THE METHOD OF THE BUDDHA'S PRACTICE OF MEDITATION

By the Most Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw

The sermon in the Buddha's own words;

Bhagava Bodhaya Dhamman Desehi : (Extract from Pathika Vagga, Digha Nikaya)

After practising and realizing the true Dhamma, the Buddha preached it to the peopleso that they may, like Himself, practise and realize the Dhamma as much as they can.

The Buddha's Dhamma is not mere speculation or theoretical. He practised it Himself and on realizing it to be the Truth then he preached it. So every being who is capable of thinking, should practise it devotedly and seriously.

How did the Buddha practise and teach it? Before His attainment to Full Enlightenment, the Bodhisattva ( the Buddha to be ) by his sublime knowledge came to know , that all beings including himself were born again and again due to commission of deeds with attachment. The Bodhisattva by his divine eye saw that beings after death were reborn in accordance with their deeds. Everytime one sees, hears, touches and cognizes there arises desire and attachment on the physical and mental phenomena. On account of this desire and attachment there is rebirth and due to rebirth one has to undergo the suffering of old age, disease and death etc. again and again. Whenever one sees, hears, touches and cognizes, if one can take notice of their arising and passing away, no desire and attachment will arise and there will be no rebirth, old, age, disease, death etc. . Thus there is the extinction of the whole mass of suffering. The Bodhisattva on having realized thus, continuosly meditated on the nature of the arising and passing away of the five groups of grasping. How he finally gained Full Enlightenment is described as follows.

The Correct Method of Insight Meditation ( Vipassana ):

"Bodhisatto aparenasamayena pancasu upadanakkhandhesu udayabbaya nupassi Vihasi. Iti rupam etc. ...... tassa pancasu upadanakkhandhesu udayabbaya nupassino, viharato na cirasseva anupadaya asavehi cittam vimucci." ( Digha-Nikaya Mahavagga 30).

The Bodhisattvava, after reflecting on how the suffering arose and ceased, meditated on the arising and passing away of physical and mental phenomena. This is physical phenomena, this is its arising, this is its passing away, etc., knowledge of the five khandas, their arising and passing away. While thus meditating before long his mind became completely detached and he gained deliverance from all defilements ( attained Arahatta Path and fruition knowledge and became the Buddha).

This extract from the Pali Text shows how the Buddha, from the Buddha Vipassi, to the Buddha Gotama, practised to become the Buddha. All the Buddhas prior to the Vipassi also practised the same method and became the Buddhas.

In this practice, one has to take notice of the true nature of the arising and passing away of physical and mental phenomena taking place in one's body at the time of their occurrence, if no noticing is made at the time of their occurrence, one is likely to to mistake them as Permanent, Happiness and Ego-entity. Because no noticing was made at the moment of seeing, hearing, smelling, and touching and thinking etc., they were not correctly seen and were mistaken to be 'happiness' and 'ego' and thus clinging to them arose. This clinging in- Pali is called Upadana. The physical and mental phenomena which are subject to clinging are called 'Upadalnakkhandhas' in Pali.

Because no proper noticing was made of these physical and mental phenomena at the moment of their occurrence, clinging arises and deeds bad and good are committed. In every existence, at the time of the approaching death, the deed (Kamma), the symbol of the deed (Kamma-Nimitta) or an indication of one's next birth (Gati-Nimitta) becomes an object of his consciousness which influences his next birth. On account of his rebirth one has to suffer old age, disease, death, etc. On proper reflection one will find them to be very frightening indeed.

So, for the extinction of the attachment and clinging, for the cessation of the five groups of grasping (Upadanakkhandhas) and thus to escape from all suffering the Bodhisattva meditated on the arising arid passing away of physical and mental phenomena at the time of thei occurrence. While thus meditating extraordinary Insight Knowledge developed in him and after attaining the Arahatta Path and Fruition Knowledge he became a Fully Enlightened One (The Buddha).

After becoming the Fully Enlightened One, the Buddha preached the 'Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta' (The First Sermon) so that beings may practise Meditation on the arising and passing away of the Five Groups of Grasping (Upadanakkhandhas) and after developing the extraordinary Insight Knowledge realize Nibbana through the Path and Fruition Knowledge and thus gain deliverance from all suffering, like Himself.

In the 'Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta' it is mentioned that the Middle Way found out by the Buddha causes the Eye of Wisdom and Knowledge to arise. Here the Eye of Wisdom and Knowledge means Insight Knowledge, and the Path and Fruition Knowledge. It also clarifies that the Middle Way means the Eight-fold Noble Path. The correct awareness of seeing, hearing etc., is also the Eightfold Noble Path.

The Development of the Eightfold Noble Path

If the development of the Eight-fold Noble Path is to be explained in brief, the effort to take notice of seeing, hearing, etc., is Right Effort (Samma Vayama). The awareness of seeing, hearing, etc., is Right Mindfulness (Samma Sati). The continuous keeping of the mind on the object of meditation is Right Concentraton (Samma Samadhi). These three belong to the section 'Concentration' and are called Samadhi Maggangas.

As and when this cocentration becomes stronger Insight Knowledge develops as follows. As mentioned in the 'Satipatthana Sutta' whenever one is Mindful of Walking, Standing, Sitting, Lying, Moving, Touching, Rising, Falling etc., one can discriminate movement etc., as physical phenomena and awareness of them as mental phenomena, thus distinguishing between. the Mind and the Matter. This is the Knowledge of Distinguishing between the Mind the Matter (Nama-Rupa-Pariccheda Nana). This knowledge arises at beginning of good concentration.

Then one comes to know that because of 'intention to move', movement arises; because of 'intention to sit', sitting arises ; because of 'in-breath', there is the 'Rising of the abdomen'; because of 'out-breath', there is the 'Falling of the abdomen'; because there is 'object to touch' touching sensation arises; because, there is 'something to take notice of' 'noting arises'; because there is the 'will to take notice', 'noticing takes place'. This is understanding the relationship between Cause and Effect. It is the Second Insight Knowledge called 'the knowledge Distinguishing between Cause and Effect' (Paccaya-Pariggaha-Nana).

When concentration becomes stronger in every act of noting, instantaneous arising and passing away of both the object noticed and the awareness of it becomes evident. One seeing thus by direct knowledge there arises the reflection. 'Things are neither 'permanent nor pleasurable but suffering. Life is simply phenomena and there is no 'ego' or 'personal entity'. This reflection arises from personal experiences. Iit is the Knowledge of Comprehension ( Sammassana Nana). It is also Vipassana Sammiditti Magganga ( Mundane Right Understanding).

After that there arises the knowledge in which instantaneous arising and passing away of whatever object noticed is evident in every act of noting. It is the knowledge of Arising and Passing away ( Udayabbaya Nana). When this knowledge arises bright lights are seen even in darkness. The body seems to be very light and both the Body and Mind are at ease. Noticing becomes good and pleasant feelings arise. This is also Vipassana Sammaditthi Magganga.

Then there arises a knowledge in which only instantaneous dissolution of objects noticed, is evident, in every act of noticing. It is the extraordinary Insight Knowledge known as 'the Knowledge of Dissolution' (Bhanga Nana). This also is Vipassana Sammaditthi Magganga.

Then there follows the knowledges in which in every act of noting, the objects noticed are seen as fearful, miserable and disgusting. They are the Knowledge of Fearfulness (Bhaya Nana), theKnowledge of Misery ( Adinava Vana), and the Knowledge of Disgust (Nibbida Nana). They are also Vipassana Sammaditthi Maggangas.

Then a distinctive knowledge arises where bodily and mental processes ( Sankhara) are perceived without much effort and with equanimity. It is the Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations( Sankharupekkka Nana ), This also is Vipassana Sammaditthi Magganga

From the knowledge of distinguishing between the Mind and the Matter up to the Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations, the Will, which inclined the Mind into the object of Meditation so as to develop Mundane Right Understanding and Mundane Right Thought ( Vipassana Sammasankappa Magganga ) arises in every act of noting. The Mundane Right Understanding and Mundane Right Thought belong to the section 'Wisdom' (Panna Magganga ).

The development of the Insight Knowledges up to the Sankharupekkha Nana are based on the Three Samadhi Maggangas and Two Panna Maggangas. This is in conformity with the preaching of the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta, which says that the Middle Way causes the Eye of Wisdom to arise.

Right speech (Samma Vaca), Right Action (Samma Kammanta), Right Livelihood (Samma Ajiva), belong to the section 'Morality' (Sila Magganga). By practising meditation these Sila Maggangas are accomplished.

The Three Samadhi Maggangas, Two Panna Maggangas and the, Three Sila Maggang in other words, are called the Middle Way ( Eight-fold Magganga). Continuous noting every act of seeing, hearing, touching, thinking, etc., develops New Eight-fold Maggan This development of New Eight-fold Magganga, beginning from the knowledge distinguishing between the Mind and the Matter up to the Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations, amounts to the arising of the Eye of Wisdom. When this Eye of Wisdom (Mundane ) is matured the Nibbana is realized through Supramundane Path and Fruition Knowledges (Ariya Magga and Phala Nana). The Bodhisattva by practising the Middle Way (Eight-fold Noble Path) developed the Insight Knowledge after attaining the Arahatta Path and the Fruition Knowledge became a Fully Enlightened One. After becoming the Buddha He preached the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, so that others may, like Himself, realize Nibbana through the Ariya Magga and the Phala Nana by meditating on the arising and passing away of physical and mental phenomena.

In the Satipatthana Sutta the method, how to practise Insight Meditation is explained in detail. It is divided into Four Main Divisions, namely, (1) Contemplation on Body, i.e Mindfulness of Bodily Activities, such as, Walking, Standing, Sitting, etc.,

(2) Contemplation of Feelings, i. e., Mindfulness of Feelings, such as, Pleasant, Unpleasant, Neutral, etc.,

(3) Contemplation of Mind, i.e., Mindfulness of Thoughts, such as, Thinking, Reflecting, etc., and

(4) Contemplation of Mind-object, i.e., such as, Mindfulness of Seeing, Hearing, Touching, etc.

The Buddha said that the Four-fold Foundations of Mindfulness is the Only Way (Ekayano) to attain the Path Knowledge and to realize Nibbana ( Nayassa adhigamaya Nibbanassa sacchikiriyaya). Since the Buddha claimed that this is the Only Way, it must be remembered that no other way can lead to the attainment of the Magga, Phala and Nibbana. So as to escape from all suffering and to attain the Magga, Phala and the Nibbana one must practise this Mindfulness Meditation to the best of his ability. To be able to practise this Meditation I will explain in brief.

Meditating Vipassana For About Five Minutes:

Please sit with your legs crossed or in any suitable manner. As looking is not necessary, please close your eyes. Focus the Mind on the object of Meditation. In the beginning, it is difficult to take notice of all the arising, hearing, etc., and so begin with the noticing of the Rising and Falling of the movement of the abdomen. Put your Mind on the abdomen and when it rises note as 'Rising' and when it falls note as Falling. Noting must not be done verbally just to note mentally. Do not think of Rising and Falling as words but note only the actual process of the movement of the abdomen. Try to follow movement from the beginning to the end and the same with Falling movement. The awareness of this movement by mindful noting amounts to knowing of the element of motion in its ultimate reality. According to the Satipatthana Sutta this is Contemplation of Body. While thus noting the abdominal movement if thought or reflection arises take notice of it. This is Contemplation of the Mind. Then continue the noting of the abdominal movement. If pain or ache arises, take notice of it. This is Contemplation of Feelings. After noting it two or three times go back to the noting of the Rising and Falling of the abdomen. If hearing arises, take notice of it two or three times and go back to the noting of the abdominamovement. If seeing arises, take notice of it two or three times. This is Contemplation of Mind-objects. Then resume noting of the abdominal movement. Now let us practise for about Five Minutes.

Conclusion:

Now five minutes are over. In one minute there can be 50 to 60 notings. For five minutes there will be not less than 250. This is developing good deed of Insight Meditation in accordance with the Teachings of the Buddha. While thuis noting, with the improvement of Concentration, Knowledge distinguishing between Mind and Matter, Knowledge of Cause and Effect, Knowledge of Arising and Passing away, Knowledge of Impermanency, Suffering and Egolessness may arise and the Nibbana be realized through the Path and the Fruition Knowledges.

By practising this Mindfulness Meditation by the Method as explained above, to of your ability, may you all realize the Nibbana in the very near future.

(From Mahasi Abroad (Second Series) the Lecture by Mahasi Sayadaw on his world Missionary Tour.)

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