The Sobhana Cittas in Our Life - Four wheels

The fact that we are able to perform wholesome deeds in our lives is due to conditions, it is not due to a self. We read in the 'Tenfold Series' (Dialogues of the Buddha III, No. 34, Ch. IV, 276) about factors which are helpful :

 

Four... that help much:-- four 'wheels', to wit,

the orbit of a favourable place of residence,

the orbit of association with the good,

perfect adjustment of one's self,

the cycle of merit wrought in the past.

 

As regards a favourable place of residence, living in a Buddhist country

can be a helpful condition for kusala cittas. Then one has the opportunity to

visit temples and to listen to the preaching of Dhamma. The Dhamma can

change our life and it is the condition for the performing of wholesome deeds,

for dāna, sīla and bhāvanā.

 

As regards 'association with the good', this means association with the

right friend in Dhamma. If one, even though living in a Buddhist country,

does not meet the right friend in Dhamma who can help in the search for the

truth, one lacks the condition which is most helpful for the cultivation of

wisdom and the eradication of defilements.

 

'Perfect adjustment of one's self' is 'adjusting oneself' with kusala as the

goal. There are many degrees of kusala. If one develops the wisdom of the

Eightfold Path by being mindful of nāma and rūpa, there will be less clinging

to the concept of self. If there is mindfulness of nāma and rūpa while

performing wholesome deeds, one will come to realize that no self, no person

performs these deeds. Thus kusala kamma will become purer and eventually

defilements will be eradicated.

 

The accumulation of kusala in the past is the fourth factor which is

helpful. If we haven't accumulated kusala in the past how can we do good

deeds in the present? The kusala kammas which were accumulated in the

past are the condition for us to go to the right place and meet the right

people. It is kamma which causes one to be born in a Buddhist Country or to

live in a Buddhist country. The kusala accumulated in the past conditions our

study and practice of the Dhamma at the present time. If we consider the

factors in our life which are the conditions for kusala we will better

understand that it is not self which performs good deeds.