First, I wish Pa Auk Sayadaw happiness, good health, and a long life. I wish Pa Auk Sayadaw to be successful, to be respected by all humans and non-humans, and to enjoy peace, freedom, and, most importantly, the Dhamma.
I appreciate Pa Auk Sayadaw’s teachings immensely. He is the greatest expert and master of concentration-based methods. I have never seen (and I have ca. 100 000 documents on Buddhism) a document that would explain concentration (samatha) practice even to the level (let alone better) as Pa Auk Sayadaw explains it. The thoroughness is unequalled.
At the same time, Pa Auk Sayadaw’s Vipassana teaching is based on several misunderstandings that can be traced in the Sub-Commentaries from which he quotes.
See the recording and transcript of Pa Auk Sayadaw’s horrible misunderstanding of an extremely important point about Enlightenment. See the transcript of what he said during his Dhamma talk. You can download and watch and/or read the Pa Auk Sayadaw’s statements from here.
“Viññāṇaṃ anidassanaṃ anantaṃ sabbato pabhaṃ, taṃ pathaviyā pathavattena ananubhūtaṃ.”* (MN 49. Brahmanimantanika Sutta) Viññāṇaṃ anidassanaṃ anantaṃ sabbato pabhaṃ“ – these words are quite important, okay? Viññāṇaṃ- In this phenomenon of noble Nibbāna, viññāṇa (means) Enlightened ones‘ Path knowledge (maggañāṇa), Enlightened ones‘ Fruition knowledge (phalañāṇa), the knowledge of reflection (paccavekkhaṇāñāṇa).
By that knowledge an insight is known and seen. Taṃ- that noble phenomenon of Nibbāna, viññāṇaṃ- the Enlightened ones‘ Path knowledge, the Enlightened ones‘ Fruition knowledge (phalañāṇa), the knowledge of reflection (paccavekkhaṇāñāṇa) are so called knowledges by which an insight is known and seen. Anidassanaṃ- it is not possible to get insight, knowing and seeing, by eye consciousness. Anantaṃ- there is no limitation of arising (uppāda) (or) cessation (bhaṅga), sabbatopabhaṃ- shines all around, completely. Nibbāna, okay?
The noble phenomenon of Nibbāna is continuously-always radiating-shining, okay? So, regarding continuously-always shining, "Sabbaso pabhāsampannaṃ, nibbānato hi añño dhammo sapabhataro vā jotivantataro vā parisuddhataro vā paṇḍataro vā natthi“ (MNA 2.310), thus the Commentary explains. The element of Nibbāna is so excellent, that a phenomenon more shining, a phenomenon more radiating, a phenomenon more pure, clear(er) phenomenon does not exist in the world. Nibbāna is the most radiating-shining phenomenon. Thus (the Commentary) explains.[1]
So, in Nibbāna, regarding the presence of the color of light, quite a lot of the modern meditation masters do not want to agree. Why they don’t want to agree? There is a reason. What reason? After meditating very hard, (they) get so tired, that even while sitting (they) fall asleep. When they fall asleep, (they) do not dream. Bhavaṅga (moments of unconscious life-continuum) happen in succession, and because (the moments) of bhavaṅga happened, (they) abruptly awake from the bhavaṅga and (it) is like waking up from being asleep. So, there he (the meditation master) is sleeping, hence (he) doesn’t encounter any light. Their experience, the knowledge and seeing of their experience (they) do not encounter any light, hence what do they think? “It is not true, that there is a color-light in Nibbāna.” So, this is what happens to him (a meditation master).
Now the Buddha here teaches exactly: sabbatopabhaṃ - (Nibbāna) is continuously-always radiating-shining. And the Commentaries (say) in the world there is absolutely nothing that is radiating-shining more than Nibbāna, More- pure, clean, clear; a phenomenon in the world (more shining etc., than Nibbāna) doesn’t exist. The Buddha teaches thus, and the Commentaries further explain. So, regarding that place I would like to respectfully inform (you about something) further. In our chapter on upakkilesa, in the ten impurities of insight knowledge the so-called obhāsa-upakkilesa issue is also included as obhāsa. This “obhāsa” means color-light. What is this obhāsa? Mahāṭīkā masters explain (it) also in detail. So, in the process of the insight-impulses (vipassanā-javana-vīthi-citta) or also when practicing concentration (samatha), the succession of samatha impulses (samatha-javana-citta) which meditate on concentration (samatha) Are present, especially (in the case of) jhāna-mind like in the fourth jhāna.
Here if (somebody) has been meditating on the meditation of inbreath-outbreath, the clear-shining couter-sign of inbreath-outbreath appears and when (the meditator) takes the object of the clear-shining counter-sign of inbreath-outbreath, as (he) establishes the concentration further, the meditation mind sinks into the object of the clear-shining countersign of inbreath-outbreath and peacefully attaches (to it) and stays (there). When (it) stays (there), jhāna of such sinking and staying, let’s say for the mind (in) jhāna-meditation (jhāna-samādhi) of the fourth jhāna-meditation, okay, if (he) arrived to the fourth jhāna-meditation, because of the accompanying power of mind, the materialities are arisen because of the mind spread throughout the body. If the materiality-groupings (rūpa-kalāpa) are arisen because of the mind were analysed into elements, in each and every grouping there are eight natural phenomena, i.e., earth (solidity), water (cohesion), fire (temperature/decaying/digestion), air (support/pressure/movement), appearance (color), smell, taste, (and) nutritive essence. The element of vaṇṇadhātu (appearance/color), in those eight things there, is bhāsurarūpa- immensely clear-shining nature. Because the element of mind (cittadhātu) is clear, in the material phenomena which arose due to the element of mind there arise clear-shining color-appearance.
Furthermore, in each of the groupings (kalāpa) there is again the element of fire (temperature). This element of fire is called utu (temperature). Every element of fire in every grouping further repeatedly gives rise to new (and) new groupings of materiality for many times. When the power of meditation strengthens, as it has strengthened, (the light) spreads-escapes from the inside to the outside. How much does it spread? That depends on the power of the person’s meditation (samādhi). Some within a room, some even one yojana (perhaps 12.72 miles), some even two yojanas, and so on, thus (the light) spreads. Because of one moment of mind-impulse in a higher-knowledge (abhiññā-javana-citta-dhātu-khaṇa) of venerable Anuruddha’s fourth jhāna, the arisen light-color spread to as many as one thousand Wheel Systems (worlds). So powerful (was that light). The materiality arisen due to mind when the mind-element’s power is very powerful, materiality arisen due to the fire(temperature)-conditioned-by-mind successively arisen from that materiality arisen due to mind (i.e., mind gives rise to materiality and that materiality gives rise to temperature), (it is) simply the shining of those color-element-materiality-objects (vaṇṇadhātu-rūpārammaṇa) included in the materiality-groupings. When the shining of the color-element-materiality-objects strengthens very well, the color-element-materiality-objects arisen due to jhāna mind do not strengthen this much.[2]
If (one) has arrived to the portion of vipassanā (insight meditation), due to the power of the mind-element which arose together with the insight-knowledge (vipassanā-ñāṇa) light-color (which) is similar, of the same appearance, arises.[3] Some of these light-colors spread-develop within a room, some (to the distance) of one yojana, (some) two yojanas, and so on.
Actually, the Commentary of Visuddhimagga mentions two great famous elders who lived in the monastery of Cittala mountain, in the island of Sri Lanka. There is provided a discussion of a subject related to this light-color. One great elder, his light-color escaped-spread from within the room and (he) looks into the distance toward the flowers which were offered in the evening by them (the two elders) on the precincts of the cetiya and sees all of the flowers. The (other) elder, however, looks not only to the flowers, (he) looks into the distance toward the dear fish that stay in the sea (and sees them all). (Visuddhimagga) mentions how (one) can see thanks to the power of this light-color, okay? This is the power of knowledge-color.
In the way that the concentration-meditation mind (samatha-bhāvanā-citta) and insight-meditation-mind (vipassanā-bhāvanā citta) give rise to light-color called "knowledge-color,“ when insight-knowledge of a good person matures and arrives at end of Enlightened ones‘ Path knowledge (maggañāṇa), Enlightened ones‘ Fruition knowledge (phalañāṇa), let’s say Enlightened ones‘ Path knowledge (maggañāṇa), Enlightened ones‘ Fruition knowledge (phalañāṇa) is just like that, it gives rise to groupings of matter arisen due to mind. (What) arises because of that mind; in every grouping of the materiality arisen due to mind which appeared because of the Enlightened ones‘ Path mind, Enlightened ones‘ Fruition mind, the color-element-materiality-objects (vaṇṇa-dhātu-rūpārammaṇa) are included. That materiality-object also has the nature of being clear-shining.
Once more, because this materiality arisen due to mind of Path mind (and) Fruition mind, there are in every grouping of materiality-arisen-due-to -mind elements of fire (temperature), (and due to) each (of them) successfively appear groupings of materiality arisen due to temperature, and in each (of them) there is included color-element-materiality-object. This color-element-materiality-objects also have the nature of being clear-shining. Thus, what this means, Path… when a meditating person takes the object of Nibbāna by the Enlightened ones‘ Path knowledge, Fruition knowledge, Nibbāna is also clear-shining. The materiality arisen due to mind which appear because of Enlightened ones‘ Path mind (and) Fruition mind, from there the successively arisen materialities arisen due to temperature, The color-element-matter-objects which stay in those materialities are also clear-shining.
Good people, who are taking Nibbāna as an object, can encounter this nature if (they) pay attention to and look for (it). So, the people who do not want to accept this light-color, if (you) ask them why they don’t want to accept this light-color, according to their experience, the Nibbāna (which they) experience is the Nibbāna of being asleep. Because it is a Nibbāna of being asleep, they do not want to accept this light-color.
[1] The Majjhima Nikāya Commentary and Sub-Commentary in this paragraph of Pāḷi text shows that the meaning of this word "pabha“ (shining) is to be understood in a metaphorical way. The word pabha should be understood as a name of a shore, or it should be read as "pabhū“ (better) or "pavisa“ (entering the shore of Nibbāna), or that Nibbāna "shines“ by the absense of darkness or anything immaterial. According to the Dīgha Nikāya Commentary and Sub-Commentary, the word pabha should be read as "papa“ (water). Nibbāna is subsistent (available, unending) everywhere like water in the oceans. Or Nibbāna "shines“ by the total absence of defilement. See exact quotations and explanations below.
"Atha vā pabhanti titthassa nāmaṃ, sabbato pabhamassāti sabbatopabhaṃ. Nibbānassa kira yathā mahāsamuddassa yato yato otaritukāmā honti, taṃ tadeva titthaṃ, atitthaṃ nāma natthi. Evamevaṃ aṭṭhatiṃsāya kammaṭṭhānesu yena yena mukhena nibbānaṃ otaritukāmā honti, taṃ tadeva titthaṃ. Nibbānassa atitthaṃ nāma kammaṭṭhānaṃ natthi. Tena vuttaṃ sabbatopabhanti.” (MNA 2.310) The Sub-Commentary further explains that (a) because there is no darkness (tamo), Nibbāna shines; (b) how the word “pabha” is a different form of “pabhū” (better), thus exalting the great element of Nibbāna, (c) that Nibbāna “shines” by the absence of immaterial phenomena, or (d) that is in fact a different way of pronouncing “pavisa” (entering the shore of Nibbāna) - Apabhassarabhāvahetūnaṃ sabbaso abhāvā sabbato pabhāti sabbatopabhaṃ. Tenāha ‘‘nibbānato hī’’tiādi. Tathā hi vuttaṃ – ‘‘tamo tattha na vijjatī’’ti. (Netti. 104) pabhūtamevāti pakaṭṭhabhāvena ukkaṭṭhabhāvena vijjamānameva. Arūpībhāvena adesikattā sabbato pabhavati vijjatīti sabbatopabhaṃ. Tenāha ‘‘puratthimadisādīsū’’tiādi. Pavisanti etthāti pavisaṃ, tadeva sa-kārassa bha-kāraṃ, vi-kārassa ca lopaṃ katvā vuttaṃ ‘‘pabha’’nti. Tenāha ‘‘titthassa nāma’’nti. (MNṬ 2.317) The Dīgha Nikāya Sub-Commentary explains “pabha” as a different way of pronouncing “papa” (water), thus elaborating on the Commentarial explanation of the same words (Viññāṇaṃ anidassanaṃ, anantaṃ sabbatopabhaṃ) mentioned in DN 11. Kevaṭṭa/Kevaddha Sutta and adds that “shining all around” means that Nibbāna “shines by the total absence of defilement” – “Titthassa nāma’’nti vatvā tattha nibbacanaṃ dassetuṃ ‘‘papanti etthāti papa’’nti vuttaṃ. Ettha hi papanti pānatitthaṃ. Bha-kāro kato niruttinayena. Visuddhaṭṭhena vā sabbatopabhaṃ, kenaci anupakkiliṭṭhatāya samantato pabhassaranti attho.” (DNṬ 1.393)
[2] I.e., the shining strengthens, but not the color-objects. Perhaps the groupings cannot strengthen, they can only cause arising of other similar groupings. Anyway, the meaning here is not clear to me.
[3] I.e., insight-knowledge is accompanied by a powerful mind and this powerful mind is a cause of shining.
Regarding the Pa Auk Sayadaw’s statement, that of course can be disputed in any way - as any human experience. I heard during my visit in the USA, which happened exactly in 2020, March 10-30th. I was guiding at a meditation retreat in Fresno (Myauk Oo Sayadaw’s Meditation Center) and then in Florida (Tayzawbathar Kyaung). During one of these two meditation retreats, I explained the problem of Pa Auk Sayadaw’s misunderstanding of the commentarial glosses. In that context, one participant said that during a prior visit to the USA, Pa Auk Sayadaw was asked whether he had achieved Stream-Entry. Pa Auk Sayadaw then said that this kind of question should not be asked and that he did not achieved Stream-Entry. Of course, Pa Auk Sayadaw may not have said this. Perhaps a deity was impersonating Pa Auk Sayadaw. I heard a story in Myanmar that a monk (not Pa Auk Sayadaw) was giving a Dhamma talk in one village and at the same time in a different village he was giving it also - which I understand as that a deity was impersonating that monk. Based on this story, I wonder whether Pa Auk Sayadaw was similarly impersonated. Or perhaps the person who told me what they heard and saw was just dreaming this situation, and their memory mixed the dream with their real experience of meeting Pa Auk Sayadaw.
Because of these three points, I am convinced that Pa Auk Sayadaw is not just a puthujjana, void of any Enlightenment, but, more importantly, he is not and will not be able to attain Enlightenment due to his slandering of Enlightened monks. I hope to hear Pa Auk Sayadaw apologize for slandering and mocking Enlightened monks, because I wish him to achieve Enlightenment in this life.
Because I am not a Pa Auk Sayadaw follower, I am not biased toward or against him. I am observing and learning. My teacher is the Buddha, and the Buddha said that we should neither accept nor reject what another monk says is a Buddha’s Teaching. Instead, we should compare it with the Buddha’s Dhamma and accept or reject it accordingly.
