U Thaw Zin - The Buddha's Words of Wisdom

1. Bodhisattva

1-First Bodhi Sutta

I have heard this.

Once upon a time, the Blessed One was dwelling near the Bodhi tree on the bank of the Naranjara River in the Uru Vela forest. Then for seven days the Blessed One sat alone, cross-legged, enjoying the bliss of renunciation. Then, having completed those seven days, the Blessed One arose from that concentration and, during the first watch of the night, carefully pondered the Dhamma of the cessation of conflict.

This cause arises, this effect arises. Because of this cause, this effect arises. These causes and effects are:

Because of ignorance, formations and formations arise. Because of formations and formations, the soul is born. Because of the soul is born, the soul is formed.

Because of the name and form, there are six ayatanas (salayatana).

Because of the six aggregates, there is contact. Because of contact, there is feeling. Because of feeling, there is attachment and craving. Because of attachment and craving, there is attachment. Because of attachment, there is existence. Because of existence, there is birth and existence.

Due to the nature of birth and death, old age, death, anxiety, sorrow, lamentation, physical suffering, mental suffering, and great weariness arise.

Thus, all this mass of suffering arises.

Then the Blessed One understood the nature of this conflict, and at that moment he uttered this hymn :

When the Dhamma truly becomes manifest to a brahmin who is troubled by defilements, who is ardent in his evil, and who has abandoned evil, then, knowing the Dhamma in its true form, all doubts are dispelled in that brahmin who has abandoned evil.

2-Second Bodhisattva

Once upon a time, the Blessed One was dwelling near the Bodhi tree on the bank of the Naranjara River in the Uruvela forest. Then the Blessed One sat alone for seven days, cross-legged, enjoying the bliss of renunciation. Then, having completed those seven days, the Blessed One arose from that concentration and, during the middle of the night, meditated well on the Dhamma of the cessation of conflict through meditation.

If this cause does not arise, this effect does not arise. Because this cause ceases, this effect ceases. The way in which this cause and effect cease is -

By eliminating ignorance, the formation of corrective actions is eliminated.

By controlling the formation of the mind, the soul of the birth is controlled.

Because the birth soul is suppressed, the name and form are suppressed.

By controlling the mind, the six aggregates (sala yatana) are controlled.

By controlling the six ayatanas, the phasas of contact are controlled.

By the cessation of contact, feeling and pain cease. By the cessation of feeling and pain, attachment and craving cease.

By suppressing attachment and craving, the attachment to the world is suppressed.

Life is controlled by the cessation of attachment.

Because of the cessation of life, the birth and birth-nature cease.

By the cessation of birth and death, old age, death, anxiety, sorrow, lamentation, physical suffering, mental suffering, and great toil are all ended.

In this way, all this mass of suffering is destroyed.

Then the Blessed One understood this, and at that moment of understanding he uttered this hymn :

When the Dhamma truly becomes manifest to a brahmin who is troubled by defilements, who is eager to indulge in evil, and who has abandoned evil, then all doubts are removed from that brahmin who has abandoned evil, because he knows the cessation of the causes of ignorance and the cessation of the causes of ignorance.

3-The Third Bodhi Sutta

Once upon a time, the Blessed One was dwelling near the Bodhi tree on the bank of the Naranjara River in the Uruvela forest. At that time, the Blessed One sat alone for seven days, cross-legged, enjoying the bliss of renunciation. Then, having completed those seven days, the Blessed One arose from that concentration and, during the last watch of the night, carefully pondered the path of conflict through the Anulāma meditation.

This is the cause, and this is the effect.

Because this cause exists, this effect exists. If this cause does not exist, this effect does not exist. Because this cause ceases, this effect ceases. The way in which this arises is as follows :

Because of ignorance, formations and formations arise. Because of formations and formations, the soul is born. Because of the soul is born, the soul is formed.

Because of the name and form, there are six ayatanas (salayatana).

Because of the six aggregates, there is contact. Because of contact, there is feeling and pain. Because of feeling and pain, there is attachment and craving. Because of attachment and craving, there is attachment and craving. Because of attachment and craving, there is existence. Because of existence, there is birth and birth.

Due to the nature of birth and death, old age, death, anxiety, sorrow, lamentation, physical suffering, mental suffering, and sorrow arise.

Thus, all this mass of suffering arises.

Only through the complete cessation of ignorance and ignorance, the formation of actions and dispositions ceases.