..續本文上一頁nk is represented by the very explicit image of a woman giving birth to a child.

　　Birth means the appearance of the five aggregates (material form, feeling, perception, formation and consciousness)in the mother”s womb.

　　Birth, as one might expect, is shown as a mother in the process of childbirth, a painful business and a reminder of how dukkha cannot be avoided in any life. Whatever the future life is to be, if we are not able to bring the wheel to a stop in this life, certainly that future will arise conditioned by the kamma made in this life. But it is no use thinking that since there are going to be future births, one may as well put off Dhamma practice until then—for it is not sure what those future births will be like. And when they come around, they are just the present moment as well. So no use waiting!

　　Venerable Nagarjuna shows that it is better to extricate oneself:

　　"Where birth takes place,

　　quite naturally are fear,

　　old age and misery,

　　disease, desire and death,

　　As well a mass of other ills.

　　When birth”s no longer brought about.

　　All the links are ever stopped."

　　L.K. 111

　　Naturally where there is Birth, is also Old-age and Death.

　　..............................

　　12th Link: AGEING AND DEATH (jara-marana)

　　The final link is represented by a dying person. Ageing is both progressive, occurring every moment of our lifetime, and degenerative which leads to death.

　　In future one is assured, given enough of Unknowing and Craving, of lives without end but also of deaths with end. The one appeals to greed but the other arouses aversion. One without the other is impossible. But this is the path of heedlessness. The Dhamma-path leads directly to Deathlessness, the going beyond birth and death, beyond all dukkha.

　　We are well exhorted by the words of Acharya Nagarjuna:

　　"Do you therefore exert yourself:

　　At all times try to penetrate Into the heart of these Four Truths;

　　For even those who dwell at home,

　　they will, by understanding them ford the river of (mental) floods."

　　L.K. 115

　　This is a very brief outline of the workings of this wheel which we cling to for our own harm and the hurt of others. We are the makers of this wheel and the turners of this wheel, but if we wish it and work for it, we are the ones who can stop this wheel.

　　..............................

　　Conclusion

　　This Wheel of Life teaches us and reminds us of many important features of the Dhamma as it was intended to by the teachers of old. Contemplating all its features frequently helps to give us true insight into the nature of Samsara. With its help and our own practice we come to see Dependent Arising in ourselves. When this has been done thoroughly all the riches of Dhamma will be available to us, not from books or discussions, nor from listening to others” explanations...

　　The Exalted Buddha has said:

　　"Whoever sees Dependent Arising, he sees Dhamma;

　　Whoever sees Dhamma, he sees Dependent Arising."

　　Anicca vata sankhara

　　uppada vayadammino

　　Uppajjitva nirujjhant

　　tesam vupasamo sukho.

　　Conditions truly they are transient

　　With the nature to arise and cease

　　Having arisen, then they pass away

　　Their calming, cessation is happiness.

　　-------------------------

　　Credits:

　　Text by Bhikkhu Khantipalo. Rewritten from an article in "Visakha Puja" (251), the Annual of the Buddhist Association of Thailand. Graphics adapted from H.H. The D_Lama”s The Meaning of Life, a Wisdom publication. Prepared at BuddhaNet for Electronic Distribution by Ven. Pannyavaro, February, 1998.

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