DHARMA TOUR IN GERMANY
September 1995
On 26 September 1995, I traveled to Germany to expand my Dharma knowledge and experience. Having seen most of the important places in Germany, I finally reached the so called ‘The Berlin Wall' which has been remembered worldwide. I sat down and started examining the events that happened after the Second World War. Only sad memory remains. I got stuck by what had happened. Consequently I could not find any emptiness.
What was the cause of my inability to find any emptiness?
The answer is that ‘it was the Berlin Wall'. This ‘Wall' caused my memory to flash back and forward continuously. This ‘Wall' separated relatives from one another. This wall twisted what was right to be wrong. This Wall prevented relatives to live together. This Wall causes enormous sufferings to people of both sides of the Wall. These people keen hoping that one day, one day, they would be allowed to freely travel through the so called ‘Berlin Wall'.
Finally, on15 September 1989, the sky was blue, the weather was fine, an emptiness has occurred at this place. The thickness of these concrete walls could not withhold human feelings and emotions. Finally, these walls were smashed into pieces to allow an emptiness to occur. Where an emptiness has occurred, there will be peace. These events have reinforced my Dharma faith. It does not matter how long it may take, whenever an emptiness has occurred, undoubtedly peace, satisfaction and understanding will follow.
These people waited for 40 years before they could have peace. Their patience has remained me of one of the Dharma sayings ‘No peace is greater than sincere understanding of one another' which is the source of human civilisation and development on this earth. I am very happy to have seen the German people who loved peace more than anything else to be freely see one another again. It took them 40 years to wait for this moment of great happiness.
The 15th day of September 1989 was the brightest day of them. It was a memorable day of those who have been waiting for peace and love which is the source of great happiness. This is similar to some of the Dharma sayings ‘Light conquers Darkness; Wisdom conquers Ignorance; Right action conquers Wrong action; Love conquers Sadness; Emptiness conquers Attachment, Good deeds conquer Bad deeds, Good Karma conquers Bad Karma; Dharma conquers Adharma.
After then Berlin Wall, I went to visit the place where so many thousands Jewish people were killed by poisonous gas. I saw faces of those who lost their lives at this place. I was very sad and felt sorry for them. All of them were born into this world like all of us. This reminds me of one of the Dharma sayings ‘Sabbe Sankhara Anatt' which means that all body formations who were born into this world are not permanent'.
This, is turn, leads me to one of Lord Buddha Teachings ‘Sabbe Saddha Appayassa Hontu' which means ‘all beings who were born into this world are friends in Dharma Wheel of Rebirth (to be born, to get old, to be sick and pass away) and they should refrain from mistreating one another. However, world beings never stopped mistreating one another. This is the main cause of endless sufferings. If they stop mistreating one another, Emptiness will occur and then peace will occur.
This is like one of the Buddha Dharma sayings' Dharma support the World' and this makes us understand that ‘Goodness and Righteousness can make all world beings live with one another peacefully'. It can be seen clearly that whether it is an individual, a family, a society or community or even a country and regardless of their religious belief, if they firmly adhere to Dharma Principles of Lord Buddha, they will enjoy peace.
All religious teach their devotees to refrain from mistreating one another for their own benefits. Similarly, all religions teach their devotees to differentiate between right and wrong, what is good and bad, what is suffering and happiness; and above all what is the cause of destruction to oneself, a family, a community or a nation. For an individual, the effects of one's action not only can be seen in this life but also in the life beyond.
Look at what happened to the Jewish people at the Gas Chamber. The memory still remains with us until today. On this occasion, I would like to channel all my loving kindness and all the good deeds, good karma that I have accumulated in this life time, to every single soul of the Jewish people who lost their life at this place. Also, I would like to pray to the power of the Triple Gems and every sacred Gods and Goddesses residing in the Universes, every good deeds, good karma, mediation practice, the Dharma Precepts that I have observed, to come and guide every soul of those who lost their life here to be free from all sufferings.
May every Rupa and Nama be happy and content and that ‘Anija Vatta Sankhara Upaddavaya Dharmikko Upadsitavanilusunti Tesang Vupasamousukkho Sabbe Sadda Malantica Malisale Ta Engvahang Malissami Nadime Edhasangsayo;
May all your souls rest in peace Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu
LuongTa Chanhphy Panyano Manivong
Dharma Talked at the Residence of
Mr & Mrs Chanh & Phuong DANG
Bahnof Str 13, 86368 Gersthhofen Augburg, GERMANY
DHARMA TOUR IN FRANCE
OCTOBER 1995
On 8th October 1995, I had the opportunity to return to visit Maha Khamphanh in Paris. At the same time, I had the opportunity to search for the reasons why Prince Siddhartha's real sufferings and the reasons why he left his wife, his concubines, his Kingdom, his Palaces where there was full of enjoyment. Having completed the tour of ‘Chateu de Versailles' both inside and outside, I rested in one of the gardens around the Chataeu and began to examine what I have seen inside the Chateau. I started by examining the paintings and the statues of beautiful girls which were placed in every rooms of the Chateau including, the bedrooms, dining rooms and reception rooms as well as in most corners of the Chateau's gardens. These paintings and statues conveyed sensual pleasure. Having seen these paintings and statues, immediately I understood the causes of Prince Siddhartha's sufferings – everything he saw and heard all conveyed sensual pleasure. In addition to this, Prince Siddhartha's suffering increased even more because he had more than 60, 000 concubines. (According to my rough estimate, about 2538 years ago, Prince Siddhartha's Palaces must have been much bigger than Chateau de Versailles.)
Aramana (sense objects) rises because of Tanha (cravings). When our eyes see, it causes our cravings to rise. We are cravings for Rupa, Sadda, Ghanda, Rasa – Form, Sound, Smell, Taste. All of these are gathered in the Citta and then craving will rise as the final Aramana. Citta is the Principal who guides the Sankhara (Body) to Phodhabba (touch).
When touching has occurred, suffering will occur. The process will continue endlessly. If we do not have wisdom to combat these cravings, the Citta will be full of cravings, which in turn will cause endless sufferings. This was the real cause of Prince Siddhartha's sufferings - sensual pleasure for 60,000 concubines. Prince Siddhartha suffered because of musical tunes, dancing every day and every night in almost everywhere in the Palace even in his bedroom.
Prince Siddhartha had four Palaces – one for each season of the year. Each Palace had a different atmosphere and temperature and different fragrant of flowers. No matter where he went, he could not escape from Rupa, Sadda Gandha and Rasa, which make him occupied all the time. He had no peace of mind. When realising that these sufferings were the causes of his mental decline, Prince Siddhartha had to find a way out so that he could find permanent happiness in life. No ordinary person could understand Prince Siddharatha's sufferings. While searching for a permanent happiness Prince Siddhartha used all the skills and knowledge he had learnt from so many teachers before in order to find ways out of these sufferings. He tried repeatedly to untangle these attachments. The more he tired the more he found that he could not escape from them. Finally, he had to escape.
Where did Prince Siddhartha go?
Prince Siddhartha escaped to a forest where he began torturing his physical body. He escaped from everything. He escaped from food consumption by not eating any food for 49 days. He escaped from his breathing. He escaped from his thirst by not drinking any water. For a moment he thought that he could escape from these sufferings, but, in actual fat, he suffered more as he almost lost his life.
Why did Prince Siddhartha suffer more than before?
Prince Siddhartha thought that by torturing his own physical body he could get rid of all the sufferings; but, in actual fact and unintentionally he had fallen into an ocean of sufferings. Once he realised that he got lost in an ocean of sufferings, Prince Siddhartha began to use his finest awareness to obtain wisdom to find a way out. For six years, he praised his awareness while observing his own breathing. He used his Citta to examine the 32 parts of his physical body, which includes Rupa Dharma, Nama Dharma and Sankhara. He continuously examined these 32 parts of his physical body, which includes skin and flesh, hair, and nails, teeth and etc.
Once he clearly understood all the 32 aspects of a physical body, he saw changes slowly taking places. For example, black hair slowly turns into grey hair, smooth skin is slowly becoming rough skin and so on.
Why did Prince Siddhartha know?
Prince Siddhartha knew these changes as a result of his concentration in breathing for six years. There was nothing more delicate than his breathing. This is like a saying in Pali ‘Pananusati' is breathing. It is the highest sensitivity'. Because of this Prince Siddhartha used his breathing to obtain wisdom. When wisdom occurred, Prince Siddhartha immediately understood clearly all assumed conditions of the 32 aspects of a human body which keep changing. Prince Siddhartha examined these 32 aspects of a human body which keep changing. Prince Siddhartha examined these 32 parts of a body even further until he knew them very well that they did not belong to anyone. He could not rely on them at all. They were all annicca – impermanent.
Prince Siddhartha saw that his body was covered with millions of tiny holes where air passed through all the time. When he examined these tiny holes further, he saw that tiny hairs started to decay and fell off from his body.
He looked at his teeth, initially they were healthy and strong, but suddenly their roots started to decay and fell off. His skin, initially it was very smooth and soft, but when he examined it deeper, its condition started to change and became rough. Likewise, his flesh, initially it was very healthy and slowly it became unhealthy and skinny. His eyes, initially, he could see clearly, then he could not see well.
How could Prince Siddhartha see them so clearly?
Prince Siddhartha saw these changes because of his breathing, which is ‘Pananusati'- the highest level of Kammathana. Once he saw and understood these clearly, his Citta was empty. Empty from all assumed conditions. As a result, Prince Siddhartha finally liberated himself from all sufferings and attachments and he heard someone praising him with these words ‘ARAHANG SAMMA SAMBUDDHO' which means Prince Siddhartha became an Arhanta and attained Enlightenment by himself. This is the origin of the words ‘ARAHANG SAMMA SAMBUDDHO' in Lord Buddha teachings.
Who said the words ‘Arahang Samma Sambuddho'?
These words came from all Gods, Goddesses and Devas including the Mother Earth who were looking after Prince Siddhartha during his search for Enlightenment. It was in the early hours of the morning on the full moon day, the sixth month in the year of the Dog when Prince Siddhartha became Lord Buddha by himself without being taught by anyone. He Enligtenment was witnessed by all Gods, Goddesses and Devas who were looking after him during his Dharma practice. When Prince Siddhartha managed to cease all the Kilesa and Dukkha his Citta was empty. He destroyed all of his Avijja (ignorance) and his eyes could see Dharma which was known as ‘Ariya Sat See- The Four Noble Truth i.e Dukkha Sacca (The Noble Truth of Suffering), Samoudha Sacca (The Nobl Truth of the Cause of Suffering), Nirodha Sacca (The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering) and Magga Sacca (The Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of Suffering) Lord Buddha knew his past, present and future life. He became the Awakened One, the Enlightened One, He then enjoyed the Vimutti for 7 days. Lord Buddha taught all Bhikku and Bhikkuni (monks and nuns) and all Buddhists (male and female) the way to get rid off their sufferings and to escape from them.
Our sufferings have been with us since the day we were born. These sufferings keep adding up indefinitely as our Aramana keep creating them endlessly. This is why Lord Buddha taught us to keep practicing Kammathana in order for wisdom to occur in our breathing which is the only method of conquering sufferings as our Sankhara is the source of all sufferings, that is, to be born again and again in the cycle of rebirth.
I would like to stress to all Dharma Practitioners (Kammathana Practitioners) that the principle of truth is in our very own breathing which we must distinguish that which type of breathing that can be used to combat sufferings. Once any Kammathana Practitioners realise this truth, undoubtedly he/she will be free from sufferings.
In conclusion, I would like to pray to the Triple Gems, the Powers of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha as well as all the Gods and Goddesses and all the sacred beings residing in the whole Universe together with the fruition of my Dharma practice and all the good deeds and righteous karma that I have carried out to come and shower their blessing to all beings whether they are animal or human. May all Rupa and Nama beings to be happy and free from sufferings Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu
LuongTa Chanhphy Panyano Manivong
10 Rue Paul Signac, 93420 Villepinte, FRANCE
21 October 1995
TIME IS IMMORTAL
DHARMA TOUR IN LONDON
AUGUST 1995
On 16 AUGUST 1995 I came to London and I had the opportunity to visit the ‘Big Bell Tower' where I had a rest and reflected on Lord Buddha teachings. I heard the sound of the Big Bell, which was similar to the fruition of human beings' karma.
For example, Lord Buddha has found the way for all world beings to escape from sufferings. Lord Buddha has set an example for all Dharma seekers to follow. He proclaim Buddhism 2539 years ago when it was echoing to almost every corner of the world including the World of Brahma, Naga, Deva, Human and Yommaraj; and until today his religion and teachings are still echoing worldwide. All recognised Lord Buddha as their Supreme Teacher who attained Enlightenment by himself.
Time has passed, but Buddhism is still in existence. In Dharma practice, one of the most important factor is knowledge. Where is knowledge? Knowledgeable about breathing which Prince Siddhartha was searching for six years. This was described in the Buddha Pali as ‘Pananusati' and there are millions types of breathings. Every part of our body is full of millions of tiny holes for breathing which cannot be described in brief.
All I am asking here is for all of you to keep practicing Vipassana Samadhi in search of Pananusati as the foundation. It is a mistake to think that we only breathe through our nostrils as we have not yet acquired wisdom.
We have to keep searching for the truth and if we are unable to find it we will find ourselves in an ocean of sufferings – suffer in Rupa, Sadda, Gandha, Rasa and Phodhabba. When our eyes see, our feeling (Araman) arises and this give rise to desires. When we have desires, we suffer Dukkha, which is the fruits of what our eyes had seen. Eyes is the source of all desires which is Kilesa.
It is a mistake to think that Kilesa is from our Citta, in actual fact, it is from our eyes and then followed by feeling (Aramana) and desires, which in turn , cause the body to Phodhabba is made, a final feeling arises, and the Citta will make a decision for wisdom to examine causes and effects for final decision.
When a right action is carried out happiness, contentment, peace will follow. We will be satisfied and full of happiness which is called in Pali as 'Vimutti Sukha', that is when the Citta is free from Dukkha and sufferings. The Citta is without any doubts any sadness or discontent. This is why wisdom is very important in Dharma practice. If we lack wisdom, our Citta will decline. Why? Because of Avijja (ignorance) which is darkness.
If we do something wrong, it is called bad karma. Bad karma is Dukkha, which is Akusala, and in turn, is sinful. As a result, we will be discontent and unsatisfied all of which are Vedhana. If we are unable to escape from Vedana the Citta will keep suffering until all the fruition of bad karma were served. Then we will see light.
If our wisdom is able to catch up with the Sati, undoubtedly we will never commit bad karma. There is a saying in Buddha Pali ‘Sampanno Sukkhato' which means ‘To be happy or whether to be able to get rid of sufferings for Vimutti to develop is not anywhere else, but inside oneself with one's breathing. If we can find that kind of breathing, it means that we will be the Awakened One. If we do not wake up, we will never know, we will keep on doing to enjoy the fruition of our right efforts.
Many people, when they sit down, close their eyes and meditate, they think they know the starts, the moon, hell and heaven and become Arahant. In actual fact, this is ignorant.
They are lost in darkness, they are lost in an ocean of desires which include to be better than anyone else, or to attain Nibbana. Lord Buddha passed away more than 2539 years ago, who can witness that such a person has become an Arhant.
Lord Buddha always said that ‘Do not be negligent and claim to be the Realised One, but just keep practicing Kammathana Vipassana then enjoy the fruition of happiness'.
There is no other happiness than the Boromma Sukkha – Happiness of all Happiness. However, human beings always mistake their own doings. They mistake that they are more knowledgeable than others. They mistake that they have found Lord Buddha. These days, what we have found are Lord Buddha's statues, which are made of bronze, cement, stone or clay and so on. These statutes are Lord Buddha representatives.
Nobody knows where is Lord Buddha. According to my experiences and understanding. Lord Buddha is in the Goodness and Righteousness. Where is the Righteousness? It is in Citta. Lord Buddha is not in the bronze, cement or clay statues. He is in the Goodness and the Righteousness (Right Understanding, Right Thoughts, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration).
Lord Teachings of Lord Buddha has 84, 000 Phra Dharma Khana. It is the foundation, which Lord Buddha has laid down for all of us to follow. They are the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Whichever way we want to follow, we can male a decision ourselves. To decide, we have to use our wisdom.
Our wisdom can be found in our breathing, which we can use to reduce our sufferings. Reducing sufferings does not simply means hanging Lord Buddha statues around your neck, or by sleeping on Lord Buddha teachings. This is not so. They way to eliminate or reduce our sufferings is to have faith. Faith in Dharma, Goodness and Righteousness. Listen to and Rely on Dharma, Goodness and Righteousness. Listen to Rely on Dharma, Goodness and Righteousness. Our Sankhara is temporary. It rises and falls. It is Anicca. It is Dukkha. Dukkha is just like passing time.
In the morning, it its fresh and lively, in the afternoon, when the weather is bit hot, it is uneasy, in the evening, when the weather cools down, it is fresh and lively again.
This is similar to conditions of our Sankhara. After we were born and reached adulthood, let us say, by the age of 30, we are full of desires which is about 70% on the bad karma side of 30% on the good karma side.
As we are getting older, let say, by the age of 40-50, our way of thinking starts to change. We tend to do more good karma by attending religious ceremony more often than before. We want to have peace and tranquillity. We tend to do more Kusala karma as we wish to attain Nibbana. I would say 70% on the good karma side and 30% on the bad karma side. As we are getting older again, let us say to about 60 –90. Our way of thinking changes again. The thought of doing bad karma is almost zero. Many would prepare to dress in white and attend Dharma talks and listen to the Sangha regularly. Our life is so short. Not many live to 100 years old. It will not be long before we pass away. Our life is not like a time or a clock or a watch. A watch, when the battery dies, we can replace it, but our youth, once it has gone we cannot replace it.
Similarly, our life, once it has gone, we cannot replace it. It is impossible to know when we are going to die. Our karma is the indication. This is similar to the three hands on the clock. The biggest hand will move very slow, the middle hand would move faster than the biggest hand while the smallest would move even faster than any of the two biggest hands. It does not matter whether these hands move fast or slow, they have a common destination, that is to make one turn around the clock from seconds to minutes, hours, days and so on.
This is similar to death. It is happening all the time. Some die at early age, others die when they get old. Some die before they have not even been born. Death is inescapable. This is just like the time, that is, 365 days to be one year. Nothing can change this fact.
This is similar to our life. If it does not have Citta, the body will be useless. Citta is the principal and without the breathing the body will be useless. Everything consists of Kusala Dharma. Kusala is to perform righteous karma, a noble person, a civilised person. Akusala Dharma is to perform unrighteous karma, an evil person or uncivilised person. Civilised (good) or uncivilised (bad) is in our body. It is very easy to do something bad.
On the contrary, it is extremely difficult to do something good. For example, place a drop of black paint on the back of your hand is very easy, but to get if off completely, it takes hours.
Good and bad are in all of us. The question is that are we going to keep doing good and at the same time are we going to stop doing bad? At this point, we should remind ourselves that no one is perfect. We all make mistake. Even Prince Siddhartha, before his Enlightenment made a mistake, when he was lost in the Rupa, Sadda, Gandha and Rasa and when he began to torture himself in order to attain Enlightenment.
This was a mistake, which Prince Siddhartha realised before he became Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha is the founder of ‘Pananusati' which Dharma practitioners are practicing in their Kammathana Vipassana Samadhi. Breathing is say ‘BUD' when breathing out say ‘DHO. Many of you when suffer Dukkha tend to go and see the Sangha for help thinking that they are the worshiped One or the sacred One.
I would like to let you know that all these depends on your faith whether something is most sacred or most worshiped. This is like in one of the Buddha sayings ‘Pujaca Pujaniyanang Etammang Khalamoudhanang' It means have faith in righteousness, practice righteousness and respect righteousness. All these are kusala karma. If one has faith in wrong doing respects wrong doing and practices wrong doing one's life will lead to sufferings and Dukkha.
We must not believe anybody except Buddha Dharma. We must listen to Dharma, practice Dharma, know Dharma in order to eliminate or reduce our Dukkha. Dharma cannot be given to anybody or anybody.
Similarly, righteousness cannot be given by anybody or anybody. We must practice ourselves in order to obtain and understand Dharma or righteousness. If Dharma can be given, Lord Buddha could have given Dharma to all of us by now. Like myself I am a ‘Samati Bikkhu – authorised/appointed Buddhist monks' observing 227 Dharma codes of conduct for monks and wearing yellow robe.
I am one of Lord Buddha's students searching for Dharma and happiness and at the same time preaching Lord Buddha words to all beings. What you have heard is not from me, but from Lord Buddha words to all beings. What you believe is not me, but Lord Buddha Dharma. What you practice is not my Dharma principles, but Lord Buddha Dharma principles.
All I am doing is showing you the way to reduce and eventually eliminate your Dukkha. What you gain from Dharma practice is for your own good and whether you practice it or not is up to you. All members of the Sangha are ordinary people like you and me. They feel hot, cold, warm, pain, sad, happy, content or discontent like all ordinary human beings. Therefore, you should smile with what you have been through in life.
When you smile, you will be happy. On the contrary, if you cry and feel sad, you will add more suffering to your life. Therefore, keep smiling and keep doing good karma, but do not add more suffering to your life.
We must always remember that whatever is happening to us now in this life is the fruition of our past life. Whatever debts we have incurred in our past life, once they catch up with us, we have to pay them back. The questions are time. It could be sooner or later.
A good example is that when we borrow a sum of monay from someone and that person has never asked for it back, for a very long time. We feel happy thinking that the person who lent us the money forgot all about it. In actual fact, this is a mistake to have a thought as such. When you have incurred a debt, you will pay it back one day. It could be anytime that the lender will ask it back.
This is similar to our karma in our past life, we have no idea when we have to enjoy or suffer the fruition of our karma in this life or the next life. When you are suffering Dukkha, there is no need to complain about it because the more you complain about it the more sufferings you would have to go through. Just keep paying your debts until they are all paid off and then you will be happy. Remember that there is no debts that cannot be paid. Therefore, we must understand the nature of sufferings. Why do we suffer and what are the causes of our sufferings? Once you manage to understand this, you will at least reduce your Dukkha.
In conclusion, I would like to wish all of you who gather here today to listen to Lord Buddha Dharma to be happy and be successful in your life. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.
LuongTa Chanhphy Panyano Manivong
16 August 1995. London, ENGLAND