"At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Vajjis at the village of Koṭi. There the Buddha addressed the monks: “Monks, due to not understanding and not penetrating four noble truths, both you and I have wandered and transmigrated for such a very long time.
What four? The noble truths of suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering."
These noble truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path have been understood and comprehended. Craving for continued existence has been cut off; the conduit to rebirth is ended; now there’ll be no more future lives.”
That is what the Buddha said. Then the Holy One, the Teacher, went on to say:
“Because of not truly seeing the four noble truths,
we have transmigrated for a long time from one rebirth to the next.
But now that these truths have been seen,
the conduit to rebirth is eradicated.
The root of suffering is cut off,
now there’ll be no more future lives.”
Samyutta Nikāya, SN 56.21: Paṭhamakoṭigāma-sutta
Due to our lack of comprehension of the Four Noble Truths—namely, the noble truths of suffering, its origin, cessation, and the path leading to its cessation—we have undergone repeated cycles of rebirth and wandered for so long in the saṃsāra. This cycle persists until we fully grasp these Four Noble Truths. What does it mean to realise them to the fullest extent? It signifies attaining the status of an arahat. Only by becoming an arahat can we truly understand and penetrate the Four Noble Truths to the fullest extent. Achieving this full understanding is essential to eliminate craving for existence, known as bhava-taṇhā. This also implies that for those who wish to achieve the cessation of suffering and realise Nibbāna, all Four Noble Truths must be realised without remainder.
The enduring presence of craving for existence, bhava-taṇhā, has kept us trapped in the unending cycle of saṃsāra, moving from one realm to another, one existence to the next. According to Paṭiccasamuppāda (dependent origination), the Buddha identified ignorance (avijjā) and craving (taṇhā) as the two root causes of rebirth. Ignorance, in essence, refers to a lack of awareness of the Four Noble Truths—that there are no permanent entities such as beings, humans, animals, devas, men, women, or a creator. Instead, there are only continuous arising and perishing of rūpa (materiality) and nāma (mentality). The impermanence of this nature results in suffering (dukkha), as one cannot control nāma-rūpa to be permanent or consistently in a state of everlasting happiness. This lack of control and absence of inherent essence render it anatta (non-self). Craving arises due to the ignorance present in beings, leading to a desire for a changing and deteriorating mass of nāma-rūpa without knowing.
To break free from this perpetual cycle of suffering and realise the Noble Truth of Cessation of Suffering (nirodha-sacca), one must diligently follow the Noble Eightfold Path, which is the Noble Truth of Practice Leading to the Cessation of Suffering (magga-sacca). Thus, magga-sacca, in sense, is the practice. The Noble Eightfold Path comprises eight practices: right view (sammā-diṭṭhi), right resolve (sammā-sankappa), right speech (sammā-vācā), right conduct (sammā-kammanta), right livelihood (sammā-ājīva), right effort (sammā-vāyama), right mindfulness (sammā-sati), and right concentration (sammā-samādhi).
These eight noble practices can then be summarised into three key groups:
(1) the practice of morality (sīla) - right speech (sammā-vācā), right conduct (sammā-kammanta), right livelihood (sammā-ājīva),
(2) the practice of concentration (samādhi): right effort (sammā-vāyama), right mindfulness (sammā-sati), right concentration (sammā-samādhi), and
(3) the development of wisdom (paññā): right view (sammā-diṭṭhi), right resolve (sammā-saṅkappa).
So, to realise the Noble Truth of Cessation of Suffering, we must practice sīla, samādhi and paññā in a correct and systematic manner diligently. There are no discounts, there are no shortcuts, and it is certainly not easy.
The emphasis in this post will not be on the practice of morality and concentration, but more on the development of right wisdom.
In essence, concentration practice involves cultivating either jhāna concentration (absorption concentration) or upacāra concentration (access concentration), and so why is this practice crucial? As highlighted by the Buddha in various suttas, most notably the Samādhi-sutta, achieving concentration allows one to perceive realities (nāma-rūpa) as they truly are. Thus, it becomes imperative for us to develop concentration.
This raises the question: why do we need to perceive ultimate mentality and materiality (nāma-rūpa)? Both nāma and rūpa (mentality and materiality) constitute the foundation of our existences. The Buddha asserts that there is only ultimate rūpa and ultimate nāma, and that concepts like 'you,' 'I,' 'men,' 'women,' and 'animals' are mere conventional truths. For this reason, understanding and penetrating ultimate materiality and mentality is crucial. Since these elements form the basis of our existences, they represent the Noble Truth of Suffering (dukkha-sacca).
Why are they considered dukkha? Because they exhibit impermanence, constantly shifting toward decay and dissolution, and lack a permanent self. These characteristics render them dukkha. It's essential to recognise that dukkha doesn't solely denote suffering in the sense of pain, sadness or distress; it's a profound term that can also be more accurately translated as 'not occurring according to one's own desires'. Since nāma-rūpa never align with one's desires and commands to remain free from old age, sickness, and death, they are inherently dukkha.
The Buddha contends that without penetrating these Four Noble Truths, one cannot bring an end to dukkha. Therefore, by following the Noble Eightfold Path (or in other words, magga-sacca), we can cultivate the wisdom needed to penetrate the first noble truth: dukkha-sacca. The development of such wisdom first begins with the cultivation of concentration. After systematically develop concentration, one must progress towards gaining insight into the nature of dukkha, i.e. the Noble Truth of Suffering (dukkha-sacca).
Merely directing attention and understanding the body as rūpa and the mind as nāma, whether observing the body in pain coming and going (as impermanent and suffering) or the emotions and feelings coming and going (as impermanent and suffering), or even simply observing the body and mental actions without judgment (as non-self) does not constitute vipassanā or the profound exploration of the Noble Truth of Suffering. This approach may merely serve as a means to develop awareness. According to Visuddhimagga (Vol 2, pg.222), the purification of view, synonymous with penetrating the Noble Truth of Suffering, involves understanding the ultimate forms of materiality and mentality, including their characteristics, functions, manifestations, and proximate causes. This necessitates penetrating materiality (rūpa) in its ultimate form (as paramattha-dhamma) and mentality (nāma) in its ultimate form to grasp the Noble Truth of Suffering (dukkha-sacca). Such comprehension forms the foundation for wisdom, facilitating the development of right view (sammā-diṭṭhi) for future vipassanā meditation. Additionally, it implies the imperative to penetrate the five clinging aggregates (or nāma-rūpa) in their ultimate form through direct understanding. As articulated in the Khandhasutta (SN 22.48), understanding all five aggregates—whether past, future, present; internal or external; coarse or fine; inferior or superior; far or near, which are accompanied by defilements and are prone to being attached—is crucial. Emphasising the necessity of personally penetrating these nāma-rūpa, it is crucial to highlight the Buddha's words in the Kaccayanagotta Sutta (SN 12.15): "... He has no uncertainty or doubt that just dukkha, when arising, is arising; dukkha, when passing away, is passing away. In this, his knowledge is independent of others. It's to this extent there is right view." This underscores the significance of practitioners autonomously grasping these ultimate realities with their own wisdom. In Buddha's words, genuine knowledge and understanding emerge when one's comprehension is not reliant on external sources. It surpasses the shallow acceptance of teachings based on statements like 'I believe so because he/she/this teacher/ this monk said this...' or even 'I believe so because the Buddha said this...' and, instead, entails the cultivation of profound knowledge through firsthand, direct understanding with one's innate wisdom and concentration. The cultivation of such wisdom results in the ability to penetrate the ultimate Noble Truth of Suffering. Therefore, one who wishes to be released from the saṃsāra must first penetrate the ultimate materiality and mentality systematically and in-depth.
So, how do we understand the ultimate materiality? Following the cultivation of concentration, a systematic engagement in Four Elements Meditation is essential as it serves as the foundational practice for discerning materiality (rūpa). The Abhidhamma Commentary Vol. 2, pg. 252, and MN Commentary Vol. 1, pg. 280, underscore the necessity of this method, emphasising that without the systematic practice of Four Elements Meditation, the discernment of ultimate materiality is not possible.
Through the diligent practice of Four Elements Meditation, practitioners can attain access concentration and perceive the body as a nimitta. At this stage, it is essential for the meditator to discern the 'space element' (ākāsa-dhātu) to observe the rūpa-kalāpa: clusters of materialities (MN Commentary Vol. 3, pg. 97). However, it is crucial to note that these rūpa-kalāpa do not represent ultimate materiality (rūpa) per se; rather, they are conglomerates of ultimate materialities combined together. Within each rūpa-kalāpa, a minimum of eight types of ultimate materialities can be identified: pathavī (earth), āpo (water), tejo (fire), vāyo (wind), vaṇṇa (color), gandha (smell), rasa (taste), and ojā (nutritive essence). To develop a proper understanding of ultimate materiality, one must systematically discern these materialities, recognizing their characteristics, functions, manifestations, and proximate causes. In total, there are 28 types of rūpa that function as the fundamental components of 'forms' (kāya). Practitioners must meticulously discern each of them and delve into their intricacies, comprehending their characteristics, functions, manifestations, and proximate causes. Only through this comprehensive process can one claim to have developed a thorough understanding of rūpa in its ultimate reality form.
Subsequently, a comprehensive understanding of ultimate mentality (nāma) becomes imperative. While the conventional perception of mentality often revolves around the mind and emotions, from the perspective of ultimate reality, it encompasses a broad spectrum of mental states. Essentially, mentality (nāma) is comprised of two principal categories: the mind or consciousness (citta or viññāṇa), and the mental factors (cetasika). An illustrative analogy involves envisioning a pristine white sketchbook. In its unmarked and ink-free state, the sketchbook is pure and devoid of faults—equivalent to the innate purity of the mind. The function of the mind is to direct attention to what needs to be known. However, what imparts colour and character to this 'sketchbook' or the mind, whether in a beautiful or detrimental manner, are the mental factors (cetasika). Wholesome mental factors contribute to the formation of beautiful and fault-free mind moments (kusala mind moments), while unwholesome mental factors lead to the formation of unskillful and sinful mind moments (akusala mind moments). There are 52 types of mental factors (cetasika) that accompany wholesome (kusala) and unwholesome (akusala) mind moments depending on the conditions they arise from. Meditators who wish to penetrate ultimate mentality must discern the mind and the associated mental factors that accompany respective wholesome and unwholesome mind moments and the conditions they arise from.
An example can be given for the discernment of jhāna mental processes. When a meditator enters the first jhāna, the following mental processes occur in a sequence: mind-door adverting consciousness (manodvārāvajjana-citta), preliminary consciousness (parikamma-citta), access consciousness (upacāra-citta), adaptation consciousness (anuloma-citta), change of lineage consciousness (gotrabhu-citta), and uninterrupted sequence of jhāna impulsion consciousnesses (jhāna-javana-citta). The last impulsion consciousness arises and perishes away for the whole time the practitioner is entering first jhāna. So, a meditator practicing to see ultimate mentality must first practice to clearly discern these mental processes arising and perishing away clearly. Afterwards, the meditator should try to see the contituents (i.e. the mentalities: mind + mental factors) that make up each of the mind moments in the mental process. During the mind-door adverting consciousness mind moment, 12 mentalities (mind + mental factors) can be discerned as they arise together to perform the function of adverting the mind-door, and the meditator must discern 12 mental factors altogether. In the preliminary consciousness (parikamma-citta): 34, access consciousness (upacāra-citta): 34, adaptation consciousness (anuloma-citta): 34, change of lineage consciousness (gotrabhu-citta): 34, and uninterrupted sequence of jhāna impulsion consciousnesses (jhāna-javana-citta): 34. A practitioner can only be considered to have truly understood and penetrated the ultimate mentality only when they can discern all of these aspects: the mental process, individual mind moments that make up the mental process and the mental factors in each mind moment. Note that these methods are not invented by myself or the Pa-Auk Sayadaw as detailed information on mind and mental factors can be found extensively in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. The meditator must also discern mind moments both wholesome and unwholesome that arise from eye-door (seeing), ear- (hearing), nose- (smelling), tongue- (tasting), body- (touching) and mind- (thinking, etc.) and the accompanying mental factors, as well as their characteristics, functions, manifestations and proximate causes to thoroughly penetrate the ultimate mentality.
Only when a meditator have practiced properly to penetrate the ultimate materiality and mentality and understood their characteristics, functions, manifestations and proximate causes can one said to have penetrated the Noble Truth of Suffering (dukkha-sacca) in its ultimate form.
We must then progress to discern and comprehend the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering (samudaya-sacca). Our present existence is a result of ignorance, craving, and accumulated kamma from past lives. These causal factors do not exist in the present life for us to exist right now. The causes that led to our rebirth, the endowment of present materiality and mentality, or the origin, lie in the past. Therefore, it is crucial to discern our past lives to understand the cause (samudaya) of our current and previous existences.
The Visuddhimagga Commentary Vol.2, pg. 237 emphasises that for any practitioner engaging in vipassanā, it is imperative to directly perceive and understand the varying effects of kamma partly. This entails penetrating ignorance (avijjā), craving (taṇhā), attachment (upādāna), volition (saṅkhāra), and past-life kamma through Dependent Origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda) to grasp the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering (samudaya-sacca) and comprehend the causes and effects of kamma partly. While some may question these instructions as not being taught by other teachers, instructors, or lineages, in the Mahānidānasutta (DN 15), the Buddha specifically told Venerable Ānanda that "... it is because of not understanding and not penetrating this teaching [dependent origination: paṭiccasamuppāda] that this population has become tangled like string, knotted like a ball of thread, and matted like rushes and reeds, and it doesn’t escape the places of loss, the bad places, the underworld, transmigration." In the Mahārahulovadasutta (MN.62), the Buddha advised Venerable Rāhula to see any form—past, future, or present—with the right understanding that it is not "mine," "I am not this," and "this is not my self." This implies that discerning the past and future is integral to the practice as much as the present nāma-rūpa. SN Commentary Vol. 2, pg.197 and SN Sub-commentary Vol. 2, pg.181 advise discerning all five clinging aggregates in the past, future, and present to understand their impermanence, suffering, and non-self nature. This ability leads to the development of right insight wisdom (vipassanā-sammā-diṭṭhi) through direct understanding. Both Abhidhamma Commentary Vol. 2, pg. 189 and Visuddhimagga Vol. 2, pg.221 state that there is no single being that has achieved the cessation of suffering without realising the origin of suffering (samudaya-sacca) with dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda) through direct knowledge and understanding. Therefore, we must adhere strictly to the Buddha's words to cultivate a correct understanding of the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering.
So how do we discern the past and future with dependent origination? For those who can already discern ultimate materiality and mentality, it is not a tedious work to discern the past materiality and mentality. Through systematic guidelines (which I will not mention here), meditators can discern their past lives, and develop right understanding of the twelve factors of dependent origination:
Avijjā - Ignorance
Saṅkhāra - Volition
Viññāṇa - Consciousness
Nāma-rūpa - Mentality and materiality
Saḷāyatana - Six Sense Bases
Phassa - Contact
Vedanā - Feeling
Taṇhā - Craving
Upādāna - Grasping or Clinging
Bhava - Becoming or Existence
Jāti - Birth
Jarā-marana - Aging and Death
... and discern the twelve linkages to penetrate cause of suffering and the effects. This involves contemplating how due to avijjā, saṅkhāra arises, and how due to saṅkhāra, viññāṇa arises and so on from numerous past lives to the present life and from this life to the next from ultimate reality perspective, not superifically from conventional perspective. This process, viewed from the ultimate reality perspective rather than from the conventional perspective, leads to the development of a profound understanding of the Second Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering (samudaya-sacca).
Up to this point, we have been consistently and diligently following the Noble Eightfold Path (magga-sacca) to grasp the essence of the First Noble Truth, delving into ultimate materiality and mentality, and comprehending the Second Noble Truth to unravel the causes of suffering. Now, how do we realise the Third Noble Truth, the Cessation of Suffering? This is accomplished through the practice of vipassanā, or insight meditation.
Insight is not simply a product of intellectual comprehension or a mere observation of the body and mind but is achieved through direct meditative observation and wise contemplation with one's wisdom on the ultimate materiality and mentality. The commentaries and the Visuddhimagga outline the sequence in developing insight meditation as follows:
1. discernment of the materiality (rūpa),
2. discernment of the mentality (nāma),
3. contemplation of both (nāmarūpa: as a paired occurence,
4. viewing both as conditioned (discerning dependent origination, paṭiccasamuppāda), and
5. applying the three characteristics (anicca, dukkha and anatta) to mentality-materiality-conditions.
One can advance to the practice of vipassanā only after deeply understanding the ultimate nature of mentality and materiality, along with their intricate causes and effects in such systematic and thorough manner. Otherwise, the endeavour is similar to a middle school student attempting to write a research paper at the Bachelor's degree level. True vipassanā knowledge cannot fully develop and mature without penetrating these ultimate realities and their causes and effects. The genuine insight, observing the characteristics of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anatta) on nāmarūpa and its causes and effects in distinct ultimate reality, is what is referred to as vipassanā (Abhidhamma Commentary Vol.1, pg. 175).
The Patisambhidhamagga (Ps 1.1) and Visuddhimagga Commentary Vol 2, pg. 242 laid out the ultimate realities one must contemplate and practice vipassanā on, which, in summary, are the ultimate five khandha, nāma-rūpa in past, future, and present; gross and subtle; internal and external; inferior and superior; far and near (you may read more in this post). If your vipassanā practice doesn't center on these ultimate realities, or if you haven't fully grasped them or achieved jhāna or access concentration, it's crucial to reassess your practice and its ultimate goal. I can assert with certainty that you will not attain the Noble Truth of Cessation of Suffering (the Nibbāna) as expounded by the Buddha, but perhaps the Nibbāna your teacher is asserting for you. If this message fails to prompt reconsideration, as my teachers have said: 'you will know at the last moment of your life,' but by then, it is certainly too late.
In SN 22.53 Upayasutta, the Buddha stated that "one attached is unreleased; one unattached is released." The essence of insight meditation, vipassanā, lies in recognising the inherently unsatisfactory nature of ultimate realities and realising the futility of clinging and attaching to the nāma-rūpa. This understanding is cultivated by observing the impermanence, suffering, and non-self nature of ultimate mentalities and materialities. It is only through penetrating the impermanent, suffering, and non-self characteristics of nāma-rūpa that we cultivate a robust disenchantment knowledge, propelling the mind towards Nibbāna. Furthermore, understanding the impermanent nature of the causes giving rise to materialities and mentalities and gaining insight into this reality can deepen the understanding essential for liberation from attachment. Observing and contemplating on the emergence and cessation of causes and effects in the past, present, and future further reinforces strong disenchantment knowledge regarding ultimate realities. All conditioned phenomena—both materiality and mentality—are sustained by impermanent conditions, providing no grounds for attachment. Witnessing this truth through one's own wisdom prompts a natural inclination towards the unconditioned element: Nibbāna.
As disenchantment knowledge strengthens and vipassanā knowledge matures, the arising of the Four Noble Path and Fruit Knowledge (ariyā-magga-citta and ariyā-phala-citta) occurs. This leads to the attainment of stream-entry (sotāpanna), once-returner (sakadagāmi), non-returner (anāgāmi), or arahatta, contingent upon the sharpness and maturity level of one's vipassanā knowledge. The goal of realisation of the Four Noble Truths is only considered accomplished once you have attained the status of a stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, or arahat. However, for the lower three Noble disciples, the realization of the Four Noble Truths is not yet fully complete, as some clinging to existence (defilements) persists. This full completion is only realised when attaining the status of an arahat. At this stage, all ignorance (avijjā) along with the clinging to existence (bhava-taṇhā) are entirely eradicated without any remainder, marking the cessation of future becomings.
Claiming to practice 'vipassanā' or professing realisation of Nibbāna or noble status without systematically developing an understanding of the Four Noble Truths is akin to asserting 'I have built this house without digging the foundation.' Nowadays, such declarations and teachings abound. If someone were to assert that they have attained the path of stream-entry (sotapatti-magga) or path of arahatship without having penetrated the fundamental aspects of ultimate materiality, mentality, or the causal relationships involved, there is no substantial reason to accept such a claim. As the Buddha articulated in Khadirapattasutta (SN 56.32), "Suppose someone were to say: ‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’ That is not possible.", it becomes clear from this statement that it is an unattainable feat to penetrate the noble truths without first cultivating a fundamental understanding of the noble truths themselves.
On the other hand, noble ones (ariyā), whether they have attained the first or even the fourth noble path and fruit, refrain from openly proclaiming their noble status. This discretion is one of the many qualities the noble ones possess. Similar to how one might keep their wealth and possessions private, these individuals are hesitant to broadcast their noble status to the public. If someone proudly proclaims such a status, it is prudent to reflect wisely on the authenticity of their claim. It is my hope that you discern what is right (dhamma) and what is not right (adhamma) and choose the path of dhamma.
Going back to what the Buddha said:
“Because of not truly seeing the four noble truths,
we have transmigrated for a long time from one rebirth to the next.”
If you have a profound sense of urgency (saṃvega) and aspire to break free from saṃsārā, it is imperative to diligently pursue the sequential development of sīla, samādhi, and paññā. This approach enables you to actualise the realisation of the Four Noble Truths. Within the Western Buddhist community, there are objections or disputes regarding the legitimacy of Abhidhamma, Visuddhimagga, and even the commentaries, asserting that these teachings are not the original words of the Buddha and should be disregarded. May I remind you those who have realised utilised the three baskets—the Tipitaka, which includes the Abhidhamma—as a raft to cross the river of saṃsāra to reach the other side that is free from suffering: the Nibbāna. Those who have attained complete realisation understand that these resources provide invaluable doctrines that facilitate a profound understanding of ultimate materiality and mentality, which are the essential elements that must be discerned and penetrated to realise Nibbāna. You must recognise that there is only one path leading to the cessation of suffering—not two, three, or the multitude that certain factions in Western or other sects of Buddhism may argue.
Allow me to emphasise here again the utmost importance of cultivating a direct understanding of ultimate mentality and materiality for the proper emergence of vipassanā knowledge. These are not merely my words; they are explicitly documented in the Suttas, Abhidhamma, Visuddhimagga, and commentaries. Hence, if your pursuit is the realisation of Nibbāna but your practice does not encompass these essential elements, I urge you to be mindful and align yourself with the correct path.
May you realise the Four Noble Truths in this lifetime through association with wise people, right practice and correct understanding.