The Way to Experience Bliss of Nibbana

           The Way to Experience Bliss of Nibbana
“ye bhutam bhutato disva bhutassaca athikkama
yatha bhute vimuccanti bhava thanha parakkaya”
This is a stanza found in a sutta in the Kuddaka Nikaya which illustrates a profound and ultimate
meaning of the Dhamma. The Supreme Buddha elucidated profound Dhamma matters in
simple ways so that, even a minor could understand the meaning easily. There were instances
where minors aged 12 years were able to attain fruit of the Path. Thousands of listeners to the
Buddha’s sermons were able to attain different stages of realization in the same way. This is the
testimony that the Buddha elucidated dhamma to common masses in plain language, even
though the content was profound. What we witness today is that, the ultimate meaning of
dhamma, has been shrouded in the technical terms being used in the Dhamma literature.
Similarly, we find two terms in the above stanza where the meaning has been shrouded in
obscurity. Those two terms are “bhava” and “Bhuta”. Bhava means a certain “happening” or
“occurrence”. Bhuta means a thing already “happened” or “occurred”.
Accordingly, the meaning of the first part of the stanza “Bhutam bhutato dis va… ” should be “ to
view a phenomenon that already happened as a happening or an occurrence”. “Bhutassa
atikkama ” denotes that such a stand on phenomena would lead one to bypass, pass over such
phenomena. “ yata bhute vimuccanti” denotes the relieving of mind from such phenomena.
Then, as a result of this approach one’s desire to make a certain phenomenon happen again
would subside yata
bhute vimuccanti.
This stanza illustrates four types of function of the mind. This is a revelation by the Buddha
regarding the function of the mind after a sixyear
strenuous research which culminated in the
attainment of Enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. The Buddha’s research primarily focussed
on the causes of an ordinary mind getting polluted and the way to getting the mind rid of this
polluted state.
In analysing the function of an ordinary mind, the Buddha stated, “ dvehi bhikkave ditthi gatehi
pariyutthita, deva manussa oliyanti eke, ati dhawanti eke… ” , meaning that gods and human
beings attach to objects and others overreact to objects. These phrases , again, illustrate two
aspects of a typical mind. At times, mind attaches to certain objects; finds gratification in it. At
times, mind detaches itself from certain objects; despises them ; gets rid of them.
When the mind cognizes a pleasant object, it expects some benefits and satisfaction out of this
object. This compels mind to attach to this object. This attachment causes this object to be
“reborn” ( punabbhava ) in the mind over and over again.
Let’s explore the incident of “rebirth” of objects in the mind with an example. A person sees a
beautiful, fragrant flower. This person gets fascinated by this flower due to its beauty and
fragrance and attaches to it firmly. This specific attachment creates a similar image of the flower
in the mind as well. In other words, a mental image of the flower is reborn in the mind. This
phenomenon is described by the Buddha as “ sabbe satta aharattithika… ”. This means that
every attachment would bring about an identical, resultant attachment. If someone desires an
object and attaches to this object as pleasant, useful, good, then the underlying attachment
would continue
to arise in the mind repeatedly. Thoughts associated with this particular attachment would
overshadow the mind. Potential for further attachment would grow in strength. Mind would be
preoccupied with the thoughts of getting satisfaction, comfort out of that pleasant object. The
new formation occurred in the mind is known as “ bhuta ”. The mental attitude towards the object
based on future usefulness, satisfaction, comfort etc. is referred to as “ ditthi ” (view). However,
sustaining the newly formed mental bhuta in respect of the object of flower, as in our example,
would realistically cause a great deal of mental pain. The willingness to sustain the desire based
bhuta in the mind is referred to in dhamma as “ sassata ditthi”.
Similarly, in the case of an object which is not attractive, one may entertain a distaste in one’s
mind. A bhuta based on distaste would be born in the mind and it would continue to haunt the
mind with feelings of discomfort. So, one may wish to get this “ bhuta ” out of the mind as soon as
possible. The unwillingness to sustain the distastebased
bhuta and the expectation of its
cessation is referred to in dhamma as “ uccheda ditthi”.
So, a desirebased
or distastebased
bhuta would be born in mind and continue to remain in
the min; it would die with the mind. However it would be reborn with the succeeding mind.
Duration of complete mind cycle is only 17 mind moments (cittakkana), according the teachings
of the Buddha. This means that 17 mind moments would lapse between the birth and death of
one cycle of mind and each cycle of mind would cause mental pain, discomfort as a result of a
newly formed bhuta in the mind. The main reason underlying this mental pain is one’s view that
a particular sense object to be considered as “good, useful, gratifying” or “bad, useless,
unsatisfying”. The Buddha investigated this incessant mental phenomena in depth in order to
find a lasting solution, remedy.
In finding a solution for the cessation of birth ( a birth of a bhuta in mind) , the Budhha’s advice
was, “ bhutam bhutato disva, bhutassaca atikkama …”. When a bhuta is formed in the mind
resulting from a cognized object, one needs to consider the cognized object as a mere, natural
mental formation, without giving any specific emphasis, prominence to it. This approach would
enable an individual to circumvent this particular mental object (bhuta). As in our previous
example when a mental image of a flower is formed in the mind as a bhuta (mental formation), if
one is able to view the image as a mere mental formation without attributing any qualities of
good or bad, then, one is able prevent the mental formation (bhuta) from taking rebirth in mind
in succession and completely bypass it. This particular mental formation (bhuta) would cease to
exist in mind as there is no potential for rebirth due to the detached view in respect of the object.
Mind would be relieved of the bhuta which has the potential to cause mental pain. If one is able
to view any object which is bad, unpleasant or unsatisfying in a similar detached manner, he is
able to dispose of the distastebased
mental formation (bhuta) without letting it taking a rebirth
in mind and causing mental pain. This is the escape from “ bhava thanha” (craving for rebirth) in
terms of the buddhist teachings.
In both of the above occasions, the mental formation ( bhuta ) ceased to continue without any
further potential for successive rebirth and death. This process caused the mind to experience a
peaceful mental state as the pain resulting from a newly formed bhuta ceased to exist due to a
detached view. The mind transformed to a calm state from a state of burning resulting from a
formation of a bhuta in respect of a sense object. In essence, this is the taste of Nibbana.
We could realize the ease of practical application of the profound, majestic notion of Nibbana
when we contemplate the true nature of the mind’s function in respect of sense objects. It may
now be obvious that when an individual attaches to an object out of desire or aversion, that
object would be reborn in his mind followed by death after 17 mind moments. Rebirth and death
would recur in the mind in this manner. If an individual is capable of dealing with an object
without attaching to it or without coming into conflict with it, then, the object would not go
through a cycle of rebirth and death in that individual’s mind. The mind devoid of birth and death
becomes extinguished and peaceful. When an object is cognized, it should be confined to mere
identification. Never contemplate any object beyond the point of identification. This would
prevent a mental image (bhuta) being formed in mind. Practice this strategy in respect all
objects one may come to contact in day to day life and experience the bliss of Nibbana
gradually.