14 (Day) Notes | Sutta Study @ Buddhist Maha Vihara, Brickfields | Bhante Dr. G. Chandima

*The etymology of the Pali word "Dukkha"

The word has been explained in recent times as a derivation from Aryan terminology for an axle hole, referring to an axle hole which is not in the center and leads to a bumpy, uncomfortable ride.

The ancient Aryans who brought the Sanskrit language to India were a nomadic, horse- and cattle-breeding people who travelled in horse- or ox-drawn vehicles. Su and dus are prefixes indicating good or bad. The word kha, in later Sanskrit meaning "sky," "ether," or "space," was originally the word for "hole," particularly an axle hole of one of the Aryan's vehicles. Thus sukha ... meant, originally, "having a good axle hole," while dukkha meant "having a poor axle hole," leading to discomfort (quoted from Sargeant, Winthrop (2009), The Bhagavad Gita, SUNY Press)

* Afraid of Dukkha and seeking everlasting happiness? Does your fear of dukkha imply a dislike (dosa) for dukkha? What is the tolerance for dukkha? Should we tolerate dukkha? Should we overcome dukkha? How may dukkha be viewed without resorting to self-mortification or over- indulgence?

*Physical pain (dukkha) and Mental pain (domanassa)

*Dukkha as three marks of existence (one of the universal characteristics of the inner world)

Anicca, Dukkha and Anatta

3 types of Dukkha (Dukkhatā Sutta SN 45.165)

Text and Translation

"Monks, there are these three kinds of unsatisfactoriness. 

What three? 

-Dukkha-dukkhatā (Unsatisfactoriness caused by pain)

-Sankhāra-dukkhatāb (Unsatisfactorinesscaused by the formations) (or conditioned existence), 

-Viparināma-dukkhatā (Unsatisfactoriness due to change) 

• Dukkha-dukkhatā, the actual feeling of physical or mental pain or anguish.
• Sankhāra-dukkhatā, the unsatisfactoriness produced by all "conditioned phenomena"
• Viparināma-dukkhatā, the unsatisfactoriness associated with pleasant bodily and mental feelings

It is for the full comprehension, clear understanding, ending and abandonment of these three forms of unsatisfactoriness that the Noble Eightfold Path is to be cultivated..."

*What is the only way to completely understand the three sorts of dukkhas mentioned above?

by following the Noble Eightfold Path in its entirety through practice. (Dukkha Sutta, SN 38.14) 

1. What is the noble truth of dukkha (unsatisfactoriness)?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c9RA4J5JmSAn7pS9NYfdfng8x3fL4VVX/view ( Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11)

https://patisota.blogspot.com/2020/09/what-is-noble-truth-of-dukkha.html (Saccavibhaṅgasutta MN 141)

For a broader description: https://patisota.blogspot.com/2023/06/dukkha-ariya-sacca-bhante-dr-gangodawila-chandima.html

2. Five aggregates and Five clinging-aggregates (Khandha Sutta, SN 22.48)

At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, "Monks, I will teach you the five aggregates & the five clinging-aggregates. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."

"As you say, lord," the monks responded.

The Blessed One said, "Now what, monks, are the five aggregates?

"Whatever form is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the form aggregate.

"Whatever feeling is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the feeling aggregate.

"Whatever perception is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the perception aggregate.

"Whatever (mental) fabrications are past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: those are called the fabrication aggregate.

"Whatever consciousness is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: that is called the consciousness aggregate.

"These are called the five aggregates.

"And what are the five clinging-aggregates?

"Whatever form — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — is clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental fermentation (sāsavaṃ upādāniyaṃ) : that is called form as clinging-aggregate.

"Whatever feeling — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — is clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental fermentation (sāsavaṃ upādāniyaṃ): that is called feeling as a clinging-aggregate.

"Whatever perception — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — is clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental fermentation (sāsavaṃ upādāniyaṃ): that is called perception as a clinging-aggregate.

"Whatever (mental) fabrications — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — are clingable, offer sustenance, and are accompanied with mental fermentation (sāsavaṃ upādāniyaṃ): those are called fabrication as a clinging-aggregate.

"Whatever consciousness — past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near — is clingable, offers sustenance, and is accompanied with mental fermentation (sāsavaṃ upādāniyaṃ): that is called consciousness as a clinging-aggregate.

"These are called the five clinging-aggregates."