Most people possess a life pattern that causes birth in the four low-level worlds because they gather bad Karma or demerits ignoring the dreadfulness of the Samsara. They postpone accruing good Karma or merits and only praising that temporal life, the life in between birth and death, repeatedly. Like a bunch of fish swimming inside a fishing trap (net), imprudent people get entrapped easily to these pretentious admirations.

            On the other hand, our great teacher, the Buddha, showed us something completely different. He explained the danger of this Samsara often. The intention of the Supreme Buddha was to bring us the freedom from the suffering of the Samsara by revealing and making us understand the dangerous state that we are in this Samsara. He knows that the common people are attached to this Samsara because of their ignorance about its true nature. Once the Buddha addressed the Bhikkhus and preached the following:

“Dear Bhikkhu, what should you do if your robe or your head catch fire?”

“Lord Buddha, if the robe or the head caught fire, one should try hard, has a great effort, and a full commitment to put out that fire. One should also have a great awareness and wisdom to prevent its growth.”

“Dear Bhikkhus, one should indeed try hard, fully commit, and have a great consciousness and wisdom to realize the Four Noble Truths instead of focusing and thinking about putting out the fire that caught the robe or the head.”
- Cheela Sutta (S.N. 05) -

            Why was that our teacher, the Buddha, advised us to commit completely to realize the Four Noble Truths with a great endeavor? It was because He knew that this journey in the Samsara is extremely dangerous. At another time, the Lord Buddha took some sand onto one of His finger nails and spoke to Bhikkhus.

“Dear Bhikkhus, between the amounts of sand on my nail and in the earth which one do you think is larger?”

 The Bhikkhus answered that the amount of sand in the earth is billion or trillion times larger than what was on the nail of the Buddha. Then, the Buddha preached the Bhikkhus again.

“Dear Bhikkhus, like the small amount of sand on my nail, only a small amount of humans will be born again as humans after they leave this life. But, many other like the amount of sand in the earth will be born in the great hell (Niraya) after they die. They pass away and are born in Preta world. After leaving the human world, they will indeed be born in hell. The amount of humans who would get a birth as a human again after they die is very small. The amount of humans who would get a birth in divine worlds is also slim.”
- Pagnchagati Peyyala Vagga (S. N. 05) -

            We have attained the rarest moment of freeing ourselves from this great peril. That is, we have been born as humans and an Order of a Buddha is in our reach. If we are to miss this great opportunity, no one will at least be able to think about the next place that we would be born. Even if we were born as humans to this world with a great family name or in a rich family, we cannot free ourselves from the suffering of been born in hell from any of those physical possessions. Therefore, we shall all be aware of the unprotected state that we are in, in this dangerous Samsara.

            It is in fact very strange: in this small amount of time as a human being, our friends become our worst enemies. We even meet people who would swear to be enemies in our every life in the future. We get trapped in various struggles and battles with enemies. Also, friends who would love us so much will be met. By the time we are to leave this life, these enemies and friends will line up to meet us in the journey of Samsara. This results in meeting one another and face the related sufferings again and again. People who do not have a proper understanding about the danger of the Samsara would still wish to be born in it again.

            This is why we are being lured into the Samsara, which is long and risky. It is also the reason why one cannot see a way to cross it to the safety. Most of them get a birth in a world that takes him/her to darkness in each step of the way when they end their lives as humans, which could be used to attain the realization of the Four Noble Truths.

            As Buddhists who took refuge under the Triple Gem, we shall all often remind ourselves that we are disciples of the Gautama Buddha. We shall develop our potential of seeing the life in the way that the Gautama Buddha taught us. The nature of how merits and demerits construct within one should be comprehended. A sincere effort should be made to prevent accumulating defilements. Also, one should be truthful to oneself with a great effort.

- Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero -

        සතර අපායට වැටෙන සුළු ජීවිතයක් බොහෝ දෙනෙකුට උරුම වී තිබෙන්නේ සසරේ බිය නොදැක, අකුසල් රැස් කිරීම නිසා ය. කුසල් රැස් කිරීමෙහි ප‍්‍රමාදවීම නිසා ය. ලෞකික ජීවිතය හෙවත් උපතත්, මරණයත් අතර පවතින මේ ජීවිතය ගැන පමණක් පුන පුනා වර්ණනා කරන නිසා ය. මේ පුහු වර්ණනාවට නුවණ මඳ ජනතාව හසුවෙන්නේ කෙමනක් ඇතුළට රිංගා පීනන මාළුන් රැසක් පරිද්දෙනි.

        එහෙත් මහා කාරුණික වූ අපගේ ශාස්තෘන් වහන්සේ පෙන්වා වදාළේ ඊට හාත්පසින් වෙනස් කරුණකි. උන්වහන්සේ සසර ගමනක ඇති භයානක ස්වභාවය පුන පුනා පෙන්වා දුන් සේක. උන්වහන්සේට අවශ්‍යව තිබුණේ සසරේ ඇති බියජනක ස්වභාවය ගැන අප දැනුවත් කොට සසර දුකින් අපව නිදහස් කිරීමට ය. සාමාන්‍ය ජනතාව සසරට ඇලූම් කරමින් සිටින්නේ නොදැනුවත්කම නිසා බව උන්වහන්සේ මැනැවින් ම දන්නා සේක. වරක් උන්වහන්සේ භික්ෂූන් අමතා මෙසේ වදාළ සේක.

“පින්වත් මහණෙනි, ඇඳ සිටින වස්ත‍්‍රයට ගිනි ඇවිලූණහොත්, හිස හෝ ගිනි ගත්තොත් එවිට කුමක් කළ යුතුද?”

“ස්වාමීනී, භාග්‍යවතුන් වහන්ස, ඇඳ සිටින වස්ත‍්‍රයට හෝ හිසට ගිනි ඇවිලූනහොත් ඒ ගින්න නිවා දමන්නට අධික උත්සාහයක්, බලවත් වීරියක්, බලවත් කැපවීමක් ගත යුතුය. ගින්න නොපැතිරීම පිණිස බලවත් සිහියක්, නුවණක් උපදවා ගත යුතුය.”

        “පින්වත් මහණෙනි, ඇඳ සිටින වස්ත‍්‍රය හෝ හිස හෝ ගිනි ගත් කෙනෙක් එය නොසලකා, සිහි නොකර, චතුරාර්ය සත්‍යය ධර්මය අවබෝධ කිරීම පිණිස ම යි උත්සාහ කළ යුත්තේ. බලවත් ලෙස කැපවිය යුත්තේ. සිහියත්, නුවණත් උපදවා ගත යුත්තේ.”

- චේල සූත‍්‍රය (ස.නි. 05) -

        මේ අයුරින් අතිශයින් ම බලවත් උත්සාහයකින් චතුරාර්ය සත්‍යාවබෝධය පිණිස කැප විය යුතු යයි අපගේ ශාස්තෘන් වහන්සේ වදාළේ මක් නිසාද? මේ සසර ගමන ඉතා භයානක බව උන්වහන්සේ දන්නා නිසා ම ය. වරක් උන්වහන්සේ තම නිය සිළ මතට පස් ස්වල්පයක් නගා ගත් සේක. අනතුරුව භික්ෂූන් අමතා මෙසේ වදාළ සේක.

“පින්වත් මහණෙනි, මා නිය සිළ මත තිබෙන මේ පස් ද වැඩි, මහ පොළොවේ පස් ද?”

එවිට භික්ෂූන් පිළිතුරු දුන්නේ මහ පොළොවේ පස් ඉතා වැඩි බවත්, නිය සිළ මත තිබෙන පස්වලට වඩා කෝටි ප‍්‍රකෝටි වාරයකට වඩා විශාල පස් තොගයක් මහ පොළොවේ තිබෙන බවයි. එවිට බුදුරජාණන් වහන්සේ මෙසේ වදාළ සේක.      

  “පින්වත් මහණෙනි, ඔන්න ඔය ආකාරයෙන් ම මිනිසුන් කෙරෙන් චුත වන මිනිසුන් ගෙන් යළිත් මිනිස් ලොව උපදින්නේ මේ නිය සිළ මත තැබූ පස් ස්වල්පය මෙන් ඉතා ම ටික දෙනෙකි. එහෙත් මේ මහා පොළොවේ පස් වැනි අති විශාල පිරිසක් මිනිස් ලොවින් චුත වී නිරයේ උපදිති. මිනිස් ලොවින් චුත වී පේ‍්‍රත ලොව උපදිති. මිනිස් ලොවින් චුත වී අපායේ ම උපදිති. යම් කෙනෙක් මිනිස් ලොවින් චුත වී යළිත් මිනිස් ලොව උපදිත් නම් ඔවුන්ගේ ප‍්‍රමාණය ඉතා ම ස්වල්පයයි. යම් කෙනේක මිනිස් ලොවින් චුත වී දෙව්ලොව උපදිත් නම් ඔවුන්ගේ ප‍්‍රමාණය ද ඉතා ම ස්වල්පයකි.”

- පඤ්චගති පෙය්‍යාල වර්ගය (ස.නි. 05) -

        මේ භයානක අනතුරින් අත් මිදීමේ අතිශය දුර්ලභ මොහොත අප ලබා තිබේ. එනම් මිනිස් ජීවිතයක් අප ලබා තිබේ. බුදු සසුනක් අපට මුණ ගැසී තිබේ. මේ අවස්ථාව අපට අහිමි වී ගියහොත් අප කොයි කොදෙව්වේ උපදී දැයි අපට සිතාගත නොහැකිය. යම් හෙයකින් අප අපා දුකට වැටුණොත් උපන් ජාතියේ අනුහසින් හෝ මිල මුදලේ අනුහසින් හෝ අපට ඒ අපා දුකින් නිදහස් විය නොහැකිය. ඒ නිසා අපි කවුරුත් සසරේ ඇති භයානක ස්වභාවය ගැන දැනුවත්ව සිටිය යුතු වෙමු.

        මේ ගත කරන සුළු කලට පවා අපට මිතුරුව සිටින අය ජන්මාන්තර සතුරෝ වෙති. අපෙන් ජාතිජාතිත් පළිගන්නවා යැයි කියන උදවිය පවා මුණ ගැසේ. නොයෙක් කලකෝලාහලවල සතුරු කරදරවල පැටලෙන්නට සිදුවේ. එමෙන් ම අපට බලවත්ව ආදරය කරන මිත‍්‍ර වන උදවිය ද මුණ ගැසේ. අපගේ ජීවිතයේ අවසානය ළං වන විට අපට සතුරු කරන පිරිස් ද අපට හිත මිතුරු පිරිස ද අපගේ සසර ගමනට පෙළ ගැසී සිටිත්. යළි යළිත් ඔවුනොවුන් මුණ ගැසීමටත්, දුක් දොම්නස් විඳීමටත් එය හේතු වේ. එහෙත් ජීවිතය ගැන අවබෝධයක් නොමැති උදවිය භයානක සංසාරයේ ම යළි යළිත් ඉපදීම ප‍්‍රාර්ථනා කරත්.

        මේ සා දීර්ඝ වූ ඝෝරතර වූ සසර ගමනක අප පැටලී සිටින්නේ ඒ නිසා ම ය. එගොඩ සිට මෙගොඩට පැමිණීමේ මඟක් නොදකින්නේ ද ඒ නිසා ම ය. චතුරාර්ය සත්‍යාවබෝධය ඇති කර ගත හැකි මිනිස් ජීවිතය අවසන් වන විට බොහෝ දෙනෙක් උපත ලබන්නේ අඳුරින් අඳුරට ම යන ලොවක ය.

        තෙරුවන් සරණ ගිය, අපි කවුරුත් ගෞතම බුදුරජුන්ගේ ශ‍්‍රාවකයන් බව නිතර නිතර සිහිපත් කළ යුතු වෙමු. ගෞතම බුදු සමිඳුන් පෙන්වා වදාළ ධර්මයට අනුව ජීවිතය දෙස බැලීමේ හැකියාව දියුණු කරගත යුතුය. ජීවිතයේ අභ්‍යන්තරයේ සිදුවන කුසල් අකුසල් සකස් වීමේ ස්වභාවය අප හඳුනාගත යුතුය. අකුසල් ප‍්‍රහාණය කිරීමට අවංක උත්සාහයක් දැරිය යුතුය. තමන් තමන්ට අවංකවීම කරගත යුත්තේ මහත් උත්සාහයෙන් ම ය. ඔබට ද සතර අපායේ වැටෙමින් ගමන් කළ යුතු මේ භයානක සංසාර ගමනින් අත් මිදීම පිණිස උතුම් චතුරාර්ය සත්‍යය මේ ගෞතම බුදු සසුනේ ම අවබෝධ වේවා!

- පූජ්‍ය කිරිබත්ගොඩ ඤාණානන්ද ස්වාමීන් වහන්සේ -

The man in the past did not have instruments that the modern technology brought forth. They did not have airplanes, computers, and cell phones. There were no telecommunication capabilities that we see today as the dawn of satellites. Weapon stores such as seen today were not seen in those days. Instant news were not broadcasted each hour. Also, the electricity was not found in that time. Vehicles developed by modern technology were not observed. Countries like USA were also not there at that time. Languages like English were not seen. Synthetic fertilizers or medicines made out of various chemicals were not found in those days.

In fact, most of the facilities that the modern men use were not seen in the past.  What is the reason that they could not make a world such as what we have today? Is it because that they were unintelligent or impudent? Did they believe in some kind of a fictitious view? Could it be because they were lack of wisdom of innovation? Were they indolent in their minds as well as their bodies? Or were they really brainless?

It is true that the world we had about twenty five centuries ago was not subjected to a globalization. It is true that the world did not have these modern technologies. There were thieves here and there in that world without the modern transportation system to travel. Alcoholics who abused young and beautiful women were also in that world dominating the society. Prostitutes were rich with gold. Pirates hiding among the ocean waves were also there to steal from the people. In that world, their gods were the gigantic rocks, mountains, trees, and rivers. They saw the power of gods when they saw the Sun and Moon emanating their rays. The clouds were like packets of water that their gods filled and left in the sky. After their praying, these packets of water were released for them.

Moreover, the world of those men at that time was amazing. They talked with ‘Nagas’ (a type of divine beings in Naga world) from the Naga world. ‘Pretas’ (beings from Preta, a low-level world) appeared in front of them and asked for merits (Pin) to relieve from suffering. Deities came to them to advice. They were startled fiercely after listened to stories about the dangerous hell (Niraya). This life that consists of birth and death was a concern and a mysterious puzzle for them. Is not this truth about life and death something amusing for the humans at present? Is the modern man’s state of wisdom so wonderful to ignore such a universal truth?

Even though the man today is pretentious to exaggerate his potential, he cannot even come close to what the men in the past were capable of. A tremendous power was emerged in them in that era. It was their ambition to perceive the truth. The motivation for such pursue was the elevation of their perception about the world. They were mesmerized by the fact of realizing the truth.

Men in that era left the households and worldly pleasures in search of the truth. They travelled through forests. They gave up everything, shaved their hair and beards. Only few robes were used to cover their bodies. They spent the rest of their time by living a life of a hermit. They saw the household as the birth place of wave of defilements. Practicing an ascetic life was like the sky for them. They disciplined their faculties and became Brahmacharee (a state that was abstained from any sexual activities). Letting go of their shyness and fright to defilements with a mentality of pursuing lustful pleasures was a shameful action for them. They were ready for any kind of hardship in the journey of realizing the truth. Young and charming princes let go of their comfortable life patterns and became monks. Their speeches did not include the topics of war, inflation, sport players, actors/actresses, tasty foods and drinks, expensive dresses, rubbish, and defame. Their minds were not contaminated by thoughts to become superior by overpowering other people.

However, they were astonished about the mind. The puzzle of life and death was an unresolvable question. They saw that the humans as well as other animals were trapped in a sorrowful journey. They started to discover the kinetic energy that controls the spinning of the life as a function of suffering and pleasure. It was a pleasure for them to master their minds, to meditate, and to procure concentration.

It was in fact the era of realizing the truth. It was the most distinctive era in the history of mankind up to this point. That period of time differs from present time because of the knowledge of truth they acquired.

The lust of the man in this era is an unquenchable thirst. Hatred seems to be an inextinguishable fire. Jealousy is an incurable disease. Pride is like a lifted flag that cannot be taken down. Deceit is a prevailing darkness that is unable to be broken. Even though the man in that past also had these weaknesses up to a certain level, their talent to comprehend the truth was amazing.

What is the meaning of the realization of the truth? From whom can it be received? How can someone identify the one who would realize the truth and show it to the world? Does he have any special characteristics? When would he become available? With all these questions marked in the minds of these wise people, a projection of a great human being named ‘the Buddha’ was strolled in front of their eyes in that Indian society. Their wish was to see this astonishing Buddha. The subject of their day-to-day talks was the birth of such a wondrous human being who would reveal the truth to the world.

That most astonishing person did not have any laboratories, scientific tools, or science fictions. But their wish of seeing a supreme man who is going to attain the realization of the truth was not a mere false view. It was indeed a reality. It became true in front of their eyes. They were able to feel the sensation of seeing Him.

That sacred news of truth brought forth by that great human being was spread throughout the whole India like a rain of flowers. He was the Supreme Buddha who was able to bring the wise human beings to the realization of truth. That amazing Man was walking in front of their eyes now. He was scrolling, sitting down, talking with them, and coming to their homes for alms. He was preaching the amazing Dhamma with a most compassionate heart for them to realize it.

He had a remarkable mind, and it cannot be measured by any instrument in the world. There was no lust, greediness towards food, hatred, fear, ignorance, agitation, or suspicion in that mind. He could not be startled by any means. He had a complete vision of the world that has been subjected to a discussion in a broad manner. None other vision or a concept that has been discussed that much in any subject matter, scholarly institution, nor in any society can be found in the history of mankind. His revelation about the world and its truth was distinctive. His day-to-day life, ways of preaching the Dhamma, social communication, moral discussions, and practical ways of conducting lives were extraordinary. He was known as ‘the Buddha’. He was indeed ‘the Samma Sambuddha’.

People who were enchanted by the unique aim of realization of the truth were gathered around this remarkable person, the Buddha, who had exceptional verbal skills, extraordinary logistical reasoning, phenomenal Dhamma preaching style, and a pure life. They were astounded by this great person. This remarkable Human being was the Sun that brought light to their lives. His emancipating speeches that brought forth the sound of apprehending the truth inspired the wise people. It was the climax of the spiritual rise in the history of the mankind. Even though the traditional views and barriers and foundations governed by greed were shattered in to pieces, the Sages who realized the truth (Dhamma) started to walk on the earth like a miracle.

Is not it because those men in that time had some specialties that they had the fortune to realize the noble truth with the guidance of the Buddha? They were capable of cultivating those specialties such as developing their mindfulness, disciplining and maintaining mind-body-words under moral qualities, disciplining their faculties, strength to eliminate sinful thoughts, concentration, and contemplation. As a result of these acts, they were able to attain state of the realization of truth. They resolved all the suspicions, various views, and puzzles about the life and death. They were capable of feeling the calmness and the pleasure of a mind free of all defilements.

They walked in the sky without any help of external vehicles. They traveled divine worlds such as Brahma and Dēva worlds. The pleasant news of realization of the truth (Four Noble Truths) was brought to these worlds by them. None of the mountains like Himalayan or rivers or the great ocean or its blasting waves could prevent their journeys. They won everything that can be seen or unseen to the naked eye. Their victories were not achieved by weapons, manpower, economical attacks, telecommunicating conspiracies, or language differences. Their victories were solely dependent on the incredibly accurate advices of an astonishing teacher. He was the most amazing human being that has ever been born to this world. He was the Most Fortunate One, the Supreme Buddha.

Why is it that the modern man cannot attain the wonderful wisdom consisted of various abilities that those men in the past could achieve? Humans in this present society are full of egotism, corrupted livelihood, dishonesty, egocentric pride, deceitfulness, defacing others’ good name without any compassion, enmity towards the truth, jealousy, envy, and racism. Is there someone who could tell for sure that the scientists of this modern world are going to make an instrument or a scientific method in the near future that will eliminate these immoral qualities in us?

Likewise, the tremendous human being who brought forth the greatest era for the wise divine and human beings is none other but our great teacher: the Gautama Buddha. The Lord Buddha was born into this word about 2635 years ago. 2600 years ago, He became the Samma Sambuddha; He started to rotate the wheel of Dhamma, which could not be stopped by any other being; He created the Arya Sangha. He passed away 2555 years ago. As Buddhists who are commemorating the Samma Sambuddha-hood, we should at least try to understand a small portion of the remarkable state of His Supreme Buddha-hood.
~Most Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero~

The Path for the Ultimate Consolation

Based on the Dhamma sermon of Most Venerable Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero on

Sōpādisēsa Sutta

Namō Tassa Bhagavatō Arahatō Sammā Sambuddhassa!!!

Nava Imee Sāriputta Puggalā Sōpādisēsā

Kālankurumānā Parimuttā Nirayā

Parimuttā Chirachchāna Yōniyā

Parimuttā Petti Vishayā

Parimuttā Apāyaduggati Vinipātāti

       The Wesak full moon rises driving the darkness away in the surrounding areas. It reminds us how the Gautama Buddha attained his Supreme Buddhahood by eradicating all the defilements and defeating other evil forces on a Poya Day like this. In fact, the Wesak Poya Day is the most important day of our lives. The Buddhist Era, which was started since the passed away (PariNirvana) of the Gautama Buddha on a Wesak Poya Day, is our New Year. The New Year starts on the Wesak Poya Day for a true Buddhist who took refuge in the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha). Buddhists who observed to take the Triple Gem as their protection in the past used Buddhist Era. Accordingly, a meritorious New Year is dawned for the Buddhists around the world on this Wesak Poya Day.

       Today, I am hoping to explain you a valuable Dhamma matter preached by our teacher, the Gautama Buddha. Dear devotees, we know that there are banners in each and every town of our country wishing Dhamma to be shone, especially when it is the Wesak season. However, the people who are actually trying to do it cannot be seen as often as these posters and banners are. We just repeat doing these types of things each year as a custom. When Wesak is approaching, people start to remember all their mysterious ghost stories and Olu Bakko (Muppet or mask) dancing. Most people just run after these childish things without acting sensibly with thoughtful considerations about these misfits. In fact, only a small group of people have the talent to see things through. Another common thing we could see in the Wesak season is the performing of Dansal (a way to give others foods and drinks for free of charge to gain merits). We should think about getting food for our minds as well, especially in this Wesak season.

       The Supreme Buddha was born to this world to show us an invaluable doctrine. He is the Sun that gives light to the world of life. Because of the Buddha’s birth, the beings including humans and deities that used to travel an unending Samsara (the repeating cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death) will be able to overcome it and make a stop to the suffering. This is where Buddha’s doctrine becomes different from all other existing religions of this world. He taught His Dhamma in a pure and clear manner and with great meaning, so that it is clear for us to follow. In this Dhamma discussion, I have also thought to explain you such a clearly taught part of the Dhamma. This esteemed discourse is included in the 9^th Nipata of Anguttara Nikaya and is called the Sōpādisēsa Sutta.

       This Sutta states that on one day the Arahant Sariputta heard a talk of a group of some other religious people. They said “if someone dies without eradicating his defilements completely, he dies with those defilements and has the tendency to be born in Preta, Asura, Tirisan, and Niraya (four low-level worlds). In fact, everyone who dies with defilements will have the same destiny.” When these people told Arahant Sariputta this aspect of them, the Thero went to the Buddha to inform this incident. He told the Buddha what he was heard from those people. Note that even though there are some deficiencies in their view, it is clear that those people in that era thought about life more deeply than the people today. However, when the Buddha heard about this faulty view, He told Sariputta Thero “Dear Sariputta, how could those unskilled and ignorant people identify to whether or not the dying people have defilements? They don’t have skills or a measurement to evaluate that.” Moreover, the Supreme Buddha taught us in this Sutta that there are people who were not born in these low-level worlds even after dying without complete eradication of defilements.

       We know that “Arahant disciples” of the Buddha have no reincarnation. Because the cause for rebirth was overcome and the Patticca Samuppada (Law of Cause and Effect) was defeated, there is no birth due to Bhava or the formation of Karma to result in a birth (“Bhava paccaya jāti” as noted in Patichcha Samuppada) for Arahants. This is why Arahants are completely free from being born again.

       The “Anāgāmie nobles” (Non-Returners), the third type of noble disciples who have entered the path, have defilements to a certain extent. They free themselves from the five Oorambhāgiya Sanyōjana (fetters that lead to a birth in the four low-level worlds), but they have Uddambhāgiya Sanyōjana (these lead to a birth in upper-level worlds like heaven).

       In this discourse, the Supreme Buddha revealed us five types of Anāgāmie nobles who are disciples of Buddha. They are,

1). Antarā Parinibbāi

2). Upahachcha Parinibbāi

3). Asankāra Parinibbāi

4). Sasankāra Parinibbāi

5). Uddansōtō Akanitthagāmi (Anāgāmi nobles who will reach the Parinibbana, the cessation of Samsara, after living their Anāgāmie lives up to the Akanita Brahma world).

       These disciples are not completely free from defilements. The Supreme Buddha explained to Arahant Sariputta that all these five types of disciples are free from the four low-level worlds described above even though they have defilements up to a certain level.

The Buddha also shed light about other types of disciples “furthermore Sariputta, there are disciples of Tathāgata (another name used for the Buddha)

1). who cultivate virtue (Sēlee Paripoorakārē)

2). who develop concentration up to a certain level (Samādismin Mattasōkārē)

3). who have developed wisdom according to their ability to realize the Dhamma (Pangnāya Mattasōkārē).”

       They are the Sakadāgāmi (the second state of realization of the Dhamma) disciples who have eliminated three Sanyōjana Dharma and lessened the Raga (lust), Dvesha (hatred), and Moha (ignorance). These disciples also have defilements that need to be eliminated. However, these Sakadāgāmi disciples have the ability to end all the sufferings by being born just one more time in this world, the Kāma World (Sakidēva Imanlōkan Aagantwa Dukkansantan Karōti). They are also in a state of which they are free from being born in the four low-level worlds.

       The Gautama Buddha also unfolded the information about three types of Sōtāpanna disciples in this discourse. When a disciple has acquired the state of Sōtāpanna, it means that he has entered the Noble Eightfold Path. The word ‘Sōta’ means ‘the Noble Eightfold Path’ and the ‘Aapanna’ means ‘entered’. Some people are spreading false statements about the Dhamma without a proper perception of it. They say that one becomes Sōtāpanna because the Dhamma is heard by one’s ear. However, the Supreme Buddha has never given such explanation to the word Sōtāpanna to anyone or at any time. The true meaning of the word Sōtāpanna is ‘entering to the Noble Eightfold Path.’ A disciple enters the eightfold path with Sammā Ditthi. Because the disciple enters the Noble Eightfold Path, he eliminates the three fetters (Sanyōjana Dharma), the Sakkāya Ditthi, Vicikiccā, and Seelabbata Parāmāsa. These Sōtāpanna noble disciples also practice the Seela (virtue), Samadhi (concentration), and Pañña (wisdom) up to a certain level.

       Three different types of Sōtāpanna nobles were mentioned in the Dhamma, and they exhibit some differences in their noble qualities with respect to the wisdom they have acquired. These types are,

1). Eeka Beeji: They free from all defilements and end the suffering by realizing the Dhamma completely in the next life (eakanggnēva mānusakanbhavan nibbatdetva dukkasantan karōti). This type of disciple is also free from the four low-level worlds.

2). Kōlankōlō : This type of noble disciple will be born in a higher world (human or deity) twice or thrice and fulfill the wisdom of the Dhamma and free himself from all sufferings within these births (dvēvā tiiniva kulani sandhavitva sansaritva dukkasantan karōti). Still, he is also free from the four low-level worlds until he fully realizes the Four Noble Truths.

3). Sattakkatthu Parama: Disciples who were categorized under this type will attain Nirvana within seven lifetimes of either as humans or deities (dēvēca mānusēsa sandhavitva sansaritva dukkasantan karōti). This type of disciple is also free from the four low-level worlds.

       Dear devotees, now you know that an Arahant is completely devoid of all defilements while the Sōtāpanna nobles will have to vanquish seven fetters (Sanyōjana). Sakadāgāmi disciples will also have seven Sanyōjana to eradicate, but two of them have been lessened. There are five Sanyōjana Dhamma in an Anāgāmi noble disciple. An Arahant does not have any Sanyōjana Dhamma. Although these first three disciples (Sōtāpanna, Sakadāgāmi, and Anāgāmi) have not fully realized the Four Noble Truths and eradicated all the defilements, they are free from the four low-level worlds. Here, the Buddha was explaining about the disciples who have attained the fruit, the Sōtāpatti state. There is also another group of disciples who are in the path to acquire the Sōtāpatti state. In Dhamma, this disciple who has entered the path to Sōtāpatti state is known as as “Sōtāpatti phala saccikiriyāya patipannō”, which means “the disciple who has entered the path to attain the Sōtāpanna state.” This type of disciples has been categorized into two kinds: Saddhānusāri and Dhammānusāri. The Supreme Buddha had explained it clearly in the Alagattūpama Sutta in Majjima Nikaya. The Buddha introduced these disciples as the ones who have entered the path and will attain the Nibbanha for sure (Sabbe tē Sambōdhi parāyanā). In that same Sutta (Alagattūpama Sutta), the Buddha also showed that if the disciples have at least a small amount of faith and love (Saddhā mattan, pēma mattan) to the Supreme Buddha, then they will definitely be born in Sugati, the high-level worlds (Sabbe tē sagga parāyanā).

       When studying these discourses of the Gautama Buddha, there is one thing that is clear to us: it tells us that the beings in the Samsāra have the tendency to reincarnate in the four low-level worlds. They tend to get a birth in great hell (Niraya), Animal, Preta, and Asura worlds. In fact, if there is no danger and the beings are free from these dangerous worlds and the corresponding suffering, then the Supreme Buddha would have mentioned it in this Sutta. However, what He taught us was that all other beings, except the noble disciples, are not free from the low-level worlds. The Buddha showed that only the disciples who are in the Sōtāpatti, Sakadāgāmi, and Anāgāmi states are free from those worlds (here, we are not talking about the Arahants because they do not have any defilements or another life).

       Our great teacher, the Gautama Buddha, explained His profound findings using the following example. Sometimes a person is born to the world with 32 bodily characteristics that a Buddha has. That person is known as a Sakviti Raja (a universal monarch). Even though the universal ruler also has the great 32 bodily characteristics, he could be a Prutakjana person who has the propensity to be born in low-level worlds. Once he became the universal monarch, he rules the world or the Chakkavatti Rājjyaya (ChakkavattiKingdom) with great moral qualities. As a result of this, he gained great merits and will be reincarnated in heaven. However, if he is still in the Prutakjana state, he can get a birth in one of the four low-level worlds at the end of his lifetime in heaven. On the other hand, a noble disciple of Tathāgata (the Supreme Buddha) even with many difficulties in his life as a human will overcome the Prutakjana state. This results in his reincarnation in same divine worlds as the Universal King was born. Thus, he overcomes the birth in these low-level worlds after his lifetime as that poor person. This example clearly shows us how the possibility of a normal being to be born in Hell, Animal, Preta, or Asura worlds.

       Whose knowledge is this? It is the Supreme Buddha’s knowledge. If someone else told about this danger, then we could just ignore it saying that they are trying to make us afraid. However, the Supreme Buddha does not have that kind of childish intentions. The Supreme Buddha is “Arahat”: He had a heart free of all defilements. His attainment of Nirvana was a self-effort, and therefore he was a “Samma Sambuddha”. He did not look for pleasure gathering people around him. Various kinds of worshiping, honoring, advantages, and appreciations could not deceive him. There was no attachment to any of these things in his pure heart. Like a drop of water on a leaf of water lily does not retain on it, the Buddha did not hold on to any of these worldly things. The Supreme Buddha revealed the truth of Samsara with a great compassion towards the human beings. He also explained to us that the Prutakjana life is unsafe.

       There is an unfortunate practice in our society today that we could use to describe the danger of being a Prutakjana person. When someone is died, that person’s relatives arrange a basket of foods (Preta Gotta) in the name of that dead person. They do this because they are not sure of where their dead relative is born and his birth in a Sugathi world (human and deity worlds) is uncertain. They would not rely on such a misbelief by arranging Preta Gotu for their dead relatives if they are sure about the moral qualities he had when he was alive and his birth in a Sugathi world. In fact, this suggests that the dead person was not under the protection of the Triple Gem because he did not take refuge of them. The Supreme Buddha had taught in the Alagattupama Sutta that if someone has at least a small amount of faith and love towards the Buddha, then he will be born in heaven. Thus, it seems like the dead person did not have at least such faith or love for the Buddha. The Supreme Buddha also mentioned that everyone who learn and practice Dhamma and become Dhammānusāri or Saddhānusāri will be born in heaven and will realize Dhamma. Atleast, we should have faith in this preaching. Otherwise, we as Buddhists will not get the advantage of our teacher’s Dhamma. Anyone without proper devotion towards the Buddha will only have the fate of getting a birth in one of the four low-level worlds after the death. On the other hand, if someone clearly understood and realized what the Supreme Buddha had taught us, then he will open his heart/mind to the Dhamma.

The Gautama Buddha had preached a description about the Prutakjana person.

Assutavā Putujjanō (the Prutakjana person is unaware and did not have the chance to listen to the Dhamma)

Ariyānan Adassāvii (he has not obtained the Aarya Darshanaya: Noble perspective or the view of the Four Noble Truths)

Ariyadhammassa Akōvidō (he is not talented in learning and practicing the Dhamma)

Ariyadhammee Aviniitō (he does not practice the Aarya Dhamma or the Four Noble Truths and does not be disciplined on it)

       The person who disciplines himself under the Four Noble Truths is known as the Aarya Shrāwaka. One who does not discipline himself under the Four Noble Truths and is unskillful in realizing Dhamma is known as the Asrutawat Prutakjana. The Supreme Buddha described the nature of an Asrutawat Prutakjana as follows:

1). He/she takes any kind of Sanskāra (something formed as a result of a cause) as permanent.

2). He/she takes any kind of Sanskāra as comfort.

3). He/she takes any kind of Sanskāra as Aatma (soul: the false view of believing in the ability to control something like the mind as he/she wished).

4). He/she could kill his mother at anytime.

5). He/she could kill his father at anytime.

6). He/she could kill Arahants at anytime.

7). He/she could shed blood of the Supreme Buddha.

8). He/she could split the Sangha (the ordained disciples in the noble path-result) at anytime.

9). He/she would give up the Triple Gem at anytime.

       If one introduces himself to others as a Prutakjana, that means he refers himself to have above mentioned characteristics without even knowing it. On the other hand, is it possible for someone with those dangerous qualities to recognize what the Order of Gautama Buddha is? Could a person like that help brightening the Order of Gautama Buddha? Could a person like that help promoting the Order of Gautama Buddha? Could a person like that benefit from the Order of Gautama Buddha? If someone introduces himself as a Prutakjana all the time, then what is the value of such a person? His views are also useless because he/she is an Asrutawat Prutakjana.

       The Supreme Buddha also preached that a person enters to the Sammā Ditthi or the Mitthyā Ditthi based on two things: “whether the Dhamma is to be heard or not” and the “Yōnisōmanasikāra (contemplating on what the Buddha taught and try to realize his teachings)”. However, the hearing of Dhamma is not the hearing of various private views of other people. The Dhamma is what the Gautama Buddha preached us after realizing it with His own wisdom (Sayanabiññā Sachchikatvāpavedeeti). That is the Dhamma one should experience as “the Dhamma to be heard” and not the private views of other people. The untainted Dhamma is in the Sutta Pitaka, which is composed of Dēga Nikāya, Majjima Nikāya, Anguttara Nikāya, Sanyukta Nikāya, and so on. The discourses included in these sacred texts are what the Buddha preached. One who listens and learns these true teachings of the Buddha and directs his/her wisdom accordingly will build the Sammā Ditthi. Dear devotees, the Mitthyā Ditthi will be formed in oneself in a similar manner, that is “the hearing of the Addharma (the opposite of the true Dhamma)” and the “Ayōnisōmanasikāra (opposite of Yōnisōmanasikāra)”. We are hearing the tainted Dhamma for a long time. These include the false views of need of more merits, need of continuation of the journey in the Samsara to perfect the merits (Pāramitā), need of a Trihētuka Pratisandhi for realizing Dhamma and so on. Dear devotees, the Supreme Buddha had preached his Dhamma for 45 years. In these 45 years, He had never rejected to teach His Dhamma to someone because that person does not have enough Pāramitā or does not have the Trihētuka Pratisandhi. The Buddha never asked a person to come back with enough Pāramita and the Trihētuka Pratisandhi to preach that person his Dhamma. However, our minds could become paralyzed after these false views were heard. We would become unable to control our wisdom properly in understanding the true Dhamma. Instead of trying to realize the Dhamma, a person with corrupted consciousness would start to argue Buddha’s teachings. On the other hand, a wise person will contemplate Dhamma with the intention of realizing it. Let us learn a good example.

       There was an Arahant called Jambuka in the Buddha’s time. He revealed the life he spent before becoming a Buddhist monk after his attainment of the Nirvana. This description is included in the Thēra Gathā. He used to follow an extreme asceticism when he was a hermit. At that time, he used to apply clay in his entire body and stand on one foot. Then, he inhaled deeply and described it as a drinking of air. When people asked him the reason for standing on one foot, he answered them that the earth cannot bear his great qualities if he put both his feet on the ground. The mislead people fixed meals and went to him asking to accept their offerings. The hermit Jambuka would just use a grass to rub the food and smear it on his tongue. Then, he would say that they acquired a great merit because he tasted their food and ask to take away the rest of the food. Then, he would go to public lavatories in nights and eat the feces. He spent 55 years of his life in this manner. Fortunately, he met the Supreme Buddha and entered the Order of Gautama Buddha after those 55 years of suffering. He cultivated the virtue, concentration, and wisdom as a Buddhist monk and fully realized the Dhamma by eradicating all defilements. So, for this disciple, there was no mentioning of any Pāramita. In fact, the Pāramita is mentioned in Dhamma only for a Supreme Buddha. Also, the Buddha did not say that anyone can become a Buddha by perfecting the necessary merits and that the Buddhahood is a kind of social service. However, the Supreme Buddha had clearly stated that this Samsara is very dangerous, and He would never praise it even for a moment. Why do you think the Buddha preached like that…? You remember how the journey of Samsara of an Arya Shrawaka (Noble Disciple) comes to an end step by step. For an example, the Sōtāpanna Shrawaka will end this journey within seven lives. This means, if someone has not even acquired the first stage of becoming an Arya Shrawaka, then that person has to continue the Samsara as a Prutakjana. That person carries the Sakkāya Ditthi and is not free from Asura, Preeta, Tirisan, and Niraya worlds. That is why the Samsara is dangerous.

       If someone asks you to join him in the Samsara and attain Nirvana in one location in the Order of Maitree Buddha in the future, that person is not speaking the teachings of the Buddha. These are just some peoples’ private views. However, a person who would agree to such a request would have to continue the journey in the Samsara comprised of births in the four low-level worlds that mentioned above. In fact, a Prutakjana person does not live a life in this world with a spiritual development. Cultivation of a spiritual development can be performed only by realizing the Four Noble Truths. One who reaches the state of Sammā Ditthi will have the knowledge of the Four Noble Truths. The Buddha described Sammā Ditthi as follows:

1). Dukhe Gnānan (the wisdom of suffering as one of the Arya Sattya (the Four Noble Truths))

2). Samudaye Gnānan (the wisdom of the origination of suffering as one of the Arya Sattya)

3). Nirode Gnānan (the wisdom of the cessation of suffering as one of the Arya Sattya)

4). Magge Gnānan (the wisdom of the Noble Eightfold Path as the Dukkha Nirōdha Patipadā or the way to cease the suffering as one of the Arya Sattya)

       A person with Sammā Ditthi will have his own wisdom about these things, and that wisdom is acquired with the help of listening to the Dhamma (Saddhamma Shravanaya) and the consciousness (Yōnisōmanasikāra). Moreover, one who entered to the state of Sammā Ditthi will have the following wisdoms:

1). Sattya Gnāna (wisdom of suffering as a definite truth)

2). Kruttya Gnāna (wisdom of the suffering as a definite truth that needs to be realized, the origination of suffering that has to be ceased, the cessation of suffering that has to be witnessed by one self, and the path of ceasing the suffering that must be practiced with respect to virtue, concentration, and wisdom). This wisdom is achieved by the person who acquired the Sattya Gnāna.

3). Kruta Gnāna (wisdom of the realization of suffering, the cessation of the origination of suffering, the witnessing of the cessation of suffering, and the fulfillment of the path to cease suffering).

       This is the realization of the Four Noble Truths in the three variables or states, Sattya Gnāna, Kruttya Gnāna, and Krutak Gnāna, and in twelve total ways (Tipariwattan Dvādasākāran). The Supreme Buddha showed these twelve ways of realizing the Four Noble Truths clearly in Dhammachakka Pavattana Sutta.

       If a disciple enters to the Dhamma with this proper knowledge and with respect to the wisdom, he will initiate the virtue to develop it (Seelesu Paripoorakārē Hōti), develop the concentration up to a certain level (Samādismin Mattasōkārē Hōti), and cultivate the wisdom of realizing the Four Noble Truths (Paññāya Mattasōkārē Hōti). If someone likes to free from the state of Prutakjana by developing the ways of the Dhamma and free from the Samsara, then the Buddha’s Dhamma is for that person. We need to keep in our minds that we will have a journey in this Samsara suffering from the births in those four low-level worlds if we do not have such an understanding about the Dhamma. It is a journey comprised of Sakkāya Ditthi (false perception of oneself as in me, mine, and my soul), a journey without realizing the Patticca Samuppāda (the law of cause and effect), and a journey in the darkness of ignorance and not in the light of wisdom. In fact, the teachings of the Supreme Buddha give the knowledge and the light of wisdom to resolve these issues that lead us to a dangerous Samsara. We can become knowledgeable disciples of the Buddha because of His teachings and not becoming victims of the state of Prutakjana due to ignorance of the Four Noble Truths. If someone takes refuge of the Triple Gem with proper understanding, then he will be a knowledgeable disciple of Buddha. He knows who the Supreme Buddha is, what the Dhamma is, and who the disciples of the Buddha in the path and fruition (Maga-Phala) are. These knowledgeable disciples could not be deceived by others. They are the ones who will attain the Nirvana in the Order of Gautama Buddha. The Wesak Poya Day will become truly a great day for those disciples. It is because that these disciples will practice the Dhamma continuously to get rid of the danger of getting births in the four low-level worlds. They will develop their lives with respect to the Dhamma. When there is a great chance for someone to develop their minds and attain Nirvana, it is sad to see someone refuses that rare opportunity.

       Please do not delay and let go of this rare moment! “Khano Womā Upachchagā”, when the human world, the human birth, the ability to think, and the Four Noble Truths were received, we must try to realize it…

       Profane people might ask you to just go along the Samsara until you meet the next Buddha, Maitree Buddha, in the future to attain Nirvana in one platform for all. People make these types of statements without having any kind of respect to the Dhamma or to the discourses preached by the Gautama Buddha. On the other hand, another group of people might say, get ready to realize the Dhamma when they attained the Buddhahood. These people are also following these ignorant ways without respecting the Buddha or His teachings. If they consider what the Buddha had taught us properly by learning the Dhamma, these types of ignorant and short-sighted concepts will never be spread throughout the society. Most of the people who believed that they are Buddhists are likely to bear these misguided and profane views. They carry false beliefs and take refuge of auspicious times according to asterism, auspicious signs, horoscopes, malefic effects believed to come from planetary objects, and the twelve houses of astrology. None of these abide with Buddha’s teachings.

       Let me show you an example on how a wise person recognizes the teachings of the Buddha properly. There was a Brahmin called ‘Vangeesa’. He once went to the Gautama Buddha and told Him “my lord, I have the ability to tell about someone’s afterlife. However, I need that person’s skull to do that.” The Buddha asked one of the Bhikkhus to bring a skull of a dead person. The Brahmin took the skull, chanted a charm (a Mantra) and tapped it few times. He then revealed where that dead person was reincarnated. The Buddha also confirmed that exposure. The Brahmin then told the Buddha that he could reveal the rebirth of anyone just by tapping the skull of a dead person. The Buddha asked the Bhikkhu to bring one other skull and gave it to the Brahmin. Vangeesa Brahmin did his chanting again and tapped on that skull, but this time it was different. He could not find where that dead person was reborn. He tapped again, again, and again. But still, he could not get out of any information about the person that the skull was belonged to. He was anxious and told the Buddha, “Oh, Lord Buddha! This is so strange. My predictions were never gone wrong before, and I never came across any skull that I could not recognize the rebirth of the dead person. But, my talent became useless in front of you. I can’t guess the birth place of this person even if I tap on to this skull so many times.” The Most Compassionate One, the Buddha, told him “dear Brahmin, this skull belongs to an Arahant.” The Brahmin was thrilled about the fact that the Gautama Buddha was teaching a way to overcome the reincarnation. He expressed his loyalty to the Buddha and his need to follow the Dhamma that the Buddha was teaching. Then, the Buddha told him to let go of what he was taking for granted and to follow the Noble Eightfold Path. Accepting Buddha’s advice, Vangeesa Brahmin became a Bhikkhu. He became an Arahant after following the noble path.

       Even though people might have gone to see the Brahmin to get information about their dead relatives, they did not go to Bhikkhu Vangeesa with skulls on their hands asking about their dead relatives either when he was just ordained or even after he became an Arahant. Why do you think was that? Because, the people who took refuge of the Buddha with proper understanding knew that there is nothing more important than the Dhamma of the Buddha. The significance of the Dhamma cannot be compared to anything else. Because Dhamma is more valuable than those temporary subjects, no one went to Vangeesa Thero asking about dead people anymore. Buddha’s teachings protect beings from being born in the four low-level worlds. The Dhamma helps beings to make a stop to the continuation in Samsara. That is why there is no other philosophy or religion that can be compared with the Dhamma taught by the Gautama Buddha.

       Think about your devotion to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha now. Did you take refuge of these Triple Gems truly? If our devotion was a true one, then there is no chance of us considering other false beliefs and take them for granted. A true devotee who took refuge of the Triple Gem will not consider these false beliefs, even if someone tells him that those things have to be there because they are present in the society since many years back. One who truly believed in the Triple Gem will just believe in it and let go of everything else. He will take refuge of the Buddha and not anyone else. He will take refuge of the Dhamma and not anything else. He will take refuge of the Sangha and not any other group. He is the one who acquires a spiritual development in this life. It is like ghee (butter) in a pot. If this pot is broken and is fallen into water, the debris of the pot will sink while the ghee floats on the water. Likewise, only the true devotee will obtain a spiritual development, which will help him to face the death, by practicing the Saddha (faith), Seela (virtue), Suta (knowledge of Dhamma), Thyaga (generosity), and Pañña (wisdom or the perception of the Four Noble Truths). If we do not have an aim of developing these five skills in this Order of the Gautama Buddha, then we are so unfortunate. This is a rare moment for us. We have encountered the rarest thing of all times, an order of a Buddha. So, if we are not to get the benefit from this rare moment by following the path that the Buddha taught us, are not we going to be unfortunate?

       This is the Dhamma that helps us to protect ourselves from becoming Prutakjana, which was described above in detail. However, it is unfortunate to see that the people in our country do not speak about the Four Noble Truths as much as it is supposed to be. Just performing various oblations without revealing the Four Noble Truths does not bring the ultimate consolation to the people’s minds. We need to speak about the true teachings of the Gautama Buddha without concealing them. Performing these inferior activities can last only when the people stay ignorant about the Four Noble Truths. This is why some people try to stop the devotees when they start practicing the true teachings of the Buddha to realize the Dhamma. They try to prevent this progress by saying that the lay people do not need to practice these noble ways, meditation, and they also question the necessity of the Paticcha Samuppādaya and the Four Noble Truths for the lives of lay people. This is how these misguided groups of people prevent Buddhists from practicing the Dhamma. If someone believes these false statements at least for a certain amount, then he will become a victim of the dangerous ocean of Samsara. He has to face the death with the state of Prutakjana, and a death of a person of that state is risky because his afterlife is unpredictable.

       Let us consider a person living a Prutakjana life. If he dies without any pain and when he was in a good physical state, some people might say that he had a good death. They might further say that they will also want a death like that, without thinking straight. However, what if he was reborn in the hell or as an animal after he died? Then, is that going to be a good death? This is why it is impossible to guess where a person might be reborn just by looking at how he dies. Let us think about another person who is suffering from a disease for a long time and dies from it. Even though he faced a terrible death, he will be born in a higher-level (Sugati) world like deity or human if he was an Aarya Srawaka who took refuge of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha and freed from Prutakjana state. From the look of it, the people will say that his death was a woeful one. They will also wish for a better death for them than that of his. All these short-sighted speeches are uttered because they do not have the foresight of life.

       After the death, what they next look for is to perform the Pānsukuula (a religious ritual performed after someone’s death) in a perfect manner. For this occasion, they bring priests to speak about the dead person and to compliment his name excessively. Even though they talk about the dead person of very highly, they are still afraid of him coming back and haunt them. This is why they leave a Preta Gotta after 7 days of the death to protect themselves from the dead relative. If the dead person had all those high qualities like they mentioned in his funeral, then why are they afraid of his ghost? These are ways of false beliefs we have in a society that need to be eradicated. If we keep following these false beliefs, we will not be able to get the benefit out of the tremendous and rare Dhamma. We should remember that this Pānsukuula is not something that we should consider with pride. There is no value in that false concept whatsoever. Once, the Supreme Buddha told Sakyan Prince Mahanama that it does not matter if this body is eaten by dogs or cats after the death. It does not matter even if it is eaten by worms or rotten at the spot where it was left. The importance of this life is for us to cultivate a mind of Saddha, Seela, Suta, Thyaga, and Pañña. A person with these qualities will be born in Sugati worlds after his death. We must remember that performing Pānsukuula ignorantly is a way of showing one’s state of Prutakjana and nothing else. After the death, there is nothing important about this life. The Gautama Buddha taught us that the life is like a useless piece of wood (Apavitta tadaseeti vivattanwa kalingaran). Therefore, if this is like a useless piece of wood after the death, then why should we perform such ceremonies with useless speeches about this life?

       The Buddha’s teachings tell us about a repeating journey (Samsara) of suffering. The Buddha further explained us clearly the length of this Samsara by a marvelous example. At one time, he showed a huge mountain to Bhikkhus. He told them that if the mountain is split into small pieces of the size of an olive and designate each piece to your mother of this life and the past lives, the pieces of rocks of that mountain will be over but the mothers you did not count in the Samsara will not. That is how long we have been in this Samsara. Thus, can you imagine how many times we have been born and died? Therefore, the most important thing for us in this life is to realize the Buddha’s Dhamma in its pure form without contaminating it with other false beliefs in the society. The Supreme Buddha preached “Kulluupaman voo Bhikkhave Dhammam deseemi, nittaranatthaya no gahanattaya”, which means that this Dhamma is to be used as a boat to cross the Samsara and not as something to hold and to use to show one’s intelligence. In other words, only the person who uses the Dhamma to advance his life in realizing the Four Noble Truths will get the real benefit out of it. The Order of the Gautama Buddha will only be valuable to him.

       Let us say that there is a group of people who are waiting to realize the Dhamma in the Order of Maitree Buddha. The Dhamma that has been propagated in this Order of the Gautama Buddha is not important to them. They do not see imperativeness of this Dhamma. Their refuge of the Gautama Buddha is just a false pretence. They do not take refuge of the Triple Gem truly. In fact, they do not protect the Order of the Gautama Buddha. Also, the Gautama Buddha’s teachings are useless for the group of people who follows Mahayana concept of becoming a Buddha. Because they do not take refuge of this Dhamma, they could not see the importance of it. They are the ones who have decided to become Samma Sambuddha by realizing the Four Noble Truths by themselves.

       Then, who does take the benefit of this true Dhamma, and who takes the refuge of the Dhamma? They are the ones who would like to eradicate all the defilements and to become free from all the sufferings in this very own Order of the Gautama Buddha. Once, the Buddha was asked about where the Saddha (faith) should be seen? The Gautama Buddha showed that Saddha should be seen in the elements of the state of Sōtāpatti (the Sōtāpatti Anga). What are these elements of Sōtāpatti? There are four elements of Sōtāpatti: the solemn admiration for the Buddha, solemn admiration for the Dhamma, solemn admiration for the Sangha, and one’s virtue.

       It is in the Buddha’s teachings where the cessation of Samsara is taught (the Dukkha Nirōdha or the Nirvāna). There was a lady devotee of the Buddha called Suppiyā. She was also the mother of the Arahant Seewali. He stayed a long time in Suppiyā’s belly after he was conceived. In the Udhāna Pāli, it is mentioned that he was in her womb for seven years, seven months, and seven days. I believe it is the lengthiest reported pregnancy in the history of mankind. Since the mother was an Sōtāpanna person, she used to utter the following phrases when she was in pain, “our Supreme Buddha freed himself from this suffering for sure, He is teaching us a definite way to free ourselves from the suffering, and His disciples (Sangha) also have undoubtedly entered this noble path of freeing themselves from the suffering.” She was crying from the pain of having the pregnancy for that long, but saying Susukan vata Nibbanhan (Oh! Nirvana is the ultimate happiness!). See, how the true disciple of the Buddha is. Even though she was suffering really badly, that Sōtāpanna disciple (devotee Suppiyā) who entered the Dhamma did not go for asking help from false beliefs to get a temporary relief. She could not be fooled by various false beliefs that we can see in our society today. She did not try to find protection in fanes (devala), verses of false protection (set kavi), asterism or horoscopes. Also, none of the other beliefs were important to her. She was not ignorant to hang flags decorated with crows or snakes for her relief. See, how well developed mind she must had. In fact, that is the type of mind we should have. Such state of mind could be acquired by developing Saddha as an element of Sōtāpatti.

       Even though we used to address people in general as ‘faithful devotees’, the proper Saddha cannot be seen in them. They scold at the Buddha when they want and insult the Dhamma by condemning the value of Nirvana and Magaphala (the Noble Path and Fruition). Even the existence of other worlds that the Gautama Buddha showed us is questioned with hatred. They say that all the four low-level worlds and the worlds of deities present in this world. This is generally the type of states of minds that the people today have in the world. We need to be wise about the way we think. The above mentioned way is not the correct way of thinking. It is a very rare moment we are passing right now. The Supreme Buddha showed us that our actions create the product. This is why we need to build our thoughts and actions in a way so that our minds will be developed gradually. For that purpose, we should keep cultivating the good qualities by managing our actions according to the Dhamma and overcoming shortcomings.

       The Buddha illustrated the way to cultivate our minds to a rusted container. In order to clean the container, one needs to remove the rust bit by bit. Likewise, one needs to practice and discipline the frail mind, which is capable of becoming vile easily, step by step towards the knowledge of the Dhamma. Cannot we develop our minds to that state step by step? We can indeed. If we have the faith towards the Buddha and his teachings, then that is what we need the most to cultivate our minds. You remember that I mentioned about the Arahant Jambuka earlier. If he stayed frustrated after he had the knowledge about the cause and effect from the Buddha and about how his past actions of deceiving his devotees would result, he will never get the chance to realize the Dhamma. However, he let go of all his life’s past actions and started to practice the Dhamma by believing its fruitfulness. As a result of his commitment, he could witness the distinguished capability of the Dhamma from the moment he entered the path that the Supreme Buddha showed him. The Dhamma is therefore has to be practiced to witness its results. For that, I ask you to start learning the Dhamma taught by the Buddha and practice it. Once you start to follow it and take refuge of the Triple Gem, do not try to think or find the protection of anything else. The only thing that you must think after becoming a true Buddhist is the superiority of the Dhamma. Nothing excels Dhamma. Unfortunately, some groups of people who bear imprudent beliefs used to say that there are good things in other religions as well. They also say that they take only the good things of those teachings. In fact, they sometimes try to suggest that these other teachings to have similar concepts as in the Buddhism. It is like comparing muddy stone to a piece of gold. Unless these things are stopped, the Order of the Gautama Buddha cannot be uplifted.

       The Order of the Buddha means the realization of the Four Noble Truths. The Gautama Buddha’s teaching is to purify your mind from all defilements.

Sabba pāpassa akaranam (refrain from doing all kinds of defilements)

kusalassa upasampada (development of the ‘Sattis Bōdhipākshika dharma’ or the 37 merits help to attain Nibbanha)

sachitta pariyō dapanam (purifying the mind)

eetan Buddhanusasanam (this is the Order of Buddha)

       Here, we learned an important discourse that helps us to enter ourselves into the Dhamma and to witness its remarkable quality by ourselves. The name of the discourse is ‘Sōpādisēsa Sutta’ from the 9^th Nipāta of Anguttara Nikāya. In this Sutta, the Gautama Buddha clearly showed us about the people who overcame the danger of being born in the four low-level worlds including the great hell. If you like happiness and pleasure and refuse suffering in your life, or you do not like to be born again and again in this Samsara and being reborn in the low-level worlds, then you will definitely start to like what the Buddha had taught. You will in fact enter the Order of the Gautama Buddha. Then, that person will take the refuge of the Triple Gem. This means, he will take the refuge of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. He will enter the path to cultivate Seela (virtue), Samadhi (concentration), and Pañña (wisdom). This will help him to overcome his weaknesses bit by bit and enter the path to Nirvana (the Noble Eightfold Path). In fact, that is the true form of life that we as Buddhists must try to create.

       Furthermore, we need to acquire a clear picture of the danger of living as a Prutakjana in order to achieve such development in one’s life. We should not quote the word ‘Prutakjana’ to introduce ourselves repeatedly. The state of Prutakjana is dangerous and is a shameful concept that all of us, as Buddhists, should surmount. It is also a disgraceful word and has no dignity in it, other than a mere dishonor. Therefore, the way you should introduce yourself to others is as follows:

‘We are Buddhists who would like to become knowledgeable disciples of the Buddha. We take refuge of the Triple Gem. The Supreme Buddha is our one and only religious leader. We recognize and follow the path that includes the Four Noble Truths and remarkable things like Seela, Samadhi, and Pañña. We take refuge of the Sangha (the noble disciples of the Buddha). We do not need protections from any other things.’

       These are the ways that true Buddhists should speak about themselves. In fact, there are some people who have already achieved this kind of development in their lives in the world at present. However, it is unfortunate to indicate that the majority of people in the world are still in the darkness of false beliefs. They do not know their status and what kind of danger they are in. We need to clarify the importance of our lives and the Dhamma and try to realize the Four Noble Truths.

       Since these are the times of Wesak, make a determination to cultivate a spiritual development in you by becoming a true Buddhist disciple and to realize this noble Dhamma.

 May you all be fortunate to overcome the state of Prutakjana, the Sakkaya Ditthi, and get rid of the darkness of ignorance by achieving the light of the Four Noble Truths in the Order of the Gautama Buddha…!!!

       අතීත මිනිසා හට දැන් බඳු අහස් යානා නො තිබුණි. පරිගණක හා සෙලියුලර් තාක්ෂණය නො තිබුණි. චන්ද්‍රිකා ඔස්සේ තොරතුරු තාක්ෂණය දියුණු කොට නො තිබුණි. මෙතරම් අවි ගබඩා ද නො තිබුණි. පැයෙන් පැය ප‍්‍රවෘත්ති විකාශන නො තිබුණි. විදුලි බල නො තිබුණි. නවීන තාක්ෂණයෙන් යුතු යාන වාහන නො තිබුණි. වත්මන් මිනිසා හට ආනුභාව පෙන්වන ඇමෙරිකාව ද නො තිබුණි. සකල කලා වල්ලභ ඉංග‍්‍රීසිය ද නො තිබුණි. කෘතිම පොහොර සහ රසායන බෙහෙත් ද නො තිබුණි.

        වත්මන් මිනිසා භුක්ති විඳින බොහෝ පහසුකම් අතීත මිනිසාට නො තිබුණි. එකල ජීවත් වූ මිනිසාට මෙවැනි පරිසරයක් ගොඩනගා ගත නො හැකි වූයේ අනුවණකම නිසා ද? නැතහොත් කිසියම් ජඩ බවක් නිසා ද? නැතහොත් යම් මිත්‍යාවක වෙලී සිටි නිසා ද? නැතහොත් ඔවුන් අතරේ වීමංසන බුද්ධිය නො තිබුණ නිසා ද? නැතහොත් ඔවුන් කිසියම් අකර්මණ්‍ය හා අක‍්‍රීයභාවයකට පත්ව සිටි නිසා ද? සැබැවින් ම ඔවුන් මෝඩ ද?

       මින් සියවස් විසිපහකට පෙර තිබූ ලෝකය ගෝලීයකරණයකට හසු නො වී තිබූ බව සැබෑ ය. වත්මන් තාක්ෂණික ආනුභාවය නො තිබූ බවත් සැබෑ ය. ගමන් පහසුව නො තිබුණු එකල මංපහරන සොර මුල් තැන තැන සිටියහ. රූබර ලඳුන් පැහැර ගන්නා ධූර්තයෝ බලවත්ව සිටියහ. ජනපද කල්‍යාණිවරු කහවණු අතර වැජඹී සිටියහ. මුහුදු රැළි අතරේ මංකොල්ලකරුවෝ සැඟවී සිටියහ. මහා පර්වත, සුවිශාල වෘක්ෂ, නදී, කඳු රැළි ඔවුන් ගේ දෙවිවරු වූහ. සූර්යයා සඳු රැස් විහිදුවන විට ඔවුන් දුටුවේ දේවානුභාවය යි. වළාකුළු යනු දෙවියන් විසින් මලූ පුරවා අහසේ රැඳවූ දිය බඳුන් විය. දේවයාතිකා වලින් පසු ඒවා ලිහා දැමෙති.

       එකල මිනිසුන් ගේ ලෝකය ඉතා පුදුමාකාර විය. නා ලොව නාගයින් සමඟ ඔවුහු කතා බස් කළහ. පේ‍්‍රතයින් ඔවුන් ඉදිරියේ පෙනී සිට පින් ඉල්ලූහ. දෙවිවරු පැමිණ ඔවුන්ට උපදෙස් දුන්හ. නිරය ගැන අසා ඔවුහු බියෙන් සලිත වූහ. ඉපදෙන මැරෙන ජීවිතය ඔවුනට පුදුමාකාර ප‍්‍රහේලිකාවක් විය. වත්මන් මිනිසාහට මෙය සිනහවට කරුණක් නො වේද? වත්මන් මිනිසා ගේ ඊනියා බුද්ධිමත් බව එතරම් ම ආනුභාව සම්පන්න ද?

       නූතන මිනිසා කොතෙක් වහසි බස් දෙඩුව ද එකල මිනිසාට සම විය නො හැකිය. ඒ යුගයේ මිනිසා තුළ එක්තරා සුවිශේෂී මනෝභාවයක් ඉස්මතු වී තිබුණි. එනම් සත්‍යය අවබෝධ කිරීමේ ආශාවයි. මෙම ආශාව ඔවුන් තුළ පැන නැගුණේ ජීවිතය හා ලෝකය පිළිබඳව ඔවුන් ගේ දැක්ම කිසියම් ප‍්‍රසාරණයකට ලක් වීම නිසා ය. ඔවුහු සත්‍යාවබෝධය උදෙසා වශීකෘතව සිටියහ.

       එකල මිනිසා සත්‍යය සොයා අබිනික්මන් කළහ. වනගිරි දුදුළු හරහා චාරිකා කළහ. කෙස් රැවුල් ඉවත් කොට, සඟල සිවුරු දරා, තපස් කළහ. ඔවුනට ගෘහ වාසය ක්ලේශ පරිදාහයේ උත්පත්ති ස්ථානය විය. පැවිදි වී විරාගී චරණයේ යෙදීම අභ්‍යාවකාශය බඳු විය. ඔවුහු ඉඳුරන් පාලනය කළහ. බ‍්‍රහ්මචාරී වූහ. කාමාශක්තව හිරිඔතප් බිඳ ගැනීම ඔවුනට හිරිකිත කරුණෙකි.  සත්‍යාවබෝධය උදෙසා  ඕනෑම කටුක ජීවිතයකට ඔවුහු සැදී පැහැදී සිටියහ. රාජ සුකුමාල යයෟවනයෝ අබිනික්මන් කළහ. ශ‍්‍රමණයෝ වූහ. වනගත අසපු වල බවුන් වඩන ඔවුන් ගේ කතාබහ තුළ යුද්ධය නැත. උද්ධමනය නැත. ක‍්‍රීඩක ක‍්‍රීඩිකාවන් නැත. නළු නිළියන් නැත. රසවත් ආහාර පාන නැත. කසී සළු නැත.  ඕපාදූප නැත. අනුන්ට ගැරහීම නැත. එකිනෙකා පරයා යන උමතුවක් නැත.

       එහෙත් ඔවුහු මේ සිත පිළිබඳව විස්මයට පත්ව සිටියහ. ජීවිතය හා මරණය විසඳා ගත නො හැකි ප‍්‍රහේලිකාවක් විය. මනුෂ්‍යයා මෙන් ම අන් සත්වයා ද, යම් කිසි දුක්ඛ දායක ගමනක පැටලී සිටින බව ඔවුහු දුටහ. සැප දුක අබියස දෝලනය වන ජීවිතය මෙහෙයවන චාලක ශක්තිය කුමක්දැයි ඔවුහු විමසන්නට වූහ. සිත දමනය කිරීමත්, බවුන් වැඞීමත්, සමාධිය උපදවා ගැනීමත් ඔවුන් හට ආනන්දයක් විය.

       එය වනාහී සත්‍යය අවබෝධ කිරීමේ යුගය යි. මානව වංශ කතාවේ මෙතෙක් සනිටුහන් වූ ස්වර්ණමය යුගය යි. මේ යුගයෙන් ඒ යුගය වෙනස් වන්නේ ඔවුන් ලබාගත් සත්‍යාවබෝධය නිසා ය.

       මේ යුගයේ මිනිසා හට කාමය වනාහී සංසිඳුවාගත නො හැකි පිපාසයකි. වෛරය වනාහී නිවා ගත නො හැකි ගින්නකි. ඊර්ෂ්‍යාව වනාහී සුව කළ නො හැකි රෝගයකි. මානය වනාහී බිම හෙලාගත නොහැකි ලෙස ඔසවා ගත් කොඩියකි. මුලාව වනාහී බිඳ ගත නො හැකි අඳුරෙකි. එකල මිනිසා තුළ ද අතරින් පතර මෙවැනි දුබලතා දක්නට ලැබුන ද, සත්‍යාවබෝධ කිරීමෙහිලා ඔවුන් දැක්වූ විස්මිත කුසලතාව අදහාගත නො හැකි තරම් ය.

       සැබැවින් ම ඒ මිනිසාට ඊනියා විද්‍යාගාර නො තිබුණි. විද්‍යා උපකරණ නො තිබුණි. විද්‍යා ප‍්‍රබන්ධ නො තිබුණි. එහෙත් ඔවුන් පැතූ දෙය වන සත්‍යාවබෝධය ලැබූ අසිරිමත් මිනිසා දැකීමේ ආශාව හුදෙක් මිත්‍යා සංකල්පයක් නො වීය. එය යථාර්ථයක් ම විය. ඔවුන් ගේ දෑස් අබියස එය ප‍්‍රත්‍යක්ෂයක් විය. එය නෙත් සිත් පුරා විඳගන්නට ඔවුහු සමත් වූහ.

       මෙම අසිරිමත් මනුෂ්‍යයා විසින් ගෙන එන ලද සත්‍යයේ සංදේශය දඹදිව් තලය පුරා විසිර ගියේ මල් වර්ෂාවක් පරිද්දෙනි. බුද්ධිමත් මිනිසුන් ගේ නෙත් සිත් පුබුදුවා සත්‍යාවබෝධය කරා ගෙන යා හැකි ඒ සුවිශේෂී මනුෂ්‍යරත්නය දැන් ඔවුන් ඉදිරියේ සක්මන් කරයි. වාඩි වී සිටියි. කතා බස් කරයි. ඔවුන් ගේ නිවෙස් වලට පිඬු සිඟා යයි. ඔවුන්ට සත්‍යාවබෝධයේ මං පෙත් විවර කරවන අසිරිමත් දහම් දෙසයි.

       හේ වනාහී අමුතු ම සිතක් ඇති කෙනෙකි. එම සිත ලොව කිසිදු උපකරණයකින් මිණිය නො හැකි ය. එම සිතෙහි රාගය නැත. කාමාශාව නැත. රස තෘෂ්ණාව නැත. ද්වේශය නැත. පළිගැනීම නැත. වෛරය නැත. භය නැත. මුලාව නැත. තැතිගැනීම නැත. සැක සංකා ද නැත. ලොව කිසිදු විෂයක, කිසිදු අධ්‍යාපනික ආයතනයක, කිසිදු සමාජ ස්ථරයක  එතරම් පුළුල්ව සාකච්ඡාවට බඳුන් නොවූ විරූ අපූර්ව වූ පරිපූර්ණ වූ ලෝක දර්ශනයක් එතුමා සතුව ඇත. එතුමන් ගේ දෛනික ජීවිතය, දේශනා ක‍්‍රම, සමාජ සන්නිවේදනය, සදාචාරාත්මක විවරණය හා ප‍්‍රායෝගික ජීවිත හැසිරවීම ඉතා අසිරිමත් විය. හේ වනාහී  ‘බුද්ධ’ නම් විය.  ‘සම්මා සම්බුද්ධ’ නම් විය.

      සත්‍යාවබෝධය නම් වූ සුවිශේෂී අරමුණට වශීකෘත වූ ජනතාව මේ බුද්ධ නම් වූ ආශ්චර්යවත් මනුෂ්‍යරත්නයේ වාග් චාතුර්යයට, තර්ක ප‍්‍රතිභානයට, විස්මිත දේශනා විලාශයට හා පවිත‍්‍ර ජීවිතයට අදහා ගත නො හැකි විස්මයකින් ළං වී සිටියහ. ඔවුන් ගේ ජීවිතය එළිය කළ හිරු මඬල මේ අසිරිමත් මනුෂ්‍යයා ය. බුද්ධිමය කාහල නාදයක් බඳු සත්‍යය අවබෝධ කිරීමේ හඬ විසින් මානව වංශ කතාවේ ආධ්‍යාත්මික විප්ලවය මුදුන්පත් කරන ලදී. සාම්ප‍්‍රදායික මතිමතාන්තර හා ආදානග‍්‍රාහී පවුරු පදනම් දෙදරා ගිය නමුත්, සත්‍යය අවබෝධ කළ මුනිවරු මහ පොළොව මත පා තබා වඩින්නට පටන් ගත්හ.

       එකල සිටි මනුෂ්‍යයා හට බුදුවරයෙකු ගේ මාර්ගෝපදේශකත්වය යටතේ සත්‍යාවබෝධ කිරීමේ වාසනාව උදාවූයේ ඒ මිනිසුන් සතුව තිබුණු කිසියම් විශේෂතා නිසා නො වේද? එනම් සිහි නුවණ දියුණු කර ගැනීම, සිත – කය – වචනය සදාචාරාත්මක පදනමක් තුළ හසුරුවා ගැනීම, ඉන්ද්‍රිය දමනය, පාපී මනෝභාවයන් බැහැර කිරීමේ වීර්යය, චිත්ත සමාධිය, ධ්‍යාන ඇති කර ගැනීම ආදිය ඔවුහු නො පසුබටව කරන්නට සමත් වූහ. එනිසා ම ඔවුහු සත්‍යාවබෝධ කළහ. ජීවිතය හා මරණය පිළිබඳව රැව් දුන් සියළු සැක සංකා, මතිමතාන්තර, ප‍්‍රහේලිකා සදහට ම විසඳා ගත්හ. සතුට සොම්නස පිරි නිකෙලෙස් මනසක ඇති වීතරාගී සුන්දරත්වය අත්විඳගන්නට ඔවුහු සමත් වූහ.

       බාහිර උපකරණ වලින් තොරව ඔවුහු අහසේ ගමන් කළාහු ය. දෙව්ලොව, බඹලොව චාරිකාවේ වැඩියාහු ය. සත්‍යාවබෝධය පිළිබඳව සුන්දර සංදේශය දෙව්ලොවට ද රැගෙන ගියහ. ඔවුන් ගේ ගමන් වලට බාධා කරන්නට හිමාල පර්වතයට හෝ ගංඟා නදියට හෝ රැළි විසුරුවන මහ සයුරට හෝ නො හැකි විය. පෙනෙන නො පෙනෙන සියලූ දෙය ඔවුහු ජයගත්හ. ඔවුන් ඒ ජයග‍්‍රහණය ලබන ලද්දේ අවි බලයෙන් නො වේ. යටත්විජිත වාදයෙන් ද නො වේ. ආර්ථික ප‍්‍රහාර වලින් ද නො වේ. සන්නිවේදන කුමන්ත‍්‍රණ වලින් ද නොවේ. භාෂා විපරිණාමයකින් ද නො වේ. එක ම එක් සුවිශේෂී කෙනෙකුන් ගේ අතිශයින් ම නිවැරදි වූ මාර්ගෝපදේශකත්වයේ මහිමය නිසා ය. එනම් මෙතෙක් ලොව පහළ වූ ආශ්චර්යවත් ම මනුෂ්‍ය රත්නය වන භාග්‍යවත් බුදුරජාණන් වහන්සේ නිසා ය.

       ඒ යුගයේ මිනිසුන් ලබාගත් ඒ විස්මිත කුසලතා සපිරි ඤාණය අද මනුෂ්‍යයා හට ලබා ගත නො හැක්කේ මන්ද? අද මනුෂ්‍යයා තුළ මුල්බැස අතුරිකිලි ලියලා වැඞී ඇති අහංකාර පාරට්ටුවත්, දුස්සීලකමත්, දෙබිඩි ජීවිතයත්, පුහු මාන්නයත්, ආත්ම වංචාවත්, අනුකම්පා විරහිත ගැරහීමත්, සත්‍යයට ඇති අකැමැත්තත්, ඊර්ෂ්‍යාවත්, එකිනෙකාගේ දියුණුව දකින්නට ඇති අකැමැත්තත්, ජාති – කුල භේදයත් ප‍්‍රහාණය කළ හැකි විද්‍යාත්මක උපකරණයක් ඊනියා විද්‍යාඥයින් විසින් නොබෝ දිනකින් සොයා ගනු ලබන්නේ යැයි කිවහැකි ජගතෙක් ලොව සිටිත් ද? එසේ නම් නිහතමානී බුද්ධිමත් මනුෂ්‍යයා හට ඉතා සුළුවෙන් හෝ වේවා ආධ්‍යාත්මික වටිනාකමක් ලබාගැනීමට නම් ලෝ සතුන් ගේ සත්‍යාවබෝධය උදෙසා ලොව පහළ වූ එක ම ශාස්තෘන් වහන්සේ වන ඒ ගෞතම බුදුරජුන් ගේ දෙසුම් සිත පහදවා ගෙන කියවිය යුතුය. එවිට ජලප‍්‍රසාද මාණික්‍යය බොර දියක දැමූ කල්හි ඒ දිය මැනවින් පැහැදී යන්නා සේ ඒ බුද්ධිමත් මනුෂ්‍යයා ගේ සිත ද, අතිශයින් ම පැහැදී යනු ඇත. ගෞතම බුදුරජුන් ගේ ධර්මය තුළින් කෙනෙකු ගේ සිත එසේ පහදින්නේ නම්, එය වනාහී මෙකල ජීවත් වන මනුෂ්‍යයන් ගේ බුද්ධිමත් බවේ සලකුණ යි !

       මෙසේ බුද්ධිමත් දෙව් මිනිසුන්ගේ ස්වර්ණමය යුගය උදා කළ විස්මිත යුග පුරුෂයාණන් වනාහී අන් කිසිවෙකුත් නොව ඒ අපගේ ශාස්තෘන් වහන්සේ වන භාග්‍යවත් වූ අරහත් වූ ගෞතම සම්මා සම්බුදුරජාණන් වහන්සේ ය. උන්වහන්සේ මින් වසර 2635 කට පෙර ලොවෙහි උපන් සේක. වසර 2600 කට පෙර ශ‍්‍රී සම්බුද්ධත්වයට පත් වූ සේක. මින් වසර 2600 කට පෙර ධර්ම චක‍්‍රය ප‍්‍රවර්තනය කළ සේක. මින් වසර 2600 කට පෙර ආර්ය සංඝයා බිහි කළ සේක. මින් වසර 2555 කට පෙර පිරිනිවන් පා වදාළ සේක. උන්වහන්සේගේ ශ‍්‍රී සම්බුද්ධත්වය සමරන අප විසින් කළ යුත්තේ ඒ අසිරිමත් සම්බුද්ධත්වයෙන් බිඳක් හෝ තේරුම් ගන්නට වෑයම් කිරීමයි.

කිරිබත්ගොඩ ඤාණානන්ද හිමි.