Purport of the Numerical Discourse: Four Wonderful Things (A.N.V.128)

by K. Wong

Introduction

On the manifestation of a Tathāgata, four wonderful and marvelous events occur. The four wonderful and marvelous events which occur are enumerated as follows:-

1. Dhamma of non-attachment is expounded by the Tathāgata
2. Dhamma of non-conceit is expounded by the Tathāgata
3. Dhamma of appeasement is expounded by the Tathāgata
4. Dhamma of wisdom is expounded by the Tathāgata.

 A Tathāgata, defined as ‘Thus gone’ in the Theravāda tradition, is a supremely enlightened one or fully awakened one. He has annihilated the illusive selfish self or ego superimposed by the worldlings. He has also destroyed conceit as he has ceased grasping upon the five aggregates as This is I; This is Mine; This belongs to me. He has appeased his obsessions and volitional activities. Thus he has absolutely appeased or tamed his mind thus developing the pure or non-manifestative consciousness like dustless mirror.  He has intuitively discerned the Three Universal Characteristics and the Four Noble Truth thus realizing cosmic illusion of the multiplicity of contigent phenomena or the myriad beings of the cosmos. He has thus developed insight or wisdom. Therefore, a Tathāgata is a fully qualified Man of Perfection to expound the Dhamma of non-attachment, the Dhamma of non-conceit, the Dhamma of appeasement and the Dhamma of Wisdom.

Non-attachment

The uninstructed worldlings are attached to the pleasant or agreeable objects of senses. This fetters them to the bondage of to transmigration (saṃsāra).The Tathāgata expounds the Doctrine of Non-attachment so that the worldlings are detached from all objects of senses in order to gain the taintless liberation of the mind effected from the wisdom of non-attachment. Most importantly, the Tathāgata instructs us not to be attached to pleasant stimuli which arouse one’s greed or cravings. Attachment to pleasant objects are rooted in the superimposition of self-identity in one’s personality and also in the objects of perception – the environmental stimuli. Attachment involves illusive self-imposition of self-identity which leads to grasping of the five aggregates. Grasping of the five aggregates leads to the manifest of the emotion of selfishness. The Tathāgata preaches non-attachment or detachment.

Detachment is the non-grasping of the five aggregates which leads to emotion of selflessness. Selflessness engenders the wholesome emotions of loving kindness (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), appreciative joy (muditā) and equanimity (upekkhā). Detachment generates these four sublime virtues which construct individual harmony as well as social harmony.

Conceit

The uninstructed worldings are afflicted by the taints of conceit:  I’m better; I’m equal; I’m worse i.e the underlying tendency to compare with others. Conceit is the sense of individual pride, the propensity to compare one’s superiority or inferiority relative to others. This tends to create the pride of superiority complex or the misery of inferiority complex. Disharmony, friction, conflict, misunderstanding, ill-will, jealousy tend to arise from such complexes. All these emotions disrupt social harmony.

Therefore, the Tathāgata expounds the Doctrine of Non-self (Anattā) to destroy the notion of conceit. The Tathāgata formulates the Anattā as This is not I; This is not Mine; This does not belong to me. The formulation of Anattā is to annihilate the concept of personal proprietorship or ownership. According to the authentic Word of Gotama Buddha, nothing is I, Mine nor private ownership as self or ego is illusive and unreal in the ultimate analysis. Such right view of Anattā annihilates self-conceit which arises from illusive self or ego which does not exist in the first place. It is in this way that self-conceit is correspondingly annihilated as the illusive superimposition of self identity and other identity is eliminated.

Equanimity

 The uninstructed worldlings are excited by the external stimuli which corrupt their minds. Therefore, the Tathāgata expounds the Doctrine of Equanimity (upekkhā) to pacify or appease their minds. Equanimity is non-attachment to likes and non-aversion towards dislikes. Non-attachment and non-aversion should not be erroneously interpreted as absolute dispassion, indifference or aloofness. Absolute dispassion, indifference or aloofness is synonymous with emotionless human like a piece of dead wood. Buddhism does not instruct and train the Buddhist practitioners to destroy their emotions of likes and dislikes. What the Tathāgata admonishes is that we ought to pro-act in response to any favourable or adverse stimulus selflessly and we ought not to be reactive in response to the stimuli selfishly, that is with greed or hatred. This is the distinction between the wise and the fool. When Gotama Buddha’ foot  was severely injured physically in the jungle, he suffered from the intense pain physically but mentally he was still absolutely appeased or calm (nibbānic state). His body was painful but his mind was not painful. This is the true Buddhist concept of equanimity resulted from wisdom which dispels ignorance (avijjā).

Wisdom

The uninstructed worldlings are afflicted with ignorance. They are mentally deluded by the knowledge of Conventional Truth (Sammuti Sacca). They perceive the conventional world as the diversifying differentiations which are actually illusions. Consequently, they are attached to likes and averse towards dislikes. Thus they are susceptible to suffering and entangled in the bondage of transmigration incessantly. Therefore, the Tathāgata expounds the Right View  [sammā-diṭṭhi] of things as they really are so that the worldlings are able to perceive the illusion of human personality and the multiplicity and thus annihilate the illusive selfish self or ego which does not exist in the first place. Intuitive apprehension of illusive nature of multiplicity of the empirical world including the five aggregates is the wisdom of insightful knowledge of the mundane and the supramundane world – the entire cosmos.

Conclusion

As the Tathāgata is the Man of Perfection characterized by non-attachment, non-conceit, appeasement  and wisdom , the Exalted One is adept at the exposition of non-attachment, Non-conceit, appeasement and wisdom to liberate the worldlings afflicted by greed, hatred and delusion due to the superimposition of self-identity in their five aggregates  and those of others. Non-attachment, non-conceit, appeasement and wisdom perfect human character formation and generate a first class human capital in terms of morality, concentration and wisdom. No one can be successful without morality, concentration and wisdom. Spirituality invigorates secularity. They do not collide but they actually form a powerful synergy. This is how a first class human capital is generated from the syncretism of spirituality and modernity or secularity in which the knowledge of conventional truth interpenetrates and con-exists with the that of ultimate truth. The human perfection or divinity lies here. Human spices are intrinsically divine or perfect. There is Buddhahood or divinity in everyone. Esoteric religions bring forth the supremacy of Man.