Venerable Sitagu Sayadaw U Nyanissara
'Abbhidhamma' means dhamma
which is exceedingly subtle, deep, difficult to comprehend, and vast in
scope. 'Dhamma' means reality and truth. It means the law of
cause and effect, the essence of things and the way things are by nature. It
means knowable reality; a reality in which there are no beings, and which is
fixed in the order of its manifestations. In short, 'Dhamma' means Reality
and Truth in the absolute sense.
That exceedingly subtle, deep, difficult, excellent and wide Abhidhamma,
which is real and correct because it speaks of the selflessness of beings and
the natural essential condition of things, it was taught by the Buddha in the
realm of the gods. Because no distracting objects or hindrances interrupted
the mental continua of the gods, they could immediately listen to this very
difficult dhamma with undivided attention and fully comprehend it. In the
human realm, the nuisances of having to eat, sleep and defecate, etc.,
interrupt and obstruct the performance of every task. And because whenever we
focus our thoughts upon any given endeavor, physical weariness, the call of
nature, and hunger and thirst always intervene, our concentration becomes
broken even while we work. For this reason, there would have been no benefit
in teaching piecemeal a doctrine as deep as the Abhidhamma in the
realm of human beings.
The time-scale in the realm of the gods is vastly different from our own. One
hundred human years equals only one day in Tavatimsa heaven, Because of this,
the times for eating and sleeping, for example, are separated by extremely
long intervals. Moreover, the gods neither defecate nor urinate, and they
feel no bodily aches or weariness. Therefore, they were able to listen to the
entire exposition of the Abhidhamma in a single sitting, and - for what was
to them only fifteen minutes - to attend to the discourse with a stream of
thought that was undivided and continuous. In contrast, it took the Venerable
Sariputta, who was the most intelligent of the Buddha's disciples, ninety
days and ninety separate trips to Tavatimsa to learn and then preach in the
human realm that Abhidhamma which was taught to the gods in one
uninterrupted sitting.
The Abhidhamma which the Venerable Sariputta heard in brief from the
Buddha he preached to his five hundred disciples in a way that was neither
brief nor extended. The monks who learned the Abhidhamma from the
Venerable Sariputta were newly ordained, having entered the Order on the day
the Buddha ascended to Tavatimsa heaven. These five hundred sons-of
good-family took ordination at that time - the full moon day of 'Waso' -
because they were inspired to faith by a display of miracles performed at the
foot of a white mango tree. On the following day, they listened to the Abhidhamma;
and it was this Abhidhamma which became for those monks their Vipassana.
And why was this? Those five hundred monks, all of whom became arahants
during the rains-retreat of that year (the seventh rains-retreat of the
Buddha), also became by the end of the retreat, masters of the seven books of
the Abhidhamma (abhidhammika sattapakaranika). The Buddha first
assembled the entire Dhamma and taught it all together (as the Dhammasangani).
He then analyzed it into separate parts and taught (the Vibhanga). He
further analyzed it in detail according to elements (producing thereby, the Dhatukatha).
Again he assembled it together and again analyzed it into minute parts, this
time in relation to individuals, (and so taught the Puggalapannati).
After that, the Buddha examined and compared the different doctrines existing
in the world and taught (the Kathavatthu). Thereupon, he examined and
taught the Dhamma in pairs (Yamaka); and finally, taught the
doctrine of causal relations in detail (Pathana).
The seven methods of examining Dhamma presented in the seven books of
the Abhidhamma; that is to say, 1) the analysis of mind (citta),
mental factors (cetasika) and matter (rupa) when taken
together, 2) the analysis of the same when distinguished into parts, 3) the
analysis of elements, 4) the analysis of individuals, 5) the comparison of
doctrines, 6) the analysis of Dhamma into pairs, and 7) the
examination of causal relations, are in truth none other than seven
exceedingly deep methods of Vipassana practice. For this reason it can be
said that the day the five hundred monks mastered the Abhidhamma -
this being the teaching of Abhidhamma-Vipassana they had listened to
since their ordination - was the very day they mastered the practice of Vipassana.
Vipassana is a method of wisdom that searches for truth and peace in
diverse ways by observing, inquiring into, and penetrating the nature, the
essence, the set order, the absence of being, the selflessness and the
ultimately reality of mind and matter. For example, one method of Vipassana
accomplishes this goal through ten kinds of knowledge whereby one comes to
understand the nature of matter as producing effects in mutual dependence on
matter; and similarly, the nature of mind as producing effects in mutual
dependence on mind. Another method which achieves the same end; that is, the
seeking out and penetration of reality, relies on an ascent through the seven
purifications. In both instances, Vipassana and Abhidhamma are
identical.
Since Vipassana meditation takes the Abhidhamma as its sole
object of contemplation, Vipassana and Abhidhamma cannot be
separated. And while it may not be said that one can practice Vipassana
only after one has mastered the Abhidhamma, Vipassana meditation and
the study of Abhidhamma remain one and the same thing. Because mind,
mental factors and matter are forever bound up with this fathom-long body,
the study and learning of this subject, and the concentrated observation of
the nature of mind, mental factors and matter are tasks which cannot be
distinguished.
Since at the very least one would have to say that there can be no Vipassana
without an understanding of mind and matter, surely then it is not possible
to separate Abhidhamma and Vipassana. It is explained in the Abhidhamma
that the root causes giving rise to the seven elements of mind and matter
are ignorance (avijja), craving (tanha) and volitional action (kamma).
It is further pointed out that the supporting conditions for these same seven
elements are kamma, mind, climate (utu) and nutriment (ahara).
Only by grasping these abhidhammic truths will one possess the
knowledge which comprehends conditional relations (paccayapariggahanana),
and achieve the purification of mind necessary for overcoming doubt. These
excellent benefits are pointed out by paticcasamuppada and pathana.
Therefore, since it is the case that Vipassana and Abhidhamma
are not separate but are mutually dependent, it is rightly submitted that Vipassana
yogis ought not to let go of that wise method of learning about the human
condition called the Abhidhamma.
(
Note: - This is the talk , Sitagu Sayadaw gave on a special occasion of Abhidhamma,
translated into English by the Department of Research and Compilation,
International Buddhist Academy, Sagaing Hill, Myanmar )
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