This section deals with the Form Realm which is the Dhamma of Brahma.
One who is going to be born into one of the sixteen classes of the Brahma worlds, must have kept the Dhamma of Brahma1 constantly in his heart in this world [ that is, in this present existence ]. If he has not done so, although he may desire to get there, he will not be able to. It is like someone who wants to go to another country; he must pay the price of his fare for as far as he wants to go.
In order that one’s behaviour shall be in accordance with the Dhamma of Brahma, one must first of all fully develop the human and Heaven (Deva) Dhammas. As in building a house, one must lay the foundations before building the rest of it, because if there are no foundations, or if they are not strong enough, the superstructure will soon collapse.
He who would practise Dhamma must start from the mundane and work up to the highest states, as one would climb a ladder, step by step. Again, one may think of it as being like a journey in which one must first leave the human and rise to the heaven states; one then leaves the heaven states and goes on to reach the Brahma worlds. In a similar way, the practice is divided up so that one may appreciate each part separately.
The Form Realm leaves sense desires. It is for those who are celibate, and this is so whether one is a man or a woman. It is spiritual happiness (Niramisa Sukha) ; it is happiness unmixed with worldliness (Amisa), and it depends upon renunciation (Nekkhama). This means leaving home to become ordained in the Sangha.2
One who is a householder must first of all take upon himself the eight moralities (Sila), which are the preliminary foundation for him to be able to live in accordance with the Dhamma of Brahma.
The five moralities are of the sensual realm and are the Dhamma of the human state. They lead to bodily pleasures and are mixed with worldliness. But, the eight moralities lead one to renounce worldliness; they include such things as, maintaining complete chastity and the precept to avoid taking food at the wrong
time. This is necessary in order that one may renounce worldly pleasures and attain a state of bodily detachment (Kaya Viveka).
If one cannot attain bodily detachment, then one will not be able to attain detachment of the Citta (Citta Viveka). It is like planting a tree, which must be rooted in suitable soil; the morality which brings about bodily detachment being the soil and the Samadhi which brings detachment of the Citta being the tree.
When one only keeps the moralities, one still cannot attain the detachment of the Citta which is required for Samadhi; and one must first of all attain Samadhi in order to attain the Dhamma of Brahma.
One who practises generosity, guarding his morality, paying of respect and chanting, is within the Sensual Realm and his body and heart are still attached to the senses. Therefore he will experience pleasant and painful feelings, strong or weak, according to circumstances, and not being skilled, he will not understand these states clearly. This is like green wood which has been left in water, then a person wanting to make a fire tries to light it, but without success.
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