English corrected subtitles can be activated (!)
Nowadays people practice the Buddha-Dhamma for variety of reasons, from different grounds of motivation, with different intensity, still, it will be certainly advantageous to know, or at least to be informed about the original format and depth of Buddha’s Teaching and the astoundingly radical solution to human malaise presented there.
This Dhamma talk is about endless rebirth (Samsāra) and the ultimate solution of all problems (Parinibbāna). The “Paticca Samuppāda” - Dependent Origination in anuloma (=clockwise) direction is showing the principle of endless running in Samsāra, the “patiloma” (=counterclockwise) direction of conditionality shows the ultimate cause of all unsatisfactoriness. The Buddha’s solution lies in the overcoming of this cause of all problems - avijjā.
In this talk Ashin Ottama is consciously and purposely relaying on somehow disputed Sutta SN22:22 - “The Burden”, which, as if contradicts the canonical Theravadins presentation of anattā (= Not-self, or selflessness), with the aim, to bring awareness to this important topic, because in Buddha’s time anattā may had another shade of meaning as it presents the later Theravada.
“puggala“=person. As I understand it, the 5 khandha creates the notion of a “puggala” - person, the “you”, but this notion is unstable, changeable, just an appearance of “self”. When the 5 khandhas are laid down, the puggala goes as well. In majority of the Suttas Buddha speaks from the standpoint of ultimate reality (paramattha) - and says rather the opposite - example SN12:12. Both Suttas here below:
SN22:22 The Burden Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi
At Savatthi…. There the Blessed One said this: "Bhikkhus, I will teach you the burden, the carrier of the burden, the taking up of the burden, and the laying down of the burden. Listen to that….
"And what, bhikkhus, is the burden? It should be said: the five aggregates subject to clinging. What five? The form aggregate subject to clinging, the feeling aggregate subject to clinging, the perception aggregate subject to clinging, the volitional formations aggregate subject to clinging, the consciousness aggregate subject to clinging. This is called the burden.
"And what, bhikkhus, is the carrier of the burden? It should be said: the person, this venerable one of such a name and clan. This is called the carrier of the burden.
"And what, bhikkhus, is the taking up of the burden? It is this craving that leads to renewed existence, accompanied by delight and lust, seeking delight here and there; that is, craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, craving for extermination. This is called the taking up of the burden.
"And what, bhikkhus, is the laying down of the burden? It is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that same craving, the giving up and relinquishing of it, freedom from it, non-reliance on it. This is called the laying down of the burden."
This is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this:
"The five aggregates are truly burdens,
The burden-carrier is the person.
Taking up the burden is suffering in the world,
Laying the burden down is blissful.
Having laid the heavy burden down
Without taking up another burden,
Having drawn out craving with its root,
One is free from hunger, fully quenched."
SN12:12 excerpt:
"Venerable sir, who feels?"
"Not a valid question," the Blessed One replied. "I do not say, ‘One feels.’ If I should say, ‘One feels,’ in that case this would be a valid question: ‘Venerable sir, who feels?’ But I do not speak thus. Since I do not speak thus, if one should ask me, ‘Venerable sir, with what as condition does feeling come to be?’ this would be a valid question. To this the valid answer is: ‘With contact as condition, feeling comes to be; with feeling as condition, craving.’"