| e who practises Dhamma, understands clearly that | | | | (Lokuttara-Panna) in order to get rid of grasping. |
| seizing hold of the aggregates is wrong action, he then | | | | In what way does transcendental-wisdom get rid of |
| sees value only in letting go of them. Then that worthy | | | | grasping? It does so by examining causes and their |
| person can get free of them because be does not | | | | results (Hetu-Phala). What is meant by Cause? What |
| hould on to them firmly. | | | | is meant by Results? Our bodies are our own cause; |
| When one overcomes the grasping-after-self | | | | in othere words, we have already been born. Our |
| (Atthavadupadana), then all grasping and all becoming | | | | results are : old age, sickness, and death. When one |
| are finished and one comes to the end of suffering. | | | | has seen these results, one must then search for the |
| This is the principle which was constantly taught by the | | | | chief cause of them; which is birth. And from what |
| Buddha. Thus, in the following quotation : | | | | does birth arise? From |
| “Upadanerayam Disava” ... To see all | | | | kamma-which-leads-to-becoming (Kammabhava), |
| evil as due to grasping. | | | | which is merit and demerit; and this in turn arises from |
| “Esevanto Dukkhassa” ... That is the end | | | | grasping. |
| of suffering. | | | | Grasping means seizing hold of merit and demerit, the |
| If one cannot get rid of grasping, what troubles will one | | | | latter being as follows: |
| come to? One will again come to the suffering of birth | | | | 1. Grasping after magic formulae and rituals. This |
| ; and when one is born, then one must come to death. | | | | means the practising of doctrines which are outside |
| If one does hate death, then one may grasp at these | | | | the Buddha’s teachings (Sasana). |
| conditions and not allow them to cease. Because, if | | | | Silabbata means the doing of those things which are |
| one seizes hold of them, one has grasping; when one | | | | low minded, vulgar and unworthy. The teachings of the |
| has grasping, then one has becoming, and when one | | | | Buddha instruct one to avoid evil and to perform what |
| has becoming, then one must have birth, In this way, | | | | is good. Evil which leads towards misfortune is called |
| people whirl about endlessly. | | | | Defiled-Kamma. It is of four kinds and includes :a) Killing |
| Letting go of the Four Graspings | | | | beings.b) Stealing.c) Wrong behaviour in sense |
| In considering Grasping there are four kinds, these | | | | desires.d) Wrong speech. |
| being: | | | | Some other doctrines teach that to kill beings is not evil. |
| 1. Grasping after the use of magic formulae and | | | | If one folllows that doctrine; or if one calles oneself a |
| rituals(Silabbatupadana). | | | | follower of the Buddha, but only pays lip service to the |
| 2. Grasping after views and | | | | teachings, without putting them into practice; in other |
| opinios(Ditฺtฺhupadana). | | | | words, if one constantly does evil things, this is |
| 3. Grasping after sense desires (Kamupadana). | | | | one’s kamma-which-leads-to-becoming. This is |
| 4. Grasping after self (Attavadupadana). | | | | one’s cause, and it is evil. One’s birth is |
| What is required to overcome and get rid of grasping? | | | | the result, and if the cause has been evil, the result will |
| One needs Wisdom Morality, and Samadhi. In this case, | | | | be accordingly unfortunate. |
| however, the wisdom must be transcendental | | | | |