Homage to that Blessed one, who is an Arahant and perfectly Self-enlightened.

Mano-pubbangama dhamma mano-settha mano-maya ,

Manasa ce pasannena bhasati va karoti va ,

Tato nam sukhamanveti chayava anapayini.

(Dh. 2)

Mind precedes [all] mental qualities, mind is their chief, [they are] mind-made, if with an exalted mind one [thinks,] speaks or acts, happiness follows him like a never departing shadow.

Faithful Devotees, you are perhaps familiar with the above Pali quotation, which is the second verse in the Yamaka-vagga (the pairs [of verses] or twin [verses] chapter) of the Dhammapada, taught by the Buddha, the perfectly Self-enlightened One. With the speaking of this verse there resulted in the realization of nibbana by as many as 84,000 individuals. 1

Mano-pubbangama dhamma [all] mental qualities, whether wholesome or unwholesome, are preceded or marshalled by the mind

Mano-se t . t t . tha mind is the chief of these mental qualities

Mano-maya because of the mind they come into being

Manasa ce pasannena if with a pure and clear mind

Bhasati va [one] speaks [it is a wholesome utterance ]

Karoti va or acts [it is a wholesome act]

Tato nam sukhamanveti will follow pleasurable results both mundane and supramundane 2

Chayava anapayini as would one's own shadow

This is a very lucid Dhamma verse. If we leave aside the physical form ( rupa ) we have within us two dhammas, namely mind ( citta ) and mental qualities ( cetasikas ). Mind is natually one, however in the case of mental qualities there are fifty-two defined [in the Abhidhamma and Commentaries]. Fourteen of them are unwholesome ( akusala ) and directly cause a defiled state of the mind. There are a further thirteen mental qualities, called ethically variables ( anna-samana lit. the same as the other, those mental qualities which arise in both the wholesome as well as unwholesome), which support the fourteen unwholesome qualities mentioned above.

Twenty-five mental qualities are of a wholesome nature in every respect and are referred to as the `beautifuls' ( sobhanas ). The thirteen anna-samana cetasikas also support the twenty-five beautifuls, thus adding up to thirty-eight wholesome and twenty-seven unwholesome qualities. So there are, altogether, twenty-five directly wholesome and fourteen directly unwholesome qualities, in addition to the thirteen that support either the wholesome or unwholesome.

The mind precedes all mental qualities and is their chief. Defilement or purity of mind is not due to any external agency, but due to arising of the above-mentioned cetasikas. The verse, which is the topic of this discourse, describes the purifying of the mind. How does the purifying of the mind occur? It is due to the arising of twenty-five beautiful as well as thirteen anna-samana mental qualities. As a result of the purification of the mind by the mind marshalling beautiful mental qualities, creating greatness of mind, there is peace of mind. This purified mind leads one to mundane happiness's, such as worldly pleasures & higher planes of existence, and also to the supramundane attainments, i.e. the four paths & fruits and nibbàna, without causing any discomfort or displeasure like one's own shadow.

There are altogether twenty-five beautiful cetasikas. 3 Nineteen of them are called universally beautiful ( sobhana-sadharana lit. shared with [all] the beautifuls) cetasikas :

· Saddha - faith

· Sati - mindfulness

· Hiri - conscience, shame to do evil

· Ottappa - fear of blame from others

· Alobha - non-greed

· Adosa - non-anger

· Tatra-majjhattata - even-mindedness

· Kaya-passaddhi - tranquillity of the body [(group) of cetasikas ]

· Citta-passaddhi - tranquillity of mind

· Kaya-lahuta - lightness of the body [(group) of cetasikas ]

· Citta-lahuta - lightness of mind

· Kaya-muduta - suppleness of the body [(group) of cetasikas ]

· Citta-muduta - suppleness of mind

· Kaya-kammannata - workability of the body [(group) of cetasikas ]

· Citta-kammannata - workability of mind

· Kaya-pagunnata - proficiency of the body [(group) of cetasikas ]

· Citta-pagunnata - proficiency of mind

· Kayujukata - uprightness of the body [(group) of cetasikas ]

· Cittujukata - uprightness of mind

The three abstinences ( tisso viratiyo 4):

· Samma-vaca - right speech

· Samma-kammanta - right action

· Samma-ajiva - right livelihood

The [two] unlimiteds ( appamannayo 5):

· Karuna - compassion

· Mudita - [sympathetic] joy

The last beautiful cetasika is the predominance of wisdom ( pannindriya 6).

Here we have to seek advice and examine how these mind marshalled mental qualities keep the mind purified. The advice, as taught by the lord Buddha, is to practise wise attention ( yoniso-manasikara ). The practicing of yoniso-manasikara enables one to maintain an undefiled mind in the presence of any internal, external, physical or mental object. What helps us to develop yoniso-manasikara ? Listening to the Buddha's Teachings, which explain the conventional truth ( sammuti-sacca ) and ultimate truth ( paramattha-sacca ), helps us to develop yoniso-manasikara because it teaches us to:

· Distinguish between wholesome actions ( kusala- kamma ) and unwholesome actions ( akusala - kamma ).

· Understand what leads to higher or lower realms of existence.

· Realise the cause of suffering and happiness in this life and hereafter.

Association with noble people ( kalyana mittas lit. good friends or sappurisas lit. true men) creates opportunities for one to hear the Dhamma. A noble person is one whose thought processes are deeply embedded in non-greed, non-hatred and non-delusion. Such a person's thoughts, speech and actions are restrained; they do not cause any mental or physical harm to anyone in the world, but rather bring peace and happiness to the world. A person with such qualities, who is not given to greed, hatred and delusion, is called a noble person. It is from these noble people that we can learn the Dhamma. Therefore, the noblest of them all is the Buddha, next in order are:

· Agga-savakas - the [Buddha's two] chief disciples

· Asati maha-savakas - the [Buddha's] eighty great disciples

· Arahant - a fully enlightened one

· Anagami - a non-returner

· Sakadagami - a once-returner

· Sotapanna - a stream-enterer

· Ti-pitaka-dhara - one well versed in the three divisions [of the Pali canon] ( Ti-pitaka lit. three baskets)

· Dvi-pitaka-dhara - one well versed in two divisions [of the Pali canon]

· Eka-pitaka-dhara - one well versed in one division [of the Pali canon]

· Bahussuta - one who has learnt (lit. heard) much [Dhamma]

· Anyone who has faith ( saddha ) in the Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha, is morally well behaved ( silava ), is learned ( sutava - lit. has heard), is generous ( cagava ) and has wisdom ( pannava ) 7

Any of the above can be classified as noble people. 8 Association with such noble people ( sappurisa-sanseva ) and listening to the True-dhamma 9( saddhammasavana ), spoken by them, leads us to become familiar with wise attention ( yoniso-manasikara ). The practice of yoniso-manasikara results in maintaining a pure mind during all situations that are encountered, for example:

· The practice of loving kindness ( metta ) in the presence of objects that can cause anger ( kodha ).

· Control of lust ( raga ) in the presence of the objects of sensual pleasures.

· Being humble in situations where conceit ( mana ) could arise.

The practice of yoniso -manasikara leads to the ability to change unwholesome thoughts to wholesome thoughts. What happens by the development of yoniso-manasikara ? Every activity is endowed with the highest quality of practicing according to the dhamma ( dhammanudhamma-patipatti 10). The thoughts, speech and actions are then in keeping with the dhamma.

What is dhamma? What is anudhamma ? Dhamma [in this context] is the four paths & fruits and nibbàna, which are the nine supramundane states ( lokuttara-dhammas ). The Anudhamma [ s ] are the [thirty seven] dhammas that lead to enlightenment ( bodhi-pakkhiya dhammas 11), i.e. leading to the four paths & fruits and nibbana [when practiced].

Giving alms, living with integrity, meditating, respecting elders, being of service to others, sharing merits, rejoicing in the merits acquired by others, listening to the Dhamma, teaching Dhamma and developing right understanding 12 (lit. straightening one's views), practicing the ten wholesome courses of action, 13 developing the ten perfections ( dasa parami 14), practicing the four divine abidings ( brahma-vihara s 15), perfect the four bases for beneficence ( cattari sangaha-vatthan i 16), become endowed with the karaniya and mangala dhammas 17 develops the [thirty-seven] bodhipakkhiya dhammas which lead us to the four paths & fruits and nibbana.

From this discourse it is clear to us that maintaining a purified mind, though appearing to be very difficult to do, is not really so difficult if we associate with noble people, listen to Dhamma and practice yoniso-manasikara. This constitutes the practice of right speech, right thought and right action, which in turn is living according to dhamma. This creates in our minds the [wholesome] thoughts that result in actions according to manasa ce pasannena , and that leads to tato nam sukhamanveti , which means bringing mundane happiness in this world and higher realms according to the conventional truth, and the four paths & fruits and nibbana according to the ultimate truth.

Association with noble people, which affords the opportunity to listen to Dhamma, practice yoniso-manasikara and live according to the Dhamma, results in attaining the respective states of all the Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, Arahants and Ariyan people. We at present in this period, when the Teachings of the Buddha ( Buddha-sasana ) are still available, are blessed with opportunities for associating with noble people, listening to Dhamma, practicing yoniso-manasikara and living according to Dhamma. As a result of this we shall enjoy in this life mental happiness, physical well-being, a pleasant environment to live in, pleasant people to associate with and fulfil our wishes.

However, our ultimate aim is not to be attached to such mundane pleasures in this world, the world of the deities ( devas ) or brahmas, but rather to purify our minds in successive births and follow the path of the Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas & Arahants and realize the four paths & fruits and Nibbàna.

1 Dh.2 Comm.

2 Supramundane results come when the thirty-seven dhammas that lead to enlightenment are developed; all wholesome actions lead to pleasant mundane results.

3 See AS.II:5Ý8; for the nineteen universally beautiful cetasikas see AS.II:5.

4In mundane consciousnesses the three abstinences occur only at the time of refraining from the three respective forms of misconduct (AS.II:6).

5 These two correspond to the divine abidings ( brahma-viharas ) of the same name; the other two divine abidings, i.e. loving-kindness ( metta ) and equanimity ( upekkha ), are taken as specific modes of non-anger ( adosa ) and even-mindedness ( tatra-majjhattata ) respectively (AS.II:7).

6 AS.II:8.

7 At A.8:54 someone with these qualities is called a kalyana-mitta , though being learned is not mentioned there it is implied, for example c.f. A.4:186, where the Buddha says that even if someone should understand the meaning ( attha ) and Dhamma in a four line verse and is practising in accordance with the Dhamma it is enough to call them a bahussuta .

8 Concerning sappurisa see also A.4:200Ý206.

9 The True-dhamma ( Saddhamma ), also called the Dhamma of the noble ones ( Ariya-dhamma (D.18)), is a synonymous term for Dhamma, the teachings of the Buddha; another term synonymous to this is ` Sasana ' (c.f. Dh.183), which is a verbal noun from ` sasati ' (to teach), and from this there is the agent noun ` Sattha ', used referring to the Buddha, meaning `Teacher'.

10 The association with noble people, listening to the True-dhamma, wise attention and practicing according to the Dhamma are said, by the Buddha, to lead to the attaining of the fruit of stream-entry (S.55:55), fruit of once-returning (S.55:56), fruit of non-returning (S.55:57) and the fruit of Arahantship (S.55:58) when developed and made much of. At A.4:248 they are said to lead to increasing wisdom. See also A.10:61.

11 For this explanation of dhamma see D.16 Comm., and for ` anudhamma ' see S.12:51 Comm. At C.Nidd. (to Sn.69) dhamma [ s ] are said to be the four presences of mindfulness, ? and the noble eight-fold path; anudhammas are said to include the practices that are prerequisites to the four presences of mindfulness, etc., i.e. fulfilling the moral standards ( sila ), guarding the doors of the [sense] predominances ( indriya-sanvara ), knowing the [right] amount in regard to eating food ( bhojana-mattannuta ), being devoted to wakefulness ( jagariyanuyoga ) and mindfulness & clear comprehension ( sati-sampajanna ).

12 These ten practices are called the ten bases for making merit ( dasa punna-kiriya-vatthani ). D.33 only mentions the first three, the full set of ten are found at D.33 Comm.

13 That is abstaining from killing living beings (and being compassionate), abstaining from taking what has not been given, abstaining from engaging in sexual misconduct, abstaining from uttering false speech, abstaining from speaking to cause division (and speak for the sake of harmony), abstaining from speaking harshly (and speak what is blameless, dear and goes to the heart), abstaining from uttering useless speech (and speak what is timely and beneficial), giving up covetousness, giving up ill-will and having right view (M.41).

14 They are as follows: giving ( dana ), being moral ( sila ), renunciation ( nekkhamma ), wisdom ( pannà ), energy ( viriya ), patience ( khanti ), truthful-ness ( sacca ), determination ( adhitthana ), loving-kindness ( metta ) and equanimity ( upekkha ) (Bv.1 verses 76, 77).

15These are loving-kindness ( metta lit. friendliness), compassion ( karuna ), sympathetic joy ( mudita ) and equanimity ( upekkha) sometimes also called the four immeasurables ( catasso appamanna ) (D.33; see also Vism. IX,1-124).

16 A.4:32 & A.9:5 Ý giving ( dana ), [using] kind/dear speech ( peyya-vajja ), lit. living for the benefit [of others] ( attha-cariya ) and treating all equally ( samanattata ).

17 I.e. the qualities mentioned in the Karaniyamettasutta (Kh.9 & Sn.143Ý152) and Mahamangalasutta (Kh.5 & Sn.258Ý269). For the text and translation of these see Appendix I, p. __.