Marc 4 Element Meditation

8/3/2019 Marc 4 Element Meditation

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http://www.dhammacenter.org/meditation/vipassanahttp://www.vipassana.com/meditation/foundations_of_mindfulness_part2.php

http://www.arrowriver.ca/dhamma/body.htmlTHE THIRTY-TWO PARTS LISTED

There are several variations upon this list. The differences are small ones, and oftenamount to no more than differences of name. By and large the differences arise out oftranslation difficulties, no doubt compounded by modern scholars imperfectunderstanding of ancient concepts of physiology and anatomy. The list which followsborrows from several variations to make one suitable for a modern mind. Also, inchoosing the names for the parts I have generally preferred the earthier Anglo-Saxon tothe sterile and medical sounding Latin or Greek (e.g.."dung" rather than "feces" and"spittle" rather than "saliva" etc.). The fastidious may find fault here, but I would arguethat the emotional impact of the words chosen are correct for the purposes intended.

The parts are arranged in (mostly) natural groupings, which makes memorization easier.Notes on a few of the more obscure parts follow the list.

Hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skinFlesh, sinews, bone, marrow, kidneysHeart, liver, membranes, spleen, lungsBowels, intestines, gorge, dung, brainBile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fatTears, grease, snot, spittle, oil of the joints, urine

Notes:

Skin - The Visuddhimagga details a specific method for visualizing this part. In brief,the meditator should "insert his knowledge" between skin and bone and follow a path

beginning at the upper lip, around the back of the head, down the back, up and aroundthe crotch, up the torso and head, returning to the lower lip, with detours for each limbwhen required. For the complete description see Visuddhimagga VIII-95.

Teeth - toothless yogins can work either with memory of teeth, or perhaps substitute"gums" .

Flesh - muscles.Sinews - tendons.Membranes - refer to all the tough connective tissues of the torso, such as diaphragm,

mesentery, and the tissues binding the guts and organs in place.Bowels - large intestines including colon and rectum.Intestines - small intestines plus stomach.Gorge - the undigested food in the stomach.

Brain - A note of interest. The canonical list, as expounded by the Buddha in theSatipatthana Sutta (M. Sutta #10) and elsewhere consisted of only thirty-one parts. Thebrain was added by the commentators.

Grease - refers to the oils found on the skin, especially the palms of the hands and thesoles of the feet etc.

VARIATIONS AND OTHER TECHNIQUES FOR OVERCOMING SEXUAL LUST

If lust becomes a problem, the thirty-two parts provide a valuable counter force. If a


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yogin is finding lustful arisings interfering with his practice, he may briefly switchpractices to thirty-two parts and will usually find it very helpful. However, the skillful yoginwill not want to leave his principal object for long and therefore I am including a fewtricks that I found speeded up the process at times.

First, use the body of another. Are you fantasizing about a desirable member of the

opposite sex? Contemplate his or her body in terms of hair of the head etc. Mentallyundressing someone? Keep going! Peel off the skin, the flesh, the sinews.

A real quick fantasy stopper: replace the object of lust with a skeleton. The absurdity oflusting after this impermanent and unsatisfactory body becomes starkly apparent whenthe imaginary lover becomes a pile of yellowed bones.

There is in fact another traditional meditation also recommended for its power toovercome lust. That is "corpse meditation" , more precisely translated as "the meditationupon foulness" . While suitable objects are hard to find, a reasonable facsimile may behad in animal carcasses. I remember using a maggot ridden bird with considerableeffectiveness. This meditation is also very good as a reminder of impermanence.

Vipassana (also known as Insight or Mindfulness) Meditation is a simple technique thathas been practiced in Asia for over 2,500 years.

Mindfulness cultivates a sense of wholeness that brings us into the experience ofthings-as-they-are moment by moment. Cultivating awareness of breath, body, and theprocesses of heart and mind, mindfulness offers insight into the transient (impermanent),unsatisfactory (suffering) and universal (selfless) nature of reality.

Mindfulness practice develops clarity of understanding and allows grasping, judgment,and fear to fall away. As these obscurations fall into abeyance, one discovers loving-kindness, compassion, equanimity, joy, and wisdom as the qualities of our true nature.

The ultimate aim of Dharma practice is to end suffering. Buddha described this freedom,not based on external conditions, as the unconditioned.

THE FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF MINDFULNESS

Breathing meditation is but one part, albeit a self-sufficient one, of the system ofmeditations called Satipatthana or the Foundations of Mindfulness. These are four innumber and are sub-divided into various subjects. Initially, we shall look at them asseparate entities but in reality we should see them as one interrelated whole.

The first part is called Mindfulness of Body, that is, this physical body. Within this sectionwe have (1) mindfulness of in- and out-breathing, which we have just examined, (2)

consideration of the four postures, walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, (3) payingfull attention to whatever one is doing, (4) contemplation on the 32 parts of the body -this section contains very useful considerations which we shall come to later, (5)analysis of the Four Elements, and (6) the cemetery contemplations.

The second part is called Mindfulness of Feelings. Using the same technique ofconcentration, we can observe feelings as they arise. During this practice note thevarious sensations giving rise to pain, pleasure or indifference, here again simply notethat, pain has arisen, or pleasure has arisen, or that neither pleasure nor pain has


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arisen, which is a neutral experience. As in the previous section simply note theexistence of these states, note how they arise and how they pass away but do not dwellon them, observe simply their arising and their passing away.

The third part is Mindfulness of Mind or mindfulness of the states of consciousness. Thisis the noting of the state of mind - whether it is angry, sad, distracted, deluded or loving,

concentrated or compassionate. Difficult as it is at times, we should be aware of ourstate of mind and note it. We should not allow ourselves to be distracted, but shouldmerely note that such and such a state of mind has arisen. Later you may begin to notehow these states arise and how they pass away.

The fourth part is meditation on specific ethical, spiritual and intellectual subjects listed inthe Discourse on Mindfulness as Mindfulness of Mental Objects. (Please refer to thesection of the sutta shown later.) Whilst we are engaged in meditation on one of thesemental objects, we should not allow the mind to wander around the subject. Direct themind to an analytical approach, considering the arising of the particular object andexamining it in depth, not allowing the mind all the while to deviate or repeat itself.

advanced:2. How many levels of Vipassana are there?

There are two levels of Vipassana. The first level is called Preliminary Insight Meditation(Anupassana). It is clear comprehension of the three universal characteristics of allcompound phenomena that they are impermanent, suffering, and non-self (that is,empty and meaningless). These characteristics must be understood in comparison withthe opposite characteristics of non-compound phenomena which are eternal, supremehappiness, and ultimate reality. This is the first level of Insight Meditation.

The second level of Insight Meditation (also called Supra-mundane Insight) is detailedcontemplation of the Four Noble Truths in three transcendent mental states (ana): (1)

Sacca-ana (Knowledge of the Truths as they are), (2) Kicca-ana (Knowledge of thethe functions with regard to the respective Four Noble Truths), and (3) Kata-ana(Knowledge of what has been done with regard to the respective Four Noble Truths).

In Sacca-ana, the meditator becomes able to see clearly and really know objectivelysuffering, the arising of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to thecessation of suffering.

In Kicca-ana, he comes to know clearly what he is supposed to do with respect to eachof the Four Noble Truths. First, suffering (Dukkha) should be gotten rid of; Second, thecause of suffering (Samudaya) should be abandoned or relinquished; Third, thecessation of suffering (Nirodha) should be clearly realized or penetrated; Fourth, the

path (Magga) should be entered upon, practiced, and developed.

Finally, in Kata-ana, the meditator sees clearly the progress that he has alreadyachieved. This is Gotrabhu-ana (Knowledge at the moment of Change-of-lineage).From there, if the meditator can cut at least the first three fetters, which are false selfconcept, doubt and reliance on ineffective rituals, he can immediately experience thenon-compound nature of Nirvana.

3. How can we conduct Preliminary Insight Meditation to get clear comprehension of the


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origin and true nature of compound phenomena?

Preliminary Insight consists of insight into the Three Characteristics or CommonCharateristics of all conditioned phenomena, which are impermanenct, suffering, andnon-self.Meditation

IV. THE CONTEMPLATION OF MENTAL OBJECTS

1. The Five Hindrances

2. The Five Aggregates of Clinging

4. The Seven Factors of Enlightenment

3. The Six Internal and External Sense Bases

The six internal sense bases are the eye, ear,nose, tongue, body & mind.The six external sense bases are visible forms,sound, odor, flavors, touch & mental objects.Sense-specific consciousness arises dependenton an internal & an external sense base.Contact is the meeting of an internal sensebase, external sense base & consciousness.Feeling is dependent on contact.Craving is dependent on feeling.

Practice Exercises for the Six Internal and Six External Sense Bases

Practice #1 Contemplation of the Six Internal and Six External Sense Bases

During the day, choose a particular sense organ (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, andmind) and focus on the objects that present themselves to that sense organ (forms,sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mind objects) and the associated senseconsciousness (eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, etc.). As you experience thefeelings associated with the objects that come through that sense door, note their quality(pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral) and also the fetter that arises conditioned on suchfeelings (see Practice #3 below for a list of the fetters). Notice the momentary arisingand disappearing of these fetters and their sense bases. Allow yourself to experience

this viscerally, not cognitively.

Reflect on the following teaching of the Buddha from the Anattalakkhana Sutta (SNXXII.59) with respect to feelings and apply it to the associated fetters and sense baseswhich arise during the foregoing contemplation:

What do you think, bhikkhus, is feeling permanent or impermanent? Impermanent,venerable sir. Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness? Suffering,venerable sir. Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change fit to be


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regarded thus: This is mine, this I am, this is my self? No, venerable sir.

Therefore, bhikkhus, any kind of feeling whatsoever, whether past, future, or present,internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, all feeling should beseen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: This is not mine, this I am not, this is notmy self

Practice #2 Meditation Practice with the Fetters:

Follow the breath. If you react to an object, determine if your reaction is fettered bygreed, hatred or delusion. If fettered by greed, see how the mind reaches out from thesense organ to grasp the object. See how the mind is grasping and pushing away ineach moment. If fettered by hatred, see how the mind grasps the object andexperiences the pain of the experience, being bound to it. If fettered by delusion, seehow you are identified with it.

Practice #3 Fetter Contemplation:

Contemplate the nature of each the ten fetters pertaining to the six sense bases andtheir objects and how we define ourselves by identifying with them:

Sense desire Ill-will or anger Pride or conceit - False view - Doubt - Belief in rites andrituals

Desire for existence Envy Avarice Ignorance

Practice Exercises for the Five Aggregates of Clinging

There is a difference between the way we practice mindfulness of the body, feelings,and consciousness, and the way in which we practice the contemplation of the five

aggregates of clinging. This is true even though the same objects of attention are beingused.

When contemplating the body we used a material object as the primary basis forobservation. When contemplating feelings we wanted to develop a focused awarenessof the feelings on different occasions of experience. The contemplation onconsciousness had the purpose of developing an awareness of the different states ofconsciousness. Although these contemplations can lead to the deepest stages of insight,they generally have a more preparatory role.

After the yogi has developed a strong foundation of mindfulness and concentration, theattention can now be turned to systematically investigating the personality or

individuality. He or she will investigate each of these aggregates to see that all materialform belongs to the materiality aggregate, all feelings belong to the feeling aggregate, allperceptions belong to the perception aggregate, all volitions belong to the mentalformations group, and all states of mind to the consciousness group. In this way the yogiwill see that the whole world is nothing more than these five aggregates coming intoexistence and disappearing based upon certain causes and conditions.

Practice #1 Distinguish the different aggregates that comprise the personality:


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When material form arises (e.g., the breath, a visual object, etc.) the yogi knows that it ismaterial form and does not identify the specific kind of material form that has arisen. Theyogi just recognizes that the material form belongs to the materiality aggregate.

When feelings arise, the yogi does not identify what kind of feeling has arisen. The yogijust recognizes that the feeling that has arisen belongs to the feeling aggregate.

The same applies to the rest of the aggregates.

Practice #2 Penetrate into the conditioned nature of the personality. Directlyexperience how each aggregate that arises does so based upon causes and conditions,and does not arise without those causes and conditions. Further, observe that when thecauses and conditions are no longer present, the aggregate vanishes.Practice #3 We cannot "see" the aggregates of others except for material form, butsometimes when one is contemplating one's own aggregates, the thought spontaneouslyarises that others also have (and are composed of) these same aggregates. We canalso observe others clinging to their aggregates. This observation must be completed

without judging those individuals that are being observed (i.e., pay "bare" attention).

Practice #4 We can further reflect on the fact that each of us lives in his or her ownself-projected universe and that no one can share another person's world. There is noobjective world which exists outside of the projection of our minds.

Our experience of every situation and person is unique to us. The world of ourexperience is just the rising and falling of consciousness along with its correspondingobjects. Because of delusion we believe that there is a self behind, as part of, or incontrol of the process.

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