Develop the path, worshiping and honoring the Dhamma… Honoring-the-dhamma A virtue devoid of the Dhamma-discipline is not a perfect virtue. A concentration excluded from the Dhamma-discipline is not a perfect concentration. Also, a wisdom excluded from the Dhamma-discipline is not a perfect wisdom. Therefore, there is no liberation where the Dhamma and Discipline are absent. We should therefore read indeed the Dhamma-discipline of the Supreme Buddha. The perfect virtue is described in the Supreme Buddha’s teachings (Dhamma). It is in the Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma that the perfect concentration is described. It is that Dhamma that the contemplations are described as this is the first contemplation (Dhyāna), this is the second contemplation, this is the third contemplation, and this is the fourth contemplation. Since concentration is described in the Dhamma, one who develops virtue does it praising the Dhamma and the Discipline. One who cultivates concentration does it praising the Dhamma and the Discipline. If the Dhamma is discarded, that concentration is not a noble concentration; it has to be a false concentration. If one develops wisdom, it has to be a wisdom that is being developed praising the Dhamma and the Discipline. Therefore, there is no noble virtue present without the presence of the Dhamma of the Supreme Buddha. Without the Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma and Discipline, there is no noble concentration. Also, without the Dhamma and the Discipline preached by the Supreme Buddha, there is no noble wisdom. Without the Dhamma and the Discipline preached by the Supreme Buddha, there is no noble liberation as well. That is why the great Arahants (disciples who attained the enlightenment) took it as their responsibility to protect the Dhamma by remembering it by-heart and present it to the next generation without letting the Dhamma-discipline to die over the time. The Arahants taught the Dhamma to monks who have ordained in the dispensation under them. These monks cultivated the virtue while attempting to remember the Dhamma by-heart. They cultivated concentration, wisdom, and developed their minds until they attained enlightenment while attempting to remember the Dhamma and the Discipline by-heart. That is how the untainted Dhamma continued to exist over generation by generation through oral dissemination. We have to now start it fresh. There is only one goal in this Dhamma. That is, realization of the Four Noble Truths. In this journey, what we need first is the faith. We did not enter this dispensation to get impressed or delighted about others’ realizations. We enter this dispensation to be delighted about the realization of the Supreme Buddha. We need to delight about the Supreme Buddha’s realization and become faithful about it. Following are the great qualities of the Supreme Buddha. Arahan – The Supreme Buddha has eradicated desire, hatred, and ignorance. Sammāsambuddha – He has realized the Four Noble Truths without any guidance of a teacher. Vijjā Charanhasampanna – His life was spent according to what He realized. Sugata – By following the Noble Eightfold Path, He attained the Nibbāna (enlightenment). Lōkavidū – He lived with a realization of all worlds and freed Himself from those worlds. Anuttarō Purisadamma Sārathī – He was the supreme in taming untamable beings (in the Dhamma). Satthā Dēvamanussānan – The Supreme Buddha is the teacher of all humans and deities. Buddha – He preached the Noble Dhamma that He realized by Himself to others with a great compassion, so that others could also realize it. Bhagavā – He is most fortunate to bear all these great qualities. One’s confidence about the Supreme Buddha having such qualities is the first step towards practicing the Dhamma. One who has not come to such devotion will always come back to his own views, disrespecting what the Buddha taught. He always display his own views, beliefs. But, one who has faith does not do that. Faithful devotee will let go of his own views and accepts the Dhamma. This is the feature that can be seen in a person who has become faithful with a realization. The Supreme Buddha has taught us to frequently inquire about four things. Those are: Sometimes, a world renowned person could say that this and that are the Dhamma, the Discipline, and the dispensation of the teacher. The Supreme Buddha preached not to accept it nor deny it. He preached us to use the Dhamma-discipline preached by the Buddha to check such statements’ accuracy. If those claims do not match with the Dhamma and the Discipline, we should decline them as those are not the Dhamma, the Discipline, nor the Dispensation of the Supreme Buddha. Next, when the Sangha comes to a conclusion that this Bhikkhu describes the Dhamma and the Discipline very well, one should check that also using the Dhamma and the Discipline. Or, sometimes a group of monks could say that this and that are the Dhamma and the Discipline. Even in such occasions, one should check those declarations using the Dhamma and the Discipline preached by the Supreme Buddha. If such speeches do not match with the Dhamma and the Discipline, one should refuse those statements as well. These are called ‘the four great advices’. At the Ananda Stupa, the Supreme Buddha preached us to use the Dhamma and the Discipline to clarify any confusions or solve any conflicts if they are arisen in the future. One who learns these things use the Dhamma-discipline to solve any problems that he faces and moves forward in the Dhamma-discipline without any difficulties. The reason why I said that is because many in this world do not have that ability to compare things with the Dhamma-discipline. One who does not recognize the Dhamma-discipline does not put things in the Dhamma-discipline and compare. Thus, one could practice something that pretends to be the Dhamma (but not truly the Dhamma) thinking it as the Dhamma. There are no problems for a person who knows the Dhamma. In any surrounding, any society, any community, and among any crowd, what he praises is the Dhamma. That is because Arahants do not display themselves saying that, ‘This is my experience. This is my realization.’ Those noble human beings always praise the Supreme Buddha’s Dhamma. The Sōtāpanna (stream-winner) person also praises the Dhamma preached by the Supreme Buddha. This is something that could be used to identify a person who is in the path (for realizing the Dhamma). When that person follows the Noble Eightfold Path, he does not deliver others his own leadership, realization, or his own experiences. He teaches the Dhamma showing how it was preached by the Supreme Buddha, saying that ‘this was how the Supreme Buddha preached this Dhamma.’ We can clearly see this fact when we read these Dhamma discourses. What we need to have is such a faith. By Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero (Extracted from ‘Mamat Hita Samāhita Karami Budhu Samindunē’ book, put together using Dhamma sermons delivered by the Most Venerable Thero.)
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 12:16:46 +0000
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