SILA - SAMADHI - PANYA
(Dharma Precepts - Meditation - Wisdom)

Extinguishing Desires

Before giving Dharma talk about the conquering of desires and what Dharma practice should we follow to succeed, I would like to call on the blessing of Lord Buddha to guide me to the right path. This Dharma talks is intended for those who wish to follow Dharma principles as described in the Teachings of Lord Buddha. However, it is not intended in any way to teach those who already knew and practiced Dharma.

This Dharma talk is divided into 4 main sub-sections:

1. SILA (Dharma Precepts) - Before Sila arises, we must wisdom which will teach us how to maintain the purity of the Sila and to keep it safe.

2. PANYA (Wisdom) - We have wisdom. we must use our wisdom to maintain our life, to protect ourselves fom any harm, and to keep us alive before we can look after our Sila at each level of our ability until we reach the purity of Sila. In guarding our Sila, it is necessary to have wisdom. Without wisdom, we will not be able to protect our Sila from any harm. There is no other way.

3. SAMADHI (Meditation) - when start practicing meditation to gain Samadhi, to attain goals, to be free from harm, to let the Citta performing its Samadhi, to achieve what has been set out, to fully and better utilise all the acquired knowledge and to realise one's own conditional sufferings it is most necessary that we use all the wisdom we have obtained from practicing meditation in order to find way of eliminating sufferings in out Citta so that we can achieve liberation.

4. PRINCIPLES OF OBSERVING SILA - Principles of utilising wisdom to maintain one's life and at the same time performing one's duties:

• Principles of Samadhi Vipassana

• Principles of conquering and destroying desires

Principles of conquering and destroying sufferings :

According to my own experience, these must be carried step by step, according to the Hetu and Paccaya (causes and requisites). I would like to explain by giving an example :

A Spider Web - A Spider Sleeping in the Heart of his Web

We must use of awareness to investigate the above example. When completing his tasks, the spider spent his time by sleeping in the middle of his web. He is relaxing and concentrating in his meditation. This is similar to the following saying 'No work - No job - Nothing to do any more - Take a Rest and Meditate'. Our spider web may be divided also into 4 parts :

1. This spider web is similar to wisdom. Using wisdom to keep life safe from any harm so that work can be done without interfering or stepping on anybody's shoes. However, if an intruder wishes to harm him, he will be punished and could end up dying or being the spider's nutriments which the spider does not have to go and look for food to eat so that life can go on in fulfilling his duties.

2. Having completing all his work, the spider spends his time relaxing. This is his personal time. He practises meditation to conquer his desires and hunger. His Sila is pure as his Citta is stable - nothing to worry. This is why he spends his time making his web to protect himself from any danger, to protect his life so that he can have peace. When he has peace, his Citta will be in Samadhi, his Sati will be clear and which will allow wisdom to arise assisting him to understand ways of conquering desires and hunger which is the source of sufferings.

3. Causes of Sufferings - Spider Web

We have seen spider webs everywhere. They are similar to human desires. We desire material possessions as well as food to keep us alive. Our desires is endless. This is the cause of our sufferings. Sufferings is a feeling in our Citta as our Citta knows everything that is occuring. This perception is Arrom (feeling) - Happy - Sad - Good or Bad. All of these feelings are perceived by the Citta. If it is a happy feeling, the Citta will be fine and has no worries or uneasiness for a while. This is only temporary and that is why we are still suffering. According to my personal experience and Dharma practice, this is correct and I would like to explain further as below :

Kiriya (functions) of Dukkha - when we suffer Dukkha, it will show in the Citta. We will be worried and uneasy. We will keep walking up and down almost all night or day. We would not be able to sleep properly. These are functional of Kiriya showing Dukkha and is the source of suffering. This is not much different from our spider web. If we want to extinguish and eliminate sufferings which is a feeling of Dukkha, we should gather all the Dukkha and place them in our Citta. Look at the spider making his web and once completing his web making task, he will enclose himself in the centre of the web and continue his resting which is 'No more work - Nothing to do anymore - Take a Rest'. In this situation, our spider will not leave his web to go and look for food. Once he stays in his web, he will not cause harm to anybody and will not do any bad karma. The spider gathers all the sufferings and place them in his Citta and sleeps on them. He is not worrying or concerning about anything outside. In this context, we can do the same like the spider by placing all the feelings in our breathing and use our Sati (awareness) to follow the breathing. When breathing in or out we know what we are breathing. It will not be long before we can eliminate our sadness, unhappiness and above all our sufferings. If we practise this while lying down in bed, we will never know when we close our eyes and go to sleep completely. Undoubtedly, this is a method of conquering desires and hunger.

I would like to give you another example about Dukkha. For example, we have a piece of metal about 1000 kilograms which is quite heavy to lift up. To destroy or make use of this piece of metal, it is necessary to melt it and once it is melted, we could transform this piece of metal to anything we require, such as steel rods, tubes, or even pins. To melt this piece of metal, in ancient time, we have to use fire and wind. We fan the fire with the wind in order to increase the heat high enough to melt the metal until it is melted. The stronger the wind, the hotter the fire and the melting will be quicker. This demonstrates that we have to use our wisdom to conquer desires. This is similar to our sufferings which we have to conquer it with our breathing.

(1) Apart from our breathing, there is no other way to extinguish sufferings. Now back to the story of our spider, when he completes, any insect comes into contact with his web could end up being his meal so that the spider can survive. The way he is sleeping in the centre of his web is similar to our meditation practice to attain goals. One of the most important factor is that before commencing, we have to ensure that our life is safe from any danger, and if this the case, we can commence our practice and keep continue our duties. Once we are able to eradicate the feeling of being selfish, the feeling of not taking advantage of others and the feeling of not interfering with other people's life for our interest, our Citta will be peaceful and then we will be happy. Once there is peace, wisdom will develop, our Sila will be strong and stable and as a result our Samadhi will lead us to wisdom to conquer sufferings.

(2) This is why our Lord Buddha practised Vipassana Kammathana to maintain peace and making the Citta strong and stable in order for wisdom to develop and as a result understanding 'What is sufferings; Causes of Sufferings; Methods of Eradicating Sufferings and to Gain Liberation'.

(3) Lord Buddha also said that 'Investigating Anapanasati is the locate the breathing and Once the Breathing is Found the Path to extinguishing Dukkha will be Found' - BUDDHO IS UNDERSTANDING AND TO WAKING UP WHICH IS TO UNDERSTAND THE BREATHING AND NOTHING ELSE. Therefore, we should attempt to understand our own breathing.

(4) Dharma Practitioners should understand their breathing which is the heart of their practice. Breathing is the Dharma factor which will lead to the elimination of sufferings. Breathing is the heart of the characters of the Sankhara as well as all the conditional creations which rise and fall. Understand the breathing will lead to the understanding of all the Sankhara as well as the Mugga Phala and Nibbana.

It is because of the breathing that Lord Buddha :

For Dharma Practitioners, if they have not yet understood their breathing, it would appear that they have not gone very far in their practice. They are still circling around their desires and closing their eyes while practicing their meditation. Therefore, it is most essential for Dharma Practitioners to know and understand the Kiriya (functional) of their breathing. Also while they are breathing in and breathing out, they must attempt to understand all the Kiriya of the Sankhara and all the creational states of the Sankhara until they can reach the Paramathathamma level which is 'As Light as Cotton Wool - As Comfortable as Air'. This is clearly and completely realising and understand the breathing. If anyone is able to understand his breathing at this level, he will undoubtedly knew how our Lord Buddha extinguished all the Dukkha.

Therefore, I would like to encourage all Dharma Practitioners and all Buddhamamaka to find ways and means to understand their breathing so that their can at least reduce or extinguish their Dukkha.

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