What the Buddha Taught

As there is no permanent, unchanging substance, nothing passesfrom one moment to the next. So quite obviously, nothing per-manent or unchanging can pass or transmigrate from one life tothe next. It is a series that continues unbroken,but changes everymoment. The series is, really speaking, nothing but movement.Itis like a flame that burns through the night: it is not he sametflame nor is it another. A child grows up to be a man of sixty.Certainly the man of sixty is not the same as the child of sixtyyears ago, nor is he another person. Similarly, a person who d esihere and is reborn elsewhere is neither the same person, noranother(na ca sona ca afifio).Itis the continuity of the same series.The differencebetween death and birth is only a thought-moment:Ithe last thought-moment in this life conditions the first thought-moment in the so called next life, which, in fact, is the con--tinuity of the same series. During this life itself, too, one thought-moment conditions the next thought-moment.So f om therBuddhist point of view, the question of life after death is not agreat mystery, and a Buddhist is never worried about thisproblem.As long as there is this 'thirst' to be and to become, he cycletof continuity(sa,!,sara)goes on.Itcan stop only when its drivingforce, this 'thirst', is cut off through wisdom which sees Reality,Truth, Nirvana,34

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Phra Sri Sakya Muni, the great bronze Buddha of the Sukhothai period,was brought down from Sukhothai to Bangkok during the reign of the KingRama I and enshrined at Wat Suthatthephavararam,Bangkok, Thailand.l'l'H~I\"1~1\"11nEJl.li1 l'l'H~~VlD~'lJG1l1EJ~1'1J~EJ VI~ €l~'W1ii'1EJ~lJ'lVltelq)L~qpll1n~1'1JVIEJlJ1~-lm-lL Vll'llJVl1'WfI':i 1'WG1l1EJ-r'lJn1~~(9)LLm~'lJ1:t:~h~~1'W€l~ ru 1~G1V1I\"1'WLVll'l11111lJm-lLVll'llJVl1'Wf)1'I~'U..'I'lJ1:t:LVll\"1bVlEJ1'W'i:1\"il\"ilu'W,

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The Buddha-fromMathura, IndiaV'l'j~V'lV15'jtl~lm~'¬ ll'l:wml tl'j~ bV11\"l~hJb~tJ,'IJ,

Located in the grounds of threvered Buddh image Th s is tha.i( 7812A D ). .1(;ll'l~~ f'1~~I'1'Uf'11~(;l1~lJjVl1e)'r (;ll'lmU~I'1'UtJ~JjlmVl1eJl'I~~bbtl1Jj~n(9l'V'l~~~1'1!1'1P1~nntJ~(;lbml1\"1~~~1'1~'U1'UtJ 'V

he Grand Palace is the Temple of the Emerald Buddha,Th il nd s mosta a'he roy l ch p l buaa eiltby K ng R ma I of h Chakri dyn styiat eain2325B.E.l~~bbtl1,r'U bU'U1(;l~'1~'1eJen'Ub'1JI'1l'1~~mJjJjVll~1'1!1'1uaebu ~tJ~~ ~~~1'U'1J 'Il'I~~l'IVlDJjVll'UeJ~~ ,~eJ1~ JjVlm'l.ff'U'vhP1~d l'I~~'U V1~Jjb~~l'I~ ~VlDCJeJ(;lvh~'. n1~nJjVll~1'1! (~'1!m~~l1~·(9»)uvI'IV'l f'1. .l!:JQll!:J<f(fl.f'1.(9)~D~)

CHAPTERIVTHETHIRDNOBLETR UTH:NI ROD H.A.:'The Cessation ofDukkha'The Third Noble Truth is that there is emancipation, liberation,freedom from suffering, from the continuity ofdukkha.This iscalled the Noble Truth of the Cessation ofdukkha (Dukkha irodha-n!ariyasacca),which isNibbana,more popularly known in itsSanskrit form ofNirvalJa.To eliminatedukkhacompletely one has to eliminate the main!root ofdukkha,which is 'thirst'(ta1jhii),aswe saw earlier. ThereforeINirvana is known also by the termTaIJhakkhaya'Extinction ofThirst'.Now you will ask: But what is Nirvana? Volumes have beenwritten in reply to this quite natural and simple question; theyhave, more and more, only confused the issue rather than clarifiedit. The only reasonable reply to give to the question is that itcan never be answered completely and satisfactorily in words,because human language is too poor to express the real nature ofthe Absolute Truth or Ultimate Reality which is Nirvana.Language is created and used by masses of human beings toexpress things and ideas experienced by their sense organs andtheir mind. A supramundane experience like that of theAbsoluteTruth is not of such a category. Therefore there cannot be wordsto express that experience, just as the fish had no wordsinhisvocabulary to expressthe nature of the solid land The tortoi e told.shis friend the fishthat he (thetortoise) just returned to the lake aftera walk on the land. 'Of course' the fishsaid, 'You mean swimming.'The tortoise tried to explain that one couldn't swim on the land,that it was solid, and that one walked on it. But the fish insistedthat there could be nothing like it, that it must be liquid like hislake, with waves, and that one must be able to dive and swimthere.35

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lLanka. p.113.2Sometimes positive terms likeSiva'Auspicious', 'Good',Kbema'Saf ty',eSuddhi'Purity',Dipa'Island',SaralJa'Refuge',TiiIJa'Protection',Pa ar'Opposite shore','Other side',Santi'Peace', 'Tranquillity' are used to denote Nirvana. There are32-synonyms for Nibbana in theAsa'l,khata-sa'!1yuttaof theSa'!1) utta-nikaya.,They aremostly metaphorical.3Mhvg. (Alutgama,1922),p.10;S V p.421.Itis interesting to note that thisdefinition ofNirodha'Cessation ofDukkba',which is found in the first sermon ofthe Buddha at Sarnath, does not contain the wordNibbana,though the definitionmeans it.4SI,p.136.5Ibid.IV,p.359.6Ibid.III,p.190.Words are symbols representing things and ideas known toUS;and these symbols do not and cannot convey the true nature ofeven ordinary things Language is considered deceptive and.misleading in the matter of understanding of the Truth. So theLa1ikavatiira-st7trasays that ignorant people get stuck in wordslike an elephant in the mud.!Nevertheless we cannot do without language. But if Nirvana isto be expressedand explained in positive terms, we are li ely im-kmediatelyto grasp an idea associatedwith those terms, which may'be quitethe contrary. Therefore it is generallyexpressedin negativetcrms--e-aless dangerous mode perhaps. So it is often referred toby such negative terms asTa1Jhakkhaya'Extinction of Thirst',.Asamkbata'Uncompound', 'Unconditioned',Viriiga'Absence ofdesire',Nirodha'Cessation',Nibbana'Blowing out' or 'Ext nction'.iLet us consider a few definitionsand descriptions of Nirvana asfound in the original Pali texts:'It is the complete cessation of that very 'thirst'(ta1Jha),givingit up, renouncing it, emancipation from it, detachment from it.'3'Calming of all conditioned things, iving up of all defilements,gextinction of \"thirst\", detachment, cessation,Nibbana.\"!'0bhikkhus, what is the Absolute(Asal?Jkhata,Uncon-ditioned)? It is, 0 bhikkhus, the extinction of desire(ragakkbayo),the extinction of hatred(dosakkhayo),the extinction of illusion(tlIohakkhayo).This, 0 bhikkhus, is called the Absolute.\"'0Radha,the extinction of \"thirst\"(Ta1Jhakkhayo)isN bbana.\"i'0 bhikkhus, whatever there may be things conditioned orunconditioned, among them detachment(t'iriiga)is the highest.,,,.-

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That is to say, freedom from conceit, destruction ofthirst; 'theuprooting of attachment, the cutting off of continuity, theextinction of \"thirst\"(ta1Jhii),detachment, cessation, Nibb na.'2aThe reply of Sariputta, the chief disciple of the Buddha to a,direct question 'What is NibbanaP'posed bya Parivraja a, iskidentical with the definition of.Asa,!lkhatagiven b the Buddhay(above): 'The extinction of desire, the extinction of hatred, theextinction of illusion.'3'The abandoning and destruction of desire and craving forthese Five Aggregates of Attachment: that is the cessation ofdNkkha.'4'The cessation of Continuity and becoming(Bhavanirodha)1SNibbana.'5And further, referring to Nirvana the Buddha sa s:y'0 bhikkhus, there isthe unborn, ungrown, and unconditioned.Were there not the unborn, ungrown, and unconditioned there,would be no escape for the born, grown, and conditioned Since.there is the unborn,ungrown, and unconditioned, so thereis escape for the born, grown, and conditioned.\"'Here the four elements of solidit , fluidit , he t and motionyyahave no place; the notions of length and breadth, the subtle andthe gross, good and evil, name and form are altogether destroyed;neither this world nor the other, nor comin , going or st nding,ganeither death nor birth, nor sense-objects are to be found.'7Because Nirv na is thus expressed in negative terms, there areamany who have got a wrong notion that it is ne ati e, andgvexpresses self-annihilation Nirvana is definitelyno annihilation of.self, because there is no self to annihilate. If at all, it is theannihilation of the illusion, of the false idea of self.Itis incorrect to s y that Nirvana is negative or positive. Theaideas of 'negative' and 'positive' are relative, and are within the1Here the wordp pasaiwhich lit. means thirst.2 A(PTS) II p.,34 .3S (PTS) IV, p. 251.4Siiriputta's words. M I, (PTS , p. 191.)SWords of Musila, another disciple of the Buddha. S II (PTS , p.)117·6Ud. (Colombo, 1929), p 129..7Ibid.p. 128; D I (Colombo, 1929), p. 172 •37ZE

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realm of duality. These terms cannot be applied to Nirvana,Absolute Truth, which is beyond duality and relativity.A negative word need not necessarily indicate a negative state.The Pali of Sanskrit word for health isiirogya,a negative term,which literally means 'absence of illness'. Butiirogya(health)doesnot represent a negative state. The word 'Immortal' (or itsSanskrit equivalentAmrtaor PaliAmata),which also is a syno-nym for Nirvana, is negative, but it does not denote a negativestate. The negation of negative values is not negative. One f theowell-known synonyms for Nirvana is 'Freedom' (PaliMutti,Skt.Mukti).Nobody would say that freedom is negativ . Buteeven freedom has a negative side: freedom is always a libe ationrfrom something which is obstructive, which is evil, which isnegative. But freedom is not negative. So Nirvana,M ttiuorVimutti,the Absolute Freedom, is freedom from all evil,freedom from craving, hatred and ignorance, freedom from allterms of duality, relativity, time and space.We may get some idea of Nirvana as Absolute Truth from theDhiituvibhanga-sutta(No.140)of theMajjhima-nikiiya.ThisIextremely important discourse was delivered by the Buddha toPukkusati (already mentioned), whom the Master found to beintelligent and earnest, in the quiet of the night in a potter'sshed.The essence of the relevant portions of the sutta is as follows:A man is composed of six elements: solidity, fluidity heat,,motion, space and consciousness. He analyses them and finds thatnone of them is 'mine', or 'me', or 'my self'. He understan s howdconsciousness appears and disappears, how pleasant, unp easantland neutral sensations appear and disappear. Through this know-ledge his mind becomes detached. Then he finds within him a pureequanimity(upekhii),which he can direct towards the attainment ofany high spiritual state, and he knows that thus this pure equani-mity will last for a long period. But then he thinks:'IfI focus this purified and cleansed equanimity on the Sphereof Infinite Space and develop a mind conforming thereto, thatisa mental creation(sa'!1khata'!1).lIf I focus this purified and cleansedequanimity on the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness . . . on theINotice that all the spiritual and m stic states, however pure and high he mayyt ybe, are mental creations, mind-made conditioned and compound,(saf!lkha a).tTheyare not Reality, not Truth( acca).s

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Sphere of Nothingness ... or on the Sphere of Neither-perceptionnor Non-perception and develop a mind conforming thereto,that is a mental creation.' Then he neither mentally createsnorwills continuity and becoming(bhava)or annihilation(vibhalJa) l.As he does not construct or does not will continuity and becomingor annihilation, he does not clin to an thinggyinthe world; as hedoes not cling, he is not anxious; as he is not anxious, he iscompletely calmed within (fully blown out withinpaccattafj1y aevparinibbayati).And he knows: 'Finish d is birth, lived is pureelife,what should be done is done, nothing more is left to be d ne.'o2Now, when he experiences a pleasant, unpleasant or neutralsensation, he knows that it is impermanent, that it does no bindthim, that it is not experienced with passion. Whatever may be thesensation, he experiencesit without being bound to it(visafj1 utto).yHe knows that all those sensations will be pacified with thedissolution of the body, just as the flameof a lamp goes out whenoil and wick give out.'Therefore, 0 bhikkhu, a person so endowed is endowed withthe absolute wisdom, for the knowledge of the extinction of alldukkhais the absolute noble wisdom.'This his deliverance, founded on Truth, is unshakable. 0bhikkhu, that which is unreality(mosadhamma)is false; that whichis reality(amosadhamma),Nibbana, is Truth(Sacca).Therefore, 0bhikkhu, a person so endowed is endowed with this A solutebTruth. For, the Absolute Noble Truth(paramaf!l arryasaccafj1)isNibbana, which is Reality.'Elsewhere the Buddha unequivocally uses the word Truth inplace of Nibbana: 'I will teach you the Truth and the Pathleading to the Truth.'3 Here Truth definitely means Nirvana.Now, what is Absolute Truth? According to Buddhism, theAbsolute Truth is that there is nothing absolute in the world, thateverything is relative, conditioned and impermanent, and thatthere is no unchanging, everlasting, absolute substance likeSelf, Soul orAtmanwithin or without. This is the Absolute1This means that he does not produce new karma, because now he is free f omr'thirst',will volition.,2This e pression means that now he is an Arahan .xt35 V (PT5 , p).369.39

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Truth. Truth is never negative, though there is a popular expres-sion as negative truth. The realization of this Truth, i.e., to seethings as they are(yathabhiita1?J)without illusion or ignorance(avijja),lis the extinction of craving 'thirst'(Ta~1hakkhaya),andthe cessation(Nirodha)ofdukkha,which is Nirvana. It is interest-ing and useful to remember here the Mahayana view of Ni vanaras not being different fromSa1?Jsara.2The same thing is Samsaraor Nirvana according to the way you look at it-subjectivelyorobjectively. This Mahayana view was probably developed out ofthe ideas found in the original Theravada Pali te ts, to which wex,have just referred in our brief discussion.Itis incorrect to think that 1'~irvaJ).ais the natural result of theextinction of craving. Nirvana is not the result of an thin . If itygwould be a result, then it would be an effectproduced by a cause.It would besalpkhata'produced' and 'conditioned'. Nirv na isaneither cause nor effect.It is beyond cause and effect.Truth is not aresult nor an effect. It is not produced like a mystic, spiritual,mental state, such asdf?yanaorsamddhi.TRUTH IS. NIRVA-.r;;rAIS.The only thing you can do is to see it, to realize it. The e is arpath leading to the realization of Nirvana, But Nirvana is not theresult of thispath.sYou may get to the mountain alongapath,but the mountain is not the result, not an effect of the path. Youmay see a light, but the light is not the result of your eyesight.IPeople often ask: What is there after Nirvana? This questioncannot arise, because Nirvana is the Ultimate Truth. If it isUltimate, there can be nothing after it. If there is anything afterNirvana, then that will be the Ultimate Truth and not N rvana,iA monk named Radha put this question to the Buddha in adifferent form: 'For what purpose (or end) is NirvanaP 'Thisquestion presupposes something after Nirvana, when it postulatessome purpose or end for it. So the Buddha answered: '0Radha, this question could not catch its limit (i.e., it is bes de theilCf.Lanka.p.200;'0 Maharnati, Nirvana means to see the state of things as theyare.'2Nagarjuna clearly says that'Sa1?1Siirahas no difference whatever from Nirvanaand Nirvana has no difference whatever fromSaf/1siira.'(Madhya. Kari XXV,19)·3It is useful to remember here that among nine supra-mundanedbarm s (na alo-avkUllara-dhamma)Nirvana is beyondmagga(path) andpbala(fruition).

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point). One lives the holy life with Nirvana as its final plunge(into the Absolute Truth), as its goal, as its ultimate end.'!Some popular inaccurately phrased expressions like 'TheBuddha entered into Nirvana or Parinirvana after his death'have given rise to many imaginary speculations about Nirvana.sThe moment you hear the phrase that 'the Buddha entered intoNirvana or Parinirvana', you take Nirvana to be a state, or arealm, or a position in which there is some sort of existence, andtry to imagine it in terms of the senses of the word 'existence' asit is known to you. This popular expression 'entered into Nirvana'has no equivalent in the original texts. There is no such thing as'entering into Nirvana after death'. There is a wordparinibbutoused to denote the death of the Buddha or an Arahant who hasrealized Nirvana, but it does not mean 'entering into Nirvana',Parinibbutosimply means 'fully passed away', 'fully blown out' or'fully extinct', because the Buddha or an Arahant has no re-exis-tence after his death.Now another question arises: What happens to the Buddha oran Arahant after his death,parinirvaIJa?This comes under thecategory of unanswered questions(avyakata).3Even when theBuddha spoke about this, he indicated that no words in ourvocabulary could express what happens to an Arahant after hisdeath. In reply to a Parivrajaka named Vaccha, the Buddha saidthat terms like 'born' or 'not born' do not apply in the case of anArahant, because those things-matter,sensation, perception,mental activities, consciousness-withwhich the terms like 'born'and 'not born' are associated, are completely destroyed and up-rooted, never to rise again after his death.4An Arahant after his death is often compared to a fire goneout when the supply of wood is over, or to the flame of alamp gone out when the wick and oil arefinished.sHere it shouldIS III (PTS), p.189.2There are some who write 'after the Nirvana of the Buddha' instead of 'afterthe Parinirvana of the Buddha'. 'After the Nirvana of the Buddha' has no meaning,and the expressionisunknown in Buddhist literature. It is always 'after the Pari-nirvana of the Buddha'.3S IV (PTS), p.375f.4MI(PTS), p. 486.»iu:I, p. 487; III, p. 245; Sn (PTS), v. 232 (p.41).41

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be clearly and distinctly understood, without any confusion, thatwhat is compared to a flame or a fire gone out isnotNirvana,but the 'being' composed of the Five Aggregates who realizedNirvana. This point has to be emphasized because Inany people,even some great scholars, have misunderstood and misinterpretedthis simile as referring to Nirvana. Nirvana is never compared to afire or a lamp gone out.There is another popular question: If there is no Self, noAtman,who realizes Nirvana? Before we go on to Nirvana, letus ask the question: Who thinks now,ifthere is no Self? Wehave seen earlier thatit isthe thought that thinks, that there is nothinker behind the thought. In the same way, itiswisdom(panna),realization, that realizes. There is no other self behind therealization. In the discussion of the origin ofdttkkhawe saw thatwhateveritmay be-whether being, or thing, or system-if it is ofthe nature of arising, it has within itself the nature, the germ, ofits cessation, its destruction. Nowdtlkkha, samsdra,the cycle ofcontinuity, is of the nature of arising; it must also be of the natureof cessation.Dukkhaarises because of 'thirst'(tal}ha),and itceases because of wisdom(panna).'Thirst' and wisdom are bothwithin the Five Aggregates, as we saw earlier.!Thus, the germ of their arising as well as that of their cessationare both within the Five Aggregates. This is the real meaning ofthe Buddha's well-known statement: 'Within this fathom-longsentient body itself, I postulate the world, the arising of theworld, the cessation of the world, and the path leading to the cessa-tion of the world.'2 This means that all the Four Noble Truths arefound within the Five Aggregates, i.e., within ourselves. (Here theword 'world'(loka)is used in place ofdukkha).This also meansthat there is no external power that produces the arising and thecessation ofdukkha.When wisdom is developed and cultivated according to theFourth Noble Truth (the next to be taken up), it sees the secret oflife, the reality of things as they are. When the secret is discovered,when the Truth is seen, all the forces which feverishly produce thecontinuity ofsamsdrain illusion become calm and incapable oflSee Aggregate of Formations above pp.22,3I.2A(Colombo,1929)p.218.42.

~1~-U(9l'_h1~:U1nr111dJ\"'U?l'l<d1~~~'l111tJbtJ~tJunUb'lli;n 1yJ'Vl~eJmN1yJ~~uVfW1tJ bb~dJtJ'fl(i}?7tm'~tJ\".i~neJu~ltJ-VtJ6cr~~butJ~Hbb~~1tJ'W'V'l'V'lltJ'U'Ub~tJdb 'V'l'n~11 r1tJ\"il1tJltJdJ1 n\".ildJ~~U ntJ\".i1\"llru;;11r1ruU1~r1tJb 11:u~ (9lbb~~-u'\"'\".,,,,,\",,,.,,,,.dJ1eJtJ1dJtJd'VldJ1tJ(i~'W'V'l'V'lltJ'W'V'l'V'lltJbtJ~tJu bV1tJununeJ~ 1yJ'Vl~eJ~~dltJ~,nrhmdJ'Vl~~~'WtJdJmdJntJ'ff713JiJeJ(i}m~?(i}u13JiJen(i}uuu§?1rJ'rnut/::~lVUu'neJtJ~:u~n~111 tJ(i~'W'V'l'V'lltJ\"lJeJ~~rl1mdJl1l111:Jlle)~~lill~tJ1r1\".ib~1tJblmiib\".i11~Vl\".i1UdJ1bb~~tJ bb6l111 butJ r111dJ~(9l,rtJbb'Vl~~~ ~ (9l1:Jll ~~ (9l'Uvl1mCJ1tJ bUtJ'B\".i\".idJ(9l1b~m~Jn\"li'mm'J::l{]..Jmbb'!A~m\".ibltJtJl1CJ~lmn(9l6l1tJbUtJ'B\".i\".idJ(9l1n~eJdJllr111dJ~u1tJbUtJ'B\".i\".idJ(9l1 nn\"li'bn(9l~tJb'V'l\".i1~~ru117bb~~,'OJ'''''''''''Il'Bl:utJ~~~~nntJ~'1uiJvn7tJeJuCJ7?J7wd rrJum~:: ~l 'J7uwtiJ~h'7,lnn'U'\"'\"U\"l/€Jvlsnnn~'lJltj\"lJ€Jvlen U~::11un7v eJ'U'lhhJtin n~'lJhJ\"lJ€Jv n ,r~'\"'iI.'1lnnbbVltJrl111'JIjn\"li')ticJ~'VldJ1CJr111dJ~ltJl11:Jlle)1tJ1:U.f11CJtJeJn1(9l1,'Hn(9l~tJbb~~m\".i~U 1tJbb'!A~nn\"li',ru11~~l'lJtJ1bb~~b:U1ru 1tJ~ldJeJ1CJ\"':U~ ~ (~:U~1~n~11(i~~eJ1tJ) n:U~dJeJ~'\"'\"eJ~~i~bi1tJr111dJ:U~~ bbVl\"lJeJ~?l\".i\".i'V'l~~mdJ~:WtJbutJb~eJ~tJ'V'lUr111dJ~Ub~'U\"'1)'B1\".idJbb~1'V'l~~~1~1~butJillneJ 1~bn(9lm\".i~u~eJ\"lJeJ~dJ1CJ1bb'!A~\"'~?l1\".i~) nl)~?l~u\".i~~U1:J?lldJ1\".i~:U~

producingany more karma-formations,because there is no moreillusion, no more 'thirst' for continuity.It is like a mental diseasewhich is cured when the cause or the secret of the malady isdiscoveredand seen bythe patient.In almost all religionsthesumm m bon mttucan be attained onlyafter death. But Nirvana can be realized in this very life; it is notnecessary to wait till you die to 'attain' it.He who has realized the Truth, Nirvana, is the happiestbeingin the world He is free from all 'complexes' and obsession , the.sworries and troubles that torment others. His mental health isperfect. He does not repent the past, nor does he brood over thefuture. He lives fully in thepresent.!Therefore he appreciatesand enjoys things in the purest sense without self-projections. Heis joyful, exultant, enjoying the pure life, his faculties pleased,free from anxiety, seren and peaceful.s As he is free from selfishedesire, hatred, ignorance, conceit, pride, and all such 'defilements',he is pure and gentle, full of universal love, compassion, kindness,sympathy, understanding and tolerance. His service to other is ofsthe purest, for he has no thoughtof self. He gains nothing,accumulates nothing, not even anything spiritual, because he isfree from the illusion of Self, and the 'thirst' for becoming.Nirvana is beyond all terms of duality and relativity. It istherefore beyond our conceptions of good and evil, right andwrong, existence and non-existence. Even the word 'happiness'(sukha)which is used to describe Nirvana has an entirely differentsense here. Sariputta once said: '0 friend, Nirvana is happiness!Nirvana is happiness!' Then Udayi asked: 'But, friend Sari utta,pwhat happiness can it be if there is no sensation?' Sariputta's replywas highly philosophical and beyond ordinary comprehension:'That there is no sensation itself is happiness'.Nirvana is beyond logic and reasoning(atakka acara).vHowevermuch we may engage, often as a vain intellectual pastime, inhighly speculative discussions regarding Nirvana or UltimateITruth or Reality, we shall never understand it that way. A childI.in the kindergartenshould not quarrel about the theory ofIrelativity. Instead, ifhe follows his studies patiently and diligently,/1ISI(PTS) p 5.,.2M II (PTS), p.121.43

1'J1~BfwleJ 1U b~'JldlhHhJ1tJ11~.Hjl'lruVll~~~?l~1~\"1Jl~?l~1~[l~Bn~eJ1U b\"li'WFlVll~~(?l~~m~n 1~vmJ1~b~eJ~thtJ 1~fi''W~Ubb~~ bi1'W?l~!l~1'WVI~eJFll1l.1~Uuvl~OJ'1J\"1JeJ~(?l'WbbVlUVlnI\"11?l'Wl~I?lVll.l1tJUmtJVl1~e)'W?l~?l1?l(summum bonum)~~U'J'J~q'I'U\"qltJ 1Ubb~lbvlltT'W bb~'W~~l'W~bb-;ij~1~ 'W~l(9)'d 1:J9leJ~'JeJ1~(?l1tJ1uneJ'W~~~~'IJ'UAA~~~bb-;ij~l'Wt(~'B'J'Jl.I VI~eJ'W~~l'W b'U'W~~ilFll1l.1?l\"1J~?l1?l1'WIanb'lJ'W~~btJ'WII'U'U'U\"\"'Unn b~?lbb~~eJ1?l1 ~~~Ul~~?l'J~~1 nFll1l.1 n~1?ln~l.I bb~~Fll1:JJ1'eJ'W1~~ n eJVln\"/l,,~?l:JJu'H111:Jbl\"11'1?l1'eJtJ(i~~~~~1'W1Ubb~lbb~~1:JU'Jl'Jt1'Wl(i~~~~~~1:Jl.Il(i~'IJ~~ltJ~~~bnl?l~'Wbu~l~Vlih\"'~~tT'W~~btJ'W~bi1'WFlrufh ua ~~'W~eJ~l 'WFll1:JJ1'?in'U,'U'UIeJ~bb~lbl?l tJbJil I'll (?l'Wb 11ui eJ~b~tJlibtJ'W~?lI?l~'W11 b~~ ilh~'WU1'W~'W~'IJ~~U~?l'Vl~ btJ'W~~1'Jll.1~'WVl~8 u'Jll\"1~lnmll.1-W~sdl'W11Fllruh ilbb~Fll1:JJ?l~UII'U\"QJb~mtJ'W~?l'J~~lnml:JJb~[l mll.1bn'J'Bmll.1V1~~ Fll1l.1b~eJVI~~ ml:JJ~eJl'll~eJbb~~fh~?lbFl~eJ~bl\"11'l'VI:JJeJ~~~VlmtJ il~eJ:JJbtJ'W~U~?lVl~ eJeJ'WbtJ'Wilbl.l(?l(?l1 nsun'IJ,,bi1'WeJmi1'Wh bileJm6ihl~~~'Wbb~~l~nll~uFlFl~tT'W~~-dlmVl~eJ~~'W(~lltJ'IJ,'IJ'U1?lVl~h bl?ltJ1:J1~rll{j~(i~l'llbeJ~btJ'Wm:J1~(:.J~u'J~ btJ\"1Jt1~ln~~ 11?l1:J?l~?l:JJ~~ 11?l,'IJbb~m~vi'~Flru~ll.1Fll1:JJ~b~'Jl~b tJ'W~?l'J~~lnFll1:JJVI~~~1?l1'W1'l1(?l'Wuaesnn,~ruvn(ml:JJeJtJ1nl'WFll1:JJbnl?llV1:Jl'We)(?l(?llb~l.I) 1~bb~1ij~~l'W eJ bVluml eJtJrll~~VI~ltitJ~dJ'WVll~n~ru~bb~~~H1 'Wb:a~bu~tJu b tJuVi'IJ~bVlUeJ~~~ururu~n'W';i1~nu.a-lt1nnu~1?lml:JJilFll1:JJbtJ'WnuFll1l.11:Jil1:J'UIUV'Umj'bb~fh-Jl'ff\"l}'~1-rreJ5UltJ'W~~1'WililFll1l.1V1l.11tJ~bb(?ln~1~~lnFll1:JJ?l\"lJl'Wl~n,,l~~'Wb:a~ Fl~~Vlti~~'J~?ll~U(?l'Jn~lT-Jl'~n'fJ'UfJ7?fffUWW7'Uf)fJff\"l} uW'Y'J7'Uf)fJff\"l},\"tI.,.,.,€lVl1~~~mlJ'-J1'~n'fJ'U'vl7'Uff71U(1)'r l v'UwlJlrlfmh-Jl 'J'/Il7n lJiiJO'Vl'U7 'rll(?leJU\"lJeJ~,'II.,.,?l1~'U(?l'JbtJ'WU~\"1JruleJ~1~?l~ bb~~bn'WFll1:JJbill~(?l1:JJ'B'J'Jl.Il?ll'rr:nJJ1JiiJl 'J'Vl'U7d'U,...'IJl V'Uff\"l} ,,ij~~l'W eJ~ bVlUeJ(?l'J'Jn~ bb~~nl'Jf11?l b:a~bVI(?lbb~~(:.J~(fJi9}nn7?1J'J)nl'Jt1 m~ tJ~Fl1I?l'IJ,b~l (~~iJn~~btJ'W~l'WeJ~b 'Jn~Hu'J~btJ\"1Jt1\"veJ~Dryryl\"1J'W)b~tJlnu'W~~l'WVI~eJU'JiJ(?lt1~'Pil~VI~eJFll1l.1~~~bbVl1:J-dltJ 1~bil h'W~~l'W1~ b~neJ'Wul~ 1:JFll'Jvll.lb~tJ~ b~mnu,,Vlq~~t(l.IYrVl'B[ll~~b~nYJ~vh~eJ~eJtJ1~n~lb~lb~tJ'W1U~ltJFll1l.11~tJ~~(?l?llV1~

one day he may understand it. Nirvana is 'to be realized by thewise within themselves'(paccatta,!J veditabbo viiii1Uhi).If we followthe Path patiently and with diligence, train and purify ourselvesearnestly, and attain the necessary spiritual development, we mayone day realize it within ourselves-withouttaxing ourselves withpuzzling and high-sounding words.Let us therefore now turn to the Path which leads to therealization of Nirvana,44

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CHAPTERVTHEFOURTHNOBLETRUTH:.?vI./4GGA:'The Path'The Fourth Noble Truth is that of the Wayleading to theCessation ofDukkha(DukkhanirodhagamilJipa!ipada-ariyasacca).This is known as the 'Middle Path'(Majjhima Pa!ipada),because itavoids two extremes: one extreme being the search for happinessthrough the pleasures of the senses, which is 'low, common,unprofitable and the way of the ordinary people'; the other beingthe search for happiness through self-mortification in diff renteforms of asceticism,which is 'painful, unworthy and unprofitable'.Having himself first tried these two extremes, and having foundthem to be useless, the Buddha discovered through per onalsexperience the Middle Path 'which gives vision and knowledge,which leads to Calm, Insight, Enlightenment, Nirvana'. ThisMiddle Path is generally referred to as the Noble Eightfold Path(Ariya-A!!hangika-]l,tIagga),because it is composed of eightcategories or divisions: namely,I.Right Understanding(Sammii dil!hi),2.Right Thought(Sammii sankappa),3. Right Speech(Sammii viica),4.Right Action(Sammii kammanta),5. Right Livelihood(Sammii iijiva),6.Right Effort(Sammii viiyiima),7. Right Mindfulness(Sammii sati),8.Right Concentration(Sammii samiidhi).Practically the whole teaching of the Buddha, to which hedevoted himself during 45 years, deals in some way or other withthis Path. He explaineci in different ways and in different wordsi tto different people, acc rding to the stage of their developmentoand their capacity to understand and follow him. But the es ences45

•dUVIVIcr•~Q,#.eIIeJ\"5t1a~VIc£/J.I~~PI'n11tlDvmi{u11tlflw~::{JwWTu'eJ~CJ~:U~ ~ ~eJ'Vl1~~U11u~5~~~btJ'U~~UbVl(1)bn~\"lJeJ~nnv(nnvuhDfl7iHl-cu\" ,e/1mfl1l1:;)b~CJfr;h'n7-Jfl7Cln~7-JJ(if\"lfrihl7unun7)bY'l~1~VI~m~CJ~:U1fl~~~-!I~eJ ~G'f~1'Ufl1~bbG'fd-!lVl1G'f\"lJ~dCJfl1~~ n,~''U1 'Ufl1lJG'f\"lJ ~-!I\"'l'UUD'i'iJJeJ'l.UWJ,,,'JU7U dJUWNUfJ\"lfU 13.ju'i:;neJv~'JClU'i:;rCl\"lfUJ~G'f~BfleJci1~VI~-!I~eJ, ,,-!lVl1G'f\"lJ~lCJfl1~'Vl~lJ1'U~1-!1fl1CJ1'Ufl1~U1b~ru(1)U~~-!I'LtJunnv IJJ7-dveJ-JeJ1Cl:;,\"\"V~'JClU'i:;rCl\"lfUJY'l~~Y'l'Vl5b~1'Vl~-!I'Vl~~eJ U nU~~G'f~~~G'feJ-!leJ ci1~dbbiKd~uaewu,d.J.1~lCJlI'l1 bb~~1~(1)1G'fi-rreJul)u~G'f1CJflm~'~~'n7~'J.J~77mn~ n7fJj7ru7mn~tlo»-JV L.;ieJfJJ7JJ';lj~LrteJfJJ7JJ ffl'; LrteJuwrnu~J~'lHiJlJ1unU'Vl1d~fl\"\"d.Jti'trheJ~tJlJ~~f1ijeJ~rlbbU~(eJ1CleJn!-J~nJJ'i'ifJ)bY'l~1~U~~fleJU~lCJeJ-!lrl~ ~eJ(9).flJJJJ7'i1niUqJqJ1b~'U\"1leJU~. flJJJJ7fl-Jnuu:;~1~\"1leJUm .flJJJJ7'J7117b:U~~1\"1leJUcr.flJJJJ7nJJifu~:;fl1~-!l1'U\"1leJU'\",~.flJJJJ7flJJ7&~~~(1)~'U\"1leJubbVf:U~~bbiKlf11G'feJ'U~-!lVI~~\"lJeJ-!lY'l~~Y'l'Vl5b~1~'Vl~~e),Vl~Y'l~~eJ~rl~~G'feJ'U(1)~eJ~~<tU,.btJ'Ub~eJ-!I~b~CJlnU'Vl1-!1G'f1CJflm-!ldhj'Vl1-!1V1~-!ln'Vl1-!11~'Vl~~eJ6U1CJl~CJ1m5bb~~~eJCJfl1~ n'U~1V11U~f1f1~~bb(1)fl~1~n'Ub~eJ 1VlbVI~1~bbri~~~U~(1)bb~~m1lJG'f1~1~tl~:U~b-rr1h~ft~(Jl1~1~Vi''U\"lJeJ-!lUf1f1 bVI~1,r'Ua ,

of those many thousand discourses scattered in the BuddhistScriptures is found in the Noble Eightfold Path.It should not be thought that the eight categories or divisionsof the Path should be followed and practised one after the other inthe numerical order as given in the usual list above.But they areto be developed more or less simultaneously, as far as possibleaccording to the capacity of each individual. They are all linkedtogether and each helps the cultivation of the others.These eight factors aim at promoting and perfecting the threeessentials of Buddhist training and discipline: namely:(a)Ethical Conduct(SUa), (b)Mental Discipline(Samadhi)and(c)Wisdom(Panna).1It will therefore be more helpful for a coherentand better understanding of the eight divisions of the Path, if wegroup them and explain them according to these three heads.Ethical Conduct(SUa)is built on the vast conception of univer-sal love and compassion for all living beings, on which theBuddha's teaching is based. It is regrettable that many cholarssforget this great ideal of the Buddha's teaching, and indulge in onlyidry philosophical and metaphysical divagations when they talkand write about Buddhism. The Buddha gave his teaching 'forthe good of the many, for the happiness of the many out of,compassion for the world'(bahujanahitaya bahujanasukhaya loktinu-kampaya).According to Buddhism for a man to be perfect there are twoqualities that he should develop equally: compassion(ka IJa)ruon one side, and wisdom(panna)on the other. Here compassionrepresents love, charity, kindness, tolerance and suchnoble qu litiesaon the emotional side,or qualities of the heart, while wisdom wouldstand for the intellectual side or the qualities of the mind. If onedevelops only the emotional neglecting the intellectual, one may.become a good-hearted fool; while to develop only the intellec-tual side neglecting the emotional may turn one into a hard-hearted intellect w thout feeling for others. Therefore, to beiperfect one has to develop both equally. That is the aim of theBuddhist way of life in it wisdom and compassion are ins parably:elinked together, as we shall see later.Now, in Ethical Conduct(SUa),based on love and compassion,1MI (PTS),p .301.

e:J~'V'Ii~?I~i'VI\"lE.J'W'W'V'Ii~?I~i~m~liJltJe:JtJ'I. 'WrllJ1H(9h~61\"I.Ie:J~'V'I'Vl5m?l'W1il'd'WcucucuI..d\"\"\"\"~.IL'HWlJe:J~mtJlJiil\"llJe:J~l\"lbbu~PJ~rlbbU~\"I.Ie:J~lJiil\"lm-dm 1~ml11UUi~'V'I'1~uiju~Vi,,~-vm1tJ~1umlJ~1v)'U~1~H-rrl~tX'W bb~tXe:J~~9),J'Wl'1.Vlnl'd'VIU11ubb'Vl'UIiJ~'V'I~e:JlJ~ n'Wbvh~liJ~bU'W 1U1~~llJ~~li()\"I.Ie:J~bb9l\"~'UI\"lI\"l\"e:J~rlbbU~\"I.Ie:J~lJ))l\"lb~ tJ'dltJ~ n'Ubb\"~bb9l\"~e:J~rlfl-d'dtJ 'I.VIm)•.\"d'CIi.III~IIPJ~I\"le:J'W~ m'd'VI'Wl\"1.1'W~'dtJPJ~rl~~ u~ii~~*'VIlJlutJ~IiJ~r;~b?l~lJua~vh 'I.Vlmi~mJ'Wbb\"~Uij~u'U'U~'Vl5~ ~1 rlqJ~~~f11i?llJ'Uiru~'W1~bbri (fl)ffjj(\"1.1)ff3J76bb\"~ (I\"l)VWW7Glv)~,r'W'VIlfl~~lJiil\"liie:J~rl~~ ~\"n'W ~e:JW~WJ7n'rfl.17~l'W'VIii~ n'UVWW7Bfl~l'W'VIii~ blJ~~lmt.n'I.'W~d'VIlJltJ9VV'IIii mllJrfll\"ldllJbtm~m~mb~~l\"l'dllJe:J~'Vl'Wbb\"~l\"lru?llJU~~Ui~b?l~~~l~6'l'l.'W~1'W~~h•~I~9l1~ ~ \"I.Ie:J~~'d'l.1iJr;'d'W'tJt1!t1!1'V1lJltJti~~1'W?I~Ut1!t1!1'V11e:Jflru.f11'V'1~~tlTI.JI\"lI\"l\"WWJU1~1'W~~hb vhJ'W l~tJ\"~b\"tJ~l'W?I~Ururul'UI\"lI\"l\",r'We:J1IiJIiJ~ bU'WI\"l'W1~~~~ h~'VIlfl~ ~.lbO'V'l1~~1'W?I~Ururul1~tJ\"~b\"tJ~1'We:J1ilJru'U1\"l1\"l\",r'Wfle:J1liJliJ~bu'WI\"l'Wii?l~ururulV V'IIvv~~~1IiJm~~1~hjiiJl1IiJn'U~~'Wb'V'l11~O~J'WIiJ~tXe:J~~(1lJ'Wl~~?le:J~~1'We:J~1~?llJ~\"n'W~~~.

are included three factors of the Noble Eightfold Path: namely,Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood. (Nos. 3, 4 and5 in the list).Right speech means abstention(I)from telling lies,(2)frombackbiting and slander and talk that may bring about hatred,enmity, disunity and disharmony among individuals or groups ofpeople, (3) from harsh, rude, impolite, malicious and a usiveblanguage, and(4)from idle, useless and foolish babble and gossip.When one abstains from these forms of wrong and harmful peechsone naturally has to speak the truth, has to use words t at arehfriendly and benevolent, pleasant and gentle, meaningful and use-ful. One should not speak carelessly: speech should be at theright time and place. If one cannot say something useful, oneshould keep 'noble silence'.Right Action aims at promoting moral, honourable and eace-pful conduct. It admonishes us that we should abstain from destroy-ing life, from stealing, from dishonest dealings, from illegi imatetsexual intercourse, and that we should also help others to lead apeaceful and honourable life in the right way.Right Livelihood means that one should abstain from makingone's living through a profession that brings harm to others,Jsuch as trading in arms and lethal weapons, intoxicating drinks,poisons, killing animals, cheating, etc., and should live by aprofession which is honourable, blameless and innocent of harmto others. One can clearly see here that Buddhism is stronglyopposed to any kind of war, when it lays down that trade in armsand lethal weapons is an evil and unjust means of livelihood.These three factors (Right Speech, Right Action and RightLivelihood) of the Eightfold Path constitute Ethical Conduct.Itshould be realized that the Buddhist ethical and moral conductaims at promoting a happy and harmonious life both for theindividual and for society. This moral conduct is considered asthe indispensable foundation for all higher spiritual attainments.No spiritual development is possible without this moral basis.Next comes Mental Discipline, in which are included three otherfactors of the Eightfold Path: namely, Right Effort, Right Mind-fulness (or Attentiveness) and Right Concentration. (Nos. 6, 7and8in the list).47

f!~~'lVVmJ(9)(9)lbb~~n1rulbthJVI~nu'j~n€)U~lCJlJ';j';j1\"lbT1€)l1\"l1'Ue)!li'lfinlJ';j'j1\"ll~LLri~lJlJl11\"il1 G1lJlJltllJ~'U(9)~ bb~~G1lJlJlen~l~(lJ'j'jI\"l€)lrl~bT1 ~uaecr (9)llJ~lvi'USmJ7J7117(b\"il1\"ill\"1ltlU) VllJ1CJ~,lb1'U\"illf)(®)f)11~~bVi\"il(l~)f)11~~bbUUbbVl'l~~~,~1l'VI~\" ~~\"'mi1CJ~bb~~f)11~~1~61V1\"il~vh1Vi'bf)~1\"l11lJbf)~CJ~-U\" 1\"l11lJbU'U?!(9)1~~I~ffl 1lJbbl'lf)?l1~1\"l~bb~~1\"l11lJ~11Ul'U'j~Vl11'lUI\"lI\"l~VI~tlVllll\"lru~1(bT1)f)1';j~~bf)~CJlml~,~~W~fl1'I\"EJ1Urll111?li11~ rllenml(9)bb~~rllvilVltlbb~~ (~) f)11~~b~m~tl€)~1\"L~61bb~~JqJIHth~LCJ\"IlUm';jSdu68u-U'UVll bdtlu I\"ll\"l~b1usnf)11\"ill~ ~ ~uaeb 'ULVl~b VI~l,jvrU,,nLtlutJf)~~\"il~~tll~~bb~rllG1(9)V~tll1-ift1tlCJrll~ Lu'Uii(9)';jbb~~Vlll~ 1~b 11~bb~~?l,f11~ i1~,f'l11lJ'VIlJlmb~~i1u1~ LEJ\"IlU UI\"lI\"l~1111\"l11~~tl~1lmn61fitlrll~mhll\"ll'j~nf)1~~bb~~q'JI'JLV1f31~t11111?lllJl1~\"il~f)~11~l~bU'UU';j~lCJ\"ll'U1~ nl\"ll'j\"il~b~CJ'IJ11111~€)l~Vl~~LnCJ';j~Lb~~?l~1l1\"l11lJ?llU?l\"lJ bU'Un11?ltl'U 1Vi'b1'U\"illf)f)11'VhmCJ~i(9) \"illf)n11~f)Vl'r~V,~1f1fl11f)1~'Vh~hJ~tlG1(9)eJ~\"il~(9)\"illf)n11U1~~'l~~~1'Un1lJbU'l~?ltl'U1Vi'-dlEJ~~'U1Vi'~1L;}u~i(9)~ihfiEJ1~bb~~?llU?l\"lJ1'UVlll~~f)~tll,~~1~1'l1 VI~€)f)~ll.,~.,bb~~~lb~CJl~~~lCJ€)I~~~i1Lflm~hibu'U~~b~CJ'Ubb~~111LUCJ~L CJ'U~~'UUbU 'U~-U~ b\"il'U ;h~Vl5P11 ?l'U1hi ?lUU?l'U'U?ll1\"l11lJVl f)1U UU b~ 11 ~'u'U,qq'UG1lJlJl11\"il1 G1lJlJltllJ~'U(9)~ bb~~G1lJlJlen~l~1'UlJ';j11\"li1€)lrlbbU~fi€)~~ ~lb-rrl h11~\"'\"lJeJl\"ll11~V15i1\"il~lilVllJ1CJ b~€)'\" lb?l~lJ~i(9)~ bu'U?l\"lJuaen~lJn~'Uu1€)l~€)l~luriqIIIIq,~\"'VIlJ~111i1f)11~~'Ul~(9)~bu'U1uhi1~CJU';jl~\"illf)~~bU'Ulffl'U1€)l1U...~€)1UbU'Ub~€)l\"lJ€)l?llJI5 €)lrlbbUVl\"lJ€)llJ';j';j1\"l~11lJ~l1'Uirl-rr€)ih~bbriG1lJlJl11CJ1lJ~«lJlJl?l~ bb~~G1lJlJl?llJI5 (lJ';j';jl\"leJlrl~b ~,bb~~ ~(9)llJ~lvi'U~b~CJlH)

Right Effort is the energeticwill (I) to preventevil and un-wholesomestates of mind from arising, and(2)to get rid of suchevil and unwholesomestates that have already arisen within aman, and also(3)to produce, to cause to arise, good and wholesomestates of mind not yet arisen, and(4)to develop and bring toperfectionthe good and wholesomestates of mind alreadypresent in a man.Right Mindfulness (or Attentiveness) is to be diligently aware,mindful and attentive with regard to (I) the activities of the body(kqya),(2) sensations or feelings(vedand),(3) the activities of themind(citta)and(4)ideas, thoughts,conceptionsand things(dhalJllJla).The practice of concentration on breathing(dndpdnasati)is oneof the well-known exercises, connected with the body, for mentaldevelopment. There are several other ways of developingatten-tiveness in relation to the body-asmodes of meditation.With regard to sensations and feelings, one should be clearlyaware of all forms of feelings and sensations, pleasant, unpleasantand neutral, of how they appear and disappear within oneself.Concerning the activities of mind, one should be aware whetherone's mind is lustful or not, given to hatred or not, del ded orunot, distracted or concentrated, etc. In this way one should beaware of all movements of mind, how they arise and dis ppear.aAs regards ideas, thoughts, conceptions and things, one shouldknow their nature, how they appear and disappear, how t ey arehdeveloped, how they are suppressed, and destroyed, and so on.These four forms of mental culture or meditation are treated indetail in theSatipatthdl1a-sutta(Setting-up of Mindfulness) \",The thirdand last factor of Mental Disciplineis RightConcentrationleading to the four stages ofDhydna,generallycalled trance orrecueill ment,eIn the first stage ofDhydlla,passionatedesires and certain unwholesomethoughtslike sensuous lust,ill-will, languor,worry, restlessness, and sceptical doubt arediscarded, and feelings of joy and happiness are maintained, alongwith certain mental activities. In the second stage, all intellectualactivities are suppressed, tranquillity and 'one-pointedness'ofmind developed, and the feelings of joy and happiness are stilllSee Chapter VII on Meditation.

ffJJ3J7?7Ci711:;(LVlm'lle)'u)~€l1\"l11~LVltJ'J1 'WL~€l~~€l1'lJ11(9))LVltJ'J'J~l~m VlUl'lJElf1P1\"Ln~~'W1'W~~(t~)LVlm,,~ul'lJ€lflP1\"~Ln~~'WLL~l((;11)LVltJ'J1Vlfl~\"~cJ~ 1~Lfl~ 1VI,,,Ln~~'W LL\"~ (cr) LVlm-rfl'l~lfl~\"~Ln~~'WLL~l LL,,~'lJ'J~ri'u'lJ'J~I\"l€l~ 1VlL\"il~ru\"ilW:I~U'Jru,v~ffll1l7fl~('J~~fl'lj€lu)~€lfl1'JfhVl'W~-r'J~~fl-rm'l~16'1h1'WL~€l~(9))tnu~'U(f11tJl'WU6'f6'f'Wl) (~)L?'I1U7(LlVl'Wl'WU6'f6'f'Wl)((;11)~(1)(~~~l'WU6'f6'f'Wl)LL\"'~(cr)rJ'i'ill,,,(5lJ~1'WU6'f6'f'Wl),~~bbUUfl1tJ1~U6'f6'f'Wl LL\"~cJ~iji5L\"il~t1!6'f~hL UU~'W ~ BflVlmmL UUL~€l~(V),J'Wll\"lll~ij6'f~LLUU\"'~U!l!l'WL?'I1U7UUflflU7UI\"lI\"l,,-w~-ri~ 1'WLlVl'W1Vlfl€l~11 ~l6'f\"lJLlVl'Wl Vlfl\"lJLlVl'Wl LL\"'~,..J....IIElVlf1\"lJ~6'f\"lJLlVl'Wl ~\"ill'Jtl.mi1'W1\"l11~Lfl~~'WLL\"'~l\"lll~L~€l~1'WLlVl'Wl.flltJ 1'W~'W,,~1I117'lJ7JflflU7UI\"lI\"l\",-W~f6'f.fll1~\"lJ€l~~lJ'W61L~'Wfl1'JLn~v1u fl1\"il~L\"il~ru 1v1u~u'Jru,,,,IJCV'Ui'lCJenf11'J1~ \"il~,,~1~€l~1~hLL\"'~vhmtJ1'lJ1~€l~l11'JLU'W~'Wf11'J~WJ'Wl~~Vl~€l6'f~15cr €l~1~11 ij€l5UltJ 11€l~l1\"~LBtJ~1'W1I'I!!7fl~U!J!7U~(1}'itJD'J'J~ Lu'W~~I~'WLL 'Al6'f~).,€llrl~6'fl~Vl~€l€llrl6'f~Vi'ltJ1'Wfl~~6'f~15~€lffmJ7fl1l75(~1~~~'W'll€lu)~ul1'lJ,,~'lJ'Jll\"l~ 'V'W1U1Vl ~'WijVlD~ (l\"lll~L~€ll6ii~)flf1fl\"il\"il~ (l\"lll~i~flnll\"')€lVlVl\"il\"il~, ,,(ml~~lsdl'W)i~n\"ilOl(l\"lll~6'fl~tJ)vh1 VlijtJ~LL\"~6'f\"lJ LL\"~L\"il~~fl~'WBflUl1~ll1'W,,Vl~mlJl'W (rul'W~~) 6'fl~l'J,,\"ti~l\"lll~~~~~~WJ'Wl\"il'W51~'W6'f~u LL'Ill 'Ilij€l1'J~rub U'Wu,

The Buddha-fromTibetV'I~~V'I'V1li~tl'<innViL'U1'l,\"

The head of the Buddha - from Afganistanb~m'l'f~:::'\\l'VlD~tlIil1f)tl~::: b'Vlp!e)''I'lmU?ltl1tJ,\"

The Buddha-from Cambodia'Vf~:::'WVH'iTU\"iJ1n'J~:::L'V1I'\"tllJVol'1l1,vv

A Thai Buddha from the Golden Age of the Sukhothai period(Iihcentury A. .D ) is now in Wat Po (Temple of Reclining Buddha)'VfH 'I\"fVlli~tl1vm~'l61~:J~'U 'U61:Wm.JfI'Vl'i)'l'lJ'i) :m~'l61~1,hVi'EJ(I\"lm~~'1!1~(9)6'11)'I'J\" 'I'Iu~~u'Utl~~~'I!I~1'U'i)~~1~lJVI~~W'V'l1~1lJ1~ivmm'lb'Vl'V'llJVl1'UfI~'I.-..'lI\"

retained. In the third stage, the feeling of joy, which is an activesensation, also disappears, while the disposition of happiness stillremains in addition to mindful equanimity. In the fourth stage ofDhyana,all sensations, even of happiness and unhappiness, of joyand sorrow, disappear, only pure equanimity and awarenessremainmg.Thus the mind is trained and disciplined and developed throughRight Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration ..The remaining two factors, namely Right Thought and RightUnderstandinggo to constitute Wisdom.Right Thought denotes the thoughts of selfless renunciationor detachment, thoughts of love and thoughts of non- iolence,vwhich are extended to all beings. It is very interesting and impor-tant to note here that thoughts of selfless detachment, love andnon-violence are grouped on the side of wisdom. This clearlyshows that true wisdom is endowed with these noble qualities,and that all thoughts of selfishdesire, ill-will, hatred and violenceare the result of a lack of wisdom-inail spheres of life whetherindividual, social, or political.Right Understanding is the understanding of things as hey are,tand it is the Four Noble Truths that explain things as th y reallyeare. Right Understanding therefore is ultimately reduced to theunderstanding of the Four Noble Truths. This understanding isthe highest wisdom which sees the Ultimate Reality. According toBuddhism there are two sorts of understanding: What we gener-ally call understanding is knowledge, an accumulated memory, anintellectual grasping of a subject according to certain given data.This is called 'knowing accordingly'(anubodha).It is not verydeep. Real deep understanding is called 'penetration'(pativedha),seeing a thing in its true nature, without name and label. Thispenetration is possible only when the mind is free from all impuri-ties and is fully developed through meditation.!From this brief account of the Path, one may see th t it is aa' Iway of life to be followed, practised and developed by each'Iindividual.Itis self-discipline in body, word and mind, self-development and self-purification. It has nothing to do with: jbelief, prayer, worship or ceremony. In that sense, it has nothingIlVism. (PTS),p.510., I49

~EJUJ1'L1(UJ1'L1~Q))I\"1d1~1?1nU~~-:JbU'LInVl'LIT€l~l-:JVl-d-:)vl'Uttl1\"1-:)bVl~elbb~6'I\"lJuae'IJ,~n1'L1~(9)(9)tlUJ1'L1(UJ1'L1~<i)I\"1d1~1?1n~-:JVlmtJbbifbb~?1\"lJfl'UVln\"l1u~fl'U1I\"lnnvl'U4:1'tlit,({UlJ,}fl :U7'LhJ::'(~1~\"lle:l'U) Vl~1tJ;;i-:J~1~e:le:ln~1f)n1~~1~1 'LIl\"1d1~111'V'ltJ1'U1Vluae111butJ~butJ'LI1~mb~1tl~?111'V'l~(9)1~-:J~d~n11~~1d~~1~m)n~lnn1~m1~'IJ'li'eJd~i~ll'Ururu1~ bbv1~~-:J~~~e:l-:)tl1~n e:l'U~dtJ1\"1ru ?1~~ el'LItl1~ b?1~:ObVl~ld ?1d'LI~ 1~v v,~'l~b,j'LI~ruVl1bb'U'Ub~'LIbbn~d~1~'LIVl1-:J*f1tJbn~tJ~i-:) bb~~1\"lll\"1d1~~'LIbb1-:JbU'LIe-J~I3ml1flm1\"lJ1~U ruru11111T~~b,j'LI1'L1b~e:l-:J\"lJe:l-:JU~b~n'Ul\"1l\"1~~-:)1\"1~Vl1eJn11biJe:l-:J•IVV,fflJlJTi1!Jff(UqJqJ1b~'LI\"lle:l'U) ~e:l i6'l11'V'l~-:)(9)1~~bU'LI bb~~e:l~tJ~~<ibU'LI511~~8fi1J1EJ?111'V'l~-:J(9)1~~bU'LI~~-:Jvl-:J,r'LI~~~l'Vi!l~~e:lUqJqJ1el'LIie:l~tJ~~<iVl1eJ~~~qJ1ru~'ULU'UUruru16'1-:J6'1~ bU'UU ruru1~ b~'LItl1~ (9)~ 1'U'V'l1~'V'lVl51\"l16'1'U1~~~ru1ruiJ?1eJ-:Jtl1~ U1VlOJQJ'ill,IVQJ<IQJ-1~~~eJl\"1d1~1 I\"1d1~b U'LI'V'lVl?1(9)I\"1d1~?11~11tl1-U?1~tlrunn b-u11 ~ b~eJ-:J~l n-u eJ~~~iJ'J't 'tIUQ.J'tL~EJfll1€J'lJTwtJ::(1(9)1~) bU'Ul\"1d1~1~111~n~-:J~d'LIl\"1d1~bihh~~m~tJn11t/iil'JtJ::9't'td.J(~Lb~~bbVl-:J(9)~eJ~)Vl~l tJ;;i-:Jn11 b~'U~-:)Vl-d-:J~-:J1~(9) ~511~\"ll1~~b1U'U~~-:)1~tJ 111~eJ-:)eJ1P1tJ'II~eJ'V1~mJ1tJ fl111bb ~-:J Vl-:J(9)~eJ~bu'U 1tl1~ b~eJ~(9)tl111\"l~lnnub~?1~-:)tld-:) bb~~vh 1VIb~~ru'IJVbb~d~dtJfl11tlijU~?1~15c;)bvh~eJ5'U1tJ~111\"1~11~tJ~eJ1\"1-:)~~b~'Ubb~dl1tibU'LIi~~i(9)~bb~~~'UI\"1I\"1~~-:Jb~'LI(9)1~,~~t111 tltlijU~bb~~~~'U1(9)'Ubu'Ufl11t1n(9)'LIbeJ-:)1 VfiJi11tJ~-:JVl1-:JnltJd1~1bb~ h~f)11~~'LI1(9)'U beJ-:Jbb~~fl11-U11~~(9) (9)'LIbeJ-:J1VI'U~?1Vlt111b~en fl'UI\"1d1~b~eJ fl11m~e)eJ'LIdeJ'LI,

IMhvg. (Alutgama, 1922.), p.10.which may popularly be called 'religious'.Itis a Path leading to therealization of Ultimate Reality, to complete freedom, happinessand peace through moral, spiritual and intellectual perfection.InBuddhist countries there are simple and beautiful customsand ceremonies on religious occasions. They have little to do withthe real Path. But they have their value in satisfying certainreligious emotions and the needs of those who are less advanced,and helping them gradually along the Path.With regard to the Four Noble Truths we have fourfunctionsto perform:The First Noble Truth isDukkha,the nature of life, its suffering,its sorrows and joys, its imperfection and unsatisfactoriness, itsimpermanence and insubstantiality. With regard tothis, ourfunction is to understand it as a fact, clearly and completely(pariiiiieyya).The Second Noble Truth is the Origin ofDukkha,which isdesire, 'thirst', accompanied by all other passions, defilements andimpurities A mere understanding of this fact is not sufficient..Here our function is to discard it, to eliminate, to destroy anderadicate it(pahatabba).The Third Noble Truth is the Cessation ofDukkha,Nirvana,the Absolute Truth, the Ultimate Reality. Here our function is torealize it(sacchikatabba).The Fourth Noble Truth is the Path leading to the realizationofNirvana,A mere knowledge of the Path, however complete,will not do.Inthis case, our function is to follow it and keep to it(bhavetabba).150

'I~b~cJnl1'6f'YlfffT7flU7'€l1CJlJ111\"lbthJVl11~'l111tl~1\"l11lJ~bb~ll'U'W1~'W'V'l'V'nw\"\"~~G'llJ15bb{;'l~ururu1~VllJVllijVl'l111tl~1\"l11lJiJ~G'l1~ 1\"l11lJG'I\"1.J1\"l11lJG'II'U~b~lJ'U1'U1ruQ.IQ.IJ,'U1Utl'j~b VlI\"1~lVI{;'l1eJ~,r'U~m~'j~'WVl51\"11G'1'U1iJtl1~ b'Wrubb{;'l~W5~~1tJbb{;'l~lVll1lJ1'U,t8mG'l~11~ Vl111\"11G'1'U1~lbVl~1dbbVl'UllJb~eJl-U€lln'U€l1tJlJ~11\"lLLtoiiJl\"lwl\"hl'Uf111G'1'U€ll,bb{;'l~1\"l11lJvl€llf11'j\"1.J€ll~~cJln11VlU1U€ltJ1'UVl1151'jlJ bb{;'l~·thtJ1VlI\"l'ULVI~1,r'Un11\"tJ~1lJVl11\"1.J€ll€l1eJlJ'j'jI\"l€l~11~€ltJLu'U~€l tJ1tllub~€ll€l1tJ~1ijcs:iJnlijcs:tl'j~f11'je)'U'~ltl~D~~€l. ,eJ1tJ~lij~(9)'Ylmll~bbr) G'I.f)11~\"1.J€ll~i~1\"l11lJVlfl\"l! 1\"l11lJ1I\"1mL{;'l~1\"l11lJ~'UL 11,,hJ?flJ'U1ru 'U'Ubb{;'l~1\"l11lJ1lJ1.11-Wl'W€l11\"l11lJllJ b~tJI bL{;'l~1\"l11lJllJiJ Lbr)'UG'l11\"1.J€lluIij\"l'Ub~€lldVlu1~e)'U-Wltl~u~~€lfhVl'UVlil~bbr) ~m~nlVlb-U11lijiVlbb{;'l~I\"l'j'U{l1'U 1lbU'Ub'll'UJ'U('I.Bryu;yCJCJ:;)eJ1tJ~lij~tv'VIwllm.n1CJ(umnVlbb'l11Vlfl\"l!)l~bbr) ~WVl1 1\"l11lJVl~tJ1'U€ltJ1fl'W~€llJ'\",iib~G'I~ltllle)'U bu'U bl\"l~€llLI\"1~1V1lJ€llLLri~~ L~ tJlb-U11Iijf111LnVl;ff'U\"1.J€llVlfl\"l!bvhJ'UcJIVI,j'1~e)'U-Wltl~'U~~€l{;'l~fl1-;ijVlvb1VlVllJVli'U1tl LL{;'l~vh{;'l1eJ€l~11f1€l'U~1flfl€l'U11\"l'UHJYI77J~ww:;)eJ1tJ~lij~sn'Yln\"lluT'SEf(5~~lJLU'U~~'U1tlbb'l11LVI~LnVl\"1.J€llVlfl\"l!)~€l'W'W'W1'Utl1iJ~fI,,,:!~1ij1ij~e)'UtJ€lVl~IVlu1~e)'U-Wlvi'1~€l1\"l11vi'11Vlbb~I(flvQn7t97Ww:;)eJ1eJ~lij~cs:'Yln\"llUhEffOJ7iJiJ1~bbr) lJ111\"l Vl11~'l111tl~1\"l11lJ~bb~lb~'Ulij11~I'W1~,\"\"b~tJliJI\"l11lJ-n 'Ub~€ll\"1.J€ll€l1tJlJ111\"l1lJl11ij~G'llJ'U1rub~tJllVlf11lJ'W€l1'Ufl1ru\"1.J€ll\"\"2J~~f')Vlu1~e)'U-Wlvi'1~€l1\"l11vi'11Vlblij1qj(f)7L ,)t97ww:;)\"'&0

CHAPTERVITHEDOCTRINEOFNO-SOUL:ANATTAWhat in general is suggested by Soul, Self, Ego, or to use theSanskrit expressionAlman,is that in man there is a permanent,everlasting and absolute entity, which is the unchanging substancebehind the changing phenomenal world. According to somereligions, each individual has such a separate soul which iscreated by God, and which, finallyafter death, lives eternall eitheryin hell or heaven, its destiny depending on the judgment of itscreator. According to others, it goes through many lives ill it istcompletely purified and becomes finally united with God orBrahman, Universal Soul orAlman,from which it originallyemanated. This soul or self in man is the thinker of thoughts,feeler of sensations, and receiver of rewards and punishments forall its actions good and bad. Such a conception is called t e ideahof self.Buddhism stands unique in the history of human thought in'denying the existence of such a Soul, Self, orAlman.According:1to the teaching of the Buddha, the idea of self is an imaginary, falsebelief which has no corresponding reality, and it producesharmful thoughts of'me'and 'mine', selfish desire, c aving,rattachment, hatred, ill-will, conceit, pride, egoism, and otherdefilements, impurities and problems.Itis the source of all theItroubles in the world from personal conflicts to wars betweennations. In short, to this false view canbetraced all the ev iniltheworld.Two ideas are psychologically deep-rooted in man: self-pro-tection and self-preservation. For self-protection man has creatediGod, on whom he depends for his own protection, safety andisecurity, just as a child depends on its parent. For self-preservationIman has conceived the idea of an immortal Soul orAlman,whichwill live eternally. In his ignorance, weakness, fear, and desire,Iman needs these two things to console himself. Hence he clings.to them deeply and fanatically.51

Ic:ItJ11brh'he)1?J1?J7(~dWU) Vl1e:l~[l1~1~'U?lfl()~b~tJfr-;heJ71?JJ)U'VI1e:l~b~cJfll'U~e:l~ b~'U~~h~d~'U ~d~ ~e:lll1'U~1\"lJB'nJ'U~~i1~-:J~b~CJ-:Jmd'~ bb~~?llJu<mlbbuu~-:J,~i~I\"l-:J~B~b ;1B-:JVI\"'-:Jl~fl[llCJ'UBfl~bb1.J\";i'l]';id'U1tlb~BCJ\"lUl-:Jf!1l?l'Ul?lB'Ull~1\"l'Ui1e)~~l~~i~b..ijl?l~l-:J~'UlJluae1'U~?l(?1'V1\"'-:J\"illfl~lCJ1ile)~~1.Q\"il~1tI?lti~,n'U'UiflVl1B?l1iiA\"1l~~lfliilJ\"lJB-:Je)~~l.Q~'UBcJnUrll~~lfl~l\"lJB-:J~i~~?l~l-:J~~l?lB'Ulle)~~l~l'UlJlml1'V1m CJ~l~ \"il'UfllT'il~tlfl'l1li~ 1Vfu~?l'V1~e-J(?1~ B-:Juae~\"~~b-Ul1tlillJe:lcJnUW~~b..ijlV11B~i~~iVllJ~~bbV!-:J~mll~VI~e:leJ71?JJ)U~-:JbtJ'U~w,qIQJ~Q.JodIQ.Jd\"diI~i/G.IVd\"b'U(?1\"lJB-:J~'Ubb~(?1-:Jb(?1lJB~~1V1iB~1~'U\"lJB-:JlJ'U~CJI\"lBe-JI\"l(?1 e-JiUiBlilJrubb~~'I'Ucu'Uruua ~1'V1~\"il1 fl fl i ilJ ~ ua ~ fl iilJ\"~1 ~ -:J'VIlJ(?1\"lJB-:J~'U 1\"l1llJ b~ Bb'li'U.Qb~ CJflll,(1\"l1llJb6'(iBlli1~1i1~'U)lJth~~f!1l?l~imllJf)(?1\"lJB-:JlJ'U~~~i~~'V16f!11?l'Uli1bBfl\"'fl~ru~i-:J~tlf)b?l6fllii1\"d.J1\"il~1~'UVl1Be)1?J1?J7~llJrll?lB'U\"lJB-:J~i~~'V16b..ijlmllJf)(?11li1e)~~lbtJ'UmllJ,bn(?1\"illflfl1il-1f~'U~'Ulfl1ibb~-:J~'UlJl ~-:J1lJm-:JnumllJbtJ'U\"il~-:Jbb~~riB V1bn(?11\"l1llJ1hMllbtJ'U'pJ';WrJ' '\"lJeJvL'rJ'mllJ~~llJu~ruVilaihnrumllJlm6bfl~CJ(?1,1\"l11lJ'V1~'U-:J~11\"l11lJ~B~ 1\"l1llJVI~-:J~'U ~~B(?1\"il'UB1?l1~ nb~?l bb~~UqjVll~mllJ~(?1bbUU.QbtJ'U~lJl\"lJB-:J1\"l1llJb~B(?1~B'U~-:JVlmCJ1'Ul~fl \"illflI\"l1llJ-rr(?1bb8-:J?b'U~I\"lI\"l~'VIll-:J\"1ll~ ?litlllI\"l11lJ.rr1~lCJ~-:Jtl1-:J 1'U1~fl~U?l11fl\"'U 1tl1~~-:J1\"l1llJ b~'U,l'l'JllJ~(?1?lB-:Jtli~ fl1 i'VI~-:Jil fl~ flBCJ'U~~lJ'U~~ VI~-:J~Bfl1 itl fl1JB-:J~'UbB-:Jbb~~?lB1-:J~,~€l-:Jfl1i~\"il~vlli-:JBcJ lJ'U~~?l~l-:J~i~b..ijl~'UlJlb~Btlflt1€l-:JrllJl\"li€l-:J~'Ub~€l1\"l1llJ~,,bb~~?l1?l~[l1~\"lJ€l-:J~'U(?1\"ilb~mnU'V11ifl~~-:J~llJli(?11U(?11bb~~lJ'U~CJ1~~(?1b~B-:J,,II!lI,IC:iICI.Itel.:::Io::ioC::it,IQ.I..::r,Q.Jd\"ctodI1Id(9J~'VIiBeJI?J1?J7Bil-:J\"il~lJ\"1l1~BCJ\"1l1'Ui'U(?1i\"lJ'UlJlb~B~€lU?l'U€l-:J1\"l1llJ~B-:Jfl1i'V1\"il~~b~il~mllJb\"lJm1\"l1llJe)€l'UbbB mllJfl\"'1bb~~l\"llllJBCJlfl.QbB-:J lJ'U~~\"illbtJ'U,~~~.Qb~B\"1i1CJtli~ l~lJ 1\"il 1\"l~'UbbG'1fi~(?1?lB-:J~-:J.QBcJl-:J~lJVI~-:Jbb~~-:JlJ-:J1CJ,

52The Buddha's teaching does not support this ignorance,weakness, fear, and desire, but aims at making man enlightenedby removing and destroying them, striking at their very root.According to Buddhism, our ideasofGod and Soul are false andempty. Though highly developed as theories, th~y are. all. thesame extremely subtle mental projections, garbedInanmtricatemetaphysical and philosophical phraseology. These ideas are sodeep-rooted in man, and so near and dear to him, that he does ,?-otwish to hear, nor does he want to understand, any teachingagainst them.The Buddha knew this quite well. In fact, he said that histeaching was 'against the current'(pajisotagami),against man'sselfish desires. Just four weeks after his Enlightenment, seatedunder a banyan tree, he thought to himself: 'I have realized thisTruth which is deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand ...comprehensible only by the wise ...Men who are overpoweredby passions and surrounded by a mass of darkness cannot see thisTruth, which is against the current, which is lofty, deep, subtleand hard to comprehend.'With these thoughts in his mind, the Buddha hesitated for amoment, whether it would not be in vain if he tried to explain tothe world the Truth he had just realized. Then he compared the.world to a lotus pond: In a lotus pond there are some lotusesstill under water; there are others which have risen only up to thewater level; there are still others which stand above water and.are untouched by it. In the same way in this world, there are menat different levels of development. Some would understand the\"Truth. So the Buddha decided to teachit.!.The doctrine ofAnattaor No-Soul is the natural result of, orthe corollary to, the analysis of the Five Aggregates and the teach-ing of Conditioned Genesis(Pa!icca-samtlppada).2We have seen earlier, in the discussion of the First Noble Truth(Dukkha),that what we call a being or an individual is composedof the Five Aggregates, and that when these are analysed andexamined, there is nothing behind them which can be taken as'!',Atman,or Self, or any unchanging abiding substance. That is theanalytical method. The same result is arrived at through thelMhvg. (Alutgama,1922),p. 4f;M I (PTS), p. 167f.2Explained below.

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doctrine of Conditioned Genesis which is the syntheticalrnl>'~\"\"\"and according to this nothing in the world is absolute. Eis conditioned, relative, and interdependent. This is the Btheory of relativity.Before we go into the question ofAnattaproper, it is usefulhave a brief idea of the Conditioned Genesis. The principle ofdoctrine is givenina short formula of four lines:When this is, that is(Imasmi1!' sati ida!!, hoti);This arising, that arises(Imassuppada ida,!1 uppa;jati);When this is not, that is not(Imasmi,!, asati ida,!, na hoti);This ceasing, that ceases(Imassa nirodbd ida,!, nir1fijhati).lOn this principle of conditionality, relativity and inter-dependence, the whole existence and continuity of life and itscessation are explained in a detailed formula which is calledPa/icca.;.samttppada'Conditioned Genesis', consisting of twelvefactors:I.Through ignorance are conditioned volitional actions orkarma-formations(Avijjapaccaya sa,!,khara).2.Through volitional actions is conditioned consciousness(Sa,!,kharapaccaya viiifiaIJa~n).3. Throughconsciousness are conditionedmental andphysical phenomena(ViiifiaIJapaccaya namarilpa,!,).4. Through mental and physical phenomena are conditionedthe six faculties (i.e., five physical sense-organs and mind)(Namarilpapaccaya sa/dyatana~n).5. Through the six faculties is conditioned (sensorial andmental) contact(Sa/ayatanapaccaya phasso).6. Through (sensorial and mental)'contact is conditionedsensation(Phassapaccaya vedana).7. Through sensation is conditioned desire, 'thirst'(Vedand-paccaya taIJha).8. Through desire ('thirst') is conditioned clinging(TaIJhd-paccaya upddana,!,).1MIII (PTS),p. 63; S II (PTS),pp. 28,95, etc. To put it into a modern form:WhenA is, B is;A arising,B arises;WhenA is not, B is not;A ceasing,B ceases.53

11#lltJUn\"il\"il61lJtl'lJl'Vl LU'U15€lTI'U1m~-!lG1-!lLfl'J1~~fI1'J€lTI'U1tJ61€l-!l15d61'Ju1~'O.J,'n'U~€l 1lJil€l~h1'Ut~fld~61lJ'U'Jru\"il1-!l'Vln€l~1-!lilL1€l'U1\"IJu\"il~m1lJ~'Vl5n'ULL~~\",oQ.ICiI~.c::lIQ.JQ..IEJfl'U'Ufl€l'Vlt1~D61lJ'V'l'Vl6.f11'V'l'U'U~'Vl6uri€l'U~\"il~'V'l(;l5-!lmJi9Jm,j1\"il~LU'UU'J~ttJ'll'ulh 1#l~L~tJ1n'Uun\"il\"il61lJU'U1'Vl(fI1'J~~-!lJ\".d.J,'SIIItIII'\";~t.jmtJ€l1Pi'tJn'U~ Ln(;lil\"ii'U) U1-!l VI~n\"IJ€l-!l6'J'JlJVllJl(;li1m111LU'U~~'JG1'U 11m'U-!lcs:m1Vl(;ldj€l~-!ldil~-!l,r'U~-!lilWUfTihfT~BnJhJ~)Ld€l~-!ldLn(;l ~-!l,r'U~~Ln(;lWUfTmhrnBnJ eJ'l.HJ6ff6ff~),,Ld€l~-!ld1lJil ~-!l,r'Un1lJil(BUfTiJJ eJfT~ BnJ U[11~)lLd€l~-!ld~'U ~-!l,r'Un~'UWUfTfT iJFSD7 BnJ iJr6fffJJ~)'j)VI~mLvi-!lfI1'J L 'UL1€l'U1\"IJu\"il~tJ fll1lJG1lJ~'U5 L~UtJ1~€l~n'U LL~~fI1'J€l1 Pi'tJn'Uf111Ln~il.fl'V'l'lJ1~G1-!l611'J1nuaefI1'J~'U~(;l vi-!lG1~?f1'J1n€lTI'U1m U'U~~'J~1 b~\"il€l~ -!lu1fl::L~tJ~1'UVllJl(;l6'J'JlJ~b~tJfl11u:!]1717m,/tlv7YJe)'Uilmrlu'J~n€lu('U1717CJ7nn)<9lv~€l(9).b'V'l'J1~€ll'lJ'lJ1bu'Uu\"il~tJ~-!lilG1-!l\"IJ1'JVl1€lm'JlJ(eJ?6ff6ff7V1717CJ7flJ\"lJ717)ct.b'V'l'J1~?fV11tJ~'U~bU'UU\"il~tJ~-!lil~6161~(fTt47CJi9JUV1717CJ7cJfT[fT)b.b'V'l'J1~~?f?f~bu'Uu\"il~tJ~-!lil bl'Vl'U1(cJfTfTV1717CJ7DYJU7)mi.b'V'l'J1~Ld'Vl'U1bu'UU\"il~ tJ~-!l~v1ruVl1(rmu7v1717CJ7 c;}W117)~. L'V'l'J1~~ruVl1bU'UU\"il~tJ~-!lil€lU1'Vl1'U(c;}W117V1717CJ7eJU7YJ7UJ),,•La1JGlcru'lJDi umfJJJfj'lF ruamrWr)W t57~n'J(I}Yf'j[c;)i!Jb)VlUlc;),;;;i!J-c;) ~,,;;;L~l.Ic;)bfl l/(I}(I}UmfJ U'YJ7jJfl~l/(I} llllfJ~V~o)Vlih~b ,YJn'll'J 'j ~~(I} [ )VlUlc;)oi!J-c;)o~ ,,., .,n L~11 tJ'Jfl1't;1<1l1v V1 f1€J1 lJd.,.d.<::IIL1J€J1Jn.'!I.~ l.I~n .d'~'ll.~~ ~Lnuj€J n l.lJil'll.iil illJu\"un su.'ll.nsu

9· Through clinging is conditioned the process of becoming(Upadanapaccayabhavo).10.Throughthe process of becoming is conditionedbirth(Bhavapaccayajati).I!.Throughbirth are conditioned (12) decay, death, lamen-tation, pain, etc.(JatipaccayajaramaratJa'!1... ).This is how life arises, exists and continues.Ifwe take thisformula in reverse order, we come to the cessation of the pro-cess: Throughthe complete cessation of ignorance,volitionalactivities or karma-formationscease; throughthe cessation ofvolitional activities, consciousness ceases; ... through the cessa-tion of birth, decay, death, sorrow, etc., cease.Itshould be rememberedthat each of these factorsiscon-ditioned(pajiccasaJlluppanna)as well as conditioning(pa{iccasamuppada).1 Therefore they are all relative, interdependentandinterconnected,and nothing is absolute or independent;henceno first cause is acceptedbyBuddhism as we have seen earlier.2ConditionedGenesis should be considered as a circle and not as,a chain.\"The question of Free Will has occupied an important place inWestern thought and philosophy. But according to ConditionedGenesis, this question does not and cannot arise in Buddhistphilosophy.Ifthe whole of existence is relative, cond tioned andiinterdependent,how can will alone be free? Will which isincluded in the fourth Aggregate(sal!lkhdrakkhandha),like anyotherthought,is conditioned(paticca-salJluppan?!a).So-called'freedom' itself in this world is not absolutely free. That too isconditioned and relative. There is, of course, such a conditionedand relative 'Free Will', but not 'unconditionedand absolute.There can be nothing absolutely free in this world, physical ormental, as everything is conditionedand relative. If Free Willimplies a will independentof conditions, independentof causeand effect, such a thing does not exist. How can a will, oranything for that matter, arise without conditions,away fromcause and effect, when the whole of life, the whole of existence,IVism. (PTS), p. 5 7.12See above p. 2.9.3Li~iteds~a.ce does not permit a discussion here of this most important.doctrine, A critical and comparative study of this subject in detail will be found in aforthcoming work on Buddhist philosophy by the present writer.54-.--~ .LV(9)0.(9)<9)•~ltJ'I.}ilvv\"lJ€l'ln'tm!;l:tl~llL'VI(1lbt....,LtJ'.J'~/m)~I\"nr(1lf1 Vd11ilbJl~llrn-u1\"1111(a:J\"lJ7'JviI\"\"11'm'Jf),~LtJ'U~'l~tl1'lLL~'l,I~(1l1'l1 ~hi~€l'l€l1'1~tJlliikj,'\"?'1y/f1lJ'i1f10i)'VnJ1!)c;<~....,fd o'\" il'lEJ'I'fU'VJlau\"I.'U~im\" ~