Mental defilements (kilesa) can distort the mental states of sentient beings and because of such distortions, sentient beings perceive, think and view suffering as pleasure, impermanent as permanent, non-self and self, and impure as pure. This distortion in Pali is called 'vipallāsa', which essentially refers to the state of the mind where it grasps something, twists it, and hurls it back down—a twisting or warping of reality in erroneous ways.
There are twelve types of distortions caused by defilements, as mentioned in the Vipallāsa-sutta (AN 4.49):
(1) Three distortions of perception (saññā-vipallāsa): perceiving anicca as nicca, dukkha as sukha, anatta as atta, and asubha as subha
(2) Three distortions of mind (citta-vipallāsa): knowing anicca as nicca, dukkha as sukha, anatta as atta, and asubha as subha
(3) Three distortions of view (diṭṭhi-vipallāsa): viewing anicca as nicca, dukha as sukha, anatta as atta, and asubha as subha
The distortions operate across three levels of scale. Initially, distortions of perception (sañña-vipallasa) lead us to misinterpret objects impinging our sense doors. Distortions of thought (citta-vipallasa) occur when we engage in internal deliberation and contemplation based on these wrongfully perceived objects and so, if our thoughts are rooted in perceptual distortions, they too become distorted. Over time, such thoughts become ingrained and develop into distortions of view (ditthi-vipallasa), and so entrenched in the belief that there is no amount of evidence to the contrary can shake the convictions.
The distortions (vipallāsa) primarily arise from moha, which obscures the inherent nature of all ultimate realities (paramattha-dhamma), characterised by anicca, dukkha, anatta, and asubha. The Buddha's teachings emphasise that there are no beings; rather, there are nāma-rūpa (from the perspective of ultimate reality) that continuously arise and perish moment by moment. They are inherently dukkha, conditioned, devoid of self, and impure (asubha). The insight that there are only nāma-rūpa can only be attained through the practice of vipassanā. Those lacking the 'eye of vipassanā' perceive beings as beings, rather than as nāma-rūpa characterised by anicca, dukkha, anatta, and asubha from the perspective of ultimate reality. Consequently, this misunderstanding leads to the erroneous perception that beings (humans, devas, brahmas) and their associated lives are inherently blissful, permanent, associated with self, and pure. Continual wrongful perception leads to erroneous thoughts, as these thoughts are also rooted in wrongful perceptions. Over time, distorted thought patterns foster wrong views (micchā-diṭṭhi).
These distortions are one of the main reasons why beings are bound to the never-ending cycle of saṃsāra. As the Buddha stated in the teaching of Dependent Origination, ignorance (avijjā) and craving (taṇhā) are the two main leaders that cause one to be bound in the cycle of saṃsāra. Due to the wrongful mental distortions caused by moha (which is equivalent to avijjā), taṇhā (craving) for existence arises and commits actions (kamma) both wholesome and unwholesome to attain such existences, thereby perpetuating the cycle of saṃsāra to be reborn in good realms if accumulated wholesome kamma and woeful realms if accumulated unwholesome kamma. These distortions are only eliminated upon achieving Arhantship, where all defilements are eradicated without remainder. Only certain distortions (such as distortion of view: diṭṭhi-vipallāsa) are eliminated at the lower three stages of enlightenment.
'In Disguise of Joy': The Story of Sīvali Mahāthera
While residing at Kuṇḍadhānavana, the Buddha explained about Suppavāsā, a lay-sister and daughter of King Koliya. At that time, she, after carrying a child in her womb for seven years, was in severe labor on the seventh day. Despite her excruciating pain, she harboured the following thoughts: "The Blessed One, who imparts the Truth to end such suffering, is truly enlightened; the Noble Ones who strive to end such suffering through righteous living are praiseworthy; Nirvana, where such suffering ceases, is indeed blessed." These three thoughts provided comfort amidst her great suffering. She then sent her husband to inform the Buddha of her condition and convey her greetings.
Her message reached the Buddha, who responded, "May Suppavāsā, daughter of the king of the Koliyas, regain strength and deliver a healthy child." With the Buddha's great power of mettā, Suppavāsā was able to give birth to a healthy child, named Sīvali. Upon his return, her husband marvelled at the Buddha's power of mettā upon seeing his wife safely delivered. With her child born, Suppavāsā eagerly desired to offer alms to the Saṅgha led by the Buddha for seven days and sent her husband to invite them. However, at that time, the Saṅgha had already received an invitation from a lay supporter of Elder Moggallāna the Great. Nevertheless, to fulfill Suppavāsā's charitable intentions, the Buddha intervened and accepted her invitation for seven days.
On the seventh day, Suppavāsā adorned her infant son, Sīvali, and brought him to bow before the Buddha and the Saṅgha. When Sīvali was brought to be introduced to Venerable Sāriputta, and when asked by the Venerable, Sīvali, who at the time was seven years old already, was asked about his well-being, responded with surprising wisdom: "How could all be well, Venerable? I've spent seven long years wallowing in blood of my mother's womb." Delighted, Suppavāsā exclaimed, "My seven-day-old child converses on religion with the Venerable Sāriputta!". The Buddha then asked, "Would you like another child like him?" Suppavāsā replied, "Yes, sir; seven more, if they could be like him."
After explaining this incident, the Buddha recited these verses (Jataka, 100):
"Suffering disguises as joy, undesirable object disguises as desirable,
dukkha disguises as sukha, for those who are intoxicated with negligence."
This suggests that as a result of the distortions induced by moha, Suppavāsā has forgotten all the suffering she endured while giving birth to Sīvaka. While completely disregarding that suffering, she now desires to experience it again, mistakenly perceiving this immense dukkha as joy and blessings. Likewise, for all sentient beings, because of the failure to penetrate the ultimate reality with wisdom and lack of wise attention to realise the anicca, dukkha, anatta and asubha nature of all conditioned realities, dukkha is being seen as sukha and undesirable as desirable, and thus, craving for continuous dukkha persists.
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Sīvali and His Mother's Past Kamma
At the age of seven, Sīvali joined the Saṅgha as a sāmaṇera and attained Arahatship. The Saṅgha later discussed the remarkable circumstances of Sīvali's birth and Suppavāsā's pregnancy, contemplating the kammic fruits of their actions. Upon entering the discussion, the Master explained that Sīvali's prolonged gestation and difficult birth were the result of their past deeds. He then recounted this past story.
Once upon a time, during the reign of King Brahmadatta in Benares, the Bodhisatta was born as the son of the queen-consort. During those days, the King of Kosala attacked Benares with a mighty army, killing the king and taking the queen as his own wife. When the king was slain, his son escaped through a sewer and later returned with a formidable force to reclaim Benares. Camping nearby, he sent a message to the reigning king, demanding surrender or battle. The king chose to fight, but the young prince's mother advised him differently. She suggested investing the city from all sides, cutting off its resources until the people succumbed due to lack of food, water, and firewood. Following his mother's counsel, the prince blockaded the city for seven days until, on the seventh day, the citizens, desperate and defeated, presented him with their king's head. Thus, he ascended the throne and ruled as king until his death, after which he received his due according to his deeds.
As a consequence of his actions during the blockade at that time, in the present rebirth, Sīvali endured seven years in the womb and seven days in birth. However, due to his past merits, including aspirations and paramī fulfilled for Arahatship made before the Buddhas Padumuttara and Vipassī, he attained Arahatship. Similarly, Suppavāsā, for sending the message advising her son to blockade the city, endured a seven-year pregnancy and seven days of labor.
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Once, while the Buddha was residing at the Pubbarama monastery, Visākhā, the chief benefactress and female disciple of the Buddha, wearing wet clothes and appearing disheveled with tears in her eyes, visited him in the middle of the day. Upon inquiring about her distress, the Buddha learned that she had just received news of her favourite granddaughter's sudden death. He then asked if she wished to have as many grandchildren as there were citizens of Savatthi. Visākhā eagerly affirmed, wishing for as many beloved grandchildren as there were people in Savatthi.
However, the Buddha gently reminded Visākhā of the inevitability of death, pointing out that numerous people passed away in Savatthi each day, including her granddaughter. He said, "Visākhā, if you hold something dear to your heart, then you will have a sorrow,” said the Buddha. “If you hold a hundred people dear, you will have a hundred sorrows. If you hold fifty people dear, you will have fifty sorrows. If you hold twenty people dear, you will have twenty sorrows. If you hold one person dear, you will have one sorrow. But those people who hold nothing dear will have no sorrow; those people will be free from grief, they will be free from passion, and they will be free from despair. Do you wish to be free from grief?” He prompted her to consider the sorrow experienced by those who hold dear ones in their hearts. He emphasised that attachment to loved ones inevitably leads to sorrow, regardless of their number. The Buddha then offered Visākhā the wisdom that those who do not hold anything dear will be free from grief, passion, and despair. However, Visākhā looks up at the Buddha, and says, “I’m sorry, Buddha, but I can’t do what you ask. I cannot love my granddaughter any less, even if it means that I must be unhappy.” The Buddha then just smiled.
This incident also highlights the distortion caused by moha (note that Visākhā, at that time, was only sotāpanna), where despite understanding that attachment ultimately leads to sorrow, the influence of defilements renders one incapable of perceiving and comprehending the nature of dukkha. Here, what you can observe is that even for a sotāpanna, since the sotāpatti-path knowledge only eliminates vicikicchā (doubt) and diṭṭhi (wrong view), and sīlabbataparāmāsa (wrong practices and observances), sotāpanna disciples may still showcase distortions of perception (saññā) and thoughts (citta) due to the non-elimination of moha. Therefore, for the three noble disciples (sotāpanna, sakadāgāmi, and anāgāmi), when mindfulness is not present, distortions of perception and thoughts can take over [note that they cannot experience distortion of views anymore]. Thus, even though these three noble disciples cannot entirely escape the power of distortions at times when not blocked with mindfulness and wise attention, it can be undoubtedly worse for ordinary disciples (puthujjana).
"Suffering disguises as joy, undesirable object disguises as desirable,
dukkha disguises as sukha, for those who are intoxicated with negligence."
Here, it's crucial to highlight the phrase: 'for those who are intoxicated with negligence.' This suggests that as long as one remains mindful with wise attention and guided by vipassanā wisdom, recognising at all times that all conditioned formations as nāma-rūpa inherently characterised by anicca, dukkha, anatta, and asubha, distortions of perception, thoughts, and views cannot arise, as these distortions are primarily conditioned by moha (equivalent to avijjā).
In the sutta, the Buddha said:
"Perceiving impermanence as permanence,
suffering as happiness,
not-self as self,
and ugliness as beauty—
sentient beings are ruined by wrong view,
deranged, out of their minds.
But when the Buddhas arise
in the world, those beacons
reveal this teaching,
that leads to the stilling of suffering.
When a wise person hears them,
they regain their senses.
Seeing impermanence as impermanence,
suffering as suffering,
not-self as not-self,
and ugliness as ugliness—
taking up right view,
they’ve risen above all suffering."
When influenced by these distortions, our minds become "unsound," "broken," or "unhinged" (out of one's mind). However, when these distortions are corrected through right view, unobstructed thinking, and correct perception, we "regain" true senses, which essentially is sammā-diṭṭhi. The fundamental ways in which reality is distorted to the profound disadvantage of ourselves and others include regarding impermanent things as permanent (anicca), seeking satisfaction from inherently unsatisfactory sources (dukkha), attributing a self to what lacks inherent selfhood (anatta), and perceiving the unappealing as appealing (asubha). These distortions can largely be attributed to moha, i.e., doubt and restlessness (lack of mindfulness). Thus, this stanza highlights the importance of cultivating vipassanā wisdom at all times with utmost mindfulness and wise attention to combat our minds' distortion. These distortions, with moha as their proximate cause, perpetuate the cycle of Dependent Origination: avijjāpaccayā saṅkhāra, saṅkhārapaccayā viññāṇam, and so forth, leading to entrapment in the cycle of saṃsāra.
May you be mindful at all times.