On this Vesak Day:

A Reminder to the Way of Dhamma
 

Dr. Most Venerable
Mirisse Dhammika Nayaka Thera

The greatest benefit gained by using the rare opportunity to be born as a human being is the chance of enlightening ourselves on dhamma and practicing in order to end the suffering of the samsara. Even though repeatedly mentioned, why don’t many people contemplate on refraining from the five main akusalakamma and ten akusalakamma? The reason for this is the lack of understanding about the value of rarely born human life. According to the preaching of the Buddha, all beings that are born in thirty-one Sakwalas had been born in the four lower worlds in their previous births. For not being ableto get free from the four lower worlds, they had undergone immence suffering for long Kalpa. Their hads had been decapitated when they were goats, chicken and oxen. Hence, it is noted that the amount of blood flown is more than the quantity of water in the ocean. Being born in the ghost realm, they had consumed filthy food and had been subjected to enormous agony and misery, unfathomable in words. Don’t you and I understand the value of being rarely born as a human being when we closely examin the animal realm, which is one of the lower world’s, with our naked eye? We should not be anxious of our complexion, height or size we got from our birth, if there isn’t a disease.

The Sila made of mind must be maintained in a conventional state and according to the one should not neglect to remember the true state of the present life and also must contemplate on the true state of the woeful samsara. It is most significant to get into the way of dhamma and obtain benefits as sermonized by the Buddha with his distinguished wisdom and immence compassion. Postponement of gaining access to the way of dhamma and hesitate to gain benefits should not be done. The reason for this can be brought forward as even though conventionally it is said that one can have a life span of hundred years, yet many people do not have such a long life span. From the moment an embryo is placed in a mother’s womb, death can occur at any moment. Even during the imprecisely called life span of hundred years, one has to spend it with painful diseases, decaying, separation from loved ones, disregarding unpleasant resolutions. Frustration and grief are generated when things do not happen the way you expected, and one would also have to lead a life with cryings, lamentations with a sad-mindedness while reflecting repeatedly the rhetoric question.

“Why was I born to undergo such severe suffering?” , one would lead the life with a constant fear of death. We are unaware of how long a life span we have and what sort of a karmic volition we have brought in. We can’t definitely say what sort of diseases we already have and will energy in our bodies which are filled with thirty-two impurities.

Hence, when we have a clear mindfulness and a healthy physical strength, it is wise to train the mind and the consciousness to observe and contemplate on the way to dhamma.

Let’s observe further. Anything thought, spoken or done with a soul mind would yield painful results; further, anything thought, spoken or done with a pure mind, would produce virtuous results. Taking into consideration that all the persons are bequeathed with karma and that karma bring results in each instance, we should determine to nurture a pure mind at the present moment. As a follower of the Buddha, what is thought in the conscious mind, before it is spoken or put into action, you should think weather it is beneficial or detrimental not only for yourself but also for others. If what was thought is beneficial for you and others, implement it at the appropriate time and in a suitable way. If it is detrimental, you should examine your mind to see whether you have a well fortified determination not to implement it but to follow the dhamma way, even if you are offered pearls, jems, gold or a billion in currency. One should contemplate on how the observed sila, which shouldn’t be limited to worlds but the meaning thoroughly regarded while safeguarding sila, is extremely helpful to gain Samadhi and wisdom. The Buddha has preached a monk living according to morality consisting in restraint with regards to the disciplinary code should engage in devotional observances while perceiving he danger in not only even in the smallest offence but also in the minute offence while observing the moral rules. Morality manifested in speech and bodily action (sila) should be practiced with extreme understanding. It is also important for people who engage in their household chores, to have a fondness, a respect and an understanding towards sila.

Wisdom gets purified by sila. In return, sila gets refined by wisdom. Wisdom is generated when there is sila. Wisdom initiates sila to focus on nirvana. One who has sila, possesses wisdom. Simultaneously, one who has supreme wisdom possesses the noble morality. It is considered that the greatest and the most significant in the word issila and wisdom.

Engage in livelihoods that are not detrimental not only to you but also to others paying attention to dhamma, always perceive that the wealth earned in a evil way can be compared to an enormous fire and a flow of larva, as not only you but also people who use them too, would face drastic consequences in this world as well as in births beyond death. Recollect on the purity of your sila which is unbroken and untarnished and contemplate on the good consequences generated in it. This is called the meditation of morality. When sila, which is the foundation of the eightfold path is purified, experience a condition which leads to generate Samadhi and wisdom in the mind.

As mentioned in the MeththaSuthra, be a person who is engaged in few deeds with simple, uncomplicated behaviour; further, to be a person who can be easily nourished. Guide and train your mind to be get provided only with things that fulfill the most essential needs. By not yielding to the endless desires, gradually terminate the habit of accumulating goods. Contemplate on the state of your mind, when giving up, even little by little, the ownership of the goods that you have collected so cravinly and inculcate the habit of donating. Be conscious to recollect on your donations with out a vision of stinginess, infatuation and conceit. This becomes the chaganussathi mediation.

Do not be a person who always points out mistakes in others and who always tend to criticize others destructively. Perceive on yourself to ponder whether you an accurate person in the way of dhamma as the Buddha sermonized. Eliminate all the thoughts in your mind such as, ‘That person scolded me, talked wrong of me and grabbed all’ what was mine”. Otherwise, remind yourself that if you harp on those thoughts as unwholesome perceptions and formations they will deviate you from the happy course of existence towards the woeful course of existence.