Anattalakkhana Sutta: Teachings on the characteristic of Non-Self Venerable Uda Eriyagama Dhammajīva Mahā Thero Vipassanā Fellowship Edition www.vipassana.com Ven. Dhammajīva: Anattalakkhana Sutta ~ 1 ~ Vipassanā Fellowship Edition Copyright @ 2014 - Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya ___________________________________________________________________________ All commercial rights reserved. This book is for free distribution only and is meant to be given as a gift of dhamma and may not be reproduced for commercial gain in any shape or form. For permission to reprint for free distribution, or if you wish to continue to make these publications possible, please write to: The Sangha Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya Mitirigala 11742 Sri Lanka ___________________________________________________________________________ This Vipassanā Fellowship Edition published 2015 by permission of Ven. Dhammajīva. Ven. Dhammajīva: Anattalakkhana Sutta ~ 2 ~ Vipassanā Fellowship Edition Contents ___________________________________________________________________________ About the Author Introduction Chapter 1 - Form is Non-Self Contemplating form as form Observing the breath (form) Form is non-self Dissolution of form Common traps Non-self and affliction Chapter 2 - Feeling is Non-Self Materiality to mentality Observing feelings Indifferent feelings Sensory contact and non-governance Immaterial feelings Feelings are non-self Restraint from sensory contact Non-governable feelings Chapter 3 - Perception is Non-Self Transcience of perception Nature of perception Trickery of perception Neither perception nor non-perception Beyond sensory perception Chapter 4 - Volitional formations are Non-Self Nature of volitional formations Observing volitional formations in the practice Cessation of verbal and bodily actions Freedom from volitional formations Chapter 5 - Consciousness is Non-Self Observing the nature of consciousness Navigating beyond sensory consciousness Unmanifested state of consciousness Seeing the operation of consciousness in the practice Pausing the cycle of sensory consciousness Ven. Dhammajīva: Anattalakkhana Sutta ~ 3 ~ Vipassanā Fellowship Edition About the Author ___________________________________________________________________________ Venerable UdaEriyagama Dhammajīva Mahā Thero is an experienced meditation teacher of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. He is presently the Chief Preceptor of the Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya, a monastery in the strict forest tradition in Sri Lanka. He entered the order of the monastic sangha in 1988 at a relatively young age under the guidance of the late Most Venerable Mātara Srī Ñāņārāma Mahāthera, one of Sri Lanka’s well known and highly respected meditation masters. Upon the passing away of Venerable Ñāņārāma Mahāthera he travelled to Burma, where he trained under the guidance of Sayādaw U Panditabhivamsa, the revered Burmese meditation master for a number of years. Having developed his practice as a trusted student of U Pandita Sayadaw, Venerable Dhammajīva Mahā Thero returned to Sri Lanka and subsequently assumed the position of Chief Preceptor at Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya. Whilst having successfully preserved the spirit of the Buddha’s teachings in a living monastic tradition, Venerable Dhammajīva Mahā Thero has also used the unique wisdom gained through his practice to give life to the dhamma in the hearts of others. He is the author of over forty Buddhist publications and has translated many Burmese meditation manuals to Sinhalese as well as to English. Now an internationally renowned teacher to numerous monks, nuns and lay practitioners in Sri Lanka as well as around the world, Venerable Dhammajīva Mahā Thero speaks lucidly on Buddhist meditation, drawing from his own personal experience as a dedicated yogi, articulating a vision of the Buddha's teaching bent on the cultivation of the meditation practice. Giving the necessary instructions to harness the practice towards deeper insights, Venerable Dhammajīva Mahā Thero maps the path for yogis to confidently steer ahead towards final liberation and a realisation of the Buddha's timeless wisdom. Ven. Dhammajīva: Anattalakkhana Sutta ~ 4 ~ Vipassanā Fellowship Edition Introduction ___________________________________________________________________________ Anattalakkhana Sutta (discourse on the Non-Self Characteristic), the second discourse delivered by the Buddha has historical significance. It is well known amongst Buddhist circles. It is also featured in the Sutta Pitaka, (Basket of Discourses), under the title, Pancavaggiya Sutta, meaning the "Group of Five" discourse. When the Buddha delivered the first sermon, Dhammacakkapavatthana Sutta, (Turning the Wheel of the Four Noble Truths), one of the five ascetics, Kondanna, grasped the essence of the Buddha's teachings and became a stream enterer (sotapanna). The Buddha realised that the profound realisations gained through his enlightenment could be communicated and understood by others. Four more days passed. On the fifth day, the Buddha delivered Anattalakkhana Sutta on the characteristic of non-self. At the completion of this teaching, all five ascetics became fully enlightened. The wheel of dhamma gathered momentum and six arahants in total now formed the sāsana. The unfolding of Anattalakkhana Sutta is as follows. On one occasion, the Buddha was resident at Benares, in the Deer Park at Isipatana (a dwelling place of Seers), where he addressed the group of five: "Bhikkhus," — "Venerable sir," they replied. The Blessed One said this: "Bhikkhus, form is not-self. Were form self, then this form would not lead to affliction, and one could say of form: 'Let my form be thus, let my form be not thus.' And since form is not- self, so it leads to affliction, and none can command of form: 'Let my form be thus, let my form be not thus.' "Bhikkhus, feeling is not-self... "Bhikkhus, perception is not-self... "Bhikkhus, determinations are not-self... "Bhikkhus, consciousness is not self. Were consciousness self, then this consciousness would not lead to affliction, and one could command of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus.' And since consciousness is not-self, so it leads to affliction, and none can command of consciousness: 'Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness be not thus.' "Bhikkhus, how do you conceive it: is form permanent or impermanent?" — "Impermanent, venerable sir." — "Now is what is impermanent painful or pleasant?" — "Painful, venerable Ven. Dhammajīva: Anattalakkhana Sutta ~ 5 ~ Vipassanā Fellowship Edition sir." — "Now, is that which is impermanent and that which is painful, because they are subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is myself'"? — "No, venerable sir." "Is feeling permanent or impermanent? "Is perception permanent or impermanent? "Are determinations permanent or impermanent? "Is consciousness permanent or impermanent?" — "Impermanent, venerable sir." — "Now is what is impermanent pleasant or painful?" — "Painful, venerable sir." — "Now, is that which is impermanent and that which is painful, because they are subject to change, fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this is I, this is myself'"? — "No, venerable sir." "So, bhikkhus any kind of form whatsoever, whether past, future or presently arisen, whether gross or subtle, whether in oneself or external, whether inferior or superior, whether far or near, must, with right understanding, be regarded thus: 'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not myself.' "Any kind of feeling whatsoever... "Any kind of perception whatsoever... "Any kind of determination whatsoever... "Any kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future or presently arisen, whether gross or subtle, whether in oneself or external, whether inferior or superior, whether far or near must, with right understanding, be regarded thus: 'This is not mine, this is not I, this is not myself.' "Bhikkhus, when a noble follower who has heard (the truth) sees thus, he finds estrangement in form, he finds estrangement in feeling, he finds estrangement in perception, he finds estrangement in determinations, he finds estrangement in consciousness. "When he finds estrangement, passion fades out. With the fading of passion, he is liberated. When liberated, there is knowledge that he is liberated. He understands: 'Birth is exhausted, the holy life has been lived out, what has to be done is done, of this there is no more beyond.'" That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were glad, and they approved of his words. Now during this utterance, the hearts of the group of five were liberated from taints through clinging no more. These teachings are a compilation of talks given by Venerable U Dhammajīva Mahā Thero at an International Yogi Retreat at the Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya Meditation Centre in July 2012. The editor is indebted to Mr. Kenneth Morris and Ms. Barbara Ven. Dhammajīva: Anattalakkhana Sutta ~ 6 ~ Vipassanā Fellowship Edition Janus of the Saddhamma Foundation, USA for their suggestions, corrections, inspiration and criticism in reviewing a draft of this book. Ven. Dhammajīva: Anattalakkhana Sutta ~ 7 ~ Vipassanā Fellowship Edition Chapter 1 Form is Non-Self ___________________________________________________________________________ The Buddha exhorts, rupam bhikkhave anattā - "monks, materiality or form is self-less", form is empty, there is no soul or a self in form (materiality). At the time of this teaching, many worshipped the sun, trees, fire, rocks and oceans.