Vipassana - Awareness in the Moment

7/30/2019 Vipassana - Awareness in the Moment

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VIPASSANA

Awareness in the MomentCONTENTS

PART 1

Dedication 3

Acknowledgement 5

Forward 6

Fundamentals ofVipassana Meditation 11

Maha Satipatthana Sutta (English) 20

CHAPTER I

A General Outline ofVipassana Meditation 23Some Guidelines to Begin Training 26

CHAPTER II

Meditation Exercises and Miscellaneous 29

CHAPTER III

Progressive Practice 73

Insight into the Three Characteristics 82

Reference Notes 98

VipassanaJhanas 105

More Reference Notes 137

PART 2

Progress of Insight 174

Introduction 176

The Progress of Insight in Vipassana Meditation 179

Maha Satipatthana Sutta (Pali) 226


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Published by Leong Yok Kee/ Law Mi-Lan Carol

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Email: [email protected]

Copyright @2013 by Leong Yok Kee/ Law Mi-Lan Carol (Ma Hninsi)

This Publication is a Gift ofDhamma. Any part of this publication may

be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,

including photocopying, recording without prior written permission

from the publisher.

Front and back cover by Leong Yok Kee and Law Mi-Lan Carol (Ma

Hninsi).

April 2013 Bukit Tinggi

Bentong Pahang

Title: Vipassana Awareness in the Moment

Author: Leong Yok Kee/Law Mi-Lan Carol (Ma Hninsi)

Buddhism - customs and practices

Buddhism - doctrines

Published in Malaysia

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DEDICATION

To the memory of

THE LATE VENERABLE ACARA SUVANNO MAHATHERA

(1920 - 2007)

A Teacher of Great Compassion

WWWWise and virtuous,ise and virtuous,ise and virtuous,ise and virtuous,

gentlegentlegentlegentle and keenand keenand keenand keen----witted,witted,witted,witted,

hhhhumble and amenable;umble and amenable;umble and amenable;umble and amenable;

gggguide, instructor, leader;uide, instructor, leader;uide, instructor, leader;uide, instructor, leader;

such a one to honour may attain.such a one to honour may attain.such a one to honour may attain.such a one to honour may attain.

Generosity, sweet speech,Generosity, sweet speech,Generosity, sweet speech,Generosity, sweet speech,

helpfulness to others,helpfulness to others,helpfulness to others,helpfulness to others,iiiimpartialitmpartialitmpartialitmpartiality to all; as the case demands.y to all; as the case demands.y to all; as the case demands.y to all; as the case demands.

TTTThese four winning ways thhese four winning ways thhese four winning ways thhese four winning ways the wise appraise in evere wise appraise in evere wise appraise in evere wise appraise in every way;y way;y way;y way;

to eminence they attainto eminence they attainto eminence they attainto eminence they attain and praise they rightly gain.and praise they rightly gain.and praise they rightly gain.and praise they rightly gain.

Sigalovada Sutta (Digha Nikaya 3I)


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PUBLISHED FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Sabbadnam Dhammadnam JintiThe Gift Of Truth Excels All Other Gifts

To all who sincerely wish to share

The Practice of the Dhamma

And to the Family who

Inspired the Completion of this Manual

Tapo ca brahmacariyaca,Tapo ca brahmacariyaca,Tapo ca brahmacariyaca,Tapo ca brahmacariyaca,

AriyasaccAriyasaccAriyasaccAriyasaccnananana dassanam,dassanam,dassanam,dassanam,NibbNibbNibbNibbna sacchikiriyna sacchikiriyna sacchikiriyna sacchikiriy cacacaca,,,,

Etam mangalamuttamamEtam mangalamuttamamEtam mangalamuttamamEtam mangalamuttamam....

Ardent effort, the divine life

Leading Insight into the Noble Truths

and

Realisation of Nibbana

This is the Highest Blessing


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FORWARD

The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw (1904 - 1982)

A Short Biography

The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw was

born in the year 1904 at Seikhun, a

large, pleasant and prosperous village

lying about seven miles to the west of

historic Shwebo Town in Upper Burma. His parents, peasant

proprietors by occupation, were U Kan Taw and Daw Oke. At the

age of six, the Sayadaw was sent to receive his early monastic

education under U Adicca, presiding monk of Pyinmana

Monastery at Seikhun.

His interest in the SatipatthanaVipassanaMeditation took himthen to neighbouring Thaton where under the well-known

Mingun Jetawan Sayadaw's instructions, he took up intensive

practice of Vipassana Meditation for four months with such

good results that he was in turn able to teach it correctly to his

first three disciples at Seikhun while he was on a visit there in

1938. It was not long before Mahasi Sayadaw's reputation as an

able teacher ofVipassanaMeditation spread far and wide. The

name Mahasibecame an icon ofVipassana Meditation known

throughout Burma and acclaimed internationally.

The man who has not penetrated the Truth of Suffering has anunrealistic optimism of life and in his ignorance will not see that

it is tainted with pain and suffering. It is not possible to seek the

truth of suffering in books, it is to be realised only in one's own

body. Seeing, hearing, in short, all nama-rupa arising from the Six

Senses are suffering. Our (as well as all others) existence is

impermanent, undesirable and unpleasant. It may end at any

time and while in existence, all experience pain and suffering.


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This suffering and pain (dukkha) is not perceived as such by

ordinary living beings as they look upon their existence as blissful

and good. They seek pleasant sense-objects, such as beautiful

sights, soothing sounds, delicious food and multitudes of sensual

cravings. Their effort to possess what they believe to be the good

things of life is due to their delusion regarding their existence.

They are mired in sensual pleasures because they see everything

through rose-tinted glasses. They harbour illusions about the

nature of sense-objects and the realities ofnama-rupa.

A blind man is easily deceived into accepting a worthless stone as

treasure. He will be upset when he finds out that this was not so.

Likewise, an ignorant (avijja) person enjoys life, blind to its

characteristics of anicca, dukkha and anatta. He will be

disenchanted once he realises the unwholesome nature of hisexistence.

Realisation of the realities of nama-rupa (mind and matter)

cannot be achieved through book knowledge. It has to do with

the mindful observing and ceaseless contemplation of all psycho-

physical phenomena that comprises the sense-objects and the

corresponding consciousness.

The practice ofVipassanaMeditation leads to full awareness of

their nature. As contemplative concentration intensifies in the

practice, the meditator realises the true nature of the arising and

instant disappearing of these psycho-physical phenomena,

thereby gaining an Insight into their characteristics of

impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and self-lessness; in the

language of the Buddha, anicca, dukkhaandanatta.

Those who do not practise Vipassana Meditation, fail to see

realities and leave this life without realising the phenomena of

nama-rupa.


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The true nature of mentality (the mind) and physicality (the

material body) can only be realised through the practice of

Vipassana *Meditation, the foundation of supramundane

wisdom. Such wisdom does not arise when mindfulness and

concentration are not systematically trained and heightened.

Illusion or conceptualised consciousness precedes meditative

practice and so the beginner does not gain a clear Insight into the

nature of living beings. It is only through steadfast practice that

concentration and mindfulness mature, leading to true Insight

Knowledge. Illusion dominates the un-mindful person and

blinds him to the unsatisfactory nature (dukkha), of all sense-

objects. It hides dukkha with sukha (pleasurable sensations).

Man seeks and clings to pleasant sense-objects because of hisignorance and misconception of the reality of his existence. His

ignorance leads to unwholesome efforts and activities. Ignorance

is a source of suffering and gives rise to craving (tanha) and

attachment (upadana); craving and attachment stem from the

desire for pleasure.

Note: (Meditation* Bhavana is a Pali word derived from the Latin word

meditatio, from a verb meditari, meaning to think, contemplate, devise, ponder.

In terms of Vipassana, the word Meditation or Bhavana is meant a trained

mental state where the mind is in constant concentration, known as Momentary

Concentration, where it is capable of delving profoundly into the mental and

physical phenomena conditioned by the senses of the ear, nose, eye, tongue,

bodily sensations and thoughts, arousing profound mental insights. Through

such deep insights the mind is able to contemplate the nature of the arising

mental and physical phenomena and to come to the realisation that such arising

phenomena are inconsistent, never stable and of an impermanent nature. By

such realisation the mind realises the unsatisfactory nature of the arising

phenomena and arriving at the conclusion that all such phenomena are without

a core, self or soul. Such a state of Momentary Concentration is brought about

by a process of meditation as taught by the Buddha known as Satipatthana or

Mindfulness Meditation; commonly named Vipassana Bhavana or Insight

Meditation)*


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Ignorance of the Origin of Suffering (Dukkha)

Craving is the source of suffering; many do not realise this truth.

On the contrary, these ignorant putthujjana believe that it is

craving that makes them happy, that without craving and

attachment, life would be dreary. So they ceaselessly seek

companionship, pleasurable sense objects, fine apparel, food and

so forth. In the absence of these desirable objects they feel ill at

ease and find life monotonous; for them, life without craving and

attachment would be devoid of pleasure. Thus, people seek to

gratify their cravings and these sensuous desires inspired efforts

are the fount of suffering; desires and their causes are evident in

daily life, but the subtleties of these delusions are difficult to

penetrate by the ordinary spiritually untrained person. They are

camouflaged and cannot be realised through intellectual

reflections; only through the practice of Vipassana Meditationcan their veil of illusion be penetrated.

Ignorance of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering is widespread

and the Supreme Goal is described in different ways in different

beliefs. Some believe that suffering will come to an end in due

course of time. Some regard sensual pleasure as the highest

good and reject the idea of a future life. Such variety of beliefs

are due to the ignorance of the Supreme Goal, Nibbana.

In reality, Nibbana is the total extinction of the nama-rupa

process which occurs ceaselessly on the basis of Causal

Relationship. This total eradication of dukkha is Nibbana.

Nibbana does not appeal to those who have strong cravings for

life. To them the Cessation of nama-rupa process would mean

nothing more than eternal death. Nevertheless, intellectual

acceptance of Nibbana is necessary because the meditators

whole-hearted and persistent effort to attain the Supreme Goal

depends on it.


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Truth of the Way leading to the end of Suffering (the Fourth

Noble Truth) is of vital importance. Due to ignorance, there are

various speculations and teachings about the Way. Some

advocate ordinary morality such as love, altruism, patience, alms-

giving and so forth, while others stress the practice of mundane

Jhana. All these practices are commendable; however, they only

lead to relative welfare in the worlds of deva-brahmas, they do

not ensure freedom from suffering in samsara; they do not form

the correct Way to Nibbana. Some resort to self-mortification

such as fasting, living in a state of nature and so forth. Some

worship devas or animals. The Only Way, the Buddha taught, is

to practise a moralistic way of living founded on the principles of:

Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right

Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right

Concentration; in short the Noble Eight-fold Path.

This Path is three-pronged; Basic, Preliminary and Ariyan. Of

these, the most vital is the Ariyan Path but this Path should not

be the primary objective of the yoginor does it require him to

spend much time and energy on it. For as the meditation practice

develops, Insight Wisdom occurs. It requires much time and

effort to produce fire by friction but ignition is a matter of a

moment's duration. Similarly, the Insight into the Ariyan Path is

instantaneous but it presupposes much practice of meditation on

the Preliminary Path.

Mahasi SayadawMahasi SayadawMahasi SayadawMahasi Sayadaw


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FUNDAMENTALS OF VIPASSANA MEDITATION

By Mahasi Sayadaw

The Blessed Ones Teaching is not

just another system of metaphysical

philosophy, but a practical way of

life. It examines the ills of this

sentient life, indicates their causes,

prescribes the removal of these

causes, and points the Way to the

release from all suffering. Those

desirous of liberation can walk along

this Way; except that they must

make the effort to walk the Way

themselves.

The Blessed One very pointedly tells

us that there is but One Way; the Way of Establishing the Four

Foundations of Mindfulness that serves as the corner stone of

the whole system of Insight Meditation (known also as

Vipassana), which is the practical aspect of the Buddhas

Teaching, and can only be realised by oneself through self

practice. The Blessed One Himself found the Way, traversed it,

and from His own experience did He teach it to beings.

The BuddhaThe BuddhaThe BuddhaThe Buddha: Even so have I, monks, seen an ancient way, anEven so have I, monks, seen an ancient way, anEven so have I, monks, seen an ancient way, anEven so have I, monks, seen an ancient way, anancient road, followed by the wholly Awakenedancient road, followed by the wholly Awakenedancient road, followed by the wholly Awakenedancient road, followed by the wholly Awakened Ones of oldenOnes of oldenOnes of oldenOnes of olden

times. Along that way have I travelled, and the matters that Itimes. Along that way have I travelled, and the matters that Itimes. Along that way have I travelled, and the matters that Itimes. Along that way have I travelled, and the matters that I

have come to know fully as I was going along this ancient way, Ihave come to know fully as I was going along this ancient way, Ihave come to know fully as I was going along this ancient way, Ihave come to know fully as I was going along this ancient way, I

have taught the monks, nuns, men and women lay followers.have taught the monks, nuns, men and women lay followers.have taught the monks, nuns, men and women lay followers.have taught the monks, nuns, men and women lay followers.(Samyutta ii 105)


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Knowledge and Freedom

Insight Knowledge will arise in the course of meditation and

contemplating on the Five Aggregates of Clinging. When a

carpenter is about to plane or saw off a timber, he draws a

straight line using a thread. In the same way, when we want to

live the holy life we use the thread or sutta to guide us in our

actions.

The Blessed One has given us instructions on how to train in

morality, develop concentration, mindfulness and wisdom.

Material shape, monks, is impermanent; what is impermanent,

that is the source of unsatisfactoriness and suffering. Suffering

is thus a causal condition, and not an entity or a self; does not

belong to him, her, or anyone. The Buddha taught that; that

which is not a self is not-self, insubstantial, soul-less andcoreless, which no living being can call mine, I, or

myselfone should discern right wisdom in this way.

One notes arising phenomena in the course of Vipassana

Meditation so that one will realise (by oneself) the impermanent

nature of phenomena; that such phenomena are sources of

suffering and do not possess a self or an ego. Concomitantly with

Material Shape (rupa), one should also contemplate on Feelings,

Perception, Mental Activities and Consciousness. Upon realising

that these aggregates too, are impermanent, sources of suffering

and is not possessed of a self entity; the Blessed One taught:

Seeing all these things, the instructed disciple of the Noble

Ones disregards Material Shape, disregards Feeling. He who

realises the impermanent, suffering and non self nature of the

Five Aggregates is wearied of material form as he is of Feelings,

Perception, Mental Activities and Consciousness. By

disregarding, he is passionless. Through passionless-ness, he is

emancipated; that is to say, he has reached the Noble Path.(Samyutta iii 68)


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Once one has attained the Noble Path of passionless-ness, one

has arrived at the Four Fruitions of Freedom from defilements. In

freedom the knowledge comes to be I am free from all

defilement. When one is freed, one knows for oneself that one is

so. In other words, when one has become an Arahant in whom

the defilements are extinguished, one knows by oneself.

Mind and Matter are Impermanent

Insight Knowledge begins with the defining and understanding of

mind and matter with respect to their characteristics, function,

mode of appearance and proximate cause. When this Knowledge

is clearly known by the meditator, he gains the Analytical

Knowledge of Mind and Matter (nama-rupa-pariccheda-nana),

and when this Knowledge matures, Purity of Views is developed.

The practice of observing and meditating on arising mental and

physical phenomena is to realise the importance of the elements

that constitutes a living being; beginning with the air element.

Air-element has the characteristic of support; this is its intrinsic

nature. Moving is the function of the air-element; it manifests as

bringing out. Manifestation is that which appears to the

meditators intellect. As he meditates on the air-element, it

appears to his intellect as a sensation of bringing out, pushing

and pulling. This is the manifestation of the air-element. As he

meditates on the rising-falling abdomen, all the firmness,

moving, bringing out, becomes clear to the meditator. These are

the characteristics, function and manifestation of the air-

element.

The Blessed One taught: Gacchanto va gacchami ti pajanati.

(When he walks, he is aware I am walking) and that the

meditator should be mindful of the form walking by noting

walking, walking, when he walks.


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How knowledge is developed from meditating thus is explained.

The thought I am walking arises. This initiates air movement in

the body. The air produces the intimation. The bringing forward

of the whole body as the air-element spreads is said to be

walking. The meditator who is practising walking meditation,

notes thus; walking, walking, when he walks.

Firstly, the intention I will walk arises. This intention gives rise to

tense movement all over the body, which in turn causes the

material body to move forward, move by move. Thus, it is said: I

walk, or He walks. In reality there is no I or He that walks.

The meditator realises; there is only the intention to walk and

the form walking.

Here, the emphasis is on the realisation of the moving of the air-element. Thus, one has to understand the air-element by way of

its characteristics, the function and manifestation. The function

of the air-element is moving. It moves from place to place when

it is strong. It is the air-element that makes the body bend,

stretch, sit, rise, go or come. It may be construed that when one

notes bending, stretching, as the case may be, only concepts

like arms will appear in the mind.

Further when one notes left, right as one walks, only concepts

like legs will appear in the mind, and if one notes rising, falling,

only concepts like the abdomen will appear in the mind. This

situation will be the case in the initial phase of practice as both

concepts and realities will appear to the beginner; to ignore

concepts is not practicable at the beginning of the training.

Concepts and realities will intertwine at the early stages.

However, as the student advances in his Insight realisation,

concepts and realities will be strictly defined and concepts will

not arise.


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The Blessed One Himself applied concepts and taught I am

walking, etc., when we walk, bend or stretch. Thus, He did not

teach applying realities only in His Teachings, as He realises that

there will be those who cannot see realities as such and not

seeing it as such will be confused.

The Ariyan Connection

Once, the Venerable Maha Kotthika questioned the Venerable

Sariputta: What things, friend Sariputta, should be attended to

thoroughly by a monk of moral habit? Note the attribute of

moral habit in this question. If the meditator wants to practise

InsightMeditation with a view to attaining the Path and Fruition

and Nibbana, the least qualification the meditator needs is to be

of good moral habit. If the meditator does not even have good

moral habit, he cannot hope for the higher conditions andwisdom. The Venerable Sariputta gave a brief and clear reply:

The Five *Aggregates of Clinging, friend Kotthika, are the

things which should be thoroughly attended to by a monk of

moral habit, as being impermanent, suffering, as a disease, as a

boil, as a dart, as pain, as illness, as alien, as decay, as void, as not

self. What is the good of meditating like that? he enquired

further.

Sariputta replied: Indeed, friend, it is possible for a monk of

good moral habit to thoroughly attend to the Five Aggregates of

Clinging to realise the Fruits of Stream-winning.

Note: (Five *Aggregates orKhandha; groups: the Buddha analyses a living being

into these five groups which constitute all beings. These groups are not entities

in themselves, they are merely categories into which all aspects of beings can be

analysed. None of them are self, of self, in self, or my self; they have

nothing to do with selfhood and there is no self apart from them. These five

khandha or aggregates are: rupa (material quality), vedana (feeling), sanna

(perception), sankhara (mental formation) andvinnana (consciousness). When

they attach or are attached to the five, they are known as the upadana-

khandha; aggregates of clinging.)


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Thus, to be a Stream-winner and never to be reborn in the four

lower states, one has to contemplate the Five Aggregates to

realise their impermanence, suffering and not self nature.

Kotthika goes on to ask: What things, friend Sariputta, should be

attended to thoroughly by a monk who is a Stream-winner?

Sariputta answered that it is the same Five Aggregates of Clinging

that should be thoroughly attended to by a Stream-winner, as

impermanent, suffering and not self. He continued to explain

that the same Five Aggregates should be attended to by the one

who has attained to a Once returner, a Non-returner and an

Arahant. From this it is clear that the Five Aggregates are the

things one has to meditate on even when one has become an

Arahant.

Without realising the Knowledge and Insight of Vipassana,people see themselves and others as being endowed with

permanent existence that has been carried over from the past

and exist again in the future. With this view, they believe that

there is a self within them that oversees and dictates what they

see, hear, smell, taste, touch or think. With constant and

habitual thinking and imagining, human beings have been

conditioned to incorrectly view the self or I as permanent.

They also conceive that thinking or imagining as being

enjoyable, as being pleasant. Thus, when one believes that

thinking is happiness and when told that the thinking will

disappear, one do not accept this truth. One is not pleased; this

is because one clings to the wrong view that thinking is

happiness and goodness. In this way, one clings to whatever

comes through the Six-Sense Doors, as being permanent, as

being happy, as an ego, as a self. One delights with craving

and clings to it. One is ignorant of reality and clings to erroneous

views.


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To overcome these views, one has to meditate and contemplate

on the Five Aggregates to realise their true nature of clinging and

attachment. Attachment and clinging are deeply entrenched

defilement; they are very difficult to eradicate. They arise due to

ignorance. Vipassana Insight enables the realisation of the truth

that one had viewed things in the wrong way, paving the way for

the erosion and final termination of all defilement.

When Insight Knowledge is well developed, it will prevail over

wrong views and thoughts. The meditator will then be able to

see things in their true light; that all things are impermanent;

that they are the source of suffering; that they do not possess

any self or substantial inner core; they are without self. A mind

without Vipassana Insights will not see into the real nature of

things. Once a meditator realises the reality of impermanence,he will realise too, how impermanence stresses with their rising

and passing away, how no pleasure can be derived from them,

how they can never be a refuge, how they can perish at any

moment, how they can be frightening and how they cause

suffering, etc. Initially, the thought arises: This body will not

perish so soon. It will last for quite a long time. So, a meditator

takes the body as a dependable refuge. Later, he reflects and

realises that there is only incessant rising and passing-away of

phenomena.

Peace at Last

Through contemplation and reflection with Insight Knowledge,

the meditator will realise that all things are impermanent; that

being the nature of all things, they are sources of suffering and

they do not possess a central core, an independent entity, a

self; only then will he not cling to sense objects as permanent,

happy, beautiful and wholesome. Nor will he cling to them as

possessing a self, soul, an I.


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Attachment, clinging and all defilement are done away with by

attaining the Noble Path and Nibbana is realised.

One who has no attachment does not long after things. One

who does not long after things is calmed in himself.Majjhima.ii 318

As the meditator progresses in the attainment of Insight

Knowledge, and as he continues to note the arising mental and

physical phenomena, he realises that all things are impermanent,

sources of suffering and not an independent self; he will have no

obsession with the objects noted. As such no clinging arises.

There is no clinging to what he sees, hears, smells, tastes,

touches or is aware of. The objects appear to arise each in itsown time and then pass away. He realises that they are

impermanent in nature. There is nothing to cling to. They trouble

with their rise and fall. They are causes of all sufferings. There is

nothing in them to cling to as happy, good or beautiful. They rise

and fall as is their nature, so there is nothing to cling to as a self,

a soul, or an I. All these are made very plain to the meditator in

his notings. At that, the attachment and clinging are done away

with. When that is so, the meditator realises Nibbana through

the Noble Path.

One who contemplates on the mental and material objects that

appear at the Six Sense Doors and knows their intrinsic nature of

impermanence, suffering and are not-self in nature, does not

delight in them or cling to them. As he does not cling to them, he

makes no effort to enjoy them. As he does not make any effort,

there arises no kamma called becoming. As no kamma arises,

there is no new birth. When there is no new birth, there is no

occasion for old age, dying and grief; therein the process of

causal relationship becomes affective.


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Noble Path

Every time the meditator notes arising and ceasing of mental and

physical phenomena, there is an effort being made. This is the

Right Effort of the Noble Eightfold Path together with Right

Mindfulness. Then there is consciousness which penetrates the

object noted as well and remains fixed on it. This is Right

Concentration. Together with Right View, Right Thought, Right

Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood, they constitute the

Eight Factors of the Noble Path. When this knowledge matures,

the meditator will arrive at the Noble Path in due course.

To sum up: Insight Wisdom or Knowledge is developed by

meditating and contemplating on the Five Aggregates of Clinging.

We meditate on the aggregates whenever they arise in order

that we do not cling to them. If we fail to meditate on mentaland physical phenomena, clinging arises. We cling to them as

permanent, good and as an independent self. It is plainly seen

that all conditioned things are impermanent, that they are

sources of suffering, mere processes. Once clinging ceases, the

Path arises, leading to Nibbana. These, then, are the elements of

Insight Meditation.

Mahasi SayadawMahasi SayadawMahasi SayadawMahasi Sayadaw


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Maha Satipatthana Sutta (abridged)

The Great Discourse on the

Four Foundations of Mindfulness(The Words of the Buddha)Thus Have I Heard:

Once, the Blessed One was living in Kammasadamma, a market town

of the Kurus. There He addressed the monks: "O! Bhikkhus" and

the bhikkhus respectfully responded, "Venerable Sir". The

Blessed One spoke as follows: This is theThis is theThis is theThis is the ****Only Way,Only Way,Only Way,Only Way, bhikkhusbhikkhusbhikkhusbhikkhus,,,,

for the Purification of beings, for the Overcoming of sorrow andfor the Purification of beings, for the Overcoming of sorrow andfor the Purification of beings, for the Overcoming of sorrow andfor the Purification of beings, for the Overcoming of sorrow and

lamentation, for the Disappearance of pain and grief, for Reachinglamentation, for the Disappearance of pain and grief, for Reachinglamentation, for the Disappearance of pain and grief, for Reachinglamentation, for the Disappearance of pain and grief, for Reaching

the Noblethe Noblethe Noblethe Noble Path, for the Realisation ofPath, for the Realisation ofPath, for the Realisation ofPath, for the Realisation of NibbanaNibbanaNibbanaNibbana, namely:, namely:, namely:, namely: The FourThe FourThe FourThe Four

Foundations of Mindfulness.Foundations of Mindfulness.Foundations of Mindfulness.Foundations of Mindfulness. WhatWhatWhatWhat are these Fare these Fare these Fare these Fourourourour FoundationsFoundationsFoundationsFoundations????

Note:[*The Only Way: a path going in one direction; leading to the purification

of beings.

In the Samyutta Nikaya: On one occasion (and this was immediately

after His Enlightenment) the Blessed One was dwelling at Uruvela on the bank

of the river Neranjara, at the foot of the Goatherds Banyan Tree (so named

because goat herds tending their goats used to sit under the tree). Then while

the Blessed One was alone in seclusion, a reflection arose in His mind: This is

the one-way path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow

and lamentation, for the passing away of pain and displeasure, for the

achievement of the method, for the realisation of Nibbana, that is the Four

Foundations of Mindfulness.

Then Brahma Sahampati, having known with his own mind thereflection in the Blessed Ones mind, just as quickly as a strong man might

extend his drawn-in arm or draw in his extended arm, disappeared from the

brahma world and reappeared before the Blessed One. He arranged his upper

robe over one shoulder and raised his joined hands in reverential salutation and

said to Him. So it is, O Blessed One! So it is, Venerable Sir, this is the One Way

Path for the purification of beings. that is the Four Foundations of

Mindfulness


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Again in the Buddhas last days as stated in the Mahaparinibbana

Sutta: Then the Lord, having recovered from His sickness, as soon as he felt

better, went outside and sat on a prepared seat in front of the dwelling. Then

the Venerable Ananda came to him saluted and sat down on one side and said: the Lord will not attain final Nibbana until He has made some statement

about the order of bhikkhus. But, Ananda, what does the order of bhikkhus

expect of me? I have taught the Dhamma, Ananda, making no inner and

outer (meaning no esoteric teachings). The Tathagatha has no teachers fist

in respect of doctrine Ananda, I am now old, worn out you should live as

islands unto yourself, being your own refuge and how does a bhikkhu live as

an island unto himself with no other refuge?

Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu abides contemplating the body as body,

earnestly, clearly aware, mindful likewise with regards to feelings, mind, mind

objects. Countless such statements have been made by the Buddha regarding

the Only Way. The above demonstrate the Buddhas endorsement of that

statement. The more important and poignantly remarkable it becomes when

one realises that these two statements were made one at the beginning of His

Enlightenment and the other at His Parinibbana!In the Papanca-Sudani, the Commentary to the Majjhima-Nikaya;

Satipatthana is the sole, one and only way because it is a single and straight

path, not one that branches off. It is a way that has to be taken by oneself. It is

the only way because it is the way of the Exalted One, the Buddha, who is the

best of all beings. Though others, too walk on that Way, it is the Buddhas Way

because He had discovered it and it exists only in His Teaching and Discipline. It

is also the Only Way because no other roads lead to Nibbana].

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness:

1. In this teaching, a bhikkhu contemplates the body in the

body, ardently (atapi), clearly comprehending (sampajano)

and mindful (satima), removing covetousness and grief in the

world;2. he contemplates the feeling in the feelings, ardently, clearly

comprehending and mindful, removing covetousness and

grief in the world;

3. he contemplates the consciousness in the consciousness,

ardently, clearly comprehending and mindful, removing

covetousness and grief in the world;


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4. he contemplates the Dhamma in the dhammas, ardently,

clearly comprehending and mindful, removing covetousness

and grief in the world.

Note:[The essence ofatapi, sampajano andsatima:1. Ardent effort (atapi); the mental quality of energy or effort. Effort must be

made to arouse and maintain mindfulness. This refers to Right Effort, the Sixth

Factor of the Noble Eightfold Path, which guards against and abandons what is

unwholesome and creating and maintaining what is wholesome.

2. Clear comprehension (sampajano); is the Wisdom-faculty. Clearly

comprehending what practices are helpful and what are not. Also to

comprehend one's state of mind to ensure that the appropriate amount of

energy is being applied; that there is no under-exertion or over-exertion and also

to distinguish the inherent characteristics of the object of attention

(impermanence, un-satisfactoriness and selflessness).

3. Mindfulness (satima), is being aware of what is happening within oneself or

to oneself at any given moment of experience. This quality of awareness is anessential foundation or quality of mind that is needed for both concentration

and wisdom. To see things as they really are, one must examine them with

mindfulness. Mindfulness is that essential mental quality by which we apply

awareness to illuminate and to understand our bodily and mental experiences.

This mindfulness must build up momentum through continuous practice. When

appropriate strength of mindfulness is developed, it is capable of uncovering

Insight Knowledge. The combination of ardentness, clear comprehension and

mindfulness leads to concentration].

Reference Note: For detailed study of the Mahasatipatthana Sutta, refer to

Digha Nikaya Sutta No. 22, Majjhima Nikaya Sutta No. 10.


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CHAPTER I

A GENERAL OUTLINE OF VIPASSANA MEDITATION

The final goal of Satipatthana, also known as Vipassana or

Mindfulness Meditation, is Nibbana. Mindfulness Meditation is

a non-religious, ethical discipline that can be practised by all, as

its sole purpose is to teach a way of life that totally eradicates

defilement from the mind. Apropos to this, people generally

identify thoughts, feelings, impulses, emotions or sensations that

they experience as belonging to them; as their personal

properties; that such phenomena are associated with an entity, a

person. Each mental phenomenon takes them on a mental trip.

I am happy, I am angry, this is mine, my wealth and so

forth.

The Practice

By practising mindfulness, they learn to observe; the rise and fall,

the appearance and disappearance of various thoughts and

feelings; the cause and origin of these thoughts and feelings and

thus understanding their nature, gradually develop a sense of

distance and detachment from them. This will assuredly enable

them to develop inner calmness. Through further practice, they

will develop Insight and Wisdom that will enable them to

comprehend the intrinsic realities that had been clouded by

illusion and ignorance. As mindfulness matures in progressive

stages they will realise that the workings of the mind is in realityan impersonal process.

Ideally, a prospective learner should spend 16 hours a day in the

practice ofVipassana meditation, alternating between one hour

of sitting meditation and one hour of walking meditation

continuously without any break in between. Keen awareness of

the moment to moment arising and falling away of mind and

body processes should be noted without a break.


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The practice is strenuous mentally and physically, involving

mindfulness training to investigate the mind and the body, noting

impartially each aspect of mind and body phenomenon as it

arises to consciousness. One is to be fully mindful of each mental

or physical activity incessantly going on; without involving the

concept of I or Self, and directly experiencing these mind and

body phenomena as they arise and fall away. Mahasi Sayadaw, a

successful exponent of Vipassana, advises observing the rising

and falling of the abdomen as the primary object of mindfulness

training. Mindfulness is the essential factor in observing things

with Clear, Detached Awareness and see realities as they truly

are. There are two kinds of Realities:

(1) Conventional Realities (pannatti) are the references of

ordinary conceptual thoughts and conventional modes ofexpression. They include such entities as living beings, persons,

men, women, animals and the apparently stable persisting

objects that constitute our unanalysed picture of the world.

These concepts or notions do not possess ultimate validity, for

the objects which they signify do not exist in their own right as

irreducible realities. Their mode of being is conceptual, not

actual. They are products of mental construction, not realities

existing by reason of their own nature.

(2) Ultimate Realities (paramattha) in contrast, are things that

exist by reason of their own intrinsic nature. These are the

dhammas: the final, irreducible components of existence, the

ultimate realities which result from a correctly performed

analysis of experience. Such existents admit of no further

reduction, but are themselves the final terms of analysis, the true

constituents of the complex manifold of experience. The Pali

word paramattha is applied to them, which is derived from

parama; meaning ultimate, highest, final; and attha; meaning

reality, thing.


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With the deepening of awareness, stages of Insight Knowledge

will be progressively experienced. From the very beginning the

meditator should know that no two individuals will have exactly

the same experience in the practice. Thus, it is not advisable that

the meditator has preconceived expectations in the progress of

his meditation. The meditator should be clearly mindful of what

is actually experienced moment to moment.

When the practice has matured, and all the mental faculties are

balanced; a natural unfolding of Insight Knowledge and Wisdom

will arise. Through mindful observation, one comes to realise

that there is no permanent abiding entity, self or ego within the

physical frame of the human body and that what constitutes

within that frame are: The Five Aggregates of human existence

known as khandha. The result of this realisation is detachmentfrom the sensations: feelings, thoughts, ideas, impulses, etc.,

which are continuously arising in the mind. The Insight into this

and full realisation of it, is known as panna or wisdom. If one

sincerely desires to attain Insight Knowledge here and now, one

must renounce worldly thoughts and actions during Vipassana

meditation and concentrate on: the Purification of Conduct (Sila);

the essential preliminary step towards gaining Insight

Knowledge.


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SOME GUIDELINES TO BEGIN TRAINING

Wherever possible, the meditator should begin his practice with

an experienced and competent teacher, who has practical

meditation experiences and a broad knowledge of the Dhamma.

The meditator must stick to the instructions of the teacher very

carefully and listen to the structured Dhamma talks attentively. If

the meditator pays careful attention to the teacher, he will

progress well and develop faith in the practice. In every training

there is theory and practice. Reading alone cannot lead to true

understanding, but theory and practice together will give a

profound understanding of the Dhamma.

In the course of his practice, the meditator will encounter various

experiences. In reporting these to the teacher, he has to do sofactually. The meditator must be honest and straight forward in

reporting to the teacher. Meditators in some cases report what

they consider the good side and fail to report plainly and frankly

on other experiences. Though the meditator may think that his

practice is not good, it may not be so in the view of the teacher

and only by knowing the true situation, can the teacher be able

to give correct and beneficial guidance. There are bound to be

difficulties initially, as there are in anything new. Only after some

practice can results be forthcoming. Hence, it is very important

that the meditator reports his experiences to the teacher very

plainly, frankly and factually.

The meditator must be industrious and diligent. He must always

be alert and ready to note. It is the main and primary duty of the

meditator to note whatever feelings and sensations arising in his

body and mind. Even minor physical movements such as moving

of the hands, changing of clothes, etc. have to be noted with

keen awareness.


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A meditator may, in a hurry, try to do two things at a time. This is

to be discouraged as details in these actions and movements will

be missed. In eating, in using toilet facilities, too, the meditator

must do so with full awareness. He must note all movements

with awareness without missing anything whatsoever. There is

nothing which should not be noted. Every physical and mental

occurrence has to be noted mindfully.

The meditator must refrain from talking, eating and sleeping

excessively. Talking is a major obstacle in the practice of

meditation. Avoid talking while practising intensive meditation.

Should there be a necessity to talk, the meditator must note the

intention to talk and limit the duration of such talks. The

meditator should not over-eat. In eating, the Buddha has advised

that meditators must never eat to a full stomach, but shouldleave at least about four or five morsels less, and fill the stomach

with water, soup or fluid of any kind.

Sleep should be reduced to a minimum. During intensive

practice, four hours of sleep will not cause a problem to

meditators, and they should not have any anxiety about having

four hours of sleep in their daily schedule.

In intensive practice, the meditator must try very hard and have

unshakeable resolution that says, "I will persevere in my practice

and even if my blood should dry up and my flesh, skin, bones and

sinews alone remain in my body, I will carry on". This kind of

steadfast resolution has to be made to practise Vipassana

Mindfulness Meditation successfully; the attachment to the body

must be disregarded. If the meditator has too much affection of

or attachment to his body, the progress of Insight Knowledge will

be very slow.


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The meditator should practise mindfulness at all times. If a

meditator is not mindful, for example, of the sound he hears, he

may develop either attachment or aversion to the sound.

Therefore he should always note sound as such, so that the

sound will pass away as merely sound, without any

accompanying attachment or aversion.

The meditator must act as if he is a sick person and not move

quickly in whatever he does. He should walk very slowly, eat very

slowly and even talk very slowly. In so doing, he can note all the

mental and physical sensations and will soon develop the habit

of mindfulness. He should make persistent and continuous effort

to note without let up. He must note from the moment of waking

up in the morning until going to sleep at night, not only in sitting

and walking sessions, but also in the daily activities. When themoment to moment concentration is sustained, the meditator

will be able to develop progressive Insight Knowledge

successfully within a reasonable time.


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CHAPTER II

MEDITATION EXERCISES AND MISCELLANEOUS

Meditation in the Sitting Posture

Begin the training in a quiet and peaceful place. Settle down in

the most comfortable posture that will enable the meditator to

meditate for some time. Sit with the legs crossed to maintain a

good balance. It might be more comfortable if the legs are not

inter-locked but evenly placed on the ground, without pressing

one against the other. If sitting on the floor is not comfortable,

sit on a cushion or obtain a more comfortable way of sitting. If

this still does not work, sit on a chair, with no back support

though. Maintain a straight back, looking straight ahead.

Whatever position he selects, it must enable him to sit

comfortably for a considerable period.

When meditating with observing the rising and falling of the

abdomen, the meditator should keep his attention on the

movement of the abdomen. He will be able to identify the

upward movement (expansion) of the abdomen when breathing

in, and the downward movement (contraction) when breathing

out. Note: rising, rising for upward movements and falling,

falling for downward movements. If these movements are not

clearly noticed, it is acceptable to feel the movements with the

hands.

He should not alter the normal tempo of his breathing. Neither

should he slow down his breathing by the retention of his breath,

nor quicken it by deep breathing. By changing the normal flow of

his breathing he will soon tire himself. He must keep to the

natural breathing, and proceed; with the noting of rising and

falling. On identifying the upward movement note; rising,

rising and on the downward movement; falling, falling.


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The labelling of these movements need not be done verbally, it is

more important to know the actual state of the object than to

know it by the term or name. It is therefore essential that the

meditator makes every effort to be mindful of the movement of

the rising of the abdomen, from the beginning till the end of the

in-breath and also of the falling of the abdomen, from the start

to the finish of the out-breath, as if these movements were seen

by the eyes.

As soon as rising occurs, there should be; the Knowing Mind

firmly locked onto the Movements. The movement of rising as

it arises and the mind knowing it must impact on every

occasion, similar to a pebble striking a wall. They must impact

at the same point. Similarly, the movement of falling as it falls

and the mind knowing it must converge on every occasion. Themeditator should carry on the exercise of continuously noting

these two movements of: rising, rising; falling, falling; only

interrupting to note mental and other physical activities as they

arise. Thus, note every mental activity as it occurs. For instance,

it should be noted: thinking, thinking; at the moment of

thinking; reflecting; planning; knowing; attending; rejoicing;

feeling lazy; feeling happy; disgust, etc., as the case may be on

the occurrence of each mental activity.

In the process of developing concentration, the meditator should

reflect on the process of breathing; the air when inhaled sets up

pressure that pushes from the inside; try to feel and know or

realise this pushing up of the air from the inside and not so

much on the abdomen, as the abdomen is only a label. This

pushing outward of air from inside is the real thing that is

happening when meditator is breathing in; the out flowing of the

air on the out breath and the abdomen contracting as the air

gradually falls away.


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Thus, the meditator must be mindful of these two movements

that take place: When inhaling, the abdomen extends gradually,

note; rising, rising. When exhaling, the already extended

abdomen gradually falls back into place; note; falling, falling. At

the same time that he is mindful of these two movements, he

will concentrate more on the gradual force of air extending the

abdomen, and the gradual contraction of the abdomen when

breathing out. With this he should be able to develop

concentration. If these two points of mindfulness; rising, rising

and falling, falling are not effective in gaining concentration,

add another point and note; rising, rising; falling, falling;

touching, touching. In noting touching, the meditator should not

note the shape of the limbs or objects that are touching each

other, but concentrate on the hardness at the point of contact

and note; touching, touching, rising, rising, falling, falling. Ifconcentration is still difficult with three notings, he may note the

sitting position as well; rising, rising; falling, falling; sitting,

sitting; touching, touching.

When the meditator is sitting, he will realise the fact that the

upper part of the body is erect and taut. He must not bring up

the shape of the head, body, hands or legs, but he must be

aware that the body is taut with the force of air that has pushed

him up into the sitting position and the hard feeling, at the

point of contact that he experiences when he is sitting.

With noting four mental phenomena; rising, falling, sitting,

touching, the meditators mind will become calm. When his

mind is calm and peaceful, his concentration will become keener

and Insights will arise. If his noting of; rising, falling, sitting,

touching, is effective in gaining concentration, he may

concentrate on them, however reverting to any notings of two,

three or four phenomena is quite in order.


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From this exercise, the meditator learns the actual manner of

noting the upward and downward movements of the abdomen.

He should NOT be concerned with the form of the abdomen,

hence, DO NOT dwell on the form of the abdomen. What he

actually needs to observe is the sensation of pressure on the

body caused by the rhythmic movement of the abdomen as he

breathes. For the beginner, it is a very effective method of

developing the faculties of attention, concentration of mind and

Insight in meditation. As practice progresses, the manner of the

movements will be clearer. The ability to know each successive

occurrence of the mental and physical processes at each of the

Six Sense Doors is acquired only when Insight Meditation is fully

developed.

Initially, when attentiveness and power of concentration are stillweak, meditator may find it difficult to keep the mind on each

successive rising and falling movement as it occurs. In view of this

difficulty, bear in mind that this is a learning process. The rising

and falling movements of the abdomen are always present and

therefore there is no need to look for them and it is quite

sufficient for a beginner to keep his or her mind on these two

simple movements. Continue with this exercise in full awareness

of the abdomen's rising and falling movements.


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Meditation Using Breath as the Main Object

Sayadaw U Silananda

For those meditators whose choice of the primary meditation

object is the breath: Focus attention on the breath, keeping the

mind at the tip of the nose, or at the entrance of the nostrils.

The in-breath and the out-breath each last about four or five

seconds. Be mindful of the breaths. The meditator may feel a

sensation of air at the tip of his nose or in his nose (depending on

the shape and position of the nose). Be mindful of it. Observe

and pay attention to the nature of the breath; be mindful of the

moving nature or the supporting nature of the breath, rather

than the shape or form of the breath.

When breathing in, be mindful of the in-breath for the wholeduration of the in-breath, or from the beginning to the end.

When breathing out, be mindful of the out-breath for the whole

duration, or from the beginning to the end.

Do not allow the mind to follow the breath into the body or

outside the body. Be mindful of the in-breath and out-breath as

two separate phenomena, not just one and the same breath

going in and coming out. The mind is like a gatekeeper standing

at the gate, taking note of people going in and coming out. Do

not force or strain the breathing; just calmly be mindful and

watch the breaths.

The meditator may make a mental note when he breathes in and

when he breathes out, as in, out; in, out. Making mental

notes, or labelling, is to help concentrate the mind on the object;

keeping mindfulness on the object at all times. What is important

is mindfulness of the object at the moment. If his mind can be on

the breaths only, that is very good. However, the mind has a

tendency to wander quite often.


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While noting the breaths, the meditators mind wanders or goes

out and he is aware of it; be mindful of its going out and note,

going out, going out, going out, two or three times and then

revert to noting the breaths. If the meditator sees something or

someone in his thoughts; he should mindfuly note, seeing,

seeing, seeing, momentarily; then revert to noting the breaths. If

he hears somebody talking in his thoughts, be mindful of hearing

and note, hearing, hearing, hearing, and then go back to noting

the breath.

If the meditator talks to someone in his thoughts, or if he talks to

himself, be mindful of talking and note, talking, talking, talking,

and then continue noting the breaths. If he speculates about

something, be mindful of speculating; if he analyses something,

be mindful of analysing; if he makes judgments, be mindful ofmaking judgments. Note each phenomenon as it arises and as it

passes away. In Vipassana Meditation, the meditator applies

*bare attention onto the object, without any additions of his

own, such as beautiful, ugly, good, bad or such descriptive

terms. In other words, he should take the object as it is, without

subjective additions of his own. If he remembers something, be

mindful of remembering and note, remembering, remembering

and then continue noting the breaths.

*Bare attention is the clear and single-minded awareness of what actually

happens to us and in us, at the successive moments of perception. It is called

bare, because it attends just to the bare facts of a perception as presentedeither through the five physical senses or through the mind which constitutes

the sixth sense. When attending to that six-fold sense impression, attention or

mindfulness is kept to a bare registering of the facts observed, without reacting

to them by deed, speech or by mental comment which may be one of self-

reference (like, dislike, etc.), judgement or reflection. If during the time, short or

long, given to the practice of Bare Attention, any such comments arise in ones

mind, they themselves are made objects of Bare Attention and are neither

repudiated nor pursued, but are dismissed, after a brief mental note has been

made of them (Nyanatiloka).


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If he thinks of the future and makes plans, be mindful of it and

note, thinking, thinking or planning, planning and then

continue noting the breath. If he feels lazy, he must be mindful of

it and note, lazy, lazy, and then continue noting the breaths. If

the meditator feels bored, be mindful of boredom and note,

bored, bored, then continue noting the breaths. If he

experiences resistance, be mindful of it and note, resisting,

resisting and continue noting the breaths.

Any thoughts of attachment, greed or lust, must be noted, and

then revert to noting the breaths. If he is upset or angry for any

reason, he must be mindful of that anger, or, make that anger

the object of his meditation. Concentrate momentarily on the

anger and note, anger, anger, then revert to noting the breaths.

If the meditator has painful or unpleasant feelings in the body

(numbness, stiffness or heat), he should focus his mind on these

feelings and mindfully note each of these feelings consecutively.

He will have to be very patient with painful feelings. Pain may not

go away. He has to be patient and be mindful of it. It may go

away or it may become more acute. Stay with it as long as

possible. In reality pain is a good object for meditation. It is a

strong object. The meditators mind is pulled towards the pain.

So be mindful of it and try to see it just as a sensation. It is

important that he does not identify pain as himself, so do not

note, it is my pain or I feel pain. There is just the pain, just the

sensation. If the pain becomes so intense that he feels he cannot

bear it, he may ignore the pain altogether and revert to noting

the breaths, or he may make movements or change posture to

ease the pain. When he makes movements or changes posture,

first mindfully note the intention to change; and then mindfully

move slowly; one at a time, following each movement with

mindfulness. When the changes are made, he should return to

noting the breaths.


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The breath is the primary object of meditation. Whenever there

are no other objects to be mindful of, just be mindful of the

breaths. If there are more prominent objects, then the meditator

should take note of them, be aware of them, or be mindful of

them, and then revert to the breaths. Do not force or strain, just

calmly watch the objects, take note of them and be mindful of

them.

Do not try to forcefully push distractions or emotions or feelings

in the body away, just watch them and let them go by

themselves. The rest is the same as for taking the rising and

falling of the abdomen as main object. The only difference is to

substitute movements of the abdomen with breaths.

Common to Both MethodsIn the course of contemplation in either mode of meditation,

noting the breath or the rising and falling of the abdomen, the

meditators mindfulness must be precise, that is, aligning

concurrently with the objects. Take only one prominent object at

a time and be mindful of it. If he cannot decide which is most

prominent, select one and be mindful of it. What is important is

to be mindful of the object at the present moment; so whether

he is mindful of the main object or the secondary object, so long

as he is mindful, he is doing correctly. Do not have any

expectation; do not expect strange experiences, such as seeing

visions or specific results or even to attain to certain degree of

concentration. Expectations may motivate practice, but when the

meditator is at the point of meditation, they become obstacles to

concentration. That is because expectations are a mild form of

greed or attachment which is a hindrance to concentration.

If expectations come up in spite of himself, he must not be

irritated by them; he must be mindful of these expectations and

note; expecting, expecting, expecting.


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Then revert to noting the breaths or the movements of the

abdomen. When practising mindfulness, the meditator is making

ardent mental effort; the effort he makes thus, must be neither

too much nor too little. If he makes too much effort, he will

become agitated and he will not be able to concentrate; and if

effort is slack, he will become sleepy and again unable to

concentrate. The effort he makes must, therefore, be well

balanced.

If he misses to be mindful and then remembers his lapse, he

must then be mindful of that lapse of missing and note; missing,

missing, missing, or forgetting, forgetting, forgetting. Above all,

he must not feel guilt, be tight or tense in his mind; he must be

relaxed, mindfully and calmly making mental notes.

Changing Positions During Sitting

It may be that after sitting for a considerable amount of time

(either watching the breath or the rise and fall of the abdomen)

there will arise in the body, unpleasant feelings of stiffness,

warmth, pain and so forth. These sensations should be noted as

they are observed. Mind should be fixed on the spot and a note

made, thus; stiffness, stiffness on feeling stiff; warm, warm

on feeling warm; painful, painful on feeling pain; prickly,

prickly on feeling a prickly sensation and tired, tired on feeling

tiredness.

In contemplating these arising of unpleasant, painful feelings, the

meditator is developing Insight into feeling. When there is lack of

wisdom and knowledge of Insight into feeling, there will prevail a

wrong view of one's personality or self, that these feelings

belong to an entity, a body or a self as: I am feeling stiff; I

am feeling hot; I am feeling painful; I was feeling well

formerly but now I feel uncomfortable. In reality, feelings arise

owing to impressions on the body.


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Like the light of an electric bulb which continues to burn on the

continuous supply of energy, so is the case of feelings, which

arise anew on every occasion of coming into contact with

impressions. It is essential to understand these feelings clearly.

When noting stiff, stiff, hot, hot, painful, painful, the meditator

may feel that such disagreeable feelings appear to grow stronger.

Due to such uncomfortable feelings, he may notice the arising of

a desire to change his posture.

This mind desiring to change should be noted desiring,

desiring. Then a return should be made to the feeling and noting

stiff, stiff or hot, hot and so forth. If noting is continued with

great patience in this manner, such unpleasant feelings will pass

away.

Patience Leads To Nibbana; this is especially true in meditation

than anything else. If a meditator cannot bear unpleasant

feelings with patience and frequently changes posture in the

course of his meditation, he cannot gain concentration. Without

concentration, Insight Knowledge (Vipassana-nana) will not be

possible. Without this, the attainment of Path, Fruition and

Nibbana is also not possible. Cultivation of patience is imperative

in Vipassana and bearing up with unpleasant feelings is essential.

A meditator should not change his posture immediately when

unpleasant sensations arise, but must proceed with noting them

as stiff, stiff; hot, hot and so on. Such painful sensations will

ordinarily subside, and when concentration is strong and well

developed, it will be found that even great pain will fade away

when they are being noted with patience. On the fading away of

suffering or pain, the usual noting; rising, rising, falling, falling

be continued. Only in the event that pain or unpleasant feelings

do not subside in spite of patient and prolonged noting, that the

meditator initiates change in his position.


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When concentration is not strong enough pain will remain. In

these circumstances there will often arise a mind wanting to

change the position, and this mind should be noted; wanting,

wanting after which continue to note; lifting, lifting on lifting

the hand; moving, moving on moving it forward. These actions

of changing position should be carried out slowly and mindfully,

and these movements should be noted: lifting, lifting; moving,

moving; touching, touching in the consecutive order of their

movements.

If the body sways, a note should be made as swaying, swaying;

on raising the leg as raising, raising; on moving as moving,

moving; on putting down as putting, putting. If at any time

there is no further movement to note, revert to noting the rising

and falling of the abdomen; rising, rising, falling, falling. Thereshould be no break in between notings. The preceding noting

and the one following should be continuous. Similarly, the

preceding concentration and the one following should be

continuous, the preceding knowledge (nana) and the one

following should be continuous. In this way, the gradual

development by stages of Mindfulness, Concentration and

Insight Knowledge takes place, and on their full development the

final stage of Insight Knowledge of the Path (magga-nana) will be

attained.

The practice ofVipassana meditation is similar to building a fire

by rubbing two dry sticks together. As the sticks become hotter,

due to the increasing friction, increasing vigorous effort will be

needed. Only then will fire be produced. The essential ingredient

is a sustained vigorous action without break. Similarly, a

meditator should exert continuous and incessant effort without

any break in between notings, thus ensuring continuity of

concentration and gaining success in his meditation.


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Thus, occupied with his usual exercise, the meditator may feel an

itch or such other sensations affecting certain parts of his body.

He should fix his mind on the spot and note; itching, itching.

Itchiness is an unpleasant sensation. As soon as it is felt there

arises a mind wanting to rub or scratch. This should be noted;

wanting, wanting, after which rubbing or scratching should not

be attempted as yet, but a note of itching, itching, be made.

Itching may disappear, in which case, the meditator should

continue to note rising, rising; falling, falling.

If on the other hand it is found that the itch does not disappear

and it is necessary to rub or scratch; the contemplation of the

process of rubbing or scratching should be carried out by noting;

wanting, wanting. Continue noting; raising, raising on raising

the hand; moving, moving on moving the hand; touching,touching when the hand touches the spot; rubbing, rubbing,

scratching, scratching when rubbing or scratching;

withdrawing, withdrawing on withdrawing the hand;

touching, touching when the hand touches the body, and

thereafter revert to the usual exercise of noting; rising, rising,

falling, falling. In every case of changing positions during

meditation, such actions should be carried out slowly and

mindfully, noting each action as it arises.

Simulated Behaviour: As a Sick, a Blind and a Deaf Person

During the course of practice, it is most appropriate if a

meditator acts like a weak, enfeebled person; slow in all his

activities, similar to a person suffering from an injured leg. The

patient must be cautious and move slowly to avoid pain. In like

manner, a meditator should slow down his actions. Having lived a

hurried and materialistic lifestyle prior to his mental training, a

meditator now endeavours to develop mindfulness and

concentration. To do this, it is necessary that meditative

exercises be carried out in a deliberately slowed down manner.


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This will be conducive to the development of concentration and

mindfulness, leading to Insight Knowledge. Thus, a meditator

should imitate a blind person throughout the entire course of

training. A mentally unrestrained person will not be dignified as

he is usually inattentive. He does not possess a steady and calm

manner, unlike a blind person, who is mindful, calm and

composed and though spoken to, seldom turns around

unmindfully. This composed manner is worthy of imitation. A

meditator while meditating, should act in the same manner.

He should not look around aimlessly and his mind must be

concentrated solely on the object of meditation; mindfully

noting: rising, falling. He should not react to external

occurrences, but instead should note them as seeing, seeing,

or knowing, knowing, and continue noting, rising, falling.

It is also necessary for a meditator to behave like a deaf person.

Ordinarily, a person on hearing a sound turns around and looks

toward the direction of the sound. Or he turns around towards

the person who speaks to him and makes a reply. He may not

behave in a mindful manner. While on the other hand, a deaf

person behaves in a composed manner and seldom takes heed of

any sound or talk because he does not hear them. Similarly a

meditators conduct should be of like manner; neither taking

heed nor listening to any talk. If he happens to hear any sound or

talk he should at once make a note; hearing, hearing, and then

return to the usual exercise of noting rising, falling. He should

proceed with his meditation intently just as if deaf. It should be

remembered that practising meditation intently is the sole

concern of a meditator; other things seen or heard are not his

concern. He should not take heed of them. In the case of body

actions he must act slowly and feebly as if sickly and weak.


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Walking Meditation

The act of pulling up the body to the standing position, in

preparation for walking meditation, should be carried out slowly

with mindfulness. On coming to an erect position this should be

noted standing, standing; if the meditator happens to look

around, this should be noted looking, seeing; and on walking,

each step should be noted right step, left step or walking,

walking. In each step, attention should be fixed on the

movement from the point of lifting the leg to the point of putting

it down. While walking in quick steps or taking a long stride, it

should be sufficient that each section of each step should be

noted; right step, left step or walking, walking. However, in

the case of taking a slow walk, each step may be divided into

three sections of: lifting, pushing forward, putting down.

In the beginning of the exercise, a note should be made on two

sections in each step lifting, lifting, by fixing the attention on

the upward movement of the leg from the beginning to the end,

and putting, putting, on the downward movement from the

beginning to the end. Here it may be mentioned that, at the time

of noting putting, putting, when the leg is put down in the first

step, the other leg usually lift up to begin the next step. This

should not be allowed to happen. The next step should begin

only after the complete ending of the first step.

After two or three days this exercise would be easy and a

meditator should carry out noting each step in three sections;

lifting, lifting, pushing, pushing, putting, putting. For the

present, a meditator should start the exercise by noting; right

step, left step, right step, left step; walking, walking while

walking quickly; and by noting lifting, lifting, putting, putting

while walking slowly.


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In the course of his walking meditation the feeling may arise of

wanting to sit down. He should note the intention; intention,

intention. If he then happens to look up, looking, seeing,

looking, seeing; on walking to the place to sit, lifting, lifting,

putting, putting; on stopping, stopping, stopping; when

turning, turning, turning; when he feels wanting to sit,

wanting, wanting. In the act of sitting there occurs a heaviness

in the body and also a downward pull. Attention should be fixed

on these physical movements and a note made, sitting, sitting.

After having sat down there would be movements of bringing the

hands and legs into position.

These actions as they arise should be appropriately noted;

moving, bending, stretching, and so forth. If there is a lull in

noting, and when sitting quietly he should revert to the usualexercise of noting rising, rising; falling, falling of the abdominal

movements. During meditation, feelings of pain, tiredness or

warmth should be noted, and then revert to the usual exercise of

noting; rising, rising; falling, falling.

If the meditator feels sleepy he should note sleepy, sleepy, and

proceed with the noting of all acts of preparing for lying down

and bringing into position the hands and legs, raising, raising;

pressing, pressing; moving, moving; supporting,

supporting; swaying, swaying when the body sways;

stretching, stretching when the legs stretch; lying, lying when

the body drops and lies flat. These trifling acts in lying down are

also important and they should not be neglected. There is every

possibility of attaining Enlightenment during this limited time. On

the full development of concentration and Insight Knowledge,

Enlightenment is attainable during a moment of bending or

stretching.


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The Steps in Walking Meditation

During practice, the exercise in walking meditation is to observe

the steps closely and carefully as one, two, three or six

sequences of movement. This is to develop concentration to see

through and break up the continuity of the movements of the

steps into their moment to moment arising and falling away.

When concentration improves, steps in walking can be seen to

coincide with the speed in noting. More movements will be

observed as concentration strengthens.

The First Stage: Note the step as one sequence of movement;

left foot forward, right foot forward; left foot forward, right foot

forward.

The Second Stage: Note each step as two sequences of

movement; lifting, lifting; dropping, dropping.The Third Stage: Note each step as three sequences of

movement; lifting, lifting; pushing, pushing; dropping, dropping

of one foot, and lifting, lifting; pushing, pushing; dropping,

dropping of the other foot.

The meditator should direct the mind to be aware and note the

forward movement of the steps and not the image of the foot.

Be aware of the element of motion that is going up gradually

when lifting the foot. Knowing that it goes up and being aware of

it is the real thing that is happening at the moment, that is,

mental and body process; the mind knowing the physical lifting

and dropping. When lifting the foot, the meditator must

attentively note the gradual upward movement of the foot.

When the foot is being pushed forward, he must be aware of the

foot moving forward slowly and then when dropping the foot, he

must be aware of the foot falling or dropping down slowly lower

and lower.


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All these sequences of movement must be clearly noted so that

when the foot is being lifted slowly moment by moment, the

meditator will realise that it gets lighter and lighter as it is being

lifted. When the foot is being pushed forward he will notice and

observe the gradual forward movement. When dropping or

putting down the foot, he will experience the heaviness of the

foot descending lower and lower to the floor. When he has this

awareness in mind it is the beginning of Insight Knowledge.

Lightness is brought upon by tejo, element of warmth and vayo

element of motion or movement. Heaviness is caused bypathavi,

element of toughness or hardness and apo, element of liquidity.

The knowledge or awareness of such mental and physical

phenomena is the beginning of gaining penetrative knowledge of

the intrinsic nature of mental and body processes as it really is.

The Fourth Stage: Observe each step as three pairs of

movement; beginning to lift, lifting; beginning to push, pushing;

beginning to drop, dropping. When the foot is being lifted, the

heel is lifted first. Only after that are the toes raised and lifted

when the leg is lifted. When the foot is being pushed forward,

the meditator must know that the movement of the foot is going

forward and not backward. When dropping the foot, the forward

movement is checked a bit, and when he begins to put the foot

down it drops downwards slowly and finally the foot touches the

ground and the foot is dropped.

While meditating, the meditator must constantly be mindful of

each mental and physical phenomenon at the instant of its

arising. He can advance to noting each step as six sequences of

movement; lifting, raising, pushing, dropping, touching and

pressing. When lifting the foot, be mindful of the lifting

movement, note; lifting, lifting; as the toes raise upwards,

note; raising, raising; next, push the foot forward, note;

pushing, pushing.


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After pushing the foot forward, gradually drop it and carefully

observe the foot coming down slowly to the floor, note;

dropping, dropping. As it gradually comes down, know and feel

the touching of the foot on the ground, note; touching,

touching. Finally in order to lift the other foot, pressure will be

exerted on this foot, note; pressing, pressing.

The Benefits of Walking Meditation

By Sayadaw U Silananda

The practice of Vipassana mindfulness meditation can be

compared to the process of boiling water, where one fills the

kettle with water, puts the kettle on a stove, and then turns the

heat on. If the heat is turned on and off repeatedly the water will

not boil. In the same way, if there are gaps between the

moments of mindfulness, one will not achieve a steady andcontinuous momentum to attain concentration. That is why

meditators are instructed to practise mindfulness all the time

that they are awake, from the moment they wake up in the

morning until they fall asleep at night. Consequently, walking

meditation is integral to the continuous development of

mindfulness.

The Buddha said: "A monk applies clear comprehension in going

forward and in going back". Clear comprehension in

contemplating the phenomenon arising will enable Insight

Knowledge to arise. To correctly contemplate the arising object,

a meditator must have concentration, and in order to have

concentration, he must apply mindfulness. Therefore, when the

Buddha said, "Monks, apply clear comprehension", we must

understand that not only clear comprehension must be applied,

but also mindfulness and concentration. Thus, the Buddha was

instructing meditators to apply mindfulness, concentration and

clear comprehension while walking, while "going forward and

back.


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The meditator is instructed to be completely mindful and to

make mental notes of the stages of the foot's movement: "lifting,

moving forward, putting down, pressing the ground". At first, he

may find it difficult to slow down, but as he has been instructed

to pay close attention to all of the movements involved, and as

he actually pays closer and closer attention, he will naturally slow

down. He does not have to slow down deliberately, but as he

pays closer attention, slowing down comes to him naturally.

When driving on the highway, one may be driving at sixty or

seventy or even eighty miles per hour; driving at that speed, one

will not be able to read some of the signs on the road. If one

wants to read those signs, it is necessary to slow down. Nobody

has to say, "slow down" but the driver will naturally slow down in

order to see the signs.

In the same way, if a meditator wants to pay closer attention to

the movements of lifting, moving forward, putting down, and

pressing the ground, he will subconsciously slow down. Only

when he slows down can he be truly mindful and fully aware of

these movements. Initially, although he pays close attention and

slows down, he may not see all of the movements and stages

clearly. The stages may not yet be well-defined in his mind, and

these movements may seem to constitute only one continuous

movement. However, as concentration develops, he will observe

these different stages in each step clearer and easier.

Vipassana - Awareness in the Moment

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