THE WAY TO ULTIMATE CALM Selected Discourses of Webu Sayádaw i THE WAY TO ULTIMATE CALM Selected Discourses of Webu Sayádaw Translated from the Burmese by Roger Bischoff Buddhist Publication Society Kandy • Sri Lanka Buddhist Publication Society P.O. Box 61 54, Sangharaja Mawatha Kandy, Sri Lanka Http://www.bps.lk Published in 2001 Reprinted in 2007 Reprinted by Mr Atul Mehta, Mumbai, 2014. Atul Mehta J & S Creation A/43, Bonanza Industrial Estate, Chakravarti Ashok Road, Kandivli (East), Mumbai -400 101. Tel.: 022 - 2887 8499, 022 - 2886 1109 The Buddhist Publication Society has granted Mr Atul Mehta of J & S Creation special permission to reprint and distribute this book for free distribution in India. Copyright © 1992, 2001 Roger Bischoff An earlier version of this book was published by the International Meditation Centre, U.K. as Dhamma Texts Series 3. ISBN–10: 955–24–0218–2 ISBN–13: 978-955–24–0218-0 Contents Introduction 1 PART ONE: Eight Discourses on Dhamma I. What Really Matters 7 II. Extinguishing the Fires Within 13 III. Keep Your Mind on the Spot 16 IV. A Roof That Does Not Leak 29 V. The Flight of an Arrow 36 VI. Work Without Wavering! 53 VII. To Light a Fire 69 VIII. A Happiness That Ever Grows 80 PART TWO: Further Discourses of Webu Sayádaw The Power of Forbearance 95 How Mahá-Kassapa Was Deceived 101 Dhamma-Asoka’s Younger Brother 105 Mahosadha and King Videha 107 Don’t Destroy Yourselves! 109 Going Home 114 Words of Wisdom 116 The Path to Be Followed in This World 118 Practising a Brief Teaching 120 PART THREE: Webu Sayádaw and Sayagyi U Ba Khin 125 Notes 149 Páli-English Glossary 155 Venerable Webu Sayadaw Introduction Webu Sayádaw Myanmar is one of the few countries in the world where Theraváda Buddhism still survives in its original form. The bhikkhus (monks) of Myanmar make every effort to preserve the Theraváda Buddhist teachings. Buddha Gotama’s Teachings deal mainly with the way the human mind works and the relationship between the mind and body. The nature of the human mind has not changed since the Buddha discovered the path leading to the understanding of the absolute truth about mind and matter. This ultimate reality and the practice leading to its realization are, and will always remain, the same, regardless of economic or social conditions, so people today who put into practice what the Buddha taught can discover this reality for themselves. If one aspires to the end of suffering as taught by the Buddha, it is essential not to add or subtract anything from his teachings, in order that they may remain as effective today as they were during the time of the Buddha. The foundation of the teachings is the Four Noble Truths: (1) the truth that all conditioned phenomena (physical and mental) are unsatisfactory, (2) the truth that there is a cause for this, (3) the truth that there is an end to this unsatisfactoriness or suffering, and (4) the truth that there is a path leading to the end of suffering. The path to the end of suffering is called the Noble Eightfold Path as it is divided into eight parts which are grouped under the threefold training of sìla (morality), samádhi (control over the mind, concentration), and paññá (insight, wisdom). In Buddhism, morality is conceived differently than in other religious traditions. There are actions that are called skilful, because they support an individual’s progress towards Nibbána, and there are unskilful actions that have the contrary effect. All actions based on greed, aversion, and ignorance of the law of kamma are unskilful. The most unskilful actions are: (1) to kill a sentient being, (2) to steal, (3) to have unlawful sexual relations, (4) to speak untruth, and (5) to take intoxicants. Generally the Buddhist lay person undertakes to abstain from these five courses of action by taking the five precepts. Once an action has been done there is no way to avoid its effect, but it The Way to Ultimate Calm can be counteracted to some extent through a powerful action of the opposite type.1 There is, however, no one, not even the Buddha, who can grant “absolution from sin,” as effects are determined by the law of kamma, which is applicable to all sentient beings. Venerable Webu Sayádaw emphasized the practice of meditation as the only way to bring the teachings of the Buddha to fulfilment. The study of the scriptures, though helpful, is not essential for the realization of Nibbána, the supreme goal of Buddhism. Venerable Webu Sayádaw was believed to be an Arahat, i.e., a person who has in practice understood the Four Noble Truths and attained the end of suffering. The technique of meditation taught by Venerable Webu Sayádaw is one of forty techniques mentioned in the scriptures for the development of samádhi or concentration. It is called ánápána-sati and requires that the meditator be aware: (1) that he is breathing in while he is breathing in, (2) that he is breathing out while he is breathing out, and (3) of the spot or area in the region of the nostrils where the stream of air touches while he is breathing in and out. Though ánápána-sati is basically a way of developing samatha (tranquillity of mind), samádhi (concentration of mind to one-pointedness), and jhána (absorption states), Venerable Webu Sayádaw said that when concentration is developed to a sufficient degree, the meditator automatically gains insight into the three characteristics of nature, anicca, dukkha, and anattá, if his mind is open to recognize them. Anicca means impermanence, instability, or change, and is characteristic of all conditioned phenomena, be they physical or mental. Dukkha denotes the unsatisfactory nature of all these phenomena: nothing that is impermanent or changing can ever give lasting satisfaction. Anattá means non-self, non-soul, and applies to all phenomena conditioned and unconditioned. According to the Buddha, there is no permanent ego, soul, or personal entity, but only interrelated physical and mental phenomena. In Buddhism the understanding of these three characteristics of anicca, dukkha, and anattá is called paññá or wisdom, and paññá is the quality that enables a meditator to reach Nibbána. It is significant that a monk of such high standing as Venerable Webu Sayádaw, rather than teach Abhidhamma philosophy—which is intellectually fascinating and taxing—spent his life teaching the basics of practical Buddhism to all who were inclined to listen. U Hte Hlain, the collector of some of the discourses contained in this book, writes: “Venerable Webu Sayádaw preached sometimes five, sometimes ten times a day. Seven main points were always included in his discourses. If Venerable Webu Sayádaw gave 10,000 discourses in his life, then these points were expounded by him 10,000 times. He always included them, even if he had to repeat them again and again. He 2 Webu SayádawIntroduction & Sayagyi U Ba Khin always explained the teachings in simple terms, so that the ordinary person could understand. He tried to explain the Dhamma in such a way that the most difficult thing became easy.” The seven points are: (1) One can only expect the fulfilment of one’s aspirations if one is perfect in morality. (2) When practising generosity (dána) in the religion of the Buddha, the mental attitude and volition involved are very important. (3) Believing in the law of cause and effect (i.e., the law of kamma) one should always act with an upright mind. (4) One should not aspire to any happiness of either the human or celestial worlds—which are impermanent—but only to Nibbána. (5) Because of the arising of the Buddha we have the opportunity to practise right conduct (caraóa) and wisdom (paññá) fully and therefore benefit greatly. (6) From the moment we are born to the moment we die, there is the in-breath and the out-breath. This is easy for everybody to understand. Every time we breathe in or out, the breath touches near the nostrils. Every time it touches we should be aware of it. (7) While we are walking, working, doing anything, we should always be aware of the in-breath and out-breath. These seven points illustrate that in practical Buddhism faith does not play such a major role. Paramount importance is given to right action and the experience and understanding drawn from it. As we shall see in the discourses, Venerable Webu Sayádaw wants his audience to realize the teachings through their own experience, for themselves, rather than through hearing them. He says that in this way, as they begin to see the teachings as a reality, people can pass beyond doubt. Venerable Webu Sayádaw was born on the sixth day of the waxing moon of Tabaung of the year 1257 of the Burmese Era (February 17, 1896) in Ingyinbin, a small village near Shwebo in upper Burma. He was ordained as a novice at the age of nine and was given the name Shin Kumára. All boys in Buddhist Burma become novices at their local monastery at some time in their teens or even earlier, but usually return home after a predetermined span of time. Shin Kumára, however, decided to stay at the monastery to receive a religious education. At the age of twenty, he was ordained as a full member of the Saògha, the order of Buddhist monks, receiving the Upasampadá ordination, and was thereafter addressed as U Kumára.2 3 The Way to Ultimate Calm U Kumára went to Mandalay to study at the famous Masoyein monastery, the leading monastic university of the time.