So sutta 16, Cetokhila Sutta, The Wilderness In the Heart.
Thus have I heard, on one occasion the Blessed One was living
at Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's park.
There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus".
"Venerable sir" they replied.
The Blessed One said this: "bhikkhus,
that any bhikkhu who has not abandoned
5 wildernesses in the heart and not severed
5 shackles in the heart should come to
growth, increase and fulfillment
in this Dhamma and Discipline - that is impossible.
What, bhikkhus are the five wildernesses
in the heart that he has not abandoned?
Here a bhikkhu is doubtful, uncertain,
undecided and unconfident about the
Teacher, and thus his mind does not incline
to ardour, devotion, perseverance and
striving. As his mind does not incline to
ardour, devotion, perseverance and striving,
that is the first wilderness in the heart
that he has not abandoned."
So that means the first one is they don't have
the faith, confidence in the Buddha. The teacher,
that's the Buddha so they have no faith.
It's important we have the faith but it has to come
from the right understanding. For example, someone
have doubt whether the Buddha is a special being..
Lots of people are saying it's impossible to get
enlightened so we better practice to be born in a
better place or a heavenly realm. So people say
that, some Buddhists say that! They find it's
impossible to become enlightened.
So they have doubt - whether this is beyond me,
whether the Buddha exists. They have doubt whether
the Buddha is an ordinary being and whether they can
get enlightened. So when you have doubt you will not
be inspired and you wil not arouse that energy to
practice, isn't it? Because you have doubts.
For example, something that you have no faith.
Yes? [question from audiece]
This is they have the confidence and faith in the
Buddha. We have no faith, but this faith come from
the right understanding. For example, some people
may have lots of faith in the Buddha and they think
the Buddha.. they pray to Buddha,
they pray very hard
and they believe in the Buddha, they have a very strong faith.
But it doesn't come from the right understanding, that is from
the wrong view. Maybe some people think if they have
faith in the Buddha so maybe their life, everything,
will go well for them. And then some have difficulties in their life
so they say it's not working - I have faith
in the Buddha, I pray so hard - and some misfortune still
happens to me. So this is not come from right
understanding and the mind will not incline harder.
Ardour means you have that inspiration, which gives
rise to determination. That is the energy, the noble
energy, not the kind of energy that you want to do
something you want to get something.
Later the Buddha will explain that
in terms of the Iddhipada.
This is the noble power. So for example,
someone have this wrong view of the Buddha so they
take Buddha as a God. So they have very strong faith
in the Buddha but that is not from the right view,
not from the right understanding, that is wrong view.
So then if you don't have the faith, and you have doubt,
and you're not confident that you'll be able to
put into practice, then you will not strive.
We will not persevere, isn't it? Will not. Because,
"I'm not really sure that the Buddha he himself got enlightened"
Then you will not arouse that energy to do the practice,
to put forth effort into the practice.
So this is what is meant by no faith.
Sometimes if you arouse faith, then you put forth effort.
Sometimes it's not necessary that you start with
the Buddha - that you have faith in the Buddha
and then you have faith in the Dhamma.
Sometimes it can be the other way around.
Now the second one, the Buddha said:
"Again a Bhikkhu is doubtful, uncertain, undecided
and unconfident about the Dhamma...
As his mind does not incline to ardour, perseverance,
striving, devotion... that is the second wilderness in
the heart that he has not abandoned"
You have doubt about the Dhamma, that's the Buddhist teaching,
the truth. The Dhamma always refers to the law of kamma.
So if someone has doubt, "I don't believe there is
rebirth", this law of kamma, whatever we do has no consequence.
So you will not really strive, to really
put forth effort to really live a skillful life.
So you will not have that inspiration.
For example, someone come across to the
Buddhist teaching and they say oh yeah it's
very inspiring, who said that?
Oh yeah, it's the Buddha.
Because they have the faith in the Dhamma,
the teaching, then they have the faith in the Buddha.
So it can be the other way around.
Because you listen to the Dhamma and you
feel so inspired. All of you come here and listen to
the suttas and feel inspired and then you
put forth effort to do the practice.
This is the second wilderness in the heart.
A wilderness in the heart means a barrier,
like a stump. Some translate Cetokhila as a stump.
It stop you from growing further, because if
you have this in the heart it will stop you from
going further. So if you don't have the faith,
and no confidence in the Buddha and no confidence
in the Dhamma, it will stop you because you
will not put forth effort, you will not strive.
You will not persevere to keep going because
you have doubt. If you have that it is really a stumbling
block, a barrier stopping us going further.
That is the second wilderness in the heart the Buddha mentioned.
"So again a Bhikkhu is doubtful, uncertain,
undecided and unconfident about the Sangha.
As his mind does not incline to ardour,
devotion, perseverance, and striving
that is the third wilderness in the heart
that he has not abandoned."
So for example, some people they come across
to monks or nuns and they find them very inspiring.
The way they conduct themself, they are full
of loving kindness, and they feel that when
they be with this person they become
very peaceful and very calm and they feel very inspiring.
Then they will start to put forth.. oh I would like to..
have someone right in front of them that
have this very peaceful and calm, and actually
Bhikkhu Bodhi is one of the very good example.
When he was about 10, the first monk he
met, a Vietnamese monk. And the first time he met he was very young
and was really struck by the tranquility
of this monk, very peaceful and very calm,
the serenity, and it give him a very strong
impact on his mind - he say "oh wow,
I have never seen a being like that before, a man
so calm and so peaceful".
This really had a strong impact on his mind.
And as all of you know, even this Majjhima
Nikaya, Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi
translate these suttas. So actually he actually
see a monk on the street, he didn't even know this
monk walking on the street, and he was so inspired
by how this monk is so peaceful and so calm.
And he was inspired and later he became a monk.
So sangha means those who listen to the
Buddhist teaching and put into practice to get
enlightened.
If you have the faith, the confidence in the Sangha
then you have the confidence in the teaching
and then you have the confidence in the Buddha, the teacher.
So it's not necessary to come from the Buddha
the Dhamma the Sangha. You can come from meeting some monks or nuns
in your life that really inspire you and you then start to practice.
Then you can go from the sangha to the dhamma and the Buddha.
So maybe from the Buddha-Dhamma to the Sangha or to the Buddha
So it's not necessary that you have to go
according to the sequence Buddha Dhamma Sangha.
"So again a Bhikkhu is doubtful, uncertain,
undecided and unconfident about the training.
As his mind does not incline to ardour,
perseverance, devotion and striving
that is the fourth wilderness in the heart
that he has not abandoned."
The training is not only the training rules,
for example, when the Buddha speaks to the monks
it not only refers to the training rules, the
patimoka, the vinya rules. It's only part of the sila.
So actually it's actually refers to the
whole path of practice, the Noble Eightfold Path.
That is you have to have the sila, samadhi
and panya. That is morality. So morality is the
foundation of a peaceful mind, the cultivation
of the mind. So the samadhi is not only sitting
in meditation.. To have the cultivation of the mind
the samadhi group needs to have three -
the mindfulness, stillness, calmness and effort.
The effort always refers to the four right efforts
because mindfulness itself is not enough.
You're just knowing, just mindful. So for exampe, you have unwholesome
thoughts arising, so anger, it's an unwholesome
state of mind and you're aware of that.
But because you haven't cultivated the calmness,
the stillness, you won't be able to hold yourself
and each time you think - I should have held myself!
I shouldn't do that again! We do that again because
you don't have the stillness, the calmness
to hold the mind. So actually it's not easy to
have the unreactive awareness so you need to have
the calmness, the stillness, the concentration to be
able to hold the mind and not react.
Also you need to put forth effort, that is the four
right effort to stop the mind, to have a break.
To stop the mind from going further, to stop
the mind to avoid the unwholesome states of mind
like anger, greediness, you know you stop that, avoid that.
but if it's already arisen then you
abandon this unwholesome state of mind
abandon, for example, ill-will or anger.
then you replace by a thought of loving kindness,
a wholesome thought.
then you maintain that, then this unwholesome
state of mind will not arise.
This is the four right efforts.
This three together, this mindfullness, stillness
and right effort,
if these three, they intertwine together they
become very powerful and solid.
If you have only mindfulness it snaps very easily
because it's not strong it's not powerful enough,
it's not solid.
But only with concentrations, some people try
very hard concentration but without the mindfulness.
They just focus. I remember someone told me when we were in the monastery.
and someone stay in the monastery and some of the food
goes off and this person say, "I didn't know
that the food was already off, because I just focus
on chewing chewing chewing chewing."
So I mean it's not very good, just the focus itself.
So not knowing they're not even aware what is that.
It's not wrong that we know the taste whether
it's sour or sweet. You're mindful of what you're eating.
It's not just the chewing itself.
Sometimes it become blur, no awareness,
not bright the mind, you know, just chewing chewing chewing
and then the food rotten they don't even know, they just swallow it.
You know when an unwholesome state arises you know
that if you react to that emotion it's going to
lead us to suffering. It causes harm to others
and to ourself. We know the danger of that.
We're aware of that.
And then you'll be able to put forth effort and
also you have the awareness and stillness and
calmness to hold yourself.
Your mind is strong enough to hold.
Of course it's not easy to avoid this and avoid that
But sometimes again and again lots of people
find themselves that they shouldn't have done that
but they still couldn't hold, couldn't bite back
their tongue and not say something.
So you do need that, you know, the cultivation
of the mind is not only mindfulness, it's
not only stillness, it's effort. These three
have to come together. Of course this has to be
supported by sila (morality). So morality is important,
it's the foundation for a peaceful mind.
Because if you're not, so because, if you have
done something that you know, causes harm to others
and to ourself too, isn't it, if you have done
something you feel is not quite right.
And your mind you feel go on and on and on.
It's very difficult to be peaceful, it's just natural.
It's just like the Buddha said, it's natural.
You live a virtuous life, you expect that leads to
gladness when you're virtuous person.
It's natural that you have the gladness.
When you do something good you feel good
about yourself. That is natural the Buddha, said,
whether you want it or not.
It happens by itself, it's natural, it naturally leads
you to that direction. So when you have the gladnes
then you have the peace, joy, you have the energy.
So when you have the joy you have the energy.
Then you have this happiness. That's why it's always
that happiness comes first. Before the stillness.
So you have the joy, the tranquility, then you have
the happiness, then your mind still. Why?
When you're happy then you're content, you don't go anywhere.
You're just happy to be there, you're just happy in this moment.
Why some people run away from this moment? Because they're not happy.
Usually people are restless because they're unhappy.
When someone is unhappy they're restless, the mind always wonder off.
So that's why it's important, the happiness. If you want to cultivate
a peaceful mind to develop the wisdom, happiness
actually is the pre-requisite.
This Buddhist path is actually a happy path.
You need to have the happiness first, to come first,
then only you'll be able to focus. Only through the still mind
where the insight arises from when the five
hindrances abandoned - then you have clarity of mind
then you can see things as they really are.
You see one thing leading to another.
And it happens by itself. It's not through willpower,
it's not through trying to control. You can't make it happen, it happens by itself.
So the morality is the foundation for a peaceful mind.
A peaceful mind is the foundation for development
of this wisdom. So the whole training the whole path
is referred to the Noble Eightfold Path,
that is the sila-sammadhi-panya, this whole path of practice
So if you have no confidence
have no faith in this training, the Noble Eightfold Path,
you will not strive, isn't it, you will not persevere
You will not arouse energy to do the practice, you won't.
That's why it says this is the fourth wilderness in the heart.
So if we have this wilderness in the heart, that is
a barrier, it stops us from going further to have
growth in the Dhamma.
So again the Buddha goes down to the fifth wilderness in the heart.
"Again a bhikkku is angry and displeased with
his companions in the holy life life, resentful,
callous towards them, and thus his mind does not
incline to ardour, devotion, perseverance and striving.
As his mind does not incline to ardour, devotion
perseverance and striving, that is the fifth
wilderness in the heart that he has not abandoned."
So if someone constantly has lots of ill-will, anger
towards the companion in the holy life, it's just like
for example if in the family you have lots of anger
towards you partner, you know, or maybe in your place
with your colleagues, constantly you have lots of ill-will,
you will not arouse that inspiration because your
mind is disturbed and you're obsessed with that.
Each time you come back because normally when we
have lots of anger, very easily you get depressed.
So when you depressed, the energy is really low.
Just imagine constantly your mind is obsessed with that,
you think you will have energy to practice?
To arouse energy? No, you can't because the mind
constantly you go back, thinking about, at home
this person said that, that person said that,
and that is really a stumbling block.
It really stops us from going further because we always
think that the problem is outside, but actually it's not.
The anger arises within our own mind, sometimes we think the
person made me angry, the person is the one who,
they are the one, they make me angry because of them
my suffering comes from the other person.
Yesterday I mentioned about one of the ladies
just recently she told me that when she was really
stressed out she planned
she said she really had the planning to kill her boss.
She do all the planning because
at that moment she thinks that her suffering comes from the boss.
The boss gives her too much work, and she worked till midnight
and the next morning she still takes work back home to work
till 3am. And she go back to work again and to
a point that she's completely stressed out.
She said she became depressed, lots of anger, she depressed.
She planned to kill [laugh] her. And then she
planned after killing her boss she would jump down
from the.. because she was working in Singapore
which has lots of high-rise buildings, so she
planned she'd jump down from the building, she said,
this is what she planned. And when she told her
sister, her sister said, "you're crazy",
you just change your job [laughs], why do you want to kill your boss?
But at that moment you don't.. we get stuck you know
because our mind, once our mind thinks that object
is a problem, so we get sucked in.
All we think is how bad is that person is.
Again and again, we get lost. Sometimes it's just amazing
some people commit suicide because of small thing,
because you focus on that, it manifest, and then you
become unbearable, you think that is your problem.
So your mind is there, because of anger you will not be
able to live harmoniously with your companion in the
holy life or your partner, because you have lots
of anger, you're not at ease and at peace
and that is really draining, you have no energy, you
cannot strive, you have no energy to practice because
it's really draining, especially with this unwholesome
state of mind. Your mind go in there.
That's why, if you can see the problem comes
from ourself then we can ask ourself, do I have
thoughts of loving kindness towards that person?
So if we can't, at least we can wish ourself,
that at least I have no ill-will towards that person,
that at least we take away, have a break from
going on and on. Because once we go in we're sucked in.
And then we just get lost. So when you have that you can't
arouse the energy at all, no energy, so that's why
sometimes, it goes on and on, and it disturbs the mind.
So that is the anger.
So actually in the other suttas the Buddha did
mention how to deal with this unwholesome state of mind.
Especially the anger.
Which sutta.. Actually the Buddha did mention...
In one of the suttas the Buddha did mention that there
is five steps to stop the mind. I think that is the
Vitakkasanthana Sutta - The Removal of Distracting Thoughts.
The Buddha did mention how when we have these
unwholesome thoughts, for example you have this
anger, ill-will, towards someone. So you feel like
"I'm going to strangle him!"
It's really angry. So the Buddha said then you have to
replace with a thought of loving kidness.
So after doing that, the Buddha said that's the first step
and if that doesn't work and you still want to
strangle that person then you come to the second step.
Then you reflect on the danger of that.
You know, the danger if you react and go on and on
then you do something that will hurt yourself and others.
So you reflect on the danger of that.
Then after doing that, you still very angry, you
still want to strangle that person, so the Buddha said
you go to the third step, that is you try to remove yourself
Not to pay attention on that. If you can physically
remove yourself then it's good. That is the best way.
But if you can't then you try to not pay attention to that.
Maybe pay attention to other things.
Or not to focus on that. So Buddha said that is the
third step. So after doing that, you still want to strangle
that person so you have to come to the fourth step really.
The fourth one is when you pacify the thought,
that is you use something like, you keep telling yourself
"calm down, calm down" because when you put your
attention to the noting, to the words,
like "calm calm calm", then your attention
is not on the person, isn't it?
Then on the words like "calm calm calm "
Or "make peace, make peace, make peace"
So then it's a break, then you will not go further.
Then after that, after the fourth step, you still want to strange the person!
So there is no more. The fifth one is the last step the Buddha said.
So you really have to clench your teeth.
You have to suppress yourself to not do that.
Because you're going to strangle someone!
This one you do it with awareness, it's not that you're
not knowing, you're knowing that if you go
further then you will do something that causes lots
of harm to yourself and to others.
Because you're going to harm someone, then you have
to suppress. But of course after doing the fourth step
that is the last one. But if you always do that
when anger come up, you just suppress, then it's no good.
Then you become mental habitual pattern that you're suppressing all the time.
When you suppress all the time, this will explode.
Usually if you follow instruction by the time you
go to fourth step your anger will subside quite a bit
after you try the first step not working, you try the second
the third, the fourth. Come to the fourth pretty much your
anger will subside quite a bit. So in the other suttas
the Buddha did mention.. but I just gave you the gist
of that. You can read the suttas about that.
That's why it's important if you have lots of anger
that really stop as from striving, to arouse
the energy because it's draining, you have no energy.
So that is the fifth wilderness in the heart the Buddha
said that stops us from having growth in the Dhamma to fulfillment.
Then the Buddha said:
"These are five wildernesses in the heart
that he has not abandoned."
Now the Buddha went on to say,
"What bhikkhus, are the five shackles in the heart
that he has not severed? Here a bhikkhu is
not free from lust, desire, affection, thirst,
fever, craving for sensual pleasures, and thus
his mind does not incline to ardour,
devotion, perseverance and striving.
As his mind does not incline to ardour, devotion,
perseverance and striving, that is the
first shackle in the heart that he has not severed."
So that is we're craving the sensory pleasure, that is the senses, we're attached to that.
So then the shackles mean that we're bound by that
so we cannot escape. That is the one that tie us down,
the sensory pleasure.
So for example, if our mind is constantly thinking about getting
good food, you know, all your energy is going to there
actually this energy is going out.
This kind of energy, of course, the Buddha never
denied happiness from the senses. We do have happiness.
But that kind of happiness is not the wholesome
happiness. This is unwholesome happiness.
This kind of happiness leads us to more suffering.
It won't lead us to peace.
Only the happiness within. The Buddha always encourage us
to persue the happiness within ourself.
Only that happiness within ourself, it leads to peace and calm.
Because this kind of happiness is going out,
it won't lead us to peace, to calm.
For example, you listen to a Dhamma and you're inspired
you have lots of joy after listening to the teaching.
Because this does not rely on the senses, this is within ourself
so it's not dependent on the senses but is independent,
so within yourself. So normally with the inspiration,
with the joy, that leads you to, you have the energy.
Joy is one of the factors of enlightenment, that
leads you to peace and happiness, and
then development of the wisdom.
Once again if we persue that kind of happiness
from the senses then we will be bound by that
then we will not have growth in the Dharmma.
We won't have fulfillment, we will not have progress in our practice.
So this is the first shackle that the Buddha mentions.
"Then again, a bhikkhu is not free from lust, desire,
affection, thirst, fever and craving for the body,
...as his mind does not inline to ardour,
devotion, perseverance and striving, that is the
second shackle in the heart that he has not severed."
That is, we're attached to the body.
So we're attached to this body, we think that, you know, we have this..
For example, myself, when I was young,
when I was in my twenties, I was very attached to my
appearance, you know.. I like to go to beaty salon,
I spent hours there. I even take to my eyebrow [laughs].
So I was thinking, I don't have to do it every day,
you save the problem [laughing].
This is the attachment to the body and then use lots of energy
by thinking, spending lots of time doing that.
So if you spend time there you will not arouse that energy
to strive, to practice, isn't it?
You will not persevere. You don't have the inspiration, you know?
It's just the craving, because we're attached to this body so much
attached to our appearence, we want people to praise us,
"oh you look nice", we're attached to that because
it gives us a sense of self, who we are.
So we're attached to our self, to our own body the Buddha said.
Then this is also we're bound by that
If we have that, if we haven't severed this one, the attachment
to the body, then we're bound by that
then we will not have growth in the Dhamma, we will not have progress
in the Dhamma. Then the Buddha continued:
"A bhikkhu is not free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever and craving for form..
As his mind does not incline to ardour, perseverance,
devotion and striving, that is the third shackle in the heart
that he has not severed."
This is more attachment to the form, form is actually referred to
attachment to other people or the things that we want
like we're craving for a new car, we craving for material things,
so we strive to get that, so that is not the right striving
this is the wrong effort.
Sometimes we strive very hard to get what we want, we strive
to get the material things, we strive to have all those enjoyments,
indulging the sensory pleasure.
So this type of striving, not to strive to get things.
Actually the striving is to stop.
So it's very difficult to stop isn't it?
So we strive to stop, and not strive to get things.
So we crave for things, material things, that is the third
shackle that the Buddha mentioned in the heart.
Then, "...that he has not severed", so this is the third shackle.
Then "Again, a bhikkhu eats as much as he likes until his belly
is full and indulges in the pleasures of sleeping, lolling and drowsing
and his mind does not incline to ardour, perseverance, devotion
and striving, that is the fourth shackle in the heart
that he has not severed."
Sometimes people like the pleasure of drowsiness,
you're just drowsy, you know, because,
this is one of the way that some people use, as a way because
it's unskillful, to face the pain in their life or the emotion,
the negative emotion, so they try to run away
by using, sometimes people, some people when they're
depressed they sleep a lot.
And this is one of the ways to escape, running away from
dealing, looking at our pain, our problem.
I remember when I was in Thailand so the place where we stayed,
is the women's section, the kutis there [???]
and one of the ladies there, she told me
how she have lots of fear, she was really terrified.
Initially she was quite okay, until one day because we had someone pass away
they cremate in the monastery and for Thai custom they
have the ceremony of washing the hands before they cremate
so she looked at the dead body, the face, [???], and then next day
with the cremation, and after a few days the family came and
collected the ashes and put into the wall.
And actually the wall is just a wall of the area where we stay
and her kuti was quite close to the wall.
After that she couldn't sleep. She was really terrified. Lots of fear.
And so one of the way she helped herself deal with her
fear, you know what she did?
She shut herself off.
She went to bed at 7, she wake up at 7.
Her mind totally shut off. She said because she can't deal with that.
This is how we sometimes like to sleep, you know, so we don't have
to look at the pain. That's why sometimes we take
alcohol or drugs because it's too painful, they can't deal with that.
So it's unskillful, so they use it as a way to run away from the
pain, the problem they have to face. Because it's painful.
It's not easy. They use this as a way to escape.
That's why it's enjoy sleeping, enjoy with the drowsiness,
because when you're drowsy you're not awake so you will not think of your problem anymore.
So this is one of the way.
So if you always do that, we're bound by that,
we will not have growth in the Dhamma,
we will not progress in our practice.
So the Buddha says, "this is the fourth shackle in the heart
that he has not severed.
Again, a bhikkhu leads the holy life aspiring to
some order of gods thus: "by this virtue or observance or asceticism
or holy life I shall become a great god or some lesser god."
and thus his mind does not incline to ardour, devotion,
perseverance and striving. As his mind does not incline to
ardour, devotion, perseverance and striving, this is the
fifth shackle in the heart that he has not severed.
These are the five shackles in the heart that he has not severed", the Buddha says.
So the fifth one is sometimes people pray to the god and they thought
they do all this practice, and they want to be born into the heavenly realm,
they don't want to be, they have no interest. So you still want
to exist, they're still craving to exist, in a heavenly realm.
So if you have that, then you're still bound by that.
One of my friends, many years ago, my Dhamma friend, she said to me that
she doesn't want to attain nibbana, that she wanted to be a god. [laughs]
She want to be born in a heavenly realm, she said.
Her main purpose of offering lots of danas,
doing all the Dhamma work, for her, her intention is to be born in heaven.
She told me, she say, I'm interested in, I only want to be
reborn in heaven so for her this is her intention, so she's bound by that.
She still want to come back. She still wants to exist.
When we want to be then we come back again and again.
So we're bound by that. So no escape. Then we will not have any
progress in the practice, or it's impossible that we have fulfillment in the
Dhamma and the discipline.
So "these are the five shackles in the heart that he has not severed."
So "bhikhus, let any bhikkhu...", so basically this explain all the sutta and now
this is the repeat, so I'll read the repeat
"bhkikkus that any bhikkhu who has abandoned the five wildernesses in the heart
and severed five shackles in the heart should come
to growth, increase and fulfillment in this Dhamma and Discipline
that is possible. What bhikkhus are the five wildernessses in the heart
that he has abandoned? Here a bhikkhu is not doubtful, uncertain, undecided
or unconfident about the teacher and thus his mind incline to ardour, devotion,
perseverance and striving. As his mind inclines to ardour, devotion,
perseverance and striving, the first wilderness in
the heart has been abandoned by him.
And then again, a bhikkhu is not doubtful, uncertain, undecided or unconfident about the Dhamma...
As his mind inclines to ardour, perseverance, striving, devotion,
the second wilderness in the heart has been abandoned by him.
Again, a bhikkhu is not doubtful, uncertain, undecided or unconfident about the Sangha.
As his mind inclines to ardour, devotion,
perseverance, striving, the third wilderness in the heart has been
abandoned by him. Again, a bikkhu is not doubtful, uncertain,
undecided, or unconfident about the training, and his mind inclines
to ardour, perseverance, devotion, striving, this fourth wilderness
in the heart has been abadoned by him.
Again, a bhikkhu is not angry and displeased with his companions in the holy life,
nor resentful and callous towards then, and thus his mind inclines to ardour, devotion,
perseverance and striving. As his mind inclines to ardour, devotion,
perseverance and striving this fifth wilderness in the heart
has been abandoned by him.
So these are the five wilderness in the heart that he has abandoned.
So, what bhikkhus are the five shackles in the heart that he has severed?
Here a bhikkhu is free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever and
craving for sensual pleasure and thus his mind inclines to ardour, devotion,
perseverance and striving. As his mind inclines to ardour, devotion,
perseverance and striving, this first shackle
in the heart has been severed by him.
Again, a bhikkhu is free from lust, desire, affection, thirst, fever and craving for the body.
As his mind inclines to ardour, devotion, perseverance, striving,
this second shackle in the heart has been severed by him.
Again, a bhikkhu is free from lust, desires, affection, thirst, fever
and craving for form... As his mind inclines to ardour, perseverance, devotions,
striving, this third shackle in the heart has been severed by him.
Again, a bhikkhu does not eat as much as he likes until his belly is full and
does not indulge in the pleasure of sleeping, lolling and drowsing
as his mind inclines to ardour, perseverance, devotion, striving
this fourth shackle in the heart has been severed by him.
Again, a bhikkhu does not live the holy life
aspiring to some order of gods thus, "by this virtue or observance or asceticm
or holy life I shall become great god, or some lesser god,
and thus his mind inclines to ardour, devotion, perseverance and striving.
As his mind inclines to ardour, devotion, perseverance and striving,
this fifth shackle in the heart has been severed by him.
These are the five shackles in the heart that he has severed.
So bhikkhus, that any bhikkhu who has abandoned these five wildernesses in
the heart and severed these five shackles in the heart should come to growth, increase
and fulfilment in this Dhamma and Disciple - that is possible.
So he develops the basis of spiritual power
consisting of concentration due to zeal and determined striving.
He develops the basis of spiritual power consisting of
concentration due to energy and determined striving.
He develops the basis of spiritual power consisting in
concentration due to purity of mind and determined striving.
He develops the basis of spiritual power consisting of concentration
due to investigation and determined striving.
And enthusiasm is the fifth"
So that is the Buddha saying about the iddhipada, that is the
four roots to success, the four roots to power.
This is the the Nyanatiloka explanation of this iddhipada,
iddhi means power, a magical power, and sometimes they translate
as this heroic power, because for example,
we're inspired and we arouse that energy.
The iddhipada roots to power consist of four qualities,
these four qualities indicate the root to power connected with
form by way of preparations, the root to the power constituting
the fruits of the path, namely concentration of intention.
Then you have this intention, accompanied by effort of view.
That's why sometimes when we start we have to have a little
bit of view, good view, accompanied by the effort of view.
We have this determination, so we have this
view to do the practice. That is what it means by "chanda-sammadhi",
Like for us for example, for the bhikkhu and bhikkhunis if we're not
not be able to attend the, for example, we have sangha-kamma,
we will send our consent - please my consent of
whatever you discuss, or I give my chanda.
They also translate as concentration of intention accompanied by effort of view.
So concentrations of energy, the virya-sammadhi, so the sammadhi based
on this energy that is a kind of heroic energy.
So the concentrations based on the chita-sammadhi, that is
the concentrations of consciousness,
and the concentration of investigation accompanied by
effort of view. So this is the iddhipada, so you've got to have
the desire. Someone went to Ananda, ask, you know, you've got to have the desires
to do the practice. So you've got to the have desires to abandon the desires
that lead us to rebirth. So it's not all desires that are no good.
Lots of people think that arahant is like a vegetable-person,
they have no feelings, no desires, so if you have no desires
you will not eat, you will starve to death,
if you have no desires you can't go to the toilet.
So it's not all desires that have the results, desires to do the practice.
So when you have the desires you start to arouse the energy
for example you have the desire to come here to listen,
to come here for this sutta class.
So you have these desires, isn't it? To listen to the dhamma.
Then you arouse the energy, this is the noble energy, noble power,
it's related to the fruits, to the path, it relates to the freedom,
it's the wholesome energy, it's not those kinds of energy
that we arouse to get something or to try to hurt someone,
that kind of energy is unwholesome but this is the wholesome.
We arouse the energy, you've got to arouse the energy to put forth
effort to come here. Then you have to apply the mind.
Oh yes, this is what I'm going to do - come here.
Then you investigate, you have to plan how to come here, isn't it?
This is the iddhipada, four roots to power.
So the Buddha said, "and the last one enthusiasm."
We have to have the enthusiasm, then we will be able to continue,
to have the perseverance.
It's important because we have been wondering in the samsara
countless lifetimes. That's why sometimes when we read the suttas
there is the Buddha giving the teaching to his monk, his discipline,
and no long time and they become an arahant.
And we say wow it's so easy.
So maybe for the Buddha twenty, thirty, years may be no long time.
Actually if you compare to the countless lifetimes
that we're in samsara, actually twenty, thirty years is no long time. [laughs]
So that's why you need to have the enthusiasm to keep going.
So sometimes you think were getting nowhere, have no progress
and then we put off, not to continue to practice.
It's a lifetime practice. You keep practicing.
So we need to have the enthusiasm to keep practising and this is the fifth.
So, "A bhikkhu who thus possesses the fifteen factors including enthusiasm is
capable of breaking out, capable of enlightenment, capable of attaining
the supreme security from bondage.
Suppose there were a hen with eight, ten, twelve eggs,
which she has covered, incubated and nurtured properly.
Even though she did not wish, 'ohhh that my chicks may pierce
their shells with the points of their claws and beaks and
hatch out safely.' Yet, the chicks are capable of piercing
their shells with the points of their claws and their beaks
and hatching out safely. So too a bhikkhu who thus possesses
fifteen factors including enthusiasm, is capable of
breaking off, capable of enlightenment,
capable of attaining supreme security from bondage."
This is, like, the Buddha gives the simile of the hen sitting on the eggs,
it's just like the practice. If you sit long enough, whether you want it or not,
whether you want to get enlightened or not,
it's going to happen.
You don't have to wish - may I get enlightened.
No, if you follow the teaching of the Buddha, you follow the instructions,
you forth put into practice, that is the result of that.
So the Buddha's teaching of non-self, we can't make it happen,
it happens by itself. So the hens don't have to wish - may my eggs hatch -
they'll hatch by itself whether you want it or not.
So whether you want to get enlightened or not,
you will get enlightened. So if you are following the path,
and if you're on the path, it's just a matter of time.
You just keep practicing.
"That is what the blessed one said. The bhikkhus were satisfied
and delighted in the blessed one's words."
So this is the end of the sutta.
Any questions or comments?
Yes
Man from audince: Out of these five shackles,
is there any one more important or let's say supreme?
Venerable Hasapanna: actually it's not one, or which one, is important,
it's just that some people have particular, or more strong with this.
That's why it's important when we read the suttas we know
for ourself, this is our weak point.
Maybe, we are, some people more attached to attached to the body - this
is your problem, or this is my problem.
So you put more effort. This is the area you need to work with.
Because different people have different attachments.
Different defilements. Like sometimes this is a problem to someone
then it's not a problem to another person.
This is why it's important when we read these suttas
that we check what are the areas we need to improve.
So does that answer your question?
Yeah.. so the Buddha said as long as you have these shackles you are bound by that.
Some people might not have the.. maybe the fifth one is not strong.
They totally do not, never want to become reborn in
the heavenly realm. But maybe sometimes people like to
sleep a lot. Then this is something we need to work with.
Then we have to look at which areas we always have problem with.
Then this area we have to work with, you know, to improve.
Man from audience: from that sutra we can see that
the attempt is welcome to conquer those attachments,
inferior attachments, by attachment to the practice, the Dhamma.
So is there any step in development of practice where you have
to conquer attachment to knowledge and to the practice itself?
Is there any such state, such level where you have to renounce
even attachment to the practice, the knowledge?
Hasapanna: Can you repeat again, I can't really get...
Man: So to conquer basic attachments, which Buddha talks here.
Hasapanna: what attachment you mean?
Man: those five shackles..
Hasapanna: okay okay, yeah yeah
Man: so we have to cultivate attachment to the practice,
to the knowledge, and with the help of that attachment we overcome
inferior attachments
Hasapanna: Yes that's why the Buddha says..
Man: Is there any further if someone is practising successfully
and he is making good progress, is there such situation
where the practitioner has to renounce even attachment
to the practice and to the knowledge to get to the ultimate liberation.
Hasapanna: Oh this I understand.
So yeah, someone asked me the same question, about how at the beginning
you still have that because we cannot just say let go, let go, you know.
So sometimes we're attached to the wholesome things
rather than attached to the unwholesome things.
So then we let go of the coarser happiness, the lesser happiness,
for the greater happiness. It's just like a stair, a ladder we climb up.
So we let go of that. So of course we still attach to wholesome.
Because we're not enlightened yet. Unless we're enlightened,
you still have sense of self, you still have attachment to sense of self.
But you can tell the difference, for example, after you have practised,
your sense of self become more fluid. You still have the sense of self,
you're still attached to yourself, but at least you
can see that you're happier, you're more relaxed.
You can see, you know if someone happens to take up the path of practice,
to them the sense of self is so solid, so concrete,
whatever unwholesome state they just impulsively react
and create more suffering for themselves.
But you know for yourself, for example, some situations
that in the past cause you lots of suffering, but now you're more relaxed,
and more at ease - that is the progress.
The Buddha said this is the gradual training, this will not
happen overnight. Of course we cannot say let go, let go,
lots of people try to do that, letting go.
You can't do the letting go, the letting go happens by itself.
So you just little by little, that's why it's the gradual training
for example we have to let go of the, like renounce, for example.
Why did the Buddha emphasise generosity, sila you know, sammadhi and panya?
Because generosity helps us to let go.
For example we give away the material things, that is the coarser,
coarser level, the things outside us, the material things.
Then we practice that. Then we can renounce, we can let go of that.
So when we can let go of that.. If we can't let go of the material things
we can't let go of the more subtle defilements, isn't it?
This is how it's the gradual training.
We let go of that then after we'll be able to do that,
then we practise letting go of the coarser,
then we come to more subtle ones, then we let go of our
defilements like greed, hatred and delusion.
So you cannot stop it immediately, because if you can use willpower
to stop it immediately then the Buddhist teaching
of non-self is not the truth.
It's just like for example, you have this defilment. When you react
to the defilement it's just like you kicking the wheel when you react.
So when you kick, when you react, your defilements reinforce your defilements, isn't it?
Your defilements become greater.
So when you don't react, doesn't mean your defilements go away immediately.
It's still there.
So that means you're not kicking the wheel.
But the wheel is still spinning, but the energy becomes slower.
This is how to practice. Each time the defilements kick out,
we do not react to the defilements. Doesn't mean we don't have defilements.
The defilements still there. But the energy becomes weaker.
So the more we do that, each time, then it becomes weaker, weaker, weaker
and it stops by itself. If you leave the wheel by itself it spins, spins, spins,
if you stop kicking it, it stops by itself, isn't it?
You don't have to do anything.
This is why the Buddha said about the hen sitting on the eggs.
So eventually they sow(?). Lots of people think you cannot set, abandon...
no it's the gradual training because we've been conditioned countless lifetimes.
Habitual pattern is very ingrained. So we have to retrain the mind,
direct the mind to the wholesome. Of course we're still attached to the wholesome.
So eventually, when we go beyond wholesome and unwholesome, we don't even attach
to wholesome, that is the enlightenment, that is the goal, that is the nibbana.
Of course we still have attachments, just what you said, because
we cannot just let go immediately.
It's the gradual training. Does this answer your question, make sense to you?
Any more questions, comments? Yes?
Aha, aha
The wisdom arises when the mind is still.
Because when you have these five hindrances
it clouds the mind.
When your mind is cloudy it's very simple, you don't have to have
reached the state of absorption.
For example sometimes we are confused and you really stress out
and you can't think of a way to solve your problem. So when you walk away,
you put it aside, and you make your mind as peaceful as possible,
then ah, I think how to solve the problem!
Because you don't have the clarity, so when you're confused,
don't try to make any decisions when you're confused.
You have to make your mind as peaceful as possible, your mind as peaceful as possible,
and very calm. When you're calm, you can think, isn't it? You have the clarity.
That is where when you have abandoned the five hindrances the mind is clear.
It's just like the moon is so bright, the mind is very bright, without the clouds.
But with the five hindrances, it covers the moon, and it's not bright.
The mind, that is where your wisdom arises, through abandoning
the five hindrances. When you have a peaceful mind, the wisdom arises,
the insight arises. Does that answer your question?
Any more questions?
Okay, so we finish, then we pay respect to the Buddha