"Gradual Teaching" (anupubbiṁ kathaṁ)Dhamma Talk Series – Part 6
Dhamma Talk series at Empty Cloud Monastery, New Jersey
conducted by Bhante Sumitta
Kalla citta, mudu citta, vinivarana citta, passanna citta
1) Dānakathaṁ
2) Sīlakathaṁ
3) Saggakathaṁ
4) Kāmānaṁ ādīnavaṁ okāraṁ saṁkilesaṁ
5) Nekkhamme ānisaṁsaṁ
6) Kallacitta muducitta vinīvaraṇacitta udaggacitta pasannacitta
7) Buddhānaṁ sāmukkaṁsikā dhammadesanā - Dukkhaṁ samudayaṁ nirodhaṁ maggaṁ
8) Dhammacakkhuṁ udapādi - 'yaṁ kiñci samudayadhammaṁ sabbaṁ taṁ nirodhadhammaṁ"
Devatārādhanā (Invitation to the Devas)
Samantā cakkavālesu atrā gacchantu devatā
saddhammam munirājassa sunantu sagga mokkhadam
parittassavana kālo ayam bhadantā //
parittadhammassavana kālo ayam bhadantā
(From all round the world systems may the devas come here. The true Dhamma of the King of sages is to be heard; leading to heaven and liberation.)
Salutation to the Buddha
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā sambuddhassa ///
(Homage to Him, the Blessed One, the Exalted One, the Fully Enlightened One!)
Title Stanza:
"Cakkhumā visamāniva vijjamāne parakkame,
Paṇḍito jīvalokasmiṃ pāpāni parivajjaye"ti.
Anupubbi Kathaṃ (Gradual Teaching) – Dhamma Talk Series – Part 6
How is Buddhism flexible?
Unlike most world religions, Buddhsim is so flexible that it has survived by evolving and adapting to the needs of its diverse following. As Buddhism spread, it absorbed or coexisted with local religions, creating some distinctive yet interrelated forms with unique rituals.
Is Buddhism a flexible religion?
Finally, Buddhism was a flexible belief system, capable of adapting and changing to fit very different places and people. Map showing the spread and major divisions of Buddhism.
FLEXIBILITY
Flexibility (mudutà) in the psychological sense is the quality of being able to see changes and nuances in a situation or principle and adjust to them accordingly. In the Mettà Sutta, the Buddha advocates flexibility together with several other rarely discussed but important virtues: `One should be capable, straightforward, very straightforward, easy to speak to, flexible and modest' (Sn.143). The Jàtaka advises the courtier: `Be as pliant as bamboo, and then you will be able to live in the king's court'(Ja.VI,295).
The Buddha's flexibility is most apparent in his attitude to rules. He made rules for monks and nuns to address specific problems and he expected everyone to take them seriously and abide by them. However, he was wise enough to understand that no rule can cover every possible situation, that situations change and, therefore, that rules should be changed when necessary. In the Vinaya we see how rules were adjusted and modified and just before his passing the Buddha told his disciples that they could change minor rules when the need arose (D.II,154). Intellectual flexibility (cittamudutà) is important also (Dhs.45). To have views and opinions but without being pedantic, dogmatic or rigid about them is an important aspect of detachment. See Skilful Means.
Nekkhamma Katham
Evaṃ hetunā saddhiṃ saggakathāya palobhetvā puna hatthiṃ alaṅkaritvā tassa soṇḍaṃ chindanto viya‘‘ ayampi saggo anicco adhuvo, na ettha chandarāgo kātabbo’’ ti dassanatthaṃ‘‘ appassādā kāmā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo’’ tiādinā( ma. ni.1.177;2.42) nayena kāmānaṃ ādīnavaṃ okāraṃ saṃkilesaṃ kathesi.
Tattha ādīnavan ti dosaṃ. Okāran ti lāmakasabhāvaṃ, aseṭṭhehi sevitabbaṃ seṭṭhehi na sevitabbaṃ
nihīnasabhāvanti attho. Saṃkilesan ti tehi sattānaṃ saṃsāre saṃkilissanaṃ. Tenāha–‘‘ kilissanti vata bho sattā’’ ti( ma. ni.2.351).
Evaṃ kāmādīnavena tajjetvā nekkhamme ānisaṃsaṃ pakāsesi pabbajjāya jhānādīsu ca guṇaṃ dīpesi vaṇṇesi.Kallacittan tiādīsu kallacittan ti kammaniyacittaṃ, heṭṭhā pavattita-desanāya assaddhiyādīnaṃ cittadosānaṃ
vigatattā uparidesanāya bhājana-bhāvūpagamanena kammaniyacittaṃ, kammakkhama-cittanti attho.
Diṭṭhi-mānādi-saṃkilesavigamena muducittaṃ .
Kāmacchandādi-vigamena vinīvaraṇacittaṃ .
Sammā paṭipattiyaṃ uḷāra-pīti-pāmojjayogena udaggacittaṃ .
Tattha saddhā sampattiyā pasannacittaṃ ,
yadā bhagavā aññāsīti sambandho.
Atha vā kallacittan ti kāmacchanda-vigamena arogacittaṃ.
Muducittan ti byāpāda-vigamena mettāvasena akathinacittaṃ.
Vinīvaraṇacittan ti uddhaccakukkucca-vigamena avikkhipanato na pihita-cittaṃ.
Udaggacittan ti thinamiddha-vigamena sampaggahavasena alīnacittaṃ.
Pasannacittan ti vicikicchāvigamena sammāpaṭipattiyā adhimuttacittaṃ.
Ud 5.3 PTS: Ud 48
Kuṭṭhi Sutta: The Leper
Suppabuddhakuṭṭhi suttaṃ.
1. Evaṃ me sutaṃ: ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena rājagahe suppabuddho nāma kuṭṭhi ahosi, manussadaḷiddo manussakapaṇo manussavarāko.
Thus, have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha at the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Sanctuary. And on that occasion in Rājagaha there was a leper named Suppabuddha, a poor, miserable wretch of a person.
2. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā mahatiyā parisāya parivuto dhammaṃ desento nisinno hoti. Addasā kho suppabuddho kuṭṭhi taṃ mahājanakāyaṃ dūratova sannipatitaṃ. Disvānassa etadahosi: " nissaṃsayaṃ kho ettha kiñci khādanīyaṃ vā bhojanīyaṃ vā bhājiyissati. Yannūnāhaṃ yena so mahājanakāyo tenupasaṅkameyyaṃ. Appevanāmettha kiñci khādanīyaṃ vā bhojanīyaṃ vā labheyyanti".
And on that occasion the Blessed One was sitting surrounded by a large assembly, teaching the Dhamma. Suppabuddha the leper saw the large gathering of people from afar and thought to himself, "Without a doubt, someone must be distributing staple or non-staple food there. Why don't I go over to that large group of people, and maybe there I'll get some staple or non-staple food."
3. Atha kho suppabuddho kuṭṭhi yena so mahājanakāyo tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho suppabuddho kuṭṭhi bhagavantaṃ mahatiyā parisāya parivutaṃ dhammaṃ desentaṃ nisinnaṃ. Disvānassa etadahosi: "na kho ettha kiñci khādanīyaṃ vā bhojanīyaṃ vā bhājiyati, samaṇo ayaṃ gotamo parisatiṃ dhammaṃ deseti. Yannūnāhampi dhammaṃ suṇeyyanti. Tattheva ekamantaṃ nisīdi. "Ahampi dhammaṃ sossāmī"ti. Atha kho bhagavā sabbāvantaṃ parisaṃ [PTS Page 049] [\q 49/] cetasā cetoparicca manasākāsi 'ko nu kho idha bhabbo dhammaṃ viññātuṃ?"Ti.
So he went over to the large group of people. Then he saw the Blessed One sitting surrounded by a large assembly, teaching the Dhamma. On seeing this, he realized, "There's no one distributing staple or non-staple food there. That's Gotama the contemplative (sitting) surrounded, teaching the Dhamma. Why don't I listen to the Dhamma?" So he sat down to one side right there, [thinking,] "I, too, will listen to the Dhamma." Then the Blessed One, having encompassed the awareness of the entire assembly with his awareness, asked himself, "Now who here is capable of understanding the Dhamma?"
4. Addasā kho bhagavā suppabuddhaṃ kuṭṭhiṃ tassaṃ parisāyaṃ nisinnaṃ, disvānassa etadahosi: " ayaṃ kho idha bhabbo dhammaṃ viññātuṃ"ti. Suppabuddhaṃ kuṭṭhiṃ ārabbha ānupubbīkathaṃ1 kathesi. Seyyathidaṃ?
He saw Suppabuddha the leper sitting in the assembly, and on seeing him the thought occurred to him, "This person here is capable of understanding the Dhamma." So, aiming at Suppabuddha the leper, he gave a step-by-step talk, i.e.,
Dānakathaṃ, he proclaimed a talk on generosity,
sīlakathaṃ, on virtue,
saggakathaṃ, on heaven;
kāmānaṃ ādīnavaṃ okāraṃ saṅkilesaṃ, he declared the drawbacks, degradation, & corruption of sensuality,
nekkhamme ca2 ānisaṃsaṃ pakāsesi. and the rewards of renunciation.
Yadā bhagavā aññāsi, Then when the Blessed One knew
suppabuddhaṃ kuṭṭhiṃ kallacittaṃ muducittaṃ vinīvaraṇacittaṃ udaggacittaṃ pasannacittaṃ. that Suppabuddha the leper's mind was ready, malleable, free from hindrances, elevated, & clear,
Atha yā buddhānaṃ sāmukkaṃsikā dhammadesanā taṃ pakāsesi, dukkhaṃ samudayaṃ nirodhaṃ maggaṃ.
he then gave the Dhamma-talk peculiar to Awakened Ones, i.e., stress, origination, cessation, & path.
Seyyathāpi nāma suddhaṃ vatthaṃ apagatakālakaṃ sammadeva rajanaṃ patigaṇheyya. Evameva suppabuddhassa kuṭṭhissa tasmiṃ yeva āsane virajaṃ vītamalaṃ dhammacakkhuṃ udapādi:
And just as a clean cloth, free of stains, would properly absorb a dye, in the same way, as Suppabuddha the leper was sitting in that very seat, the dustless, stainless Dhamma eye arose within him,
'yaṃ kiñci samudayadhammaṃ, sabbaṃ taṃ nirodhadhammanti. '
"Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation."
5. Atha kho suppabuddho kuṭṭhi diṭṭhadhammo pattadhammo viditadhammo pariyogāḷhadhammo tiṇṇavicikiccho vigatakathaṃkatho vesārajjappatto aparappaccayo satthusāsane, uṭṭhāyāsanā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami.
Having seen the Dhamma, reached the Dhamma, known the Dhamma, gained a foothold in the Dhamma, having crossed over & beyond doubt, having had no more perplexity, having gained fearlessness & independence from others with regard to the Teacher's message, he got up from his seat and went to the Blessed One.
Upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho suppabuddho kuṭṭhi bhagavantaṃ etadavoca:
On arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One,
"abhikkantaṃ bhante, abhikkantaṃ bhante,
"Magnificent, lord! Magnificent!
seyyathāpi bhante, nikkujjitaṃ vā ukkujjeyya,
Just as if he were to place upright what was overturned,
paṭicchannaṃ vā vivareyya,
to reveal what was hidden,
mūḷhassa vā maggaṃ ācikkheyya,
to show the way to one who was lost,
andhakāre vā telapajjotaṃ dhāreyya cakkhumanto rūpāni dakkhintī"ti.
or to carry a lamp into the dark so that those with eyes could see forms,
Evameva bhagavatā anekapariyāyena dhamme pakāsito.
in the same way has the Blessed One — through many lines of reasoning — made the Dhamma clear.
Esāhaṃ bhante bhagavantaṃ saraṇaṃ gacchāmi, dhammañcabhikkhusaṅghañca.
I go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma, and to the Community of monks.
Upāsakaṃ maṃ bhagavā dhāretu, ajjatagge pāṇupetaṃ saraṇaṃ gata"nti.
May the Blessed One remember me as a lay follower who has gone to him for refuge, from this day forward, for life."
6. Atha kho suppabuddho kuṭṭhi bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassito, samādapito, samuttejito, sampahaṃsito, bhagavato bhāsitaṃ abhinanditvā anumoditvā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṃ katvā pakkāmi.
Then Suppabuddha the leper, having been instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged by the Blessed One's Dhamma talk, delighting in & approving of the Blessed One's words, got up from his seat, bowed down to the Blessed One and left, circling him to the right.
Atha kho suppabuddhaṃ kuṭṭhiṃ acirapakkantaṃ1 gāvī taruṇavacchā adhipātetvā jīvitā voropesi.
Not long after his departure he was attacked & killed by a cow with a young calf.
7. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṃsu. Upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdiṃsu. Ekamantaṃ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṃ etadavocuṃ: "yo so bhante, suppabuddho nāma kuṭṭhi bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassito, samādapito, samuttejito, sampahaṃsito, so kālakato. Tassa kā gati, ko abhisamparāyo"ti?
Then a large number of monks went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said to the Blessed One, "Lord, the leper named Suppabuddha, whom the Blessed One instructed, urged, roused, & encouraged with a Dhamma talk, has died. What is his destination? What is his future state?"
8. "Paṇḍito bhikkhave, suppabuddho kuṭṭhi, paccapādi dhammassānudhammaṃ, na ca maṃ dhammādhikaraṇaṃ vihesesi. Suppabuddho bhikkhave, kuṭṭhi tiṇṇaṃ saṃyojanānaṃ parikkhayā sotāpanno avinipātadhammo niyato sambodhiparāyano"ti.
"Monks, Suppabuddha the leper was wise. He practiced the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma and did not pester me with issues related to the Dhamma. With the destruction of the first three fetters, he is a stream-winner, not subject to states of deprivation, headed for self-awakening for sure."
9. Evaṃ vutte aññataro bhikkhū bhagavantaṃ etadavoca: "ko nu kho bhante, hetu, ko paccayo yena suppabuddho kuṭṭhi ahosi, manussadaḷiddo manussakapaṇo manussavarāko?"Ti.
When this was said, one of the monks said to the Blessed One, "Lord, what was the cause, what was the reason, why Suppabuddha the leper was such a poor, miserable wretch of a person?"
10. "Bhūtapubbaṃ bhikkhave suppabuddho kuṭṭhi imasmiṃ yeva rājagahe seṭṭhiputto ahosi. So uyyānabhūmiṃ niyyanto addasa tagarasikhiṃ paccekabuddhaṃ nagaraṃ piṇḍāya pavisantaṃ, disvānassa etadahosi:
"Once, monks, in this very Rājagaha, Suppabuddha the leper was the son of a rich money-lender. While being escorted to a pleasure park, he saw Tagarasikhin the Private Buddha[1] going for alms in the city. On seeing him, the thought occurred to him,
"kvāyaṃ kuṭṭhi kuṭṭhicīvarena hi vicaratī"ti, niṭṭhuhitvā apasabyato2 karitvā pakkāmi. So tassa kammassa vipākena bahūni vassāni bahūni vassasatāni bahūni vassasahassāni bahūni vassasatasahassāni niraye paccittha.
'Who is this leper prowling about?' Spitting and disrespectfully turning his left side to Tagarasikhin the Private Buddha, he left. As a result of that deed he boiled in hell for many years, many hundreds of years, many thousands of years, many hundreds of thousands of years.
Tasseva kammassa vipākāvasesena imasmiṃ yeva rājagahe kuṭṭhi ahosi, manussadaḷiddo manussakapaṇo manussavarāko.
And then as a remainder of the result of that deed he became a poor, miserable wretch of a person in this very Rājagaha.
So tathāgatappaveditaṃ dhammavinayaṃ āgamma saddhaṃ samādiyi, sīlaṃ samādiyi, sutaṃ samādiyi, cāgaṃ samādiyi, paññaṃ samādiyi.
But on encountering the Dhamma & Vinaya made known by the Tathāgata, he acquired conviction, virtue, learning, relinquishment, & discernment.
So tathāgatappaveditaṃ dhammavinayaṃ āgamma saddhaṃ samādiyitvā sīlaṃ samādiyitvā sutaṃ samādiyitvā cāgaṃ samādiyitvā paññaṃ samādiyitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā sugatiṃ saggaṃ lokaṃ upapanno devānaṃ tāvatiṃsānaṃ sahabyataṃ. So tattha aññe deve atirocati vaṇṇena ceva yasasā cāti.
Having acquired conviction, virtue, learning, relinquishment, & discernment on encountering the Dhamma & Vinaya made known by the Tathāgata, now — on the break-up of the body, after death — he has reappeared in a good destination, the heavenly world, in company with the devas of the heaven of the Thirty-three. There he outshines the other devas both in beauty & in rank."
11. Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṃ viditvā tāyaṃ velāyaṃ imaṃ udānaṃ udānesi:
"Cakkhumā visamāniva vijjamāne parakkame,
Paṇḍito jīvalokasmiṃ pāpāni parivajjaye"ti.
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
As one with eyes & having energy would
treacherous, uneven places,
so a wise one, in the world of life, should avoid evil deeds.[2]
Note
1.A Private Buddha is one who gains awakening without relying on the teachings of others, but who cannot formulate the Dhamma to teach others in the way a Full Buddha can.
2.This verse is an example of a "lamp" — a poetic figure explained in the note to Ud 1.1. In this case the lamp-word is "should avoid."
Transferring Merits to Devas & Other Beings:
Ettāvatā ca amhehi - Sambhataṁ puñña-sampadaṁ
Sabbe devā / bhūtā / sattā anumodantu - Sabba-sampatti-siddhiyā
(For the sake of all attainment & success, may all heavenly beings / spirits / sentient beings rejoice in the extent to which we have gathered a consummation of merit.)
Transferring Merits to Departed Ones:
Idam me ñātinam hotu -
sukhitā hontu ñātayo.
(May all departed ones receive this merit, share this merit and be well and happy and healthy whereever they are!)
Aspiration for Kalyānamitta friends:
Iminā punna-kammena - Mā me bāla-samāgamo
Satam samāgamo hotu - Yāva Nibbāna-pattiyā.
(By means of this meritorious deed - May I never join with the foolish.
May I join always with the wise - Until the time I attain Nibbana.)
Blessing to All:
Sabbītiyo vivajjantu sabbarogo vinassatu,
mā te bhavatvantarāyo, sukhī dīghāyuko bhava!
(May you avoid all calamities and may all disease be destroyed, may there be no obstacles for you, may you be happy and live long!)
Bhavatu sabbamaṅgalaṁ, rakkhantu sabbadevatā,
sabba Buddhānubhāvena / dhamānubhāvena / sanghānubhāvena sadā sotthī bhavantu te!
(May there be every blessing, and may all of the gods protect you,
by the power of all the Buddhas / dhamma / sangha may you be safe forever!)
Abhivādanasīlissa - niccam vuddhāpacāyino
cattāro dhammā vaddhanti - āyu vanno sukham balam
(For somebody, who is showing respect to those of virtuous character, who is always paying homage to the venerable ones, four things grow for him: life-span, beauty of complexion, happiness, strength.)
Āyurārogya sampatti - sagga sampatti meva ca
ato nibbāna sampatti - imina te samijjhatu!
(By the power of this the four dhammas - life, complexion, comfort and strength will be developed to the one who is constantly respectful to the to elders and worthy ones!)
References:
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.5.03.than.html
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/ud/ud.1.01.than.html
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sltp/Ud_utf8.html#pts.048
https://pitaka.lk/main/?n=39140
https://www.wikipali.org/app/studio/editor.php?op=openchannal&book=123¶=1123&channal=39005568-e54c-46e4-8668-c9935e0fdb6d
https://www.wikipali.org/app/studio/editor.php?op=openchannal&book=123¶=1122&channal=39005568-e54c-46e4-8668-c9935e0fdb6d
https://www.wikipali.org/app/search/paliword.php?key=kallacitta%E1%B9%83
https://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Texts-and-Translations/Mahakhandhako/12-Yasas-Going-Forth.htm
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/index.htmlSADHU SADHU SADHU!
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