The Teaching of Dhamma

The Buddha proved his compassion for men in his teaching of Dhamma. One may wonder why it is especially the teaching of Dhamma that proves the Buddha’s compassion. Are there no other ways of helping people, such as visiting the sick and speaking kind words to other people in order to make them happy? It is true that one can help one’s fellow men in doing good deeds and in speaking kind words. However, it is not possible to give them true happiness in this way. When one is kind to other people one might help them in so far as one can make them feel more relaxed or less depressed for a moment. However, there are people who tend to go on being anxious and depressed, no matter how kindly one treats them.

The Buddha knew that the deepest cause of happiness and sorrow is within man. It is not possible to give other people real happiness; one can only be a condition for them to feel happy for a while. The Buddha helped people in the most effective way: he helped them to have right understanding about their life, about themselves, and about the way to find true happiness.

His disciples followed his example and helped people by teaching them Dhamma. We read in the Discourse on an Exhortation to Channa (Middle Length Sayings III, no. 144) that Sāriputta and Mahā Cunda, while they were staying on Mount Vulture Peak, visited a sick monk whose name was Channa. First Sāriputta asked Channa how he was feeling, and then he offered to give him the right kind of food and medicines, and to attend personally to his needs if he wanted this. However, he knew that kind words and deeds were not enough. When it was the right moment Sāriputta and Mahā Cunda spoke to Channa about the Dhamma, in order to help him to have right understanding about his life.

In the Discourse on the Analysis of the Undefiled (Middle Length Sayings III, no. 139) we read that the Buddha, when he was staying near Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, spoke about the eightfold Path which is the “Middle Way”. One should not be intent on the happiness of sense-pleasures and on the other hand not be intent on the practice of self-mortification. The Buddha told his disciples that they should not say of other people that they are walking the right path or the wrong path; he said that there should be neither approval nor disapproval of persons, but that they should teach them what is the right course and what is the wrong course. They should teach them which cause brings which effect. They should simply teach Dhamma. Dhamma means everything that is real. The Buddha helped people to develop right understanding about everything one can experience, no matter whether it is good or bad.

If one wants to eliminate defilements one should first understand what are akusala cittas and what are kusala cittas and be aware of them when they arise. Only when we can be aware of cittas when they appear will we know them as they are. We will not know cittas by speculation. As we have seen, cittas do not last. Citta arises and then falls away immediately to be followed by the next citta. There is only one citta at a time. Life consists of an unbroken series of cittas, arising and falling away continuously. There is no moment without citta. There are many kinds of cittas which perform different functions such as seeing, hearing and thinking. Moreover, there are akusala cittas, unwholesome cittas, and kusala cittas, wholesome cittas. An akusala citta and a kusala citta cannot arise at the same moment since there can be only one citta at a time. However, akusala cittas may arise shortly after kusala cittas have fallen away, even during the time one is doing a good deed. When the kusala cittas have fallen away, regret about one’s good deed may arise. This is akusala.

In the Discourse on an Exhortation to Channa, mentioned above, we read that Channa suffered severe pains. As he could not stand the pains any longer he committed suicide. The Buddha knew that before the moment of his death Channa had kusala cittas after the akusala cittas which motivated him to perform this unwholesome deed. He was able to purify himself of defilements after his deed. The Buddha said therefore: “He took the knife to himself without incurring blame”. We do not know about the citta of someone else from the outward appearance of his deeds, because we do not know each different moment of citta. We can only find out with regard to ourselves at which moment there is akusala citta or kusala citta, and even that is most difficult.

Akusala cittas can be rooted in three different unwholesome “roots”, “akusala hetus”. They are:

• attachment (in Pāli: lobha)

• aversion or ill-will (in Pāli: dosa)

• ignorance (in Pāli: moha)

By the word “root” is meant the foundation of the citta. The root is the foundation of the citta just as the root of a tree supports the tree and makes it grow. There are many different degrees of these three akusala hetus.

All akusala cittas are caused by moha, ignorance. Ignorance is, for example, not knowing what is unwholesome and what is wholesome, and not knowing which cause brings which result in life. There are many degrees of moha. An animal has a great deal of moha; it does not know about kusala and akusala, it does not know how to cultivate wholesomeness. However, not only animals have moha, human beings can have a great deal of moha as well. Akusala cittas arise more often than kusala cittas and thus there are countless moments of moha, no matter whether we are walking, standing, sitting or lying down. Moha can only be completely eradicated when paññā has been developed to the degree that one can reach perfection, that is, when one has become an arahat at the attainment of the fourth and last stage of enlightenment(9).

When the citta which arises is accompanied by lobha, attachment, and by moha, the citta is called “lobha-mūla-citta”, or citta rooted in attachment(10). At that moment there is not only moha, which is common to all akusala cittas but there is lobha as well. Lobha-mūla-citta which has moha and lobha as roots is different from the citta which is rooted only in moha, ignorance of realities. Lobha can be greed, lust, selfish desire, and it can be a very subtle form of attachment as well, a form of attachment one can hardly recognize if one does not yet have the right understanding.

Lobha can be accompanied by pleasant feeling. For instance, when we enjoy beautiful music there is lobha-mūla-citta. Then the citta is akusala, although this kind of lobha is not as gross as greed or lust. One might be inclined to think that whenever there is pleasant feeling, the citta which is accompanied by this feeling must be kusala citta. However, when there is pleasant feeling the citta is not necessarily kusala citta; pleasant feeling can also accompany akusala citta. For instance, when we do a good deed there can be kusala citta with pleasant feeling, but when we feel happy because of beautiful music or a beautiful view, the citta is akusala; it is lobha-mūla-citta with pleasant feeling. We can be deluded about the truth very easily. We find feeling so important that we cannot see anything else. We are unable to know whether the citta is akusala or kusala because we pay attention only to the feeling at that moment.

Lobha-mūla-cittas, cittas rooted in attachment, can be accompanied either by pleasant feeling or by indifferent feeling. When we want to do something such as standing up, walking, taking hold of an object, the lobha-mūla-cittas which arise may be accompanied by indifferent feeling. We do not, usually, have pleasant feeling when we stand up or when we reach for a glass of water. We cannot help having lobha very often. All people, except arahats are bound to have lobha.

The Buddha did not speak to those who still have defilements in terms of “sin” or “punishment”. The Buddha pointed out everything which is real and he explained which cause would bring which effect. The bad deeds one does will bring about their own results, just as a seed produces a tree. This is the law of cause and result, of “kamma” and “vipāka”. The Buddha explained to his disciples that there should be neither approval nor disapproval of persons, but that they should simply teach Dhamma. In that way people will know what is real. Lobha is real and one should therefore know what lobha is, what its characteristic is, and when it arises.

Another unwholesome root is dosa, aversion. When the citta which arises is accompanied by dosa and moha, the citta is called “dosa-mūla-citta”, citta rooted in aversion. At that moment there is not only moha, which is common to all akusala cittas, but there is dosa as well. Dosa appears in its coarsest form as anger or ill-will. There is dosa when one hurts or kills a living being, when one speaks harsh words, or when one curses. Dosa is always accompanied by unpleasant feeling.

There are more subtle forms of dosa as well: dosa can be a slight aversion when we see or hear something unpleasant, or when we are in a bad mood. Dosa can be recognized by the feeling which accompanies it. Even when there is a very vague feeling of uneasiness we can be sure there is dosa. Dosa arises quite often in a day. We are bound to have dosa when there is a loud noise or an ugly sight.

There are three “wholesome roots” or “sobhana hetus”, which are the opposite of the akusala hetus. They are:

• non-attachment (alobha)

• non-aversion or kindness (adosa)

• wisdom (amoha or paññā )

Kusala cittas are not accompanied by lobha, dosa or moha. They are always accompanied by alobha, non-attachment, and adosa, non-aversion, but not always by paññā . Thus, citta can be kusala without wisdom (paññā ). One can, for example, help other people without understanding that helping is kusala and that wholesome deeds bring pleasant results. However, when there is paññā the citta has a higher degree of wholesomeness. If one observes the precepts(11) only because one considers them as rules, prescribed in the teachings, without any understanding of the reasons for those precepts, ill deeds can be suppressed, but not at all times. If the temptations are too strong one will transgress the precepts. If one has understanding of unwholesome deeds and wholesome deeds, and knows the effect of those deeds, this understanding is a condition for observing the precepts more often. We can develop more wholesomeness in understanding realities, in understanding their causes and effects.

Everyone, except the arahat, has both akusala cittas and kusala cittas. Each citta arises because of the appropriate conditions. Cittas cannot arise without conditions. It depends on various conditions whether there will be akusala citta or kusala citta. We all have accumulated conditions for both unwholesomeness and wholesomeness. If the present citta is akusala one accumulates a condition for more unwholesomeness and if the present citta is kusala one accumulates a condition for more wholesomeness. For example, when we have a slight feeling of aversion, there is dosa-mūla-citta. If dosa-mūla-cittas occur quite often, we accumulate dosa and dosa becomes a habit. If one is easily inclined to strong dosa it can motivate unwholesome deeds and unwholesome speech.

One may wonder how one can accumulate unwholesomeness and wholesomeness, as each citta which arises falls away completely. Each citta which arises falls away completely but it conditions the succeeding citta. Cittas arise and fall away in succession. That is the reason why past accumulations can go on from one moment to the next moment. If we understand how different people’s accumulations are we will be less inclined to blame other people when they do wrong. We will try to help them to have right understanding of the accumulation of kusala and akusala. If we have more right understanding of the conditions which make us act the way we do we will be able to lead a more wholesome life.

One may wonder what the Buddha taught about the will or intention which motivates ill deeds and good deeds. Is there no “free will” which can direct one’s actions, speech and thinking? When we think of a “free will”, we generally think of a “self” who has control over one’s decisions to do good or to do wrong. However, cittas arise because of their own conditions; there is no “self” who can let cittas arise at will.

The Pāli term “kamma” literally means action. In reality kamma is intention or volition. It is not that which is generally understood by “free will”. Kamma does not last, it arises and falls away with the citta. Thus, one should not take it for “self” or as belonging to a “self”. Kusala kamma or akusala kamma is volition which motivates good or bad deeds. For example, there is akusala kamma through the body when one hits someone; there is akusala kamma through speech when one speaks harsh words or when one curses someone; there is akusala kamma through the mind when one has the intention to take away something which belongs to someone else, or when one plans to kill someone.

The Buddha taught that everyone will experience the result of the kamma he has performed; one will reap what one has sown. Kamma is the cause which produces its result. The mental result of kamma is a type of citta which is called “vipākacitta”. Akusala kamma will bring an unpleasant result or akusala vipākacitta; kusala kamma will bring a pleasant result or kusala vipākacitta.

People are born with different mental capacities, with different bodily features and in different circumstances. In the Discourse on the Lesser Analysis of Deeds (Middle Length Sayings III, no. 135) we read that, when the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, the brahman Subha asked him what the cause was of the differences among human beings:

“Now, good Gotama, what is the cause, what is the reason that lowness and excellence are to be seen among human beings while they are in human form? For, good Gotama, human beings of short lifespan are to be seen and those of long lifespan; those of many and those of few illnesses; those who are ugly, those who are beautiful; those who are of little account, those of great account; those who are poor, those who are wealthy; those who are of lowly families, those of high families; those who are weak in wisdom, those who are full of wisdom.”

The Buddha answered Subha:

“Deeds (kamma) are one’s own, brahman youth, beings are heirs to deeds, deeds are matrix, deeds are kin, deeds are arbiters. Deed divides beings, that is to say by lowness and excellence.”

Not only birth in a certain plane of existence and in certain surroundings is the result of kamma. Throughout our life we receive unpleasant and pleasant results. Everyone would like to experience only pleasant things through eyes, ears, nose, tongue and bodysense. However, everyone is bound to experience both unpleasant and pleasant things through the five senses because everyone has performed both akusala kamma and kusala kamma.

A deed we have performed may produce a result shortly afterwards, or it may produce a result a long time afterwards. We should remember that volition or kamma which motivates a deed is a mental phenomenon and that it can therefore be accumulated. Thus, it can bring about its result later on. The Buddha taught that the akusala kamma and the kusala kamma we have accumulated throughout our life and during countless existences before this life, will produce their results when there are the right conditions for the results to be produced. Vipākacitta is the result of kamma. When we see unpleasant things, there is at that moment akusala vipāka, which is the result of akusala kamma. This akusala vipākacitta receives an unpleasant object through the eyes. When we see pleasant things, the kusala vipākacitta, which is the result of kusala kamma, receives a pleasant object through the eyes. When we hear unpleasant things the akusala vipākacitta, which is the result of akusala kamma, receives an unpleasant object through the ears. When we hear pleasant things the kusala vipākacitta, which is the result of kusala kamma, receives a pleasant object through the ears. There is vipāka every time we see, hear, smell, taste or receive an impression through body-contact. We cannot prevent the arising of vipākacitta; we cannot help seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and receiving impressions through body-contact. Each citta, and thus also each vipākacitta, has its own conditions; nobody can make cittas arise at will. Which particular vipākacitta arises at the present moment is beyond control. When one does good deeds one can be sure that those deeds will bring a pleasant result, but the moment when the result will take place depends on other conditions as well.

The akusala vipākacitta which experiences an unpleasant object through the eyes, is not the same as the akusala vipākacitta which experiences an unpleasant object through the ears. There is not a “self” who experiences different unpleasant and pleasant objects through the five senses. Each citta has its own conditions and it is different from all other cittas. The more one realizes this truth, the less will one be inclined to believe in a “self”.

Vipākacittas arise and fall away within split-seconds, like all other types of citta. After the vipākacittas have fallen away another type of citta arises; for example, a citta which likes or dislikes the object, that is, lobha-mūla-citta or dosa-mūla-citta. If people do not know the different types of cittas, they may be inclined to think that like or dislike is still vipāka. However, like and dislike arise after the vipākacittas have fallen away; they are not the result of kamma. Lobha-mūla-citta or dosa-mūla-citta is not vipākacitta but akusala citta.

Different types of citta succeed one another very rapidly. For example, when we hear a harsh sound, the vipākacitta arises at the moment the sound is perceived through the ears and then falls away immediately. The moments of vipāka are extremely short. After that there may be akusala cittas. For instance, dislike of the sound may arise, and this follows so closely that it seems to occur at the same moment as the hearing. In reality these cittas do not arise at the same moment. Each citta has its own conditions and each citta performs its own function. Vipākacitta is the result of former akusala kamma or kusala kamma. The like or dislike after the vipāka is unwholesome. We should realize that through the arising of akusala citta more akusala is accumulated and that this leads to still more unwholesomeness in our lives.

Many times we may not know at which moment there is vipāka and at which moment there is akusala citta, because we find our feelings about the object we experience so important. The pleasant feeling which accompanies lobha-mūla-citta and the unpleasant feeling which accompanies dosa-mūla-citta can be so strong that we are carried away by these feelings. Thus we cannot see things as they are.

Part of our life is spent in receiving pleasant or unpleasant results and part of our life is spent with akusala cittas or kusala cittas which can motivate unwholesome or wholesome deeds. These deeds condition life in the future, they condition the results which will be received in the future. If we have more understanding of vipāka, which is the result of our own deeds, it will help us to be more patient when there are unpleasant results in our life. We will not blame other people for unpleasant vipāka we receive, because kamma is the real cause of vipāka. We will give in less to our feelings concerning vipāka when we know the different cittas which arise at different moments.

Indeed, the Buddha showed his great compassion in teaching people to understand reality, in teaching them Dhamma.