Human Life - Last Dhama Talk by Chief Priest, Maha Vihara 7-7-2006

This is Ven Dhammananda very last dhamma talk at the Maha Vihara given on
the 7th July 2006 and he came as always when they rang the bell at 8.10pm into the PH Henry hall but this time in his wheel chair.


*Human Life ( last talk by Chief Priest , Maha
Vihara, 7.7.2006)*

"Dear devotees actually I never thought I would have
the chance to see and talk to you, half of my body
is dead, but my heart, my mind still has energy.
What is this diseased body, is it life ? Its not
life, it is the house, life is the energy, mental,
khammic and cosmic all joined together as "energy "
that is life .

Body is decayed and life goes away. Actually we must
be happy when time comes to depart without
suffering, to crave so much for the body, we spend
our whole life decorating it, looking after it ,
one day it decays and when energy and the elements
dissipate then mental energy will build another
house. Life started with mental energy and then
birth occurs. Every single child cries, none smiles
after birth. LIfe is suffering. We are using whole
amounts of energy to maintain this physical body,
but one day we have to depart. Then leaves solidity
and fluidity ~ 2 elements only, heat and motion has
gone .

Christians and Muslims are particular about the body
as they believe in resurrection, we do not believe
that there is anything in this physical body. Spend
thousands on funerals, but the departed never get
anything. Only way to support the departed, you must
know how to make use of this life, that is why
religion is needed to help us to cultivate
compassion, sympathy and kindness and supporting
others .

David Morris (*no idea who he is *) sent me a
letter, he said there are 2 reasons to be happy as
an old man, (1) he will be free from pain and
suffering. (2) Ever since he became a Buddhist he
has tried his best to maintain and uphold the 5
precepts, if there is another life it won't be an
unfortunate one as he departs with confidence .

In the end the dying man takes no solace in dancing
and singing , only through meritorious deeds will
you get confidence and this will support the khammic
energy in the rebirth. We must know how to handle
life, by doing service to others to help release
their suffering. Many die with fear and confusion in
mind, can't take rebirth in upper realm. Meditation
is important to maintain purity. Prince Siddharta,
when he was born, there were 5 astrologers invited
to predict his fate. 4 said that he would either
grow up to be a sage or universal monarch. Last one
said definitely a sage.

When craving and attachment is completely removed,
mind is then completely pure. This body is not life.
Its a house built by energy and 4 cosmic elements.
Unfortunately in the past 2500 years, Buddhists in
Asia have introduced a lot of rites and rituals,
never introduced by the Buddha. Just keep away from
evil by reducing anger, jealousy, enmity, try to do
meritorious deeds, try to develop the mind through
understanding. Try to purify the mind.

If you are cruel, hot tempered or stingy try your
best to take this out. If you pray to God to take
this out do you think God can do that? Buddha can't
also, but he can tell you how to do that. War is
declared by the human mind, peace also comes from
our minds, not from heaven nor from God.

In Buddhism, first by understanding without
believing, when you develop a right understanding,
then you can carry on a religious way of life. When
you doubt, you must think and investigate, then
accept or reject. Other religions say if there is
doubt, then God will punish you.

All over the world different schools have sprung up
and they follow their own traditions which they have
maintained for a long time. Buddha had rejected old
traditions, but it was introduced to the primitive
narrow minded people. People in Asian countries
don't study the dharma.

Next do Good. Reduce the anger and do something to
train the mind through right understanding. Change
the mind, through your own experience you can
understand what is right and wrong .

I have been in Malaysia for 53 years, used to have
even no room to sleep. The Chinese were the main
Buddhists here and through Buddhist societies we
made them understand what Buddhism is.

My mind mental and life energy is still active but I
am half way dead, you must know how to do this.
Although the end of my life is now near, I have no
fear. Arahants can disconnect mind from body to
experience nibbanic bliss and at that time you
cannot tell if they are dead or alive, their bodies
are still warm and their complexions will remain
ruddy. They can do that for 1 week at the most .

Remember there are 4 kinds of happiness :

(1) Happiness of Possession - In owing your own
property, your house, land, business, bank account.

(2) Happiness of Enjoyment - Using what you have
earned you can enjoy good food, nice house, nice
dress without abusing bluffing cheating others.

(3) Happiness of Debtlessness - Try best not to
borrow from others , spend within your own means ,
you gain self respect .

(4) Happiness of Blamelessness - Try to lead life
without doing harm to anybody .

These 4 kinds of happiness must be with you. Don't
be lazy do some work, do not neglect what you have
earned maintain and protect what you have earned,
then you can decide what to do including adopting a
Buddhist way of life up to becoming an arahant, know
how to adjust your way of life, how to associate
with others. Who are they? Associate with good
people, not harmful, wicked people. Support your
father and mother, look after your wife and
children. Don't neglect relatives, help them.
Develop your mind to the extent that you are not
shaken by the 8 winds of change ~ praise/blame,
fame/shame, gain/loss, pleasure/pain and treat all
the same. Then
at this stage nothing will affect you."

--
All meetings end in partings
That which rises must fall
That which is collected will be dispersed
Birth ends with death

"It is easy enough to be pleasant when life flows by like a song. But the
man worthwhile is one who will smile when everything goes dead wrong."
---Ella Wheeler Wilcox
--
Sabbe dhamma nalam abhinivesaya
All phenomena should NOT be clung to as "I", "My" or "Mine".