Instruction Usually Presented to His Disciples

‘How does Master Gotama guide his disciples? And how is Master Gotama's instruction usually presented to his disciples?’

This is how I guide my disciples, Aggivessana, and this is how my instruction is usually presented to my disciples:

Monks, material form is impermanent, feeling is impermanent, perception is impermanent, volitional formations (choices/decisions) are impermanent, consciousness is impermanent.

Monks, material form is not self, feeling is not self, perception is not self, volitional formations (choices/decisions) are not self, consciousness is not self. All formations are impermanent; all things are not self.

That is the way I guide my disciples, and that is how my instruction is usually presented to my disciples.

(Reference: MN 35)

In The Four Noble Truths, Gotama Buddha lays the foundation for The Five Aggregates. In countless other Teachings, he references The Five Aggregates as it relates to (1) impermanence, (2) discontentedness, and (3) non-self along with sharing other Teachings related to The Five Aggregates. These three comprise what we refer to as The Three Universal Truths.

The Five Aggregates are form, feelings, perceptions, volitional formations (choices/ decisions) and consciousness (the mind). Clinging to The Five Aggregates is what is referred to as “a being” in Gotama Buddha’s Teachings.

It is the physical form of the physical body, the feelings in the mind, the perceptions in the mind, the volitional formations or choices/decisions, and the consciousness (the mind) that are being held on to that a being experiences discontentedness and repeated existences in The Cycle of Rebirth.

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how The Five Aggregates of form, feelings, perceptions, volitional formations (choices/decisions) and consciousness (the mind) are impermanent - meaning temporary. And, he explains that The Five Aggregates are “not self” - referencing The Universal Truth of Non-self as described in the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1).

As the mind experiences discontentedness (pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and feelings that are neither painful-nor-pleasant) the mind is “holding on to” The Five Aggregates. The mind can train to understand that all these Five Aggregates are impermanent (temporary) and not the self (non-self), then the mind clinging to them craving permanence can be eliminated to experience contentedness as the mind has nothing to hold on to so tightly causing itself discontentedness.

With this Teaching and all of Gotama Buddha’s Teachings, you should not believe what The Buddha is sharing but instead, learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings to independently discover the truth through verification of The Teachings in your own practice.

You might choose to reflect in this way:

1.) Is the physical form of the body permanent or impermanent?

2.) Is the physical form of the body a permanent self?

3.) Are the feelings permanent or impermanent?

4.) Are the feelings a permanent self?

5.) Are the perceptions permanent or impermanent?

6.) Are the perceptions a permanent self?

7.) Are the volitional formations (choices/decisions) permanent or impermanent?

8.) Are the volitional formations (choices/decisions) a permanent self?

9.) Is the consciousness (the mind) permanent or impermanent?

10.) Is the consciousness (the mind) a permanent self?

In reflection on these questions, you should come to the conclusion that none of The Five Aggregates are permanent, they are all impermanent. This life and this existence are impermanent. And, therefore, none of The Five Aggregates is “the permanent self”. The permanent self does not exist.

So, if the mind deeply understands and can see this true reality clearly, it can then be trained to “let go” practicing non-craving, non-desire, non-attachment to The Five Aggregates and, thus, eliminating this entire mass of discontentedness and the suffering it causes.

It is only a matter of learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings with guidance from a Teacher to train the mind closely that “holding on to” any of these things or anything else is only going to cause discontent feelings in the mind. So, let go….

Why Did The Buddha Shave His Head?

During the lifetime of Siddhartha Gotama, who eventually became known as Gotama Buddha, it was common practice for members of the royal family to grow their hair very long. This helped people to understand who is and is not a member of the royal family.

During his lifetime, there were no photographs or other technology to widely share images of who is and is not a member of the royal family. So the only way that people knew who was royalty, was through their long, well cared for hair.

It is only royalty that would have the time and ability to take care of their hair. Cleaning, combing, brushing, and otherwise caring for long hair required time, effort, energy, and resources that a common person would not have.

A commoner would be hard at work in the fields as a laborer or perhaps having some other job that took significant amounts of time and effort, making it impossible to care for long flowing hair.

Siddhartha Gotama grew his hair for 29 years as the Prince destined to become the King.

Upon leaving the royal palace on a journey towards Enlightenment, he cut off his hair as a way of “letting go” of the past, ensuring that his decision to pursue Enlightenment was confirmed, as no one would ever believe that he was royalty ever again. Without the long flowing hair that took 29 years to develop, the people in the Kingdom would never accept that he was a member of the royal family and certainly not a King.

So this tradition was part of what he decided to do in his journey to Enlightenment.

As such, it also helps one to understand and develop “The Universal Truth of Non-self” in the mind.

The Universal Truth of Non-self helps a Practitioner to understand that “you” are not the physical body (i.e. the self image) and “you” are not the mind (i.e. self identity).

The Universal Truth of Non-self helps a Practitioner see true reality that there is no permanent never changing self, it does not exist. This physical body (i.e. self image) and mind (i.e. self identity) is not “you”. These things are constantly changing and as long as the mind holds on to them, it will continue to experience discontentedness never being peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy by experiencing Enlightenment. This is described as part of the fetter/taint/pollution of mind in The Ten Fetters as “personal existence view”.

So today, someone might choose to cut their hair as a way to help them develop the mind towards the realization of The Universal Truth of Non-self and elimination of the fetter/taint/ pollution of mind described as “personal existence view”.

While Siddhartha Gotama cut his hair as a way to “not look back” and make a lasting decision to no longer be a member of the royal family, it also contributed to helping him realize non-self, eliminating the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described in The Ten Fetters as “personal existence view” bringing the mind closer to Enlightenment.

It can also be a reminder of The Universal Truth of Impermanence, that this hair is constantly changing, and it is not permanent. Every 2-4 weeks, one will need to get a haircut to keep it short as a continuous reminder of The Universal Truth of Impermanence.

Soaking into the mind both, The Universal Truth of Impermanence and The Universal Truth of Non-self helps to train the mind closer to Enlightenment and actually experience Enlightenment, along with many other Teachings that are needed to progress to Enlightenment.