1.). ឧត្តិដ្ឋេ ទប្បមជ្ជេយ្យ ធម្មំ សុចរិតំ ចរេ ធម្មចារី សុខំ សេតិ អសឹ្ម លោកេ បរម្ហិ ច។
បព្វជិត មិនគួរប្រមាទក្នុងបិណ្ឌបាតដែលខ្លួនត្រូវក្រោកឡើង ឈរចាំទទូលឡើយ បុគ្គលគួរប្រព្រឹត្តធម៌ឲ្យសុចរិត អ្នកដែលប្រព្រឹត្តធម៌ជាប្រក្រតី រមៃងបនៅជាសុខក្នុងលោកនេះផង ក្នុងលោកខាងមុខផង។
ព្រះអង្គទ្រង់គង់ប្រថាប់នៅនិគ្រោធារាម ទ្រង់បា្ររព្ធព្រះបាទសិរីសុទ្ឋោទន:ដែលទាស់ព្រះទ័យនឹងព្រះអង្គទ្រង់យាងបិណ្ឌបាត។
ឧត្តិដ្ឋេ ទប្បមេជ្ជេយ្យ
បព្វជិត មិនគួរប្រមាទក្នុងបិណ្ឌបាតដែលខ្លួនត្រូវក្រោកឡើង ឈរចាំទទូលឡើយ។ បព្វជិត កាលបើធើ្វឲ្យទំនៀមរបស់អ្នកត្រាច់ បិណ្ឌបាតជាប្រក្រតីមានការសាបសូន្យហើយសែ្វងរកភោជន ប្រណិតឈ្មោះថាមានសេចក្ដីប្រមាទក្នុងដុំបាយដែល
ខ្លូនត្រូវក្រោកឡើងឈរចាំទទូល។ម្យ៉ាងទៀត បព្វជិតគប្បីពិចារណាថា អាត្មាអញមិនមែនជាបិតាមិនមែនជាញាតិរបស់គេទេ ប៉ុនែ្តគេបានប្រគេននូវរបស់ប្រណិតដល់អាត្មាអញព្រោះគេត្រូវការបុណ្យច្រើនដូច្នេះអាត្មាអញត្រូវមានសីលបរិសុទ្ឋនិងមិនត្រូវមាននូវ
សេចក្ដីប្រមាទឡើយ។
Dhamma of the world
1. The Two Virtues being of much help:
1. Mindfulness (Sati)
2. Self-possession (Sampajanna)
2. The Two Virtues protecting the world:
1. Moral shame (Hiri)
2. Moral fear (Ottapa)
3. The Two Virtues making resplendent:
1. Patience (Khanti)
2. Gentleness (Soracca)
4. The Two Virtues conducive to excellence:
1. Good (Appropriate) knowledge (Vijja)
2. Good (Appropriate) conduct (Carana)
5. The Virtues leading to the cessation of suffering:
1. Mental tranquillity (Samatha)
2. Spiritual insight (Vipassana)
6. The Two Virtues are reckoned as the cessation of suffering:
1. Knowledge (Vijja)
2. Release (Vimutti)
7. The Two Virtues for a good person:
1. Gratitude (Kalannuta)
2. Reciprocating the benefit rendered (Katavedita
Vihara means abiding and living. And so those who practice these are said to be abiding or living in the
divine or noble way.
The Four Brahma Viharas are
1. Metta: loving kindness: Goodwill and amity, the wish to help all people attain benefits and happiness.
2. Karuna: compassion: The desire to help other people escape from their sufferings, the determination to free all being, both human and animal, of their hardships and miseries.’
3. Mudita: sympathetic joy or appreciative gladness :
When seeing others happy,one feeling glad; when seeing other do good actions or attain success of and advancement, one responds with gladness and is ready to help and support them.
4. Upekkha: equanimity: Seeing things as they are with a mind that is even, steady, firm, and fair like a pair of scales; understanding that all beings experience good and evil accordance with the cause they have created; ready to judge, position oneself and act in accordance with principles, reason and equity.
The Qualities and Virtues of the Buddha
In order to recall the qualities and virtues of the Buddha we use the following stanza which is well known.
“iti pi so bhagava araham sammasambuddho vijjacharana sampanno sugato lokavidu anuttaro purisa dhamma sarati satta deva manussanambuddho bhagava ti”.
I) The quality of araham means that he hascompletely destroyed all greed, aversion andignorance. The Buddha is one who has realised the four noble truths, nibbana and has come to the end of all suffering.
The quality of arahantship is not exclusive to a sammasambuddha. It is also common to the Silent
Buddha and all Arahants.
II) However, the quality of sammasambuddha,is exclusive to
a sammasambuddha. The sammasambuddha is one who acquires the knowledge of the
four nobletruths without the assistance of anyone else,thereafter teaches others to realise the four noble truths.
(III) ‘Vijja charana sam panno’ ‘Vijja’ means science or knowledge.
‘charana’ means conduct. ‘Sampanno’ means endowed with. So it means endowed withknowledge and conduct. Under this word vijja we can consider some knowledges he was endowed with, which are not exclusive to him.
IV) The quality of sugatha means beauty excellent, pleasant.
And what is it that is beautiful, excellent andpleasing, it is this noble eightfold path. Each and every step of this noble eightfold path, is beautiful, pleasant, excellent. He was also endowed with a beautiful
body which radiated a multi coloured aura.
V) Lokavidu means the seer of the world.He sees everything as it really is, with regard to this world. He sees all the conditions that bring about a situation, that bring about a dhamma, the root causes, the
proximate causes, and the results that can come, that can flow from that situation. All that is his knowledge or his ability to see the world as it really is.
VI) ‘Anutharo Purisa Dhamma Sarati’ means he was an incomparable
tamer of the tameable.
(VII) ‘Satta deva manussanam’ means, he is the teacher to gods and humans.
The word deva refers to both the gods and brahmas. And in that field he was incomparable. He was the supreme teacher and a vast number of gods, brahmas and human beings received his teachings, his advice, his guidance and they liberated themselves from this mass of suffering as a result of that. That is his teaching quality.
(VIII) ‘Bhuddho’ means the one who has fully realised the four noble truths, fully
realized nibbana by one’s own effort without any assistance from another.That is a quality common not only to a Sammasambuddha, but also to those who are called the silent buddhas. The difference between a Sammasambuddha and a Silent Buddha is that the Silent Buddhas do not teach.
(IX) And finally his quality of ‘bhagava’ means he stands exalted.
He is exalted beyond comparison. He is exalted because of his immeasurable merits, because of his ten perfections. No other being’s perfections can be compared with that of a Sammasambuddha, As a result of the perfection of dana or gifting, millions of folks pay homage to him, make offerings, even after 2500 years. That is the result of his quality called bhagava.
So we know these nine qualities in him.
Accordingly, we pay homage to him.
Recalling the qualities and virtues of the Buddha also serves to express our gratitude to Buddha.
Recollection of the qualities and virtues of the Buddha is also a valuable Meditation to develop the faculty of faith. You may develop the noble eightfold path using this particular meditation as a preliminary meditation,
because it is a meditation that enables you to overcome obstacles. Obstacles can arise from the external and from the internal.This path is made a very pleasant and powerful one through this meditation. Use it whilst developing insight by practice of the four foundations of mindfulness that will lead you to knowledge and wisdom, realise the four noble truths realize the four fruits of the path and nibbana.
GREAT VIRTUES OF THE DHAMMA
The Buddha’s teaching is generally called the Dhamma or Dharma. It is neither a revelation nor a legendary speculation with a theological twist. It is the Truth ever prevailing in the Universe, and a unique discovery by a great enlightened religious teacher. However, Buddhism is the modern term used for the Dhamma and named after its discoverer. Gautama, the Buddha, realized the Truth and proclaimed it to the world.
There is no doubt that it is difficult for ordinary people to comprehend it properly, since
their minds are invariably clouded with illusion.
There are many virtues of the Dhamma that make it sublime and perfect in the highest
meaning of the term. However, there are three aspects of the Dhamma which are to be
noted. The first aspect is the theory that should be learnt in its pristine purity. The
second aspect is the sincere application and practice of the precepts and the living in
accordance with the teachings of the Buddha, by abstaining from all evil, doing good
and purifying the mind. The third aspect is to develop wisdom and to attain full
understanding of the realities of all phenomena.
Amongst the many virtues of the Dhamma, there are six salient characteristics
mentioned in the most authoritative texts. These particular Dhamma virtues are chanted
by Buddhists during their daily devotional observances. The popular Pali verse
expounding these Dhamma virtues is as follows:-
Swakkhato Bhagavata Dhammo, Sanditthiko, Akaliko, Ehipassiko, Opanayiko and
Paccattam Veditabbo Vinnuhi Ti.
A detailed description and explanation of these six salient characteristics are given
hereon:-
1. Swakkhato Bhagavata Dhammo
This term means that the Dhamma was discovered and well-proclaimed by the Blessed
One. This is considered as the common virtue of all the three aspects of the Teaching,
namely the theory, the sincere practice and full realization while the rest of the terms are
connected with the supramundane (Lokuttarra) which consists of the eight stages of
sanctity and Nibbana – considered as the Summum Bonum of Buddhism.
The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Master. It is excellent at the beginning, excellent
in the middle, and excellent at the end. It has no contradictions and interpolations and it
does not deviate from its straight route. Just as every drop of water in the ocean has
only one taste, the taste of salt, the Dhamma has one and only one taste at any time, the
taste of Nibbanic bliss. The Dhamma is genuine in both letter and spirit. The subject
matter of the Dhamma starts with Sila which is equated to right conduct, on which ‘
Samadhi ’ , a sense of tranquility of the mind is based. Panna or wisdom follows suit
after ‘ Samadhi ’ is firmly established.
The acquisition of Dhamma knowledge should commence with the study of the Dhamma
by listening to learned lecturers expounding its intricasies and by understanding the
correct methods for its practical application. Through constant practice, we should be
5 able to suppress mental defilements which results in the mind becoming serene, calm
and blissful. The achievement of such a mental state will pave the way for the
acquisition of higher knowledge which is called insight or ‘ Vipassana ‘. This insight
knowledge when developed steadily would be the crowning glory of a brilliant
achievement which can occur even within this lifetime.
The Buddha’s explanation of the living being and the world constitutes the last word in
human thought. Basing His findings on rational understanding, quite apart from
traditions and legends of the day, the Buddha delved deep into the core of the Dhamma
and emerged with his discovery of the realities underlying all phenomenal existence.
Without being dictatorial or monopolistic, He proclaimed the Dhamma – a teaching which
superseded all other teachings.
The Dhamma owes no allegiance to any so-called supreme power but was introduced
by the Buddha on an individual basis, i.e. from man to man allowing freedom to the
individual concerned to assess and think for himself the means to attain his own
salvation without seeking any external aid. The Dhamma is universal and is of vital
interest to mankind in any part of the world at any time.
Significantly, He gave His own rational and scientific interpretation to all the
philosophical terms before they were used in His teaching of the Dhamma. For
instance, Kamma which only denoted action prior to the Buddha, was given a new
meaning as volition behind the action.
The noble Dhamma consistently denounced social injustice such as the rigid caste-
system, human slavery and discriminatory low status accorded to females. The Buddha
was never a dictator but a Teacher of spiritual democracy.
Starting with the Tisarana ( three refuges ) and culminating in the attainment of nibbanic
bliss, a follower of the Buddha finds himself supremely secure under the guidance and
protection of the Dhamma which was well proclaimed – Svakkhato.
2. Sanditthiko
Sanditthiko conveys the meaning that if the Dhamma is well studied and put into sincere
practice, its beneficial results would be visible here and now. For instance, even if a
wicked man, who happens to be a veritable curse to himself and to society, were to take
refuge in the Buddha and the Dhamma and commence a new life, all his troubles and
miseries would come to an end. As shown by the life of Emperor Asoka, after
embracing Buddhism he was transformed from being a wicked ruler known as
Candasoka into a righteous one, Dhammasoka.
3. Akaliko
Akaliko implies that the beneficial effects to be derived from the practice of the Dhamma
would not be delayed. The Dhamma, despite the length of time that has elapsed since
its pronouncement, remains ever fresh and unchallenged. It runs parallel even with the
latest scientific thought. If there is truth, that truth can never become old. Dhamma is
that Truth which cannot grow old with age since it depicts the reality underlying all
phenomenal existence in Samsara. Briefly, the Dhamma states that the world is
unsatisfactorily and that greed happens to be the inevitable cause of this state of affairs.
6 The remedy for this unsatisfactoriness is the eradication of greed to be achieved through
the practice of eight skilful factors known as the Noble Eightfold Path.
4. Ehipassiko
Ehipassiko constitutes an open invitation to all to come and see, to inspect, to scrutinize
and if need be, even to criticize the Dhamma before accepting it because there is
nothing mythical or mysterious about it. The Dhamma is pure and crystal clear. It is as
pure as solid gold. The Buddha Himself declared: ‘ Do not accept what I say through
mere respect towards me. Just as purity of gold is ascertained by melting or rubbing on
a touchstone, likewise the Dhamma should be accepted only after very close scrutiny ‘.
This fearless assertion of allowing the teaching to be closely examined marks the
greatness of the Buddha and the unwavering truth of the sublime Dhamma.
5. Opanayiko
Opanayiko means that all sincere adherents of the Dhamma would be treading along the
path that leads to eternal peace and happiness. The Dhamma states that there are four
stages of a sanctity and fruition worth achieving by means of gradual development. The
Dhamma leads its adherents from one stage to another until they find themselves fully
liberated from all bonds and fetters of existence.
6. Paccattam Veditabbo Vinuhi Ti
This phrase ‘ Paccattam Veditabbo Vinnuhi Ti ‘ implies that the Dhamma is to be
comprehended individually by the wise. No one can absorb the Dhamma on behalf of
another person, just as no one can quench the thirst of another person by himself taking
a drink. It can be observed that there are two significant aspects in this term: firstly, the
attainment of enlightenment is individualistic in character and secondly, the Dhamma
can only be comprehended by the wise.
The Buddha is not a saviour but an instructor – a Teacher who showed the path for
others to tread. It is left to the individual concerned to observe Sila, right conduct and
practise ‘ Samadhi ‘, right concentration and subsequently try to develop ‘ Panna ‘, the
intuitive wisdom which enables the individual to work out his own emancipation through
his own efforts.
The Eight Worldly Concerns/Dharmas:
They are: gain and no gain, pleasure and pain,praise and
blame, fame and infamy.
Commentary:
1) being happy to get,
2) being unhappy at not getting,
3) being happy to hear pleasantry,
4) being unhappy to hear unpleasantry,
5) being happy at enjoyment,
6) being unhappy at unenjoyable,
7) being happy at praise, and
8) being unhappy at blame.
Kiccavatta (Duty) derives from the combinati on
of two words. Kicca and vatta.
Kicca means things that one MUST do, otherwise you will
surely regret not having done so.
Vatta means things that you SHOULD do, although it is not
required. If you do not do these things, the consequences are
not detrimental.
It will not bar you from monkhood, but it could result in the
lessening of respect for your station as a monk.
If you do these things, the level of respect people will
accord on you will only improve and strengthen.
These duties will also help to free you from worldly desire. ‘
Senior monks have developed the following ten primary duties
for monks to fulfill:
1. Alms Gathering
2. Temple cleaning
3. Confession
4. Chanting and Meditation
5. Reflection
6. Caring for Your Preceptor
7. Management, Maintenance, Exercise
8. Dhamma and Monastic Studies
9. Caring for Temple Property and Responsibility
10. Behaviour Worthy of Respect
Any monk who can fulfill these duties may not yet befree from
worldly desire but will surely lessen the influence of such desires.
Socheat soeun 