happiness
and misery. If we are unshakable by these worldly conditions, we are
beginning to develop the perfections so that they become more firmly
established.
If we consider the perfections developed by the Buddha life after life, as
related in the “Basket of Conduct”, we can see that our own
development of the perfections is still very insignificant compared to his
development, that there is an immense difference. Therefore, we should
continue further to develop all the perfections. We should not have
expectations with regard to right understanding of the characteristics of
nåma and rúpa which arise and fall away very rapidly at this moment.
The truth cannot be realized immediately, but understanding must be
developed very gradually during an endlessly long time.
We read at the end of the Commentary to the “Conduct of Akitti”:
“There may be confidence in him (the Bodhisatta), confidence that it is
possible to be freed from dukkha, but one may merely express words about
The Perfection of Morality - 35
this confidence and not act accordingly by the practice in conformity with
the Dhamma 1 just as the Buddha did.”
Thus, it is not sufficient merely to have confidence in the perfections the
Buddha developed during his former lives, but we should also apply
these perfections in daily life. We may express our confidence by words
but, even though we speak with kusala citta, if we do not act
accordingly by the right practice, we shall not reach the goal.
We may consider the perfections that we are beginning to develop. We
are interested in listening to the Dhamma and learning about the
practice in accordance with the Dhamma. We need the perfection of
energy, viriya, in order to be able to listen. If there is no energy or right
effort, we do not come to listen to the Dhamma, but we rather listen to
another subject that gives us pleasure and entertainment. When we
listen to the Dhamma we also need the perfection of patience, khanti,
because sometimes we have to listen to what does not interest us so
much. Without patience we cannot develop the other perfections such
as the perfection of morality, síla. Without the perfection of síla we shall
transgress morality by our deeds and speech.
It is most important with whom we associate. The ascetic Akitti said
with regard to himself that he did not wish to see, to hear or to be close
to fools. The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” compares
association with fools to the tasting of water that has a bitter,
unpleasant flavour, and association with wise persons to the tasting of
sweet water.
Also the Bodhisatta had at times to associate with fools. For example,
during one of his lives the Bodhisatta belonged to a clan of people with
wrong view. In his life as the brahmin youth Jotipåla he was born into a
family of people who had wrong view and no confidence in the
Buddha2. Jotipåla followed his parents in their disdain of the Buddha.
The brahmins who had wrong view had no confidence in the Buddha
Kassapa, who was the last Buddha before the Buddha Gotama.
The Commentary to the “Discourse on Ghațikåra”, Middle Length
Sayings, the “Papañcasúdaní”, states that Bodhisatta had accumulated
the perfections until his life as Jotipåla, when he came into contact with
people of wrong view. The Commentary compares the accumulated
1 Dhammanudhamma pațipatti: the practice of the Dhamma in conformity with
the Dhamma (anudhamma). The practice of the Dhamma so that one attains
supra mundane Dhamma, enlightenment.
2 See Middle Length Sayings II, no. 81, On Ghațíkåra.
36 - The Perfections
We do not know our past lives but we can learn from the story of the
Bodhisatta as Jotipåla: although he had accumulated the perfections to
a high degree, he still associated with fools. We can learn that we
should not be heedless and see the danger in association with fools.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”, in the
“Miscellaneous Sayings”:
“Now comes the method of practising the perfection of virtue (síla). Since
the Great Man desires to adorn beings with the adornment of the virtue of
the omniscient, at the beginning he must first purify his own virtue. Herein,
virtue is purified in four modes:
by the purification of one’s inclinations (ajjhåsayavisuddhi);
by the undertaking of precepts (samådhåna);
by non-transgression (avítikkamana);
by making amends for transgressions (patipåkatikaraṇa).”
In this way we can check síla in our daily life. We should know whether
our síla is pure. We read:
“For someone who is dominated by personal ideals, is naturally disgusted
with evil through the purity of his own inclinations and purifies his conduct by
arousing his inward sense of shame (hiri). Someone else who is dominated by
consideration for the world, afraid of evil, purifies his conduct by receiving
precepts from another person and by arousing his sense of moral dread
(ottappa) 2. Both establish themselves in virtue through non-transgression.
But if, due to forgetfulness, they sometimes break a precept, through their
sense of shame and moral dread, respectively, they quickly make amends for
it through the proper means of rehabilitation.”
See also “Milinda’s Questions” II, The Dilemmas , Fifth Division, 6: Birth as
Jotipåla.
The “Atthasåliní” ( I, Part IV, Ch I, 125-127) explains that hiri, shame, has a
subjective origin; its proximate cause is respect for oneself. Whereas ottappa,
fear of blame or moral dread, has an external cause, it is influenced by the
world; its proximate cause is respect for someone else. Hiri and ottappa always
arise together, but they have different characteristics.
The Perfection of Morality - 37
In these ways síla is purified. We read further on about the virtue of the
Bodhisatta:
“When he speaks, his statements should be truthful, beneficial, and
endearing, and his talk measured, timely, and concerned with the Dhamma.
His mind should always be devoid of covetousness, ill-will, and perverted
views. He should possess the knowledge of the ownership of kamma 1, and
have settled faith and affection for recluses and brahmins who are faring and
practising rightly...
By desisting from slander he obtains a retinue and following that cannot be
divided by the attacks of others. He possesses unbreakable faith in the true
Dhamma. He is a firm friend, as exceedingly dear to beings as though they
were acquainted with him in the last existence. And he is devoted to non-
defilement.
By desisting from idle chatter he becomes dear and agreeable to beings,
revered, held in esteem. His statements are accepted and his talk measured.
He acquires great influence and power, and becomes skilful in answering the
questions of others with the ingenuity that creates opportunities (to benefit
others). And when he reaches the plane of Buddhahood, he becomes capable
of answering the numerous questions of beings, speaking numerous
languages all with a single reply.
Through his freedom from covetousness he gains what he wishes and obtains
whatever excellent possessions he needs. He is honoured by powerful
1 Kammassakatå ñåṇa, understanding that kamma is the cause of vipåka, result.
Beings will receive the appropriate results of their deeds.
3 The eight qualities of the Buddha’s voice: it is frank, clear, melodious, pleasant,
full, carrying, deep and resonant, and does not travel beyond his audience.
38 - The Perfections
khattiyas4. He can never be vanquished by his adversaries, is never defective
in his faculties, and becomes the peerless individual.”
If one develops kusala without expecting any result for oneself, the
result will be in conformity with the kusala one performed. Someone
may speak well, expressing himself with beautiful words, but when he
speaks he should think of the well-being of the listener, he should know
whether the listener will be ill at ease or happy. If there is sati-
sampajañña (sati and paññå) he will refrain from speech that causes
the listener to be uncomfortable, even though he does not speak an
untruth. If sati-sampajañña arises it will cause one to speak in a
beneficial, agreeable way. If someone does not expect any result for
himself, his kusala will bring its result, as the Buddha explained. We
read further on in the Commentary:
“Through his freedom from ill-will he gains a pleasant appearance. He is
esteemed by others, and because he delights in the welfare of beings, he
automatically inspires their confidence. He becomes lofty in character,
abides in loving-kindness, and acquires great influence and power.
Through his freedom from wrong view he gains good companions. Even if he
is threatened with a sharp sword, he will not perform an evil deed. Because
he holds to the ownership of kamma, he does not believe in superstitious
omens. His faith in the true Dhamma is established and firmly rooted. He
has faith in the enlightenment of the Tathagatas, and no more delights in
the diversity of outside creeds than a royal swan delights in a dung heap.”
Here we see the refinement of the citta that is averse from wrong view.
One should not associate with people who have wrong view. People
who do not understand which cause brings which effect, may cling to
superstitious omens. They may listen to the Dhamma and have
confidence in it, but if they are not firmly established in their
confidence in the true Dhamma they may still be carried away by
superstitious believes and lack understanding of cause and effect.
Síla is twofold: as avoidance (våritta) and as performance (cåritta). Síla
as avoidance is abstaining from evil. Síla as performance is the right
conduct one should follow. We may abstain from akusala and not
transgress the precepts, but with regard to síla as performance (cåritta),
we should consider the Bodhisatta’s conduct, so that we shall further
develop kusala. We read further on:
“Herein, at the appropriate time, a bodhisattva practises salutation, rising
4 The khattiyas where those of the highest social rank. All kings and chieftains
were katthiyas.
The Perfection of Morality - 39
up, giving respectful greetings (añjali), and observing courteous conduct
towards good friends worthy of reverence. At the appropriate time he renders
them service, and he waits upon them when they are sick. When he receives
well-spoken advice he expresses his appreciation. He praises the noble
qualities of the virtuous and patiently endures the abuse of antagonists. He
remembers help rendered to him by others, rejoices in their merits, dedicates
his own merits to the supreme enlightenment, and always abides diligently in
the practice of wholesome states. When he commits a transgression he
acknowledges it as such and confesses it to his co-religionists. Afterwards he
perfectly fulfils the right practice.
He is adroit and nimble in fulfilling his duties towards beings when these are
conducive to their good. He serves as their companion. When beings are
afflicted with the suffering of disease, etc., he prepares the appropriate
remedy. He dispels the sorrow of those afflicted by the loss of wealth, etc.-
Of a helpful disposition, he restrains with Dhamma those who need to be
restrained, rehabilitates them from unwholesome ways, and establishes
them in wholesome courses of conduct. He inspires with Dhamma those in
need of inspiration. And when he hears about the loftiest, most difficult,
inconceivably powerful deeds of the great bodhisattvas of the past, issuing in
the ultimate welfare and happiness of beings, by means of which they
reached perfect maturity in the requisites of enlightenment, he does not
become agitated and alarmed, but reflects: ‘Those Great Beings were only
human beings. But by developing themselves through the orderly fulfilment of
the training they attained the loftiest spiritual power and the highest
perfection in the requisites of enlightenment. I, too, should practise the same
training in virtue, etc. In that way I, too, will gradually fulfil the training and
in the end attain the same state.’ Then, with unflagging energy preceded by
this faith, he perfectly fulfils the training in virtue, etc.
Again, he conceals his virtues and reveals his faults. He is few in his wishes,
content, fond of solitude, aloof, capable of enduring suffering, and free from
anxiety. He is not restless, puffed up, fickle, scurrilous or scattered in
speech, but calm in his faculties and mind. Avoiding such wrong means of
livelihood as scheming, etc., he is endowed with proper conduct and a
suitable resort (for alms). He sees danger in the slightest faults, and having
undertaken the rules of training, trains himself in them, energetic and
resolute, without regard for body or life. He does not tolerate even the
slightest concern for his body or life but abandons and dispels it; how much
more, then, excessive concern? He abandons and dispels all the corruptions
such as anger, malice, etc., which are the cause for moral depravity. He does
not become complacent over some minor achievement of distinction and
does not shrink away, but strives for successively higher achievements. In this
way the achievements he gains do not partake of diminution or stagnation.
40 - The Perfections
The Great Man serves as a guide for the blind, explaining to them the right
path. To the deaf he gives signals with gestures of his hands, and in that way
benefits them with good. So too for the dumb. To cripples he gives a chair, or
a vehicle, or some other means of conveyance. He strives that the faithless
may gain faith, that the lazy may generate zeal, that those of confused
mindfulness may develop mindfulness, that those with wandering minds may
become accomplished in concentration, and that the dull-witted may acquire
wisdom. He strives to dispel sensual desire, ill-will, sloth and torpor,
restlessness-and-worry, and perplexity in those obsessed by these
hindrances, and to dispel wrong thoughts of sensuality, ill will, and aggression
in those subjugated by these thoughts. Out of gratitude to those who have
helped him, he benefits and honours them with a similar or greater benefit in
return, congenial in speech and endearing in his words.
He is a companion in misfortune. Understanding the nature and character of
beings, he associates with whatever beings need his presence, in whatever
way they need it; and he practises together with whatever beings need to
practise with him, in whatever way of practice is necessary for them. But he
proceeds only by rehabilitating them from the unwholesome and establishing
them in the wholesome, not in other ways. For in order to protect the minds
of others, bodhisattvas behave only in ways which increase the wholesome.
So too, because his inclination is to benefit others, he should never harm
them, abuse them, humiliate them, arouse remorse in them, or incite them
to act in ways which should be avoided. Nor should he place himself in a
higher position than those who are of inferior conduct. He should be neither
altogether inaccessible to others, nor too easily accessible, and he should not
associate with others at the wrong time.
He associates with beings whom it is proper to associate with at the
appropriate time and place. He does not criticize those who are dear to
others in front of them, nor praise those who are resented by them. He is
not intimate with those who are not trustworthy. He does not refuse a
proper invitation, or engage in persuasion, or accept excessively.”
Síla of performance, cåritta síla, is subtle and refined, and we should
consider it at the present moment with sati. For example, when a dear
friend does something wrong, one may be off guard and blame him
immediately in front of others. But when sati arises, one will wait for
the proper opportunity and speak to him later on. This shows that
defilements have to be worn off time and again, until they eventually
will be completely eradicated.
Chapter 3 - 41
The Perfection of Renunciation
The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” defines the perfection of
renunciation as follows:
“Renunciation (nekkhamma) has the characteristic of departing from sense
pleasures and existence; its function is to verify the unsatisfactoriness they
involve; its manifestation is the withdrawal from them; a sense of spiritual
urgency (saṁvega) is its proximate cause.”
The perfection of renunciation is the giving up of pleasure, clinging, and
the ways of wrong thinking that are: sensuous thinking (kåma vitakka),
thinking of hate (vyåpåda vitakka) and thinking of cruelty (vihimså
vitakka). These unwholesome ways of thinking can be given up by
becoming a monk or by the development of satipațțhåna. When
someone gives up thoughts of sense pleasures, of hate and of harming
others, he is developing the perfection of renunciation.
Generally people believe that one can practise renunciation only by
becoming a monk, but in order to understand the real meaning of
renunciation we have to consider the different types of citta that are
thinking, be they kusala or akusala. We usually think in our daily life in
an unwholesome way of the sense objects: of visible object, sound,
odour, flavour and tangible object, thus, there is sensuous thinking,
kåma vitakka. Can we avoid thinking of sense objects with pleasure,
infatuation and clinging?
The opposite of sensuous thinking is thinking of renunciation
(nekkhamma vitakka). Renunciation, departing from sense pleasures, is
practised not only by entering the state of monkhood, which is a
superior state, but it can also be practised by laypeople in daily life. Did
we ever consider to abandon sense pleasures? Are we becoming
disenchanted with sense objects? We have attachment to visible object,
sound and the other sense objects; we do not have to give them up, but
do we want more of them? If we have not yet enough of them we give
in to sensuous thinking, whereas if we find that we have quite sufficient
of them, we have thoughts of renunciation.
When we continue to crave for evermore sense pleasures, it shows that
42 - The Perfections
we have defilements. We should ask ourselves whether we wish to have
more defilements. Each time we are attached to visible object and the
other sense objects, defilements arise. If we do not realize that we have
already a great deal of defilements, the thought of renunciation will not
arise. We may want to obtain still more pleasant sense objects and
never be contented with what we have already. We do not have to
become a monk in order to develop renunciation, but we could ask
ourselves whether we have already enough pleasant things. It may
happen that we, for example, do not wish to buy more clothing again
that merely serves as beautification of the body, and we may consider
what we have as more than sufficient. In that case we have
renunciation in daily life.
We should begin to investigate and consider with regard to ourselves
whether our possessions are already sufficient; we should become
contented with what we have. If we obtain more than we need, we
could give it away if it can be of use to others. In that way the
perfection of renunciation develops. Instead of sensuous thinking there
can be thinking of renunciation.
If we want to eradicate defilements it is essential to consider the
perfections in our daily life. We should reflect on the Buddha’s former
lives, on his conduct leading to Buddhahood. We may think the stories
about his former lives just very ordinary, but, in fact, these stories deal
with the perfections the Bodhisatta developed during all those lives.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”, the “Conduct of
Sona Nanda” 1 :
“At that time the Bodhisatta passed away from the Brahma world and was
born as the son of a Brahmin magnate who had a possession worth eighty
crores, in the city of Brahmavaddhana. His parents called him young Sona.
When Sona could walk, another being passed away from the Brahma world
and he too was conceived by the Bodhisatta’s mother. When he was born
they called him young Nanda. The venerable Ānanda was at that time
Nanda.
When their parents observed how handsome the boys were they let them be
educated in all the liberal arts and they wanted them to marry. However,
the Bodhisatta did not wish to marry. He wanted to look after his parents
during their whole life, and after their death retire from worldly life. His
parents tried to persuade him to marry, but the Bodhisatta was firmly
convinced that he should become an ascetic. Thereupon his parents wanted
1 See also the Sona Nanda Jåtaka, no. 532.
The Perfection of Renunciation - 43
to entrust their possessions to Nanda instead, but Nanda said, ‘Since my
older brother Sona did not accept your possessions, I will not accept them
either, and I shall also become an ascetic.’ The parents were much surprised
that their two sons wanted in their young age to give up their possessions
and retire from worldly life. When they noticed the firm determination of
their sons, and saw that they were able to become ascetics although they
were quite young, they also wanted to retire from worldly life. At that time
they built a hermitage in the wood and the two brothers looked after their
parents. The sage Nanda thought, ‘We shall just gather fruits as food for our
parents.’ He would bring fruits that were left over from the previous day, or
that he had gathered on previous days, and give them to his parents to eat
early in the morning. When they had eaten them they would rinse their
mouths and observe a fast. But the sage Sona went somewhat further away
to gather sweet and ripe fruits with a delicious flavour and offered these to
them.
His parents said to Sona, ‘We have already eaten and we are observing a
fast, and therefore we have no need of these fruits.’ However, the fruits that
the sage Nanda had gathered before in order to give to his parents early in
the morning were sometimes spoiled.
Thereupon the Bodhisatta thought, ‘My parents are delicate, they belong to
a high caste, and thus they should not eat fruits that are not good.
Sometimes they are spoilt or unripe. Nanda brings all kinds of half-ripe or
unripe fruits for them to eat and therefore they will not live long.’ He wanted
to stop Nanda from doing this, and addressed him with the words: ‘From
now on, when you have gathered fruits for our parents, you have to wait until
I have returned, and then we shall both at the same time supply them with
food. They should not merely eat the fruits of Nanda.’
When the sage Sona had spoken thus, the sage Nanda did not follow up
what his brother said because he hoped to gain merit for himself. He hoped
that his parents would eat only the fruits that he had brought himself. When
the Bodhisatta noticed that the sage Nanda paid no heed to his words he
told him to go somewhere else, and that he himself would take care of his
parents.
When the sage Nanda was dismissed by his brother he took leave of the
Bodhisatta and of his parents. He developed the eight attainments and the
five higher powers 1and then he wanted to ask his brother forgiveness.”
44 - The Perfections
These are the thoughts of someone who has accumulated the
perfections and knows what is proper and what not. We read further on
about the sage Nanda’s thoughts:
“He thought, ‘If I wish to ask my brother forgiveness, it should be in the
most superior way.’ He was wondering how he should achieve this. He
thought that in order to ask his brother forgiveness, he would bring Sakka,
the King of the devas, from the heaven of the Thirty-three, but he found this
improper. Since he and his brother were still in this world, it was more
suitable to bring the chief King Manoja who resided in Brahmavaddhana and
who was more powerful than the other Kings. He would tell King Manoja
that he wanted to ask his brother forgiveness.
When he had thought about this he went to the palace of King Manoja and
said, ‘I will get the sovereignty over all India and offer it to you, but I would
pray you to see my elder brother, so that I will be forgiven by him.’ Finally,
Nanda could ask his brother forgiveness and was forgiven by him. The
Bodhisatta let the sage Nanda look after their mother whereas he looked
after their father for as long as they lived. The Bodhisatta taught Dhamma
with the graceful poise of a Buddha to King Manoja:
‘Joy, careless ease, laughter and sport, are the sure heritage
Of him that studiously shall tend a mother in old age.
Joy, careless ease, laughter and sport, are the sure heritage
Of him that studiously shall tend a father in old age.
Gifts, loving speech, kind offices, together with the grace
Of calm neutrality of mind shown in due time and place
These virtues to the world are as a linch-pin to chariot wheel.
If these virtues are lacking, parents do not receive respect and reverence
from their children.’ ”
Thus, if someone does not give assistance to his parents in this way, he
has no reverence for his parents. We read further on:
“The parents should be revered, and the wise approve of the man in whom
these virtues may be found. They say that the parents are like Brahma, they
own a high position and are worthy of respect.
Therefore, the wise give respect to them and honour them with service,
The Perfection of Renunciation - 45
providing them with food, drink, clothing, beds, by bathing and anointing
them, and washing their feet,
Sages praise in this world people who look after their parents in this way,
and when they part from this world they will rejoice in heaven.”
The other perfections should also be taken into consideration. The
Bodhisatta was a person who did not pay attention at all to sense
pleasures, he had the highest degree of respect for his parents, and he
never tired of looking after them. Even though he had to take care of
them, he still used every opportunity to dedicate himself to attaining
jhåna.
Another perfection we should develop in daily life is the perfection of
energy, viriya. When the Bodhisatta searched for good fruits to offer to
his parents, he needed to have endurance and energy. When we think
of the ten perfections in our case, we should consider how our conduct
is in the present life that has followed upon our lives of the past and
that is conditioned by our accumulations in the past. One life was
succeeded by a following life without interruption, and we were born
into different lives as such or such person in such or such place.
The perfection of renunciation is the elimination, the giving up and the
subduing of attachment to sense objects, the departing from them. We
only realize with regard to this life that we cling to visible object, sound,
odour, flavour and tangible object. To what extent can we gradually
become more detached from these objects? We may see the benefit of
developing the perfection of renunciation. Someone may have given up
the lay life and become a monk, but if he still clings to the five sense
objects just as a layman, there is no difference between being a monk or
a layman. Therefore, the perfection of renunciation does not merely
mean leaving the household life and becoming a monk. Renunciation
means having the energy and courage to eliminate the clinging we all
have to visible object, sound and the other sense objects. So long as we
have not attained the excellent state of the non-returner, we have not
eradicated clinging to sense objects. We should know ourselves as we
are, we should know whether we are sincere and have the firm
determination to eliminate the clinging to the five sense objects. We are,
for example, attached to colour, when we look at pictures, when we
find them beautiful and delightful. Generally, when we see something
beautiful, we are likely to have enjoyment and clinging, lobha. If there
is heedfulness, it can be known that at such a moment this is only a
reality, a dhamma, that appears. Attachment can decrease by not trying
to obtain the attractive object so that we do not accumulate more
46 - The Perfections
attachment. Thus, when there is a pleasant object, we can see it, but
when it is not there and we cannot see it, we should not search for it.
We may usually eat delicious food, and when we eat too much it is bad
for our body. However, the citta that is attached to the flavour of food
causes us to eat even when we are not hungry. If we can eliminate
clinging, if we can have renunciation with regard to flavour, we shall
eat just enough to satisfy our hunger, and if possible, we shall not even
relish the food so much. Someone may not be hungry, and he knows
that he will feel uncomfortable if he still eats. However, because the
food is so delicious, he will just savour one morsel. This shows that he
does not have renunciation. Whereas, if someone has renunciation, he
can begin to train himself by endurance, and thus, he needs to have also
the perfection of patience, so that he will eat just sufficiently to satisfy
his hunger; he knows when the amount of food is just enough to sustain
his body.
We can understand that it is most difficult to be free from clinging to
the sense objects, because even training oneself to decrease clinging is
already difficult. Therefore, we should develop moral strength so that
all the perfections can assist satipațțhåna to be aware more often of the
characteristics of realities in daily life.
If we have patience we can endure the experience of heat or cold. When
the weather is hot, we do not need to make special efforts to have a
cold bath, or when it is cold, we do not need a warm bath. For some
people it may be necessary for their body to take care of the right
temperature of their bath. However, when this is not the case, we may
be attached to the temperature of the water. Some people, when they
have a warm bath, feel comfortable and pleasant; even though their
body is strong and they do not need a warm bath, they like to have this
pleasant sensation. Or sometimes they take pleasure in having a cold
bath. When someone understands the perfection of renunciation, he can
have more endurance, no matter whether he experiences heat or cold.
He also needs the perfections of patience and of energy.
Nobody can tell someone else to give up attachment to sense pleasures,
nor can one tell oneself to do this, but it must be paññå which
understands the true meaning of the perfection of renunciation.
We read in the “Jatukaṇṇimåṇavapucchå”, Jatukaṇṇí’s Questions, of the
Cúlaniddesa, “Khuddhaka Nikåya”:
“(There is) renunciation, nekkhamma (when there is) seeing, seeing clearly,
comparing, considering, developing, so that one clearly understands the right
The Perfection of Renunciation - 47
practice, the proper practice, the practice that is an enemy 1, the practice
that is beneficial, the practice of Dhamma according to the Dhamma that
leads to purity of síla.
(There is renunciation, when there is) the guarding of the sense doors,
moderation in eating, the application of energy so that one is alert and
awake, sati-sampajañña (sati and paññå).
(There is renunciation, when there are) the four applications of mindfulness,
the four right efforts, the four bases of success, the five spiritual faculties,
the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the eight Path factors 2,
nibbåna and the practice leading to nibbåna.
(When there is renunciation) with happiness, (there is) resistance, a refuge,
a protection, no danger, unshakableness, the deathlessness, a dhamma
departing from clinging, which is like a thread that fastens. Having seen (all
this), there is renunciation with happiness.”
It is not easy to see that renunciation means happiness. We should
understand that it must be paññå that sees its benefit, that compares
and considers the practice, so that one should follow the right and
proper practice that opposes attachment and clinging to visible object,
sound, odour, flavour and tangible object. One should see the benefit of
the practice of Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma and develop
the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment.
Therefore, it must be paññå which understands and knows that
renunciation which departs from sense objects is to be achieved by sati-
sampajañña, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, the attainment
of nibbåna and the practice leading to nibbåna, as stated by the
Cúlaniddesa. And all this is practised with happiness, which means, that
1 An enemy, opposed to attachment.
2 The four bases of success, iddhipådas, are: wish-to-do, chanda, energy, viriya,
citta and vímaṁsa, investigation. The four right efforts, sammå-padhånas, are:
the effort of avoiding akusala, of overcoming akusala, of developing kusala and
of maintaining kusala. The five (spiritual) faculties, indriyas, are: confidence,
energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom. Indriya means leader, ruler or
controlling faculty. The faculties are “leaders”, each in their own field. The five
powers, balas, are the same realities as the five spiritual faculties, indriyas, but
when the indriyas have been developed so that they are unshakable by their
opposites, they have become powers. The seven factors of enlightenment are:
sati, investigation of the Dhamma (dhamma-vicaya), energy (viriya), rapture
(píti), tranquillity (passaddhi), concentration (samådhi) and equanimity
(upekkhå). All these thirty-seven factors, bodhipakkhiya dhammas, are the
factors pertaining to enlightenment; if they are developed, they lead to
enlightenment.
48 - The Perfections
one should see the disadvantage and danger of defilements. One should
have an unshakable determination to develop paññå in order to
completely eradicate clinging to sense objects. This has to begin by
listening and considering the Dhamma so that one first sees the benefit
of the practice. One should realize that renunciation means happiness
and that this kind of happiness is without a self who seeks enjoyment.
We should understand that detachment from the sense objects leads to
the highest calm and well-being.
Each of the perfections should be developed together with paññå,
otherwise kusala is not of the degree of a perfection. If one does not see
the danger of akusala and if one does not realize the benefit of the
perfections, they cannot be developed. In that case paññå is too weak to
see the benefit of their development.
If one’s goal is the realization of the four noble Truths, one should not
only develop paññå but also the perfections. Each of the perfections is
an important and helpful condition for the realization of the four noble
Truths. Some people may wonder why it is necessary to develop day
after day the perfections together with satipațțhåna. Someone who has
understanding about the development of the eightfold Path knows that
sati should be aware of the characteristics of realities that are
appearing, and that paññå gradually considers, notices and understands
the characteristics of the dhammas that are non-self, as nåma, the
reality which experiences, or rúpa, the reality which does not
experience.
Satipațțhåna cannot arise all the time, but still, the fact that one has
listened to the Dhamma and accumulated understanding of the
development of satipațțhåna, all these factors are conditions for the
arising also of other levels of sati. There can be sati of the level of the
excellent qualities that are the perfections 1. Each perfection implies a
level of refined sati.
We should develop satipațțhåna together with all the perfections, and
this for an endlessly long time. We shall know that satipațțhåna can
gradually grow, together with the perfections which we have developed
and accumulated.
The Perfection of Renunciation - 49
In order to realize the four noble Truths, all the perfections should be
developed, not only generosity and morality, but also renunciation, the
giving up of clinging to the sense objects. We also need to have the
perfections of energy and patience,
we should have endurance and we should not be disturbed by the sense
objects, be they desirable or undesirable.
We read that the Bodhisatta in one of his former lives considered the
true nature of his akusala, he knew that it often arose. He realized how
difficult it was to give up clinging to the sense objects. We read in the
Commentary to the “Susíma Jåtaka”(no. 411) that the Bodhisatta
considered the citta which had to strive after the giving up of clinging to
sense objects, to visible object, sound, odour, flavour and tangible
object:
“The Bodhisatta considered: a sick person cannot turn himself over by his
own strength. The hospital nurse has to attach a string so that he can pull
himself up, and he should exhort him with the words, ‘come, pull this string
so that you can turn yourself over.’ When he pulls that string he can turn
himself over and experiences bodily wellbeing, but he does not find mental
ease, be it even slight. This situation is the same as when beings are
inflamed because of their defilements: they cannot uplift themselves and
turn away from defilements by means of happiness arising from solitude.”
If there is no clinging to the sense objects, one will have true calm, there
will be happiness arising from solitude; one is tranquil and free from
clinging to the sense objects. However, in order to become uplifted and
turn away from defilements, to become free from clinging, to depart
from sensepleasures, we need the assistance of the perfections we have
accumulated. Only in that way can we renounce the sense pleasures.
We read in the Commentary to the “Susíma Jåtaka”:
“This thought occurred to the Bodhisatta during a past life when King
Brahmadatta was reigning in Vårånasí. The Bodhisatta was at that time the
son of the King’s priest and his name was young Susíma. The King’s son was
named young Brahmadatta. The two boys grew up together and learnt all
sciences at Takkasíla, and when they had accomplished their studies they
came home again. Young Brahmadatta became viceroy, and at his father’s
death he became King and made young Susíma his advisor and priest.
One day the King went around the city in procession seated on the shoulder
of an elephant while he made the priest sit on the back of the elephant. The
queen-mother, when she stood and looked out from the royal window, saw
the priest sitting behind the King. She fell in love with him and did not want
50 - The Perfections
to eat anymore. The King went to see her and asked what ailed her, but the
queen mother did not want to tell him because she was ashamed.
Thereupon the King sent his chief queen, and the queen-mother spoke about
what had happened. The King entreated the priest to become King and he
made the queen-mother his chief queen while he himself became the
viceroy.
From then on the Bodhisatta was disenchanted with the household life. The
queen spoke to him in many ways and used several tricks with him so that
he would enjoy his reign, but the Bodhisatta taught Dhamma, he showed the
delight and the misery of the sense pleasures, and he returned the kingdom
to the viceroy. He became an ascetic sage and cultivated the attainments of
jhåna and the supernatural powers, so that he became destined for the
Brahma world.”
At the end of this Jåtaka the Buddha explained that the chief queen was
Råhula’s mother, the king was Ånanda and king Susíma was the
Buddha himself.
In relating his past lives, the Buddha explained that nobody can know
the force of lobha, nor in what way it will arise in each life.
Renunciation from sense pleasures is most difficult, and going forth
from the household life to become a monk is even more difficult,
because the monk should carefully consider and observe the rules of the
Vinaya. But anyway, if one wishes to give up sense pleasures, clinging
to the sense objects, it is necessary to renounce them by the
development of paññå. One should know the characteristics of realities
as not a being, not a person, not self. There may be attachment,
aversion, seeing, hearing, jealousy, conceit or thinking of the
importance of self, all these phenomena are realities that we refer to as
different cittas and cetasikas, as different conditions, as realities that
through their arising condition one another. All this is complex and
deep in meaning. Paññå should be able to penetrate the true nature of
dhammas at this very moment and realize them as not a being and not
self.
Chapter 4 - 51
The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” defines the perfection of
wisdom as follows:
“Wisdom (paññå) has the characteristic of penetrating the real specific
nature (of dhammas), or the characteristic of sure penetration, like the
penetration of an arrow shot by a skilful archer; its function is to illuminate
the objective field, like a lamp; its manifestation is non-confusion, like a
guide in a forest; concentration or the four (noble) truths, is its proximate
cause.”
Through the study of the Dhamma we gradually come to have more
understanding of the vicissitudes of the world, of gain and loss, honour
and dishonour, praise and blame, wellbeing and pain. We shall
understand that the pleasant “worldly conditions” of gain, honour,
praise and wellbeing only lead to dukkha, suffering, if there is no paññå
that knows the causes and their appropriate results in life. If someone
truly sees the value of paññå and intends to develop kusala, he will not
wish for pleasant sense objects as result, but he will aim for the growth
of paññå until it has become keen and accomplished to the degree that
it can completely eradicate defilements. Satipațțhåna, right
understanding of the mental phenomena and physical phenomena of
our life, cannot be developed without paññå. No matter how many
other excellent qualities someone may have, his defilements cannot be
eradicated if paññå does not develop and becomes keener, if paññå
does not clearly see the true nature of the realities that are naturally
appearing. Thus, we should see the incomparable value of paññå and
we should apply ourselves to its development so that it can become fully
accomplished. If we develop satipațțhåna time and again, paññå will be
gradually accumulated so that it becomes keener, and reaches the
degree of a perfection which realizes the four noble Truths.
52 - The Perfections
“In his life when the Bodhisatta was Yudañjaya, he was the eldest son of the
King and had the rank of the viceroy. He fulfilled every day mahå-dåna 1, the
giving of an abundance of gifts. One day when he visited the royal park he
saw the dewdrops hanging like a string of pearls on the tree-tops, the grass-
tips, the end of the branches and on the spiders’ webs.
The prince enjoyed himself in the royal park and when the sun rose higher all
the dewdrops that were hanging there disintegrated and disappeared. He
reflected thus: ‘These dewdrops came into being and then disappeared.
Evenso are conditioned realities, the lives of all beings; they are like the
dewdrops hanging on the grass-tips.’ He felt a sense of urgency and became
disenchanted with worldly life, so that he took leave of his parents and
became a recluse.”
From this story we can learn that people have different degrees of
understanding. We may see dew drops hanging on grass-tips, but who
has paññå to the degree of causing a sense of urgency and
disenchantment when he compares his own life with the evanescent
dew?
We read:
“The Bodhisatta realized the impermanence of the dewdrops and made this
predominant in accumulating a sense of urgency and disenchantment; it
arose once and then became a condition leading to its arising very often.”
When right understanding with a sense of urgency arises we should not
let it pass by without paying attention to it. We should reflect on the
conditions for this sense of urgency so that it can arise more often. The
thought of death and impermanence can be a condition for further
developing the perfections.
The Commentary to the “Conduct of Yudañjaya” explains about the
beginning of paññå in that life of the Bodhisatta. We read:
“By offering mahå-dåna before he retired from the world and by his giving up
of the kingdom he fulfilled the perfection of giving.
By his restraint in action and speech he fulfilled the perfection of síla.
By his going forth from worldly life and by his attainment of jhåna he fulfilled
the perfection of renunciation.
In that life he began to develop paññå by wise consideration of
1 The word mahå-dåna is mostly used for the great offering of gifts to the Sangha.
The Perfection of Wisdom - 53
impermanence so that eventually the higher powers (abhiññås) could be
attained; he developed paññå which could distinguish the dhammas that
were beneficial from those that were not beneficial for the development of
generosity and so on. In that way he fulfilled the perfection of paññå.
By energy for the accomplishment of what was beneficial in all his
undertakings he fulfilled the perfection of energy.
By patience associated with paññå (ñåṇa khanti) and by endurance
(adhivasana khanti) he fulfilled the perfection of patience.
By not speaking wrongly, not deviating from what he had promised, he
fulfilled the perfection of truthfulness.
By his unshakable determination in all that he undertook and observed, he
fulfilled the perfection of determination.
By the power of the divine abiding of loving-kindness, thinking only of the
benefit of all beings, he fulfilled the perfection of loving-kindness.
By his evenmindedness towards beings’ contrarious behaviour, and by the
divine abiding of equanimity, he fulfilled the perfection of equanimity.
These are the ways by which he fulfilled the ten perfections.”
The perfection of paññå is essential for the development of the other
perfections in the right way. We should remember that the goal of the
development of the perfections is paññå which penetrates the four
noble Truths. Since its development to that degree takes an endlessly
long time, paññå, in its turn, is also dependent on the other perfections.
We can notice in this life that someone who has developed the
perfections will be inclined to listen to the Dhamma, whereas someone
who has not developed the perfections does not see the benefit of the
development of paññå and does not want to listen to the Dhamma.
Even though there is still opportunity to listen to the true Dhamma, he
is not interested in listening.
A person who has already developed the perfection of paññå to a
certain extent, wishes to understand and to know the true nature of
realities, no matter where he is born, or even if he is born into a family
where there is wrong view. We read in “The Questions of Piṁgiya”
(Cúlaniddesa of the “Khuddhaka Nikåya”) that the Brahmin Piṁgiya
who was hundred and twenty years old asked the Buddha:
“I am old and weak, I have lost my beauty, and moreover, my eyesight and
my hearing are not clear. Meanwhile, Lord Buddha, may I not go astray, may
the Lord explain the Dhamma that he penetrated, the Dhamma that makes
54 - The Perfections
an end to birth and old age.”
A person with paññå would not ask for anything else but hearing the
true Dhamma which makes an end to birth and old age. Although
Piṁgiya was hundred and twenty years old, he wanted to listen to the
true Dhamma. He had accumulated paññå to such degree that he saw
the benefit of listening to the Dhamma. We read further on:
“The Buddha said to the Brahmin Piṅgiya: ‘People are intoxicated, they are
oppressed by physical phenomena, rúpas. It can be seen that people are
disturbed because of rúpas. Therefore, Piṅgiya, you should not be neglectful,
you should give up clinging to rúpas so that you will not be reborn.’ ”
People who have developed paññå know that dukkha, suffering, arises
because of clinging to rúpa. In order to abandon dukkha, we should
eliminate clinging to rúpas. The dukkha in our life is caused by rúpas,
because we cling and take delight in the sense objects of colour, sound,
odour, flavour and tangible object. All these objects are the cause of
diverse kinds of dukkha.
Further on we read:
“The term ‘by rúpas’ (rúpesu) means: by the four great Elements and the
derived rúpas that are dependent on these 1. Beings are disturbed and
troubled, they are hurt and killed because of rúpa; rúpa is the condition and
the cause of this.
Because of rúpa, Kings commit many kinds of deeds, they inflict many kinds
of punishment. They have someone beaten by whips, sticks, split rods. They
have people’s hands, feet, earlobs, and nose cut off. They have a pot of
boiling rice placed on someone’s head ”
It is because of rúpas that we can experience the effect of being
punished, like being beaten by whips etc. We read further on:
“The skin of the head is stripped off so that its colour is white as a
conchshell...their body is cut up and smeared with a biting liquid They have
their skin stripped off, their bones smashed; they have the body sprinkled
with hot oil; they let the dogs eat the flesh of their body, they let their body
be pierced by spears, or they have it cut up with a knife....
All beings are bound to be troubled, harmed and killed, because of rúpa. One
The Perfection of Wisdom - 55
can see, investigate and consider this so that paññå develops and one sees
clearly that all beings are troubled and harmed in those ways. Therefore the
Buddha said that he saw all beings being troubled because of rúpa.”
When we depart from this world, we do not know where we will go. It
may happen that we shall receive punishment in the aforesaid ways. So
long as we have a body we do not know what will happen to it, but
when there is a cause for receiving tortures, which is the result of
akusala kamma, rúpa is the cause, the reason for experiencing painful
feeling. We read further on:
“When the eyesight declines, or even disappears altogether, people are
troubled.
Apart from trouble caused by the ear, the nose, the tongue, visible object,
sound, odour, flavour and tangible object, it is caused by the family (which
supports the monk), by the fellow monks of the monastery, gain, honour,
praise, wellbeing, robes, almsfood, dwelling, medicines; when these things
decline or disappear altogether so that one is without them, people are
troubled.
Because of these reasons it is said that everybody is disturbed because of
rúpa. One should eliminate attachment to rúpa so that one can give it up in
this life.
With regard to Piṅgiya, he attained enlightenment when the Buddha had
finished this Dhamma discourse.”
We see from this example that although Piṁgiya had accumulated
perfections through listening to the Dhamma, he also needed the
perfection of energy and of patience because paññå develops only very
gradually, it is a long and difficult process. The perfection of
truthfulness and the perfection of determination are a necessary
foundation for being able to listen to the Dhamma. One should be
unshakable in one’s determination to listen, no matter in what
circumstances one may be.
The perfection of paññå can be developed when we perform deeds of
generosity, but we should know to what purpose we give things away:
to eliminate defilements. Someone who does not know that paññå has
to be developed in order to realize the four noble Truths, gives without
paññå, and he may expect a reward for his good deed. However,
someone who gives things away with understanding of realities is
aware of the fact that, in truth, no beings, people or self are to be
found; he knows that birth leads to suffering and trouble, life after life.
56 - The Perfections
He knows that the end to rebirth is the end to suffering. This means
that seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or the experience of tangible
object and all the sufferings caused by them will not arise any more. All
kinds of kusala have to be developed to the degree of a perfection, so
that the four noble Truths can be realized and defilements be
eradicated. When someone has become a streamwinner, sotåpanna, he
will not more than seven times be reborn and then attain arahatship.
When sati and paññå have become keener and more refined, we shall
see that we have many different kinds of defilements through the eyes,
the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind, the whole day. It
is extremely difficult to eradicate them completely. This can only be
achieved by developing every kind of kusala to the degree of a
perfection. If someone has right understanding of the significance of the
perfections, he will, when he performs generous deeds, not aim for
anything else but the realization of the noble Truths so that defilements
can be completely eradicated.
We can only know ourselves whether our kusala is a perfection or not.
If someone has no understanding of the way to eradicate defilements,
his generosity is not a perfection. Someone who has listened to the
Dhamma and notices his defilements, may perform kusala of the degree
of a perfection, but it all depends on the strenghth of his paññå. Some
people who have just begun to listen to the Dhamma say that they do
not need to attain nibbåna, and that they do not need to be a
“streamwinner”, sotåpanna, who will not be reborn more than seven
times. They want to be reborn more than seven times. Thus, it is evident
that in their case paññå of the level of listening is still weak. For the
development of the perfections it is necessary that paññå clearly sees
the benefit of developing them, be it the perfection of generosity, of síla,
of renunciation or any of the other perfections. Thus, it all depends on
the degree of paññå to what extent the perfections can be developed.
We may not have understood that the defilements and all dukkha,
suffering, arising in this life originate in “our personality”, which is the
nåma dhammas and rúpa dhammas we take for me, for self. The true
cessation of dukkha is that nåma dhamma and rúpa dhamma do not
have to be reborn.
We read in the “Mahåniddesa, “Attadaṇďa Sutta”:
“The word ‘man’ (nara 1) is used here with regard to someone who is
inclined to nibbåna. This means, that ‘men’ are people in this world who
1 Nara, here translated as man, can mean: valiant, heroic, strong.
The Perfection of Wisdom - 57
perform generous deeds, undertake síla, observe the fastday, prepare water
for drinking and for other uses, sweep the grounds, pay respect to the stupa,
develop kusala of the three dhåtus, elements 1, that should be developed.
They do not develop kusala because of rebirth, because of a plane of
existence they want to attain, because they want to continue in the cycle of
birth and death. They have as their goal to depart from dukkha, they are
humble and they are inclined to nibbåna. Because of this goal they will
develop all kinds of kusala. They are called ‘men’, because they are inclined
to nibbåna.”
Someone who has not understood the true meaning of dukkha may
hope for the end of dukkha in as far as he sees dukkha as merely
getting what he does not wish for. Or he may just want to have no more
suffering. However, when someone has understanding of the meaning
of dukkha, his goal is departing from dukkha, in the sense of being
inclined to nibbåna, which is the end of dukkha inherent in all
conditioned dhammas. This kind of understanding has as foundation
listening to the Dhamma and seeing the danger in akusala, seeing the
disadvantage, suffering and danger of rebirth, of the arising of nåma
dhammas and rúpa dhammas.
Akusala dhammas arise very often, since they are conditioned by all the
akusala we have accumulated. If we see the benefit of the development
of the perfections, we should find out whether in our daily life kusala
arises often or whether it arises very seldom. When kusala arises we
should know whether it has become firmer and whether it has reached
already the degree of a perfection. Someone may have performed
kusala time and again, also before he listened to the Dhamma but, after
he listened to the Dhamma and he learnt that the perfections are an
essential condition for the realization of the four noble Truths, his
sincerity and unshakable determination to further develop kusala
increases.
We read in the Commentary to the “Mahåniddesa” of the Khuddhaka
Nikåya, the Commentary to the “Guhațțaka Sutta-niddesa”, “the Cave”:
“The term ‘paññå’ means: it penetrates. What does it penetrate? It
penetrates the noble Truths, the Truth of, ‘This is dukkha...’ ”
The noble Truth of dukkha is not merely dukkha which is suffering,
oppressing us in daily life, such as loss of possessions, blame, pain etc.
The noble Truth of dukkha is the truth that nothing is permanent, that
58 - The Perfections
whatever arises such as seeing, hearing, thinking, happiness or pain
arises just for an extremely short moment and then disappears.
Knowing, “this is dukkha”, means, knowing that what arises and falls
away immediately is dukkha.
We read further on in the Commentary quoted above:
“This kind of paññå is an indriya, a controlling faculty, in the sense of
predominance, because it overcomes ignorance, avijjå.”
Whenever paññå does not arise, we are overcome by ignorance. The
characteristic of paññå is the opposite of that of ignorance. Ignorance
can be overcome when paññå arises.
We read further on:
So long as the truth has not been realized we cannot speak of
illumination. One merely begins to understand realities. However, when
paññå has reached a higher level, it has the characteristic of
illumination: it can realize the truth when the element of nåma, the
element which experiences, clearly appears through the mind-door.
We read further on:
“To the wise at a single session the ten thousand world-spheres appear as of
one light.”
Paññå which is illumination is understanding which penetrates the
characteristics of realities which were never before penetrated.
Formerly someone may have heard about these characteristics and
understood them in theory, but he may not yet have directly realized
them. Paññå can grow and it can become illumination. As we read,
even when we sit in one place, the ten thousand world-spheres can
appear as of one light. This means that paññå understands thoroughly
and penetrates the characteristic of nåma dhamma when nåma
dhamma appears. Nåma dhamma arises in the planes of the five
1 See also The Expositor, Atthasåliní, I, Book I, Part IV, Ch I, 122.
2 When insight knowledge arises the characteristic of nåma appears through the
mind-door and nåma is clearly distinguished from rúpa.
The Perfection of Wisdom - 59
khandhas, in the heavenly planes, in the rúpa-brahma planes, in the
arúpa-brahma planes1, or in whatever world of the countless
worldsystems, but it has one characteristic: nåma dhamma is the reality
which experiences, the element, dhåtu, which experiences an object.
When paññå penetrates the characteristics of realities, ten thousand
worldsystems appear as of one light, which means that paññå clearly
understands the characteristics of realities, no matter where they arise.
We read further on:
“A man introduces an oil-lamp into a dark house; the lamp so introduced
disperses the darkness, produces light, sheds lustre, makes objects visible,
so, understanding as it arises dispels the darkness of ignorance, produces the
light of wisdom, sheds the lustre of knowledge, makes plain the four noble
Truths. Thus understanding has illuminating as its characteristic.”
While we are listening to the Dhamma at this moment, we are
developing the perfection of paññå together with the perfections of
energy and patience, so that in the future paññå that is illumination,
that clearly understands realities, will arise.
We read further on:
“And as a clever surgeon knows which food is suitable, and which is not,
evenso is understanding...”
Here we see that paññå should be developed in daily life so that it
thoroughly knows and penetrates the characteristics of realities.
We read:
“Evenso, understanding as it arises knows states as kusala or akusala,
serviceable or unserviceable, low or exalted, black or pure, similar or
dissimilar. And this was said by the ‘General of the Dhamma’ (Såriputta): ‘It
knows; thus, monk, it is in consequence called understanding. And what does
it know? This is dukkha, etc. Thus it should be expanded. And thus knowing
should be regarded as the characteristic of understanding.’
Here is another view: Understanding has the penetration of intrinsic nature,
unfaltering penetration as its characteristic, like the penetration of an arrow
shot by a skilled archer; illumination of the object as its function, as it were a
lamp; non-perplexity as its proximate cause, as it were a good guide in the
forest.”
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This is the characteristic of paññå which knows everything as it really
is. When satipațțhåna does not arise, we spend our day with ignorance:
we do not know which kind of akusala citta arises, what degree of
lobha accompanies akusala citta, and we cannot clearly distinguish
between attachment arising through the eyes, the ears or the mind-
door. The whole day we are ignorant of the truth of realities. When
paññå arises, it knows precisely which dhammas are kusala and which
are akusala. There is no need to ask someone else whether it is kusala
or akusala that arises, because paññå is able to understand this. Paññå
knows which dhammas are beneficial and which are not.
When akusala citta arises paññå clearly understands it; it knows the
danger of akusala and it knows that akusala should not increase. When
kusala citta arises paññå clearly understands it and it knows the benefit
of kusala. As we read in the Commentary, paññå knows the
characeristics of the dhammas that are low or exalted, dark or pure.
We read further on:
“Again, the development of paññå with the aim to realize the four noble
Truths is walking a very long way, namely traversing the cycle of birth and
death.”
If paññå arises we can understand that the cycle of birth and death we
have traversed thus far is extremely long. So long as paññå has not
become accomplished, the path leading to the end of the cycle is still
extremely long. Thus, as we read, for the development of paññå we
have an extremely long way to go. We have to go to the further shore,
into the direction of nibbåna, where, according to the Commentary, “we
never went yet, not even in our dreams”.
We need all ten perfections, because we have such an amount of
defilements. It is not sufficient only to develop the perfection of paññå.
If we do not understand what the perfections are and in what way we
should develop them in our daily life, we cannot realize the four noble
Truths, but we have merely vain expectations of achieving their
realization. We do not know ourselves and we do not understand that
we need the perfections which are a supporting condition for the
development of kusala and for the elimination of akusala dhammas.
When we have understood that satipațțhåna should be developed
together with the perfections, there are conditions for the perfection of
generosity, the giving away of things for the benefit of someone else, for
the perfection of síla, the abstention from akusala kamma and the
perfection of renunciation: detachment from visible object, sound and
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the other sense objects. This is a very gradual process, but at times
someone may notice that he is inclined to become more de tached from
sense objects, that he has had already enough of them, and that he
should not indulge in them too much.
With regard to the perfection of paññå, most people are longing for
paññå, but the perfection of paññå, that is, paññå that understands the
characteristics of realities, cannot arise if one does not try to develop it.
Generally people wish to know the truth of realities, but they should
carefully investigate whether, at the moment of seeing, of the
experience of the other sense objects or of thinking, they have the
sincere desire (chanda) to know and to understand the characteristics
of the realities that are appearing at those very moments.
When someone really sees the benefit of paññå he needs to have energy
and endurance, because the development of paññå is a difficult task
which takes an endlessly long time. Understanding of the level of
listening is only a foundation, it is not the perfection of paññå that is
the condition for the realization of the four noble Truths. The perfection
of paññå evolves with the development of the understanding of the
characteristics of realities that are appearing. This includes the
development of understanding of the level of listening, of considering
realities, and also of the level of awareness of realities at this moment.
We read in the Khuddhaka Nikåya, Cúlaniddesa, “Ajita’s Questions”:
“ ‘Kusalo sabbadhammånaṇ’, means: he is skilful in all dhammas. He knows
that conditioned dhammas are impermanent, that conditioned dhammas are
dukkha and that all dhammas are anattå.”
In order to directly understand and penetrate the truth we should study
the Dhamma in all details, so that we come to know the precise
meaning of the term “all conditioned realities”, saṁkhåra dhammas.
This includes everything that appears right now, and this is
impermanent, it arises and falls away. The dhammas which arise and
fall away are dukkha and all dhammas are anattå, non-self.
We read further on about different ways in which realities are taught:
“Again, he is skilful in the khandhas (aggregates), the dhåtus (elements), the
åyatanas (bases), the paìiccasamuppåda (dependent origination),
satipaììhåna, the sammå-padhånas (four right efforts), the indriyas
(faculties), the balas (powers), the factors of enlightenment, the path, the
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fruit, nibbåna. This means, he is in this way skilful in all dhammas 1 .”
The five khandhas of rúpas, feelings, remembrance, formations and
consciousness are present at this very moment. The elements, the
åyatanas (bases), the dependent origination, refer to dhammas which
are very intricate and arise in interdependence on one another. The
four right efforts, the faculties and the powers are related to paññå.
There must be right effort with paññå so that the characteristics which
are appearing can be understood. The person who is skilful in all
dhammas is, as we read, skilful in the factors of enlightenment which
pertain to the realization of the four noble Truths, the magga-citta,
path-consciousness, which attains enlightenment and the phala-citta,
fruition-consciousness, which is the result of the magga-citta, and
nibbåna. We are not skilful in all dhammas if we merely listen for a
short time.
We read further on:
“And again, the åyatanas (bases) are: the eye and visible object, the ear and
sound, the nose and odour, the tongue and flavour, the bodysense and
tangible object, the mind (manaayatana) and dhammas (dhammaayatana),
and these are called: all dhammas.”
The person who has developed paññå can, when he listens to the
Dhamma and also understands the characteristics of the dhammas that
are appearing, realize at that moment the arising and falling away of
realities. He is skilful in the åyatanas, such as seeing and what appears
through the eyesense at this very moment.
Some people wonder how, in the development of satipațțhåna, one can
at the moment of seeing understand the characteristics of the realities
that are appearing. There is only one way: when someone has listened
The four right efforts, sammå-padhånas, are: the effort of avoiding akusala, of
overcoming akusala, of developing kusala and of maintaining kusala. The five
faculties, indriyas are: confidence, energy, mindfulness, concentration and
wisdom. The five powers, balas, are the same realities as the five spiritual
faculties, indriyas, but when the indriyas have been developed so that they are
unshakable by their opposites, they have become powers. The seven factors of
enlightenment are: sati, investigation of the Dhamma (dhamma-vicaya), energy
(viriya), rapture (píti), tranquillity (passaddhi), concentration (samådhi) and
equanimity (upekkhå).
The Dependent Origination teaches the conditionality of nåma and rúpa in the
cycle of birth and death.
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to the Dhamma he can be mindful so that he will understand the
characteristic of seeing that sees at this very moment, or the
characteristics of the other dhammas that are appearing at this moment.
At the moment of understanding realities, satipațțhåna is being
developed. Sati is mindful of the characteristic of the reality which
experiences or knows, such as seeing, and paññå is able to understand
that characteristic, it realizes that it is only a reality which is not self,
not a being, not a person.
At whatever moment seeing, hearing, the other sense-cognitions or
other types of citta present themselves, the åyatanas can be understood:
the eye and visible object, the ear and sound, the other sense-bases and
sense objects, citta and dhammas. At those moments paññå begins to
develop by knowing the characteristics of realities which are appearing.
We can use the word satipațțhåna for this process, but what matters
above all is knowing how paññå is to be developed: when seeing
appears, one begins to understand the characteristic of seeing, when
hearing appears, one begins to understand the characteristic of hearing,
and so on for the other sense-cognitions and for other types of citta. The
perfection of energy, viriya, should arise together with paññå, otherwise
one will make an effort for something else, different from the right
effort to understand the characteristics of realities, just as they naturally
arise in daily life.
The Buddha’s different methods of teaching Dhamma are in conformity
with each other, there is no contradiction between them. For example,
the Buddha taught mindfulness of death, maraṇa sati. Moreover, he
also taught that there are three kinds of death: momentary death
(khaṇika maraṇa), conventional death (sammutti maraṇa) and final
death (samuccheda maraṇa) 1. Momentary death is death at each
moment, and this means that our life occurs during only one moment of
citta. One may say that life lasts long, that a person is very old, but in
reality, life is a series of cittas that arise and fall away in succession. If
we reduce the duration of life that seems to be very long into just one
extremely short moment of citta, we can understand that life occurs
during only one moment of seeing. At this moment of seeing, there is
just one moment of life that arises and sees; if there would not be
seeing there would be no life. Seeing has arisen and sees, and then it
dies, it lasts for an extremely short moment. At the moment we are
hearing, life occurs only during one short moment of hearing and then
there is death.
1 Final death, samuccheda maraṇa, is the final passing away of the arahat who
will not be reborn.
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When someone who develops the perfection of paññå is mindful of
death, he should not merely think of death in conventional sense,
sammutti maraṇa. It is not enough to think, even with some degree of
detachment, that there is nobody who can own anything, and that one
day we shall be separated from all things, that all we used to take for
self or mine will disappear. Merely intellectual understanding cannot
lead to the eradication of defilements. The true understanding of
momentary death, death occurring at each moment of citta, is different
from understanding of death in the conventional sense. We should
understand momentary death: each moment we are seeing, seeing
arises and then dies. It is the same in the case of hearing, the other
sense-cognitions and thinking. If we have right understanding of
momentary death, we will be able to investigate and know as they are
the characteristics of the realities that are appearing. This is
mindfulness of death.
There are different levels of mindfulness of death, in accordance with a
person’s understanding. There is mindfulness of death of the level of
someone who develops calm and this is different from the level of
someone who develops understanding by considering and investigating
the characteristic of death which occurs each moment. If we are
mindful of momentary death we come to see the disadvantage of
clinging to what falls away immediately.
In the “Dasaṇṇaka Jåtaka”(no. 401) the danger and disadvantage of
clinging has been explained. We read in the Commentary to the
“Dasaṇṇaka Jåtaka” :
“At the time that the Bodhisatta was the wise Senaka, the royal councillor,
Mahå-Moggallåna was the wise Āyura, and Såriputta was the wise Pukkusa.
The son of the King’s household priest came to wait on the King and when
he saw the queen he became enamoured, and when he went home he lay
down without taking food. When the King came to know about this, he gave
the queen to him for seven days, but asked him to send her back on the
eighth day. However, it appeared that the son of the household priest and
the queen became enamoured of each other and had fled to another
country.
The King suffered great sorrow and became very sick. The royal physicians
could not cure him. The Bodhisatta knew that the King did not suffer a
bodily ailment, but that he was touched by mental sickness because he did
not see the queen. He thought of using a specific trick to cure him. He
arranged for a display where the King could see a man swallowing a sword
with a sharp edge which was thirtythree inches long. Thereupon the King
The Perfection of Wisdom - 65
asked the wise Āyura (in the first stanza) whether there was anything harder
to do than swallowing this sword. The wise Āyura, who was to be in his last
life Mahå-Moggallåna, answered (in the second stanza), that saying, ‘I shall
give this away’, is more difficult.”
This shows that clinging to visible object, sound and the other sense
objects is extremely difficult to give up. If someone still clings, how can
he say that he will give something away? We read:
“When the King had heard the words of the wise Āyura, he thought, ‘I have
said that I would give the queen to the son of the household priest, and so I
have done what is very hard to do.’ Hence his sorrow at heart became a
little lighter, since he had done what was hard to do.
The King wondered whether there was something else harder to do than
saying, ‘I shall give something to someone else’. He considered that speaking
in such a way is difficult, but he wondered whether there was something else
more difficult. Thereupon the King asked the wise Pukkusa (in the third
stanza) whether there was anything else more difficult to do than saying that
one would give something away. Thereupon the wise Pukkusa spoke, in order
to solve this problem, the fourth stanza: ‘People do not value words that are
vainly spoken, and that are without effect. But when someone makes a
promise and can decrease clinging, this is more difficult than swallowing a
sword or merely promising something.’ ”
This passage deals with sincerity, with truthfulness pertaining to one’s
thinking and to the words one has spoken. Thus, someone may say that
he shall give, but it is more difficult to truly give. When confidence in
kusala, saddhå, arises, someone may say that he shall give, but
afterwards he may not be able to give. It is more difficult to act
according to one’s promise. When there is sincerity and truthfulness
someone is able to follow up in action what he has promised.
We read that the wise Pukkusa said:
“ ‘All other things are easy to do, King Mågadha, I have answered you.’ The
King, when he had heard this, considered, ‘I first said, I will give the queen to
the priest’s son, and and then I did according to my word and gave her;
surely I have done a difficult thing.’ So his sorrow became lighter.”
We see that the King could give up attachment. He could take action in
accordance with the words he had spoken. This is harder to do than
swallowing a sword of thirtythree inches long. We read:
“Then it came to his mind: ‘There is no one wiser than wise Senaka, I will
ask this question of him.’ ”
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Senaka would be in his last life the Sammåsambuddha, the Exalted
One.
We read that the King asked wise Senaka: “What is harder to do than
giving something away?” One may say that one will give and then do so
according to his words. The King wanted to know whether there was
something harder than that. We read:
“Wise Senaka, when he answered the King’s question, spoke the sixth
stanza:
‘If a man should give a gift, whether small or great, in charity,
Nor regret the giving afterwards, nor sorrow about it.
Not having regret is harder than swallowing a sword.
It is harder than saying that one will give,
It is harder than giving what is dear to one,
All other things are easier to do than this.
King Magadha, I have answered you.’
When the King had heard the words of the Bodhisatta, he reflected, ‘When I
gave the queen to the priest’s son I had sorrow about this, and this is not
proper. If the queen loved me she would not forsake her kingdom and flee
away. But since she acted like this, of what use is it to have sorrow about
her?’ When the King reflected in this way all his sorrow disappeared as a
drop of water falling off from a lotus leaf. At that moment he was cured of
his sickness and became well and happy.
He praised the Bodhisatta and spoke the last stanza:
‘Wise Āyura and wise Pukkusa answered my questions. The answer of wise
Senaka solved my problems completely, saying, when one gives something,
one should not regret it afterwards.’
The King who was delighted praised him and gave him an abundance of
gifts.”
When the Buddha gave this Dhamma discourse, he explained the true
Dhamma and finally told the story of this Jåtaka to a monk who wanted
to leave the Order because he was tempted by his former wife. In a
former life he was the King, and now he attained the first stage of
enlightenment, the stage of the sotåpanna. The Buddha said that Mahå-
Moggallåna was wise Åyura and Såriputta wise Pukkusa, and that he,
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the Tathågata, was wise Senaka.
We can see that it is important not to have regret after we have given
something away. When we have regret, it is evident that we cling and
that we have attachment to the object we give away, but this object is
only something outside us. In reality there is not anybody who can
possess it or who can be the owner all the time. We should be mindful
of the “momentary death” of realities. When we have seen an object just
for an extremely short moment, attachment to it arises, but seeing falls
away immediately and then visible object does not appear any more.
We cannot own visible object.
Paññå and all kinds of kusala must have sufficient strength so that one
is able to further develop and accumulate them time and again, for an
endlessly long time, from life to life. Paññå has to be developed so that
we know the nature of our citta, and understand what is beneficial and
what not, when there is kusala citta and when there is akusala citta. We
may have regret after we have given something away, because of our
clinging. However, when satipațțhåna arises, we can notice that we
cling to the nåma and rúpa that appear, and that we do not want to let
go of them, that we do not want to give up the idea of self, being or
person. The stages of insight are of many degrees, its development is a
gradual process, because it is so difficult to give up nåma and rúpa.
The “Dispeller of Delusion”, the Commentary to the “Book of Analysis”,
(Ch 4, Classification of the Truths, 85), states about the fourth noble
Truth, the Path:
“...the Truth of the Path has the characteristic of outlet, its function is to
abandon defilements, it manifests itself as emergence...”
The Commentary explains that apart from the Path, there is no other
“outlet”, no way out, and that it is not otherwise. The “Dispeller of
Delusion” mentions that some people deny the four noble Truths and
proclaim that the Truth of dukkha is different and the same for the
other three Truths. With regard to the fourth Truth, the Path, the
“Dispeller of Delusion” explains that the wise know that the Path is a
Truth, that it is truly an outlet.
Each time when sati arises and is aware of the characteristics of realities
and investigates them so that the characteristic of nåma, the dhamma
which experiences, can be distinguished from the characteristic of rúpa
which appears, the Path is developed. This is the Path that is a true way
out, leading to the eradication of defilements. Hence it has been said
that the wise know that the Path is a Truth, that it is the only way
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leading to the eradication of defilements.
We read further in the “Dispeller of Delusion” with regard to the origin
of dukkha that there is no other source of dukkha but craving; that it
does not originate from any other cause, that it is not due to the will of
a lord creator, etc.
Dukkha does not come from a cause outside, but all dukkha comes from
clinging to realities, from taking them for self or “me”, and at such
moments there is lobha, attachment, to this wrong view. If paññå comes
to know the truth of non-self, if it is able to eliminate the view that
nåma and rúpa are self, and if it understands the characteristics of
realities as they truly are, dukkha can decrease. There will be less
dukkha even when paññå is still of the level of investigating and
considering the realities that are appearing, and begins to understand
them as not self, not mine. However, only when the stage of
enlightenment of the streamwinner, sotåpanna, has been attained, the
wrong view that takes realities for self and all other kinds of wrong
view are completely eradicated. So long as one has not become a
sotåpanna one takes realities for self, and if wrong view is firmly
engrained dukkha will increase.
Before paññå can become accomplished to the degree of attaining the
different stages of insight knowledge, we should begin to understand
that our life evolves in accordance with kamma and that there is no
escape from the conditions for the arising of citta, cetasika and rúpa.
We should have a firm understanding of kamma and the factors which
are the conditions for life to evolve each day, bound up as it is with joy
and sorrow. We are sometimes delighted and thrilled, and sometimes
depressed or afraid; at times our expectations come true, at times we
are disappointed, there are pleasant and unpleasant events. There are
birth, old age, sickness and death. We live in ignorance, but when
paññå arises in daily life, it is able to consider the characteristics of
realities and to understand them as not a being, a person or self, but
only realities which arise because of their own conditions.
Nåma, the element which experiences, arises all the time in our life. We
are so used to experiencing objects that we do not realize, when we see
at this moment, that seeing is a reality which experiences, or when
sound appears and we are hearing at this moment, that hearing is a
reality which experiences. Satipațțhåna is awareness of the dhammas
which are real in our daily life, and through satipațțhåna paññå can
further develop to the degree of realizing the stages of insight. When
the khandha of rúpa appears, sati can be mindful of it. When the
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khandha of consciousness appears, which experiences an object through
the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the bodysense or the mind-
door, sati can be mindful. However, there should be awareness and
understanding also of the khandhas of feeling, of remembrance (saññå)
and formations (saṁkhårakkhandha). If there is no understanding of all
five khandhas, defilements cannot be eradicated.
If satipațțhåna does not arise in our daily life, and paññå does not
investigate the characteristic of each reality that appears, it is
impossible to eliminate wrong view. When remembrance or perception
arises, or when there are conditions for liking or for detesting
something, for wholesome thinking or for evil thinking, paññå can
realize that all these phenomena are truly not self. They are realities
each with their own characteristic.
Listening to the Dhamma is most beneficial if we let ourselves be guided
by the Dhamma and investigate our own citta. When we hear about a
person’s death, it can remind us of the truth and to reflect upon
ourselves. The person who died may have been full of attachment, he
may have liked paintings, music, or other beautiful objects that were
enticing. We should reflect upon our own cittas, and consider whether
we are like the person who died. We can be reminded of momentary
death, of the shortness of each moment of citta that arises and falls
away immediately. If we have a great deal of attachment, if we cling to
possessions, we should remember that when visible object appears
through the eyes, attachment arises just on account of what we see at a
given moment; when a beautiful sound appears through the ears,
attachment arises just on account of what we hear. When a delicious
odour appears only for an extremely short moment, it conditions
attachment to that odour. It is the same with flavour and tangible
object. We can see in our daily life that even though rúpa arises and
falls away very rapidly, there is still attachment to that rúpa which lasts
for such a short moment. Attachment to sense objects is bound to arise
so long as paññå has not been further developed.
When we notice a person who is full of dosa, we should reflect upon our
own citta, we should consider whether we are often angry, or whether
we are irritated and disturbed time and again, or whether we are
vengeful towards someone else. We should know that, in truth, that
person is not to be found. We have met the person we are angry with
only during one life, and after this life is terminated he is no longer
there. Should we be angry with him after he has passed away? So long
as we see that person we may have angry thoughts about him or be
irritated about him, but we should remember that he will not be for a
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long time in this world and that he will depart for ever; from then that
person will no longer be there. When we meet someone, we never know
whether this is the last time that we see him and if we do not consider
this we may treat him badly. Whereas, if we realize that this may be the
last opportunity that we see him, it may condition the citta to be
humble and gentle, we can have kindness and compassion.
Before we studied the Dhamma we had no understanding of the
realities appearing through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the
bodysense and the mind-door. We had a great deal of ignorance. By
listening to the Dhamma we can come to know that realities appear
each with their own characteristic and that we should study these
realities. We should not merely study them in theory, or merely listen to
the explanation about them without carefully considering their true
nature. We should remember that at this very moment realities are
appearing and that the true characteristics of those dhammas which
arise and fall away should be penetrated. Hence we can be reminded
that we should listen and thoroughly consider the Dhamma, so that
understanding is accumulated. Understanding is a condition for being
aware diligently of the characteristics of the dhammas appearing at this
moment. If we know that we still have a great deal of ignorance, moha,
and that this should be eradicated, we will not be neglectful, but
continue to listen to the Dhamma and develop each kind of kusala.
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The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” defines energy, viriya, as
follows:
Energy has the characteristic of striving; its function is to fortify; its
manifestation is infatigability; an occasion for the arousing of energy, or a
sense of spiritual urgency, is its proximate cause.
The cetasika viriya, energy, accompanies almost all cittas, except
sixteen ahetuka cittas, cittas that are unaccompanied by beautiful roots
or unwholesome roots. Thus, whenever attachment and delight with
regard to an object arises, the cetasika of energy accompanies that citta
and performs its function of effort or energy for attachment and delight
in that object. Be it akusala citta or kusala citta which arises, viriya
cetasika accompanies that citta. When akusala citta arises, viriya
cetasika is effort for akusala, whereas when kusala citta arises, viriya
cetasika performs its function of effort for kusala. The perfection of
energy is effort or endeavour for kusala.
There should be energy or effort for each kind of kusala and when
developed, it can become the perfection of energy. When sati arises and
is aware of the characteristics of realities that are appearing at this
moment, there is not me or self who makes an effort to be aware, but it
is the function of right effort, sammå-våyåma. Right effort, viriya
cetasika, arises and endeavours to study with awareness, to notice and
pay attention to the reality that is appearing. Right effort is effort or
energy for paññå which understands that what appears through the
eyes is only a kind of rúpa which does not last; or that the reality which
is seeing is only an element, a characteristic of nåma-dhamma
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experiencing what appears through the eyes. This is the perfection of
energy that endeavours to study the characteristics of realities
appearing one at a time. It does not matter whether the perfection of
energy arising with satipațțhåna occurs often or seldom, viriya is not
weary of the task of studying and noticing the reality that appears.
When viriya arises, we are not discouraged; viriya is always performing
its task even if the process of development of understanding is
extremely slow and difficult.
The perfection of energy is most important and it should be developed
together with the other perfections so that the appropriate conditions
are accumulated for reaching the further shore, that is, nibbåna. Even
kusala which is dåna, generosity, cannot be performed without viriya.
People may have kusala citta with the intention to give things away, but
it is difficult for them to act in accordance with their good intentions
because they are lazy: when there is an object they could give away,
they do not give it away. They have confidence in kusala and they have
the intention to be generous, but when viriya necessary for the
accomplishment of generosity is deficient, they are not able to
accomplish generous deeds. Therefore, the perfection of energy is an
indispensable support for the other perfections, such as generosity or
morality.
Sometimes we may be lax and too lazy to perform kusala, we may think
that its performing is troublesome, that we are too tired, or that it is
time consuming. At such moments we are overcome by akusala and
hence kusala cannot arise. If we know that it is difficult for us to
perform kusala because we are inert and lazy, we should at this very
moment, immediately, apply ourselves with diligence to kusala. Life is
extremely short, as it lasts just for one moment of citta and this moment
may be kusala citta or akusala citta, depending on conditions. Thus, we
should not give in to laziness with regard to our task of performing
kusala. If we are all the time inert and lazy, it is evident that the
perfection of energy is lacking and that, therefore, there are no
conditions for the elimination of akusala. The only way to eliminate
akusala is to be diligent and energetic in the performing of all kinds of
kusala as far as we are able to.
Some people regret it that they were wasting their time and did not
perform kusala when there was an opportunity to do so because at such
moments they were inert and lazy. Then they should consider the
perfection of energy and accumulate it so that there are conditions for
eliminating all kinds of akusala.
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Viriya cetasika is classified among the cetasikas which are the
“particulars”, pakiṇṇakå. These cetasikas arise with many cittas but not
with all 1. The six particulars are: applied thinking (vitakka), sustained
thinking (vicåra), determination (adhimokkha), energy (viriya),
enthusiasm or rapture (píti), and wish-to-do or zeal (chanda). Viriya
cetasika arises time and again, it accompanies many cittas in daily life,
except sixteen rootless cittas, (ahetuka cittas 2), and it is the only
cetasika among the “particulars” which can become a perfection. When
viriya which is energy for kusala has been further developed it becomes
the perfection of energy, viriya. In that case, viriya is the attendant of
paññå and a condition for the realization of the four noble Truths.
Is viriya that arises now kusala or akusala? If it is akusala it is not a
perfection. Viriya is among the particulars and thus it can accompany
kusala citta or akusala citta, but most of the time it is likely to
accompany the akusala citta which is rooted in lobha, attachment.
Viriya accompanies akusala citta countless times, but instead of
applying energy for akusala, we should endeavour to accumulate the
perfection of energy, we should see its benefit.
We read in the “Expositor” (Book I, Part IV, I, 121) about viriya:
“... energy has exerting as characteristic, strengthening the conascent
dhammas as function, and opposition to giving way (to discouragement) as
manifestation. It has been said: ‘He being agitated, makes a rational effort,’
hence it has a sense of urgency, or the basic condition of making energy, as
proximate cause.”
We can see that energy arises at the moment of diligence, and that it is
the opposite of being lazy. However, according to the Abhidhamma
which explains in detail the cetasikas accompanying citta, viriya
accompanies akusala citta even when we are lazy, and in that case
viriya applies itself to laziness again and again. The Dhamma is very
subtle and it should be considered in all details; for example, the
characteristic, function, manifestation and proximate cause of realities
should be studied and investigated.
1 Seven cetasikas, the “universals” , sabbacitta sådhårana, arise with every citta.
The six particulars accompany kusala cittas, akusala cittas, vipåkacittas and
kiriyacittas (inoperative, neither cause nor result), but they do not accompany
every citta.
2 Viriya cetasika does not accompany the sixteen ahetuka cittas which are: the
five-sense-door adverting-consciousness, pañca-dvåråvajjana-citta, the five pairs
of sense-cognitions of seeing, etc., pañca-viññåṇas, the two types of receiving-
consciousness, sampațicchana-citta, the three types of investigating-
consciousness, santíraṇa-citta.
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According to the “Expositor” in the same section, the characteristic of
viriya is the state of a courageous or energetic person, or the action of a
courageous person. When viriya arises one is not inert or lax.
One person may be courageous whereas someone else may be a
coward. According to the Abhidhamma, also a coward must have viriya,
energy, for cowardice. However, in the case of a courageous person the
characteristic of viriya appears clearly since he must strive to
accomplish something, inspite of obstacles or dangers. Such courage is
the characteristic of viriya cetasika. When viriya goes together with the
development of kusala, it can become a controlling faculty, the indriya
of viriya. The indriya of viriya that arises together with the other
indriyas, the indriyas of confidence (saddhå), sati, samådhi
(concentration) and paññå when satipațțhåna is being developed, is
right effort of the eightfold Path, sammåvåyåma. It is right effort for
awareness and understanding of the characteristics of realities, just as
they naturally appear at this moment.
When paññå has further developed, viriya becomes a power, bala,
which is unshakable, so that there is energy for awareness and
understanding of the characteristics of nåma and rúpa in whatever
situation. One will not be inclined to think that there cannot be
awareness of nåma and rúpa at this moment.
We can investigate the characteristic of viriya when we read the
following explanation of the “Expositor” about the controlling faculty,
the indriya, of viriya:
“Viriya is the state of a courageous or energetic man, or it is the action of
the energetic, or it is that which should be effected, carried out by method or
suitable means. From its overcoming idleness it is a controlling faculty
(indriya) in the sense of predominance... Its characteristic is strengthening or
support.”
When viriya arises, someone has the courage to speak, to say what is
right, or to act in a wholesome way, not being afraid of trouble,
difficulties, or even of losing possessions and becoming poor. This is the
characteristic of viriya. Or someone has the courage to explain with
regard to the Dhamma the causes which bring their appropriate effects,
without paying attention to the fact that he will not be liked by foolish
people, or that others will have wrong understanding of his good
intention. Someone who is courageous will do what is right with regard
to worldly matters as well as Dhamma, because Dhamma is Dhamma: it
cannot be changed, it is the truth.
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All people have viriya, but if the Dhamma had not been taught the
characteristic and the different aspects of viriya could not be known.
Viriya has been explained as controlling faculty, indriya, because it is
predominant as a support for the conascent dhammas.
Whenever kusala citta arises and someone performs an action with
patience and diligence, viriya cetasika gives support at such a moment.
One can perform one’s task without becoming disheartened. As the
“Expositor” explained, the controlling faculty of viriya has the
characteristic of strengthening and giving support.
If one develops paññå one is supported by viriya so that one perseveres
in the development of paññå and all kusala dhammas. The
“Expositor”(120) uses the simile of an old house that is strengthened
and supported by new pillars. Evenso, when someone is supported by
viriya, kusala dhammas will not decline in him.
If someone at this moment is bored, lazy, drowsy or disheartened, he
should know that he is like an old building that is dilapidated, because
he is not able to be firm in kusala and to apply himself to it. Viriya
cetasika has the characteristic of strengthening and supporting just as a
pillar supports an old house so that it is stable. Thus we see the
characteristic of support of viriya. The “Expositor” uses several similes
so that we can understand the characteristic of viriya cetasika that
arises at this moment.
We read in the “Expositor” (121):
“As a small army going to battle might be repulsed, then they would tell the
king. The king would send a strong reinforcement. The king’s army, being
thus supported, would defeat the hostile army. Thus energy does not allow
associated states to recede, to retreat; it uplifts, supports them. Hence has
it been said that energy has the characteristic of supporting.”
Viriya is the attendant of paññå. The Venerable Såriputta explains
about the development and accumulation of the perfections leading to
the complete eradication of defilements at the attainment of arahatship.
We read in the “Kåmasutta Niddesa” (Sutta explanation about Sense
pleasures, Mahåniddesa, Khuddaka Nikåya):
“There is a simile of two cities: the city of bandits and the city of peace. At
that time the thought occurred to a general, ‘So long as the city of bandits
exists the city of peace is not free from danger. I shall destroy the city of
bandits.’ He put on his armor, took his sword and entered the city of
bandits. He struck with his sword the post they had erected at the gate of
76 - The Perfections
the city. He destroyed the building and the widows of the gateway, removed
the bolt, destroyed the wall and filled up the moat. Thereupon he took down
the flag they had raised as a symbol of dignity of their city, and he set fire to
the city. Then he entered the city of peace, ascended the castle, surrounded
by his group of relatives, and he took delicious flavoured food. This is the
simile.
Personality belief, sakkåyadițțhi 1, can be compared to the city of
bandits. Nibbåna can be compared to the city of peace. The person who
applies himself to mental development can be compared to the general.
He thinks, ‘Personality belief is a tie and so long as I am bound by that
tie I am not free from danger’. ”
Here we see that the akusala dhamma that should be eradicated first is
personality belief which takes realities for self. It must be paññå which
sees the difference between the city of bandits and the city of peace.
The city of peace is calm, whereas the city of bandits means
disturbance, confusion and restlessness. So long as there is wrong view
which takes realities for self, being or person, one cannot be free from
restlessness, disturbance and worry. Thus, one should understand that
all defilements and dukkha are bound up with one’s “own person”,
which is, in truth, nåma dhammas and rúpa dhammas.
One will be completely free from dukkha when one has reached
arahatship and nåma dhammas and rúpa dhammas will not arise
anymore after death. This cannot be realized without courage, without
the perfection of viriya.
We read in the “Exposition of Jatukaṇṇin’s Questions” (Mahaa-Niddesa,
Khuddaka Nikåya) that Jatukaṇṇin had heard that the Buddha was
courageous and that he therefore was called a hero, víra. The following
passage gives the reasons why he was called a hero. There is an
association in meaning between the word víra, hero, and viriya, which
is the state of a strong man. All that is said in the passage below refers
to viriya cetasika. We read:
“He had perseverance and was therefore called a hero.
He was valiant and was therefore called a hero.
He caused others to persevere and was therefore called a hero.
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He had great capacities and was therefore called a hero.
He was brave and always progressing, he was not a coward, not frightened,
not fearful, he did not flee, he had eliminated fear and cowardice, he was
without any terror, and thus, the Exalted One was courageous.
The Exalted One was without the akusala dhammas of this world, he was
beyond the suffering of hell, he was endowed with energy.
The Buddha had viriya, the four right efforts, he was courageous and
steadfast of mind, and therefore he was called courageous.”
Had the Buddha not been courageous, he could not have penetrated the
four noble Truths and become the Sammåsambuddha. The development
of each kind of kusala and of paññå by investigating and considering
the dhamma that appears now is based on viriya, energy, and
perseverance. We all should have courage and perseverance so that
instead of energy for akusala, energy for kusala can arise, otherwise
kusala cannot be developed. Effort or energy as applied in an
unwholesome way, life after life, is useless. If we are able to understand
the characteristic of viriya as applied in a wholesome way and if we
shall further develop this kind of energy, we shall understand the words
of the above quoted commentary about viriya: someone with viriya will
be progressing, he is not a coward, he is not frightened, he has no fear
and he does not flee.
In daily life everybody has come into contact with undesirable objects:
for some people these are extremely undesirable, whereas for others
these are only slightly so. This may happen when one meets another
person on account of whom one is disturbed or feels displeasure. If sati-
sampajañña (sati and paññå) does not arise, one does not know that
there is akusala dhamma at such a moment and hence kusala viriya has
no opportunity to arise and akusala viriya arises instead. There are
bound to be conditions for desire and attachment so that akusala
continues to arise.
However, if someone has listened to the Dhamma and develops
satipațțhåna, sati-sampajañña can arise and be aware of akusala when
he is irritated or displeased. We should consider more deeply the
meaning of sati-sampajañña. When akusala dhamma arises, sati-
sampajañña may consider the Dhamma and realize the disadvantage of
the continuation of akusala. At that moment, it may be known that it is
not proper to be irritated in whatever respect, be it on account of the
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action or speech of someone else, or be it because we have noticed
something wrong. When, for example, akusala citta with anger arises
and sati-sampajaññå can be aware of its characteristic, we can see
whether there is effort for giving up anger; if one continues being angry
it means that akusala viriya is still strong. When kusala viriya has been
further developed and awareness can arise, there are conditions for the
decrease of displeasure and for mettå. Thus, instead of anger which is
an impure dhamma there can immediately be a change to kusala
dhamma, dhamma which is pure.
When dosa arises, we have displeasure, but sati-sampajañña can arise
and be aware of its characteristic and then we can see the benefit of
sati-sampajañña. If someone has listened to the Dhamma and is not
inert but immediately gives up akusala, kusala viriya performs at that
moment its task of refraining from anger.
This kind of viriya is different from thinking that one should refrain
from anger. It arises at the moment of sati-sampajañña, when energy or
effort refrains from anger, and it is known that mettå is the opposite of
anger. This is effort to forgive, effort for mettå. At such a moment we
can remember that everybody, including ourselves, makes mistakes.
Therefore, we should not have anger or displeasure on account of
someone else or of dhammas which arise and then fall away. However,
feeling and remembrance, saññå, are conditions for being slow and
inert in letting go of one’s thoughts about circumstances and events and
in that case akusala dhammas have the opportunity to arise.
When viriya has been further developed, additional aspects and degrees
can be discerned, for instance: viriya as a predominant factor
(adhipati), as a basis of success (iddhi-påda) 1, as a faculty (indriya) or
a power (bala).
When viriya has not reached those degrees, one cannot understand the
characteristic of viriya that accompanies satipațțhåna and that has
become strong.
As we have seen, viriya has been classified among the faculties, indriyas
(leaders each in their own field). These are:
the faculty of confidence, saddhå,
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the faculty of sati,
the faculty of paññå,
the faculty of energy, viriya,
the faculty of concentration, samådhi.
These faculties arise together and thus, the faculty of viriya which arises
together with confidence, sati, paññå and samådhi must be kusala
viriya.
Realities can be classified in different ways, for example, by way of the
four bases of success, iddhi-påda (leading to enlightenment):
wish-to-do (chanda)
energy (viriya)
citta (firmness of citta or concentration)
investigation (vímaṁsa).
Thus we see that there are different aspects of viriya. The cetasikas
which are faculties are not identical with the cetasikas which are bases
of success. Such classifications are very detailed, but they show us that
kusala viriya is of different degrees.
We read in the “Kindred Sayings”(V, Mahå-vagga, Book IV, Kindred
Sayings on the Faculties, Ch I, §8, Point of view) about the five
controlling faculties, indriyas:
“Monks, there are five controlling faculties. What five? The controlling
faculty of faith, of energy, of sati, of concentration and of paññå...”
These are dhammas that are rulers or leaders (indriyas), each in their
own field, and they arise at the moment of satipațțhåna, when sati-
sampajañña (awareness and understanding) considers the
characteristics of realities. We read in the above quoted Sutta about the
controlling faculty of faith:
“But from what point of view, monks, should the controlling faculty of faith
be regarded? From that of the four limbs of Streamwinning...”
When kusala citta arises it must be accompanied by saddhå cetasika,
confidence or faith. Kusala citta is of many degrees. The faculty of
saddhå, faith or confidence, is a leader in its own field while it performs
its specific function. This will be clearer when we consider the four
limbs or factors of streamwinning: unshakable confidence in the
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Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha and the virtues (síla) which are
agreeable to the ariyans.
Someone may study the Dhamma and have confidence in listening to
the Dhamma, but his confidence may not be firm, it may be unstable,
uncertain. If he has no right understanding of realities and if he does
not know the right practice for the realization of the four noble Truths,
he may easily become confused. Confidence which is unshakable and
firm, without confusion, is a condition for not deviating from the right
Path; it is the confidence of the ariyan, a factor of streamwinning. It is
the unshakable confidence in the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha
and the virtues of the ariyans.
We read further on in the above quoted Sutta:
“And from what point of view, monks, should the controlling faculty of viriya,
energy, be regarded? From that of the four supreme efforts.”
There are four supreme efforts (sammå-ppadhåna):
the effort to avoid the akusala dhammas which have not yet arisen
the effort to overcome the akusala dhammas which have arisen
the effort to develop kusala dhammas which have not yet arisen
the effort to maintain kusala dhammas which have arisen, not to let
them decline, to further develop them, to cause them to increase and to
reach completion.
Viriya which is a faculty, indriya, and has become a “leader”, must have
been accumulated very gradually so that it could become a faculty. The
controlling faculty of viriya should be regarded from the point of view
of the four supreme efforts.
We can notice ourselves whether we have viriya which only begins to
develop and is still weak, or whether it is already right effort: the effort
which avoids akusala not yet arisen, overcomes akusala already arisen,
the effort to cause the arising of kusala which has not yet arisen. The
kusala dhamma which has not yet arisen refers to samatha and
vipassanå and to the path, magga, the fruition, phala, the lokuttara
cittas which experience nibbåna1 . As to the words samatha and
vipassanå in this context, these refer to satipațțhåna. Samatha and
vipassanå are developed together and reach completion together by the
1 See the Commentary to the “Book of Analysis”, the “Dispeller of Delusion” II, Ch
8, 292.
The Perfection of Energy - 81
four Applications of Mindfulness, they should not be separated from
each other. Effort is necessary to maintain the kusala dhammas which
have arisen, not to let them decline, further to develop them, to cause
them to increase and reach completion.
We should reflect on the different kinds of efforts. If endeavour is only
of a very slight degree, the conditions for the arising of the controlling
faculty of sati are not sufficient. We read in the above-quoted sutta
about the controlling faculty of sati:
“And from what point of view, monks, should the controlling faculty of
mindfulness be regarded? From that of the four applications of mindfulness.”
We read further on about the faculties of concentration and of paññå:
“And from what point of view should the controlling faculty of concentration
be regarded? From that of the four stages of jhåna.
And from what point of view should the controlling faculty of insight be
regarded? It should be regarded from the point of view of the four noble
Truths.”
Paññå which is insight knowledge and which knows the true nature of
realities as it is developed stage by stage, is the indriya, faculty, of
pañña. However it has only reached completion when it has realized
the four noble Truths.
In the past, countless people listened to the Dhamma, developed paññå
with right effort and realized the four noble Truths. They were wise
people who knew how to remind themselves of the truth. We should
consider whether we, at the present time, are like those wise people in
the past.
The “Anumånasutta”, “Discourse on Measuring in Accordance with”, (M
I, 15), deals with the admonishing of monks and with self-examination.
We read at the end of the Commentary to this Sutta, the
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“Papañcasúdaní” :
“The teachers of old said that the monk should scrutinize himself three
times daily. Thus, in the morning he should consider to what extent he still
has defilements. If he sees that he still has defilements he should strive to
get rid of them. If he sees that he has no defilements he knows that he has
been leading the monk’s life in the right way.
During the day time and also in the evening he should examine himself
again. If he cannot do this three times a day, he should do it twice a day ,
and if he cannot do that, he should examine himself only once a day. But it is
improper not to examine oneself at all.”
By this passage we can be reminded to examine ourselves so that we
know whether our actions were proper or improper. We can understand
that we need viriya, effort, so that we are able to investigate our
akusala and kusala three times a day, or else twice a day, or if that is
not possible, only once a day. Then we are reminded by the teachers of
old to examine ourselves as to the defilements we still have and to
reflect on these.
“Therein, your reverences, a monk should examine himself thus: ‘Now, am I
of evil desires, in the thrall of evil desires?’ If, your reverences, while the
monk is reflecting, he knows thus: ‘I am of evil desires, in the thrall of evil
desires,’ then, your reverences, that monk should strive to get rid of those
evil, unskilled states. But if, your reverences, that monk, while reflecting,
knows thus: ‘I am not of evil desires, not in the thrall of evil desires’, then he
should abide with rapture and delight, training himself diligently day and
night in skilled states.”
The words, “a monk should examine himself”, make it clear to us that
someone else cannot examine in detail our akusala to the same extent
as we ourselves. We can examine ourselves and know whether we have
evil desires and are in the thrall of evil desires, and moreover, we
should be sincere, truthful to ourselves. If we have evil desires, we
should strive to abandon those evil, unskilled dhammas. Some people
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do not like to consider their own akusala, but if a person sees the
benefit of the development of endeavour for kusala, he should also
notice his own akusala.
If someone has viriya and makes an effort to examine himself he should
be sincere and he should not spare himself. If he examines himself in
this way and strives to give up akusala, he is a person who is “easy to
speak to”, susceptible to instruction.
A person who is difficult to speak to is the opposite, he does not strive
to give up akusala. All this pertains to viriya cetasika.
“As to the word ‘cetasiko’, this is used in order to show that energy is always
mental and that it is not bodily. There is only mental energy ”
Viriya is nåma dhamma (cetasika) which conditions the arising of effort
through the body or through citta. Even when we make an effort with
the body to do something, we should know that we can make such an
effort because of viriya cetasika.
The Commentary refers to the Sutta which deals with someone who
makes an alley walk, who is walking up and down, so that he is not
indolent or sleepy. From the outward appearance this seems to be
bodily energy, but in reality it is because of mental energy, viriya
cetasika, that effort through the body can arise.
“Effort is called ‘årambha’ because it is striving. The term viriyårambha
renders the characteristic of that kind of striving. What kind of striving? It is
striving by way of escaping from idleness. Onward effort is so called by virtue
of reaching a higher and higher state. Exertion is so called by virtue of rising
up and keeping going. Endeavour is so called by virtue of special exertion;
1 See also the “Expositor” I, Part IV, Ch 2, 145.
2 See the “Expositor” I, Part IV, Ch 2, 145-146.
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zeal, of being zealous; vigour, of firmness; fortitude, of bearing (supporting)
citta and cetasikas, or of bearing the continuity of kusala by unbroken
procedure.”
These are the characteristics of viriya. It is the escaping from idleness,
progressing towards a higher state, continued exertion without
stopping, zeal and fortitude in further progress towards the goal. We
read in the Commentary:
“Another method of exposition: -This viriyårambha is ‘striving’ in expelling
lust, ‘onward effort’ in cutting the bonds, ‘exertion’ in escaping from the
floods1, ‘endeavour’ in reaching the further shore, ‘zeal’ in being a
forerunner, ‘ardour’ in exceeding the limit, ‘vigour’ in lifting the bolt (of
ignorance), and ‘fortitude’ in producing steadfastness. ’Verily, let the skin,
veins and bones dry up’2 - thus by virtue of unfaltering effort at such time is
the ‘state of a man of unfaltering effort’.”
The Commentary explains further that energy does not let go of the
desire-to-do, chanda (which is necessary to accomplish something), that
it does not give up the task, and does not give in to discouragement
with regard to the performing of kusala. It uses a simile of an ox which
carries a burden and does not let go of it:
“Just as if they were to say, ‘Get a beast of burden, an ox, to draw a burden
from a marshy place not beyond the bullock’s strength,’ and the bullock,
pressing the ground with its knees, were to carry the burden and would not
allow it to drop on the ground, so energy lifts up and seizes the burden in the
matter of doing moral acts. Hence it is said to be ‘support of burden’.”
As we read in the Commentary, the teachers of old advised the monks
to examine themselves three times daily. If one cannot do this, then one
should do this twice or even only once a day, but it is wrong not to
examine oneself at all. When we reflect on the “Anumåna Sutta” and its
Commentary, we see that people had different degrees of paññå.
Someone who has many defilements is a person who is “difficult to
speak to”; he does not see his own defilements, he only sees those of
someone else. We should find out which defilements we have ourselves.
If someone never reflected on this or spoke about this with someone
else, he should first of all listen to the Dhamma and reflect on what he
1 This is the group of defilements of the four floods (oghas): the floods of
sensuous desire, of desire for rebirth, of wrong view and of ignorance.
2 The Buddha spoke these words when sitting under the Bodhi-tree before
attaining Buddhahood. He would not move even if his skin, veins and bones
would dry up.
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heard so that he sees the danger of akusala. Then right effort can arise
and be a condition for him to examine himself and consider his own
akusala before going to sleep.
This can be applied by a person who is “difficult to speak to” and who
has many defilements. If someone has already some understanding of
the development of satipațțhåna, he can be aware of the reality which
appears. Whatever kind of akusala arises, sati can be aware
immediately of its characteristic. When paññå understands the way to
know and study the characteristics of realities, it is of a higher level.
After we have studied the Anumåna Sutta, how often in a day do we
examine ourselves? For someone who habitually develops satipațțhåna,
sati-sampajañña can immediately be aware when akusala citta arises,
and he does not need to wait until it is time to examine himself. This is
the beginning of the development of satipațțhåna, even if one does not
know yet realities as nåma and rúpa which are non-self. It is already a
degree of sati-sampajañña when the characteristic of akusala dhamma
is known as it naturally appears.
As we read in the “Anumåna Sutta”:
“If, your reverences, while the monk is reflecting, he knows thus: ‘I am of evil
desires, in the thrall of evil desires,’ then, your reverences, that monk should
strive to get rid of those evil, unskilled states. But if, your reverences, that
monk, while reflecting, knows thus: ‘I am not of evil desires, not in the thrall
of evil desires’, then he should abide with rapture and delight, training
himself diligently day and night in skilled states.”
We should study with awareness the characteristics of realities as they
naturally appear. It depends on conditions what degree of sati-
sampajañña arises, it may be of the degree of merely reflecting on the
akusala that one has committed during the day, or it may be of the
degree of immediate awareness of whatever reality appears.
Some people who develop satipațțhåna may desire to see a result of
their efforts. They are striving with all their energy, because they
believe that in this way the result of their practice will materialize
quickly. However, since they are trying very hard they become tired and
they have to stop doing so. The result of the development of
satipațțhåna cannot be made to occur soon. The development of
satipațțhåna is awareness of the characteristics of realities as they
naturally appear in daily life, and only in this way can they be
understood as anattå. If one is expecting a result of one’s practice and
tries to hasten its arising, it is not the development of satipațțhåna.
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A person of about eighty years old who had listened to Dhamma
lectures at different places deeply considered the development of
satipațțhåna. Although he was an elderly person, he was full of energy
to listen to the Dhamma and to consider what he had heard. When he
heard a radio program on the introduction to vipassanå, he wrote down
the address of the “Dhamma Study and Support Foundation” and made
an effort to go to the Foundation in order to perform kusala by offering
a donation. He left his house at nine in the morning and arrived at the
Foundation at two in the afternoon. Here we see the viriya of an elderly
person who spent such a long time to reach the Foundation, who had
no time for lunch and had to exert himself in many different ways. The
perfection of viriya should be developed in daily life. When we perform
kusala, viriya is essential; we should go against the current of akusala,
against the stream of attachment to comfort and well-being, and in this
way kusala can be accomplished.
For someone who develops satipațțhåna in daily life so that paññå
knows more thoroughly the characteristics of realities, the right
conditions are present that lead to the result, namely, the realization of
the four noble Truths. For him, the result will naturally occur and this is
not difficult. However, the conditions leading to such a result are
difficult to develop: one should gradually consider and study with
awareness the characteristics of nåma and rúpa, as they appear through
the sense-doors and the mind-door. This is a very gradual process, and
viriya, energy, is necessary to be aware again and again, to be aware
very often, since this is the only way for paññå to be able to penetrate
the arising and falling away of nåma and rúpa. At this very moment
realities are arising and falling away, but if we do not study with
awareness and begin to understand the characteristics of nåma
dhammas and rúpa dhammas, it will not be possible to realize their
arising and falling away. The cause which can bring such a result has to
be developed time and again, life after life.
We read in the Commentary to the “Saṁvara Jåtaka”(no. 462,
Khuddhaka Nikåya):
“At that time when the Buddha was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, he told the
following story about a monk who had ceased to strive. When he was a
young man he lived at Såvatthí, and after he had heard the Buddha preach
the Dhamma, he gained confidence and became a monk. Fulfilling the tasks
imposed by his teachers and preceptors, he learnt by heart both divisions of
the Påtimokkha. After five years when he had learnt the meditation subjects
he took leave of his teachers and preceptors because he wanted to dwell in
the forest. When he came to a frontier village people took confidence in him
The Perfection of Energy - 87
because of his deportment and built a hut of leaves for him, so that he could
dwell in that village.
When it was the rainy season, he developed with strenuous endeavour his
meditation subject during three months, but when he did not reach
attainment, he thought that he himself was the lowest among the four
classes of people, namely those who could only understand the theory of the
teachings, ‘pada parama’ 1. Hence he returned to the Jeta Grove in order to
see the Buddha in person and to listen to his delightful Dhamma Discourses.
When the Buddha was informed about this he said to that monk, ‘The
highest fruit in this teaching which is arahatship cannot be realized by
someone who is lazy. In the past you were full of energy and easy to teach.
Although you were the youngest of all the hundred sons of the King of
Vårånasi, you obtained the white umbrella and became the King.’ ”
The Buddha then related the story of the past when that monk was King
Saṁvara. The Buddha spoke about his excellent qualities which caused
his brothers and the citizens to pay him honour and to make him King,
although he was the youngest of the hundred sons of the King of
Vårånasi.
King Saṁvara spoke to Prince Uposatha, who was his eldest brother and
who was in his last life the venerable Såriputta, the following words:
“I never grudge, O Prince, great sages who are seeking what is supreme
and ready to pay them honour due with humble mind, I fall before their
feet.”
When the prince with humble mind paid honour, falling at other
people’s feet, he must have had viriya, endeavour, to eradicate
defilements, such as conceit or attachment to the importance of self, the
importance of being a prince, the son of the King of Vårånasi. Here we
see that nothing can be accomplished without viriya. Cittas are varied:
some people are jealous of those who have knowledge, but they are not
envious in other respects. It depends on someone’s accumulations on
account of which kind of object he has envy. If a person has knowledge
and understanding, other people should have respect for his
88 - The Perfections
understanding, but some people are still inclined to be jealous. One
needs to have viriya, one needs to make an effort to see the danger of
jealousy and to get rid of it.
King Saṁvara continued with the words:
“Wise sages who delight in the excellent teaching of those who seek what is
excellent, taught me continuously. I, who was intent on what is right and
liked to listen, had no envy.
I listened to the words of the wise sages who are seeking what is supreme, I
did not despise any cousel and was delighted with the teaching.
I did not reduce the allowances of the elephant troops and chariotmen, royal
guard and infantry, and I paid them the bonus and reward due to them.
Great nobles and wise counsellors are waiting on me and giving me
assistance so that the city of Vårånasi abounds with rice, fish and drinking
water. Merchants who come from different states prosper, and I assist and
protect them. Now you know the truth, Uposatha.”
Because of these words all people could see that the King was endowed
with excellent qualities and therefore worthy to be the King of Vårånasi.
The Buddha, after he had finished the discourse, spoke the following
words: “Monk, long ago you followed the instruction, but why do you
not now strive?” The Buddha declared the Truths and at the conclusion
that monk was established in the fruition of streamwinning. The
Buddha identified the persons in that former life: “That monk was
prince Saṁvara who became the King at that time, Såriputta was prince
Uposatha, the Elders and secondary Elders were the other princes, the
buddhist followers were their followers, and I myself was the courtier
who advised the King.”
When enlightenment is attained, this is the result of the development of
right understanding. The development of the cause leading to such a
result is difficult, but if right understanding has been sufficiently
developed, it brings its result without difficulty. Without the right
conditions the result cannot arise, no matter how much one tries to
hasten its arising. We should continue to apply energy for the
development of understanding and we should be truthful with regard to
it: we should find out whether we know the characteristics of realities
that are appearing right now or not yet. This kind of understanding is
not intellectual understanding which stems from listening, but it is of
the level of satipațțhåna. Satipațțhåna is developed when sampajañña
(paññå) arises together with sati and knows the characteristics of
The Perfection of Energy - 89
realities appearing at this moment as they are. Paññå develops
gradually so that one day the four noble Truths can be penetrated.
When the time for enlightenment has come, this result is in accordance
with the right cause, and it will arise without difficulty. However, we
should have patience and energy to persevere with the development of
understanding.
We read in “Ardent Energy” (Gradual Sayings, Book of the Threes, Ch
V, § 49) that the Buddha said:
Monks, on three occasions ardent energy is to be exerted. What three?
To prevent the arising of evil, unprofitable states not yet arisen; to cause the
arising of good, profitable states not yet arisen; to endure the bodily feelings
that have arisen, feelings which are painful, sharp, bitter, acute, distressing
and unwelcome, which drain the life away. These are the three occasions...
Now, when a monk exerts himself on these three occasions, he is called
“strenuous, wise and mindful so that he makes an end of dukkha”.
Even a very short text can remind us of the effort that should be exerted
on three occasions, so that patience and endurance can further develop.
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- 91
92 - The Perfections
The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” defines the perfection of
patience as follows:
“Patience has the characteristic of acceptance; its function is to endure the
desirable and undesirable; its manifestation is tolerance or non-opposition;
seeing things as they really are is its proximate cause.”
The perfection of patience, khanti påramí, has a wide meaning.
Patience is to be developed not merely towards an undesirable object,
but also towards a desirable object. We should have patience towards a
desirable object so that lobha does not arise, so that there is no
attachment and delight in visible object and the other sense objects that
appear.
Khanti or patience is kusala, it is a sobhana (beautiful) dhamma which
does not arise with akusala citta, with the citta rooted in attachment,
but which arises with kusala citta. However, people can also have a
great deal of endurance in the akusala way, and this is endurance with
lobha, when they want to obtain something. Someone may be able to
endure everything in order to obtain what he desires, no matter
whether he has to stay awake until late at night or all night. However,
can one endure this in order to develop kusala? Endurance with the
development of kusala is the perfection of patience, khanti påramí. With
the perfection of patience one can stand heat or cold. This means, that
on account of hot or cold weather akusala citta does not arise, that one
has no disturbance or annoyance. We should be aware of the
characteristic of the citta arising at such a moment, we should know
whether it is kusala or akusala. Is there like or dislike of the weather? If
we like it there is lobha, attachment, and if we dislike it there is dosa,
aversion, and in both cases the perfection of patience does not arise.
The perfection of patience is endurance with true calm at such
moments, no attachment nor aversion.
When visible object appears, seeing-consciousness experiences it, and it
can be known that there is no being, no person, no self. If we have no
patience to be aware of the characteristic of the reality appearing at this
moment, we cannot reach the further shore, that is, nibbåna.
The Perfection of Patience - 93
If we do not have endurance with regard to lobha and dosa, defilements
cannot be eliminated. If we lack patience we cannot reach the further
shore, nibbåna, we cannot penetrate the four noble Truths. Learning
about the ten perfections will help us to investigate whether we
accumulate the perfections which are still deficient and if we see their
value and significance there are conditions for them to grow and
develop.
We should be patient while we investigate and consider realities
thoroughly, so that we acquire right understanding of them and practise
in the right way. Without right understanding there are no conditions
for the arising of right mindfulness which is aware of the characteristics
of realities that appear.
Khanti is endurance and restraint with regard to akusala citta which
arises. If sati-sampajañña arises, the perfection of patience will become
more refined. We need patience and endurance, because akusala citta
arises often in daily life. Patience in our daily life is “adhivåsanå
khanti”. The Påli word adhivasati means to inhabit (våso is habitation),
and adhivåsanå khanti is acceptance and endurance with regard to our
living conditions, our environment, the place where we live, thus, the
dhamma of each moment. This can be, for example, a change of
temperature which may be hot or cold. If sati-sampajañña does not
arise, we may say, “It is very hot”, and then akusala citta is likely to
have arisen already. If sati-sampajañña has become more refined, we
can find out whether our patience in action and speech with regard to
our environment is deficient or whether it has grown and developed.
Khanti påramí, the perfection of patience, can develop when sati-
sampajañña arises and knows the characteristic of the citta at that
moment. If sati-sampajañña is aware of akusala citta there are
conditions for the arising of kusala citta instead. A person may be in the
habit of complaining, or of being bad-tempered, but if sati-sampajañña
arises he can refrain from akusala and thus, the perfection of patience
can further develop.
In daily life we need a great deal of patience, because apart from
endurance with regard to our environment or living conditions, we have
to be patient and tolerant towards people with different characters and
habits. People who are in the habit of doing everything quickly should
be patient with people who are slow in their actions. We may meet
someone who is of contrarious behaviour, but we should be patient and
tolerant towards him and not complain about him. If sati-sampajañña
arises there are conditions to refrain from critizing or blaming such a
94 - The Perfections
person, to have mettå and give him guidance, support and advice at the
appropriate occasion. Thus we see that the perfection of khanti should
not be lacking in our daily life.
We should have patience and endurance in our manners and behaviour.
For example, when people travel together there are bound to be
difficulties as regards seats and sleeping places, the means of
transportation and appointments. When a person does not complain
and does not criticize, when he has sympathetic understanding and
assists others, his fellowmen will approve of him and praise him. When
akusala dhammas, including lobha and dosa, arise, patience is lacking,
whereas when kusala citta arises we can endure difficult situations.
A person can have patience because his sobhana cetasikas (wholesome
qualities accompanying kusala citta) have been developed. There is no
person, being or self who is patient.
We can have patience even with regard to our speech. Before we are
going to speak we should consider whether what we want to say is
beneficial or not. If it is useless speech we should have patience and
refrain from that speech. Sati-sampajañña performs its function in such
situations and we should investigate whether it has further developed.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” (Miscellaneous
Sayings):
“The perfection of patience should be considered next: Patience is the
unimpeded weapon of the good in the development of noble qualities, for it
dispels anger, the opposite of all such qualities, without residue. It is the
adornment of those capable of vanquishing the foe; the strength of recluses
and brahmins; a stream of water extinguishing the fire of anger; the basis for
acquiring a good reputation; a mantra for quelling the poisonous speech of
evil people; the supreme source of constancy in those established in
restraint. Patience is an ocean on account of its depth; a shore bounding the
great ocean of hatred; a panel closing off the door to the plane of misery; a
staircase ascending to the worlds of the gods and Brahmas; the ground for
the habitation of all noble qualities; the supreme purification of body, speech
and mind.”
As we read, patience is “the unimpeded weapon of the good”: akusala
can be destroyed when one is righteous. When patience arises we have
no disturbance, because khanti, patience, cannot harm righteous
people. “Patience is the unimpeded weapon of the good in the
development of noble qualities, for it dispels anger, the opposite of all
such qualities, without residue”.
The Perfection of Patience - 95
If we are able to be patient, anger cannot arise, there cannot be wrong
speech, not even the slightest amount. We shall not utter angry words.
As we read, patience is “the adornment of those capable of vanquishing
the foe.”
We may well adorn ourselves profusely with things that beautify, but if
our action and speech are evil, we are not beautiful. The absence of
anger, patience, is the adornment of those capable of conquering
others; with this kind of adornment one is beautiful and does not need
other kinds of adornment. However, if patience is lacking, one’s action
and speech are ugly.
Patience is “the strength of recluses and brahmins”. It is the attainment
of strength (bala sampadå) of a tranquil person. A tranquil or calm
person does not have any disturbance or trouble with regard to
anybody, and thus calm which is freedom from akusala is the strength
of recluses and brahmins.
Patience is “a stream of water extinguishing the fire of anger.” If we are
angry, anger can be overcome by the perfection of patience. At such a
moment we accumulate conditions for refraining more easily from
akusala.
Patience is “the basis for acquiring a good reputation, a mantra for
quelling the poisonous speech of evil people.”
When we are angry and we utter evil speech, we ourselves are evil
people. Whoever utters evil speech is an evil person. Patience is a
mantra, a medicin against poison, namely speech of an evil person.
Patience is “the supreme source of constancy in those established in
restraint.”
Patience is the nature of those with supreme paññå. In order to develop
paññå it is necessary to have endless patience: patience to listen to the
Dhamma and to consider it in all details so as to understand the deep
meaning of the teachings and their benefit. In that way we shall know
that listening is not enough, that we should also apply the teachings. If
someone wishes to have paññå he should first of all have endurance
and accumulate the perfection of patience.
As we read: “Patience is an ocean on account of its depth.”
Patience is profound. Akusala arises more often than kusala. When sati-
sampajañña arises, someone realizes the disadvantage of akusala citta,
and he has patience to refrain from it, be it lobha, dosa, jealousy,
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avarice or conceit. This shows that patience is profound. If someone has
no understanding, he cannot develop the perfection of patience. The
perfection of patience and sati-sampajañña are very subtle and refined,
they are conditions for refraining from akusala.
Patience is “a shore bounding the great ocean of hatred; a panel closing
off the door to the plane of misery.”
Many people are afraid of unhappy planes and they perform kusala so
that they will not be born there. However, if someone does not want to
be reborn in an unhappy plane, he should be patient and refrain from
akusala, because patience is “a panel closing off the door to the plane of
misery.”
Patience is “a staircase ascending to the worlds of the gods and
Brahmas; the ground for the habitation of all noble qualities; the
supreme purification of body, speech and mind.”
We should consider again and again whether we have further
developed patience in each situation of our life. When we train
ourselves often in good qualities, sobhana cetasikas, when we develop
them, they can become our nature. Some people are by nature more
patient than others, and this shows that they have developed all kinds
of wholesome qualities.
We read further on in the Commentary:
“Patience should be further fortified by reflection: ‘Those who lack patience
are afflicted in this world and apply themselves to actions which will lead to
their affliction in the life to come.’ And: ‘Although this suffering arises
through the wrong deeds of others, this body of mine is the field for that
suffering, and the action which is its seed was sown by me alone.’ And: ‘This
suffering will release me from the debt of that kamma.’ And: ‘If there were
no wrong-doers, how could I accomplish the perfection of patience?’ "
If someone else afflicts or harms us, we should not be angry, but we
should realize that this is an opportunity further to develop the
perfection of patience so that it becomes accomplished.
We read:
"Although he is a wrong-doer now, in the past he was my benefactor." And:
"A wrong-doer is also a benefactor, for he is the basis for developing
patience."
"All beings are like my own children. Who becomes angry over the misdeeds
of his own children?"
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If we consider someone we are angry with as our child, can we continue
to be angry with him? If we reflect on this we can see that what has
been stated in the Commentary is true.
We read:
"All those phenomena by which wrong was done, and those to whom it was
done--all those, at this very moment, have ceased.”
Whoever may have done wrong to us or may have harmed us, his deeds
have ceased at that moment, and therefore we should not continue to
be angry. At this moment that person does not do wrong to us; we
should not think of what is past already and continue to be angry. If we
reflect on the truth in the right way, we shall understand that all those
phenomena by which wrong was done, and those to whom it was
done--all those, at this very moment, have ceased.
We read:
“With whom, then, should you now be angry, and by whom should anger be
aroused? When all phenomena are non-self, who can do wrong to whom?"
If someone has listened to the Dhamma he has more understanding
than those who have not listened. Therefore, he should realize that it is
not proper to be angry because someone else who has no understanding
does something wrong. Why should he be angry with someone who
lacks understanding? If he remembers this he accumulates the
perfection of patience, he is not angry and he can forgive that person.
We read:
“When the wrong-doer is endowed with noble qualities, I should not be
angry with him. When he does not have any noble qualities, then I should
regard him with compassion. Because of anger my fame and noble qualities
diminish, and to the pleasure of my enemies I become ugly, sleep in
discomfort, etc."
When a person is angry, his good reputation and noble qualities
disappear. When because of anger he displays an improper conduct we
can see the disadvantage of impatience and the benefit of the perfection
of patience.
We read:
"Anger is the only real enemy, for it is the agent of all harm and the destroyer
of all good." And: "When one has patience one has no enemies."
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We still have akusala, we have defilements, and these condition the
arising of displeasure. However, we should know whether the person
we are angry with has good qualities. If he has, we should not be angry.
If he behaves in an improper way, we should have compassion with
him. If kusala citta arises with sati-sampajañña, it is the condition for
patience to increase.
We read in the “Basket of Conduct” (Khuddaka Nikåya), II,5, “Conduct
of Buffalo-King” that the Bodhisatta was born as a Buffalo 1. A monkey
urinated four times over his shoulder, forehead and eyebrows. A yakkha
advised him to kill that monkey, but the Bodhisatta did not give in to
anger. He wanted to keep his purity of síla and did not kill that monkey.
He aspired for omniscience. He said:
“Someone of wisdom, who is forgiving disrespect among low, medium, high,
thus obtains, intent of mind, according as he aspired.”
A wise person will have patience and he can endure words of disdain,
no matter whether these are spoken by someone who is higher in rank,
who is lower in rank or by an evil person, because one should develop
patience with regard to everybody.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”, with regard to
the “Conduct of Dhamma the Devaputta”2 that the Bodhisatta was born
as Dhamma, a Devaputta (son of a Deva), and Devadatta as Adhamma.
Dhamma would on Uposatha days (vigil days) appear among men and
propagate what was right, the ten wholesome deeds, whereas
Adhamma propagated the ten evil actions. One day their two chariots
met in mid-air, and they each claimed the right of way.
We read in the “Dhamma Jåtaka”(no. 457) which gives the same story,
that Adhamma said to Dhamma, while comparing himself with iron,
and Dhamma Devaputta with gold:
“By iron gold is beaten, nor do we
Gold used for beating iron ever see:
If Wrong against Right shall win the fight today,
Iron as beautiful as gold will be.”
1 I have added the contents of the story, as told in the Basket of Conduct.
2 See Jåtaka no. 457, Dhamma Jataka. I have added the contents of the story as
told in this Jåtaka and also the stanzas. In the Commentary to the “Basket of
Conduct” the word silver is used instead of gold. It is said: “By iron silver is
beaten.”
The Perfection of Patience - 99
We read in the Jåtaka that Dhamma answerd with the stanza:
“If you indeed are mighty in the fray,
Though neither good nor wise is what you say,
Swallow I will all these your evil words;
And willy nilly will make your way.”
Dhamma did not want to give in to anger, and, according to the
Commentary, he aroused patience, loving-kindness and compassion. He
gave Adhamma the right of way, but the earth formed a fissure and
swallowed Adhamma.
As we read, Adhamma could kill Dhamma, just as iron can beat gold,
whereas gold cannot beat iron. People who are on the side of
Adhamma, who are wrong, think that they are like iron and can make
iron appear as beautiful as gold, thus, they make akusala appear as
good.
When someone has done wrong, he is likely to be blamed by society. If
we believe that we should join in judging that person and blaming him
time and again, the citta is akusala and then we are actually on the side
of Adhamma, not of Dhamma. If sati-sampajañña arises, we can have
loving-kindness and patience; we can refrain from blaming someone
else, so that aversion and other kinds of akusala do not increase.
As we read, Dhamma answered that he would have patience and
endure the coarse speech of Adhamma.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” (Miscellaneous
Sayings):
“Again, only the man of wisdom can patiently tolerate the wrongs of others,
not the dull-witted man. In the man lacking wisdom, the wrongs of others
only provoke impatience; but for the wise, they call his patience into play
and make it grow even stronger.”
How shall we live from now on? If we have right understanding, we can
patiently tolerate the wrongs of someone else, but if we lack
understanding, impatience will increase. We read further on:
“Only the man of wisdom is skilful in providing for the welfare of all beings,
without discriminating between dear people, neutrals, and enemies.”
All the teachings are beneficial. We can see that the Buddha helped his
followers in explaining the Dhamma and exhorting them time and
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again to consider the benefit of kusala dhammas. We read in the text:
“Only the man of wisdom is skilful in providing for the welfare of all
beings, without discriminating between dear people, neutrals, and
enemies.” This reminds us that we should be skilful in providing for the
welfare of all beings, that we should be impartial in giving assistance to
others, and not only help our close friends.
When someone is really skilful, he has patience so that he is intent on
what is beneficial. When he is impatient this is of no benefit to him.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”, no. 1, the
Conduct of Akitti:
“Síla has been called ‘tapa’, ascetism or austerity, because it burns 1 the
impurity arising from akusala. Because of the splendour and power of the
perfection of patience and the perfection of viriya, also these perfections
have been called tapa, ascetism: they burn the impurity of craving and
laziness. The Bodhisatta developed those perfections to the highest degree
when he was in this life. It should be said that he developed them by the
power of the perfection of patience (khanti påramittånubhåvena), because
the restraint by patience leads to what is supreme. The Exalted One said:
‘patience is the highest ascetism’ (khanti paramaṇ tapo).”
The first words of the “Exhortation to the Påțimokkha” are, “Patience is
the highest ascetism”. If patience and endurance are lacking, the
perfections cannot lead to the realization of the four noble Truths. We
should think of the patience of people at the time when the Buddha had
not yet finally passed away. When we read the Suttas and reflect on
them in detail we can see the patience and endurance of people at that
time who applied the Dhamma in their conduct and practice.
We read in the “Discourse on the Analysis of the Elements” (Middle
Length Sayings III, no 140):
“Thus have I heard: At one time the Lord, walking on tour among the people
of Magadha, arrived at Råjagaha and approached the potter Bhaggava;
having approached, he spoke thus to Bhaggava the potter: ‘If it is not
inconvenient to you, Bhaggava, I would spend one night in your dwelling.’
‘It is not inconvenient2, revered sir, but there is here one gone forth who
came before you to stay. But if he allow it, do stay, revered sir, according to
your pleasure.’ ”
1 Tappati is the passive form of tapati. Tappati means to burn, to shine.
2 The P.T.S. English translation has “It is not convenient to me, revered sir. For
there is here...” I follow the Pali text here.
The Perfection of Patience - 101
We see the patience of the Buddha who wandered for the benefit of
others in teaching the Dhamma, so that he could help those who were
able to realize the four noble Truths. He walked on tour in Magadha, he
stopped in the city of Råjagaha and came to see the potter. He did not
go to a place that was pleasant and confortable. He asked for a sleeping
place in the potter’s workshop just for one night.
We read in the Commentary to this sutta, the “Papañcasúdaní” that the
potter Bhaggava thought:
“Monks usually have different inclinations: some like to keep company, and
others like to be alone. If the monk who came here first is someone who
wants to be alone, he will say, ‘Revered sir, do not enter here, because I am
already in this dwelling’, so that the person who comes afterwards will go
away. If this would happen, both people would quarrel. Thus, what has been
given should be considered as such, and what has been done cannot be
altered.”
The Commentary states:
“Therefore, he said, ‘It is not inconvenient, revered sir, but there is here one
gone forth who came before you to stay. But if he allows it, do stay, revered
sir, according to your pleasure.’ ”
We read further on in the Sutta:
“At that time there was a young man of family called Pukkusåti who had
gone forth from home into homelessness through faith in the Lord. He was
the person who had arrived first at that potter’s dwelling. Then the Lord
approached the venerable Pukkusåti:
‘If it is not inconvenient to you, monk, I will spend a night in this dwelling.’
‘Spacious, friend, is the potter’s dwelling; let the venerable one stay
according to his pleasure.’ ”
We read in the Commentary to this Sutta:
“King Pukkusåti reigned over his kingdom in the city of Takkasilå and King
Bimbisåra reigned over his kingdom in the city of Rajagåha, and they were of
the same age. Between them there was a deep bond of affection, although
they had never seen each other. Their friendship was established by means
of the merchants who travelled between their two countries for the purpose
of trade.
King Bimbisåra received from King Pukkusåti as a gift eight precious
garments, of which he offered four to the Exalted one and kept four for his
102 - The Perfections
own use in his palace. To him the following thought occurred: ‘When I shall
send a present in return it should be better than the one King Pukkusåti has
sent to me before. My friend sent me a priceless present, and what should I
send to him? In the city of Råjagaha not any object more precious than that
is to be found.’ King Bimbisåra had excellent qualities and also, since the
time he had become a sotåpanna, nothing else but the Triple Gem could
arouse joy. He uttered his wish to select the ‘Gems’ he would offer as a
present to King Pukkusåti.
Usually there are two kinds of jewels 1 . The jewel without consciousness is
gold, silver, etc. The jewel with consciousness is bound up with the faculties 2
. The jewels without consciousness are used for decoration of those with
consciousness. Of these two kinds of jewels, the jewel with consciousness is
accounted the foremost.
The Jewel with consciousness is twofold as the animal jewel and the human
jewel. The animal Jewel which includes the Elephant-Jewel and the Horse-
Jewel is used for the conveyance of humans. Therefore, the human Jewel is
accounted the foremost.
The human jewel is twofold as the woman jewel and the man jewel. The
woman jewel performs service for the Wheel-Turning Monarch 3. Therefore,
the man jewel is accounted the foremost of these two jewels.
The man jewel is twofold as the house-living jewel and the homeless jewel. A
Wheel-turning Monarch is the foremost among the house-living jewels, but
since he pays homage with the fivefold prostration even to a novice
(såmaṇera) who has gone forth on that day, the homeless jewel is accounted
the foremost.
The homeless jewel is twofold as the “learner” and the “non-learner” 4 .
Of the two homeless jewels the value of the jewels of even hundred thousand
learners does not equal the value of the jewel of one non-learner, and
therefore, the non-learner is accounted the foremost.”
The learner, sekkha, is the ariyan of the stage of the sotåpanna,
streamwinner, up to the stage of the anågåmí, non-returner. The non-
See also the Commentary to the “Minor Readings”, the “Illustrator of Ultimate
Meaning”, Ch VI, The Jewel Discourse.
Living beings with faculties, indriyas, such as eye sense, etc.
The sekkha, learner, has attained enlightenment but not to the degree of
arahatship, whereas the asekkha, non-learner, has attained arahatship.
The Perfection of Patience - 103
learner, asekkha, does not need anymore to train himself and follow the
practice leading to the eradication of defilements, because he has
eradicated all defilements completely. The non-learner is the arahat.
We read in the Commentary:
“The jewel of the non-learner is twofold: the jewel of the Buddha and the
jewel of the disciple. Of the non-learner jewels, the value of the jewels of
even hundred thousand disciples does not equal the value of the jewel of the
Buddha. Therefore, the jewel of the Buddha is accounted the foremost.
The Buddha jewel is twofold: the jewel of the Silent Buddha (Paccheka
Buddha) and the jewel of the Fully Enlightened One. As to the Buddha jewel,
the value of the jewels of hundred thousand Solitary Buddhas does not equal
the value of the jewel of the Fully Enlightened One. Therefore, the jewel of
the Fully Enlightened One is accounted the foremost.
Thus, as it is well known, there is no jewel equal to the jewel of the Buddha,
not in this world nor in the worlds of devas.
King Bimbisåra who was a sotåpanna thought, ‘Nothing else is more precious
than the Triple Gem’. Therefore he asked the merchants who were citizens
of Takkasilå, ‘Are the three Jewels of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the
Sangha known in your country?’
The merchants from Takkasila said, ‘In our country one has never heard of
them. Where could they be seen?’
That was the reason that King Bimbisåra gave the order to make a sheet of
gold of four cubits long, a span in breadth and a thickness which was just
right: not too thin, not too thick. He washed his head in the early morning,
he observed the Uposatha (vigil day), took breakfast and then he had
inscriptions engraved on the sheet of gold. He had inscriptions made relating
the excellent qualities of the Buddha, the development of the ten
perfections, the excellent qualities of the Dhamma, the thirtyseven factors of
enlightenment, the four satipaììhånas, the eightfold Path, the excellent
qualities of the Sangha and Mindfulness of Breath-ing.”
The excellent qualities of the Sangha at that time were the qualities of
the ariyans who were contented with the four requisites 1, who could
subdue the hindrances, attain jhåna, acquire supernatural powers, and
become “great men” (mahå-purisa 2). King Bimbisåra considered that he
would have a present made superior to anything else: the excellent
qualities of the Triple Gem which he had inscribed on the golden sheet.
1 The four requisites of the monk: clothing, food, dwelling and medicines.
2 Great men or heroes: with distinctive qualities.
104 - The Perfections
We read in the Commentary:
“He then wrote as follows: ‘The teachings of the Lord Buddha are well
spoken, they liberate beings from dukkha. If you, my friend, can really grasp
this, may you then enter monkhood!’
The King had wrapped around the golden sheet a blanket of animal hair of a
delicate texture and had it placed into a strong box. This box was placed into
another box of gold, and this golden box into a silver box, and each box was
successively placed into another precious box: made of silver, pearl, coral,
ruby, emerald, crystal, ivory, of all kinds of gems, and then placed into a box
made of a bamboo matting. This he had placed into a strong container, this
again into a golden container, and then successively into other containers, in
the same way as before in the case of the boxes. The container made of all
kinds of gems he had placed in a container made of bamboo matting, and
this in a container of hardwood. Thus each container was placed in another
one in the same way.
The box made of all kinds of gems which was placed in a box of bamboo
matting was wrapped around with cloth and stamped with the royal seal.
The King gave orders to the courtiers to adorn his auspicious elephant and
place the throne on his back, to put over it the white multilevelled royal
umbrella, to decorate the streets in the city with beautiful ornaments and
banners, and pay respect with perfums, incense and flowers all along the way
the royal present would be carried. With regard to the King himself, he was
adorned with all kinds of ornaments and surrounded by his troops carrying
musical instruments. The King considered that he would accompany his
present until the border area of his country and that he would give an official
letter to the attendants so that they would offer this to King Pukkusåti. The
contents of that letter were as follows:
‘When you will receive this present, do not receive it in the quarters of the
female royal servants, but may you go to the royal palace and receive it
there.’
When the King had given the official letter, he thought, ‘The Teacher goes
now to the border country’, and he paid respect by the fivefold prostration,
kneeling and placing his hands and head on the floor, and then he returned.”
The present which is superior is the Triple Gem. We have met each
other life after life in the cycle of birth and death, in some lives as
friends, in other lives as enemies or as parents and relatives. However,
to be born as friends in the Dhamma who are co-operating to spread the
teachings is most beneficial. Such a life is superior to other lives in the
cycle of birth and death, where we were born elsewhere without such
The Perfection of Patience - 105
an opportunity.
We read further on in the Commentary:
“As regards King Pukkusåti, he arranged for decorations beginning with the
border area. He arranged that the city would be decorated so that the royal
present from King Bimbisåra could be received. When the royal present
arrived in Takkasilå it was a day of vigil (uposatha). The courtiers who
received the royal present announced the contents of the royal official letter
to the King. After the King had listened to this he considered the duties he
had to fulfill towards the courtiers who had come to offer the royal present.
He let the royal present be carried to the palace and he said, ‘Let nobody
enter here’. He asked people to guard the gate, he opened the window (used
for receiving at official occasions), he had the royal present placed on a high
bed, and he himself sat down on a low seat. He broke the royal seal, and he
took off the coverings. When he opened the boxes subsequently and saw the
box made of bamboomatting, he considered, ‘I believe that other Gems do
not have such accompaniments, and thus we should listen to this Jewel. This
Jewel was certainly born in the Middle Country.’
When he had opened those boxes and broken the royal seal, he took away
from both sides the delicate blanket made of animal hair, he saw the golden
sheet and unrolled this. He considered:
‘These letters are really beautifully carved out in all details: they are of equal
size, neat and quadrangle. I will start to read them from the beginning.’ An
intense feeling of joy arose in the King when he read and reread about the
excellent qualities of the Buddha who appeared in this world.
The tips of the ninetynine thousand bodyhairs stood on end. Because of his
extreme delight and rapture the King did not know whether he should stand
or sit down.
When intense rapture arose within the King he said: ‘We heard the
teachings which are difficult to come across, even in a hundred thousand
aeons, and this could happen because of a friend.’ When the King was
unable to read on, he sat down until his rapture quieted down. Then he
started to read on about the excellent qualities of the Dhamma: ‘The
Dhamma that was wellspoken by the Buddha...’ The King experienced
intense rapture and he sat down again until the strength of his rapture
quieted down. After that he read about the excellent qualities of the Sangha,
‘The ariyan disciples practise in the right way...’ and he experienced intense
rapture in the same way.
Then he read about the meditation subject of Mindfulness of Breathing, and
finally he attained the fourth and the fifth stage of jhåna. The King spent his
106 - The Perfections
time with the happiness of jhåna. Other people could not see him, except for
the royal page. About one month passed in this way. The citizens assembled
at the royal courtyard and announced with acclamations: ‘Since the day the
King has received the royal present he has not looked anymore at the city
nor at the shows of the dancing girls nor has he given judgement. May the
King return the royal present to his friend.’
The citizens said further: ‘Usually Kings try to deceive even with presents.
They try to get hold of the kingdom of other Kings. What should our King
do?’
The King heard the sound of these acclamations and he considered: ‘Shall we
maintain the Kingdom or shall we maintain the teachings?’ After that he
thought, ‘We shall maintain the teachings of this Teacher.’
He took his sword which he kept on a bed and cut off his hair. He requested
his royal page to buy two yellow robes and an earthenware alms bowl at the
market. He dedicated himself to the Teacher with the words, ‘Arahats in the
world, we dedicate ourselves in going forth.’ He put on one yellow robe and
then donned another one. He carried his bowl on his shoulder and left his
palace.
The citizens saw three dance girls standing at the three doors, but they could
not recognize the King who came out of the palace. They thought that he
was a Silent Buddha who had come to preach Dhamma to the King.”
King Pukkusåti left his royal palace and all his possessions in order to
go forth. He must have had the utmost patience to change his usual way
of life and status, in order to be able to realize the four noble Truths. If
one has not accumulated such patience one is not able to act like King
Pukkusåti.
We read further on:
“The son of a prominent family (the King who had gone forth as a monk1)
thought, ‘Our teacher left the homelife and went forth alone, he went on his
way alone. I feel shame and awe with regard to the Teacher. I heard that
after our Teacher had gone forth he did not go on a vehicle and he did not
use any footwear, not even one layer, nor did he use a paper sunshade.’
That son of a prominent family thought, ‘I am travelling far and therefore I
should not go alone. I shall follow a group of merchants.’ When the son of a
prominent family who was delicate by nature walked on very hot ground, the
soles of both of his feet were with pus and wounds, and therefore, he
1 ”Son of a noble family” is generally used to refer to the monk who is actually the
Buddha’s son.
The Perfection of Patience - 107
experienced painful feeling.
When the merchants had set up a camp, and sat down to rest, the son of a
prominent family went away to sit at the root of a tree. There was nobody
there to take care of his legs or massage his back. That son of a prominent
family attained the fourth jhåna with Mindfulness of Breathing and he could
thus suppress the hardship of his journey, his tiredness and agitation. He
spent his time with the joy of jhåna.
The next day at dawn he took care of his bodily needs and followed again the
group of merchants. When it was time for breakfast, the merchants took the
bowl of the son of a prominent family and placed in it hard food and soft
food as an offering. This food consisted of raw husked rice that was not
delicious, curry that was like a heap of gravel, soup with very salty
ingredients. The son of a prominent family reflected on his resting place, and
the hard and soft food were like divine nectar to him while he swallowed
everything with a great deal of water.
He travelled one-hundred and ninetytwo leagues 1 in all, and although he
passed close to the gates of the Jeta Grove, he did not enquire where the
Teacher was staying.
Why did he not enquire?
The answer is that he revered the Teacher, and also because of the royal
official letter sent by the King which seemed to convey that the Teacher had
appeared in Råjagaha, since it stated, ‘The Tathågata has appeared in this
world.’ Therefore he understood that the Buddha was dwelling in the city of
Råjagaha. Although he went near the gate of the Jeta Grove, he travelled on
fortyfive leagues more. At sundown the son of a prominent family reached
Råjagaha and there he asked where the Teacher was staying.
When a villager learnt that he came from the northern country (Uttara
Pradesh) he informed him as follows, ‘You have passed the city of Såvatthí
and travelled on fortyfive leagues to Råjagaha, but the Teacher is dwelling in
Såvatthí.’
The son of a prominent family, Pukkusåti, thought, ‘Now it is not the right
time to return to the city of Såvatthí, and today I shall first take lodging here.
Tomorrow I shall go to the Teacher’s dwelling place.’ He asked the villager
where recluses who arrived at an inappropriate time could find a lodging.
The villager answered that he could dwell in this potter’s workshop.
Then the son of a prominent family asked the potter whether he could dwell
1 One yojana or league is 7.3 kilometre.
108 - The Perfections
there. He entered and sat down, in order to make use of the lodging in the
workshop of that potter.
In the morning before Pukkusåti went to stay in the potter’s workshop, the
Buddha investigated the world and saw the son of a prominent family,
Pukkusåti. He considered, ‘This son of a prominent family left his kingdom as
soon as he had read the official letter that his friend sent him. He went forth
and dedicated himself specifically to me, and he travelled all of the hundred
and twentyone leagues to the city of Råjagaha.
If I do not go there he will not realize the fruits of a recluse (he will not
realize the four noble Truths); he will not realize the three fruits of a recluse,
that is, he will not attain the third stage of enlightenment, the stage of the
non-returner (anågåmí). He will die without any refuge after he has dwelt
there just for one night. When I have gone there he will realize the three
fruits of a recluse. Since I have developed all the perfections during four
incalculable periods and a hundred thousand aeons only for the benefit and
support of people, I shall help the son of a prominent family, Pukkusåti.’
In the early morning the Buddha saw to his bodily needs and surrounded by
bhikkhus he went on his almsround in the city of Såvatthí. After he had
received almsfood he returned from his almsround and entered his fragrant
chamber. He paused after the exertion of walking just for a moment and he
did not say anything to the elderly monks. The Venerable Såriputta, the
venerable Moggallåna and other monks were present. The Lord took his bowl
and robe and went out alone. While on his way, he did not fly through the
air nor did he make the stretch he walked shorter 1. He considered again:
‘That son of a prominent family has shame and awe for me, he does not even
sit in a vehicle, on an elephant, horse, chariot or golden palaquin, etc. and
finally, he does not even use one layer of footwear, nor does he carry a
sunshade. Therefore, I should walk afoot.’ Thus, the Buddha travelled just by
walking. The Buddha hid the splendour of his Buddhahood: his eighty minor
attributes, his halo of two yards and the thirtytwo characteristics of a Great
Man 2 . He travelled in the guise of an ordinary bhikkhu, as the full moon
which is hidden by a misty cloud.
In less than one day (after the meal), he walked fortyfive leagues and
reached at sundown the workshop of that potter.
When the Buddha walked in this way he did not intimidate people, saying, ‘I
am the Sammåsambuddha.’ Thus, he just went to the potter’s workshop and
stood at the gate. In order to give the son of a prominent family an
2 These are specific bodily features of a Buddha.
The Perfection of Patience - 109
opportunity 1, he said: ‘Bhikkhu, if it is not inconvenient to you, I would like
to lodge in this dwelling for just one night.’
Pukkusåti answered: ‘Spacious, friend, is the potter’s dwelling; stay, friend,
according to your pleasure.’
The Lord of the World who was of a most delicate constitution had left his
fragrant Chamber which is like a divine dwelling, he spread out a covering of
grass in the potter’s workshop, where ashes were scattered all over the
place, which was dirty because of broken ustensils, dry grass and so on and
which was like a heap of garbage. He spread out his ragrobe and sat down
as if he had entered his fragrant chamber with a divine odour, just as if it
was a divine dwelling. Thus he sat down.”
If we want to develop the perfection of patience, we should not forget
to accumulate endurance in each situation, be it with regard to seats,
beds or anything else in our environment. We read further on:
“The Buddha was born into a prominent family and also Pukkusåti had
grown in the womb of a mother of prominent family, a Khattiya family 2. The
Buddha attained what he had aspired to, and so did the son of a prominent
family. Each of them had left his kingdom to become a monk. The Buddha
was of a golden complexion and so was the son of a prominent family. Both
of them possessed specific attainments (samåpatti). Both of them were
Kings... both of them had left their status of royalty to go forth... They
entered the potter’s workshop and sat down in that way. For that reason the
potter’s workshop became extremely beautiful and delightful.
To the Buddha the thought did not occur that he was of delicate constitution,
that he had travelled all the way of fortyfive leagues within one day, and that he
would take first the ‘lion’s posture’ 3, just for a moment, so that he could
recover from tiredness caused by his journey. Therefore, the Buddha sat down
and entered fruition attainment (phala samåpatti) 4. As regards Pukkusåti, it
did not occur to him that he had travelled all the way of hundred and
twentynine leagues and that he should first take a rest, just for a moment, to
dispel the tiredness caused by his journey. He sat down and entered the fourth
jhåna with Mindfulness of Breathing.
Question: Did the Buddha not come there with the thought to teach
1 An opportunity to share his residence with the Buddha.
2 The khattiya clan was the highest clan.
3 The Buddha’s sleeping posture on his right side.
4 Ariyans who have attained jhåna can have fruition-consciousness, lokuttara
vipåkacitta, which experiences nibbåna, arising again many times after the
moment of enlightenment.
110 - The Perfections
Dhamma to the son of a prominent family? Why did he not teach?
Answer: He did not teach because the son of a prominent family was tired
from his journey, and thus he had not sufficient calm to receive the teaching
of Dhamma. First he should be able to overcome the tiredness of his journey
and become calm ”
Further on we read:
“When the Buddha had emerged from his fruition attainment he saw that
Pukkusåti was thoughtful as to the position of his hands and legs, that his
head was stable, and that he sat steadfast like the foundation of a dam
firmly constructed. He was immovable like a golden statue.
The son of a prominent family had a posture that inspired confidence. If a
posture inspires confidence it is in that way.
Of the four postures three are not beautiful. When someone walks, his
hands swing, his legs move and his head shakes. When someone stands, his
body is harsh and rigid, and when he lies down, his body is not beautiful.
However, when a monk has brushed and swept the place where he will rest
at day time, after his meal, when he has spread out a cloth to sit on, well
cleansed his hands and legs and sits crosslegged in the lotus position, then
his posture is indeed beautiful. The son of a prominent family sat down
crosslegged and entered the fourth jhåna with Mindfulness of Breathing in
that way.”
We read in the Sutta, the “Analysis of the Elements”, that at that time
the Buddha asked Pukkusåti:
“On account of whom have you, monk, gone forth? Who is your teacher?
Whose Dhamma do you profess?”
Pukkusåti answered: “There is, friend, the recluse Gotama, son of the
Sakyans, gone forth from the Sakyan clan; concerning this Lord Gotama a
lovely reputation has gone abroad thus: He is indeed the Lord, perfected one,
fully Self-Awakened One, endowed with right conduct and knowledge, well-
farer, knower of the worlds, matchless charioteer of men to be tamed,
teacher of devas and mankind, the Awakened One, the Lord. On account of
this Lord have I gone forth, and this Lord is my teacher; I profess this Lord’s
Dhamma.”
“But where, monk, is this Lord, perfected one, fully Self-Awakened One,
staying now?”
“There is a town called Såvatthí, friend, in the northern districts; this Lord,
The Perfection of Patience - 111
perfected one, fully Self-Awakened One, is now staying there.”
“Have you, monk, ever seen this Lord? If you saw him would you know him?”
“No, friend, I have never seen this Lord, so I would not know him if I saw
him.”
We read further on in the Sutta:
“Then it occurred to the Lord: ‘This young man of respectable family has
gone forth on account of me. Suppose I were to teach him Dhamma?’ And
the Lord addressed the venerable Pukkusåti, saying: ‘I will teach you
Dhamma, monk; listen carefully, pay attention and I will speak.’
‘Yes, friend,’ the venerable Pukusåti answered the Lord in assent...”
The Buddha then taught him the Sutta on the “Analysis of the
Elements”1
We read further on in the Sutta:
“Then the venerable Pukkusåti thought: ‘Indeed it is the Teacher who has
come to me; indeed it is the Well-farer who has come to me; indeed it is the
Fully Self-Awakened One who has come to me,’ and rising from his seat,
arranging his robe over one shoulder and bowing his head to the Lord’s feet,
he spoke thus to the Lord:
‘A transgression, revered sir, has overcome me in that foolish, errant and
unskilled as I was, I supposed the Lord could be addressed with the epithet:
friend. Revered sir, may the Lord acknowledge my transgression as a
transgression for the sake of restraint in the future.’
‘Indeed, monk, a transgression overcame you in that... you supposed I could
be addressed with the epithet: friend. But if you, monk, seeing this
transgression as a transgression, confess it according to the rule, we
acknowledge it for you. For this is growth, monk, in the discipline for an
ariyan, that whoever, seeing a transgression as a transgression confess it
according to the rule, he comes to restraint in the future.’
‘Revered sir, may I receive ordination in the Lord’s presence?’
‘But are you, monk, complete as to bowl and robe?’
112 - The Perfections
‘Revered sir, I am not complete as to bowl and robe.’
‘Monk, Tathågatas do not ordain anyone not complete as to bowl and robe.’
Then the venerable Pukkusåti, having rejoiced in what the Lord had said,
having given thanks for it, rising from his seat greeted the Lord and, keeping
his right side towards him, departed in order to search for bowl and robe. But
while he was touring about in search of a bowl and robe a cow swerved and
deprived him of life.
Then a number of monks approached the Lord; having approached, having
greeted the Lord, they sat down at a respectful distance. As they were sitting
down at a respectful distance, these monks spoke thus to the Lord: ‘That
young man of family, Pukusåti, revered sir, whom the Lord exhorted with an
exhortation in brief, has died. What is his bourn, what his future state?’
When the Buddha had spoken this Discourse, the monks delighted in the
words of the Exalted One.”
We read further on in the Commentary to the “Analysis of the
Elements”:
“It has been asked: why did the almsbowl and robes which can be made to
appear by supranatural powers not come to Pukkusåti?
Answer: Because the son of a prominent family did not offer the eight
requisites 2 in the past.
However, the son of a prominent family Pukkusåti had made offerings and he
had made aspirations, and thus, one should not say that the reason (for not
obtaining the requisites) was his lack of generosity in the past...
Robes and bowl which can be made to appear by supranatural power can
only come to disciples who are in their last life, thus, who have attained
arahatship. For this son of a prominent family there would still be rebirth,
because he had attained the state of non-returner, anågåmí, not arahatship.
1 He had attained the third stage of enlightenment, the stage of the non-returner,
anågåmí.
2 The eight parikkhåra, requisites are: three robes, a bowl, a razor, a needle, a
girdle and a water-strainer.
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Moreover, the lifespan of this son of a prominent family was about to expire.
With regard to Pukkusåti, (it can be said that it was as if) the Mahå-brahma
(of the brahma plane), the anågåmí of the ‘Pure Abodes’ (suddhavåsa 1)
came to the potter’s workshop and sat down there.”
Afterwards he was reborn as a brahma in the heavenly plane of Avihå, thus,
in (the first of) the “Pure Abodes”. Only those who have attained the stage
of the non-returner and have developed the fifth stage of jhåna can be
reborn in the “Pure Abodes”.
Pukkusåti, before his lifespan had come to an end, was close to becoming a
rúpa-brahma in the “Pure Abodes”, and therefore, the Commentary stated:
“the Mahå-brahma (of the brahma plane), the anågåmí of the ‘Pure Abodes’
(suddhavåsa) came to the potter’s workshop and sat down there.”
Very soon his life as Pukkusåti would be changed into the life of a rúpa-
brahma of the “Pure Abodes”.
The Paramatthadípaní, the Commentary to the Khuddaka Nikåya,
Commentary to the “Theragåthå”, Nidåna Kathå, states:
“The perfection of paññå which supports and fulfils all the perfections, the
perfection of generosity and the others, of all Bodhisattas, brings gradually to
maturity and complete fulfilment the awakening wisdom of the Buddha by
which he attained Buddhahood. Also respectively, in the case of the Silent
Buddhas and the disciples: it brings gradually to maturity and complete
fulfillment the awakening wisdom of the Silent Buddhas and the disciples...
The highest patience in the development of kusala, dåna etc., for the
awakening wisdom of the Silent Buddhas and of the disciples is considered as
effort or energy (viriya).
The endurance when refraining from anger is considered as patience.
The performing of generosity (dåna), the undertaking of síla etc., and the
abstaining from speech which deviates from the truth is considered as
truthfulness (sacca).
Decisiveness which is unshakable, firm, and which accomplishes what is
beneficial in all respects is considered as determination (adiììhåna).
Intentness on the benefit of other beings which is the foundation for
performing dåna, síla etc., is considered as loving-kindness (mettå).
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Evenmindedness towards improper deeds done by other beings is considered
as equanimity (upekkhå).
Therefore, when dåna, síla and bhåvanå (mental development), or síla,
samådhi and paññå are present, the perfections, viriya etc., can be regarded
as completed.”
The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” (Miscellaneous Sayings)
reminds us to consider our own patience :
“Again, only the man of wisdom can patiently tolerate the wrongs of others,
not the dull-witted man. In the man lacking wisdom, the wrongs of others
only provoke impatience; but for the wise, they call his patience into play
and make it grow even stronger.”
There is a difference between a person with paññå and without it. As to
the person with paññå, no matter what wrong someone else has done to
him, this makes his patience grow firmer and more accomplished. As to
the person who lacks paññå, the wrongs of someone else provoke an
increase in impatience, the opposite of patience.
Patience is needed with regard to our environment, in the different
situations of daily life. Daily life can be a test for our patience and
endurance.
We read in the “Gradual Sayings”, Book of the Fives, Ch IX, §5, “He
cannot endure” that the Buddha said:
“Monks, possessed of five qualities, among his fellows in the godly life
(brahma cariya), an elder becomes neither dear nor pleasant nor respected
nor praised.
He cannot endure forms, sounds, smells, tastes and touches.
Monks, possessed of these five qualities, an elder becomes neither dear nor
pleasant nor respected nor praised.
By the opposte qualities, a person who can endure forms (visible objects),
sounds, smells, tastes amd touches, will become, among his fellows in the
godly life, dear, pleasant, respected and praised.”
The Buddha did not teach Dhamma only to monks, but also to all his
followers who developed paññå. He taught Dhamma so that one can see
that the truth is the truth: someone who is dear, pleasant, respected and
who should be praised is a person who can endure visible objects,
sounds, smells, tastes and touches.
Some people do not consider and think of patience and endurance, they
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have not accumulated patience. We can see the danger of impatience
when someone who is happy himself and without trouble, cannot stand
another person’s happiness. We read in the Commentary to the Gradual
Sayings, Book of the Fives §5, “Begrudging” (macharí)1 about the five
kinds of avarice (macchariya) of a miser:
“With regard to avarice as to dwelling (åvåsa), he cannot bear to see
someone else in that dwelling,
with regard to avarice as to family (kula), he cannot bear to see someone
else visiting that family,
with regard to avarice as to gain (låbha), he cannot bear someone else to
obtain something,
with regard to avarice as to praise (vaṇṇa), he cannot bear that people
praise the good qualities of others,
with regard to avarice as to Dhamma, he does not want to explain the
theory of the Dhamma to someone else.”
This shows the importance of patience. If sati arises which is non-
forgetful of kusala, one is able to have endurance. We should know
what the Scriptures say about the excellence of patience and the
disadvantage of impatience.
We read in the “Gradual Sayings” (III), Book of the Fives, Ch XXII, § 5,
Impatience, that the Buddha said:
“Monks, there are these five disadvantages from being impatient. What five?
Not to many folk he is dear and pleasing; he is full of malevolence; there is
much harm for him; he dies muddled in thought and rises in unhappy planes,
such as hell planes.
Monks, these are the five disadvantages from being impatient.”
It is true that someone who is impatient is not dear and pleasing to
many people, he is full of malevolence and he may cause quarreling,
injuring, fighting, harming and killing. When he is irritated and
displeased because of an unpleasant experience, he should know that
accumulated inclinations condition him to be bad-tempered and
impatient and that he will receive the harmful effect of his own akusala.
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Someone else cannot harm him, only his own defilements will cause
him harm, and moreover, he will die muddled in thought. If someone is
often impatient and overcome by anger, he may also be so when he is
near death. Everybody has to leave this world, and when the citta is
impure just before dying, his akusala citta is the condition for rebirth in
an unhappy plane such as hell. This is a danger much more fearsome
than the dangers in this world.
Thus, we should train ourselves in patience, acceptance and endurance
with regard to our living conditions, our environment, patience with
regard to all kinds of situations (adhivåsanå khanti).
Patience has many degrees. We need patience to listen to the Dhamma,
to study and to consider it, in order to have right understanding of what
is taught. We should not merely listen, we should also consider with
wise attention what we have heard. The Dhamma is very subtle and
deep and if we do not consider thoroughly what we have heard and
studied, we can easily have confusion and wrong understanding, there
may be conditions for wrong conduct and wrong practice.
When patience with regard to listening to the Dhamma increases we
shall see the benefit of all kinds of kusala and further develop it. This
means that we shall have more understanding of the right cause that
brings its effect accordingly.
We read in the ‘Kindred Sayings” (V, Mahå-vagga, Kindred Sayings on
Streamwinning, Ch II, § 2, Brahmins) that the Buddha, while he was
dwelling at Såvatthí, was reminding the monks about the right kind of
patience and the wrong kind of patience. We read:
“Monks, the brahmins proclaim this practice which leads to prosperity: they
instruct their disciples thus:
‘Come, good fellow! Rise up betimes and go facing east. Don’t avoid a hole, a
village pool or cesspit. You should go to meet your death wherever you may
fall. Thus, good fellow, on the break up of body, after death you will be
reborn in the Happy Lot, in the Heaven World.’ ”
Those brahmins taught endurance and patience, but if patience is not
accompanied by paññå it is not beneficial at all. This teaching of the
brahmins was devoid of paññå, unreasonable and not beneficial.
We read further on that the Buddha said:
“But, monks, this practice of the brahmins is the way of fools, it is the way of
infatuation. It conduces not to revulsion, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm,
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to full comprehension, to the wisdom, it conduces not to Nibbåna.
Now, monks, I too proclaim, in the Ariyan discipline, a practice which leads
to prosperity, but it is one which conduces to downright revulsion, dispassion,
cessation, to calm, to full comprehension, to the wisdom, to Nibbåna.”
Those brahmins used the same wording, “leading to prosperity”, but the
meaning is different, and it refers to a different way of practice. We
read that the Buddha said:
“Herein, monks, the Ariyan disciple has unwavering loyalty to the Buddha...
the Dhamma...the Order. He is blessed with the virtues dear to the Ariyans,
virtues unbroken, whole, unspotted, untarnished, virtues untainted, which
lead to concentration of mind. This, monks, is the practice which leads to
downright revulsion, dispassion, cessation, to calm, to full comprehension, to
the wisdom, to Nibbåna.”
This is a short text, but it deals with the dhammas which are naturally
appearing just as they are, at this moment. This is the way leading to
dispassion, calm, full comprehension, enlightenment, nibbåna.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” (Miscellaneous
Sayings) about the defilements which can arise in the process of
developing the perfections. When one is developing the perfection of
patience the defilement can arise of “discriminating thoughts of oneself
and others.”
For some people patience is limited, they have patience only with
regard to some people and only sometimes. They compare another
person with themselves and this is a condition for impatience. We
should know that the defilement of discriminating thoughts of oneself
and others hinders the development of patience. We read in the same
section of the Commentary that one can be misled by the defilement of
craving and that this hinders the development of all the perfections.
In the Ovåda-påțimokkha the Buddha exhorted the monks to have
patience. There are two kinds of Påțimokkha: the Ovåda-pațimokkha
and the Åṇå-påțimokkha1. The Ovåda-påțimokkha, the exhortation to
the Påțimokkha, is an important principle of teaching or instruction.
The Åṇå-påțimokkha are the rules of the Vinaya which are an important
foundation to be applied by the monks in their conduct. In the Ovåda-
påțimokkha the Buddha taught the significance of the perfection of
patience in three stanzas and in addition two more verses.
1 Påțimokkha means obligation. Ovåda means admonition or exhortation. Åṇå
means command.
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We read in the “Sublime Story” (Mahåpadåna Sutta, Dialogues of the
Buddha II, no. XIV):
“Stanza 1:
khantí paramaṇ tapo titikkhå 1: forbearing patience is the highest ascetism.
nibbånaṇ paramaṇ vadanti Buddhå: nibbåna is supreme, the Buddhas say.
na hi pabbajito parúpaghåti: he, verily, is not a recluse who harms another.
samaṇo hoti paraṇ viheìhayanto : nor is he an ascetic who oppresses others.
Stanza 2:
sabba-påpasså akaranaṇ: not performing evil
kusalassa upasampadå: accomplishing what is wholesome, doing all kinds of
kusala.
sacitta-pariyodapanaṇ: purification of one’s citta.
etaṇ Buddhånasåsanaṇ: this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
Stanza 3:
anupavådo anupaghåto: not insulting, not harming.
påìimokkhe saṇvaro: restraint according to the påìimokkha
mattaññutå ca bhattasmiṇ: knowing moderation in food.
pantañca sayan’ åsanaṇ : a secluded dwelling
adhicitte ca åyogo: endeavour as to higher consciousness (development of
calm of citta)
etaṇ Buddhånasåsanaṇ: this is the teaching of the Buddhas.”
The Commentary to this Sutta, the “Sumaṁgalavilåsiní” explains as to
the First Stanza, the first verse: “khantí paramaṇ tapo titikkhå,
patience, restraint, is the highest ascetism”, that khanti is adhivåsana-
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khanti.
Khanti is a condition for the development of all kusala, whereas
impatience conditions the arising of all kinds of evil through citta and
then through the body and through speech. Adhivåsana-khanti is
endurance with regard to all situations in daily life, to our environment,
and this is the highest asceticism.
The Commentary explains:
“The words ‘nibbånaṇ paramaṇ vadanti Buddhå, nibbåna is supreme, the
Buddhas say’, mean that all Buddhas say that nibbåna is the supreme
dhamma in all respects.”
There is no other dhamma which is superior to nibbåna, because the
other dhammas arise because of conditions, they are present for just a
very short moment and then they fall away completely. Nåma dhamma
and rúpa dhamma arise because of the appropriate conditions just for a
moment and then fall away. How then can conditioned dhammas be a
refuge? The Buddha said that nibbåna is the supreme dhamma, it is the
dhamma through which defilements are eradicated completely, so that
they never arise again. We read:
“As to the words, ‘na hi pabbajito parúpaghåti, he, verily, is not a recluse
who harms another’, this means that a person who harms, afflicts and
injures someone else because he lacks adhivåsana khanti, endurance, cannot
be called a recluse.
As to the word ‘pårúpaghåti, he harms’, this means that he violates síla,
because síla is called paramaṇ, meaning, supreme. It is explained that an
ascetic who is vexing another being, who is someone who harms another,
ruins his own síla. This means that he cannot be called a recluse.”
When a monk who has to observe síla transgresses síla, when he ruins
his own síla, he cannot be considered a monk.
As regards a lay person, if he applies the teachings, his defilements can
be eradicated. He should consider precisely, in all details, his action and
speech, he should know whether they affect or harm someone else.
Even if he does not utter harsh speech he should know whether he hurts
someone else’s feelings. He should have a refined knowledge of his
cittas.
We read further on in the Commentary:
“A person harms someone else because he has no endurance, adhivåsana
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khanti1. If he kills other beings, even gadflies and mosquitos, he cannot be
considered a recluse. What is the reason? Because he cannot get rid of
impurity. Someone is considered a recluse (pabbajita) because he has got rid
of impurities in himself. This is the characteristic of a recluse.”
We read in the Commentary:
“The Second Stanza:
the words ‘sabba-påpassa’ (of all evil) mean: of all kinds of akusala.”
If we know that something is akusala, no matter how slight, we should
abstain from it if we are able to do so.
We read:
“The word ‘akaraṇaṇ’ means, not causing to arise.
The word ‘kusalassa’ (of kusala) means, of the kusala of the four planes 2 .
The word ‘upasampadå’ means attainment (paìilåbho), specific acquisition.
The words ‘sacitta-pariyodapanaṇ’ mean, purification of one’s citta, and
this is through arahatship.
Thus, when recluses have eliminated all evil by the restraint of síla and
brought kusala to fulfilment by samatha and vipassanå, the citta is purified
by the fruition of arahatship (arahatta phala). This is the teaching, the
exhortation, the admonition of the Buddhas.”
All this begins with patience, khanti, which is the highest ascetism.
We read futher on:
“The Third Stanza:
The word ‘anupavådo’(not insulting) means, not insulting anyone by speech.
The word ‘anupaghåto’ (not harming) means, not harming through the body.
The word ‘påìimokkhe’(according to the påìimokkha) means, it liberates
completely, that is, the highest síla; it guards in a supreme way, namely, it
guards happy states; it liberates from danger, the danger of an unhappy
destination. Or it guards happy states and liberates from unhappy states.
1 The Commentary explains khanti as adhivåsana-khanti: patience with regard to
one’s environment.
2 Kusala of the four planes of citta: kusala of the sensuous plane, kåmåvacara,
kusala of the level of rúpa-jhana, of arúpa-jhana and kusala which is supra
mundane, lokuttara.
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Therefore, this síla is called påìimokkha 1.”
If someone observes the síla of påțimokkha, he will be liberated from
unhappy planes and he can go to happy planes.
We read:
“The word ‘mattaññutå’, knowing moderation, means, knowing moderation
in receiving and eating.
The words ‘pantañca sayan’ åsanaṇ’, a secluded bed and seat, mean, a bed
and seat free from the crowds.
It is explained by means of these two requisites 2 that he is contented with
the four requisites.”
The four requisites are dwelling, clothing, food and medicine. We read:
This is the teaching, the exhortation, the admonition of the Buddhas.”
People may believe that it is too difficult to have patience to listen and
to read the Tipițaka, but one needs patience and endurance in all
respects and in all situations. When we think of the past lives of the
disciples, we see that before they developed patience to a high degree,
they had attachment (lobha), aversion (dosa) and ignorance (moha).
They had a great deal of akusala, just as people today. However, they
had developed paññå and they understood the benefit of patience and
of wholesome qualities. Therefore, they could with patience develop all
kinds of kusala so that finally the perfections could reach fulfilment
through the realization of the four noble Truths. Before we can reach
fulfilment of the perfections, we should continue to develop them with
patience and endurance, life after life, and this is “cira kåla bhåvana”, a
development which takes a long time (cira kåla). It takes a long time to
develop paññå to the degree that it can eradicate defilements. When we
see the extent of the defilements we still have, it is evident that the
development of paññå must take an endlessly long time. Defilements
cannot be eradicated if we do not listen to the Dhamma and do not
contemplate it. All the teachings we listen to deal with the development
1 Påti means to guard or protect, and mokkheti means to liberate.
2 The requisites of food and dwelling place have been mentioned here.
3 The attainment of the stages of rúpajhåna and of arúpajhåna.
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of paññå and the eradication of defilements.
If we have patience with the development of the perfections they will
reach fulfilment, we do not develop them in vain: eventually they will
reach maturity and that means that the four noble Truths can be
realized. The perfections of the Exalted One, the Sammåsambuddha,
reached maturity and fulfilment so that he could attain Buddhahood at
the foot of the Bodhi-tree in Bodhgaya.
The buddhist followers who are full of confidence in the Buddha wish
to pay respect at the holy places where the most important events in the
cycle of birth and death took place. However, when we pay respect at
the holy places, we should also consider the Buddha’s teachings with
wise attention. Reflection on the patience of the Buddha’s disciples in
different lives can inspire us also to develop patience and endurance
even with regard to ordinary events of daily life.
We read in the “Kassapamandiya Jåtaka”(no. 312):
“At that time while the Buddha was residing in the Jeta Grove he spoke
about an aged monk, and he gave this explanation of the Dhamma, with the
words beginning with ‘should foolish youths...’ (appikassapamandiya).
A young nobleman at Såvatthi, tradition says, saw the danger of sense
pleasures and received ordination at the hands of the Buddha. Within a
short time he attained arahatship. After that, when his mother had died, he
persuaded his father and younger brother to become monks and to take
residence in the Jeta Grove. Near the beginning of the rainy season they took
their residence in a village where the requisites were easily obtained, so that
they could observe the rainy season there. When the rainy season was over
they returned to the Jeta Grove. The youthful monk ordered the novice, his
younger brother, to let the elderly monk first take a rest, and then to take
him along quietly. He himself would go ahead to prepare beforehand the
lodgings in the Jeta Grove.
The elderly monk walked very slowly and the novice butted him as it were
with his head in order to make him walk on. Then the elderly monk turned
back and started anew from the same point, and this went on until sunset,
and when they reached the Jeta Grove it was already dark. The young monk
who was the elder brother waited for them until the evening, he took a torch
and went to meet them. When he asked the reason why they came so
slowly, the elderly monk who was the father told him what had happened.
On that day the young monk could not pay his respects to the Buddha.
The next day when that monk went to pay his respects to the Buddha, the
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Buddha knew that that monk had arrived on the previous day but had not
come to pay his respects. Therefore, he blamed the elderly monk and he said
that also in a past life he had acted likewise.”
We may wonder why the elderly monk who was the father had to be
blamed, and not the novice who was the younger son. Who should have
patience?
We read about a story of the past:
“Formerly, in a past life, the Buddha was the Bodhisatta. He became an
ascetic in the Himålaya country. The elderly monk at that time was the
father of the Bodhisatta. Their habitual conduct was almost the same as in
the present life. Thus, in the rainy season they left the Himålaya country and
went near the border of a city, and when the fruits had ripened in the
Himålaya country they returned there.
At that time the Bodhisatta made the two hermits stow away their
requisites1, he gave his father a bath, washed and anointed his feet and
massaged his back. He set out a pan of charcoal and when his father had
recovered from his fatigue he sat down near him. He said: ‘Father, young
boys are just like earthen vessels, they are broken in a moment. Once they
are broken it is not possible to mend them. Young boys may be abusive or
censure others, but old men should bear with them patiently.’ ”
In order to admonish his father Kassapa, he said these stanzas:
“Should foolish youth scold, revile or blame,
The wise who have paññå should endure
All the wrongs done by young boys...
Even wise men may quarrel,
But quickly they can become closely united again.
But fools part asunder like untempered clay,
They cannot calm down their hate.”
If we want to realize the arising and falling away of nåma and rúpa, if
we want to eradicate defilements and penetrate the four noble Truths,
we should carefully consider the Dhamma contained in these stanzas.
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They deal with the eradication of defilements and exhort to forbearing
patience.
We read:
“Even wise men may quarrel, but quickly they can become closely united
again.”
Even wise people may be moody and angry, but they can amend for this
quickly and become closely united again. This is because of their
wisdom.
When we have passed away, all the events of this life are gone, but so
long as we are still alive we remember what happened in our life. We
may remember the wrong someone else did, but if we are wise we can
forgive him. Even though wise people may quarrel, they can forgive one
another. They can become close friends with each other again and they
can give support to each other from then on. This is because of their
understanding of the Dhamma. With regard to foolish people, they
break apart like earthen vessels which are untempered. They are unable
to calm down their hatred.
We read that the Bodhisatta said:
“If someone knows the wrong by which he offended someone else, and he
expresses in words that he was wrong, both people can live in greater
harmony, their friendship cannot be destroyed.”
We should not only know the wrong by which we offended someone
else but we should also say so. If we do not give expression to our
regret, we are still brooding about what happened and may be irritated.
If a person who offended someone else expresses in words that he was
wrong, both people can live in greater harmony; they will understand
each other more clearly and their close friendship cannot be destroyed.
We read:
“If someone, when another person offends him, can cause both to be united
in harmony, he is considered a person who takes upon himself a weighty and
worthy task.”
This means that if a person has forgiven someone else and the other
person, in-spite of this, still offends him, he can cause both himself and
the other person to be reconciled and live in harmony. Therefore, he is
someone who is superior, who fulfils a weighty task. A wise person
knows how to behave in a way that is to the benefit of others. If he lacks
paññå he will not follow the Buddha’s advice about beneficial conduct.
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We read further on in the Commentary:
“Someone may be offended by another person who is overcome by anger,
who commits a wrong but does not even apologize. However, the person
who is wronged may cause the other and himself to be reconciled and united
in friendship by speaking the following words, ‘You should come, you should
learn the recitation, listen to the explanations (of the Dhamma), and be
diligent in mental development. What is the reason that you have become
estranged?’ This is his view, it is his nature to be full of loving-kindness. He is
superior, he can be considered as someone who fulfills a weighty task,
because he undertakes the task of friendship.
The Bodhisatta exhorted in that way the recluse who was his father. From
then on the recluse who was his father trained himself and devoted himself
to ascetical practices.”
However, that was in his past life, but in his present life he acted as he
used to act. When his son pushed him with his head in his back he
became angry and impatient. He turned back and started anew from
the same point and walked from there on again so that they arrived in
the Jeta Grove when it was already dark.
This shows us that nobody can control dhammas, no matter whether
they are akusala or kusala. Sometimes there are conditions for the
arising of kusala dhammas and sometimes there are conditions for the
arising of akusala which has not yet been eradicated. During one
lifespan someone may have tried to train himself to eliminate
defilements, but if defilements have not been completely eradicated, he
has latent tendencies which lie dormant in the citta and can condition
the arising of akusala citta at any time. The strength of the accumulated
defilements conditions one’s actions.
If someone has listened to the Dhamma time and again, he will see that
the Dhamma the Buddha taught is profound, that it is difficult to
understand and penetrate the characteristics of realities which the
ariyans have clearly realized. We need to apply patience in the
development of understanding of realities, and then we can see that
understanding grows very gradually, that it grows all the time. One day
in the future we shall receive the result of patience which is the highest
ascetism, that is, the realisation of the four noble Truths.
A person with paññå will see that it is essential to have the utmost
patience in each situation of his life. One should have patience to
refrain from aversion, displeasure, regret or feeling slighted by the
action and speech of someone else, patience in all situations, also with
126 - The Perfections
regard to the issues of life and death. When someone understands the
Dhamma he will see the significance of patience, patience to be diligent
in the study of the Dhamma, to listen to the Dhamma and to investigate
and consider it. We should study and practise the Dhamma with
sincerity, sincerity which can lead to becoming the perfection of
truthfulness, dealt with in the next chapter.
The Perfection of Truthfulness
The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” defines the perfection of
truthfulness as follows:
“Truthfulness has the characteristic of non-deceptiveness in speech; its
function is to verify in accordance with fact; its manifestation is excellence;
honesty is its proximate cause.”
The perfection of truthfulness, sacca påramí, is sincerity and
truthfulness with regard to realities. It means truthfulness through
body, speech and mind. In order to realize the four noble Truths, one
should be truthful, sincere, with regard to oneself, and this means,
truthful with regard to the realities which appear just as they are.
Kusala is kusala and akusala is akusala; they cannot be otherwise, no
matter whether they arise in oneself or in someone else.
If we see the disadvantage of untruth and falsity, we shall further
develop the perfection of truthfulness. In the Tipițaka deceitful speech is
compared to bean-soup 1, because when one cooks beansoup, some
beans are cooked while others are not cooked. When eating, one comes
sometimes across hard beans which are not cooked. It is the same with
speech: when a person speaks a great deal, some deceptive words may
permeate his speech. Or it may also happen that everything he says is
true, from the first word until the last. We can only know with regard to
ourselves when we are insincere and when truthful. It is paññå that
knows akusala as akusala. We may begin to see that akusala is ugly,
1 See also Visuddhimagga I, 75, about bean-soupery.
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that it is wrong. Paññå that is of a higher degree can gradually
eliminate akusala. However, if one does not see the disadvantage and
the danger of akusala dhammas, akusala will only increase. The
realization of the four noble Truths leads to the eradication of
defilements, but in order to realize the four noble Truths we should be
truthful in action, speech and mind.
Akusala dhammas arise because of their appropriate conditions. If sati
arises, it can at such moments be aware of the characteristic of akusala
dhamma and in this way akusala can be given up. We should not delay
being aware of the characteristic of the dhamma that naturally appears
so that it can be known as it is. When akusala appears and there is
awareness of it, we can immediately abandon it.
We have a great deal of defilements and without the support of the
perfections it is impossible to penetrate the four noble Truths, to
become a “streamwinner”, sotåpanna, who will not be reborn more than
seven times before the attainment of arahatship.
Even Såriputta, who had paññå of the degree of a chief disciple,
developed the perfections during one incalculable period and a hundred
thousand aeons so that he could become a sotåpanna. Since he had
accumulated the perfections for such a long time, he could become an
arahat fifteen days after he had attained the stage of sotåpanna. The
perfection of truthfulness is truthfulness or sincerity in developing
kusala, with the aim to eradicate defilements. If there is no truthfulness
with regard to the development of kusala, defilements cannot be
eradicated.
Truthfulness in the development of kusala with the aim to eradicate
defilements begins with truthfulness with regard to the Triple Gem. We
should be truthful and honest with ourselves while we consider in what
way we show our reverence, respect and confidence towards the Triple
Gem. Do we sincerely have respect and confidence in the Buddha, the
Exalted One, when we see a Buddha statue?
We can test our truthfulness with regard to the Triple Gem, if we are
aware of our thoughts when we see a Buddha statue. Do we take refuge
in the Triple Gem with truthfulness? We may think of the excellent
qualities of the Buddha with respect, reverence and esteem. Or, when
we see a Buddha statue, do we ask for favours such as protection,
possessions, praise or a position of honour?
We should know ourselves as we really are. We should be truthful, and
we should not ask for gains and favours. We should be intent to apply
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the Dhamma while we show respect to our Teacher, the Exalted One.
We can be truthful in the application of the Dhamma as taught by the
Buddha. In this way we truly take our refuge in the Triple Gem.
After the Buddha, the Exalted One, finally passed away, the Dhamma
became the teacher in his stead. Truthfulness to the Dhamma means
studying it with sincerity, with the aim to have correct understanding of
it. We should not study the Dhamma with the aim to gain something, to
acquire honour or praise, but only to have correct understanding of it.
We should develop right understanding of the realities which appear so
that defilements can be eradicated and ignorance abandoned.
The temple is a dwelling place, a place where we can hear the Dhamma
and study it. It does not belong to the monks but it belongs to the Triple
Gem. Because of confidence in the excellent qualities of the Triple Gem,
temples are built as dwelling places, places where the Dhamma can be
studied. We should always consider which ways of paying honour and
respect to the Triple Gem are truly beneficial.
We read in the “Illustrator of Ultimate Meaning” (Paramatthajotikå),
Commentary to the Minor Collection (Khuddakapåțha), of the
Khuddakanikåya, in the Commentary to the “Good Omen Discourse”
(Mangala Sutta) about the first Council. We read that the venerable
Mahå-Kassapa, the venerable Upåli, the venerable Ånanda and the
other arahats, fivehundred bhikkhus in all, met for the first rehearsal of
the Dhamma Vinaya, near the door of the Sattapaṇṇi Cave, on the
slopes of the Vebhåra Rock, in Råjagaha. We read that when certain
deities saw the venerable Ånanda sitting in the seat for (anouncing) the
True Dhamma, surrounded by the group of those who had attained
mastery (in it), they had the following thought:
“ ‘This venerable one, the Videhan Seer, is the Blessed One’s natural heir as
a shoot of the Sakyan clan, and he was five times signalized in the Foremost-
in-this (Discourse) and possesses the Four Wonderful and Marvellous Ideas
that make him dear and precious to the four kinds of assembly 1; so surely,
after inheriting the kingdom of the Blessed One’s True Dhamma, he has
become an Enlightened One.’ Knowing with his mind the thoughts in those
deities’ minds, he did not connive at such misattribution to him of non-
existent special qualities. Consequently, in order to show his own
discipleship, he said: ‘Evaṇ me suttaṇ. Ekaṇ samayaṇ bhagavå
Såvatthiyaṇ viharati Jetavane Anåthapiṇḍikassa åråme...’ which means:
The Perfection of Truthfulness - 129
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Såvatthí in
Jeta’s Wood, Anåthapiṇḍika’s Park...”
These words were spoken by the venerable Ånanda, more than
twothousand and fivehundred years ago. If we today just hear the
words, “Thus have I heard”, we are impressed by the thoughts of the
venerable Ånanda who on the occasion of the first rehearsal made it
clear that he was only a disciple. That is why he said, “Thus have I
heard”. He did not speak his own words, because he was not the
Exalted One. He was only a disciple and had heard these words from
the Exalted One. When Buddhists hear the words, “Thus have I heard”,
even after more than twothousand and fivehundred years have passed,
enthusiasm and joy can arise because they have an opportunity to hear
these words again. Thus, they can consider the Buddha’s teachings
when he was dwelling in the Jeta Grove or at other places.
We read further on:
“Meanwhile the five hundred Arahants and many thousand deities
applauded the venerable Ānanda, saying ‘Good (sådhu), good’, while there
was a great earth-tremor with a rain of various kinds of flowers falling from
the sky and many other manifested marvels, and in many deities a sense of
urgency arose (with the thought) ‘What we heard in the Blessed One’s
presence is now reproduced in his absence too!’ ”
The Buddha had finally passed away and the arahats who were present
at the first Council for the rehearsal of the teachings had heard these
words before. However, even though the words they heard were spoken
in the past and they would not hear them any more in the presence of
the Blessed One, there was yet an opportunity to hear the Dhamma
again. This fact can be recollected with reverence to the Triple Gem by
all listeners today. Although these events occurred a long time ago, each
time we hear the Dhamma we can see its benefit and we can
understand that the accumulation of kusala in the past is the condition
for the kusala vipåka which is hearing the Dhamma again in this life.
Ånanda consoled people who were disappointed at not seeing the
Blessed One, assuring them that this was not a teaching of a dead
teacher, but that the very Dhamma Vinaya was their teacher.
By the words, evaṇ me suttaṇ, thus have I heard, the venerable
Ånanda wanted to console the Buddhists in times to come, who may
feel dismay that they cannot see the Buddha in person. However, we
should remember that what we hear is not the teaching of a dead
teacher, but that the Dhamma Vinaya is now our teacher.
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We shall know whether the Buddha is our real teacher if we listen,
consider and follow the right practice.
When the venerable Ånanda spoke the word, evaṇ, meaning: thus, he
demonstrated the excellence of the teaching, because there should be a
person who teaches and also a person who listens. There cannot be a
listener without a teacher.
Just by the word evaṇ, thus, he demonstrated the excellence of the
teaching. When he said, me suttaṇ, I have heard, he demonstrated the
excellence of the discipleship. This disciple was the venerable Ånanda,
not someone else. The venerable Ånanda, the disciple who was five
times signalized in the Foremost-in-this (Discourse), said, evaṇ me
suttaṇ, thus have I heard.
When he said, ekaṇ samayaṇ, on one occasion, he demonstrated the
excellence of the time, the time when he heard the teaching of the
Dhamma.
We should remember that the excellence of the time to hear the
Dhamma is now. It is not easy to find the opportunity to hear the
Dhamma. When people have important tasks to fulfil they cannot listen
to the Dhamma, but they hear other things. With the words, ekaṇ
samayaṇ, on one occasion, the venerable Ånanda demonstrated the
excellence of the occasion to hear the teaching of the Dhamma.
“When he said the word bhagavå, the Blessed One, he demonstrated the
excellence of the teacher, who was not an ordinary person. ‘Bhagavå’,
the Arahatta Sammåsambuddha, was the person who taught the
Dhamma.
With the words, ‘at Såvatthí, in the Jeta Grove, at Anåthapiṇďika’s
Park’, the venerable Elder demonstrated the support of the layfollowers
of the Buddha in mentioning Såvatthí, and he demonstrated the support
of the monks in mentioning the Jeta Grove.”
We read in the “Paramatthadípaní”, the Commentary to the “Itivuttaka”,
“As it was said”, Khuddaka Nikåya, the Commentary to The Ones, Ch 1,
The Perfection of Truthfulness - 131
Sacca is truthfulness with regard to the development of paññå with the
aim to realize the four noble Truths.
We read in the Commentary to the Lobha Sutta:
“The word arahaṇ means that there should be truthfulness, sacca, with
regard to the development of kusala ...
The word bhagavå refers to the fulfilment of the adiììhåna dhammas of
sacca, truthfulness, and cåga, relinquisment.”
Thus, if truthfulness and relinquishment are not firmly established, the
four noble Truths cannot be realized. We read:
“The word bhagavå refers to the fulfilment of the adiììhåna dhammas of
sacca, truthfulness, and cåga, relinquishment, by explaining the Blessed
One’s truthfulness of his vow, paìiññå, his truthfulness of speech and the
truthfulness of his paññå; and by explaining the relinquishment of sense
objects which are considered important in the world, such as gain, honour
and praise, and the complete relinquishment of the ‘kamma formations’
(abhisaṅkhåras 1), which means that there are no more defilements
remaining.”
Relinquishment, cåga, does not only refer to the giving up of
possessions, but it also means the giving up of clinging to sense objects,
such as visible object and tangible object. Apart from this it also pertains
to the giving up of what is considered important in the world: gain,
honour and praise. Moreover, it refers to the relinquishment of all
defilements. True relinquishment is the relinquishment of everything,
even of all defilements. From the beginning one needs also sacca,
truthfulness, as a firm foundation, so that defilements can be
eradicated. We listen to the Dhamma, we understand it and we know
the “Dialogues of the Buddha”, no. 33, The Recital, IV, XXVII: “Four Resolves, to
wit, to gain insight, to win truth, to surrender (all evil), to master self (calm).”
The Commentary, the Sumaṁgala Vilåsiní, states that the resolve of paññå,
paññådițțhåna, begins as vipassanå paññå (which realizes the ownership of
kamma by insight) and has as its supreme fruit the fruition of the arahat.
1 Kamma formations are a link in the Dependent origination. Abhisaṁkhåra
includes kusala (meritorious) kamma, akusala (demeritorious) kamma and
imperturbable kamma (immaterial jhåna). So long as kamma is committed there
will be result, vipåka, and the cycle of birth and death will continue. The arahat
has eradicated all defilements and for him there are no more kamma-formations.
132 - The Perfections
that we still have a great deal of defilements. Therefore, we need
further to develop and accumulate all the perfections in order to realize
the noble Truths and to attain true relinquishment.
We read further on:
“The word arahattå refers to the fulfilment of the adiììhåna dhammas
(dhammas that are firm foundations) of upasama (calm or peace) and
paññå, by showing the attainment of the calming of all saṅkhåra dhammas
(conditioned realities) and by showing the attainment of the awakening
wisdom.”
We read about the importance of truthfulness as follows:
“Therefore, the adiììhåna dhamma of sacca is the perfection developed by
the Buddha when he was still a Bodhisatta and made the aspiration
(abhinihåra) for the fulfilment of the highest good which is supramundane.”
An aspiration, abhinihåra, is a weighty cause of receiving a weighty
result, and this is the attainment of Buddhahood.
We read:
Studying the Dhamma and applying it, and knowing the importance of
the truth is the way leading to the realization of the noble Truths.
In the “Verses of Uplift” (Udåna), Ch 1, no. 9, Matted Hair (Jațila) it has
been explained that if one does not accumulate sati-sampajañña, one
will become deluded. We read:
“Thus have I heard: On a certain occasion the Exalted One was staying near
Gayå, on Gayå Head. Now on that occasion a great number of ascetics, on
the cold winter nights between the eighths 2 in time of snowfall, were
plunging up and down (in the water) and sprinkling and burning sacrifice,
thinking: This way comes purity.
Now the Exalted One saw that great number of ascetics so doing, and at
that time, seeing the meaning of it, gave utterance to this verse of uplift:
1 Defilements are like enemies. He has relinquished all defilements.
2 The eighth day before and after the full moon of Mågha, January, and
Phagguṇa, February.
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‘Not by water is one pure, tho’ many folk bathe here.
In whom is truth and dhamma, he is pure and he’s a bråhmin.’ ”
“... Or else there is no one who is clean, no being said to be purified from the
stain of evil, through the aforementioned water. Why? Or abundant folk
would bathe here. For were there that which is known as purity from evil
through submersion in the water and so on as aforementioned, abundant
folk would bathe here in the water, just as there would be purity from evil for
them all- for the one performing evil acts such as matricide and so on, as
well as for any other (creature) upwards from and including fish and tortoises
even, such as cows and buffaloes and so forth; but this is not the case. Why?
On account of bathing not being an opponent of the root-causes of evil. For
surely (something can only be said to be) an opponent of that which it
destroys, as is light that of darkness, and knowledge that of ignorance-
bathing being no such (opponent) of evil. Therefore the conclusion has to be
reached that ‘There is no being clean through water’. He then says ‘In whom
there be truth’ and so on to indicate the means by which there is, rather,
being clean. Herein, In whom (yaṇhi): in the person in whom. There be
truth (saccaṇ): there be both telling the truth and truth as abstinence (from
lying speech). Or alternatively there be that which is true (saccaṇ): there be
both that which is true in the form of knowledge and that which is true in its
highest sense 2. Dhamma (dhammo): Dhamma in the form of the ariyan
paths and Dhamma in the form of their fruitions; in the person in whom all
of this is discovered- that is the one who is clean and that is the one who is
the brahmin (so suci so ca bråhmaṇo): that ariyapuggala, especially the one
in whom the åsavas have been destroyed, is the one who, by way of a purity
that is perpetual, clean and the brahmin. But why, in this connection, is
truth included separately from Dhamma? On account of the fact of truth
being of great service. For instance, the virtues of truth are made manifest in
countless sutta passages.”
The Commentary then refers to different sutta passages:
“Truth is indeed the Deathless word. Truth is, for sure, the sweetest of
flavours. In truth, and in the goal and in the Dhamma, are the good
established. Brahmin recluses stationed in the truth and so on. That which is
1 This is the Commentary of Achåriya Dhammapala, translated by P. Masefield.
Dhammapala is the author of several Commentaries and Sub commentaries,
including those to the Commentaries of Buddhaghosa.
2 Truth of paññå, ñåṇa saccaṇ, and paramattha saccaṇ, ultimate truth.
134 - The Perfections
the converse of the truth is made manifest by way of ‘For the person who has
transgressed, who is of lying speech, who gets not (even) one thing right’ and
‘The one who speaks of what did not take place goes to hell’ and so forth.”
The perfection of truthfulness should be developed together with paññå
so that the noble Truths can be realized. We need courage so that we
are diligent and turn away immediately from akusala. If we are too
slow in turning away from akusala, it will later on become more
difficult or even too late to do so, as must have happened life after life.
We read in the Commentary to the “Itivuttaka”, “As it was said”, The
Ones, Ch 1, §1, Lobha Sutta, which was quoted above:
“Loyalty to the Buddha is loyalty with firm confidence. For a person with
such confidence, be he monk, deity, måra or Brahma, it is impossible to
steal. Someone who is steadfast in his loyalty would not give up his
confidence in the Buddha or his teachings, even when in danger of life.
Therefore, the Buddha said that a person with wisdom and gratefulness is a
noble friend who is steadfast in loyalty.”
Loyalty to people other than the Buddha may be of different degrees
and it may be limited: it may last long or it may last for only a moment.
However, the loyalty of Buddhists towards the Buddha is forever, until
the end of life. From the time of childhood until one has become an
adult, one can from morning until night hear the chanting of texts
recollecting the excellent qualities of the Triple Gem. This makes us
realize the excellence of the Buddha’s truthfulness in the development
of the perfections so that he could penetrate the noble Truths and
become a support beyond measure to living beings, to devas and
mankind.
We read in the Commentary to the “Itivuttaka”:
“The Buddha is called bhagavå because people are steadfast in their loyalty
towards him since he is always intent on the benefit of all living beings in the
world, and determines in his great compassion to teach the Dhamma. He
teaches the Dhamma so that all beings could acquire steadfastness in síla, in
samådhi, the calm that is freedom from defilements, and in paññå. The
Buddhist followers, both monks and layfollowers, should be sincere in their
loyalty to the Buddha, and they can express this by offering all kinds of gifts,
such as flowers, incense, unguents and other things by which they can
honour him.”
We can understand that the Buddha who is truthful and sincere and
The Perfection of Truthfulness - 135
who is intent on the welfare of other beings in the world has eradicated
all defilements. People can see his great compassion and his wisdom,
and for this reason their loyalty to the Buddha, the Exalted One,
surpasses their loyalty to anybody else.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”, “Miscellaneous
Sayings”:
“Only the man of wisdom is skilful in providing for the welfare of all beings....
Not deceiving, undertaking to give support to others, and not uttering speech
that deviates from the truth, this is called practice with truthfulness.”
This is the practice of the Sammåsambuddha, the Exalted One. This is
skilfulness in providing for the welfare of all beings, by teaching them
the way to eradicate attachment. He shows the danger of akusala and
explains the way to develop kusala. He does not deceive, he tries to give
support to others and does not utter speech that deviates from the truth.
This is called practice with truthfulness.
If someone is not truthful in the practice that leads to the realization of
the noble Truths, he will be attached to possessions, honour and fame;
he will encourage others to follow a practice that does not lead to the
eradication of defilements. Some people say that one should just
practise and not study, that it is not necessary to have understanding of
the Dhamma, whereas others say that one should first study and have
understanding before one practises. Whom should we believe? We
should consider ourselves what the right cause is that brings the
appropriate effect. If we trust another person we should know for what
reason. Is it because he is famous, or because he explains the right
cause that brings the appropriate effect and is able to help people to
have right understanding of the Dhamma?
Truthfulness is the dhamma that enhances the arising and development
of all kusala, because truthfulness is sincerity with regard to the
eradication of defilements. When kusala does not arise we may realize
that we are not sincere in its development, and this, in turn, can be a
condition for its arising. When akusala arises we should, again, be
truthful and this can condition sati sampajañña to be aware of the
characteristic of akusala. In this way akusala can be abandoned and
kusala can be developed.
The Bodhisatta developed in his daily life all kinds of kusala to a high
degree, including very subtle and refined kusala. People who have not
yet realized the noble Truths should follow in the Bodhisatta’s steps.
136 - The Perfections
This means that one should develop all degrees of paññå with the aim
to eradicate defilements. We should reflect on the daily life of the
Bodhisatta before he attained Buddhahood. He was truthful in
developing kusala with the aim to abandon and eradicate defilements.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”, in the
“Miscellaneous Sayings”, about the way of practice of the Bodhisatta
during the time he was developing the perfections. If someone wants to
realize the noble Truths, be he monk or layman, he should consider
what practice he should follow so that he will realize the noble Truths,
and he should be truthful and sincere in his practice. We read:
“He should work energetically for the welfare of beings, be capable of
enduring everything whether desirable or undesirable, and should speak
without deception.”
This is only a short phrase, but we can grasp the essence of it by
considering it deeply and by applying it. In order to be able to apply
these words, we should be patient with regard to what is desirable or
undesirable. We read:
“He should speak without deception. He should suffuse all beings with
universal loving-kindness and compassion. Whatever causes suffering for
beings, all that he should be ready to take upon himself; and he should
rejoice in the merits of all beings.”
We should consider what was said about applying energy for the
welfare of beings. We should not have selfish motives, not act for our
own sake when we are giving support to others. We need energy,
otherwise we could not help others in an unselfish way. We should
support others as far as we are able to, such as sharing in the
performance of their tasks, alleviating their burden. At such moments
we can realize immediately that we need energy when we want to help
others. We can understand that, in order to eradicate defilements, we
should follow the example of the Bodhisatta’s practice. We should apply
energy for the welfare of beings in whatever way we can, depending on
the situation of our daily life, even by way of speech, by giving guidance
to others. It may be somewhat troublesome for us to help others, but
our support can be a condition for others also to develop a great deal of
kusala in their lives. We can give support to others if we apply energy
for their benefit.
As we read in the Commentary: “He should be capable of enduring
everything whether desirable or undesirable.” When we are infatuated
with something, we may realize that this is not ordinary attachment,
The Perfection of Truthfulness - 137
but a stronger degree of lobha. We may be absorbed in the object of
attachment, but when sati-sampajañña arises we can realize that we
should endure everything, whether desirable or undesirable. If we very
gradually learn to be patient, we shall know what the characteristic of
true patience is. We can accumulate patience in all situations, no matter
whether we experience objects through the bodysense or hear someone
else’s speech. We can learn to be patient and not complain about cold,
heat or difficult situations in life. Then we shall understand what
patience is.
As we read in the Commentary, “he should speak without deception.” A
righteous person speaks in accordance with the truth, whereas an evil
person utters deceptive speech. When we do not speak according to the
truth, we should scrutinize ourselves in order to find out whether we
are righteous or evil.
As we read in the Commentary, “He should suffuse all beings with
universal loving-kindness and compassion.” One’s loving-kindness
should be universal, without partiality. Generally, people have loving-
kindness for someone who is righteous, not for an evil person. This
shows that loving-kindness and compassion are not extended to all
beings, that they are not yet universal. If someone has developed
loving-kindness, he can extend it to all beings, be they righteous or evil.
Then sati-sampajañña is aware and understands what is proper and
what is improper.
When we are angry and displeased, when we look down upon someone
who is evil or commits bad deeds, we have akusala citta; our citta is
similar to the citta of an evil person, because we have contempt for him.
Even a short phrase of the Dhamma can help us to develop sati-
sampajañña and to have a growing understanding of the realities
arising within ourselves, so that we can further develop kusala.
We read in the Commentary: “He should rejoice in the merits of all
beings.”
When we notice someone else’s kusala and we rejoice in it, we are
truthful, we are sincere in our appreciation of his kusala. We may not
be able to perform a good deed ourselves, but we can appreciate
someone else’s kusala. If we do not appreciate this, the citta is akusala.
The perfection of truthfulness is essential. We read in the Commentary
to the “Basket of Conduct” in the Miscellaneous Sayings that the
perfection of truthfulness should be reviewed thus:
138 - The Perfections
"Without truthfulness, virtue, etc., is impossible, and there can be no
practice in accordance with one's vows. All evil states converge upon the
transgression of truth. One who is not devoted to truth is unreliable and his
word cannot be accepted in the future. On the other hand, one devoted to
truth secures the foundation of all noble qualities. With truthfulness as the
foundation, he is capable of purifying and fulfilling all the requisites of
enlightenment. Not deceived about the true nature of phenomena, he
performs the functions of all the requisites of enlightenment and completes
the practice of the bodhisattva path."
As we read, “without truthfulness, virtue, etc., is impossible.” This
means that without truthfulness, one does not speak the truth, acts with
deception, and all one’s deeds are crooked. Without truthfulness, one
cannot observe síla and there is no practice in accordance with one’s
vows. Vow, pațiññå, means being steadfast in truthfulness 1. If someone
does not speak the truth he cannot act in accordance with his vow.
As we read in the Commentary, “All evil states converge upon the
transgression of truth. One who is not devoted to truth is unreliable and
his word cannot be accepted in the future.”
Thus, we see the significance of the perfection of truthfulness. This is
truthfulness and sincerity with regard to the right practice leading to
the eradication of defilements; it includes the development of all kinds
of kusala so that the noble Truths can be realized. We need the
perfection of sacca, truthfulness, with regard to the right practice: our
sole purpose should be the penetration of the true nature of realities.
We may not know thoroughly and in all details what the right practice
is. We should reflect on the Bodhisatta’s practice before he attained
Buddhahood and then we shall know that he gave an example of the
right practice of kusala, kusala that was very subtle and refined. We can
follow his example in our daily life.
The perfection of paññå should be developed together with the other
perfections. We cannot forego any of the perfections, because each
perfection is a necessary support for the others. Truthfulness, sacca, for
example, is necessary for the performing of generosity, dåna. Without
truthfulness generosity cannot reach fulfilment. Without truthfulness
the observance of síla cannot reach accomplishment. Thus, truthfulness
is essential for the fulfilment of the other perfections.
We read about the meaning of truthfulness in the “Paramattha Jotikå”,
the Commentary to the “Sutta Nipåta”, The Group of Discourses, I, The
1 The Bodhisatta made a vow to attain Buddhahood.
The Perfection of Truthfulness - 139
Snake Chapter 10, Åîavaka:
“The term sacca has several meanings:
it can mean truthfulness in speech (våcå sacca), or it can mean truthfulness
in abstaining (virati sacca). It is steadfastness in the truth, in the abstention
from akusala kamma.
It can mean truthfulness of view (diììhi sacca), truthfulness as to right view.
Sacca can also refer to brahmana sacca (brahmin truths 1), paramattha
sacca (ultimate truth) and ariya sacca (noble Truths).
Only paññå can understand the true nature of each dhamma. However,
the development of paññå is conditioned by listening to the Dhamma,
and by considering it in all details. One should develop paññå
gradually, stage by stage.
We still have defilements, but we listen to the Dhamma and we have
taken refuge in the Dhamma during this life. This shows that we are
following the way to develop paññå, so that the characteristics of
realities that are appearing now can be penetrated. We should follow in
the footsteps of the Bodhisattas and accumulate the perfections.
People say that they want to practise the Dhamma. The practice of the
Dhamma is the abandoning of akusala: of lobha, dosa and moha. Lobha
should be abandoned when it arises, that is the practice of the
Dhamma.
If someone wants to apply the Dhamma he should not delay this. When
anger arises, one should abandon it so that there is non-hate, that is the
practice of the Dhamma. When jealousy, stinginess or other kinds of
akusala arise one should abandon them, that is the practice of the
Dhamma. However, defilements cannot be eradicated according to our
wishes or expectations. Even the Bodhisatta who had accumulated the
perfections during innumerable lives was still susceptible to the power
1 Truthfulness with regard to the holy life, the life of someone who develops the
eightfold Path leading to the eradication of defilements.
2 They have realized the true nature of the paramattha dhammas of citta, cetasika,
rúpa and nibbåna.
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of akusala, because he had not yet eradicated defilements.
We should reflect on the Bodhisatta who accumulated the perfections in
order to realize the noble Truths. He wanted to understand the truth of
the four paramattha dhammas, of citta, cetasika, rúpa and nibbåna. We
should develop paññå in order to realize the truth of Dhamma, we
should see the benefit of sacca, of the truth. The paramattha dhammas
which are the true dhammas have inalterable characteristics. We should
find out what the true characteristic is of citta, cetasika, and rúpa,
which are not self, not a being or person. We should find out what the
true nature of nibbåna is, the dhamma that is different from citta,
cetasika and rúpa. If someone seeks the truth, he wants to penetrate it
and hence he can see the benefit of the truth. He should develop all
degrees of truthfulness, beginning with truthfulness in speech.
We read in the Commentary to the “Hårita Jåtaka” (no. 431) that King
Brahmadatta was at that time reigning in Varånasí. King Brahmadatta
in the past was the Venerable Ånanda of the present time. The text
states:
“At that time, the Bodhisatta was born in a brahmin family who possessed
wealth worth eighty crores, and because of his golden complexion his parents
called him Young Goldskin, Hårita Kumåra. When he was grown up and he
had been educated at Takkasilå, he thought: ‘The treasure that my parents
assembled is still there, but my parents who were seeking that treasure have
died, they do not exist anymore.’
When he was considering this, he understood that he himself would also
have to die, and hence he gave away his wealth and became a recluse in the
Himålaya, where he cultivated Jhåna, until he could realize the five
supernatural powers and the eight attainments.
When he wished to obtain salty or sour food, he left the forest, went to the
city of Varånasí and reached the Royal Park. When the king saw him he had
confidence in him and offered to have a dwelling place built for him in the
Royal Park. He assigned an attendant to wait on him. The recluse obtained
food from the palace and he lived there for twelve years. Later on the king
went away to pacify a conflict at the frontier and committed the care of the
recluse to the queen who from then on ministered to him with her own
hands.
One day she had prepared his food, and as he delayed his coming, she
bathed in scented water, put on a soft tunic of fine cloth, and opening the
lattice, she lay down on a couch and let the wind play upon her body. When
the recluse came flying through the air to the window, the queen heard the
The Perfection of Truthfulness - 141
rustling sound of his bark garments. When she stood up quickly, her robe of
fine cloth fell off. As soon as the recluse saw this, his defilements which had
been dormant for thousands of aeons, rose up like a poisonous snake lying in
a box, and hence his skill in jhåna disappeared. The recluse who was unable
to apply mindfulness, went inside, seized the queen by her hand and then
they gave themselves over to misconduct.
His misconduct was rumoured throughout the whole city and the king’s
ministers reported this in a letter to the king. The king could not believe
what was told him and he thought: ‘They say this, because they are eager to
damage him.’ When he had pacified the border country, he returned to
Varanasí and asked the queen: ‘Is the rumour true that the recluse Hårita
and you misconducted yourselves?’ The queen answered that it was true.
The king did not believe this, although the queen said that it was true. The
king went to the park, saluted the recluse, and sitting respectfully on one
side, he spoke the first Stanza in the form of a question:
‘Great brahmin, I heard it said,
the recluse Hårita leads a sinful life.
I take it that this is not the truth
and you are pure of conduct?’
The recluse thought: ‘If I say that I did not indulge in sin, the king would
believe me, but in this world there is no surer foundation than truthful
speech. Someone who forsakes the truth cannot attain Buddhahood, even if
he sits in the sacred enclosure of the Bodhi Tree. Hence I should only speak
the truth. In certain cases a Bodhisatta may destroy life, take what is not
given to him, commit adultery, drink strong liquor, but he may not tell a lie,
speech that violates the truth.’
Therefore, speaking only the truth he uttered the second Stanza:
‘The rumours, great King, you have heard are true.
Infatuated by the objects of delusion, I have done wrong.’
Hearing this the king spoke the third Stanza:
‘Keen paññå is intent on what is beneficial.
It can abandon lust that has arisen within you.
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For what benefit do you have paññå,
if you cannot dispel sinful thoughts.’ ”
Sick people generally depend on medicine. Evenso, keen paññå is like a
medicine, it is intent on what is beneficial and it can cure us from lust
that has arisen. We read:
“Then the recluse Hårita pointed out the power of defilements to the king
and spoke the fourth Stanza:
‘Four defilements in the world, great King,
are coarse and have great strength,
They are: lust, hate, ignorance and intoxication.
When they overmaster beings, paññå cannot develop,
It is as if they fall into a great river.’
The king on hearing this spoke the fifth Stanza:
‘You deserve praise Hårita,
you are a saint,
Perfect in síla, of pure conduct,
You are wise, with true paññå.’
Then Hårita spoke the sixth Stanza:
‘Evil thoughts, great king, cause clinging to an image,
Taking it for beautiful, and they are accompanied by excitement.
They are bound to harm even a person with paññå,
who is inclined to the excellence of recluseship.’ ”
These words can remind us of the danger of defilements. Someone may
believe that he is out of danger because he has developed a certain
degree of paññå, but he should not be neglectful. Akusala can even
harm a person with paññå, who has a keen interest in the Dhamma and
enjoys its benefit.
The Perfection of Truthfulness - 143
We read:
“The king, encouraging the recluse Hårita to make an effort to abandon his
defilements, spoke the seventh Stanza:
‘Lust arises in your body, and destroys your beauty 1
Abandon lustful excitement,
And you will prosper,
You will be praised by many for your wisdom.’ ”
When the Bodhisatta heard this, he could regain his awareness and
consider the danger in sense pleasures. Thereupon he spoke the eighth
Stanza:
“Sense pleasures are blinding,
they cause much suffering.
They injure gravely.
I shall look for the root of sensuousness,
I shall cut down lust with its bonds.”
The root of sensuous desire is unwise attention, ayoniso manasikåra.
Further on we read that the recluse developed samatha and could again
attain jhåna. He saw the danger of dwelling in an unsuitable place, that
was the royal park. Therefore, he returned to the forest to be free from
all taint of womankind. When he had come to the end of his life, he
entered the Brahma plane.
The Buddha told this story in the Jeta Grove because of a discontented
monk. When this monk saw a beautifully attired woman, defilements
arose in him and he wanted to leave monkhood. When he was brought
against his will to the Buddha by his teacher and preceptor, and the
Buddha asked him whether it was true that he was a backslider, this
monk said that it was true. Thereupon the Buddha said: ”Monk,
defilements do not lead to happiness, they destroy good qualities, they
cause rebirth in hell. Why should your defilements not cause your
1 Vaṇṇa, appearance or quality.
144 - The Perfections
destruction? Why should a strong wind that strikes Mount Sineru not
carry off a withered leaf? I myself, during the life I was the recluse
Hårita, had acquired the five supernatural powers and the eight
attainments, and I strived after awakening wisdom. However, inspite of
this, I was, because of this kind of defilement, unable to have awareness
and I fell away from jhåna.”
The Buddha taught this story so that we could see the disadvantage of
akusala and the power of accumulated defilements.
We should reflect on what we read: “Why should a strong wind that
strikes Mount Sineru not carry off a withered leaf?”
We all have defilements that are not yet eradicated and we are
therefore not as steady as Mount Sineru, we are only like withered
leaves, which are light and can be blown away by the wind, the wind of
lobha, dosa and moha.
We read:
“When the Buddha had told the Hårita Jåtaka, he explained the Truths and
after he had finished, that monk attained the fruition of arahatship.”
Truthfulness is sincerity in the development of kusala to the degree of a
perfection. If there is no truthfulness, no sincerity in one’s actions, they
cannot reach accomplishment. Sacca, truthfulness, is necessary for all
kinds of kusala, be it dåna, síla or mental development. One should not
neglect the development of even the slightest degree of kusala.
If one develops the perfections in order to abandon defilements, one
should notice also subtle defilements such as deceptive speech even
with regard to small matters. If deceptive speech becomes someone’s
habit, it will be easy to speak a lie and he will believe that it is not
wrong to do so. If someone abstains from deceptive speech, if he is
truthful, and acts in accordance with his promise, truthfulness will
become natural to him. Then he is able to see the danger of akusala at
the moment he tells a lie. Even deceptive speech concerning
unimportant matters is akusala, but if someone accumulates deceptive
speech all the time, he does not see its danger. Thus, we see that it is
not easy to discern the characteristic of akusala.
We can have understanding of realities stemming from listening to the
Dhamma but this does not mean that we know their characteristics
when they are appearing. We should further develop understanding in
conformity with what we learnt by listening and we should be aware of
realities. We may be deceptive in speech, be it even a little, or we may
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not act in accordance with our promise, but when sati-sampajañña
arises it can realize that this is akusala. Many akusala cittas arise in a
day, but we do not know this because of our forgetfulness; there is no
awareness of the characteristics of realities, no understanding of them
as they are. Understanding has to be very detailed and refined so that
the characteristics of realities can be known as they are. The
development of satipațțhåna will lead to a more precise discrimination
between different realities and thus, paññå is able to know the
characteristic of akusala. When akusala arises paññå can know what
type of akusala arises, and it can know its characteristic as different
from kusala. In this way kusala dhamma can gradually be further
developed.
The perfection of truthfulness accompanies the perfection of paññå. We
should make an effort to know what sacca, truthfulness, is: sincerity in
the development of kusala, no deviation from kusala. If we happen to
deviate from kusala we should know that kusala has not yet reached
accomplishment. Our defilements are still very strong and without
paññå we easily deviate from kusala. When sati-sampajañña arises it
can realize when we go wrong and this is a condition for restraint in the
future.
Truthfulness that is superior, ariya sacca, is the truth penetrated by the
ariyan. The penetration of the noble Truths is the condition for
becoming an ariyan, an enlightened person. At this moment we try to
listen and to understand the true Dhamma. Nothing else can be as
beneficial in our life as the understanding of the truth of realities 1. We
should make an effort to understand the realities that are appearing
and to develop also all other kinds of kusala. The characteristics of
realities can be penetrated in conformity with the understanding
acquired through listening to the Dhamma and the study of it. At this
moment realities are arising and falling away, they are not a being, not
a person, not self. However, we are not able to see the arising and
falling away of realities because of our many defilements and because
of ignorance that hides the truth. We need the perfection of
truthfulness, so that we are sincere in the development of all degrees of
kusala through body, speech and mind, be it dåna, síla or bhåvana.
Otherwise we shall be overwhelmed by the power of akusala. Seeing
the benefit of truthfulness is a condition for accumulating it. We may
contemplate truthfulness within ourselves, but we should also reflect on
the truthfulness of the Buddha when he was still the Bodhisatta and
146 - The Perfections
developed the perfection of truthfulness.
We read in the “Basket of Conduct” III, 11, Conduct of Kaṇhadípåyana 1
about Kaṇhadípåyana who was dissatisfied for more than fifty years
with his life as a recluse, and who only for the last seven days could
lead this life with confidence:
“And again, when I was Kaṇhadípåyana 2 , a seer, I fared dissatisfied for
more than fifty years.
No one knew of this dissatisfied mind of mine for I told no one; the
dissatisfaction went on in my mind.
A fellow Brahma-farer, Maṇḍavya, a friend of mine, a great seer, in
connexion with a former deed, acquired impalement on a stake.
I, after attending to him, restored him to health. Having asked permission I
went back to what was my own hermitage.
A brahman friend of mine, bringing his wife and little son- the three people,
coming together, approached as guests.
While I was exchanging greetings with them, seated in my own hermitage,
the youth threw a ball along (and) angered a poisonous snake.
Then that little boy, looking for the way by which the ball had gone, touched
the head of the poisoned snake with his hand.
At his touch, the snake, angered, relying on its strong venom, angry with
utmost anger, instantly bit the youth.
As he was bitten by the poisonous snake the youth fell to the ground,
whereby afflicted was I; that sorrow (of the parents) worked on mine.
Comforting them that were afflicted, shaken by grief, first of all I made the
highest, supremely glorious asseveration of truth:
‘For just seven days, I, with a mind of faith, desiring merit, fared the
Brahma-faring. Until that time, my faring for more than fifty years I fared
unwillingly.
By this truth may there be well-being, the poison destroyed, may Yaññadatta
live.’
With this (asseveration of) truth made by me, the brahman youth who had
1 See also Kaṇhadípåyana Jåtaka, no. 444.
2 Kaṇha means black. His body became stained when he sat under his friend
Maṇďavya’s body who was impaled on a stake and dripping with blood.
The Perfection of Truthfulness - 147
trembled with the strength of poison, rousing himself, stood up and was well.
There was no one equal to me in truth- this was my perfection of Truth.”
We read in the Commentary to this passage:
“The Bodhisatta who was in that life named Dipåyana, went to see his friend
Maṇḍavya. He (Maṇḍavya) was impaled on a stake and because Dipåyana
excelled in síla he did not neglect this recluse. He stood there leaning on a
spear throughout the three watches of the night. He acquired the name
Kanhadipåyana (kanha meaning black), because his body became black by
the drops of blood that streamed from the recluse Maṇḍavya’s body and that
had dried up.
Question: What is the cause that the Great Man who during many
thousands of existences had the inclination to renunciation and who found
happiness in the brahma-faring, was in this life dissatisfied with it?
Answer: This was because of the instability that is characteristic of non-
enlightened people.
Question: Why did he not enter again the married state?
Answer: At first he saw the disadvantage in the sense pleasures, and because
of his inclination to renunciation he became a monk. However, because of
the lack of wise consideration he became dissatisfied with the brahma-
faring. Although he could not abandon that dissatisfaction, he disliked to be
blamed by people who might say, ‘Kanhadipåyana raves on and on, he is
unreliable. He left his wealth and went forth from the household life; he left
his possessions and then he wants to return again to these.’ Because he
feared that his sense of shame and fear of blame would be destroyed, the
Great Man, full of suffering and unhappy feeling, even cried and shed tears
that streamed over his face. In this way he continued the brahma-faring and
he did not leave it.”
Some people may have doubts about the “Assertion of Truth” referred
to in the above quoted passage. Or, they may have heard that an
Assertion of Truth can bring its result according to one’s wish. However,
1 I have added this whole paragraph with an explanation of “Assertion of Truth”.
148 - The Perfections
when a person has to experience suffering and distress, he cannot, in
order to overcome his suffering, utter an Assertion of Truth without
knowing what truthfulness is and without understanding its high value.
It is essential that one, before making an Assertion of Truth, sees the
superiority and the benefit of truthfulness. Moreover, it is necessary to
develop the perfection of truthfulness.
If someone develops kusala and his goal is the realization of the four
noble Truths, he should know that the way leading to this goal is the
development of all the perfections. If someone accumulates the
perfection of truthfulness together with the other perfections so that
they gain strength, and if he sees the benefit of truthfulness, he may
express an Assertion of Truth. However, not everyone can do so, it also
depends on the power of his kusala and the degree of his understanding
of truthfulness.
Everybody should know for himself what degree of kusala he wants to
develop and to what extent. If someone does not listen to the Dhamma
and does not accumulate all kinds of good qualities, he may not even be
intent on the development of kusala. He may only be infatuated with
pleasures and perform very few good deeds. Whereas if someone has
listened also in past lives to the Dhamma of former Buddhas, if he has
contemplated the Dhamma and acquired more understanding, he will
be inclined to develop kusala. Some people may, throughout life, have
no inclination to develop kusala as much as they are able to. They may
not have the accumulated conditions to even think of kusala, and
therefore, they cannot perform it. Someone may not be intent on
helping others, or he has wrong understanding about kusala; he may
wonder why he should tire himself or take the trouble to help others.
This shows us the diverse nature of the cittas we accumulate day after
day. Some people, even if they have listened to the Dhamma, may not
be able to forgive others, because they cannot apply the Dhamma. We
have to accumulate kusala from now on so that it can be further
developed. We can begin to be intent on forgiving others, not
disapproving of them.
All of us who traverse the cycle of birth and death have many
defilements and hence we should develop all the different ways of
kusala so that defilements can be eradicated. If we merely think about
developing kusala, kusala will not be strong enough to be a condition
for sincerity and truthfulness, for the practice in conformity with our
resolutions. The accumulation of wholesome qualities is the condition
for truthfulness in action and speech. We have to continue to
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accumulate kusala so that we shall not be neglectful in applying kusala,
in practising it.
It is difficult to know the truth, also in worldly matters. For example,
when we hear news through different media about an event that
occurred near to us or far away, it is difficult to find out whether it is
true. What we hear is sometimes not true, but we take it for the truth.
Our confusion, our defilements make it most difficult to know what is
true.
To know realities as they are is even more difficult than knowing the
truth of worldly matters. We should see the value of truthfulness,
including sincerity with regard to ourselves. We should develop
truthfulness in action, speech and thoughts, even in seemingly
unimportant matters. This means, truthfulness in speech, also when it
regards appointments or promises. One may believe that these matters
are unimportant. We should know what type of citta arises when we
feel that with regard to unimportant matters we do not need to be
truthful to act in accordance with our speech and thoughts. The citta of
each person is most intricate, and if there is no paññå accompanying
sati, it is impossible to understand that even a slight degree of akusala
that arises is conditioned by our accumulations. Defilements have been
accumulated not only during this life but also in past lives. Our life
today is conditioned by past lives and the accumulation of defilements
will continue from life to life. Someone who earnestly develops paññå
should not only be intent on knowing the truth, but he should also
strive after the eradication of his defilements, so that he is truthful in
action and speech. He should be steady and firm in the development of
kusala, including the following perfection: the perfection of
determination, adițțhåna påramí.
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The Perfection of Determination
The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” defines the perfection of
determination, adițțhåna, as follows:
“Determination has the characteristic of determining upon the requisites of
enlightenment 1; its function is to overcome their opposites; its manifestation
is unshakeableness in that task; the requisites of enlightenment are its
proximate cause.”
The perfection of determination, adițțhåna påramí, is the firm
determination to realize the four noble Truths, even though one has to
go a long way and it will take an endlessly long time to reach the goal.
The Perfection of Determination - 151
However, if one develops the Path with firm determination one will
eventually reach the goal. Determination in this life means
determination to develop each kind of kusala with the aim to realize the
four noble Truths. We should not deviate from this goal by aiming for
the pleasant objects of gain, honour, praise and wellbeing, or visible
object, sound, odour, flavour and tangible object. In that case, we would
accumulate clinging instead of giving up and abandoning.
The perfection of determination will lead to detachment from desire for
sense objects. If we are infatuated with the sense objects, if we are
deluded by them and cling to them, we shall wish to have them again
and again and we shall never be satisfied. Then we shall not be inclined
to develop the perfections in order to eradicate defilements.
Many different types of citta arise and fall away: kusala cittas arise and
shortly afterwards akusala cittas arise. Sometimes we have
determination for kusala citta but when akusala citta arises and induces
us to give in to akusala, we easily give up kusala and we pursue
akusala. This shows that we need firm determination for the eradication
of defilements.
If we want to realize the four noble Truths we should see the benefit of
being unshakeable in the development of kusala dhammas and the
abandonment of defilements. If we lack the perfection of determination,
kusala dhammas cannot develop.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” (III. 6, Conduct
of Wise Temiya) 2 that the Buddha related one of his past lives:
“When I was the son of the king of Kåsi, I was named Múga-Pakkha
(meaning deaf and cripple), but people called me Temiya 3. My father and
mother and other people called me Múga-Pakkha because they considered
me dumb and cripple. As the Bodhisatta (born) in that life, I caused great
rapture and joy to the king and the ministers and therefore I received the
name Temiya.”
Thus, he had two names, Temiya and Múga-Pakkha, because of
1 The ten perfections can also be classified as thirty påramís: ten basic påramís,
ten intermediate påramís and ten ultimate påramís (paramatthapåramí).
2 Jåtaka no. 538, Múgapakkha Jåtaka.
3 Temiya means wet. On the day of his birth a great shower of rain made him wet.
152 - The Perfections
different reasons. We read:
“During that life king Kåsiråjå ruled in Vårånasí. He had sixteen thousand
wives, but not one of them conceived either son or daughter. The citizens
were worried, saying, ‘Our king has no son to keep up his lineage’, and they
begged the king to pray for a son. All those wives worshipped the moon, but
they obtained no children. Now his chief queen Candådeví, the daughter of
the king of the Maddas, was leading a virtuous life and the king asked her
also to pray for a son. On the day of the full moon she observed the
Uposatha vows and while she reflected on her virtuous life she made an act
of truth, saying, ‘If I have never transgressed síla, may by this assertion of
truth a son be borne to me.’
At that time the Bodhisatta was conceived in the womb of queen Candådeví.
When the Bodhisatta was born, also five hundred young nobles were born in
the ministers’ houses. The king ordered that these young nobles would be
the retinue of the royal prince. He sent five hundred wetnurses and five
hundred princely dresses to the five hundred young nobles. Moreover, he
arranged for sixty-four wetnurses to take care of the Bodhisatta.
When the young prince was one month old the wetnurses brought him to the
king and the king placed him on his hip. Now at that time four robbers were
brought before him to be sentenced. One of them was sentenced by the king
to receive a thousand strokes from whips barbed with thorns, another to be
imprisoned in chains, the third to be smitten with a spear and the fourth to
be impaled. When the Bodhisatta heard the verdict spoken by his father, he
became disenchanted, because he was afraid of committing grievous acts
which would result in rebirth in hell.
The next day the wetnurses laid him on a bed under a white umbrella, and
after a short sleep he opened his eyes and saw the white umbrella. He
pondered, ‘From whence have I come into this palace?’ By his recollection of
former lives he remembered that he had once come from a heavenly plane
and then, while he recollected the life previous to that one, he remembered
that he had suffered in the ‘Ussada Hell’. When he recollected his life before
that one, he remembered that he had been the king in this very city. The
following thoughts occurred to him: ‘I do not need the kingdom. How can I
escape from this house of robbers?’
Then a goddess who dwelt in the umbrella and who had in a previous life
been his mother, was seeking his benefit and she advised him to pretend to
be dumb, cripple and deaf, so that he could escape from becoming the king.
From then on the Bodhisatta pretended to be dumb, cripple and deaf. His
parents and the wetnurses, when taking into account the formation of the
The Perfection of Determination - 153
jaws of the dumb, the structure of the ears of the deaf, the hands and the
feet of the crippled, noticed that all those characteristics were not to be
found in him. They thought that there should be a reason for his behaviour.
Therefore, they started to test the prince by giving him no milk for a whole
day. Although he was hungry, he uttered no sound to make known that he
wanted milk. His mother thought, ‘The boy is famished, the wetnurses
should give him milk’ and she made the wetnurses gave him milk. They gave
him milk at intervals for a whole year, but they could not discover his weak
point.
The wetnurses thought that children usually like cakes, dainties, fruits, toys
and different kinds of special food. They gave him all those things so that
they could test whether he was really handicapped, but during the five years
they tested him they could not discover any weak point. Then the wetnurses
thought that children usually are afraid of fire, of a wild elephant, of
serpents, of a man brandishing a sword, and therefore they tested the prince
with those things, but he did not see any danger in them.
The Bodhisatta was unshakable in his resolution because he thought of the
danger of hell. He thought, ‘the danger of hell is more fearful, it is a
hundredfold, a thousandfold, even a hundredthousandfold more fearful.’ The
wetnurses who tested him in these ways did not see any weak point in the
Bodhisatta. They thought that children usually like to watch mimes and
therefore they arranged for an assembly of mimes, they arranged for players
of conches and drums to cause deafening noises, but they could not make
the Bodhisatta change his mind.
They lighted lamps in the darkness or a blaze of fire to light up the darkness.
They smeared his whole body with molasses and let him lie down in a place
infested with flies. They did not let him bathe and made him lie down in his
excrements and urine. People were sarcastic towards him, they ridiculed and
scolded him, they disapproved of him, because he was laying in his own urine
and excrement. They lighted pans of blazing hot fire and put these in the
bed under him, they used many tricks to test him, but inspite of all this they
could not make the prince change his mind.
The wetnurses tested him until he was sixteen years old. They considered,
‘When children are sixteen years old, no matter whether they are cripple,
deaf and dumb, they all delight in what is enjoyable, or they want to see
things that are worth seeing. Therefore we shall arrange for women
performing dramas to seduce the prince.’ They bathed him in perfumed
water and adorned him like a son of the gods, they invited him to a royal
suite full of pleasing things. They filled his inner chamber with flowers, with
unguents and garlands, just as a dwelling of the gods. They made the women
154 - The Perfections
who looked as graceful as Apassara goddesses wait on the prince in order to
seduce him and to cause him to take delight in them. However, the
Bodhisatta, in his perfect wisdom, stopped his inhalations and exhalations,
hoping that the women would not touch his body.
When those women could not touch the prince’s body, they thought, ‘This
boy has a rigid body, and thus, he is not a human, but he must be a yakka.’
Then they all returned.
His parents could not cause him to change his mind, though they tried him
for sixteen years with great tests and many smaller ones. They implored him
to change his mind many times, saying, ‘Prince Temiya, dear child, your
parents know that you are not dumb, because your mouth, ears and legs are
not like those of someone who is dumb, deaf and crippled. You are the son
your parents were wishing for. Do not destroy us now, but deliver us from the
blame of all the kings of Rose Apple Land’. Though they entreated him in this
way, the boy pretended not to hear them.
Then the king summoned the fortune-tellers who said that the prince’s feet
etc, were not like those of someone who is crippled. They said, ‘This boy is
not crippled, dumb and deaf. But he is a person of ill-luck. If such a person
would stay in your palace, three dangers are threatening: to your life, to your
power and to the queen. But when he was born, we did not want to cause
grief to you and therefore we said that the prince had all auspicious
characteristics.’
The king who was afraid of these dangers gave a command to put the boy in
an impropitious chariot, take him out by the back gate and bury him in the
charnel ground. When the Bodhisatta heard this he greatly rejoiced, and he
thought, ‘The wish I had for a long time will reach fulfilment.’
When queen Candådeví knew that the king had given a command to bury
the prince, she visited the king and asked him as a boon to give the kingdom
to the prince.
The king said, ‘Your son is ill-luck, I cannot give him the kingdom.’
Thereupon, the queen said, ‘If you will not give it to him for his whole life,
give it to him for seven years.’
The king said, ‘I cannot give it.’
The queen said, ‘Then give it to him for six years, for five, four, three, two,
for one year. Give it to him for seven months, for six, five, four, three, two
months, one month, for half a month, or even for seven days only.’
The king then consented. Thereupon queen Candådeví had her son adorned
The Perfection of Determination - 155
and a proclamation was made in the city to the beat of the drum, with the
announcement, ‘This is the reign of prince Temiya’. He was seated upon an
elephant with a white umbrella held over his head, and he was triumphantly
led around the city. When he had returned he was laid on his royal bed.
Queen Candådeví implored him all night, ‘O Temiya, I did not sleep for
sixteen years, I have wept because of you, my child, so that my eyes have
become swollen and my heart is pierced with sorrow. I know that you are not
cripple, deaf and dumb, do not make me utterly destitute.’
The queen implored the prince day after day for five days. Then on the sixth
day the king summoned the charioteer Sunanda and said to him: ‘Early
tomorrow morning you have to take the boy in an unlucky chariot, and bury
him in the charnel ground; then fill the whole well up with earth and return.’
When the queen heard this, she said to her son: ‘My child, the king of Kåsi
has given orders that you are to be buried in the charnel ground tomorrow.
Tomorrow you will die.’ When the Bodhisatta heard this, he greatly rejoiced
that his sixteen years of endeavour had almost come to an end. But his
mother’s heart was as it were cleft.
At the end of that night, in the early morning, the charioteer yoked the
chariot and let it remain at the gate. He came to queen Candådeví and said,
‘O queen, be not angry with me. I just follow the king’s command.’ Then he
carried the prince and came down from the palace. The queen lamented
with a loud cry and collapsed. Then the Bodhisatta looked at his mother and
thought, ‘When I do not speak she will die because of her sorrow, and thus, I
would like to speak.’ But he refrained from speaking with the thought, ‘If I
speak, my efforts of sixteen years will have become fruitless. But if I do not
speak, it will be to the benefit of myself and my parents.’ Then the
charioteer lifted him into the chariot, and it went a distance of three leagues
and there the end of a forest appeared to the charioteer as if it were a
charnel ground. He thought that it was a suitable place and turning the
chariot he stopped it by the roadside. He took off all the Bodhisatta’s
ornaments and laid them down. Thereupon he took a spade and began to dig
a hole not far from there.
When the charioteer Sunanda was digging the hole, the Bodhisatta thought,
‘This is my time for effort.’ He rose up, rubbed his hands and feet and he
thought that he still had strength. He thought that he could come down
from the chariot, and so he did. He walked backwards and forwards several
times and thought that he had the strength to go even a hundred leagues.
He seized the back of the chariot and lifted it up as if it were a toy-cart for
children. He reflected, ‘If the charioteer would want to harm me, I have
enough strength to defend myself.’ ”
156 - The Perfections
We then read that the Bodhisatta taught the Dhamma to the charioteer,
saying.
“You are dependent on me, the son of the king. If you bury me in the forest,
you will commit evil. It is as if a person who sits or lies in the shade of a tree
will not break the branches. Because someone who harms his friend is an evil
person. The king is like the tree, I am like the branch, and you, charioteer,
are like the traveller who sits in its shade. If you bury me in the forest, you
commit an evil deed.”
We read further on that when the charioteer heard this, he implored the
Bodhisatta to return, because he knew that he was not dumb. The
Bodhisatta explained the reason why he did not want to return, and he
spoke about his inclination to become a recluse. He explained about his
past lives and his fear of the danger of hell. When the charioteer had
listened to the Bodhisatta’s teaching of Dhamma, he wanted to apply it
and also become a recluse. Thereupon the Bodhisatta said,
“O, charioteer, take the chariot back and return after you have paid your
debts, because a recluse should not have debts, as is the exhortation of all
hermits.”
Then he sent the charioteer back to the king. The charioteer took the
chariot and the ornaments, went to visit the king and informed him of
what had happened. The king departed from the city together with his
fourfold army, the wetnurses, the citizens and the villagers, in order to
visit the Bodhisatta.
The Bodhisatta wanted to become a recluse and sat down on a cloth
made of branches. He attained the eight attainments and the five
supernatural knowledges (abhiññås). He sat down in a hut with great
delight in his recluseship.
The king of Kåsi went to see the Bodhisatta and exhorted him to rule
over the kingdom. Prince Temiya refused this. He taught Dhamma to
the king in many different ways, and this was a condition for the king to
have a sense of urgency and to see the impermanence and the
disadvantages of sense pleasures. He saw the benefit of detachment
from them and wanted to become a recluse, together with queen
Candådeví and many of the courtiers. They all at the end of life were
reborn in the Brahma world.
The Buddha said at the end of this story that the goddess who was
dwelling in the white umbrella at that time was Uppalavaṇṇå, that the
charioteer was the Elder Såriputta, the parents the royal family, the
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court the Buddhist followers and the wise Temiya the Buddha himself,
the protector of the world.
The perfection of determination of the Bodhisatta which was of the
highest degree (paramattha or ultimate) in that life is the “adițțhåna
paramattha påramí”.
The perfection of determination is the firm resolve for kusala with the
aim to develop paññå and to eliminate defilements. However, one may
not have accumulated this perfection sufficiently. We may see that
kusala is beneficial, that it should be developed and accumulated, and
that our determination for kusala should become stronger. But it is
difficult to remain steadfast in our resolution, because we have
accumulated so much akusala. Akusala is the condition for being
unstable, not steadfast in the determination to develop kusala.
Someone who studied the Dhamma was reflecting on the cycle of birth
and death and on the extent of his defilements; he longed for the end of
rebirth. However, desiring the end of rebirth is not the same as being
steadfast in one’s determination to develop paññå. This person did not
take an interest in the development of satipațțhåna, even though he had
listened to the Dhamma and saw the benefit of satipațțhåna. He was not
steadfast in his determination to listen to the Dhamma and develop
paññå; he had no conditions for the perfection of determination.
We should not be neglectful in our determination for kusala. Day after
day we are infatuated with the objects appearing through eyes, ears,
nose, tongue and bodysense, and we are absorbed in thinking of the
objects we experience. If we often listen to the Dhamma, we accumulate
the inclination to contemplate the Dhamma instead of thinking of
insignificant things. Even if we do not always have the opportunity to
listen, we may still reflect on the Dhamma and this shows us the
strength of accumulated inclinations. It reminds us not to be neglectful
with regard to the perfection of determination.
The Dhamma as taught by the Buddha is of immense benefit to all of us.
We should contemplate the Dhamma in all details. If we wish to
develop paññå and all the different ways of kusala, we should not
neglect knowing and understanding our own akusala. Otherwise we
cannot accumulate the perfections of determination and of truthfulness.
If we see the danger and disadvantage of akusala, it can condition the
firm resolution to develop kusala with the aim to eradicate defilements,
and this is the perfection of determination. If a person does not know
himself as he really is and if he believes himself to be superior to other
158 - The Perfections
people, he is attached to the good qualities he erroneously pretends to
have. We are full of all kinds of akusala, no matter whether we are
eating, enjoying ourselves or performing our tasks in daily life. If we do
not know ourselves as we really are and if we take ourselves for a
righteous person who does not need to develop kusala, we do not notice
that we are guided by akusala.
As we develop the perfection of determination, we shall be steadfast in
our resolution to develop paññå through the study and practice of the
Dhamma with the aim of eradicating all defilements. We also need the
perfection of truthfulness and this means that we should be sincere and
straightforward in our determination. If we do not develop the
perfection of truthfulness we shall vacillate and be defeated by akusala.
We can see that we need a refined and detailed understanding of our
different cittas for the development of kusala. We should not be
neglectful with regard to this.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” about four
dhammas which are firm foundations, adițțhåna dhammas, dhammas
that are basic to all the perfections. These are: truthfulness, sacca,
relinquishment, cåga, calm or peace, upasama, and paññå.
The foundation dhamma of truthfulness, sacca, is steadfastness in
truthfulness. We can verify for ourselves to what extent we are stable in
truthfulness and sincerity. One may realize that one is not steadfast in
truthfulness. We should have a refined knowledge of ourselves and see
the disadvantage of action and speech that is not truthful. Even with
regard to insignificant matters we should know when we deviate from
the truth. At such moments we are overcome by the strength of the
defilements we have accumulated.
If we consider and notice our akusala, we can see the disadvantage of
the akusala we have accumulated and which conditions unwholesome
conduct. We can see the disadvantage of our lack of truthfulness and
hence we can become more steadfast in truthfulness. A person who is
without defilements will not tell a lie and his actions will be in
accordance with his thoughts and speech. He is firmly established in
truthfulness. Someone who is not steadfast in truthfulness does not act
in accordance with his speech, because of the strength of his
defilements.
Some people think that it is not important to keep one’s appointments.
Here we see that the accumulation of akusala leads us to not being
truthful in fulfilling what we promised. When people do not see the
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importance of truthfulness in speech, it is a condition for not seeking
the truth which also includes the truth of the noble ones, the ariyans. As
regards the observance of truthfulness in speech, even small children
can notice whether someone acts in accordance with his words. When
they are grown up they abhor all the more eloquence that is deceptive,
speech that is not truthful, that is not the speech of the noble ones.
When someone maintains truthfulness in speech, speech that does not
deviate from the truth, he will continue to be steadfast in every respect,
even when he is in danger of life. This is steadfastness in truthfulness,
saccadițțhåna. We should be firmly established in truthfulness so that
we shall reach the further shore, nibbåna.
The second foundation dhamma is steadfastness in relinquishment,
cåga, the relinquishment of defilements. Relinquishment is not only the
giving away of material things for the benefit and happiness of others,
such as acts of generosity, dåna. But it is also relinquishment of
defilements, and this is to the benefit of oneself. When we give away
material things to others, we should also be intent on the
relinquishment of our defilements. We should consider whether our
action and speech are motivated by kusala cittas, we should not give
with the expectation to receive something in return. Clinging, lobha, is
the opposite, the enemy, of all the perfections. When we have lobha,
when we desire to gain something, or when we expect something in
return for our good deed, this is opposed to the development of the
perfections. Therefore, we should give in such a way that our
steadfastness in relinquishing defilements can grow. When we give, we
should not expect anything in return, and moreover, we should not
think of giving as being tedious, we should not give without
cheerfulness and generosity, we should give whole-heartedly. We need
to have a subtle and detailed knowledge of our cittas, otherwise
defilements cannot be eliminated. When we see someone else’s
generosity, we can rejoice in his good deed, we can feel enthusiasm
about it. We should remember that also forgiving is a kind of dåna,
because we wish someone else to be free from any adversity or danger.
Thus, generosity is not merely the giving of material gifts. There can be
purity of citta when, by our acts of generosity, we are intent on giving
support to someone else and make him free from harm. We may be able
to rejoice in giving and also abandon our own defilements at such
moments.
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” that the
Bodhisatta needed to have a strong wish, a strong yearning, to become
the Sammåsambuddha. We read in the “Miscellaneous Sayings”:
160 - The Perfections
“Strong desire (chandatå): wholesome desire, the wish for accomplishment.
One possessed of the aforesaid qualities must have strong desire, yearning,
and longing to practise the qualities issuing in Buddhahood. Only then does
his aspiration succeed, not otherwise.
The following similes illustrate the magnitude of the desire required. If
he were to hear: ‘He alone can attain Buddhahood who can cross a
whole world-system filled with water and reach the further shore by the
bare strength of his arms’ --he would not deem that difficult to do, but
would be filled with desire for the task and would not shrink away. If
he were to hear: ‘He alone can attain Buddhahood who can tread across
a whole world-system filled with flameless, smokeless redhot coals,
cross out, and reach the other side,’ he would not deem that difficult to
do...”
He does not become disheartened, he does not show the slightest dislike
when he hears, “He alone can attain Buddhahood who can cross a
whole world-system filled with water and reach the further shore by the
bare strength of his arms”. He is filled with joy and has endeavour to
attain Buddhahood. We read:
“If he were to hear: ‘He alone can attain Buddhahood who can cut through a
whole world-system that has become a jungle of thorny creepers covered by
a solid thicket of bamboo, cross out, and reach the other side,’ etc ... If he
were to hear: ‘Buddhahood can only be attained after being tortured in hell
for four incalculables and a 100,000 aeons’ --he would not deem that
difficult to do, but would be filled with desire for the task and would not
shrink away. Such is the magnitude of the desire required.”
The Bodhisatta thought that he could achieve this, but his
determination was not yet firm enough; he had to continue
accumulating keen and refined paññå so that his noble qualities could
reach accomplishment. When he had visited the Sammåsambuddha and
his noble qualities were accomplished to the degree of being able to
make the determination to attain Buddhahood, he could begin to
resolve upon the accumulation of the perfections.
We can see that it is extremely difficult to accumulate the perfections
which lead to the attainment of the supreme wisdom of the Buddha.
When he had penetrated the truth of the realities that are arising and
falling away at the present moment, he was able to eradicate all
defilements completely and attain Buddhahood.
The person who has the supreme aspiration to become a
Sammåsambuddha, should have eight qualifications: the human state,
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the male sex, the cause (which are the necessary supporting
conditions), the sight of the Teacher, the going forth, the achievement
of noble qualities, extreme dedication and strong desire.
As regards the first qualification, the human state, this is necessary for
the fulfilment of his aspiration.
As to the second qualification, the male sex, a woman cannot become a
Buddha.
The third qualification is the cause (hetu), and this means that in the
life when he aspires to be the Sammåsambuddha, he must be endowed
with the necessary supporting conditions.
As to the fourth qualification, the sight of the master, he must be in the
presence of a Sammåsambuddha. His aspiration will only succeed when
it is made in the presence of a living Buddha, not after he has finally
passed away. His aspiration will not succeed when it is made at the foot
of the Bodhi-tree, before a shrine, in front of an image, in the presence
of Paccekabuddhas (silent Buddhas) or the Buddha’s disciples. The
aspiration only succeeds when made in the presence of a Buddha. When
he has not met a Buddha in person, the power that is necessary to
confirm his dedication is lacking.
As to the fifth qualification, the going forth, he must have gone forth
into the homeless state, either as an ascetic or as a bhikkhu who
believes in the doctrine of kamma and its appropriate result. His
aspiration does not succeed when he lives as a layman. At the time he
makes his resolution to become a Sammåsambuddha, he should have
gone forth, because a monk is stronger in his determination than a
layman.
As to the sixth qualification, the achievement of noble qualities, we read
in the
Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”:
“ 6) The achievement of noble qualities (gunasampatti): the achievement of
such noble qualities as the direct knowledges (abhiññå), etc. For the
aspiration only succeeds when made by one who has gone forth and gained
the eight meditative attainments (samåpatti) and the five mundane types of
direct knowledge; it does not succeed for one devoid of these qualities. Why?
Because one devoid of them is incapable of investigating the påramís. It is
because he possesses the necessary supporting conditions and the direct
knowledges that the Great Man, after he has made the aspiration, is able to
investigate the påramís by himself.”
162 - The Perfections
As to the seventh qualification, extreme dedication, we read:
“(7) Extreme dedication (adhikåra): extreme devotion. The aspiration only
succeeds for one endowed with the aforesaid qualities who at the time has
such strong devotion for the Buddhas that he is prepared to relinquish his
very life for them.”
During the Bodhisatta’s life as Sumedha, people were clearing the way
for the Buddha Dípaṁkara, but since they were not yet ready, Sumedha
threw himself on the road so that the Buddha would tread on him
instead of walking on the mud.
As to the eighth qualification, we read:
“ (8) Strong desire (chandatå): wholesome desire, the wish for
accomplishment. One possessed of the aforesaid qualities must have strong
desire, yearning, and longing to practise the qualities issuing in Buddhahood.
Only then does his aspiration succeed, not otherwise.”
This shows us the Buddha’s great compassion. Due to his great
compassion we still have the opportunity to listen to the Dhamma
today. We read further on about the aspiration of the Bodhisatta who is
endowed with these eight factors:
“Its characteristic is rightly resolving to attain the supreme enlightenment.
Its function is to yearn, ‘Oh, may I awaken to the supreme perfect
enlightenment, and bring well-being and happiness to all beings!’ It is
manifest as the root-cause for the requisites of enlightenment. Its proximate
cause is great compassion, or the achievement of the necessary supporting
conditions. Since it has as its object the inconceivable plane of the Buddhas
and the welfare of the whole immeasurable world of beings, it should be seen
as the loftiest, most sublime and exalted distinction of merit, endowed with
immeasurable potency, the root-cause of all the qualities issuing in
Buddhahood. Simultaneous with its arising, the Great Man enters upon the
practice of the vehicle to great enlightenment, mahåbodhiyånapaìipatti. He
becomes fixed in his destiny, irreversible, and therefore properly gains the
designation ‘bodhisattva’. His mind becomes fully devoted to the supreme
enlightenment in its completeness, and his capacity to fulfil the training in
the requisites of enlightenment becomes established.”
Here we see the Buddha’s great compassion for all of us. We do not
need to fulfill immensely difficult tasks, compared in the texts to
crossing the worldsystems that are extremely hot, or going through a
jungle of thorny creepers; we do not need to accumulate the perfections
for as long as an incalculable period and a hundred thousand aeons.
The Perfection of Determination - 163
The Buddha, whose excellent qualities are incomparable, extended his
great compassion to us. He became a Sammåsambuddha so that we
could gain the benefit of the Dhamma he taught to all people. He taught
the Dhamma to us who can investigate and consider it, and this is the
condition for paññå to arise that leads to the eradication of our
defilements and the realization of the four noble Truths.
When we see the immense benefit of the Dhamma the Buddha taught
because of his great compassion, we become humble and respectful. We
become people who are “easily instructed”, that is, openminded to the
Dhamma, and in this way our defilements can gradually be eliminated.
The foundation dhamma of relinquishment, cåga, pertains to the
abandoning of defilements, it pertains to síla, our conduct through body
and speech in daily life. We should investigate whether we already
eliminated some of our wrong conduct through body and speech, or not
yet, inspite of having listened to the Dhamma.
The abandonment of defilements in our conduct is a condition for
heedfulness in action and speech. We can notice this in someone who
has pleasing manners, who is gentle and does not show anger; he does
not cause uneasiness in others by a cross and fierce facial expression
and harsh manners.
Heedfulness in conduct is to be applied in daily life. When kusala citta
arises our behaviour changes. Heedfulness in speech means that we
have to give up wrong speech. Some people are straightforward, but
this does not mean that they should speak disagreeable words and be
heedless in speech. When they develop the kusala kamma which is the
“straightening of one’s views” (dițțhujukamma), they have right view
which knows when there is kusala that is to be developed and when
there is akusala that is to be abandoned. The “straightening of one’s
views” can be accumulated and can become one’s nature.
If we want to relinquish defilements, if we have steadfastness in
relinquishment (cågådițțhåna) with regard to síla, our conduct in action
and speech, we have to guard the faculties of eyes, ears, nose, tongue,
body and mind-door in daily life. When akusala citta arises, the
faculties of the senses and the mind-door are unguarded, whereas when
kusala citta arises, they are well guarded. When the eye-door is not well
guarded, this will result in seeing wrongly and understanding wrongly,
and hence there will be more trouble and disturbance in our life. We
can also see in daily life the consequences of not being heedful as to the
faculty of the ear. We cannot avoid hearing senseless words very often,
164 - The Perfections
but when we are heedful as to the faculty of the ear we do not pay
attention to such words. We should know for ourselves when sati-
sampajañña arises which is heedful or when we are not heedful.
There can also be heedfulness with regard to the faculty of the nose.
Then we are not infatuated with enticing odours, we do not cling to
them, or strive to experience them, and we are not disturbed by them.
Some people cling to the fragrance of flowers and if they always try to
experience more of such odours, it leads to distress. When one has
developed heedfulness of the sense faculties, all anxiety will gradually
decrease.
When we are heedful with regard to the body, we shall not be
meddlesome, jesting, ridiculing others and be reckless in conduct, we
shall not molest or harm others.
When we are heedful with regard to the mind, we are not worried and
preoccupied, we do not think about things that make us unhappy. Some
people seem to be happy in appearance, but in reality they are worried
all the time. If they would know that at such moments there are akusala
cittas, they would not give in to their worries and make themselves
unhappy. They would not think of matters that would cause them to be
angry with others, that would cause them to be jealous or to have
conceit. If they could consider themselves a dustrag1 they would be able
to guard the faculties of the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, and the
body, and they would be able to abandon defilements. This is
steadfastness in relinquishment.
If we give things away for the benefit and happiness of someone else
but we are forgetful of our defilements, the determination to eradicate
them is not yet firm enough. Without the four foundation dhammas,
adițțhåna dhammas, of truthfulness, relinquishment, calm, and paññå,
we cannot reach the further shore.
If a person sees the benefit of steadfastness in relinquishment,
cågadițțhåna, the elimination of defilements, he also has steadfastness
in calm, upasamadițțhåna; calm is freedom of defilements. We are
absorbed in and disturbed by visible object, sound, odour, flavour and
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tangible object. True calm is freedom from infatuation with the sense
objects. We also need to develop the perfection of renunciation,
nekkhamma påramí, in order to reach this freedom. Even someone who
is a layfollower may gradually abandon clinging to the sense objects
and to the married state. He may be a layfollower who is not married
because he sees the disadvantage of the strong bond of family life which
is a burden. Thus, seeing the benefit of renunciation conditions
steadfastness in calm.
When someone is firmly established in the foundation dhamma of calm,
it is conditioned by the foundation dhamma of paññå. Paññådițțhåna is
the fourth foundation dhamma. Paññå can be accumulated by listening
to the Dhamma, by considering it and testing its meaning by asking
questions. In this way we can verify what is kusala, what is akusala,
what is wrong, what is right, and we can understand what kamma is
and what its result. When we listen to the Dhamma we can investigate
the true nature of realities that are cause and that are result.
We should use every opportunity to listen to the Dhamma during this
lifespan. Someone may be negligent in listening to the Dhamma, and he
may think that by listening once or only a few times, he can be freed
from the cycle of birth and death. Then his determination is not yet firm
enough. He should further develop the foundation dhamma of paññå,
and in this way the perfection of determination will become
accomplished. The perfection of determination is an essential condition
for the perfection of paññå that leads to reaching the further shore, that
is, the realization of nibbåna.
166 - The Perfections
The Perfection of Loving-kindness
The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” defines the perfection of
loving-kindness, mettå, as follows:
“Loving-kindness has the characteristic of promoting the welfare (of living
beings); its function is to provide for their welfare, or its function is to remove
resentment; its manifestation is kindliness; seeing the agreeable side of
beings is its proximate cause.”
Among the ten perfections, the perfection of mettå, loving-kindness,
follows upon the perfection of determination. In the Commentary to the
“Basket of Conduct” the reason for this is explained:
“(a) because loving-kindness perfects the determination to undertake
activity for the welfare of others; (b) in order to list the work of actually
providing for the welfare of others right after stating the determination to do
so, for “one determined upon the requisites of enlightenment abides in
loving-kindness”; and (c) because the undertaking (of activity for the welfare
of others) proceeds imperturbably only when determination is unshakable.”
For someone who is firmly established in the development of kusala
with the aim to eradicate defilements and who has accumulated the
perfection of determination, it is natural to practise loving-kindness. We
can verify for ourselves whether we are firmly established in the
development of kusala and whether we develop loving-kindness time
and again. When someone is not inclined to anger and when he often
practises mettå, it shows that he sees the benefit of non-anger and of
the development of the perfections leading to the eradication of the
defilements.
Someone may believe that life belongs to him, but in reality there are
only different dhammas that arise and fall away very rapidly. He should
develop more understanding of his life, of his kusala cittas and akusala
cittas. When we reflect on the perfections that were mentioned before,
such as generosity and morality, we may believe that we have
developed them already sufficiently. As to renunciation, nekkhamma,
we believe that we are already contented with little, that we have
fewness of wishes. As to energy, we think that we are not easily
The Perfection of Loving-kindness - 167
disheartened, that we have diligence and endeavour in our
undertakings. We may find that we have sufficient patience and
endurance. We believe that we are truthful: we speak the truth and act
according to our words. We believe that we have determination, that
we are firmly established in our resolutions. However, we should ask
ourselves whether we have already sufficiently developed the perfection
of mettå. We may be forgetful of assisting others with loving-kindness,
of developing mettå in this way, time and again. We should support
others with mettå, also when they are strangers, people we do not
know. If one has not yet accumulated all the perfections, none excepted,
there are not sufficient conditions for the elimination of defilements.
We should realize which of the perfections are still inadequately
developed in our daily life. When we assist others, we should find out to
what extent we have developed loving-kindness. When we compare the
development of loving-kindness to the development of the other
perfections, is mettå developed more, less or equal to the other
perfections? If we have developed the other perfections but our
inclination to assist others with kindness is deficient, we should find out
the reason for this. Is it because we are already pleased with our own
kusala or is it because of defilements, such as conceit, clinging to the
importance of self? We may think that it is not necessary to help
someone else. Or, when we have given assistance to someone else we
may wonder what the other person will be thinking about us. We
should find out whether such thoughts are kusala or akusala. We
should instead give assistance to someone without paying attention to
what he thinks about us, no matter whether he rejoices in our deed or
whether he blames us, because in reality he cannot harm us. What he
thinks about us concerns only himself, not us.
We should realize that no matter how much kusala we have performed
already, it is not yet enough. We may believe that it is sufficient, but
even when we have developed kusala and realized the four noble
Truths to the degree of the streamwinner, sotåpanna, it is not yet
enough. All defilements should be eradicated and this is realized at the
stage of arahatship. Therefore, if someone is an ordinary person, not yet
an ariyan who has reached the stage of the sotåpanna, he should not be
neglectful and believe that he has already sufficiently developed kusala.
No matter how many good deeds we have done, it never is enough.
When sati arises we can know what type of akusala is the reason for
being disinclined to assist someone else. It may be because of
selfishness, or because of conceit, or because we believe that we waste
our time, that it is not useful to help others. Some people think that
168 - The Perfections
they have done many good deeds already and therefore, they do not
want to associate with others. One should ask oneself whether such a
thought is kusala or akusala. If we associate with others in order to
assist them, the citta is kusala. Thus, we should associate with others so
that we can support them to a greater extent. When we are able to have
friendliness to all people we shall not be neglectful of the perfection of
mettå, loving-kindness. There should be no limits to mettå; and if we
restrict it there may not be mettå but lobha, attachment, which is
akusala, not kusala.
If we only consider the outward appearance of our deeds, attachment
and loving-kindness seem to be similar. When we perform a good deed
for the sake of someone who is close to us, whom we respect and love,
it seems that this is motivated by kusala, by mettå. However, why can
we not be kind in the same way to someone else, no matter who he is?
If there is true mettå it should be exactly the same whether we perform
an act of kindness to someone who is close to us, with whom we are
familiar, or to a person we are not familiar with. If there is true mettå, if
we want to develop the perfection of mettå, we should not restrict
mettå to particular persons. When we limit mettå, we should investigate
the characteristic of the citta at that moment, we should know whether
it is kusala citta or akusala citta.
We read in the Tipițaka 1 that performing deeds with mettå is like the
conduct of a mother towards her child. If we look at the outward
appearance of deeds we may wonder whether a mother has true mettå
or whether she has just selfish affection for her child. She has to
sacrifice everything for her child when she takes care of him.
Sometimes the child is dirty and disagreeable to touch, but she still
takes care of him. We should consider whether a mother has true mettå
for her child, or whether she has only selfish affection. A mother should
know her own cittas, she should be truthful with regard to reality:
kusala is kusala and akusala is akusala.
It is right that the Tipițaka explains about mettå as being the same as a
mother’s conduct towards her child. However, we should remember
that a mother’s attachment to her child is not mettå. If one can have the
same conduct towards other people as a mother’s selfless loving care for
her child, then we practise mettå.
When we see someone else who is kind to a stranger, to someone who
is not close to him, we should not wonder why he acts thus, because
true mettå is not restricted to particular people. All people are equal, no
1 For example, in the “Minor Readings”, IX, “The Loving Kindness Discourse”.
The Perfection of Loving-kindness - 169
matter whether they are close to us or not, no matter whether we know
them or not.
Did we in our daily life assist others with generosity? If we wish for
their wellbeing and happiness, we have loving-kindness towards them.
When someone experiences sorrow, when he suffers, we may have
compassion and wish that he will be free from suffering. When we wish
to help a person who is sick and who suffers pains, when we want to
take care of him, we have compassion: we wish that person to be free
from suffering.
By the development of satipațțhåna we shall know the difference
between the characteristics of mettå and of aversion. When we
recognize the characteristic of aversion as akusala, paññå which sees
the disadvantage and the ugliness of aversion and all akusala dhammas
is the condition for kusala dhammas further to develop. By the
development of satipațțhåna we shall see that instead of dosa, mettå
can arise and be developed. We should also develop time and again the
perfection of patience, endurance in all kinds of circumstances. It may
happen that someone used to feel annoyed when the food was not tasty,
but when he can be aware of the characteristic of the citta at such
moments and realize that it is akusala citta, he will be satisfied with the
food that is right in front of him, and he will not take the trouble to look
for something else.
The development of satipațțhåna is beneficial in all respects. It is
beneficial for the development of generosity. It happened that someone
was greatly attached to beautiful things and was collecting a great
number of them. However, when he had learnt about satipațțhåna and
he developed it, he began to see the disadvantage of attachment,
especially when he understood the characteristic of renunciation,
nekkhamma. Renunciation is not only renunciation to a high degree,
the degree of monkhood, but there can also be renunciation in the
layman’s life, that is to say, contentment, the feeling that what one
possesses is sufficient. That person felt that he had already enough of
the things which are experienced through eyes, ears, nose, tongue,
bodysense and mind. He understood that he had too many possessions
and that he had not wanted to give them away. However, when he
realized the disadvantage of clinging to visible object, sound, odour,
flavour and tangible object, he began to understand that what he
possessed was sufficient, that he should have moderation. He wanted to
get rid of what he did not need and he knew that in giving things away
for the benefit and happiness of others he would accumulate kusala. If
one is not in the habit of developing satipațțhåna, one does not know
170 - The Perfections
the characteristics of realities, which are appearing one at a time, as
only nåma dhammas and rúpa dhammas. In that case, other kinds of
kusala do not arise easily and there are conditions for akusala to arise
more rapidly. However, if someone knows the characteristics of realities
that are appearing just as they are and he knows the characteristic of
nåma dhamma as just nåma, not a being or a person, and the
characteristic of rúpa dhamma as just rúpa, not a being or a person, his
endurance and patience will increase and also other kinds of kusala will
further develop.
A monk who used to live in Indonesia spoke about an Indonesian
woman who had lost her husband because of a young man’s reckless
driving. However, she did not like to take legal action because she did
not want to cause unhappiness to someone else. Moreoever, she also
expressed the intention to give a scholarship for the education of that
young man. This was very difficult for her, but she was able to do so.
Such great acts of charity can be performed by someone who has
accumulated loving-kindness and compassion. One may wonder
whether the action of the Indonesian woman was a perfection
developed in daily life. People have accumulated different degrees of
kusala. Whether kusala is a perfection or not depends on its strength.
When it is a perfection it is a supporting condition leading to the
eradication of wrong view. When akusala dhamma is strong, it will not
be possible to abandon the wrong view which takes realities for beings,
people or self.
True mettå is extended to beings and people whoever they are and
wherever they may be. If someone has accumulated mettå, he will be
ready to assist other people time and again. Mettå is a “divine abiding”,
brahmavihåra, that is, a dhamma which is a sublime way of abiding.
We read in the “Basket of Conduct” that the citta of the Great Being, the
Bodhisatta, could without difficulty become established in calm,
because he could quickly extend loving-kindness even towards his
enemies. Someone may at times be irritated about others, he may
believe that particular persons obstruct his own welfare in various ways.
However, if he accumulates kusala and has the determination to
eradicate defilements, his citta will without difficulty become
established in calm. He will quickly be able to extend mettå even to his
enemies.
If we become angry with someone, we should know that anger arises
only for a short moment and then falls away, and that mettå can arise
instead. When we have accumulated the perfections we can become like
The Perfection of Loving-kindness - 171
the Bodhisatta who could without difficulty be established in mettå and
extend it quickly towards his enemies. We should verify for ourselves
whether we are angry with someone else for a long time or not. If we
can have mettå instead, it shows that we have accumulated the
inclination to eradicate defilements.
Loving-kindness, mettå, is one of the divine abidings, brahmavihåras.
There are four of them: loving-kindness, mettå, compassion, karuṇå,
sympathetic joy, muditå and equanimity, upekkhå. Mettå is adosa
cetasika, the reality of non-hate or non-aversion. Compassion is karuṇå
cetasika, which arises when one supports someone else, wanting to
alleviate his suffering and trouble. Sympathetic joy is muditå cetasika,
which arises when one rejoices in someone else’s happiness.
Equanimity, upekkhå, is tatramajjhattatå cetasika, evenmindedness
which is the absence of attachment and aversion. It arises when one
understands the true nature of anattå, non-self.
When mettå, adosa cetasika, arises we are at that moment free from
hate or aversion. When karuṇå cetasika arises, we are concerned about
someone who suffers and want to assist him. When someone else is
happy because of gain, honour or praise, and we also rejoice in his
happiness, there is muditå cetasika. When we have no lobha or dosa
and we are evenminded and impartial towards all beings, there is
tatramajjhattatå cetasika, which is the brahmavihåra of upekkhå,
equanimity.
If someone wants to extend mettå towards a person who conducts
himself in an unpleasant and irritating way, he should, to begin with,
develop adosa cetasika, the reality that is freedom from anger.
The brahmavihåras, divine abidings, of loving-kindness, compassion,
sympathetic joy and equanimity are dhammas which are faultless and
superior. A person with mettå is faultless and when he extends mettå to
someone else he is superior. The practice of the four brahmavihåras is
the right practice towards all beings. We read in the “Atthasåliní” (I,
Part V, XIII, The Divine States, 195):
“And as Brahmå divinities live with faultless thoughts, so aspirants
associated with these four states live like the Brahmås. Thus, because of the
meaning of ‘divine’ and of their faultless nature, they are called ‘Divine
States’.”
These four divine abidings lead to calm, to non-disturbance and they
are faultless. They are the way leading to purity. There is a particular
order in the cultivation of the four brahmavihåras, mettå being the first,
172 - The Perfections
since each of them is a supporting condition for the following
brahmavihåra 1 . We read in the “Atthasåliní” (same section, 196) why
they are without limits:
“And all of them arise in an immeasurable field, therefore are they called the
‘Immeasurables’. For beings without limit constitute their field (object).”
We should not think that we have developed mettå already sufficiently
when we have slightly less anger or when we have mettå for just a few
people. This is not enough. When we meet other people, we should
remember that we should extend to them, as the occasion demands,
mettå, compassion, sympathetic joy or equanimity, and that there
should be no limits to their extension. We should not restrict the
extension of the brahmavihåras to only particular persons. We can
verify for ourselves whether we are ready further to develop the
brahmavihåras and to extend them to others all the time. This is the
way to live like the Brahmås.
The “Atthasåliní” (Book I, Part V, Ch XIII, Divine States, 196) uses a
simile for the four Brahmavihåras. Mettå is like a small child,
compassion is like a child who is sick, sympathetic joy is like a child
who is becoming an adolescent and equanimity is like a child who
manages his own affairs.
As regards loving-kindness which is like a baby, everybody wishes for
his wellbeing and prosperity in growing up, but we should have loving-
kindness not only for small children. Everybody is like a baby one
should assist, and in this way we can feel true loving-kindness for all
people. However, this is only a simile helping us to understand the
characteristic of loving-kindness. Mettå is like the attitude of a mother
towards her child who is still a baby and needs her loving care to grow
up. Likewise, we should as a loving mother support other people.
Compassion is like a sick child. A mother who has a sick child should try
to take care of it so that it will be cured, so that it is free from suffering
and illness. When we see other people, not only children, we wish that
they are free from suffering and that is compassion. We should not limit
The Perfection of Loving-kindness - 173
compassion to particular people, it should be unlimited.
Sympathetic joy is rejoicing in someone else’s welfare. This is compared
to the joy of parents who have a child that is becoming an adolescent
and wish for the child to keep on enjoying the good things of
adolescence for a long time. Equanimity is like a child who can manage
his own affairs so that he is no longer a burden to his parents, and his
parents do not have to exert themselves with regard to each of his
actions.
If the brahmavihåras are practised in the aforesaid ways, defilements
can be abandoned and paññå can be developed which knows what is
beneficial and what is disadvantageous. The brahmavihåras are most
valuable, but we should verify for ourselves whether we truly have
loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. We
should remember that the development of paññå and the eradication of
defilements take an endlessly long time.
As we have seen, compassion is intent on removing the suffering of
beings. However, since paññå is not of the degree of accomplishment of
the Sammasambuddha, we do not fathom the true characteristic of
suffering, dukkha. We do not fully grasp the suffering of birth, old age,
sickness, death, the suffering due to impermanence all beings are
subject to. The arising and falling away of realities is the noble Truth of
dukkha, this is the real suffering. True compassion on account of this
kind of suffering is of another dimension and can only be fulfilled by
the Buddha1. In our daily life we usually do not realize the extent of the
suffering of being in the cycle of birth and death. It is difficult for us to
have true compassion on account of this, and therefore, there are more
opportunities for the arising of mettå. When we see other beings and
people, we can extend mettå towards them and assist them with mettå.
However, it may happen that other people are beyond help. If we have
developed paññå we can have equanimity and evenmindedness. We can
have impartiality and equanimity with regard to righteous people as
well as people with wrong conduct. This is the perfection of equanimity.
174 - The Perfections
We read in the “Atthasåliní “ about the four brahmavihåras ((Book I,
Part V, Ch. XIII, Divine States, 193) :
“...love (mettå) has the characteristic of being a procedure of modes of
beneficence; the function or property of bringing good; the manifestation or
effect of taking hatred away; the proximate cause of seeing the lovableness
of beings. Its consummation (success) is the quieting of ill-will; its failure is
the production of lust.”
We should remember that kusala and akusala can be similar in
appearance. Therefore, we should often realize the characteristics of
realities so that we shall know whether we develop kusala or whether
akusala arises.
We read about compassion:
“Pity (compassion) has the characteristic of evolving the mode of removing
pain; the property of not being able to bear [seeing] others suffer; the
manifestation of kindness; the proximate cause of seeing the need of those
overcome by pain. Its consummation is the quieting of cruelty; its failure is
the production of sorrow.”
We read about sympathetic joy:
“Sympathy has the characteristic of gladness; its property is the absence of
envying; its manifestation is the destruction of disaffection (discontentment);
its proximate cause is seeing the prosperous state of other beings. Its
consummation is the quieting of dislike; its failure is the production of
derision (fun).”
It is difficult to distinguish between sympathetic joy and attachment.
When we are thrilled and greatly rejoice in someone else’s gain, honour
and praise, there may be lobha and not sympathetic joy.
We read about equanimity:
“Equanimity has the characteristic of evolving the mode of neutrality as
regards beings; its function is seeing equality in beings; its manifestation is
quieting both aversion and attachment; its proximate cause is seeing the
heritage of the occurring kamma as ‘beings are the property of their
kamma’. By its influence they will attain to pleasure, or be free from pain, or
not fall from the prosperity already acquired. Its consummation is the
quieting of aversion and of attachment; its failure is the production of an
unintelligent indifference which is based on the home life.”
Unintelligent indifference means indifference based on ignorance,
moha. When we have ignorance, we do not know realities as they are,
The Perfection of Loving-kindness - 175
and then we cannot understand kamma, which produces its appropriate
result.
With regard to the expression about equanimity “based on the home
life”, this means, based on visible object, sound, odour, flavour and
tangible object, thus, the sense objects. When we see what appears
through the eyes and we are indifferent, we do not seem to have
attachment or aversion, but we should not believe that that is
necessarily kusala. It is indifference “based on the home life” because at
such moments we do not know the truth. We cannot abandon
defilements if we do not listen to the Dhamma and if we do not
understand it; if there is no paññå which knows the characteristics of
realities as they really are. There is indifference which is the near
enemy1 of the brahmavihåra of equanimity when we do not consider
what is right and what is wrong, and we do not investigate the true
nature of the realities that are appearing.
Our thinking of other people and their actions can be motivated by the
four brahmåvihåras of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy
and equanimity. When people see someone who commits akusala
kamma that is harmful for society, they are upset and they hope that he
will receive the result of his action accordingly.
However, a person should consider what kind of citta motivates his
thinking, whether he thinks with mettå, compassion, sympathetic joy or
equanimity. When someone receives the result of a bad deed, when he
is in trouble and distress, or he has to suffer, people will feel sorry for
him. But actually, they should have mettå and compassion for him at
the moment he commits akusala kamma which is the cause of a future
result. If one sympathizes with him when he receives an undesirable
result, one sympathizes too late.
If we are a real friend we can help a person to be free from deeds and
thoughts which are akusala, to have wholesome conduct instead of
unwholesome conduct.
176 - The Perfections
In the ultimate sense there are no beings or persons, there are only
realities arising and falling away, each with their own characteristic.
We think of different situations and people with kusala citta or with
akusala citta. We should know the difference between kusala and
akusala. If we live according to the Dhamma, we shall further develop
paññå and every kind of kusala. We shall know immediately at which
moment we have no loving-kindness but akusala. Then we shall be able
to have loving-kindness immediately, also for a person who behaves like
an enemy.
Chapter 10 - 177
The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct” defines the perfection of
equanimity, upekkhå, as follows:
“Equanimity has the characteristic of promoting the aspect of neutrality; its
function is to see things impartially; its manifestation is the subsiding of
attraction and repulsion; reflection upon the fact that all beings inherit the
results of their own kamma is its proximate cause.”
The perfection of equanimity is evenmindedness, it is non-disturbance
by controversial conduct of people or by trying events.
If we do not develop satipațțhåna, we are easily affected by attachment
and aversion and the citta is not calm. We encounter external objects
which cause sadness and distress. Our unhappy mood is conditioned by
unpleasant objects which appear through eyes, ears, nose, tongue and
bodysense. People who are free from sorrow are unaffected by
attachment and aversion with regard to people and events and this
means that they have developed the perfection of equanimity.
When people see someone who kills a snake, they believe that they have
loving-kindness and compassion for the snake that is being killed, but in
reality they are disturbed by aversion towards the person who kills the
snake. One should be aware and investigate the citta at that moment:
what type of citta arises when one thinks of the person who kills a
snake? We may not have loving-kindness, but then, we can have
equanimity when we realize that everyone receives the results of his
deeds. When kusala cittas arise we may have loving-kindness and also
compassion; we feel sorry for the person who commits akusala kamma,
because he will receive the result of akusala kamma. When equanimity
arises, we are not disturbed and we do not utter unsuitable speech to
someone who commits akusala kamma. Loving-kindness and
equanimity arise with kusala citta. We should not take akusala for
kusala. We should not believe that akusala dhamma is good and that
we should utter strong language to the person who commits akusala
kamma. The citta which is disturbed is akusala citta. If we develop
paññå we can know the characteristic of the citta that is stable,
unaffected by attachment and aversion. Then we can further develop
178 - The Perfections
the perfection of equanimity.
Wise attention, yoniso manasikåra, is most important. When we listen
to the Dhamma, we may be inclined to think that we should act in a
particular way so as to have wise attention and abandon defilements.
However, if we understand realities as non-self we do not think in that
way. If we reflect on the practice of the Bodhisatta in each of his lives
and if we evaluate our own practice in this life and compare it with his
practice, we can understand that it will take an endlessly long time to
abandon defilements.
We need sati-sampajañña and we have to develop each kind of kusala
with patience and endurance in order to realize the four noble Truths.
We should not have expectations as to the moment when we shall
realize the four noble Truths. So long as we have many defilements
which arise time and again and have desire for the realization of the
four noble Truths, we are very far away from the goal. Therefore, we
should begin to develop all kinds of kusala so that they become
supporting conditions leading to enlightenment.
We read in the Commentary to the “Theragåthå”, the
“Paramatthadípaní”, in the “Nidånakåthå”, that all perfections support
and enhance each other:
“The utmost patience in the accumulation of good qualities such as dåna in
order to attain the awakening wisdom of the ‘Solitary Buddha’ or the
awakening wisdom of a disciple, is called energy, viriya.
Endurance with regard to anger is called patience, khanti.
Generous deeds, the undertaking of moral conduct, síla, and so on, and the
abstention from speech that deviates from the truth is called truthfulness,
sacca.
Determination which is unshakable and firm so that one can accomplish
what is beneficial in all circumstances, is called determination, adiììhåna.
Aiming for the benefit of all beings which is the foundation of the practice of
dåna, síla and so on, is called loving-kindness, mettå.
Evenmindedness with regard to trying circumstances and behaviour of other
beings is called equanimity, upekkhå.
Therefore, when there are dåna, síla and bhåvana, mental development, or
there are síla, samådhi and paññå, it can be said that the perfections of
energy and so on have reached accomplishment in those ways.”
The Perfection of Equanimity - 179
We need the greatest patience for the accumulation of generosity. We
need energy, we need to be unshakable and firm in order to accomplish
what is beneficial in all circumstances. The perfections are referred to in
different ways, in slightly different wordings, although the meaning is
the same. Seeing different aspects of the perfections will remind us to
apply them. For example, we read in the Commentary to the
“Theragåthå”:
“Aiming for the benefit of all beings which is the foundation of the practice of
dåna, síla and so on, is called loving-kindness, mettå.”
Thus, this is another aspect of mettå. People who perform generous
deeds may not investigate their cittas at such moments, they may not
realize that they give because of mettå. It is their nature to give and
therefore, they perform generous deeds, they give things away for the
benefit and happiness of others. If they consider their kusala citta they
will know that mettå is the foundation of their generosity. When they
abstain from ill deeds through body and speech the foundation of their
kusala is also mettå. They do not want to cause suffering and distress to
others by their actions or speech.
The Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”, in the “Miscellaneous
Sayings” explains with regard to each of the perfections to which kind
of akusala it is opposed.
We read about generosity:
“Further, giving is opposed to greed, hatred, and delusion, since it applies the
qualities of non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion to gifts, recipients, and
the fruits of giving, respectively.”
As we read, the perfection of generosity is opposed to akusala, to lobha,
dosa and moha, because when one is generous and accumulates the
perfection of generosity, one practises the quality of non-attachment to
one’s gift. If someone still clings to the object he intends to give, he
cannot give, he regrets the loss of his gift. He may think of giving, but
he cannot give, he desires to wait for an opportunity to give. If someone
is not firmly established in his determination to give, he may think of
giving, but he does not give. At such a moment there is no generosity.
Whereas, when there is true generosity, it is accompanied by non-
attachment; one does not cling to the object one is giving. At the
moment of kusala citta there is also non-aversion towards the person
who receives the gift. If one is displeased and dislikes the receiver, one
will not give. This may happen when someone sees a beggar and
notices that he has physical strength; he may be irritated and hence
180 - The Perfections
does not give. Or when someone sees a handicapped child the beggar
takes along, he may be irritated about the beggar causing affliction to
his child, and then he does not give. When generosity arises it has to be
accompanied by the good qualities of non-attachment to the gift, non-
aversion towards the receiver and it may be accompanied by non-
delusion or paññå as well. When paññå knows the result of generosity,
when it realizes that generosity is wholesome, there is true liberality
and defilements are abandoned.
We read further on in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”
about síla and about renunciation:
“Virtue, síla, is opposed to greed, hatred, and delusion, since it removes
crookedness and corruption in bodily conduct, etc.
Renunciation, nekkhamma, is opposed to these three corruptions since it
avoids indulgence in sense pleasures, the affliction of others and self-
mortification.”
If we do not cling to sense pleasures it is natural that there will also be
less aversion. If someone has a great deal of attachment to visible
object, sound, odour, flavour and tangible object, but does not obtain
these objects, he will be displeased.
We read in the Commentary about paññå :
“Wisdom opposes them in so far as greed, etc., create blindness, while
knowledge restores sight.”
Wisdom is opposed to akusala as it dispels the darkness of attachment
and restores sight. As soon as we have seen something, attachment is
bound to arise. When paññå is lacking, there is no opposition to lobha
which is very skilful in clinging to all the sense objects. However, when
paññå arises, attachment cannot arise at the same time; paññå is
opposed to attachment. Only paññå can dispel the darkness of
attachment.
When paññå arises, it is able to understand the true nature of the
reality that appears. Paññå understands kusala as kusala and akusala as
akusala. As paññå develops, it will know the characteristics of realities
as they are, so that the darkness of ignorance can be overcome.
We read about energy and patience:
“Energy opposes lobha by arousing the true way free from both listlessness
and restlessness.
The Perfection of Equanimity - 181
Patience opposes lobha by accepting the desirable, the undesirable, and
emptiness.”
Each of the perfections is of great benefit provided we duly reflect on
them and gradually accumulate them. If, in circumstances which are a
test to our endurance, we reflect on patience, we can accumulate it.
There can be patience with regard to disagreeable objects and to
desirable objects of which we can realize the emptiness.
We read about truthfulness:
“Truthfulness is the opposite of lobha because it proceeds in accordance
with fact, no matter whether others render help or inflict harm.”
Because of truthfulness we can know what is right and what is wrong,
no matter in what circumstances we are.
We read about determination:
“Determination is the opposite of these three defilements since, after
vanquishing the vicissitudes of the world, it remains unshakeable in fulfilling
the requisites of enlightenment in the way they have been undertaken.”
Determination is the opposite of the defilements of attachment, aversion
and ignorance. We should know of ourselves whether we have already
firm determination as to the development of kusala or not yet. This is
necessary so that we become unshakable in accomplishing it. Our
determination can easily vacillate, it may not be firm, and our
confidence may not be steady.
We read about mettå:
“Loving-kindness is the opposite of greed, hatred, and delusion, through its
seclusion from the hindrances.”
The hindrances (nívaraṇa) are: sensuous desire (kåmacchanda), ill-will
(vyåpåda), sloth and torpor (thína-middha), restlessness and worry
(uddhacca-kukkucca) and doubt (vicikicchå). It is said that loving-
kindness is the opposite of lobha because it is free from the hindrances.
Only paññå can know whether there are hindrances or not. If there is
no paññå one may erroneously believe that there is mettå. In reality
there may be lobha, which is the hindrance of sensuous desire. Paññå is
essential, and it is also the factor which causes all kusala further to
develop.
182 - The Perfections
We read about equanimity:
“And equanimity is their opposite by dispelling attraction and repulsion
towards desirable and undesirable objects, respectively, and by proceeding
evenly under varying circumstances.”
Equanimity is the opposite of attachment, aversion and ignorance. We
should investigate the characteristics of all ten perfections and see their
benefit : they are opposed to akusala dhammas.
Realities are non-self, they are beyond control. Cittas arise and fall
away all the time in succession, and this causes people’s lives to be
different: they have accumulated different kammas which produce their
results accordingly and they also have different inclinations which
condition their varied ways of thinking.
We read in the Commentary to the “Kindred Sayings” (II, Ch XII, 6,
Tree Suttas, § 60, The base, Nidåna Sutta) that the Dhamma taught by
the Buddha for the benefit of all beings can be compared to a thousand
goods which are laid down on the door-step of each house for the
benefit of the family. Some people may open the door and receive all
those goods that are piled up on their door-step whereas others do not
even open their door.
Ignorance is the condition for not seeing the benefit of the Dhamma,
whereas paññå is the condition for realizing its benefit. Each moment of
listening to the Dhamma is beneficial. There may not always be an
opportunity to apply the Dhamma, but when we have listened to it,
there are conditions for kusala dhammas to develop and akusala
dhammas gradually to decrease. We should have appreciation for
someone who explains the Dhamma as taught by the Buddha. As we
have seen, the Buddha’s teaching can be compared to the laying down
of a thousand goods before each house-door.
The Perfection of Equanimity - 183
perfections so as to realize the four noble Truths by themselves.
The perfection of equanimity is evenmindedness, it is non-disturbance
by controversial conduct of people, by trying events or by the
vicissitudes of life, no matter whether they are desirable or undesirable,
such as gain and loss, praise and blame. At present we suffer because of
being easily disturbed and unstable, but someone who has firm
understanding of kamma can become unaffected by the vicissitudes of
life.
If one develops the perfection of equanimity, one does not pay attention
to the wrongs of others, as the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”
explains. One can be impartial and evenminded, undisturbed by the
wrongs of others; one understands that people will receive the result of
their own kamma. Some people may think, when others receive
unpleasant results, that it serves them right, but if someone has
developed the perfection of equanimity, he will not think in that way.
He is able to understand paramattha dhammas, ultimate realities,
dhammas which are anattå and beyond control.
We read in the “Basket of Conduct” (The Perfection of Equanimity, III,
15, the Great Astounding Conduct) that the Bodhisatta developed the
perfection of equanimity to the highest degree (as an ultimate
perfection, paramattha påramí), during the life he was the wise
Lomahaṁsa. The Commentary states:
“The Great Being was born at that time into a wealthy family, and he
completed his education, mastering all branches of knowledge under the
tutorship of the teacher Disåpåmukha. When his parents had died he
became disenchanted with worldly conditions and he acquired a sense of
urgency, although the members of his family implored him while weeping to
take care of the family possessions. He had become disenchanted because
he contemplated impermanence with wise attention, he reflected on the
foulness of his body, and he did not want to give in to the defilements that
would cause him to be involved with married life.
He thought of abandoning his possessions and becoming a monk, but then
he considered that, as a monk, his good qualities in themselves would not be
apparent so as to become praiseworthy. That was why the Great Being who
was averse from gain and honour did not enter the state of monkhood. He
reflected: ‘I should just have sufficient belongings and lead a life of
moderation with regard to gain, loss and the other worldly conditions.’ ”
The Sammåsambuddha has realized the Truth without having heard it from
someone else, and he can proclaim the Dhamma to the world.
184 - The Perfections
Someone who becomes a monk receives praise because of the
excellence of monkhood. However, the Great Being rejected the gain
and honour which one would receive as a monk. He thought that even
though he would not be a monk, he would conduct himself in a
praiseworthy way 1. He would practise fewness of wishes and not have
anything in excess. This is a way of thinking which is firmly established
in kusala. The state of monkhood is different from the state of the
layman. The monk is bound to receive more favours and honour than a
layman, because of the excellence of monkhood. The Bodhisatta
rejected gain and honour and he did not cling to them. He thought that
he would lead a life as a layman without a great deal of gain and
honour.
We read further on in the Commentary:
“He thought, ‘I shall accumulate the practice of supreme patience, enduring
derisive speech from others. I shall develop the perfection of equanimity to
the highest degree.’ He left his home, dressed only in the clothing he was
wearing; he practised the elimination of defilements to the utmost. When he
was without strength, he behaved as if he had strength. Though not dumb,
he behaved as if he was dumb, while he was ridiculed by others because of
his appearance that seemed to be of a fool. He wandered in villages, cities
and the capital, and he stayed in each place for only one night. Wherever he
was much ridiculed, he stayed for a longer time. When his clothing became
worn out and unsightly, he did not accept another piece of clothing from
someone else; he wandered about with clothing that served only to cover the
private parts. While he wandered about in that way he came to a house in
the village.”
This is the perfection of equanimity to the highest degree, which is most
difficult to develop. He had many possessions, but he did not cling to
them. He wanted to accumulate the perfection of equanimity: he
endured derisive speech from others, and he went outside covered only
by a piece of cloth. When he was without strength, he behaved as if he
had strength, he was not downhearted and he had patience. Though
not dumb, he behaved as someone who is dumb, he was not disturbed
by anything. No matter what someone else said, no matter whether
others ridiculed him because of his outward appearance which seemed
to be that of a fool, he was unaffected.
We all have different accumulated inclinations. We are attached to our
appearance, to our clothing, to words of approval and praise from
others. We like to be dressed beautifully, but the Bodhisatta had in that
1 Because of the highest degree of equanimity he had developed.
The Perfection of Equanimity - 185
life great endurance, he was unaffected when others jeered at the way
he was dressed. Where he was much derided he stayed longer.
Wandering about in that way he came to a house in a village. We read:
“There the children of that family were of a mischievous character, they
were prone to violence and liked to beat other people. Some children were
relatives or slaves of the royal household. They had a cruel, fierce character,
they uttered sarcastic, coarse, insulting speech and they went about mocking
all the time. When these children would see old, destitute people, they
would take fine dust and scatter it all over their backs. They behaved in an
improper, reproachable way, and they jeered at the people who were
watching the scene.
When the great Being saw those mischievous children going about in the
village, he thought, ‘Now I shall use a trick as a means of accumulating the
perfection of equanimity, and therefore I shall stay in that place.’ When
those mischievous children saw the Great Being, they began to behave in an
improper way. The Great Being stood up and pretended that he could not
stand this any longer and that he was afraid of those children. When the
children followed the Bodhisatta, he went to a cemetery, thinking, ‘Here
nobody will interfere with the conduct of those children.’
He took a skeleton as a pillow to support him and he lay down 1. Thereupon
the children behaved in an improper way such as spitting upon him and then
returned. Every day they behaved in this way. When wise people saw the
children’s behaviour, they forbid them to act in that way, saying, ‘This person
has great powers, he is an ascetic, a great yoga practitioner.’ Those wise
people greatly praised and honoured the Bodhisatta.”
All Bodhisattas are evenminded and impartial, in every respect. We
read that the Buddha said:
“I slept in a cemetery, taking as a pillow the skeleton of a corpse. I had
evenmindedness with regard to what is clean and what is dirty.”
We read that the village children conducted themselves in many rude,
improper ways, by spitting, jeering, defecating and urinating. They
poked blades of grass into the Bodhisatta's ears and they were teasing
and mocking as much as they liked. We read that the Bodhisatta
thereupon reflected:
“The village children caused me to suffer pain, whereas those wise people
gave me enjoyable things, such as flowers, unguents and food. I am impartial
and evenminded towards all people; I have equanimity. I have moderation in
1 This story is referred to in M I, 79 (Sutta 12).
186 - The Perfections
all things, in all circumstances. I have no specific affection towards those
who support me, nor do I speak angry words or have feelings of vengeance
towards those who do not support me. Thus, I have equanimity towards all
people.”
The Bodhisatta was unshakeable and impartial, having no attachment
to people who gave him pleasant things, such as flowers, unguents and
food, and having no anger towards those who disturbed him and made
him suffer.
We read:
“At that time the Buddha taught moderation, he taught not to cling to the
vicissitudes of life. He was equipped with the requisite of enlightenment that
is wisdom and hence he was impartial towards all beings, to those who
supported him as well as those who did not. He finally said: ‘I am
evenminded towards happiness and misery, towards honour and dishonour; I
am impartial towards everything, and this is my perfection of equanimity.’
The perfection of equanimity is evenmindedness, being without happiness
and anguish, like a scale that is well-balanced. The Buddha showed that he
was impartial to all beings and to all vicissitudes of life, and this degree of
equanimity is not common to other people.”
We read in the Commentary to the “Basket of Conduct”:
“The Bodhisatta developed all ten perfections. Beginning with generosity, he
gave away all his possesions and his own body, without concern over
whatever others wanted to do with it. That is the perfection of generosity.
He abstained from whatever was improper and wrong, and that is the
perfection of morality. He developed the perception of the foulness of his
body, he abandoned attachment to sense pleasures, he left his home for the
homeless life, and that is the perfection of renunciation. He was skilled in
the discerning of the dhammas which are a support for the requisites of
enlighhtenment and skilled in the abandoning of the dhammas opposed to
those requisites. He was skilled in considering the specific nature of
beneficial dhammas, discriminating them from dhammas that are not
beneficial, and this is the perfection of paññå.
The disenchantment with sense pleasures and the endeavour to endure
suffering is the perfection of energy. Endurance and forbearance are the
perfection of patience. Truthfulness in speech and in the practice of
abstention from what is wrong is the perfection of truthfulness. The firm,
unshakable practice of what is right is the perfection of determination.
Loving-kindness and affection for all beings without being selective is the
perfection of loving-kindness.”
The Perfection of Equanimity - 187
As regards the perfection of equanimity of the Bodhisatta, this has just
been explained above.
In the “Conduct of Equanimity” of the “Basket of Conduct”, the
perfection of equanimity to the highest degree has been dealt with in
order to proclaim the benefit and the power of the excellent qualities of
the Bodhisatta. We read:
“He gave up his wealth, his circle of relatives, and he left his home, in the
same way as someone who enters the state of monkhood, although he did
not become a monk. He lived in the same way as a monk. The Bodhisatta
did not cling to the state of monkhood, he was averse to favours and praise
that accrue to the monk. The monk must accept the reverence that people
show him, and he strives for the excellence of the status of monkhood. The
Bodhisatta was just a monk at heart, he had the mentality of a monk, and in
this way he lived in utmost happiness.”
Since the Bodhisatta was averse to favours and praise that come with
monkhood, he did not go forth. However, he was a monk at heart and
developed kusala; in this way others would in truth respect him, even
though he had not gone forth.
We read further on:
“He had the highest degree of contentment with little, he delighted in
tranquillity, he had no concern for his body and his life, because his aim was
equanimity. He practised the abandonment of defilements to the highest
degree, he endured the depraved deeds from others. He had the firm
determination to diminish the defilements which were opposed to the
requisites of enlightenment by evenmindedness in all respects. This caused
him to be moderate in everything, to be impartial towards others who
supported him and to those who did not. His life was like that of an arahat
and hence he did not cling to the vicissitudes of life. He reached the peak of
the perfection of equanimity, and as such it is pre-eminently a perfection
leading to the awakening of a Buddha (Buddha påramí).”
The perfection of equanimity includes impartiality towards all beings
and this is most difficult to practise.
The ten perfections are:
generosity, dåna,
morality, síla,
renunciation, nekkhamma,
188 - The Perfections
wisdom, paññå,
energy, viriya
patience, khanti
truthfulness, sacca,
determination, adițțhåna,
loving-kindness, mettå,
equanimity, upekkhå.
We should not neglect anyone of these ten perfections, we need all of
them. We need sincerity in the abandonment of defilements and that is
the perfection of truthfulness. We should remember to think of other
people’s wrongs with loving-kindness. We also need the perfection of
determination, the firm, unshakable determination to practise all kinds
of kusala in order to reach the goal. We may have sincerity in our wish
to abandon defilements, but at times we lack determination, we are not
firm enough in our determination to abandon defilements. We need the
perfection of determination for being sincere in our practice to eradicate
defilements.
We need the perfection of patience, that is, endurance. We need to
develop all the perfections and this is the only way to have wise
attention to whatever we experience, to develop paññå.
The Perfection of Equanimity - 189
The Defilements of the Perfections
When attachment arises, when we have enjoyment and clinging, the ten
perfections are defiled. The defilements of each of the ten perfections
are explained as follows:
“Taken separately, discriminating thoughts (vikappa) over gifts and
recipients are the defilement of the perfection of giving.”
Sometimes when we perform deeds of generosity we are selective with
regard to the receiver or we have discriminating thoughts about the
gifts, by attachment, aversion, fear or delusion. Then the perfection of
generosity is defiled, it is not pure. The perfection of generosity should
be developed towards all beings, without discrimination. If we have
discriminating thoughts over gifts and recipients, we should investigate
the characteristic of the perfection of generosity. At such moments it is
defiled, it is not pure. We should have a refined knowledge of the
perfections in daily life. They have to be developed life after life in the
cycle of birth and death so that they reach fulfilment.
We read with regard to the perfection of morality:
“Discriminating thoughts over beings and times are the defilement of the
perfection of virtue.”
Sometimes we can observe morality towards particular persons, to
people we respect such as our parents. We may observe morality by
showing respect to them in our gestures and speech, but we cannot do
the same to other people. Or we may have discriminating thoughts as to
190 - The Perfections
the time of observing morality, we observe it only on Uposatha day 1 or
a particular day we select to observe the precepts, and then we may
believe that we are perfect in morality, although at other days we do
not observe morality. That is the defilement of the perfection of virtue
or morality. We read further on in the Commentary to the “Basket of
conduct” about the defilement of the other perfections as follows:
“Discriminating thoughts of delight in sense pleasures and existence, and of
discontent with their pacification, are the defilement of the perfection of
renunciation. Discriminating thoughts of "I" and "mine" are the defilement of
the perfection of wisdom...”
Even when we think in that way of paññå, it is already defiled, we have
attachment to the thought of “my paññå”. We read further on about the
defilement of the perfections:
“Discriminating thoughts leaning to listlessness and restlessness, (are
defilements) of the perfection of energy; discriminating thoughts of oneself
and others, (are defilements) of the perfection of patience; discriminating
thoughts of avowing to have seen what was not seen, etc., (are defilements)
of the perfection of truthfulness; discriminating thoughts perceiving flaws in
the requisites of enlightenment and virtues in their opposites, (are
defilements) of the perfection of determination; discriminating thoughts
confusing what is harmful with what is beneficial, (are defilements) of the
perfection of loving-kindness; and discriminating thoughts over the desirable
and undesirable, (are defilements) of the perfection of equanimity. Thus the
defilements should be understood.”
At times we can have equanimity with regard to the undesirable but not
with regard to the desirable.
The more we understand the Dhamma in detail, the more will we be
inclined to practise the Dhamma. Formerly we may have thought that
we could not practise the perfections, that they were beyond our reach.
However, if we see the benefit of each of the perfections, and if we
gradually develop them, they will eventually become accomplished. We
can verify for ourselves that listening to the Dhamma and studying it is
of the utmost benefit. It will enable us to apply the Dhamma in our
daily lives, to develop satipațțhåna together with all the perfections.
1 Uposatha day is a day of vigilance, which is the full-moon day, the new-moon
day, and the days of the first and the last moon-quarter. Buddhist lay followers
usually visit on these days the monasteries and observe five or eight precepts.
The Defilements of the Perfections - 191
192 - The Perfections
Glossary - 193
Buddhaghosa the greatest of Commentators on the Tipițaka, author
of the Visuddhimagga in the fifth century A.D.
194 - The Perfections
Glossary - 195
The end of suffering
196 - The Perfections
Glossary - 197
198 - The Perfections
agreeable to others
vyåpåda-vitakka thought of malevolence
yoghas The yokes, a group of defilements
yoniso manasikåra wise attention to the object
Glossary - 199
200 - The Perfections
Glossary - 201
202 - The Perfections
Glossary - 203