214: Practices of Guaranteed Result (Apaṇṇakapaṭipadā)

 In this episode, “Practices of Guaranteed Result,” we explore the Buddha’s three essential techniques—known as Apaṇṇakapaṭipadā—that promise undeniable progress on the path when practiced diligently. These three techniques are simple but profound: restraining the six sense doors, eating sensibly, and maintaining continuous mindfulness. Through practical examples and step-by-step guidance, the episode explains how to guard the mind at each sense contact, how wise eating supports clarity, and how uninterrupted mindfulness becomes the foundation for liberation. Listeners will learn how these practices form a powerful three-pronged method that can reliably lead to path, fruition, and ultimately Nibbāna. A direct, practical teaching rooted in early Buddhist texts—offered for anyone who wishes to walk the path with confidence. 

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Sayar Myat: 0:01

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa,Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa, Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa. Theravada Buddhism Dhamma series number thirty seven. Practices of guaranteed result. Apanaka Patipada. We have been talking about the nature of mind and its mental factors in fairly detailed manners. So today we will track ourselves back to the practice side. The most important thing is the practice. So just a little reminder. The Buddha taught us three techniques, and if one follows correctly and diligently, it will produce a beneficial result without fail. The three techniques are: -restraint of the six senses, -eating sensibly and -being constantly mindful. If one follow these three techniques, one is guaranteed to attain path, fruition and eventually nibbana. So let's go into the first technique. The Buddha taught the restraint of the six senses or the restraints of the sixth sense faculty. In pali, Indriya samvara sila . Due to an inquiry by Sakka. Sakka is the King of the Devas. So this Sutta or Sila. In brief, I'll make it in a very brief form. It runs as follows. This is a very brief version. There are two kinds of objects. One object is deserving of keeping, and the other object is not deserving of keeping. That's a one salient point, the key salient point. So let's use the visible object as an example. Visible objects that increase kusala kamma (wholesome kamma), or you can call it merit. That increase kusala kamma or merit and decrease akusala kamma or demerit and arouse repulsiveness, a sense of conviction, in other words that is saddha and the perception of impermanence are worthy objects that need to be kept in mind. Keep to be kept in mind means it's arising repeatedly, frequently in the mind. That's keeping in mind or worth keeping. And also there are visible objects that decrease, decrease kusala kamma (merit) and increase akusala kamma (demerit) and arouse attachment are unworthy objects that need to discard or should not kept in mind, should not repeat in mind of their arising. So those are the two kind of objects. That's what the what's said in the sutta. We talk about it in detail on the visible object. But similarly, one must or one can approach the cognizable sound object, cognizable sound, odor, taste, tangible objects, and Dhamma objects. So all the objects of the six senses have two categories one produce wholesome merit and one produce unwholesome merits kamma. So that is the Indriya Sawara Sila. The restraint of the sixth sense faculty taught by the Buddha based on a question by the Sakat, King of Deva. Yeah, I think it is quite clear and plain enough for us to understand. But how do we practice so that it can be really effective? How do we practice? So that means the practical way of maintaining or sustaining that in Driya Sangwara Sila. Okay, one guard the sixth sense doors to block mental defilements from arising. We have to guard our sixth sense door to block the arising of mental defilements, kilisa. But how do we do it step by step? So let's deal with the visible form first. When a visible form comes in contact with the eye sensitivity, at that moment observed and note as seeing seeing. We have been practicing in our meditation retreat, seeing, seeing, hearing, hearing, and so on. That is Indriya samvara sila, observing Indriya samvara sila. To observe and note seeing seeing. One must be able to attend precisely at the moment of seeing or mental contact pasat at that moment the seeing arises. It must be precise or as precise as you can. If not, if you are delayed, form, shape, texture, color, and manners of the object will become seamlessly vivid. In other words, all those individual qualities combine and become a seamless object which is vivid that present to you. When it becomes seamlessly vivid, likes craving or dislike dissatisfaction will arise. When you see a beautiful painting, you like it, you crave for it. When you see a ugly picture, you don't like it. You feel a sense of dissatisfaction or aversion inside you. That's what happens when you see a painting as a whole seamlessly as a try to represent. But if you're looking at just simply the color, simply the texture, piece by piece of that painting, you will not have that likes and dislike. But when all these things combine, when it becomes seamless, a whole picture as the painter wants to conveys, likes and dislikes will arise in you. It all depends on your observation and noting. First line of defense is noting precisely, seeing, seeing, seeing. And if it is strong and precise, kilesa cannot arise. But if it is not strong and precise, likes and dislikes kilesa arises, that means it broke your first line of defense. And if that happens, observe that likes or craving or attachment, or observe that dislikes, dissatisfaction or anger, and emotions that comes along with it till they passed away. And if you can observe those emotions till they passed away, monitoring and recording emotions and feelings are your backup line of defense. The first defense line is observe as it is. If you don't subsede, you observe the effects, which is emotions. That is the second line of defense. One could block the arising of craving, dissatisfaction, and delusion. That's the first line of the fence. You can block it right then and there. If not, the second line of defense is dousing the fire that is brought about by the mental defilement. Two lines of defense. So that is on a visible form. Let's go to the sound. When an audible sound meets the ear sensitivity, hearing, a hearing will arise. At that time one must observe and note as hearing, hearing. That process is the knowledge of the hearing consciousness. In other words, you are observing hearing consciousness. When you are saying hearing, hearing, you are experiencing the hearing consciousness. If one fails to observe, great aversion and illusion will arise. If you fail to observe precisely and firmly as hearing hearing, then lobha, dosa and Moha will arise. And if that's the case, observe and note the mental defilements and emotions till it passed away. Then one could block the arising of the craving, dissatisfaction, and delusion on a sound. Let's go to the smell. When the odor comes in contact with the no sensitivity, at that moment, observed and note as smelling, smelling. In other words, observing as it is. And also when the taste and tongue sensitivity comes in contact, observe and note. Tasting, tasting as it is. When a tangible object and the body sensitivity come in contact, observe and note as touching, touching at the moment of arising so that no greed, anger or delusion can arise. So that kilesa would not arise. Until the thought subsides. Also when intention arises, note as intention, intention or intending, intending. If the intentions are wholesome, beneficial or useful, proceed with the action. If not, observe till it subsides so that kilesa cannot arise. This tactic was training the six senses at the sixth sense door is the best way to block the mental defilements from arising. So this is actually the practical execution of the Sutta, indriya samvara sila. You can see it in the scripture phrase and put in a different way. In execution, this is how one does it. So that's the first technique. And let's go the another technique. Day in and day out, you are meditating. So every day one needs to eat because that is the physical phenomenon. How to sustain the body. Eating food sensibly with nutritious and agreeable food to appease thirst and hunger. Thirst and hunger complements the restraints of the six senses. The first technique. Always eat a few mouthfuls less than the whole. Unsuitable food for the body will make one sick if one overeat, then necessary, or do the full will give indigestion and discomfort. That will disturb the meditation because it produces sleepiness. Overeating produce sleepiness. Good health is a requirement to practice Dhamma. Without good health, without being healthy, one cannot practice Dhamma effectively. That is the second factor or technique one has to incorporate it along with the restraints of the six senses. The third one or the third technique is to keep yourself alert at every waking moment. You have to keep yourself alert at every waking moment. For what? To be mindful at all times. You need alertness to be able to be mindful at all times. Mindfulness/sati must be continuous from one object to the next without having any break or gap. That is the third technique. So it is a three-pronged approach in the meditation. Restraint of the sixth senses at the sixth sense door. Make sure you eat right so that you can do that work properly. One can practice these three techniques diligently with commitment. If you can practice these diligently with commitment, the goal or objective is guaranteed. Guaranteed by the Buddha. These three techniques are guaranteed to secure the result. Liberation. In Pali it's called Apaṇṇakapaṭipadā. Paṭipadā is the practice. The practices that guaranteed the result, which is liberation. Nibbana. May all of you be able to practice these three prong approach of Dhamma and be able to attain Path and Fruition and eventually Nibbana, as soon as possible. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu. Thank you very much.