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ogha {pi}


Pāḷi; √ ogha
gender:
type:
alt. sp.: IPA: oːgʰə, Velthuis: ogha, readable: ogha, simple: ogha
translation ~:
skr.:
khmer: ឱឃ
thai: โอฆ
sinhal.: ඕඝ
burm.: ဩဃ
appears:



ogha.jpg

[dic] ogha

ogha: Description welcome. Info can be removed after imput.

ATI Glossary

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Buddhist Dictionary

by late Ven. Nyanalokita Thera:

ogha: 'floods', is a name for the 4 cankers (see āsava).

 

PTS Dictionary

by the Pali Text Society:

 

Glossary Thanissaro

Ogha: Flood; factors that sweep the mind along the round of death and rebirth — sensual passion, becoming, and ignorance. Some lists add views as a fourth member of the list.

 

Illustrated Glossary of Pāli Terms

by Ven. Varado Maha Thera:

Renderings
  • for ogha:
    • flood
    • the flood [of suffering]
    • flood-crosser, one who has crossed the flood [of suffering]
  • ogha: flood [of suffering]
  • ekamantaṁ: flood [of suffering]
  • oghatiṇṇo: one who has crossed the flood [of suffering]
  • oghatiṇṇā: those who have crossed the flood [of suffering]
  • oghaṁ: flood [of suffering]
Introduction

PED: the old word ‘ogha’

PED (sv Ogha) says that one who has ‘crossed the flood’ (oghatiṇṇa) is ascribed the mental and moral qualifications of the arahant, but adds that ‘less often we have details of what the flood consists of.’ It says that ‘towards the end of the Nikāya period we find, for the first time, the use of the word in the plural, and the mention of the four oghas identical with the four āsavas… The 5th century commentators persist in the error of explaining the old word ogha, used in the singular, as referring to the four āsavas.’

The ocean of the six senses

Before discussing ‘the flood,’ we will first deal with ‘the ocean.’ This has two meanings:

1) the ocean of the six senses (cakkhu bhikkhave purisassa samuddo etc, SN iv 157) in which ‘ocean currents’ are the six sense objects. This is the ocean that the arahant has crossed (atari cakkhu samuddaṁ: crossed the ocean of the eye). This ocean with its six sense objects is elsewhere called ‘everything’ (cakkhuñceva rūpā ca… mano ca dhammā ca idaṁ vuccati bhikkhave sabbaṁ SN iv 15). Therefore, in crossing the ocean, one crosses over everything.

2) the ocean [of the six sensuous objects]‘:

• There are visible objects known via the visual sense that are likeable, loveable, pleasing, agreeable, connected with sensuous pleasure, and charming. In the [terminology of the] Noble One’s training system this is called the ocean.

Santi bhikkhave cakkhuviññeyyā rūpā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave ariyassa vinaye samuddo. (SN iv 158)

• There are mentally known objects known via the mental sense that are likeable, loveable, pleasing, agreeable, connected with sensuous pleasure, and charming. In the [terminology of the] Noble One’s training system this is called the ocean.

Santi bhikkhave manoviññeyyā dhammā iṭṭhā kantā manāpā piyarūpā kāmūpasaṁhitā rajanīyā. Ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave ariyassa vinaye samuddo. (SN iv 158)

The flood of birth, old age, and death

But in crossing the flood, what is crossed? The nature of the flood is revealed in the scriptures as follows:

  • 1) In the Pārāyanavaggo, the Chapter on The Way to the Far Shore, Venerable Mettagū called it ‘the flood of birth, old age, grief, and lamentation’ (oghaṁ jātijaraṁ sokapariddavañca).
  • 2) The bhikkhunī Upasamā told herself to cross the flood, the realm of death so hard to get beyond (upasame tare oghaṁ maccudheyyaṁ suduttaraṁ Thi 10), where ‘flood’ therefore means the realm of death.
  • 3) Venerable Kappa compared being afflicted by old age and death (jarāmaccuparetānaṁ) to standing in the middle of a lake when a very fearful flood has arisen (majjhe sarasmiṁ tiṭṭhataṁ oghe jāte mahabbhaye Snp 1092) where ‘flood’ therefore means the flood of old age and death.
  • 4) Venerable Nanda referred to those who had not overcome birth and old age (nātariṁsu jātijaranti Snp 1080-1082) as ‘not flood-crossers’ (anoghatiṇṇo), where ‘flood’ therefore means the flood of birth and old age.

The flood of dukkhakkhandha

The scriptures show that ‘old age and death’ is an abbreviation for the whole mass of suffering (dukkhakkhandha), as follows:

  • 1) In the Mahānidāna Sutta the Buddha initially said birth produces old age and death, grief, lamentation, physical pain, psychological pain, and vexation (jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇaṁ sokaparidevadukkhadomanassūpāyāsā DN ii 56), and then said‘birth produces old age and death’ (jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇan ti). The full meaning of the condensed second statement is in the first statement.
  • 2) In the Parivīmaṁsana Sutta (SN ii 80) a bhikkhu investigates ‘the many and various kinds of suffering that arise in the world [headed by] old age and death’ (anekavidhaṁ nānappakārakaṁ dukkhaṁ loke uppajjati jarāmaraṇaṁ). The bhikkhu then realises when there is birth, then old age and death come to be (jātiyā sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti). Here ‘old age and death’ stands for ‘the many and various kinds of suffering that arise in the world [headed by] old age and death.’
  • 3) Venerable Mettagū first called the flood ‘birth, old age, grief, and lamentation’ (jātijaraṁ sokapariddavañca Snp 1052), he then said that one who had ‘crossed this flood’ (oghamimaṁ atāri) had overcome birth and old age (atāri so jāti jaran ti, Snp 1060) where ‘birth and old age’ stands for what he previously called birth, old age, grief, and lamentation.

Oghatiṇṇo and dukkhotiṇṇā

That ‘flood’ means ‘flood of dukkhakkhandha’ is also evident in the association of otiṇṇā and tiṇṇā. When young men take up the ascetic way of life, they do so with the thought:

• ’I am overwhelmed by suffering, overcome by suffering.

… Perhaps an ending of this whole mass of suffering might be discerned!’

appeva nāma imassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa antakiriyā paññāyethā ti. (SN iii 93; Iti 89)

So dukkhotiṇṇā is shown to mean dukkhakkhandhotiṇṇā. But flood-crossers are called oghatiṇṇo (Snp 108), where ogha corresponds to dukkha, and therefore to dukkhakkhandha.

Oghataraṇa Sutta

In the Oghataraṇa Sutta (SN i 1) a deva asks the Buddha how he crossed ‘the flood’ (kathaṁ nu tvaṁ mārisa oghamatarī ti) without explaining which flood. Bodhi says the four floods are meant (CDB p.341 n.1). But the deva clarified the issue by equating ‘crossing the flood’ to ‘overcoming attachment to the world [of phenomena]’:

• At long last, I see a Brahman who has realised the Untroubled who, without halting or overstraining, has overcome attachment to the world [of phenomena]

Cirassaṁ vata passāmi brāhmaṇaṁ parinibbutaṁ
Appatiṭṭhaṁ anāyūhaṁ tiṇṇaṁ loke visattikaṁ. (SN i 1)

That the flood in the Oghataraṇa Sutta can again be taken as the flood of dukkhakkhandha, in spite of the later reference to attachment, is proven by comparison with the Mettagū Sutta where the same thing happens. Firstly Venerable Mettagū asked:

• How do the wise cross the flood of birth, old age, grief, and lamentation?

Kathaṁ nu dhīrā vitaranti oghaṁ jātijaraṁ sokapariddavañca

The Buddha replied:

• I shall explain the teaching to you, which is fathomable in this lifetime, which is not just hearsay, understanding which, one living the religious life, one who is mindful, would overcome attachment to the world [of phenomena].

Kittayissāmi te dhammaṁ, diṭṭhe dhamme anitihaṁ
Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ, tare loke visattikaṁ. (Snp 1052-3)

So when the deva asked about crossing the flood, he meant the flood of dukkhakkhandha. Both references show this is accomplished by overcoming attachment to the world of phenomena.

In conclusion: flood [of suffering]

In conclusion, ‘ocean’ means ‘everything’ and ogha means ‘the flood of the whole mass of suffering.’ But ‘of the whole mass’ is redundant, so we call it ‘flood [of suffering].’

Illustrations

Illustration: ogha, flood [of suffering]

The ascetic Sabhiya said to the Buddha:

You have left the darkness [of hell] and the flood [of suffering]…

You have reached the end of suffering, gone beyond suffering

antagūsi pāragū dukkhassa. (Snp 538-9)

Comment:

The commentary says oghatamagā stands for ogha-tamaṁ agā where darkness is paired with the flood of suffering. Like ‘flood,’ darkness in the scriptures means intense suffering, as follows:

1) Having passed on they go to darkness, falling headlong into hell

pecca tamaṁ vajanti ye patanti sattā nirayaṁ avaṁsirā. (Snp 248)

2) Defilement is the road to hell. Reaching [on rebirth] the plane of damnation, going from womb to womb, from darkness to darkness, such a bhikkhu goes to misery when he passes on.

maggaṁ nirayagāminaṁ; vinipātaṁ samāpanno gabbhā gabbhaṁ tamā tamaṁ save tādisako bhikkhu pecca dukkhaṁ nigacchati. (Snp 278)

3) How is a person heading from darkness to darkness? In this regard, some person has been reborn in a low family… after death he is reborn in the plane of sub-human existence, in the plane of misery, in the plane of damnation, or in hell.

tamo hoti tamaparāyaṇo… nīce kule paccājāto hoti… parammaraṇā apāyaṁ duggatiṁ vinipātaṁ nirayaṁ upapajjati. (AN ii 85)

ekamantaṁ

ekamantaṁ: (main article see: ogha)

Illustration: ekamantaṁ, flood [of suffering]

Seeing a sage who had crossed the flood [of suffering], the lady made merit leading to future happiness.

Akāsi puññaṁ sukhamāyatikaṁ
Disvā muniṁ brāhmaṇi oghatiṇṇan ti. (SN i 142)

oghatiṇṇo

oghatiṇṇo: (main article see: ogha)

Illustration: oghatiṇṇo, one who has crossed the flood [of suffering]

The bhikkhu who has overcome the five bonds [to individual existence] is called one who has crossed the flood [of suffering].

Pañcasaṅgātigo bhikkhu oghatiṇṇo ti vuccati. (Tha 633; SN i 3)

oghatiṇṇā

oghatiṇṇā: (main article see: ogha)

Illustration: oghatiṇṇā, those who have crossed the flood [of suffering]

I do not say that all ascetics and Brahmanists are hemmed in by birth and old age. Whosoever have abandoned [attachment] in this world to what is seen, heard, sensed, [or cognised], and [adherence to] all observances and practices, and have abandoned [attachment to] all various bodily forms, and who, through profoundly understanding craving are free of perceptually obscuring states, these are men who have crossed the flood [of suffering], I declare.

Nāhaṁ sabbe samaṇabrāhmaṇāse jātijarāya nivutā ti brūmi
Ye sīdha diṭṭhaṁ vā sutaṁ mutaṁ vā silabbataṁ vāpi pahāya sabbaṁ
Anekarūpampi pahāya sabbaṁ taṇhaṁ pariññāya anāsavāse
Te ve narā oghatiṇṇā ti brūmi. (Snp 1082)

oghaṁ

oghaṁ: (main article see: ogha)

Illustration: oghaṁ, flood [of suffering]

I have crossed [to the Far Shore], reached the Far Shore, having eliminated the flood [of suffering].

Tiṇṇo pāragato vineyya oghaṁ. (Snp 21)

Comment:

Here the flood is not ‘crossed.’

 

Glossary various Teacher

ogha: flood; another name for the four āsava (tainted outflows from the mind): the flood of sensuality, the flood of views, the flood of becoming and the flood of ignorance. (Source: Glossary late Ven. Ajahn Chah)

 

See also

Suttas and Dhammadesanā

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en/dictionary/ogha.txt · Last modified: 2019/09/25 05:31 by 127.0.0.1