In any ceremony performed either by one Buddhist monk or a number of monks, they invite through their prayers all Gods and Devas residing in all directions whether in the sky or on earth to come and witness the ceremony and to listen to the Buddha Teachings. They include Indra, Brahma, Phra Naga and Garuda Yommaraj , Catuloka . The prayer in Pali goes like this:- ' '   'Siddhi Brahma ca Indhra ca Catuloka Bhiraggaka Samudha Bhudhaganggaca'. These Five Worlds are:-

These Five Worlds were mentioned in Buddhism. They recognise and accept that Prince Siddhartha after attaining enlighten ment by himself became Lord Buddha who brought his Dharma to the world. The Dharma of Lord Buddha is a Reality which teaches all living beings to find happiness by themselves. The happiness that Lord Buddha has given to us is the Supreme Happiness, the Real Happiness which is called in Pali as `Borommasukka’

The Borommasukka is the Emptiness which we have been looking for. The Citta is absolutely free from all attachments. The Citta is in a state of tranquillity and peacefulness. This is the Real Happiness. Happiness beyond everything. The Citta is free. The Citta has finally escaped from everything. The Citta has nothing left except Nibbana which is the Supreme Happiness of the Citta. The Citta is now classified as `Vimutti’. Lord Buddha has spent some time contemplating the `Vimutti Sukka’ under the Maha Bodhi Tree which embraces a most significant part in Buddhism even now.

Lord Buddha’s Mahaparinibbana (passing away) in Pali is called `Arupa Dharma’ - the final stage of the dying process - it will not be re-born forever. According to my personal experience and understanding, this is within the Dharma Teachings. If we still have suspicion, we should continue practising and meditating and in the end we will get the answer ourselves. As a result, what we have suspected will finally disappear.

Emptiness is classified as ‘Nibbanang Paramang Sukgang’ which, in reality a ‘Paramattha Dharma’. It is extremely delicate and fine and it develops in the Citta, and not somewhere else. An old saying in Buddhist literature goes like this ` Whether it is Heaven or Hell, Nibbana, Content or Discontent, Good or Bad, Happy or Sad - they are all in the Citta.

For example, our good Karma is Heaven .We are happy and content with our good karma. When our heart is full of happiness and free from ache and pain, from anger and sadness, from jealousy and selfishness as the result of our good karma - this is Nibbana which is in our Citta and not somewhere else. This is because of ‘Parisuthi’ which is similar to a key opening the door to ‘Paramatma Dharma’ allowing the Citta to enjoy `Borommasuka’ - which means the Citta is free. The Citta finally manages to liberate itself of all attachments. To be able to attain this stage, it is extremely difficult, as it looks as if we have all been tied up by millions of strings.

What do they tie? They tie our Citta, eyes and ears, arms and legs and our wisdom. We are unable to escape as we desire too much. We desire to be better. We desire to be happy. We desire to have a good life. We desire to go to Heaven, to attain Nibbana. We do not want to suffer ache and pain. We do not want to die. We desire to enjoy bliss.

But it is extremely difficult. All of us have been trying to find a way out, to find a solution. It is hard and difficult for human beings as there are only a very small number of persons who manage to attain the state which we have been looking for. This is because we are full of Kilesa (greed). This Kilesa is full of tricks. If we determine to find a way out, we will get there. But we must be extremely careful and keep practising and meditating. And also we must use our intelligence and stay firm with our practice. What we have learnt from other people is nothing when we compare with the sort of things we learnt from inside ourselves - however wisdom must be from an empty Citta.

I would like to give you an example, Prince Siddhartha before his enlightenment, he excelled in almost every subjects such as example, arts, literature, public speaking, arrow shooting, administering his Kingdom etc. He learnt from outside. None of the teachers could teach him any more. This is the knowledge he gained from others. After his Enlightenment, Lord Buddha said that ‘the skills, technics and the knowledge he obtained from outside cannot be used to eliminate his sufferings as they were not fine enough and they were not obtained from practising and meditating. Only the wisdom gained through practising and meditating on an empty mind can be used to eliminate sufferings.

Prince Siddhartha was certain that what he had leant from so many great teachers cannot help him eliminating his sufferings. He realised that only wisdom from practising and meditating would help him escape from all the sufferings. This is why Prince Siddhartha left his palaces, his wife, his child, his wealth, his population and his Kingdom in searching for ` Mokkha Dharma - the Real Happiness’. He decided to retreat in a forest by not consuming food and water for 49 days. He reduced his breathing to find an ‘Emptiness’, to see it and to use it to eliminate all of his desires. In the end, wisdom from an Empty Citta emerged enlightened and Prince Siddhardha finally attained his Enlightenment and became Lord Buddha.

All of us are Dharma seekers and we have been searching for peace in all our lives. This is like one of the Dharma sayings: ‘Opana yiko’ means ‘Bring the Citta together’, ‘Egang Dharmang’ means ‘ Dharma being the Only One’, and ‘Patcattang’ means ‘Knowing by yourself only and no one else is able to know with you’. This is Dharma practice. Only Dharma practitioners are able to know Dharma. This is also like another Dharma saying `Attahi Attano Natho’ means ‘You can rely only to yourself.’ You can not rely on others as only you are responsible for your own life. If you want to be good, you do good Karma. If you practice good karma the result will be good.

If you practice good karma, you will be happy inside yourself. No one knows your own bad karma and if you want to eliminate your bad karma and Kilesa one of the best ways is to pray for others and to wish them to be happy. Good means knowing oneself and others. Good means making oneself happy. Good means knowing Dharma and Sacca. Good means not committing bad karma. Good inside is the most precious of all the goodness. As there are so many goodness and I will select only a couple of goodness as an example so as to avoid confusion. Good Inside and Good Outside which all relates to one’s behaviours and manners.

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