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Teachings Of The Buddha By Jack Kornfield If you are searching for a book by Jack Kornfield Teachings of the Buddha in pdf format, in that case. The New York Review of Books. Voices of Young Buddhists. Edited by Sumi Loundon • Foreword by Jack Kornfield. As the Buddha taught, they're taking his teachings, testing them like gold- smiths do gold, and finding out what is true for themselves.

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Seeking the Heart of Wisdom: The Path of Insight Meditation. Joseph Goldstein & Jack Kornfield (2001.

Full text of ' Modern Buddhist Masters Jack Kornfield Copyrtghled material MODERN BUDDHIST MASTERS Copyrighted material Copyrighted material MODERN BUDDHIST MASTERS Jack Kornfield Buddhist Publication Society Kandy Sri Lanka Copyrighted material Buddhist Publication Society P.O. Box 61 54 Sangharaja Mawatha Kandy, Sri Lanka Copyright © 1977 by Jack Kornfield Original Publisher: Unity Press, 1977. Reprinted by Prajna Press, Great Eastern Book Company, 1983. First BPS edition: 1988. Second BPS edition: 2007. The chapter on Buddhadasa was adapted from Towards the Truth by Buddhadasa, edited by Donald K.

Copyright © 1971 by The Westminster Press. Used by permission. The contents of this book may reflect the personal opinion of the author and may not reflect the opinion of the BPS as a whole. Kornfield, Jack Modern Buddhist Masters/Jack Kornfield - Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society Inc., 2007 321p; 21 cm (BP 507s) ISBN 10: 978-9-1 ISBN 13: 978-9-1 Price: i. 294.34435 DDC 21 1. Meditation ii. Buddhism Typeset at the BPS Printed by Ajith Printers, Boralesgamuwa Copyrighted material DEDICATION This book is dedicated to my father — from whom I learned the power of virtue and good intentions.

Also, this work could not have come about without the compassion and assistance of Stephen Levine, Sumedho Bhikkhu, Ajahn Chah, Joseph Goldstein, Ajahn Asabha, Dan Goleman, Jim Harris, Ajahn Jumnien, Eric, Sharon, Ram Dass, Dell, Seth, Chani, Ajahn Tawee, Kenny, Kitti Subho, Irv, Tori, Molly, Trungpa Rinpoche, Joyce, Khun Prasom, U Thondera Sayadaw, Josie Stanton, Mahasi Sayadaw, Wicki, Larry and Dayle, Nyanasugato, Winston and Joslyn King, Kalu Rinpoche, Buzz and Janet, Maharaji, Vimalo Bhikkhu, Mimi, Susan, T. Lobsang Rampa, Soeng Sahn Roshi, Charlie, Richard, Guru Michael, Robert, Jacquie, Ajahn Dhammadharo, Dr.

Palos, Abbot Yen Boon, Ajahn Buddhadasa, Chao Khun Raj, Lao Tzu, Professor Penner, Suzuki Roshi, Pannavado Bhikkhu, Ajahn Maha Boowa, Krishna, David and Mary, Wing Tsit Chan, and all other Dhamma friends. And especially the compassion of Gotama Buddha for us all. V Copyrighted material Copyrighted material CONTENTS Dp.dicatinn l' Acknowledgments ix Preface xi Introduction xiil Editor's note to the Second EPS Edition XM ChAPTFR 1. RimnHTSM 1 Chapter 2. Meditation in Burma, Laos, and Thailand 21 ChAPTFR ^. RnTTRF TFACHINr.

33 ChAPTFR 4. A.TAHN Chah 35 Chapter S. Mahast Sayadaw 53 Chapter 6. Stjntjjn Sa yadaw 87 Chapter 7. Ajahn Buddhadasa 123 Chapter B. A.tahnNafr 137 Chaptfr P, AtahnMaha Roowa 167 Chaptfr 10.

TATTNrTPin TT Sayadaw 1Q1 Chapter 11. Mohnytn Sayadaw 199 Chapter 12. Moc.ok Sayadaw 215 Chapter ]?. U Ba Khtn 241 Chapter 14. A.tah n Dhammadharo 263 Chapter IS. A.tahn.Tttmntfn 279 Chapter 16.

Further Questions 293 Chapter 17. Other Theravada Meditations 309 About the Author 321 Basic Glossary 323 Vll Copyrighted material Copyrighted material ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The materials in this book have been collected or translated over a num- ber of years. They represent an intimate record of spoken Dhamma, the teachings of many of the greatest modern Buddhist masters. They are intended to be shared and used by all in the development of the wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. In making these teachings available, I have tried to secure blessings and assistance from the masters represented. However, due to difficulties of time and half a world of distance, some of this material has not had the formal acknowledgments and blessings as are traditional in publishing such a volume.

I have endeavored to print in as clear a fashion as I find possible this sample of practical meditation Dhamma, for the benefit of all those who wish to put into practice the unexcelled teachings of Buddhism. This Dhamma is offered openly, as were the teachings of the Buddha himself, and as is surely the intention of the teachers represented here. If any errors have been made or important Dhamma points confused in the process of translating or editing this material, I must take full responsibility for this. It is simply my hope that in presenting this wide variety of modern Theravada Buddhist Dhamma that it will be of some practical assistance to those on the path of purification. Any profit that may come from the sale of this book will be given to the Sangha to further meditation teaching and centers for its practice.

Jack Kornfield ix Copyrighted material Copyrighted material PREFACE During its 2,500-year history. Buddhism has manifested itself in a multi- tude of different schools and styles. Always the dynamic nature of living Dhamma has brought about, in different cultural and historical environ- ments, new modes of expression. But at the heart of all of these manifestations lies the practice of meditation, as exemplified and taught by the Buddha himself. Only through personal meditative practice is the student of Dhamma enabled to slow down the speed of the neurotic mind and to begin seeing the world with clarity and precision.

Without this, he will only be able to increase his confusion and perpetuate his aggressive grasping for self-confirmation. Without meditation, there is no approach to genuine sanity, no path to enlightenment, indeed no Dhamma. The practice of meditation presents itself as an especially powerful discipline for the shrinking world of the twentieth century.

The age of technology would like also to produce a spiritual gadgetry — a new, improved spirituality guaranteed to bring quick results. Charlatans manufacture their versions of the Dhamma, advertising miraculous, easy ways, rather than the steady and demanding personal journey which has always been essential to genuine spiritual practice. It is this genuine tradition which is embodied by the teachers presented in this book. They are holders of an unbroken lineage of transmission which has succeeded in surviving and communicating itself in its pure form. The teaching of these masters and the example of their lives provide the impetus and inspiration for further practitioners to follow, properly and fully, the path of Dhamma.

Vajracharya the Ven. Chogyam Trungpa xi Copyrighted material Copyrighted material INTRODUCTION Jack Kornfield, a 'kalydna-mitta' (the name given to teachers in the Theravada tradition which is translated 'spiritual friend') has offered us in this volume a compilation of the philosophy and practices of Theravadin Buddhism interspersed with rich anecdotes and interviews — the situa- tions through which he received his training. Jack spent much time traveling and studying in monasteries throughout Burma, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia and conveys in his writing the profound simplicity and sustained effort that surround the practices of Theravada Buddhist meditation.

Through his anecdotes he shows the way in which a practice is linked to a lineage. The interviews with these ascetic monastic bhikkhus convey a sense of the 'intense serenity' and assurance that permeates the teaching vessels of an ancient tradition. Each teacher emphasizes a specific aspect of the transmission of the Buddha, yet each is representative of the essence of the lineage. There are many ways to read a book such as this. Intellectuals can speed-read their way through, satisfying curiosity. Or you may 'read' this book with an empty mind, allowing its purifying waters to penetrate heart and mind and soul. In the course of allowing these words to pour through you, perhaps a practice here, a turn of phrase there, a jungle scene or a bit of clearly enunciated wisdom will attract you, will attach itself to you, will be something to which you will cling.

Calm insight will show you why that particular thought came into your focus. And when you have absorbed what you need, then that bit of stuff will be dislodged to float on down the stream of your passing thoughts, leaving you, more than ever, here now.

Blessings, Ram Dass xiii Copyrighted material Copyrighted material EDITORS NOTE TO THE SECOND BPS EDITION It seems appropriate here to note that although all of the teachers except Ajahn Jumnien and Ajahn Maha Boowa have died, their teachings are still very actively pursued and offered through centers which grew up around them during their lifetimes. Their teachings have fuelled the growth and popularity of Theravada Buddhist meditation throughout the world.

As it did not seem appropriate to use the original title Living Buddhist Masters any longer, the new title Modern Buddhist Masters has been chosen instead for this second edition. BPS Editor XV Copyrighted material Copyrighted material Chapter 1 ESSENTIAL BUDDHISM The Buddha, after his enUghtenment under the Bodhi tree, was undecided about teaching. Who, he wondered, would be able to understand the Dhamma to the depth he had penetrated? Who, in fact, would listen?

His concern was not that the Dhamma was too complex to under- stand, but rather, that the truth of the Dhamma was so simple that no one would believe it! With great compassion, he chose to teach, espe- cially for those beings 'with but a little dust covering their eyes'. The core of this book is a recent transmission of his teachings from twelve of the greatest masters and monasteries in the Theravada tradition.

Hundreds of thousands of saffron-robed monks and tens of thousands of temples still exist throughout Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. Amidst the prayer flags and ceremonies is found the essence of twenty-five hundred years of teachings, the path of wisdom and compassion outlined by the Buddha for the sake of all sentient beings.

How to write about this teaching, this truth? In a sense, there is nothing to write. The Dhamma is everywhere already. East and west, the truth is the same. A Western monk once asked permission of his forest teacher to journey to Burma to try the intensive meditation systems of several other well-known teachers.

Permission was readily granted. After several years he returned to his first teacher.

'What did you learn?' The teacher inquired. 'Nothing,' answered the monk. 'Nothing that is not already around, that was not right here before I left.' 'And what have you experienced?'

1 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield 'Many teachers and many meditation systems,' the monk answered. 'Yet, the more deeply I penetrated the Dhamma, the more I reahzed there was no need to go anywhere else to practice.' 'Ah yes,' replied his teacher.

'I could have told you that before you left, but you could not have understood.' This book is an odyssey. It takes you on a journey through many Buddhist systems and teachers. Outwardly they may appear different, even contradictory.

We need not compare and judge better or worse. These words and systems are simply different expressions of a single underlying truth. Dhamma does not change.

Just as the bending of leaves of grass and the skimming by of clouds indicate the presence of wind, so the words and teachings of these masters all point to the same experience, the same truth. In our spiritual journey we must be pragmatic. How can the Dhamma and paths of practice we encounter be useful to our own understanding? The famous image of the transmission of the lamp in the Chinese tradition is that of a finger pointing to the moon, the truth. Each teacher is pointing. Be careful not to get caught up in the different fingers and lose sight of the moon! The masters represented here emphasize the use of meditation as a powerful tool to understand and come into harmony with the Dhamma.

Meditation must be used as a tool to come to the freedom beyond all tools, all methods. When a Thai teacher was asked if medi- tation was like self-hypnosis, he replied, 'No, it's de-hypnosis.' Meditation techniques are mental disciplines that allow us to calm, focus, and examine the mind.

This de-conditioning process is a slowing down and observation of the usual mad-monkey stream of thoughts, perceptions, reactions, feelings. Usually, we are dragged along by our desires, prejudices, conditioning, and instincts. Medita- tion is practising being clear and alert, freeing ourselves from conditioned reactions to the constant flow of events and mental process. Buddhist meditation leads to the clear perception of three things: impermanence, suffering, and the lack of an abiding self. As the mind becomes concentrated and observant, the constant change of all phys- ical and mental phenomena is realized. Absolutely all we know, see. 2 Copyrighted material Essential Buddhism hear, feel, think, smell, and taste — even the 'watcher', the knowing of these — is changing from moment to moment.

As this constant flow is seen more fully, any involvement or attachment becomes clearly undesirable, a cause of suffering. The meditator sees all events of the mind and body as an empty process that happens by itself. He sees that there is no one, no 'self behind it. Although this process possesses order, following the Law of Kamma or cause and effect, there is nothing in us that can be seen as permanent, an abiding self or soul.

Simply the orderly unfolding of mind and matter, arising and perishing moment to moment. To see this clearly, to experience deeply the true emptiness of self, is enormously freeing. The mind becomes detached, clear, and radiant. It is the illusions of permanence, of happiness, and especially of self-hood that bind us to the world of duality and keep us separate from one another and from the true flow of nature. A deep perception of the void, the emptiness of all conditioned phenomena, undercuts our desire to grasp and hold on to any object or mind-state as a source of lasting happiness.

Final happiness comes from this non- attachment, this balance. It is freedom from all suffering. It is important to distinguish meditation as a particular form and practice from meditation as a way of life. We may start by practicing meditation much like practicing piano. Eventually, when we become proficient, we will not need to practice anymore. Just as playing becomes practice, everything we do will become meditation. However, we must begin by practicing.

The meditation techniques described in this book are tools. They are not to be used just in isolation. Meditation is not merely a selfish practice or a cultivation of states of bliss; it encompasses all of our experience.

It is a tool to develop clarity, an awareness and acceptance of the flow of events whatever they may be. In the end, meditation techniques must transcend even themselves. Then, there will be neither meditation nor non- meditation. Just what is. 3 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield Wisdom, Power, and Knowledge The diversity of techniques and teachings in the spiritual realm is often confusing. This stems in part from the lack of clear distinction between wisdom, power, and knowledge.

Knowledge is infinite. Modern science fills libraries each year with its new discoveries.

Spiritual knowledge is equally vast. One can know past lives of individuals and the effects of planets on present lives, the existence of other planes of being or higher levels of consciousness, spiritual healing techniques, and endless other spiritual topics. But knowledge is not wisdom. One night a Western monk sitting under the stars was talking with several village-born forest monks from Laos. He looked up and noticed a very bright star in the middle of the bowl of the Big Dipper. Astonished he never had seen it before, he looked more closely and saw that it was moving. He recognized it as an Echo satellite moving across the heavens and pointed it out to his fellow monks.

'What's that?' 'A satellite,' he answered.

'What's a satellite?' They queried.

Where to begin? 'Well,' he said, 'did you know that the earth is round?' No, they didn't.

So he dug a small flashlight out of his bag and using a round rock for the earth began an elementary-school-level demonstration of how the earth moves around the sun and rotates on its axis. The usual questions came up, such as 'Why don't we feel the earth moving?' And 'Why don't the people at the bottom fall off?' In the end, though they listened patiently about planets, satellites, and rockets, he suspected they really didn't believe him. One of these monks was a very calm, wise old man, an advisor and mentor to many people. He was honest, simple, and, because he was not attached to things being a certain way nor deluded into thinking he had a self to protect, was always happy and at peace. He accepted the changing nature of life and flowed with it.

'So you know the earth is round,' he shrugged. 'Ultimately, what good will all your knowledge do you?' Then the Western monk understood — it is only 4 Copyrighted material Essential Buddhism wisdom, the development of a clear, detached mind that is important for liberation and peace. It is much as when the Buddha held up a handful of leaves and asked his monks which was more, the leaves in his hand or those on all the trees in the forest. This handful of leaves, he continued, is the knowledge I have given you compared to the infinite knowledge of the Buddha mind.

Yet it is all that is necessary to know to attain enlightenment, to come to the end of all suffering. Power's relation to wisdom is similar to that of knowledge's. Just as the power acquired by science is vast and continually expanding (power over nature, electrical and chemical power, nuclear power), so too the power that can be acquired through spiritual practice is vast and varied. Astral travel, psychokinesis, and telepathy are just some powers that are often described as being developed through spiritual practice. Astral travel, though, will not end your suffering, and even the greatest psychic healer must eventually get sick and die. The Buddha himself lived only to eighty. Quite to our good fortune too, for imagine if the Buddha had not died but lived on for centuries.

People would be much more interested in living forever. (The deluded mind holds tightly to his old body!) than in finding the wisdom to end all suffering. Omniscience and even onmipotence are associated with some great saints and yogis and hence many people expect these as neces- sary results of spiritual development. However, the powers that one can develop are limited by one's past kamma. Some powers arise spontaneously with concentration developed in practice.

Others can be increased through certain exercises. Not only are these powers different from wisdom, but they often become blocks to insight and understanding. Over and over it is stressed that the thought of gaining anything in meditation is strengthening the illusion that there is anything worth gaining and that there is anyone there to benefit from these powers.

More delusion, more suffering. Wisdom is simple.

It is not knowledge, it is not power, it is simply being in harmony with the here and now. Nothing to gain, nothing to lose.

Mindful of the flow, the wise person is not deluded; his life is in perfect harmony with the Four Noble Truths. The happiness that comes from wisdom is beyond all knowledge and power.

It is the 5 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield happiness of true inner peace. Happiness that does not waver with the constant change of mental and physical phenomena, peace beyond even birth and death.

The Origin of These Teachings These teachings come from the living Theravada Buddhist tradition of Southeast Asia. In the past, much attention in the West has been given to Zen and Tibetan forms of Buddhism, with Theravada usually mentioned in relation to early history or scriptures. In fact, the largest living Buddhist tradition in the world is found among almost half- million Theravada monks and the millions of lay disciples in the countries of Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia was one of the first areas to which Buddhism spread from India. There is indication that even during the Buddha's life, and certainly a few centuries later, Buddhism was introduced into Southeast Asia. Over time, as it has mixed with older animist cultures and Brahmin customs, it has risen and declined. Re-arising, it has been firmly established as the major religion of the area for the past thousand years.

Both the ascetic forest monastery and the intensive meditation center with their respective approaches to practice presented here have long histories in Laos, Thailand, and Burma. There, meditation masters are the current living patriarchs of Theravada Dhamma, and the practices taught have developed out of a long tradition based on the Pali scriptures and transmitted by their teachers. With this trans- mission, each new teacher in the lineage, as a new vessel, lends a special shape and color to the Dhamma, the clear wisdom within. The Dhamma in this book was given freely, open-handedly. It seems only natural to share it. Most likely the teachings collected here will not be totally sufficient for you.

All the better. Seek out a teacher; find a suitable place to learn and practice.

Hopefully the variety of styles and approaches here will help you find one appropriate to you. And this variety will remind you that there are many valid paths to the one freedom. Each must find the one that suits him best. You may take this as a practice manual, but do not hesitate to ask questions, to find a teacher for yourself. These meditations come from only a dozen 6 Copyrighted material Essential Buddhism Theravada Buddhist teachers. There are many more masters, ways, and traditions.

I only wish that this may encourage you in your practice, that it may help you find your own true path. Penetrating the Illlisioh East and West Americans have visions of a mysterious Orient, incense-filled temples inhabited by serene, wise Buddhist monks.

But just as only a small minority of the Christians in this country really understand and practice their religion, so too do only a small minority of Asian Buddhists understand and practice theirs. Even among Buddhist monks, only a small percentage, perhaps less than ten percent, meditate. What do the rest do? They study, teach, and perform ceremonies, and some just sit around and enjoy not working.

The monkhood and the whole of Buddhism is intricately interwoven into the social, political, and economic structure of Southeast Asia. Politically and economically, the monkhood allows those who wish to leave lay life to be supported by the society. Monks may fill religious roles as religious scholars or as teachers and counselors in social and political undertakings. In the midst of this larger Buddhist setting is a smaller number of sincere practitioners of the Buddha's teachings who concentrate on the development and purification of the mind, supported in their endeavor by both the monastic and lay communities. So although neither the southern Buddhist countries nor the monkhood as a whole is the mythic wise and saintly society of which many Westerners dream, a small but extremely important community of sincere practicing Buddhists does exist.

In contrast to the empty ritualism and materialism of the society surrounding them, the great meditation teachers, monasteries, and associated disciples are a living reminder of the human potential for purity of conduct, unselfishness, and wisdom. They are repositories of the practical wisdom for man's awakening, ever available to those who are ready to use it. While elite in terms of numbers, these centers of meditation and spiritual development are not at all eUte in their teaching. Dhamma is openhanded; meditation and spiritual practice are freely offered to all who come.

Nothing is held back. The meditation temples are non-mysterious. 7 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield Practice is straightforwardly explained, and all who come are welcome to ask questions and participate. Spiritual practice is most simply the development of certain qualities of mind: cultivating non- greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion; or developing concentration, mindfulness, equanimity, and compassion.

Meditations, useful tools for this work, are free for the asking. The Setting Meditation centers and monasteries can be seen simply as special educational environments. In Buddhist countries the purification of mind is valued enough that specially created environments are provided for the needs of those embarked on the path. First, basic bodily needs are met: Food, clothing, and shelter are provided in moderate but sufficient amounts. Emotional and social needs are met, as one lives in a supportive group with similar values and interests. The psychological need for seeing one's activity in life as meaningful and important is also met, since inherent in the society's support of the monastic community is a great respect for the work of self-purification.

Besides meeting basic needs, the environment of the meditation centers and monasteries provides special conditions for learning mind control and developing concentration and wisdom. There is little talking and little noise. There is quiet for the other senses as well: simple, unadorned food, empty meditation cottages, and few visual distractions.

These factors all aid in quieting the turbulent mind. Social aspects of the community also aid in the process of purification. One is surrounded by good friends, wise people who value honesty and clarity. The community's norms are those of non- greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion. Love, compassion, and concern for others are practiced and valued, supported and modeled. Awareness is the watchword.

Inner and outer harmony and patience in the individual are rewarded and built into the social system. Daily activities are uncomplicated and straightforward. The community structure and outward discipline further simplify life. There is no need to think what to do next or how to behave.

This frees the mind to concentrate on the various meditation exercises. For Westerners, a highly structured, disciplined environment would seem the antithesis of freedom. A Western monk relates this story: 'After 8 Copyrighted material Essential Buddhism only two weeks in an ascetic Lao monastery I was going crazy. The conformity of dress and behavior, the sameness, was stifling for me, having grown up in a culture that emphasizes individuality and bold self-expression.

I thought of tie-dyeing my saffron robes green or blue, or of painting my begging bowl with flowers. Anything to be different!' Some time later it became clear to him that true freedom is found not in terms of outward form, true freedom is found only in the mind. In such a structured, disciplined, and seemingly unfree environment are found some of the freest beings in the world. It is important to remember too that these are not closed commu- nities, but rather places of teaching where outsiders are welcome. Visitors are welcome to come, practice, and experience the possibili- ties of a harmonious human community where unselfishness prevails.

Discipline and Morality Discipline and morality are essential tools in the path of purification. This is an extremely important point. Though Westerners often reject moral rules and discipline as interfering with their supposed freedom, these are indispensable means for achieving real inner freedom. Meditation is a discipline. Ramana Maharshi, perhaps the most respected Hindu teacher of the last few centuries, said: 'No one succeeds without effort.

Mind control is not your birthright. Those who succeed owe their liberation to perseverance.' Only practice continuously with effort and awareness and you will succeed. Patience, perseverance. Traditionally a monk stays with his first teacher for a minimum of five years. Keeping to a regular disciplined practice is very important.

From the stability of our regular practice we can observe the changes in our life and in the practice itself without reacting and making new difficulties. Regular balanced effort, sustained energy independent of results is needed.

Since in fact there is nothing to gain in meditation, no result to be grasped, we are simply uncovering the Dhamma. One full moon evening shortly after a Western monk friend arrived at a Lao ascetic monastery, the monks were reciting the monthly ceremony, the rules of the order. This evening was special for him not only for the ceremony and the inspiring Dhamma talk that followed, but also for the hot, sweet coffee that the villagers offered 9 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield on these monthly holy days. After many days of one simple meal in the morning and nothing but water after noon, this coffee was a special treat. With it he could comfortably sit up all night and meditate.

This particular full moon, one of his teacher's teachers had come to visit. They sat after the ceremony in the temple sanctuary waiting for their Dhamma lecture and the offering of the sweet coffee served in the main hall fifty yards away. That night they sat. There was no talk and they were not excused to leave. Silently they continued to sit. Imagining how his coffee was cooling, his agitation grew to extremes.

Still they sat. Two hours passed. He was getting very restless and angry. Why couldn't he have his coffee so that he could go and medi- tate, he grumbled to himself. He was cold and hungry. Didn't the teacher realize how much better it would be if he could have his coffee and go to meditate instead of sitting there wasting his time? More time passed.

The teacher looked over and smiled at him. He smiled back politely, angry at the teacher's lack of concern for his welfare and the uselessness of this situation.

He could be doing some- thing better, he thought, and thought and thought and raged and fumed, until his thoughts were exhausted after many hours. He was finally empty of anger and expectation. He looked up and smiled broadly at the teacher. The teacher smiled back. It was like coming home. At sunrise he left to collect alms in his bowl with a light heart, meditating with each step. Meditation needs no special place.

Simply work from where you are right now with patience and discipline. In practice, discipline includes both right morality and right effort.

What is right effort? Simply the effort to be mindful, to remember in the present moment what is happening without judging it. In Zen it is called effortless effort.

Effortless effort is not an effort to gain or attain anything, but simply the discipline and effort to stay aware in the present. As practice continues, mindfulness as a quality of mind becomes strengthened.

Life gets lighter and easier, mindful- ness takes over as a way of life. The mind becomes silent and the heart opens. Discipline, effort, patience are very important. 10 Copyrighted material Essential Buddhism Even more than discipline, morality has a bad name in the West. It is seen as the attempt of fearful Victorian society to control and limit our natural freedom and expression. In fact, morality or virtue is of great value in practice. Tradition- ally, in Buddhism certain moral precepts are the foundation upon which concentration and wisdom are built.

In the West, the reverse order is often experienced. Many Westerners begin by first under- standing the unsatisfactory nature of their current life and society, for some through the daily news, for others perhaps through psychedelics. Often their recognition is accompanied by a complete abandonment of all moral codes. Then comes a search for peace and consciousness through various spiritual and meditation techniques. Finally, the importance of establishing a moral lifestyle as a basis for practice is understood.

It helps to free the mind from worry and distraction, from greed and from hatred. What is morality and where does it come from? Moral rules for self-restraint are simply verbal approximations of inner morality or wisdom and are the basic ways of relating that help reduce selfish action and keep a society harmonious and peaceful. Actions such as killing, lying, and stealing come from a mind that is attached to desires, separateness, selfishness. Formal rules are used to decrease selfishness and sense restraint is used to stop stimulating our desires.

Virtuous action is enormously powerful. The person who is always honest and practices non-harming becomes a beacon of quiet strength in the world. Among Buddhist monasteries, some practice is based almost solely on mindfulness of moral precepts, especially the refined set of 227 rules for monks. Strict, disciplined practice leads to a rapid giving up of one's own desires and selfishness. To a mind grounded in complete honesty and truth, tranquility and wisdom come easily.

We use the form of rules until virtue becomes natural. Then from the wisdom of the silent mind true spontaneous virtue arises. A silent mind which clings to nought, mindful and non-judging, is automati- cally virtuous and filled with love. This is the natural state of the mind. For when wisdom arises the emptiness of self is known. No self, nothing to protect.

Just us, all together, no separateness, no selfishness. 11 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield We use moral rules to create the conditions by which we can go beyond form and beyond rules to the deepest peace and unity.

Concentration and Insight Meditation It is useful in understanding the variety of spiritual practices to distinguish between concentration and insight meditation. Basically, concentration meditations are those which develop one-pointedness and tranquility.

These are practiced by fixing the mind on any single object and developing the ability to hold it there. Insight meditation, also called process meditation, does not fix the mind on one object. Instead, it develops the quality of concentration on changing objects as a tool for probing the nature of the mind-body process. Insight meditation is practiced by developing bare attention, a seeing- without-reacting to the whole process of our world of experience, to consciousness, and to all the objects of consciousness. Rather than fix the meditation on one object, the ongoing stream of the changing mind- body continuum becomes the meditation object, and through balanced, clear observation comes insight and wisdom into what we really are. Concentration meditations are numerous. Traditionally, Buddha taught forty kinds; however, any single object of attention can be used for concentration meditation.

This includes fixed concentration on a visual object such as a candle or mandala or inner light; concentration on a sound such as music, a mantra, the sound current; concentration on a feeling such as love, compassion, equanimity; or concentration on any part of the body, such as breath at the nose or the heart center or any other object where the mind is fixed and held steady. Concentration develops high states of bliss and tranquility, and often certain powers.

It can lead to experiences of cosmic conscious- ness and astral realms and the temporary elimination of greed and hatred from the mind. Much has been written in all the great spiritual traditions about the use of various pure concentration practices and the benefits of the mental states that result. Concentration is also a necessary element in process or insight meditation, but for that it must be applied to changing objects. Process meditation focuses attention on the body, feelings, mind, and mind 12 Copyrighted material Essential Buddhism objects as they are experienced in their moment-to-moment flow. As concentration and attention increase, the mind becomes clear and balanced. More and more shaiply we see how all things are changing in each instant, how these are ultimately not a source of lasting happi- ness, and how the whole mind-body process flows according to certain laws (kamma), empty of any permanent self or individual soul.

These profound insights become clear simply from increasing mind- fulness, penetrating awareness of our own process. With these insights wisdom arises, bringing equanimity, loving kindness, and compassion, for in experiencing the emptiness of self we see the unity of all beings. When the mind is completely balanced, tranquil, and keenly alert, one may experience the cessation of this whole moving process, the peace of nibbana. With this comes the deepest insight into the emptiness of all conditioned phenomena, and a subsequent detach- ment that is nevertheless peaceful and loving, the radiant natural state of the mind freed from defilements. One may start practice with a pure concentration exercise and then change to awareness of process.

Initially some teachers prefer using a concentration technique to enable the meditator to still his wandering, undisciplined mind. Later they direct this concentration to the mind-body process to develop wisdom. Other teachers attempt to start directly watching the process, by focusing on changing sensa- tions, feelings, or thoughts. This approach must still concern itself with the development of the mental qualities of tranquility and concentration before any insight will develop. Buddha taught both approaches at different times according to the needs of his students. Although people disagree over the merits of the various approaches, we must remember these are only tools to be used and then discarded.

In fact almost all meditation practices are good when practiced with discipline, sincerity, and perseverance, and holding on to any method or comparing this to that is only another attachment that leads to further suffering. 13 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield Mindfulness In the development of wisdom, one quality of mind above all others is the key to practice. This quality is mindfulness, attention or self- recollection. The most direct way to understand our life situation, who we are and how our mind and body operate, is to observe with a mind that simply notices all events equally. This attitude of non- judgmental, direct observation allows all events to occur in a natural way. By keeping the attention in the present moment, we can see more and more clearly the true characteristics of our mind and body process.

Buddhism starts from the known. What is the world? The world is objects of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch; objects of mind; and the knowing (or consciousness) of these objects. It is through the quality of choiceless awareness that we can best penetrate and understand the nature of our world. For example, when one is mindful of seeing, the attention is not on evaluating the object of sight, forming concepts of good or bad, pretty or ugly, familiar or unfamiliar in regard to it.

Rather the attention becomes an awareness of the process of seeing, the fact of seeing, rather than the facts associated with seeing. The concepts follow the experience. Mindfulness focuses on the moment of the process rather than on the reflection of it in concepts. Awareness is directed at the present moment, to the process itself, the only place where the understanding of reality's true nature can be gained. This awareness brings an understanding which will result in wisdom, freedom, and an end to suffering. Not only does developing mindfulness allow us to penetrate the nature of our world and understand the cause of suffering; when developed, mindfulness has other power.

Mindfulness brings us to a moment-to-moment purity of mind. Each moment we are mindful, the mind is pure, free of clinging, hating, and delusion. For that moment, the mind is cool because it is filled with attention for what is without the coloration of judgment. Developing mindfulness also balances the other factors of mind such as energy and concentration that are needed for our spiritual development. In fact, coming to a perfect balance of mind is the whole development of the spiritual path. When well-established, mindfulness can allay all fears, for when the mind is free of clinging.

14 Copyrighted material Essential Buddhism condemning, and identifying, all objects in samsara, the chain of becoming, are equal. Nothing to be gained, nothing to be feared. 'No praise, no blame'. Ultimately, we see there is no one there to gain anything.

Simply the natural flow of the process, empty of self. One of the last instructions of the Buddha before his final nibbana was 'strive on with mindfulness'. To strive does not mean to make the effort to change things, but simply to make the effort to be clearly aware at all moments. Compassion and Loving kindness The basic teachings of the Buddha can be expressed by two words: wisdom and compassion. Wisdom in its passive aspect is that penetrating insight into the nature of all existence and the balance of mind this illumination brings. Compassion and loving kindness are the active aspects of this wisdom, the expression in the world of a deep understanding of the Dhamma, the laws of nature.

The practices and meditations in this book emphasize the cultiva- tion of insight, letting compassion grow naturally from this understanding. Most of these masters direct their teaching toward understanding of the characteristics of the mind-body process, knowing that to experience directly the truth of impermanence, unsat- isfactoriness, and emptiness will bear the fruit of love and compassion. Seeing clearly the suffering in one's own life brings great caring to ease the suffering of others. Feeling the freedom of libera- tion grow as the empty nature of the world is revealed, one naturally shares this lightness and love with all other beings. Universal love comes from total unselfishness, and all Buddhist practice aims at the elimination of greed, hatred, and ignorance, the elimination of the roots of selfishness in the mind. The cultivation of mindfulness, essential to all insight meditation, is actually the cultivation of loving kindness because mindfulness means allowing things to be as they are.

Seeing clearly without judging, without reacting, without selfish- ness in relation to all experience is the space of both wisdom and love. Although the teachings expressed in this book stress the path of insight, Buddhist tradition emphasizes insight and loving kindness meditations as complementary practices. Some teachers work more 15 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield with insight, others with loving kindness. It is often very helpful to directly cultivate loving thoughts and mind states as a daily medita- tion.

Without the balance of compassion, the path of wisdom can become dry and analytical, while love cultivated without wisdom is apt to be superficial or misguided. Although at times the path of insight and that of love may seem separate, they must unite for prac- tice to be complete. True understanding was the root of the Buddha's own practice and what he taught all who followed. That is, to attain liberation for the sake of all beings. Whatever helps in putting an end to selfishness: charity, kind actions in the world, loving kindness meditation (and these are the practices stressed in most Buddhist temples), or the path of insight leading to the deepest wisdom, all are part of the path of the Buddha. As practice continues, it becomes clear that it is not possible to liberate less than all beings because to do so would be to still live in the delusion of a self separate from others.

Coming to the under- standing of non-duality and of emptiness, the most profound wisdom brings one back to the deepest love and the clearest expression of compassion in the world. Goals/No Goals Two different attitudes to practice are represented in this book. Most meditation practice is approached from one or the other. Strive very hard to achieve concentration of mind and enlighten- ment. You are extremely fortunate to be born a human and to hear the Dhamma. Don't waste this chance.

Work, meditate vigorously. This is one approach. In the second approach, there is nothing to gain, nowhere to go. The very effort you make to be enlightened will prevent wisdom from arising, for wisdom can never arise from desire. Simply be, let go and watch.

Right here, right now. That is all there is.

As understanding deepens in the practice of meditation, we begin to experience the unity that underlies the various forms in samsara. Paradoxes become acceptable when the mind becomes silent, open to inner experience. 16 Copyrighted material Essential Buddhism The path of trying to gain enhghtenment and the path of just being in the moment lead to the same place. Each is an outward form, a representation of how to practice.

From one perspective, we can say that wisdom is developed from concentration and insight in medita- tion. Equally, we can say that wisdom is the natural state of the mind. When we have let go of our habits, desires, distractions, those things that blind us, wisdom automatically appears. Choosing an approach is much a matter of one's personal style and kamma.

For some, a strict teacher, rigorous discipline, and goal- oriented practice are right. Often this approach balances with their own internal lack of discipline. For others, particularly goal-oriented individuals whose predominant expression is attainment in the world, the practices of letting go, just sitting, just watching, are a balance for their habitual striving.

Bringing the mind into balance is the essence of meditation. Striving, not striving: Both can bring balance.

Eventually, whatever practice one follows must be let go of, even the practice of letting go. Intensive /Non-intensive Practice Two other contrasting approaches to meditation are the intensive retreat style and a complementary non-intensive approach. These may be pursued separately or combined to suit a meditator's needs and lifestyle. The non-intensive approach stresses practice which fits into daily life to help develop wisdom in normal activities at a natural pace. It emphasizes that meditation is practicing a way of being and does not require an intensive, isolated setting.

The non-intensive approach allows for the gradual deepening of wisdom through daily sitting and natural mindfulness. It is a path without flashy insights and extremes of bliss and high concentration. This can be a difficult path to follow without supplementary intensive practice.

Because insight grows slowly we may get discouraged. It is hard to maintain awareness in the midst of a busy life. At times, our desires, boredom, and day-to-day pain make it hard to continue practice. The tranquility and highs of strong concentration are slow in coming. But the non-intensive approach has great strengths. Wisdom developed is lasting and strong. 17 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield Attachment to highs and bhss or excessive concentration is avoided.

And, since ultimately there is nothing to gain and no time but right now, daily moment-to-moment practice is where it all leads. Intensive practice of many hours daily in special retreats can develop strong concentration and deep insights quickly.

In these intensive sessions, for days or months meditators will spend fifteen or more hours each day sitting and walking in meditation continuously. The mind becomes tranquil and as the power of concentration and awareness deepens, sharp insights arise. Often meditators in retreats will experience intense pain or bliss and various phenomena or distractions. For example, they may see lights or visions, feel their bodies floating and shrinking, or may experience spontaneous body movement. The high concentration and bliss which often result from continuous intensive practice combine with deep insight into the Dhamma (the nature of things) to strengthen practice and faith. This experience in itself is of enormous importance.

It provides a solid basis for daily meditation in the world after the retreat. Indeed, there are some teachers who stress that only through intensive retreats can one expect to penetrate and experience the true Dhamma and the final peace of nibbana. Both intensive and natural daily practice were recommended by the Buddha. They are both valid paths, and we in the West now have the special opportunity to experience the best of both approaches. We can spend time in periodic intensive retreats and combine this with daily practice of mindfulness. Both help balance our lives, deepen our wisdom, and allow us to let go. Retreats are important, but wherever we are right now is the time and place to begin/continue our practice.

The Factors of Enlightenment One of the clearest and most useful ways to describe practice is in terms of the seven factors of enlightenment. These are the natural qualities of mind that the Buddha described as the constituents of a proper spiritual practice. A mind in which these factors are fully developed and balanced experiences freedom.

Three of these factors are passive elements. They are concentra- tion, or one-pointedness of mind, tranquility, or quietness of mind; 18 Copyrighted material Essential Buddhism and equanimity, or detachment and balance of mind in the face of change. Three other factors are energetic elements. These are effort, which means the volition to be mindful; investigation, or silent obser- vation of what is happening; and rapture, which manifests as bliss and an intense interest in the spiritual practice.

The seventh factor is mindfulness, the key to practice. The devel- opment of this particular quality of mind automatically develops all of the other factors. Mindfulness, noticing the object in the present moment, also has the function of bringing these factors into proper balance. Using the factors of enlightenment, one can evaluate the whole range of meditation techniques and spiritual paths.

All of the approaches to practice discussed in this book may be considered in the light of the development of these seven qualities of mind. Some will develop the energy factors more rapidly or strongly. Others strengthen concentration or equanimity more quickly. No need to be concerned with the form of the practice or the words or style of the teaching. Simply see if it will lead to the development of the factors of enlightenment. It all comes back to mind.

Mind is the start and end of all spiritual work. One can examine a path to see what qualities of mind are devel- oped and see if that path will help to bring the factors of enlightenment further into balance.

If so, then use it, remembering that getting caught in further opinions and comparisons of various practices can be a great obstacle to liberation. Do your own practice and honor those around you with love. Why Write / Read Dhamma Books At one point in my meditation, I vowed that I would never write a book. What a waste of time! What a way to fool myself and others! There are more than enough books on Buddhism, meditation, spiritual practice.

And not one of them tells the truth anyway, for the truth cannot be captured by words. I like to think of books on meditation as spiritual garbage.

However, eggshells and grapefruit rinds do indicate that somewhere nearby there has been nourishment. A discourse of the Buddha to a 19 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield passing yogi is only the eggshell of the exchange. If the yogi under- stood, he got the nourishment.

The essence is not in the words, it is in the experience. Yet here is this book: a record, a pointing. It is an attempt to make available contemporary Theravada teachings to seekers of under- standing in the West. In the past, much of Buddhism has been portrayed through stilted translations of ancient texts.

But these teach- ings are still alive and are represented here in the words of some of this tradition's most important masters. I only hope that this may help lead readers to their own inner Dhamma. The teachings in this book may seem confusing and contradic- tory. One master will prescribe a particular approach to practice, only to be contradicted in the following chapter by another. The point of representing this paradox is to show that there are many valid approaches to the same fundamental truths. If the reader gains the understanding that the Dhamma cannot be found in the contrasting forms and techniques of Buddhism but only in the underlying experi- ence, then he is really ready to practice.

Don't think too much about which is better or clearer or faster. Pick a practice, a teacher, and do it. One day a famous woman lecturer on Buddhist metaphysics, came to see my Lao master. This woman gave periodic teachings in Bangkok on the Abhidhamma and complex Buddhist psychology.

In talking to the master she detailed how important it was for people to understand Buddhist psychology and how much her students bene- fited from their study with her. She asked my teacher whether he agreed with the importance of understanding Buddhist psychology and metaphysics.

Yes, very important, he agreed. Delighted, she further questioned whether he had his own students learn Abhidhamma. Oh yes, of course. And where, she asked, did he recom- mend they start, which books and studies were best?

'Only here,' he said, pointing to his heart, 'only here.' 20 Copyrighted material Chapter 2 MEDITATION IN BURMA, LAOS, AND THAILAND There are many facets to the Buddhism currently found in Burma, Thailand, and the rest of Southeast Asia. First, there is the popular religion of the majority of people which involves the performance of meritorious deeds, such as alms-giving and the observance of rituals, to gain a good rebirth in lives to come. Then there is the traditional practice of many dedicated to the scholarly study of the Sanskrit and Pali languages and the Buddhist scriptures. Also there is the tradition of social service in which monks teach and assist in village daily life. Altogether, Buddhism in Southeast Asia functions in much the same way as organized religion in other parts of the world.

In addition, there is the tradition of monks and lay people concerned with spiritual development through practicing the paths of purification outlined by the Buddha. Although there have been a number of meditation centers and monasteries in Laos and Cambodia, they aren't available to Westerners because of the current political situation, and may not exist at all in the near future. Out of thousands of monasteries in Thailand, several hundred are particularly concerned with meditation. Of these, several dozen are large centers run by well-known masters with many disciples. We see then that meditation involves only a small part of the society and the religion. However, it plays an extremely important part in preserving the essen- tial truths taught by the Buddha. Buddhism in Burma is perhaps stronger than Buddhism in Thai- land.

The Burmese people are more concerned about their religion and spend more time at the temples. Here too, though, the tradition of self- development through meditation includes only a small percentage of the monks and general populace. The rest of Buddhism is concerned with rites, rituals, and scholarship or social endeavors.

In Burma, too, only a minority of the more than ten thousand temples and centers are 21 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield meditation monasteries. Of these meditation monasteries, there are several types. Some serve lay people in particular, some only monks, while others are open to both.

There are some important differences between meditation centers and meditation monasteries. Meditation centers are designed prima- rily for intensive retreats, either by monks or lay people.

It is not uncommon in Burma for someone to take their yearly vacation at a meditation center. At these centers, people spend anywhere from ten days to several months or longer doing extremely intensive practice. They strive to develop rapidly high levels of concentration and aware- ness leading to insight and wisdom. The tradition of meditation centers is most firmly established in Burma, although there are also a number to be found in Thailand. These centers are extremely quiet, special environments where there is either very limited or no social interaction, except with the teacher.

One practices mostly in solitude, or perhaps for some part of the day in a group, devoting all of the time to meditation. The environment at these centers is tailored for a particular task, formal sitting and walking meditation, and all distractions are carefully minimized. In contrast, meditation monasteries are places to live for long periods of time as a monk or a nun (there are many nuns in Southeast Asia). In the monasteries, meditation is taught as an integral part of the lifestyle, to be practiced all times of the day.

The teaching is concerned with developing awareness of every aspect of one's daily life — eating, dressing, sewing, walking, cleaning, as well as the social interactions in the community. Meditation in these monasteries becomes a way of life rather than a particular exercise. Yet the teaching also includes regular daily sitting and walking practice. The best monasteries are extremely harmonious communities functioning under the rules of conduct for monks and nuns set down by the Buddha.

This lifestyle is designed to develop the factors of enlightenment through careful attention to all daily activities. In fact, one of the masters of a monastic community said that he had learned as much Dhamma from cultivating awareness and compassion in receiving the many visitors who came, responding to their problems, as he did from any other meditation exercise. Although he encouraged many hours of formal sitting meditation each day, he felt that social 22 Copyrighted material Meditation in Burma, Laos, and Thailand interaction meditation was equally important, learning to develop wisdom in all situations. Both meditation centers for short-term intensive practice, and resident monasteries for developing a meditative way of life, provide an especially conducive environment for spiritual growth.

They both offer the presence of a teacher, the quiet of a setting with limited distractions, a simple lifestyle with not much to do but explore one's own mind, and a community whose values are all directed toward spiritual development. In the meditation center, the activities of the day consist almost entirely of spending one's time practicing meditation (alone or in a silent group), perhaps twelve to twenty hours per day. Generally, this means alternating sitting and walking; one does not sit for twenty hours straight. Usually, there is an interview once a day or every other day with the teacher, and only minimal time is spent taking care of the necessities of life. These few other activities include collecting alms if you are a monk, eating one or two meals in the morning, bathing, and finally sleeping perhaps four hours a night. In the prac- tice at a center, all is directed at intensive development of concentration and mindfulness. The daily life in the monastery, by contrast, is much fuller.

One arises very early in the morning, sits in group meditation while it is still dark, and perhaps chants the Pali scriptures. Then the monks go out on alms rounds with a bowl, collecting food the lay people have prepared to offer them. Later the whole monastery eats either one or, as in some monasteries, two meals a day. All food must be eaten before noontime. After the meal cleanup there may be a short talk by the teacher. For the rest of the day, one's time is spent meditating, studying, or performing a number of tasks that are part of the commu- nity. Drawing water from the well, helping to build new structures that are necessary, repairing fences around the monastery, cleaning, washing, and sweeping.

These tasks are generally apportioned evenly among all of the monks so that during the day one might spend several hours meditating, an hour or two reading or studying, and several hours involved in work for the community. In addition, some monks may receive lay people to teach and give meditation instmction.

In a forest monastery, one also sews and dyes one's own robes. The monks 23 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield take care of all the basic necessities of life in a very self-sufficient manner. Finally, in the evening time, the monks reconvene, with lay people as well, for chanting, group meditation for an hour or longer, and an evening Dhamma talk delivered by the teacher. Questions and discussions of community business follow. Then all return to their cottages or living quarters to meditate until sleep time. It is stressed that all the activities of the daily life of the community are part of meditation.

Whether formally sitting doing a meditation exercise such as following the breath, or working at drawing water from the wells, or talking over community business, one is urged to do so with as much mindfulness and concentration as possible. Another difference between the intensive meditation center tradi- tion and the monastery is in the use of teacher interviews. With intensive practice in the meditation centers, one is encouraged to have an interview daily or every other day, sometimes even more frequently. One meets with the teacher to report the events of one's meditation and to allow the teacher to help guide and balance the practice. Because of the intensive nature of practice in such places, this is an important aspect of the teaching.

By contrast, in monasteries and Dhamma communities, interviews are infrequent although teachers are usually open to questions. Rather, teaching is done by Dhamma talks to the whole community, and because practice is not necessarily so intensive the need for interviews is not stressed. In fact, in some monasteries it is felt that it is much more valuable as part of the lifestyle that the yogis or meditators learn to answer their own questions, to deal with their own doubts, to watch the process of doubting and questioning in their own mind. In this way they are directed back to their own experience and learn to resolve their ques- tions as a part of their practice without being attached to a daily interview and needing such direct guidance from their teacher. Again, we can see that both approaches to teacher interviews are valid ways of development on the spiritual path.

What is appropriate depends on where you're starting from and where you are. What are other benefits of such carefully tailored environments as these centers and monasteries? In addition to creating the outer still- ness necessary for high states of concentration, the absence of distraction prevents us from running away from ourselves. We must 24 Copyrighted material Meditation in Burma, Laos, and Thailand face our thoughts and our changing mind-states. Attention is forced inward.

Our minds are revealed to us. Even in the simple lifestyle of a monk, one finds, interestingly enough, that the habit of clinging to things in the environment is so strong that it continues nonetheless. Even with but three or four possessions one can become extremely attached to one's bowl or one's robes, thinking them more beautiful or in some way better than another's. One can become fearful of losing them. It is astonishing to discover that even in the simplest life, the mind will find new things to hold on to and continue the process of clinging. It is only through seeing this process clearly, though, that we can become liberated from it. Although meditation masters are few in contrast to the hundreds of thousands of other Buddhist monks in Southeast Asia, they are still among the best-known and the most highly respected members of their society.

They are revered for their qualities of mind, their purity and saintliness, and in many cases for the powers that they are believed to possess. In this book, I have made almost no mention of the powers developed through meditation. This is in keeping with the meditation tradition of Southeast Asia, where even the most powerful and highly developed teachers do not particularly talk about or bother with magic, mystical energies or powers.

Infatuation with power and mystery tends to sidetrack the development of compassion and wisdom, and all of these masters are concerned with only one thing — the deepening of insight leading to the full liberation of all beings. Since Westerners now cannot get visas to stay in Burma^ for more than two weeks, and since Laos and Cambodia are still involved in great political change, most Westerners involved in the Theravadin Buddhist practice taught in Southeast Asia go to the country of Thai- land. There are now more than fifty, perhaps as many as eighty.

Western bhikkhus or monks in Thailand. This number has doubled over the past few years. There are difficulties in going to Thailand to become a bhikkhu. Visas are not easy to obtain, and they require that one ordain rather quickly or else periodically leave the country. There is also a language 1. The political situation in these countries has changed and it is now possi- ble to stay longer. (Ed) 25 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield problem.

One might go to Burma for a week's practice in an intensive center; there, many people speak English, since Burma was once a British colony. In Thailand however few meditation teachers speak English. One must either learn Thai or find a center where a translator is available, and translators are often difficult to find. Sincere Westerners are allowed, and in fact encouraged, to ordain as monks. In the best temples one must first serve a period as a temple boy and then as a novice, learning the rules of the order, the proper social conventions, and behavior of a monk, becoming acquainted with the importance of strictly following the lifestyle and the precepts of monks after ordination. In the meditation centers and monasteries of Southeast Asia you will find a very open Dhamma; the teachers are willing to impart their entire meditation system to whoever comes to them.

Aside from the initiations of ordinations into the order of bhikkhus, there are no other initiations, no secrets, no observation of the mystical meditation tradi- tion. Everything is open-handed, very direct and simple. One is instructed how to practice and is encouraged to do so. A Westerner coming to a temple or a center will often have a special reception, as the Burmese and Thais are extremely pleased at the recent growing interest of Westerners in Buddhism and are particularly happy to help someone who has come so far to receive the teaching. The lay people often feel a kind of awe, for they, especially the simple villagers, see in the West their vision of heaven, because we have televisions, cars, refrigerators, and beautiful houses. Someone who has given up heaven to come and live so simply in a meditation center is most admirable to them. (In my later years as a monk I often stressed to the villagers that the heaven of the West isn't all it would seem to be and that, in fact, any kind of happiness that comes through the senses is ultimately unsatisfactory.

It arises and ceases and comes and goes and can never bring the satisfaction of inner peace and wisdom.) As a lay person in a monastery or center, you will generally be expected to follow the eight precepts. These include not killing, not lying, not stealing, abstaining from sex (while a member of the community), abstaining from drugs and alcohol intoxicants. You are also often expected to abstain from using money, from wearing perfume and fancy dress, and from using high and luxurious beds. 26 Copyrighted material Meditation in Burma, Laos, and Thailand And finally there is a precept of no eating after niid-day. One or perhaps two meals are served, early in the morning and then again at noon. These precepts are used to simplify life, to make the outward form simple and harmonious within the community, and to allow you to get on with the practice. The question of how to pick a teacher, a center, and a method is a problem for many people.

There is a story in the Buddhist tradition that may help in understanding the answer to this question. The Buddha is seated in a garden, surrounded by a large number of his disciples. A man comes up to him, pays his respects, and begins to praise the Sangha, the community of monks that the Buddha has ordained. And after this fellow has praised it, the Buddha himself continues the praise of the Sangha, pointing out the various groups of monks situated in various places in the garden. He praises their virtue and says, 'See there, those people who are most inclined toward prac- tice using powers are gathered with my disciple, the great Maha Moggallana (who was known as the monk with the great psychic powers in the time of the Buddha).

And those whose natural kamma takes them to develop their path through wisdom you see gathered over there with my great disciple, Sariputta (who was known as the monk with the greatest wisdom, next only to the Buddha). And those, my friend, whose kamma or whose character makes them most inclined to develop their spiritual path through the rules of discipline of the order are over there with my great disciple, UpaH, the master of the Vinaya.

And those who are most incHned to use absorptions or jhanas as a path are there with another great disciple of mine,' and so on. Even in the time of the Buddha, then, there were many meditation techniques and approaches to spiritual development that he taught; his various disciples who naturally inclined in one way taught those people who also naturally inclined toward that practice. So we see that it is not a question of which practice is better, but rather which is the most natural, which will suit one's own personality and bring one most quickly into the balance and harmony that are the result of spiri- tual development. Picking a teacher or a center involves several factors.

One is intu- ition. You may meet a teacher and intuitively, immediately feel that he or she is someone you wish to learn from, that you have a strong 27 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield bond with him, that his method is just right for you. On the other hand, this may not happen. In that case, it is wise to visit several teachers, several centers, in this country or in Asia, to determine which environment, which kind of discipline, which sort of practice feel the best for you. Trust your own heart and your intuition, but also give yourself enough experience and data from which to make the choice. You will have to decide whether you want to go to a place where the mediation is integrated into part of a greater lifestyle and where you can spend a long time, or to a center for a short period of intensive development. Do you want to practice with a teacher who enforces some very strict rules of discipline or a teacher for whom that form is not an essential part of the teaching?

Not only are there different techniques and approaches in the various centers and monasteries, there are also differences in the personalities and teaching styles. In teaching styles, it is traditionally said that different teachers will have gained liberation through the door which emphasizes predominance of one of the three characteris- tics (although they are actually three aspects of the same deep insight), and that this also will affect how they teach. Some teachers have gained understanding through penetrating the characteristic of empti- ness (anattd) of all phenomena and are inclined to stress wisdom, clear seeing in their teaching. The chapter of Ajahn Buddhadasa follows this approach.

Other teachers have understood the truth through penetrating the characteristic of suffering and they are inclined to stress effort in the practice. Sunlun Sayadaw emphasizes this approach. Some teachers have penetrated through the character- istic of impermanence and it is said that they tend to stress faith in practice. U Ba Khin is an example of this type of teaching. Of course, these qualities do not always hold true, and a skillful teacher will stress that which is most helpful to each individual student. Personalities and styles of teachers may differ in other ways. The teacher of Ajahn Maha Boowa and Ajahn Chah was Ajahn Mun, one of the greatest Thai masters of this century.

He used a great deal of force in his teaching. He was fierce, ferocious, and very strict with his disciples. There are other teachers such as Ajahn Jumnien who are extremely loving, kind, and open. Neither of these is better than the other; the difference simply reflects the kamma or the personality of 28 Copyrighted material Meditation in Burma, Laos, and Thailand the particular teacher, his own practice, and the way that he is best able to teach other people. Again, deciding which type of teacher feels right or best when you are selecting a place to practice is largely an intuitive process. There are several important methods a teacher uses in his teaching.

One way he teaches is through his love and acceptance of those who come to see him, which allows them to love and accept themselves. This is an important quality of mind to be developed in the spiritual path. Another method is using balance. A teacher will often prescribe a particular meditation to counterbalance a difficulty facing a disciple.

For example, someone who has a great deal of anger might be asked to do a loving kindness meditation; for someone who has a great deal of lust, a teacher might prescribe a meditation on the repulsiveness of the body. A teacher may see that one's energy and concentration are out of equilibrium and prescribe that one spend more time doing walking or energetic practice to correct the imbal- ance. Or, he may notice that one's faith and wisdom are out of balance — that with too much faith one is not developing the quality of mind of investigation, not looking clearly to see what is the true nature of the mind and body process. To re-establish that balance, he might use a story to point out to his disciple that he really doesn't under- stand, that he needs to cut down some of his reliance on faith and increase his questioning or wisdom. The whole of spiritual develop- ment is a balancing act. And the teacher's function is to help balance the practice of his student.

Another key function of the teacher is to point out our latest attachments. As meditation progresses and the mind becomes more subtle, attachments go from outward forms of sense desires of a gross nature to more refined attachments, such as the attachment to certain kinds of bliss, or the lights, or the calm, that may come from medita- tion. Whatever it is that is happening when we come to see a teacher will emerge. He will see where we are stuck, what we are attached to, and help us to let go, to allow the natural process of non-attachment that will lead to our liberation. Non- attachment can be taught by telling stories, by changing the direction of meditation, or even, in the Zen meditation style, by hitting the student at just the right moment. In all of these ways of teaching, however, it is the meditator himself 29 Copyrighted material Jack Kornfield who is doing the work.

The teacher is only assisting him in staying on the right track and keeping in balance. It is important not to get too hung up on judging a teacher or a center by appearance.

It was my experience to go first to a very strict and well-disciplined ascetic monastery. The teacher Ajahn Chah was a very precise, proper, and exquisite example of a monk living a very simple life. Then I went to a Burmese temple with a very different sort of teacher.

At the Burmese temple I found a very famous meditation teacher who had had ten thousand disciples before me; yet when I saw him he appeared sloppy, his robe dragged on the ground, he smoked Burmese cigars, and he spent much of his day sitting around talking with the women in the temple in a very un-monkish way, unlike my former teacher. Sometimes he appeared to get angry and to be concerned with petty things. For the first two months of my intensive practice there I suffered a great deal making comparisons between these two teachers. The Burmese teacher was kind to me and gave me one of the nicest meditation cottages right near his own. As a result every day I would see him sitting around smoking his cigars and talking with the ladies.

It upset my practice terribly. I would think to myself, 'What am I doing learning from this man? I'm working so hard in meditating and he's out there like that, he doesn't have anything to teach me. Why doesn't he behave like a monk the way Ajahn Chah did?' It took me a couple of months to realize that his outward form did not detract from the value I was getting from the meditation. And that to judge and compare outward form, to look for the Buddha in the teacher, was simply creating more suffering for myself.

The mind that judges creates suffering. Finally, when I was able to let go, I was able to benefit greatly from his instruction and teaching, and he was a very good teacher of this meditation technique. (And what wasn't useful, I left for him.) It took a lot of suffering to come to understand how the discriminating mind creates difficulties; but seeing, I was able to let go.

Many people in Theravada Buddhism (and in fact in every spiri- tual tradition) get caught up in judging and comparing teachers' methods. Their teacher, their method, is the best, the right, the pure method or tradition. This sort of discrimination leads people to see the 30 Copyrighted material Meditation in Burma, Laos, and Thailand world increasingly in terms of good and evil. This is good, that is evil. This wrong understanding causes much fear and much pain. There is no such thing as good or evil forces in the world.

The only 'evil' that exists is within our own mind, the painful states of greed, hatred, and delusion. There is no difficulty outside of this, and for a mind purified of all these painful reactions, no other evil exists, nor can such a mind be shaken or moved by the arising and passing of any experience — for it sees the world with wisdom, as empty, as not self. Similarly, those who cling to or claim to have established or follow 'pure' traditions and 'pure' sects can sometimes allow people to misunderstand the basic teaching of the Buddha. Purity does not exist within a tradition, nor within a method, or within a religion. There is only one basic purity that was taught by the Buddha, the purity which liberates, and that is purity of mind, freedom from greed, hatred, and delusion. Apart from this inner purification, even well- meaning claims to purity only increase clinging and discrimination.

The essence of all practice is to get beyond all clinging and selfish- ness. Use any or all of these tools well, but do not get caught up in the tool or the teacher mistaking them for the truth of the Buddha. Prac- tice diligently and let go of all that binds, settle for nothing less than tasting freedom for yourself. As you continue meditating, your own practice will become your reference point. Before his death the Buddha asked his disciples to follow the Dhamma, not any teacher or tradition.

He put no one over the community of monks and nuns. The Dhamma was to guide them. So for us, there is no blind belief or blind faith in Buddhism.

We simply believe enough in the possibility of liberation and we are wise enough to see the suffering in our existence to have the faith to begin practice. And in the practice we see for ourselves the truth of the Dhamma. The Buddha encouraged people with the words, 'Be a lamp unto yourself, be a light unto yourself.' Out of this practice will come freedom. 31 Copyrighted material Copyrighted material Chapter 3 THE ENTIRE TEACHING I have reserved a whole chapter to make a simple statement. The entire teaching of Buddhism can be summed up in this way: Nothing is worth holding on to.

If you let go of everything. Objects Concepts Teachers Buddha Self Senses Memories Life Death Freedom then all suffering will cease.

The world will appear in its pristine self- existing nature, and you will experience the freedom of the Buddha. The rest that follows in this book are useful approaches and tech- niques for learning to let go. 33 Copyrighted material Copyrighted material Chapter 4 AJAHN CHAH Ajahn Chah^ was bom into a large and comfortable family in a rural village in the Lao area of northeast Thailand. He ordained as a novice in early youth and on reaching the age of twenty took higher ordination as a bhikkhu. Beyond the fourth grade education standard in the village schools, he studied some basic Dhamma and scriptures as a young monk. Later he practiced meditation under the guidance of several of the local forest teachers in the Lao-speaking ascetic tradition. He walked for a number of years in the style of an ascetic monk, sleeping under the forest trees and spent a short but enlightening period with Ajahn Mun, one of the most famous and powerful Thai-Lao meditation masters of this century.

After many years of travel and practice he returned to settle in a thick forest grove near the village of his birth. This grove was uninhabited, known as a place of cobras, tigers, and ghosts and, as he said, the perfect location for a forest monk. Around Ajahn Chah a large monastery formed as more and more monks, nuns, and lay people came to hear his teaching and stay on with him. Now there are disciples teaching in more than thirty mountain and forest branch temples throughout northeast Thailand. On entering Wat Ba Pong one is apt first to encounter monks drawing water from a well, and a sign on the path that says 'You there, be quiet, we're trying to meditate.' Although there is group meditation and chanting twice a day and usually an evening talk by Ajahn Chah, the heart of the meditation is the way of life.

35 Copyrighted material AjAHN ChAH work sewing robes and sweeping the forest paths and Hve extremely simply. Monks here follow the ascetic precepts limiting meals to one a day and limiting their number of possessions, robes, and living places. They live in individual cottages spread throughout the forest, and practice their walking meditation on cleared paths under the trees.

Many of his Western disciples now choose to live at a huge new forest preserve monastery with scattered cottages built into caves in the hillside. The simple regimen of the forest monastery provides the setting for the development of wisdom. Ajahn Chah stresses that 'Each person has his own natural pace,' and that we should not worry about the length of our path or destination. 'Simply stick to the present moment,' he advises, and, 'eventually the mind will reach its natural balance where practice is automatic.' He rarely speaks of attaining any special state of mind or states of concentration and enlightenment. Instead, when questioned on this topic he will ask the questioner if he has fully let go of all attachment and is totally free from suffering.

With the usual reply of 'Not yet,' he will direct him to simply continue his practice of watching the mind and not clinging even to deep insights or enlightenment experiences, only continue this not- clinging from moment to moment. Daily life in the monastery becomes as much the focus of practice as the formal sitting and walking. Washing robes, cleaning spittoons, sweeping the hall, collecting morning alms are all meditation, and as Ajahn Chah reminds us, in 'cleaning a toilet don't feel you are doing it as a favor for anyone else.' There is Dhamma there too.

Meditation means mindfulness in whatever we do. At times the lifestyle seems strict and harsh and the stmggle to find comfort and security becomes a great lesson in the meditation. 'When you get angry or feel sorry for yourself it is a great opportunity to understand the mind.' In surren- dering to the rules that create a harmonious community, we see clearly how desires and images we hold conflict with this flow. The strict discipline helps us cut away at the ego-needs for outward display of individuality.

Ajahn Chah does not emphasize any special meditation tech- niques nor does he encourage crash courses to attain quick insights and enlightenment. In formal sitting one may watch the breath until 36 Copyrighted material BiGRAPHicAL Note the mind is still, and then continue practice by observing the flow of the mind-body process. Live simply, be natural, and watch the mind are the keys to his practice. Patience is stressed. As a new monk at his monastery I became frustrated by the difficulties of practice and the seeming arbitrary rules of conduct I had to follow. I began to criticize other monks for sloppy practice, and to doubt the wisdom of Ajahn Chah's teaching.

At one point I went to him and complained, noting that even he was inconsistent and seemed to be contradicting himself often in an unenlightened way. He laughed and pointed out how much I was suffering by trying to judge the others around me.

Then he explained that in fact his teaching was just a balance. 'It is as though I see people walking down a road I know well,' he said. 'I look up and see someone about to fall in a ditch on the right-hand side of the road or get off on a side track on the right so I call out to him 'Go left, go left'. Similarly if I see someone about to go off on a sidetrack to the left, or to fall in the left-hand ditch, 1 call out 'Go right, go right'.

All of practice is simply developing a balance of mind, not clinging, unselfishness.' Sitting in meditation or working at our daily activities are all part of practice and watching patiently allows the unfolding of wisdom and peace in a natural way. This is Ajahn Chah's path. Ajahn Chah welcomes Westerners and more than two dozen have lived and studied with him, often for many months or years. Wisdom is a way of living and being, and Ajahn Chah has preserved the special, simple lifestyle of the monks as organized by the Buddha for learning Dhamma today. 37 Copyrighted material AjAHN ChAH Notes from a Session of Questions and Answers with Ajahn Chah of Wat Ba Pong QUESTION: Fm trying very hard in my practice but I don 't seem to be getting anywhere.

ANSWER: This is very important. Don't try to get anywhere in the practice. The very desire to be free or to be enhghtened wiU be the desire that prevents your freedom.

You can try as hard as you wish, practice ardently night and day, but if it is still with the desire to achieve in mind you will never find peace. The energy from this desire will be cause for doubt and restlessness. No matter how long or hard you practice, wisdom will not arise from desire. So, simply let go. Watch the mind and body mindfully but don't try to achieve anything. Don't cling even to the practice or to enlightenment. QUESTION: What about sleep?

How much should I sleep? ANSWER: Don't ask me; I can't tell you. A good average for some is four hours a night.

What is important, though, is that you watch and know yourself. If you try to go with too little sleep, the body will feel uncomfortable and mindfulness will be difficult to sustain. Too much sleep leads to a dull or a restless mind. Find the natural balance for yourself.

Carefully watch the mind and body and keep track of sleep needs until you find the optimum. If you wake up and then roll over for a snooze this is defilement. Establish mindfulness as soon as you open your eyes. QUESTION: How about eating?

How much should I eat? ANSWER: Eating is the same as sleeping. You must know yourself. Food must be consumed to meet bodily needs. Look at your food as medicine.

Are you eating so much that you only feel sleepy after the meal and are you getting fatter every day? Examine your own body and mind. There is no need to fast. Instead experiment with the amount of food you take. Find the natural balance for your body.

Put all of your food together in your bowl, following the ascetic practice. Then you can easily judge the amount you take.

Watch yourself 38 Copyrighted material Questions and Answers carefully as you eat. Know yourself. The essence of our practice is just this. There is nothing special you must do.

Examine yourself. Watch the mind.

Then you will know what is the natural balance for your own practice. QUESTION: Are the minds of Asians and Westerners different? ANSWER: Basically there is no difference. Outer customs and language may appear different, but the human mind has natural char- acteristics that are the same for all people. Greed and hatred are the same in an Eastern mind or a Western mind. Suffering and the cessa- tion of suffering are the same for all people. QUESTION: Is it advisable to read a lot or study the scriptures as a part of practice?

ANSWER: The Dhamma of the Buddha is not found in books. If you want to really see for yourself what the Buddha was talking about you don't need to bother with books. Watch your own mind.

Examine to see how feelings come and go, how thoughts come and go. Don't be attached to anything, just be mindful of whatever there is to see. This is the way to the truths of the Buddha. Everything you do in your life here is a chance to practice. It is all Dhamma.

When you do your chores try to be mindful. If you are emptying a spittoon or cleaning a toilet don't feel you are doing it as a favor for anyone else. There is Dhamma in emptying spittoons. Don't feel you are practicing only when sitting still cross-legged. Some of you have complained that there is not enough time to meditate. Is there enough time to breathe? This is your meditation: mindfulness, naturalness in what- ever you do.

QUESTION: Why don 't we have daily interviews with the teacher? ANSWER: If you have questions you are welcome to come and ask them any time. But we don't need daily interviews here. If I answer your every little question you will never understand the process of doubt in your own mind. It is essential that you learn to examine your- self, to interview yourself. Listen carefully to the lectures every few days, then use this teaching to compare with your own practice. Is it the same?

Is it different? Why do you have doubts? Who is it that doubts? Only through self-examination can you understand. 39 Copyrighted material AjAHN ChAH QUESTION: Sometimes I worry about the monk's discipline.

If I kill insects accidentally is this bad? ANSWER: STla or discipline and morality are essential to our practice but you must not cling to the rules blindly. In not killing animals or in following other rules the important thing is intention. Know your own mind.

You should not be excessively concerned about the monk's discipline. If used properly it supports the practice, but some monks are so worried about the petty rules that they can't sleep well. Disci- pline is not to be earned as a burden. In our practice here, the foundation is discipline.

Good discipline plus the ascetic rules and practice. Being mindful and careful of even the many supporting rules as well as the basic 227 precepts has great benefit. It makes life very simple. There need be no wondering about how to act, so you can avoid thinking and instead just be simply mindful. The discipline enables us to live together harmoniously, the community runs smoothly.

Outwardly everyone looks and acts the same. Discipline and morality are the stepping stones for further concentration and wisdom. By proper use of the monk's discipline and the ascetic precepts we are forced to live simply, to limit our possessions. So here we have the complete practice of the Buddha: Refrain from evil and do good. Live simply keeping to basic needs. Purify the mind. That is, be watchful of your mind and body in all postures.

Sitting, standing, walking, or lying, know yourself. QUESTION: What can I do about doubts? Some days I'm plagued with doubts about the practice or my own progress, or the teacher.

ANSWER: Doubting is natural. Everyone starts out with doubts. You can learn a great deal from them. What is important is that you don't identify with your doubts. That is, don't get caught up in them. This will spin your mind in endless circles. Instead, watch the whole process of doubting, of wondering.

See who it is that doubts. See how doubts come and go. Then you will no longer be victimized by your doubts.

You will step outside of them and your mind will be quiet. You can see how all things come and go. Just let go of what you are attached to. Let go of your doubts and simply watch. This is how to end doubting.

40 Copyrighted material Questions and Answers QUESTION: What about other methods of practice? These days there seem to be so many teachers and so many different systems of meditation that it is confusing. ANSWER: It is like going into town. One can approach from the north, from the southeast, from many roads. Often these systems just differ outwardly. Whether you walk one way or another, fast or slow, if you are mindful it is all the same.

There is one essential point that all good practice must eventually come to. That is not clinging. In the end all meditation systems must be let go of. Also, one cannot cling to the teacher. If a system leads to relinquishment, to not clinging, then it is correct practice. You may wish to travel, to visit other teachers and try other systems. Some of you have done so already.

This is a natural desire. You will find out that a thousand questions asked and knowledge of many systems will not bring you to the truth. Eventually you will get bored. You will see that only by stopping and examining your own mind can you find out what the Buddha talked about.

No need to go searching outside yourself. Eventually you must return to face your own true nature. Here is where you can understand the Dhamma.

QUESTION: A lot of times it seems that many monks here are not practicing. They look sloppy or unmindful. This disturbs me.

ANSWER: It is not proper to watch other people. This will not help your practice. If you are annoyed, watch the annoyance in your own mind.

If others' discipline is bad or they are not good monks, this is not for you to judge. You will not discover wisdom watching others. Monk's discipline is a tool to use for your own meditation.

It is not a weapon to use to criticize or to find fault. No one can do your practice for you, nor can you do practice for anyone else. Just be mindful of your own doings. This is the way to practice. QUESTION: I have been extremely careful to practice sense restraint. I always keep my eyes lowered and am mindful of every little action I do.

When eating, for example, I take a long time and try to see each touch — chewing, tasting, swallowing, etc. I take each step very deliberately and carefully.

Am I practicing properly? ANSWER: Sense restraint is proper practice. We should be mindful of it throughout the day. But don't overdo it! Walk and eat and act natu- rally.

And then develop natural mindfulness of what is going on with yourself. Don't force your meditation or force yourself into awkward 41 Copyrighted material AjAHN ChAH patterns. This is another form of craving. Patience and endurance are necessary. If you act naturally and are mindful, wisdom will come naturally too.

QUESTION: Is it necessary to sit for very long stretches? ANSWER: No, sitting for hours on end is not necessary. Some people think that the longer you can sit, the wiser you must be. I have seen chickens sit on their nests for days on end.

Wisdom comes from being mindful in all postures. Your practice should begin as soon as you awaken in the morning. It should continue until you fall asleep. Don't be concerned about how long you can sit.

What is important is only that you keep watchful whether you are working or sitting or going to the bathroom. Each person has his own natural pace. Some of you will die at age fifty. Some at age sixty-five and some at age ninety. So too, your prac- tices will not be all identical. Don't think or worry about this. Try to be mindful and let things take their natural course.

Then your mind will become quieter and quieter in any surroundings. It will become still like a clear forest pool.

Then all kinds of wonderful and rare animals will come to drink at the pool. You will see clearly the nature of all things in the world. You will see many wonderful and strange things come and go.

But you wiU be stiU. Problems wiU arise and you will see through them immediately. This is the happiness of the Buddha.

QUESTION: / still have many thoughts. My mind wanders a lot even though I am trying to be mindful.

ANSWER: Don't wony about this. Try to keep your mind in the present. Whatever there is that arises in the mind, just watch it. Let go of it. Don't even wish to be rid of thoughts. Then the mind will reach its natural state.

No discriminating between good and bad, hot and cold, fast and slow. No me and no you, no self at all. Just what there is. When you walk on alms round no need to do anything special. Simply walk and see what there is. No need to cling to isolation or seclusion.

Wherever you are, know yourself by being natural and watching. If doubts arise, watch them come and go. It's very simple. Hold on to nothing. It is as though you are walking down a road.

Periodically you will run into obstacles. When you meet defilements just see them and just overcome them by letting go of them. Don't think about the obstacles 42 Copyrighted material Questions and Answers you have passed already. Don't worry about those you have not yet seen. Stick to the present. Don't be concerned about the length of the road or about a destination. Everything is changing.

Whatever you pass, do not cling to it. Eventually the mind will reach its natural balance where practice is automatic. All things will come and go of themselves. QUESTION: Have you ever looked at the Altar Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, Hui Neng? ANSWER: Hui Neng's wisdom is very keen. It is very profound teaching, not easy for beginners to understand.

But if you practice with our discipline and with patience, if you practice not clinging, you will eventually understand. Once I had a disciple who stayed in a grass-roofed hut. It rained often that rainy season and one day a strong wind blew off half the roof. He did not bother to fix it, just let it rain in. Several days passed and I asked him about his hut. He said he was practicing not clinging. This is not clinging without wisdom.

It is about the same as the equanimity of a water buffalo. If you live a good life and live simply, if you are patient and unselfish you will under- stand the wisdom of Hui Neng.

QUESTION: You have said that samatha and vipassand or concentration and insight are the same. Could you explain this further? ANSWER: It is quite simple. Concentration (samatha) and wisdom (vipassand) work together.

First the mind becomes still by holding on to a meditation object. It is quiet only while you are sitting with your eyes closed. This is samatha and eventually this concentration is the cause for wisdom or vipassana to arise. Then the mind is still whether you sit with your eyes closed or walk around in a busy city. It's like this. Once you were a child.

Now you are an adult. Are the child and the adult the same person?

You can say that they are or looking at it another way you can say that they are different. In this way samatha and vipassana could also be looked at as separate. Or it is like food and feces. Food and feces could be called the same. Don't just believe what I say, do your practice and see for yourself. Nothing special is needed.

If you examine how concentration and wisdom arise, you will know the truth for yourself. These days many people cling to the words.

They call their practice vipassana. Samatha is looked down on. Or they call their practice samatha.

It is essential to do samatha before 43 Copyrighted material AjAHN ChAH vipassana, they say. All this is silly. Don't bother to think about it in this way.

Simply do the practice and you'll see for yourself. QUESTION: 7^ it necessary to be able to enter absorption in our practice? ANSWER: No, absolution is not necessary. You must establish a modicum of tranquility and one-pointedness of mind. Then use this to examine yourself. Nothing special is needed.

If absorption comes in your practice this is OK too. Just don't hold onto it. Some people get hung up with absorption.

It can be great fun to play with. You must know proper limits.

If you are wise then you will know the uses and limitations of absorption, just as you know the limitations of children versus grown men. QUESTION: Why do we follow the ascetic rules such as only eating out of our bowls? ANSWER: The ascetic precepts are to help us cut defilement. By following the ones such as eating out of our bowls we can be more mindful of our food as medicine. If we have no defilements then it does not matter how we eat. But here we use the form to make our practice simple. The Buddha did not make the ascetic precepts neces- sary for all monks.

But he allowed them for those who wished to practice strictly. They add to our outward discipline and thereby help increase our mental resolve and strength. These rules are to be kept for yourself. Don't watch how others practice. Watch your own mind and see what is beneficial for you. The rule that we must take whatever meditation cottage is assigned to us is similarly helpful discipline.

It keeps monks from being attached to their dwelling place. If they go away and return they must take a new dwelling. This is our practice — not to cling to anything. QUESTION: If putting everything together in our bowls is important, why don't you as a teacher do it yourself? Don't you feel it is important for the teacher to set an example?

ANSWER: Yes, it is true, a teacher should set an example for his disciples. I don't mind that you criticize me. Ask whatever you wish. But it is important that you do not cling to the teacher. If I were abso- lutely perfect in outward form it would be terrible. You would all be too attached to me.

Even the Buddha would sometimes tell his disciples to do one thing and then do another himself. Your doubts in your 44 Copyrighted material Questions and Answers teacher can help you. You should watch your own reactions.

Do you think it is possible that I keep some food out of my bowl in dishes to feed the laymen who work around the temple? Wisdom is for yourself to watch and develop. Take from the teacher what is good. Be aware of your own practice. If I am resting while you all must sit up does this make you angry? If I call the color blue red or say that male is female, don't follow me blindly.

One of my teachers ate very fast. He made noises as he ate. Yet he told us to eat slowly and mindfully. I used to watch him and get very upset. I suffered, but he didn't! I watched the outside.

Later I learned. Some people drive fast but carefully. Others drive slowly and have many accidents. Don't cling to rules, to outer form. If you watch others at most ten percent of the time and watch yourself ninety percent, this is proper practice. At first I used to watch my teacher Ajahn Tong Rath and had many doubts. People even thought he was mad.

He would do strange things or get very fierce with his disciples. Outside he was angry but inside there was nothing. Nobody there. He was remarkable. He stayed clear and mindful until the moment he died. Looking outside the self is comparing, discriminating. You will not find happiness that way.

Nor will you find peace if you spend your time looking for the perfect man or the perfect teacher. The Buddha taught us to look at the Dhamma, the truth, not to look at other people. QUESTION: How can we overcome lust in our practice? Sometimes I feel as if I am really a slave to my sexual desire. ANSWER: Lust should be balanced by contemplation of loathsome- ness. Attachment to bodily form is one extreme and one should keep in mind the opposite. Examine the body as a corpse and see the process of decay or think of the parts of the body such as lungs, spleen, fat, feces, and so forth.

Remember these and visualize this loathsome aspect of the body when lust arises. This will free you from lust. QUESTION: How about anger? What should I do when I feel anger arising?

ANSWER: You must use loving kindness. When angry states of mind arise in meditation, balance them by developing loving kindness feel- ings.

If someone does something bad or gets angry don't get angry 45 Copyrighted material AjAHN ChAH yourself. If you do, you are being more ignorant than he. Keep in mind compassion, for that person is suffering. Fill your mind with loving kindness as if he were a dear brother. Concentrate on the feeling of loving kindness as a meditation subject. Spread it to all beings in the world. Only through loving kindness is hatred overcome.

Sometimes you may see other monks behaving badly. You may get annoyed. This is suffering unnecessarily. It is not yet our Dhamma. You may think like this: 'They are not as strict as I am. They are not serious meditators like us. Those monks are not good monks.'

This is a great defilement on your part. Do not make compar- isons. Do not discriminate. Let go of your opinions and watch yourself. This is our Dhamma.

You can't possibly make everyone act as you wish, or to be like you. This wish will only make you suffer. It is a common mistake for meditators to make, but watching other people won't develop wisdom. Simply examine your- self, your feelings. This is how you will understand. QUESTION: I feel sleepy a great deal. It makes it hard to meditate.

ANSWER: There are many ways to overcome sleepiness. If you are sitting in the dark move to a lighted place. Open your eyes. Get up and wash your face, slap your face, or take a bath. If you are sleepy, change postures. Walk backward. The fear of running into things will keep you awake.

If this fails, stand still, clear the mind, and imagine it is full daylight. Or sit on the edge of a high cliff or deep well. You won't dare sleep. If nothing works, then just go to sleep. Lie down carefully and try to be aware until the moment you fall asleep. Then as soon as you awaken, get right up.

Don't look at the clock or roll over. Start mindfulness from the moment you awaken. If you find yourself sleepy every day, try to eat less.

Examine yourself. As soon as five more spoonfuls will make you full, stop. Then take water until just properly full. Watch your sleep- iness and your hunger. You must learn to balance your eating. As your practice goes on you will feel naturally more energetic and eat less.

But you must adjust yourself. QUESTION: Why must we do so much bowing here?

ANSWER: Bowing is very important. It is an outward form that is part of practice. This form should be done correctly. Bring the forehead all the way to the floor.

Have elbows near knees and knees about eight 46 Copyrighted material Questions and Answers inches apart. Bow slowly, mindful of your body. It is a good remedy for our conceit. We should bow often.

When you bow three times you can keep in mind the qualities of the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. That is, the qualities of mind of purity, radiance, and peace. So we use the outward form to train ourselves. Body and mind become harmoni- ous.

Don't make the mistake of watching how others bow. If the young novices are sloppy or the aged monks appear unmindful, this is not for you to judge. People can be difficult to train.

Some learn fast but others leam slowly. Judging others will only increase your pride. Watch yourself instead.

Bow often, get rid of your pride. Those who have really become harmonious with the Dhamma get far beyond outward form. Everything they do is a way of bowing. Walking, they bow; eating, they bow; defecating, they bow. This is because they have got beyond selfishness. QUESTION: What is the biggest problem of your new disciples? ANSWER: Opinions.

Views and ideas about all things. About them- selves, about practice, about the teachings of the Buddha.

Many of those who come here have a high rank in the community. These are wealthy merchants or college graduates, teachers, and government officials. Their minds are filled with opinions about things. They are too clever to listen to others. It is like water in a cup. If a cup is filled with dirty, stale water it is useless. Only after the old water is thrown out can the cup become useful.

You must empty your minds of opin- ions, then you will see. Our practice goes beyond cleverness and beyond stupidity. If you think to yourself, T am clever, I am wealthy, I am important, I understand all about Buddhism,' you cover up the truth of anatta or non-self. All you will see is self, I, mine. But Buddhism is letting go of self. QUESTION: Are defilements such as greed or anger merely illusory or are they real?

ANSWER: They are both. The defilements we call lust or greed or anger or delusion; these are just outward names, appearance. Just as we can call a bowl large, small, pretty, or whatever. This is not reality.

It is the concept we create from craving. If we want a big bowl we call this one small. Craving causes us to discriminate.

The truth, though, is merely what is. Look at it this way. Are you a man?

You can say yes. This is the appearance of things.

But really you are only a combination 47 Copyrighted material AjAHN ChAH of elements or a group of changing aggregates. If the niind is free it does not discriminate. No big and small, no you and me. There is nothing. Anatta, we say, or non-self. Really, in the end there is neither atta nor anatta. QUESTION: Could you explain a little more about kamma?

ANSWER: Kamma is action. Kamma is clinging. Body, speech, or mind all make kamma when we cling.

We make habits. These can make us suffer in the future. This is the fruit of our clinging, of our past defilement.

All attachment leads to making kamma. Suppose you were a thief before you became a monk. You stole, you made others unhappy, made your parents unhappy.

Now you are a monk but when you remember how you made others unhappy you feel bad and suffer yourself even today. Remember not only body, but speech and mental action can make conditions for future results.

If you did some act of kindness in the past and remember it today you will be happy. This happy state of mind is a result of past kamma.

All things are condi- tioned by causes, both long term and, when examined, moment to moment. But you need not bother to figure out past, present, or future. Merely watch the body and mind. You can then understand kamma in yourself.

Watch your mind, practice, and you will see clearly. Make sure, however, that you leave the kamma of others to them.

Don't cling to and don't watch others. If I take poison, I suffer.

No need for you to share it with me! Take what is good that your teacher offers.

Then you can become peaceful, your mind will become like that of your teacher. If you will examine it you will see. Even if now you don't understand, when you first practice it will become clear.

You will know by yourself. This is called practicing the Dhamma. When we were young our parents used to discipline us and get angry. Really they wanted to help us.

You must see it over the long term. Parents and teachers criticize us and we get upset. Later on we can see why.

After long practice you will know. Those who are too clever leave after a short time. They never leam. You must get rid of your cleverness. If you think yourself better than others you will only suffer. No need to get upset. QUESTION: Sometimes it seems that since becoming a monk I have increased my hardships and suffering.

ANSWER; I know that some of you have had a background of material comfort and outward freedom. By comparison, now you live 48 Copyrighted material Questions and Answers an austere existence. Then, in the practice I often make you sit and wait for long hours. Food and climate are different from your home. But everyone must go through some of this. This is the suffering that leads to the end of suffering. This is how you learn.

When you get angry or feel sorry for yourself it is a great opportunity to understand the mind. The Buddha called defilements our teachers. All my disciples are like my children.

I have only loving kindness and their welfare in mind. If I appear to make you suffer it is for your own good. I know some of you are well educated and very knowl- edgeable. People with little education and worldly knowledge can practice easily. But it is as if you Westerners have a very large house to clean.

When you have cleaned the house you will then have a big living space. You can use the kitchen, the library. You must be patient.

Patience and endurance are essential to our practice. When I was a young monk I did not have it as hard as you. I knew the language and was eating my native food. Even so, some days I despaired. I wanted to disrobe or even commit suicide. This kind of suffering comes from wrong views. When you have seen the truth, though, you are freed from views and opinions.

Everything becomes peaceful. QUESTION: I have been developing very peaceful states of mind from meditation. What should I do now? ANSWER: This is good. Make the mind peaceful, concentrated.

Use this concentration to examine the mind and body. When the mind is not peaceful you should watch also. Then you will know true peace. Because you will see impermanence. Even peace must be seen as impermanent. If you are attached to peaceful states of mind you will suffer when you do not have them. Give up everything, even peace.

QUESTION: Did I hear you say that you were afraid of very diligent disciples? ANSWER: Yes, that's right.

I am afraid that they are too serious. They try too hard, but without wisdom. They push themselves into unnecessary suffering. Some of you are determined to become enlightened. You grit your teeth and struggle all the time. This is trying too hard.

People are all the same. They don't know the nature 49 Copyrighted material AjAHN ChAH of things. All formations, mind and body, are impermanent.

Simply watch and don't cling. Others think they know. They criticize, they watch, they judge.

Leave their opinions to them. This discrimination is dangerous. It is like a road with a very sharp curve. If we think others are worse or better or the same as us we go off the curve. If we discriminate, we will only suffer. QUESTION: I have been meditating many years now.

My mind is open and peaceful in almost all circumstances. Now I would like to try to backtrack and practice high states of concentration or mind absorption. ANSWER: This is fine. It is beneficial mental exercise. If you have wisdom you will not get hung up on concentrated states of mind.

It is the same as wanting to sit for long periods. This is fine for training. But really, practice is separate from any posture. It is a matter of directly looking at the mind.

This is wisdom. When you have exam- ined and understood the mind, then you have the wisdom to know the limitations of concentration. If you have practiced and undei*stand not-clinging you can then return to the books. They will be like a sweet dessert. They can help you to teach others. Or you can go back to practice absorption. You have the wisdom to know not to hold on to anything.

QUESTION: Would you review some of the main points of our discussion? ANSWER: You must examine yourself. Know who you are. Know your body and mind by simply watching. In sitting, in sleeping, in eating, know your limits. The practice is not to try to achieve anything.

Just be mindful of what is. Our whole meditation is looking directly at the mind. You will see suffering, its cause and its end. But you must have patience. Much patience and endurance. Gradually you will learn. The Buddha taught his disciples to stay with their teachers for at least five years.

You must learn the values of giving, of patience, and of devotion. Don't practice too strictly. Don't get caught up with outward form. Watching others is bad practice. Simply be natural and watch that.

Our monk's discipline and monastic rules are very important. They create a simple and harmonious environment. Use them well. But remember the essence of monk's discipline is watching intention. 50 Copyrighted material Questions and Answers Examining the mind. You must have wisdom.

Don't discriminate. Would you get upset at a small tree in the forest for not being tall and straight like some of the others? This is silly. Don't judge other people. There are all varieties.

No need to cany the burden of wishing to change them all. So, be patient. Practice morality. Live simply and be natural. Watch the mind. This is our practice.

It will lead you to unselfishness. 51 Copyrighted material Copyrighted material Chapter 5 MAHASl SAYADAW Mahasi Sayadaw^ has had a far-reaching effect on the practice of insight meditation in Theravada Buddhist countries. His scholastic studies at a village monastery began at age six and culminated several years after his full bhikkhu ordination with highest honors in government-sponsored Pali and scholastic examinations. After teaching the scriptures for many years he set out with robe and bowl in search of a clear and effective meditation practice. On reaching Thaton, he met and began study under U Narada, Mungun Sayadaw, who instructed him in intensive insight meditation practice.

After extensive meditation and continued study, Mahasi returned to his home village to begin systematic instruction in mindfulness practice. Shortly after Burma gained her independence from Britain, the new Prime Minister, U Nu, requested that the venerable Mahasi Sayadaw come to Rangoon to teach in a large center provided for him.

Since that time, more than 100 meditation centers have been opened by his disciples in Burma alone, and his method has spread widely in Thailand and Sri Lanka. An extraordinary honor was given to Mahasi at the World Buddhist Council in 1956, twenty-five hundred years after Parinibbana of the Buddha. He took the role of chief questioner, the central role in clarifying and preserving the Buddhist teachings for generations to come. 53 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W Thathana Yeiktha, Mahasi's center in Rangoon, has many large halls and cells for meditation training. The center is usually filled with hundreds of meditators who are practicing intensive vipassana.

The visitor can see halls of yogis doing the walking exercises and many rooms of people sitting or having group interviews with the teachers. It is not uncommon for devout Burmese laymen to take their vacations by going to meditation centers for intensive retreats. In Mahasi's system, practice is continuous, alternating sitting and walking for sixteen hours a day. In this intensive setting, concentra- tion and mindfulness develop quickly even for inexperienced laymen.

Besides intensive continuous practice, Mahasi's approach to mindful- ness is developed strictly as an insight practice from the first. There is no special preparatory development of concentration on one object. Instead, from the very beginning, one establishes awareness of the moment-to-moment change of body and mind. This is facilitated by the technique of making mental notes of each impersonal aspect of body or mind as it comes to consciousness. These mental notes help to direct even the thinking process of mind into the meditation. This helps the yogi keep from identifying or getting involved with the content of different experiences. Mahasi emphasizes that awareness should focus on direct experience each moment and that mental notes are simply a peripheral aid to seeing more clearly.

To characterize this in other terms, 95 percent of one's effort should go to perceive the process directly and 5 percent to making the mental notes as described. Although Mahasi Sayadaw recommends the use of the rise and fall of the abdomen as a central meditation object, his teaching disci- ples also allow the use of the in-and-out breath felt at the nose tip as an alternative way to practice. In this system what is essential is not which object is observed but the quality of clear, detached awareness used to see its true nature. As this talk continues, Mahasi Sayadaw uses great detail to explain in a clear, non-mystical way what one may experience with the deepening of awareness and the power of noticing. This is an expansion of the classical stages of the progress of insight as described in some traditional Buddhist texts. It must be remembered 54 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages that not all meditators will experience practice in exactly this way, even when following Mahasi's exercises precisely.

Although sometimes insight will develop as Mahasi describes, often meditators' experiences will seem quite different. What is abso- lutely essential to remember is that it is dangerous to develop any expectations in practice.

One must simply develop clearer and deeper awareness of what is actually experienced moment to moment. Then practice will deepen and insight and wisdom will develop in the most profound and natural way.

In the late 1950s and early 60s many Westerners studied vipas- sana at the center, and a number of them were trained as teachers. Although Mahasi and some of his chief disciples speak English, the current two-week visa limitation on visits to Burma makes study at the center limited for Westerners.' ^ However, Kanduboda Temple in Sri Lanka, the Venerable Anagarika Munindra in Bodh Gaya, India; and Ajahn Asabha at Wat Wiwake Asrom in Thailand all make the teachings of Mahasi available outside Burma.

In addition, several of Mahasi Sayadaw's important Burmese works have been published in English, including the Progress of Insight and Practical Insight Meditation,^ which contain further instruction beyond the materials presented in this chapter. Insight Meditation: Basic and Progressive Stages by Mahasi Sayddaw It is a truism to say that nobody likes suffering and everybody seeks happiness. In this world of ours, human beings are making all possible efforts for prevention and alleviation of suffering and enjoyment of 4. This has changed since the original publication and it is now possible to stay longer, particularly for the purpose of meditation.

PiibHshed by BPS. 55 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W happiness.

Nevertheless, their efforts are mainly directed to the physical well-being by material means. Happiness is, after all, conditioned by attitudes of mind, and yet only a few persons give real thought to mental development; fewer still practice mind-training in earnest.

To illustrate this point, attention may be drawn to the commonplace habits of cleaning and tidying up one's body, the endless pursuits of food, clothing, and shelter; and the tremendous technological progress achieved for raising the material standard of living, for improving the means of transport and communications, and for prevention and cure of diseases and ailments. All these strivings are, in the main, concerned with the care and nourishment of the body. It must be recognized that they are essential. However, these human efforts and achievements cannot possibly bring about the alleviation or eradication of suffering associated with old age and disease, domestic infelicity and economic troubles; in short, with non- satisfaction of wants and desires.

Sufferings of this nature are not overcome by material means; they can be overcome only by mind- training and mental development. Therefore, it becomes clear that the right way must be sought for training, stabilizing, and purifying the mind. This way is found in the Maha Satipatthana Sutta, a well-known discourse of the Buddha, delivered well over twenty-five hundred years ago. The Buddha declared thus: This is the sole way for the purification of beings, for the over- coming of sorrow and lamentation, for the destroying of pain and grief, for reaching the right path, for the realization of nib - bdna, namely the four foundations of mindfulness. Basic Practice Preparatory Stage If you sincerely desire to develop contemplation and attain insight in this your present life, you must give up worldly thoughts and actions during training. This course of action is for the purification of conduct, the essential preliminary step toward the proper development of contemplation.

You must also observe the 56 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages rules of discipline prescribed for laymen (or for monks, as the case may be), for they are important in gaining insight. For lay folk, these rules comprise the eight precepts which Buddhist devotees observe on holidays and during periods of meditation.

These voluntary precepts are abstention from (1) killing, (2) stealing, (3) sexual intercourse, (4) lying, (5) intoxicants, (6) eating solid foods after noon, (7) dance, singing, shows, wearing flowers, perfume, and adornments, and (8) high and luxurious beds. An additional rule is not to speak with contempt, in jest, or malice to or about any of the noble ones who have attained states of enlightenment. The old masters of Buddhist tradition suggest that you entrust yourself to the enlightened one, the Buddha, during the training period, for you may be alarmed if it happens that your own state of mind produces unwholesome or frightening visions during contem- plation. Also place yourself under the guidance of your meditation instructor, for he can talk to you frankly about your work in contem- plation and give you the guidance he thinks necessary. The aim of this practice and its greatest benefit is release from greed, hatred, and delusion, which are the roots of all evil and suffering. This intensive course in insight training can lead you to such release.

So work ardently with this end in view so that your training will be successfully completed. This kind of training in contemplation, based on the foundations of mindfulness (satipatthdna), is that taken by all Buddhas and noble ones, for attaining enlightenment. You are to be congratulated on having the opportunity to take the same kind of training.

It is also important for you to begin your training with a brief contemplation on the 'four protections' which the Buddha offers you for reflection. It is helpful for your psychological welfare at this stage to reflect on them. The subjects of these four protective reflections are the Buddha himself, loving kindness, the loathsome aspects of the body, and death. First, devote yourself to the Buddha by sincerely appreciating his nine chief qualities in this way: 57 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W Truly, the Buddha is holy, fully enlightened, perfect in knowledge and conduct, a welfarer, world-know er, the incomparable leader of men to be tamed, teacher of gods and mankind, the awakened and exalted One. Second, reflect upon all sentient beings as the receivers of your loving kindness, be fortified by your thoughts of loving kindness and identify yourself with all sentient beings without distinction, thus: May I be free from enmity, disease and grief.

As I am, so also may my parents, preceptors, teachers, intimate, unknown, indeed all other beings be free from enmity, disease, and grief May they be released from suffering. Third, reflect upon the repulsive nature of the body to assist you in diminishing the unwholesome attachment that so many people have for the body. Dwell upon some of its impurities, such as stomach, intestines, phlegm, pus, blood. Ponder these impurities so that the absurd fondness of the body may be eliminated. The fourth protection for your psychological benefit is to reflect on the phenomenon of ever-approaching death. Buddhist teachings stress that life is uncertain but death is certain, life is precarious but death is sure. Life has death as its goal.

There is birth, disease, suffering, old age, and eventual death. These are all aspects of the process of existence. To begin training, take the sitting posture, sit erect with legs crossed.

You might feel more comfortable if the legs are not inter- locked but evenly placed on the ground, without pressing one against the other. Have your meditation teacher explain the sitting posture in detail. If you find that sitting on the floor interferes with contempla- tion, then obtain a more comfortable way of sitting. Now proceed with each exercise in contemplation as described.

Basic Exercise I Try to keep your mind (but not your eyes) on the abdomen. You will thereby come to know the movements of rising and falling, the expansion and contraction of this organ. If these movements are not clear to you in the beginning, then place both 58 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages hands on the abdomen to feel these rising and faUing movements.

After a short time the outward movement of inhalation and the inward movement of exhalation will become clear. Then make a mental note, rising for the outward movement, falling for the inward movement. Your mental note of each movement must be made while it occurs.

From this exercise you learn the actual manner of the movements of the abdomen. You are not concerned with the form of the abdomen. What you actually perceive is the bodily sensation of pressure caused by the heaving movement of the abdomen. So do not dwell on the form of the abdomen but proceed with the exercise. For the beginner it is a very effective method of developing the faculties of attention, concentration of mind and insight in contempla- tion.

As practice increases, the manner of movement will be clearer. The ability to know each successive occurrence of the mental and physical processes at each of the six sense-organs is acquired only when insight contemplation is fully developed. Since you are a beginner whose attentiveness and power of concentration are still weak, you may find it difficult to keep the mind on each successive rising movement and falling movement as it occurs. In view of this difficulty, you may be inclined to think: 'I just don't know how to keep my mind on each of these movements.' Then simply remember 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. Actually with practice it becomes easy for a beginner to keep his mind on these two simple movements.

Continue with this exercise in full awareness of the abdomen's rising and falling movements. Never verbally repeat the words rising, falling, although you may make a mental note rising and falling in the mind silently as they occur. Be clearly aware only of the actual process of the rising and falling movement of the abdomen. Avoid deep or rapid breathing for the purpose of making the abdominal movements more distinct, because this procedure causes fatigue that interferes with the practice. Just be totally aware of the movements of rising and falling as they occur in the course of normal breathing. Basic Exercise II While occupied with the exercise of observing each of the abdominal movements, other mental activities may occur 59 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W between the noting of each rising and faUing.

Thoughts or other mental functions, such as intentions, ideas, imaginings, etc., are hkely to occur between each mental note of rising and falling. They cannot be disregarded. A mental note must be made of each as it occurs. If you imagine something, you must know that you have done so and make a mental note imagining. If you simply think of something, mentally note thinking.

If you reflect, reflecting. If you intend to do something, intending. When the mind wanders from the object of meditation, which is the rising and falling of the abdomen, mentally note wandering. Should you imagine you are going to a certain place, mentally note going. When you arrive, arriving.

When, in your thoughts, you meet a person, note meeting. Should you speak to him or her, note speaking. If you imaginatively argue with that person, arguing. If you envision and imagine a light or color, be sure to note seeing. A mental vision must be noted on each occunence of its appearance until it passes away.

After its disappearance, continue with Basic Exercise I by being fully aware of each movement of the rising and falling abdomen. Proceed carefully, without slackening.

If you intend to swallow saliva while thus engaged, make a mental note intending. While in the act of swallowing, swallowing. If you intend to spit, spitting. Then return to the exercise of rising and falling.

Suppose you intend to bend the neck, intending. In the act of bending, bending. When you intend to straighten the neck, intending. In the act of straightening the neck, straightening. The neck movements of bending and straightening must be done slowly.

After mentally making a note of each of these actions, proceed in full awareness with noticing the movements of the rising and falling abdomen. Basic Exercise III Since you must continue contemplating for a long time while in one position, that of sitting or lying down, you are likely to experience an intense feeling of fatigue, stiffness in the body or in the arms and legs. Should this happen, simply keep the knowing mind on that part of the body where such feeling occurs and caiTy on the contemplation, noting tired or stiff. Do this naturally, that is, neither too fast nor too slow. These feelings gradually become fainter and finally cease altogether. Should one of these feelings become more intense until the bodily fatigue or stiffness of joints is unbearable, then 60 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages change your position.

However, do not forget to make a mental note of intending, before you proceed to change position. Each detailed movement must be contemplated in its respective order. If you intend to lift the hand or leg, make a mental note, intending.

In the act of lifting the hand or leg, lifting. Stretching either the hand or leg, stretching. When you bend, bending.

When putting down, putting. Should either the hand or leg touch, touching. Perform all these actions in a slow, deliberate manner. As soon as you are settled in the new position, continue with the contemplation of the abdominal movements.

If you become uncomfortably warm in the new position, resume contemplation in another position keeping to the procedure as described in this paragraph. Should an itching sensation be felt in any part of the body, keep the mind on that part and make a mental note, itching.

Do this in a regulated manner, neither too fast nor too slow. When the itching sensation disappears in the course of full awareness, continue with the exercise of noticing the rising and falling of the abdomen. Should the itching continue and become too strong and you intend to rub the itching part, be sure to make a mental note, intending.

Slowly lift the hand, simultaneously noting the action of lifting, and touching when the hand touches the part that itches. Rub slowly in complete aware- ness of rubbing. When the itching sensation has disappeared and you intend to discontinue the rubbing, be mindful by making the usual mental note of the action, withdrawing.

When the hand rests in its usual place touching the leg, touching. Then again devote your time to observing the abdominal movements.

If there is pain or discomfort, keep the knowing mind on that part of the body where the sensation arises. Make a mental note of the specific sensation as it occurs, such as painful, aching, pressing, piercing, tired, giddy.

It must be stressed that the mental note must not be forced nor delayed but made in a calm and natural manner. The pain may eventually cease or increase. Do not be alarmed if it increases. Firmly continue the contemplation.

If you do so, you will find that the pain will almost always cease. But if, after a time, the pain has increased and becomes almost unbearable, you must ignore the pain and continue with the contemplation of rising and falling. 61 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W As you progress in niindfulnesss you may experience sensations of intense pain: stifling or choking sensations such as pain from the slash of a knife, the thrust of a sharp-pointed instrument, unpleasant sensations of being pricked by sharp needles, or small insects crawling over the body. You might experience sensations of itching, biting, intense cold. As soon as you discontinue the contemplation you may also feel that these painful sensations cease.

When you resume contemplation you will have them again as soon as you gain in mindfulness. These painful sensations are not to be considered as something serious. They are not manifestations of disease but are common factors always present in the body and are usually obscured when the mind is normally occupied with more conspicuous objects.

When the mental faculties become keener you are more aware of these sensations. With the continued development of contemplation the time will arrive when you can overcome them and they cease altogether.

If you continue contemplation, firm in purpose, you will not come to any harm. Should you lose courage, become irresolute in contemplation, and discontinue for a time, you may encounter these unpleasant sensations again and again as your contemplation proceeds. If you continue with determination you will most likely overcome these painful sensations and may never again experience them in the course of contemplation. Should you intend to sway the body, then knowingly note intending.

While in the act of swaying, swaying. When contemplating you may occasionally discover the body swaying back and forth. Do not be alarmed; neither be pleased nor wish to continue to sway. The swaying will cease if you keep the knowing mind on the action of swaying and continue to note swaying until the action ceases.

If swaying increases in spite of your making a mental note of it, then lean against a wall or post or lie down for a while. Thereafter proceed with contemplation. Follow the same procedure if you find yourself shaking or trembling. When contemplation is developed you may sometimes feel a thiill or chill pass thiough the back or the entire body.

This is a symptom of the feeling of intense interest, enthusiasm, or rapture. It occurs naturally in the course of good contemplation. When your mind is fixed in contemplation you may be startled at the 62 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages slightest sound. This takes place because you feel more intensely the effect of sensorial impression while in the state of good concentration. If you are thirsty while contemplating, notice the feeling, thirsty.

When you intend to stand, intending. Then make a mental note of each movement in preparation for standing.

Keep the mind intently on the act of standing up, and mentally note, standing. When you look forward after standing up straight, note looking, seeing. Should you intend to walk forward, intending. When you begin to step forward, mentally note each step as walking, walking or left, right. It is impor- tant for you to be aware of every moment in each step from beginning to end when you walk. Adhere to the same procedure when strolling or when taking a walking exercise. Try to make a mental note of each step in two sections as follows: lifting, putting; lifting, putting.

When you have obtained sufficient practice in this manner of walking, then try to make a mental note of each step in three sections: lifting, moving, placing; or up, forward, down. When you look at the water faucet, or water pot, on arriving at the place where you are to take a drink, be sure to make a mental note looking, seeing. When you stop walking, stopping. When you stretch the hand, stretching. When the hand touches the cup, touching. When the hand takes the cup, taking.

When the hand dips the cup into the water, dipping. When the hand brings the cup to the lips, bringing. When the cup touches the lips, touching. Should you feel cold at the touch, cold.

When you swallow, swallowing. When returning the cup, returning.

Withdrawing the hand, withdrawing. When you bring down your hand, bringing. When the hand touches the side of the body, touching. If you intend to turn back, intending. When you turn around, turning. When you walk forward, walking.

On arriving at the place where you intend to stop, intending. When you stop, stopping. 63 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W If you remain standing for some time continue the contemplation of rising and falling.

But if you intend to sit down, intending. When you go forward to sit down, walking. On aiTiving at the place where you will sit, arriving. When you turn to sit, turning. While in the act of sitting, sitting. Sit down slowly, and keep the mind on the down- ward movement of the body.

You must notice every movement in bringing hands and legs into position. Then resume the prescribed exercise of contemplating the abdominal movements. Should you intend to lie down, intending. Then proceed with the contemplation of every movement in the course of lying down: lifting, stretching, leaving, touching, lying.

Then make as the object of contemplation every movement in bringing hands, legs, and body into position. Perform these actions slowly. Thereafter continue with rising and falling.

Should pain, fatigue, itching, or any other sensation be felt, be sure to notice each of these sensations. Notice all feelings, thoughts, ideas, considerations, reflections, all movements of hands, legs, arms, and body. If there is nothing in particular to note, put the mind on the rising and falling of the abdomen.

Make a mental note of drowsy, when drowsy, and sleepy, when sleepy. After you have gained sufficient concentration in contemplating you will be able to overcome drowsiness and sleepiness and feel refreshed as a result. Take up again the usual contemplation of the basic object. Suppose you are unable to overcome a drowsy feeling, you must then continue to contemplate until you fall asleep. The state of sleep is the continuity of subconsciousness. It is similar to the first state of rebirth consciousness and the last state of consciousness at the moment of death. This state of consciousness is feeble and therefore unable to be aware of an object.

When you are awake the continuity of subconsciousness occurs regularly between moments of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and thinking. Because these occuiTences are of brief duration they are usually not clear and therefore not noticeable. Continuity of subconsciousness remains during sleep — a fact which becomes obvious when you wake up; for it is in the state of wakefulness that thoughts and sense objects become distinct. Contemplation should start at the moment you wake up.

Since you are a beginner, it may not yet be possible for you to start contemplating 64 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages at the very first moment of wakefulness. But you should start with it from the moment when you remember that you are to contemplate. For example, if on awakening you reflect on something, you should become aware of the fact and begin your contemplation by a mental note, reflecting. Then proceed with the contemplation of rising and falling.

When getting up from the bed, mindfulness should be directed to every detail of the body's activity. Each movement of the hands, legs, and body must be performed in complete awareness. Are you thinking of the time of the day when awakening? If so, note thinking. Do you intend to get out of bed? If so, note intending.

If you prepare to move the body into position for rising, note preparing. As you slowly rise, rising. When you are in the sitting position, sitting. Should you remain sitting for any length of time, revert to contem- plating the abdominal movements of rising and falling. Perform the acts of washing the face or taking a bath in their order and in complete awareness of every detailed movement; for instance, looking, seeing, stretching, holding, touching, feeling cold, rubbing. In the acts of dressing, making the bed, opening and closing doors and windows, handling objects, be occupied with every detail of these actions in their order.

You must attend to the contemplation of every detail in the action of eating: When you look at the food, looking, seeing. When you arrange the food, arranging. When you bring the food to mouth, bringing. When you bend the neck forward, bending. When the food touches the mouth, touching. When placing the food in the mouth, placing. When the mouth closes, closing.

When withdrawing the hand, withdrawing. Should the hand touch the plate, touching. When straightening the neck, straightening. When in the act of chewing, chewing. When you are aware of the taste, tasting.

When swallowing the food, swallowing. Should, while swallowing, the food be felt touching the sides of the gullet, touching. 65 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W Perform contemplation in this manner each time you partake of a morsel of food until you finish the meal. In the beginning of the prac- tice there will be many omissions. Do not waver in your effort. You will make fewer omissions if you persist in your practice. When you reach an advanced stage of the practice, you will also be able to notice more details than those mentioned here.

Basic Walking Exercise Between sessions of the sitting practice which may last from forty to ninety minutes you can alternate with a walking meditation. This will help serve to balance the factors of concentration and energy and overcome sleepiness.

On a quiet stretch of ground or in a room you can do this practice. It is best for this exercise if you walk deliberately much slower than usual. Something about the speed of a good slow march is ideal, but nevertheless you should walk in as simple and natural a manner as speed allows. During this walking exercise, you should focus attention on the movement of the feet and legs. You should note as the right foot begins to rise from the ground, lifting; as it moves forward, moving; and as it places again on the ground, placing. Similarly for the left foot, and so on.

In exactly the same manner as during the sitting breathing prac- tice, all distracting thoughts or sensations should be noted in the appropriate manner. If you happen to look up at something while walking, you should immediately register looking and revert to the movement of the feet. Looking about and noticing the details of objects, even those on your path is not a part of the practice. If you inadvertently do, then note looking. On reaching the end of the path the need will arise to turn and walk in the opposite direction.

You will become aware of this fact a pace or two before reaching the end. This intention to turn should be noted as intending. Intention may be hard to note at first but if concen- tration is strong, it will be seen. After noting the intention to turn, note all other details of the thoughts and movements involved in the turn. As the last step forward is taken and you begin actually to turn the body, you should note turning, as the other foot raises, lifting, turning, placing, and so on. Then as you step out again on the return path, lifting, moving, placing.

There is often a temptation on coming to the 66 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages end of your 'tether' to look up and glance around for something inter- esting. If this undisciplined impulse occurs it should be noted as intending, and the attention can revert naturally to the movement of the feet again. It is normally best for beginners to develop this walking exercise with a three-stage noting technique as indicated. Lifting, moving, placing. Depending on your capacity, your instructor may recommend either fewer or more stages to register.

At times walking too slowly is inconvenient, especially outside of your meditation surroundings, so a simple left, right, left, right, will suffice for these cases. The important point is not how many or how few points of noting you make, but whether you are really aware of them as they occur, or whether your mind is off 'wool gathering'. Advancement in Contemplation After having practiced for a while, you may find your contemplation considerably improved and that you are able to prolong the basic exercise of noticing the abdominal rising and falling. At this time you will notice that there is generally a break between the movements of rising and falling. If you are in the sitting posture fill in the pause with a mental note on the act of sitting, in this way: rising, falling, sitting. When you make a mental note of sitting, keep your mind on the erect position of the upper body.

When you are lying down you should proceed with full awareness as follows: rising, falling, lying. If you find this easy, continue with noticing these three sections.

Should you notice that a pause occurs at the end of the rising as well as the falling movement, then continue in this manner: rising, sitting, falling, sitting. Or when lying down: rising, lying, falling, lying. Suppose you no longer find it easy to make a mental note of three or four objects in the above manner.

Then revert to the initial procedure of noting only the two sections, rising and falling. While engaged in the regular practice of contemplating bodily movements you need not be concerned with objects of seeing and hearing. As long as you are able to keep your mind on the abdominal movements of rising and falling it is assumed that the purpose of noticing the acts and objects of seeing and hearing is also served.

However, you may intentionally look at an object, then simulta- neously make a mental note, two or three times, seeing. Thereafter 67 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W return to the awareness of the abdominal movements. Suppose some person comes into your view, make a mental note of seeing, two or three times, and then resume attention to the rising and falling move- ments of the abdomen. Did you happen to hear the sound of a voice? Did you listen to it? If so make the mental note of hearing, listening while it is happening, and having done so, revert to rising and falling.

But suppose you heard loud sounds, such as the barking of dogs, loud talking, or singing. If so, immediately make a mental note two or three times, hearing.

Then return to your basic exercise of attending to rising and falling. If you fail to note and dismiss such distinctive sights and sounds as they occur, you may inadvertently fall into reflections about them instead of proceeding with intense attention to rising and falling, which may then become less distinct and clear. It is by such weakened attention that mind-defiling passions breed and multiply. If such reflections do occur, make two or three times the mental note, reflecting, and again take up the contemplation of rising and falling. Should you forget to make a mental note of body, leg, or arm movements, then mentally note forgetting, and resume your usual contemplation of the abdominal movements.

You may feel at times that breathing is slow or that the rising and falling movements of the abdomen are not clearly perceived. When this happens, and you are in the sitting position, simply carry on the attention to sitting, touching; if you are lying down, lying, touching. While contemplating touching, your mind should not be kept on the same part of the body, but on different parts successively. There are several places of touch, and at least six or seven should be contem- plated. Some of these points are where the thigh and knee touch, or the hands are placed together, or finger to finger, thumb to thumb, closing of the eyelids, tongue inside the mouth, or lips touching together.

Basic Exercise IV Up to this point you have devoted quite some time to the training course. You might begin to feel lazy after deciding that you have made inadequate progress. By no means give up.

Simply note the fact, lazy. Before you gain sufficient strength in attention, concentration, and insight, you may doubt the correctness or usefulness of this method of training.

In such a circumstance, turn to 68 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages contemplation of the thought, doubtful. Do you anticipate or wish for good results? If so, make such thoughts the subject of your contemplation, anticipating or wishing.

Are you attempting to recall the manner in which this training was conducted up to this point? Then take up contemplation on recollecting. Are there occasions when you examine the object of contemplation to determine whether it is mind or matter? If so, then be aware of examining. Do you regret that there is no improvement in your contemplation?

If so, then attend to that feeling of regret. Conversely, are you happy that your contemplation is improving? If you are, then contemplate the feeling of being happy. This is the way in which you make a mental note of every item of mental behavior as it occurs, and if there are no intervening thoughts or perceptions to note, you should revert to the contemplation of rising and falling.

During a strict course of meditation, the time of practice is from the first moment you wake up until you fall asleep. To repeat, you must be constantly occupied either with the basic exercise or with mindful attention throughout the day and during those night hours when you are not asleep. There must be no relaxation. Upon reaching a certain stage of progress in contemplation you will not feel sleepy in spite of these prolonged hours of practice. On the contrary, you will be able to continue the contemplation day and night.

Summary It has been emphasized during this brief outline of the training that you must contemplate on each mental occurrence good or bad, on each bodily movement large or small, on every sensation (bodily or mental feeling) pleasant or unpleasant, and so on. If, during the course of training, occasions arise when there is nothing special to contemplate upon, be fully occupied with attention to the rising and falling of the abdomen. When you have to attend to any kind of activity that necessitates walking, then, in complete awareness, each step should be briefly noted as walking, walking or left, right. But when you are taking a walking exercise, contemplate each step in three sections, lifting, moving, placing. The student who thus dedicates himself to the training during day and night, will be able in not too long a time to develop concentration to the initial stage of the fourth degree of insight (knowledge of 69 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W arising and passing away) and onward to higher stages of insight meditation. Progressive Practice When, as mentioned above, by dint of dihgent practice, mindfulness and concentration have improved, the meditator wiU notice the pairwise occurrence of an object and the knowing of it, such as the rising and awareness of it, the falling and awareness of it, sitting and awareness of it, bending and awareness of it, stretching and awareness of it, lifting and awareness of it, putting down and awareness of it. Through concentrated attention (mindfulness), he knows how to distinguish each bodily and mental process: 'The rising movement is one process, the knowing of it is another; the falling is one process, the knowing of it is another.'

He realizes that each act of knowing has the nature of 'going toward an object.' Such a realization refers to the characteristic function of the mind as inclining toward an object, or cognizing an object. One should know that the more clearly a material object is noticed, the clearer becomes the mental process of knowing it. This fact is stated thus in the ancient Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga): For in proportion as materiality becomes quite definite, disentangled and quite clear to him, so the immaterial states that have that materiality as their object become plain of themselves too. When the meditator comes to know the difference between a bodily process and a mental process, should he be a simple man, he would reflect from direct experience thus: 'There is the rising and knowing it, the falling and knowing it, and so on and so forth. There is nothing else besides them.

The words man or woman refer to the same process', there is no person or soul.' ' Should he be a well-informed man, he would reflect from direct knowledge of the difference between a material process as object and a mental process of knowing it, thus: 'It is true that there are only body and mind. Besides them 70 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages there are no such entities as man or woman.

While contemplating, one notices a material process as object and a mental process of knowing it, and it is to that pair alone that the terms of conventional usage — being, person, or soul, man or woman — refer. But apart from that dual process, there is no separate person or being, I or another, man or woman.' When such reflections occur, the meditator must note reflecting, reflecting and go on observing the rising of the abdomen, its falling, etc. With further progress in meditation, the conscious state of an intention is evident before a bodily movement occurs. The meditator first notices that intention. Though also at the start of his practice, he does notice intending, intending (for instance, to bend an arm), yet he cannot notice that state of consciousness distinctly.

Now, at this more advanced stage, he clearly notices the consciousness consisting of the intention to bend. So he notices first the conscious state of an intention to make a bodily movement, then he notices the particular bodily movement. At the beginning, because of omission to notice an inten- tion, he thinks that bodily movement is quicker than the mind knowing it. Now, at this advanced stage, mind appears to be the fore- runner. The meditator readily notices the intention of bending, stretching, sitting, standing, going, and so on. Download Free Software Ward Kendall Hold Back This Day Pdf Merge there. He also clearly notices the actual bending, stretching, etc. So he realizes the fact that mind knowing a bodily process is quicker than the material process.

He experiences directly that a bodily process takes place after a preceding intention. Again he knows from direct experience that the intensity of heat or cold increases while he is noticing hot, hot or cold, cold. In contemplating regular and spontaneous bodily movements such as the rising and falling of the abdomen, he notices one after another contin- uously. He also notices the arising in him of various mental images such as the Buddha, a pagoda, bodies, or objects of nature.

He notices as well any kind of sensation that arises in his body (such as itch, ache, heat) with attention directed on the particular spot where the sensation occurs. One sensation has hardly disappeared, then another arises, and he notices them all accordingly. While noticing every object as it arises he is aware that a mental process of knowing depends on an object. Sometimes, the rising and falling of the abdomen is so faint that he finds nothing to notice. Then, 71 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W it occurs to him that there can be no knowing without an object. When no noticing of the rising and faUing is possible one should be aware of sitting and touching or lying and touching.

Touching is to be noticed alternatively. For example, after noticing sitting, notice the touch sensation at the right foot (caused by its contact with the ground or seat). Then, after noticing sitting, notice the touch sensation at the left foot. In the same manner, notice the touch sensation at several places. Again, in noticing seeing, hearing, and so on, the meditator comes to know clearly that seeing arises from the contact of eye and visual object, hearing arises from the contact of ear and sound, and so on. Further he sees: 'Material processes of bending, stretching, and so on, follow mental processes of intending to bend, stretch, and so forth.' He goes on to reflect: 'One's body becomes hot or cold because of the element of heat or cold, the body exists on food and nourishment; consciousness arises because there are objects to notice; seeing arises through visual objects; hearing through sounds, etc.; and also because there are the sense organs, eye, ear, etc., as conditioning factors.

Intention and noticing result from previous experiences; feeling (sensations) of all kinds are the consequences of previous kamma. There is nobody to create this body and mind, and all that happens has causal factors.' Such reflections come to the meditator while he is noticing any object as it arises. He does not stop doing so to take time to reflect. While noticing objects as they arise, he experi- ences these reflections so quickly that they appear to be automatic. The meditator, then, must note: reflecting, reflecting, recognizing, recognizing and continue noticing objects as usual.

After having reflected that material processes and mental processes being noticed are conditioned by the previous processes of the same nature, the meditator reflects further that body and mind in the former existences were conditioned by the preceding causes, that in the following exist- ences body and mind will result from the same causes, and apart from this dual process there is no separate 'being' or 'person,' only causes and effects taking place. Such reflections must also be noticed and then contemplation should go on as usual. Such reflections will be many in the case of persons with a strong intellectual bent and less in the case of those with no such bent. Be that as it may, energetic noticing must be made of all these reflections.

Noticing them will 72 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages result in their reduction to a minimum, allowing insight to progress unimpeded by an excess of such reflections. It should be taken for granted that a minimum of reflections will suffice here. As practice is continued in an intensive manner, the meditator may experience almost unbearable sensations, such as itching, aches, heat, dullness, and stiffness.

If mindful noticing is stopped, such sensations will disappear. When noticing is resumed, they will reap- pear. Such sensations arise as previously stated in consequence of the body's natural sensitivity and are not the symptoms of a disease. If they are noticed with energetic concentration they fade away gradually. Again, the meditator sometimes sees images of all kinds as if seeing them with his own eyes. For example, the Buddha comes into the scene in glorious radiance; a procession of monks in the sky; pagodas and images of the Buddha; meeting with beloved ones; trees or woods, hills or mountains, gardens, buildings; finding oneself face to face with bloated, dead bodies or skeletons; the destruction of buildings and dissolution of human bodies; swelling of one's body, covered with blood, falling into pieces and reduced to a mere skel- eton; seeing in one's body the entrails and vital organs and even germs; seeing the denizens of the hells and heavens, etc.

These are nothing but creatures of one's imagination sharpened by intense concentration. They are similar to what one comes across in dreams. They are not to be welcomed and enjoyed, nor need one be afraid of them. These objects seen in the course of contemplation are not real; they are mere images or imaginations, whereas the mind that sees those objects is a reality.

But mind as purely mental processes, uncon- nected with fivefold sense-impressions, cannot easily be noticed with sufficient clarity and detail. Hence principal attention should be given to sense-objects which can be noticed easily, and to those mental processes which arise in connection with sense perceptions. So what- ever object appears, the meditator should notice it, saying mentally, seeing, seeing until it disappears. It will either move away, fade away, or break asunder. At the outset, this will take several noticings, say about five to ten.

But when insight develops, the object will disappear after a couple of noticings. However, if the meditator wishes to enjoy the sight, or to look closely into the matter, or gets scared of it, then it 73 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W is likely to linger on. If the object be one induced deliberately, then through delight it will last a long time. So care must be taken not to think of or incline toward extraneous matters while one's concentra- tion is good.

If such thoughts come in, they must be instantly noticed and dispelled. In the case of persons who experience no extraordinary objects or feelings while contemplating as usual, they may become lazy. They must notice this laziness thus: lazy, lazy, until they over- come it. At this stage, whether or not the meditators come across extraordinary objects or feelings, they know clearly the initial, the intermediate, and the final phases of every noticing. At the beginning of the practice, while noticing one object, they had to switch onto a different object that arose, but they did not notice clearly the disap- pearance of the previous object. Now, only after cognizing the disappearance of an object, will they notice the new object that arises.

Thus they have a clear knowledge of the initial, the intermediate, and the final phases of the object noticed. At this stage, when the meditator becomes more practiced, he perceives in every act of noticing that an object appears suddenly and disappears instantly. His perception is so clear that he reflects thus: 'All comes to an end, all disappears. Nothing is permanent; it is truly impermanent.' His reflection is quite in line with what is stated in the commentary to the Pali text: 'All is impermanent, in the sense of destruction, non-existence after having been.'

He reflects further: 'It is through ignorance that we enjoy life. But in truth, there is nothing to enjoy.

There is a continuous arising and disappearing by which we are harassed ever and anon. This is dreadful indeed.

At any moment we may die and everything is sure to come to an end. This universal impermanence is truly frightful and temble.' His reflection agrees with the commentarial statement: 'What is permanent is painful, painful in the sense of terror; painful because of oppression by rise and fall.'

Again, experiencing severe pains he reflects thus: 'All is pain, all is bad.' This reflection agrees with what the scripture commentary states: 'He looks on pain as a barb; as a boil; as a dart.' He further reflects: 'This is a mass of suffering, suffering that is unavoidable. Arising and disappearing, it is worthless. One cannot stop its process.

It is beyond one's power. It takes its natural course.' This reflection is 74 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages quite in agreement with the commentary: 'What is painful is not self, not self in the sense of having no core, because there is no exercising of power over it.' The meditator must notice all these reflections and go on contemplating as usual. Having thus seen the three characteristics by direct experience, the meditator, by inference from the direct experience of the objects noticed, comprehends all the objects not yet noticed as being imper- manent, subject to suffering, and without a self.

In respect to objects not personally experienced he concludes: 'They too are constituted in the same way: impermanent, painful, and without a self.' This is an inference from his present direct experi- ence. Such a comprehension is not clear enough in the case of one with less intellectual capacity or limited knowledge who pays no attention to a reflection but simply goes on noticing objects. But such a comprehension occurs often to one who yields to reflection, which, in some cases, may occur at every act of noticing. Such excessive reflecting, however, is an impediment to the progress of insight. Even if no such reflections occur at this stage, comprehension will never- theless become increasingly clear at the higher stages. Hence, no special attention should be given to reflections.

While giving more attention to the bare noticing of objects, the meditator must, however, also notice these reflections if they occur, but he should not dwell on them. After comprehending the three characteristics, the meditator no longer reflects, but goes on with noticing those bodily and mental objects which present themselves continuously.

Then, at the moment when the five mental faculties — namely, faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and knowledge — are properly balanced, the mental process of noticing accelerates as if it becomes uplifted, and the bodily and mental processes to be noticed also arise much quicker. In a moment of in-breathing, the rising of the abdomen presents itself in quick succession, and the falling also becomes conespondingly quicker. Quick succession is also evident in the process of bending and stretching. Slight movements are felt spreading all over the body.

In several cases, prickly sensations and itching appear in quick succession momentarily. By and large, these are feelings hard to bear.

The meditator cannot possibly keep pace with that quick succession of 75 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W varied experiences if he attempts to notice them by name. Noticing has here to be done in a general manner, but with mindfulness. At this stage one need not try to notice details of the objects arising in quick succession, but one should notice them generally. If one wishes to name them, a collective designation will be sufficient.

If one attempts to follow them in a detailed manner, one will get tired soon. The important thing is to notice clearly and to comprehend what arises. At this stage, the usual contemplation focused on a few selected objects should be set aside and mindful noticing should attend to every object that arises at the six sense-doors.

Only when one is not keen on this sort of noticing, should one revert to the usual contemplation. Bodily and mental processes are many times swifter than a wink of an eye or a flash of lightning. Yet, if the meditator goes on simply noticing these processes he can fully comprehend them as they happen.

The mindfulness becomes very strong. As a result, mindful- ness seems as if plunging into an object that arises. The object too seems as if alighting on mindfulness. One comprehends each object clearly and singly. Therefore the meditator then believes: 'Bodily and mental processes are very swift indeed. They are as fast as a machine or an engine.

And yet, they all can be noticed and comprehended. Perhaps there is nothing more to know. What is to be known has been known.'

He believes so because he knows by direct experience what he has not even dreamt of before. Again, as a result of insight, a brilliant light will appear to the meditator. There arises also in him rapture, causing 'gooseflesh,' falling of tears, tremor in the limbs. It produces in him a subtle thrill and exhilaration. He feels as if on a swing.

He even wonders whether he is just giddy. Then, there arises tranquility of mind and along with it appears mental agility, etc. When sitting, lying, walking, or standing, he feels quite at ease. Both body and mind are agile in func- tioning swiftly, they are pliant in being able to attend to any object desired for any length of time desired. He is free from stiffness, heat, or pain.

Insight penetrates objects with ease. Mind becomes sound and straight, and he wishes to avoid all evil. Through firm faith, mind is very bright. At times, when there is no object to be noticed, the mind remains tranquil for a long time.

There arise in him thoughts like these: 'Verily, the Buddha is omniscient. Truly, the body-and-mind 76 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages process is impermanent, painful, and without self.' While noticing objects he comprehends lucidly the three characteristics.

He wishes to advise others to practice meditation. He is free from sloth and torpor; his energy is neither lax nor tense. There arises in him equanimity associated with insight.

His happiness exceeds his former experi- ences. So he wishes to communicate his feelings and experiences to others.

There arises further a subtle attachment of a calm nature that enjoys the insight associated with the brilliant light, mindfulness, and rapture. He comes to experience all this as the bliss of meditation. The meditator should not reflect on these happenings. As each arises, he should notice them accordingly: brilliant light, faith, rapture, tranquility, happiness, and so on. When there is brightness, one should notice it as bright, until it disappears. Similar acts of noticing should be made in the other cases too. When brilliant light appears, at the beginning one tends to forget noticing and enjoys seeing the light.

Even if the meditator applies mindful noticing to the light, it will be mixed with feelings of rapture and happiness, and it is likely to linger on. However, one later gets used to such phenomena and will continue to notice them clearly until they disappear. Some- times the light is so brilliant that one finds it difficult to make it vanish by the mere act of noticing it mindfully.

Then one should cease to pay attention to it and turn energetically to the noticing of any object that arises in one's body. The meditator should not ponder as to whether the light is still there.

If one does so, one is likely to see it. If such a thought arises, one should disperse it by vigorously directing attention to that very thought. While concentration is intense, not only a bril- liant light but also other extraordinary objects may arise and will continue if one inclines to one or the other of them. If such inclination happens to arise, the meditator must notice it quickly. In some cases, even if there is no such inclination toward any object in particular, faint objects appear one after the other like a train of railway carnages.

The meditator should then respond to such visual images simply by seeing, seeing, and each object will disappear. When the meditator's insight becomes weaker, the objects may become more distinct. Then each of them must be noticed until the whole train of objects disappears finally.

77 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W One must recognize the fact that cherishing an inchnation toward phenomena such as briUiant Hghts and being attached to them is a wrong attitude. The correct response that is in conformity with the path of insight, is to notice these objects mindfully and with detach- ment until they disappear. When the meditator continues to apply mindfulness to body-and-mind, his insight will grow in clarity.

He will come to perceive more distinctly the arising and disappearing of the bodily and mental processes. He will come to know that each object arises at one place and on that very place it disappears. He will know that the previous occurrence is one thing and the succeeding occurrence is another. So, at every act of noticing, he comprehends the characteristics of impermanence, painfulness, and egolessness.

After thus contemplating for a considerable time, he may come to believe: 'This is surely the best that can be attained. It can't be better,' and he becomes so satisfied with his progress that he is likely to pause and relax. He should, however, not relax at this stage, but go ahead with his practice of noticing the bodily and mental processes continuously for a still longer time. With the improvement of practice, and when knowledge becomes more mature, the arising of the objects is no longer apparent to the meditator; he notices only their ceasing.

They pass away swiftly. So also do the mental processes of noticing them. For instance, while noticing the rising of the abdomen, that movement vanishes in no time. And in the same manner vanishes also the mental process of noticing that movement.

Thus it will be clearly known to the medi- tator that both the rising and the noticing vanish immediately one after another. The same applies in the case of the falling of the abdomen, of sitting, bending, or stretching of an arm or leg, stiffness in the limbs, and so on. The noticing of an object and the knowledge of its ceasing occur in quick succession. Some meditators perceive distinctly three phases: noticing an object, its ceasing, and the passing away of the consciousness that cognizes that ceasing — all in quick succession. However, it is sufficient to know, in pairwise sequence, the dissolu- tion of an object and the passing away of the consciousness of noticing that dissolution. When a meditator can clearly notice these pairs uninterruptedly, the particular features such as body, head, hand, leg are no longer 78 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages apparent to him, and there appears to him the idea that everything is ceasing and vanishing.

At this stage he is hkely to feel that his contemplation is not up to the mark. But in fact, it is not so. Mind as a rule takes delight in dwelling on the sight of particular features and forms. When they are absent, mind is wanting in satisfaction. But as a matter of fact, this is a manifestation of the progress of insight. At the beginning, it is the features and names of objects that are clearly noticed first, but now the disappearance of objects is noticed first, because of the progress.

Only on repeated reflection do features appear again, but if they are not noticed the fact of dissolution reap- pears most strongly. So one comes to know by direct experience the truth of the wise saying: 'when a name or designation arises, a reality lies hidden; when a reality reveals itself, a name or designation disappears.' When the meditator notices the objects clearly, he thinks that his noticings are not close enough.

This is because the insight is so swift and clear that he comes to know even the momentary subconscious- ness in between the processes of cognition. He intends to do something, for instance bending or stretching an arm, and he readily notices that intention which thereby tends to fade away, with the result that he cannot bend or stretch for some time. In that event, he should continue and simply switch his attention to contemplating the present occurrences at one of the six sense-doors. If the meditator extends his contemplation over the whole body, as usual, beginning with the noticing of the rising and falling of the abdomen, he will soon gain momentum, and then he should continue noticing touching and knowing, or seeing and knowing, or hearing and knowing, and so on, as one or the other occurs. While so doing, if he feels that he is either restless or tired, he should revert to noticing the rising and falling of the abdomen.

After some time, when he gains momentum, he should notice any object that arises in the whole body. When he can contemplate well in such a spread-out manner, even if he does not notice an object with vigor, he knows what he hears fades away, what he sees dissolves in broken parts, with no continua- tion between them. This is seeing things as they really are. Some meditators do not see clearly what is happening because the vanishing is so swift that they feel their eyesight is getting poorer or they are 79 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W giddy. It is not so.

They are simply lacking the power of cognition to notice what happens before and after, with the result that they do not see the features or forms. At such a time, they should relax and stop contemplating. But the bodily and mental processes continue to appear to them, and consciousness, of its own accord, continues to notice them. The meditator may decide to sleep, but he does not fall asleep and remains fit and alert.

He need not wony about the loss of sleep; because of his concentration he will not feel unwell or fall ill. He should go ahead with noticing energetically and he will see that his mind is quite capable to perceive the objects fully and clearly. When engaged in noticing continuously both the dissolution of the objects and the act of knowing it, he reflects: 'Even for the wink of an eye or a flash of lightning nothing lasts. I did not realize this before. As it ceased and vanished in the past so will it cease and vanish in the future.' He must notice such a reflection. Besides, in the midst of contemplations, the meditator is likely to have an awareness of fearfulness.

He reflects: 'One enjoys life, not knowing the truth. Now that one knows the truth of continuous dissolution it is truly fearful. At every moment of dissolution one can die. The beginning of this life itself is fearful.

So are the endless repetitions of the arisings. So the efforts to arrest the changing phenomena for the sake of well- being and happiness are futile. To be reborn is fearful in that it entails living with a recurrence of objects that are ceasing and vanishing always. Fearful indeed it is to be old, to die, to experience sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair.' Such reflection should be noticed and then dismissed.

Then the meditator sees nothing to depend on and becomes as it were weakened in mind as well as in body. He is seized with dejec- tion. He is no longer bright and spirited. But he should not despair. This condition of his is a sign of the progress of insight.

It is nothing more than being unhappy at the awareness of fearfulness. He must notice such a reflection and as he continues to notice objects as they arise, one after another, this unhappy feeling will disappear.

However, if he fails to contemplate for some time, then grief will assert itself and fear will overpower him. This kind of fear is not associated with insight. Therefore, care must be taken to prevent the oncoming of such undesirable fear by energetic contemplation. 80 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages Again in the midst of noticing objects, he is likely to find faults, in this manner: 'This body-and-mind process, being impermanent, is unsatisfactory. It was not a good thing to have been born. It is not good either to continue in existence.

It is disappointing to see the appearance of seemingly definite features and forms of objects while in fact they are not realities. It is in vain that one makes efforts to seek well-being and happiness. Birth is not desirable. Dreadful are old age, death, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair.' A reflection of this nature must likewise be noticed. Then, one tends to feel that body-and-mind as the object and the consciousness of noticing it are very crude, low, or worthless.

By noticing their arising and disappearing, he gets sick of them. He might see his own body decaying and decomposing. He looks upon it as being very fragile. At this stage, while the meditator is noticing all that arises in his body-and-mind, he is getting disgusted with it. Although he cognizes clearly their dissolution by a series of good noticings he is no longer alert and bright. His contemplation is associated with disgust.

So he becomes lazy. But nevertheless he cannot refrain from contemplating. For example, it is like one who feels disgusted at every step when he has to walk on a muddy and dirty path and yet he cannot stop going. He cannot help but go on. At this time, he sees the human abode as being subject to the process of dissolution, and he does not relish the prospect of being reborn as a human being, man or woman, king or multi-millionaire. He has the same feelings toward the celestial abodes. When through this knowledge he feels disgusted with regard to every formation noticed, there will arise in him a desire to forsake these formations or be delivered from them.

Seeing, hearing, touching, reflecting, standing, sitting, bending, stretching, noticing — he wishes to get rid of them all. He should notice this wishing. He now longs for the liberation from bodily and mental processes. He reflects: 'Every time I notice them, I am meeting with repetitions, which are all bad. I had better stop noticing them.' He should take notice of such a reflection.

Some meditators, when so reflecting, actually stop noticing the formations. Although they do so, the formations do not stop taking 81 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W place, namely: rising, falling, bending, stretching, intending, and so on. They go on as ever. Noticing of the distinct formations also continues.

So, reflecting thus, he feels pleased: 'Although I stop noticing the body-and-mind, formations are taking place all the same. They are arising, and consciousness of them is there, by itself. So liberation from them cannot be achieved by mere stopping noticing them. They cannot be forsaken in this way. Noticing them as usual, the three characteristics of life will be fully comprehended and then no heed being given to them, equanimity will be gained.

The end of these formations, nibbana, will be realized. Peace and bliss will come.' So reflecting with delight, he continues to notice the forma- tions.

In the case of those meditators who are not capable of reflecting in this way, they continue their meditation once they become satisfied with the explanation of their teachers. Soon after continuing meditation they gain momentum and at that time, in some cases, various painful feelings arise. This need not cause despair. It is only the manifestation of the characteristic inherent in this mass of suffering, as stated in the commentary thus: 'Seeing the five aggregates as painful, as a disease, a boil, as a dart, a calamity, an affliction, etc.' Even if such painful feelings are not experienced, one of the characteristics of impermanence, suffering or no-self will be apparent at every noticing.

Although the meditator is properly noticing, he feels that he is not doing well. He thinks that the consciousness of noticing and the object noticed are not close enough. This is because he is too eager to comprehend fully the nature of the three characteristics. Not satisfied with his contemplation he changes his posture often. While sitting, he thinks he will do better walking.

While walking he wants to resume sitting. After he has sat down he changes the position of his limbs. He wants to go to another place; he wants to lie down. Although he makes these changes he cannot remain long in one particular position. Again, he becomes restless. But he should not despair.

All this happens because he has come to realize the true nature of the formations, and also because he has not yet acquired the knowledge of equanimity about formations. He is doing well and yet he feels otherwise.

He should try to adhere to one posture, and he will find that he is then comfortable in that posture. Continuing to notice the formations energetically, his mind wiU gradually become 82 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages composed and bright.

In the end his restless feehngs will disappear totally. When the knowledge of equanimity about formations becomes mature, the mind will be very clear and able to notice the formations very lucidly. Noticing runs smoothly as if no effort is required. Subtle formations, too, are noticed without effort. The true characteristics of impermanence, pain, and no-self are becoming evident without any reflection.

Attention is directed to a particular spot at any part of the body wherever a sensation occurs, but the feeling of touch is as smooth as that of cotton- wool. Sometimes the objects to be noticed in the whole body are so many that noticing has to be accelerated. Both body and mind appear to be pulling upwards.

The objects being noticed become sparse and one can notice them easily and calmly. Sometimes the bodily formations disappear altogether, leaving only the mental formations. Then the meditator will experience within himself a feeling of rapture as if enjoying a shower of tiny particles of water. He is also suffused with serenity. He might also see brightness like a clear sky. These marked experiences, however, do not influence him excessively. He is not overjoyed.

But he still enjoys them. He must notice this enjoyment.

He must also notice rapture, serenity, and bright lights. If they do not vanish when being noticed, he should pay no heed to them and notice any other object that arises. At this stage he becomes satisfied with the knowledge that there is no I, mine, self, and that only formations arise; formations only are cognizing other formations. He also finds delight in noticing the objects one after another. He is not tired of noticing them for a long time. He is free from painful feelings. So whatever posture he chooses he can retain it long.

Either sitting or lying he can go on contem- plating for two or three hours without experiencing any discomfort, spending his time tirelessly. Even after that time, his posture is as firm as before. At times formations arise swiftly and he is noticing them well. Then he may become anxious as to what will happen to him. He should notice such an anxiety.

He feels he is doing well. He should notice this feeling. He looks forward to the progress of insight. He should notice this anticipation. He should notice steadily whatever arises. He should not put forth a special effort nor relax. In some 83 Copyrighted material M AH AS I Sa YADA W cases, because of the anxiety, joy, attachment, or anticipation, noticing becomes lax and retrogressive.

Some who think that the goal is very near contemplate with great energy. While doing so, noticing becomes lax and retrogression sets in. This happens because a restless mind cannot concentrate properly on formations. So when noticing is in good swing the meditator must go on steadily, which means he should neither relax nor put forth special effort. If he does go on steadily, he will rapidly gain insight into the end of all the formations and realize nibbana.

In the case of some meditators, they may, at this stage, rise higher and again fall several times. They should not give way to despair but instead hold fast to determination. Heed must be paid to noticing whatever arises at all the six sense-doors. However, when noticing is not going on smoothly and calmly, contemplation in such a spread-out manner is not possible. If the meditator begins either with the rising and falling of the abdomen or with any other bodily and mental object, he will find that he is gaining momentum. And then the noticing will go on of its own accord, smoothly and calmly.

It will appear to him that he is watching with ease the ceasing and vanishing of all formations in a clear manner. At this point, his mind is quite free from all defilements.

However pleasant and inviting an object may be, it is no longer attrac- tive to him. Again, however loathsome an object may be, it no longer bothers him. He simply sees, hears, smells, tastes, feels a touch, or cognizes. With six kinds of equanimity described in the texts, he notices all the formations. He is not even aware of the length of time he is engaged in contemplation. As soon as the five faculties (indriya) of faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom are devel- oped in an even manner, he will realize nibbana.^ One who has attained the knowledge of nibbana is aware of the distinct change of his temperament and mental attitude and feels that his life has changed.

His faith or trustful confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha becomes very strong and firm. Due to his 6.

At this point, Mahasi details how one experiences nibbana, but this explanation is not helpful to most meditators. There is a danger of know- ing too much and developing expectations instead of seeing clearly what is happening for oneself in the present moment. 84 Copyrighted material Insight Meditation: Basic & Progressive Stages strengthened faith he also gains rapture and serenity. There arises spontaneous happiness.

Because of these ecstatic experiences he cannot notice the objects in a distinct manner although he endeavors to do so right after the experience of nibbana. However, these experi- ences wane gradually after some hours or days, and he will then be able again to notice the formations distinctly. In some cases, the medi- tators, having attained nibbana, feel relieved of a great burden, free and easy, and do not wish to go on contemplating. Their object has been achieved and their hearts' content is understandable.

They may then go on to the higher stages of practice. A Special Note The technique of insight meditation outlined in this treatise is quite sufficient for persons of fair intelligence. Such persons, having read it, should practice these contemplations with firm faith, keen desire, and great diligence in a methodical manner, and they can be sure of progress. It must, however, be pointed out that the details of the experiences and the progressive stages of insight gone through by meditators cannot possibly be described in full in this short treatise.

There still remains much that is worthy of description. On the other hand, what has been described here is not experienced in total by every meditator. There are bound to be differences according to one's capabilities and kamma. Again, one's faith, desire, and diligence do not remain constant always. Furthermore, a meditator, having no instructor and being entirely dependent on book knowledge, will be as cautious and hesitant as a traveler who has never been on a particular journey.

Therefore, it is obviously not very easy for such a person to attain the paths and fruitions of nibbana if he goes on striving without a teacher to guide and encourage him. This being so, one who is really keen to meditate until he attains his goal, nibbana, must find a teacher who is fully qualified by his own attainments to guide him all along the way from the lowest stage of insight to the highest knowledges of the path and the fruition of nibbana.

This advice is quite in accord with what is stated in the scriptures: 'A teacher should be sought for knowledge about decay- and-death as it really is.' 85 Copyrighted material Copyrighted material Chapter 6 SUNLLIN SAYADAW Sunlun Sayadaw' was so named because he came from the cave monasteries of Sunlun Village near Myingyan in middle Burma.

He was born in 1878 and was named U Kyaw Din. He was sent to a monastery school but learned little. At the age of fifteen he entered employment as an office boy in the district commissioner's office at Myingyan. He mamed Ma Shwe Yi of the same village.

At the age of thirty he resigned from his post and returned to his native village to become a farmer. He found that his fields prospered while other fields failed. In 1919 there was an epidemic. U Kyaw Din's fields were still prospering. There is a belief among Burmese people that if one's worldly possessions rise rapidly then one will die soon. Anxious because of his rising prosperity, U Kyaw Din consulted an astrologer. He was told that a two-legged being would soon leave his house.

This was tantamount to saying that he would die. In great fear, U Kyaw Din decided to accomplish one great act of charity. He erected a pavilion in front of his house and invited people to meals for three days. On the third day a certain mill clerk turned up uninvited at the feast. He began to converse about the practice of vipassana and, on hearing these words, U Kyaw Din became greatly affected. He could not sleep that night.

He felt that he wanted to undertake the practice but was afraid to mention his wish because of his lack of knowledge of scriptural texts. The next day he asked the clerk whether a man ignorant of the texts could undertake the practice. 87 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W The clerk replied that the practice of insight meditation did not require doctrinal knowledge but only deep interest and assiduity. He told U Kyaw Din to practice in-breathing and out-breathing. So from that day, whenever he could find the time, U Kyaw Din would direct breath in and breath out.

One day he met a friend who told him that directing breathing in and out alone was not sufficient; he had also to be aware of the touch of breath at the nostril tip. U Kyaw Din practiced awareness of the touch of breath. Then as his practice became more intense, he tried to be aware not only of the touch of breath but also of the touch of his hand on the handle of the knife as he chopped corn cobs, the touch of rope on the hand as he drew water, the touch of his feet on the ground as he walked. He tried to be aware of touch in everything he did. As he tended his cattle he would sit under a tree and practice mindfulness of breathing. During the practice he began to see colored lights and geometrical patterns.

He did not know what they were but felt that they were the fruit of practice. This greatly encouraged him and he began to practice more assiduously. With more intensive practice, sensations were sometimes intensely unpleasant. But they did not deter him. He believed that they were the fruit of the practice and that if he desired to win greater fruit he would have to overcome and get beyond them.

Therefore he gener- ated more energy and developed a more rigorous mindfulness until he overcame the unpleasant sensations and passed beyond to the higher stages of the practice. Endeavoring in this zealous manner, U Kyaw Din attained the stage of stream entry, the first taste of nibbana, in mid- 1920. The next month he won the second stage of liberation. In the third month he won the third stage.

He asked permission of his wife to let him become a monk; after much resistance, the wife agreed. But even then she asked him to sow a final crop of peas before he left. U Kyaw Din set out for the fields. But even as he was broadcasting the seeds he felt the great urge to renounce the world. Setting his cattle free, he put the yoke up against a tree, went to the village monastery, and begged the monk there to accept him as a novice in the order. He next betook himself to the caves nearby and practiced diligently, until in October, 1920, he attained the final stage of freedom, arahatship. His achieve- ment became known among the monks and many came to test him.

88 Copyrighted material Biographical Note Though he was a barely hterate man, his answers satisfied even the most learned monks. Very often they disagreed with his replies but when his answers were checked against the texts they found many important passages in the scriptures to support his statements. Many learned monks from various parts of the world went to practice mind- fulness under him, including one very learned monk, the Nyaung Sayadaw, who also became fully enlightened after intense practice. Sunlun Sayadaw performed the act of leaving the body (parinibbana)^ in 1952.

Sunlun Sayadaw was an intrinsically honest man, laconic and precise in speech, and possessed of great strength and determination. Photographs of him reveal a sturdily built man with a steady gaze, clear eyes, and a firmly set jaw. One senses in these photographs a quality of great courage, the attribute of the truly enlightened man. Currently there are a number of meditation masters teaching the practices of Sunlun Sayadaw throughout Burma, and several Sunlun centers can be found in and around Rangoon. One of the largest, the Sunlun Monastery of S.

Okkalapa has two resident Sayadaws, U Tiloka and U Thondera, both senior disciples of Sunlun. Only twenty monks or so reside here, for the large compound of cottages and halls is more oriented toward serving lay people. Group sittings take place four and five times daily, after a fiery and inspirational talk by the Sayadaw. 'You are lucky to be bom a human and even luckier to hear the Dhamma. Take advantage of this special opportunity to really practice, be diligent, and work hard to win liberation.' The huge, mirrored hall is often filled with several hundred medi- tators of every age. The sittings can last two or more hours.

During the first forty-five minutes the entire hall is engaged in intensely prac- ticing the heavy breathing concentration exercise. On the Sayadaw' s instruction, the yogis then turn to mindfulness of sensation in the body, continuing to sit motionless until the end of a two- or thiee-hour period. Although the teachers of Sunlun Sayadaw 's meditation recognize other ways of practice as possible, they emphasize that theirs is the clearest, most simple and direct path. They would find the natural 8. See Glossary. 89 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W method of Ajahn Chah and Buddhadasa too slow and indirect, and criticize other techniques such as Mahasi Sayadaw and Taungpulu Sayadaw as developing concentration through concepts but not direct insight. Special emphasis on intense effort, concentrated on direct percep- tion of sensation (especially pain), is the key to Sunlun practice.

Walking into a hall full of heavily breathing Sunlun meditators is like finding oneself in the middle of a steam calliope. This enormous effort made to concentrate the mind by watching heavy breathing is then deepened in insight practice while sitting rigid, motionless, fully experiencing the pains of the body. The use of sensation, especially pain, is what most characterizes Sunlun practice.

It is strongly goal- oriented, directing total effort in each sitting to the development of concentration and insight that will lead to nibbana and liberation. There is emphasis on long, motionless sitting. While practicing as a monk at the Sunlun center, 1 was given a beautiful set of Burmese beads.

The devout lay supporter offered them to me along with the fervent wish that I might soon be sitting all night without moving, and thereby sooner realize nibbana. Total effort to overcome pain and distraction is the way of Sunlun Sayadaw.

The power of the concentrated heavy breathing and the pain that follows is suitable for overcoming many of the hindrances that normally distract a meditator. No matter how sleepy you feel, a session of hard breathing concentrating only on sensations at the nostrils, will wake you right up. The technique is equally valuable for quieting an agitated, distracted mind, for in the face of the enormous effort in hard breathing, most thoughts are blasted away like clouds before a wind. Sunlun practice clears the mind of sleepiness and distraction, leaving the meditator clear and concentrated. Further mindfulness of pain and changing sensations strengthens the mindful, observing quality of mind.

In a short time with this practice one may experience the power of a calm, concentrated mind which, when applied to observing the mind-body process, leads to clear insight, wisdom, and liberation. This Sunlun center of S. Okkalapa is very receptive to Western meditators. Here, as elsewhere in Burma, the hospitality and support 90 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation for visiting yogis is overwhelming.

Although the Sayadaws do not speak English, there are a number of articulate and fluent English speaking disciples who are able to translate for visitors. The Sayadaws are available for questions but the emphasis is primarily on strong sustained practice, the only way really to answer Dhamma doubts. The following chapter is a talk given in Rangoon several years ago by one of the chief teaching disciples of Sunlun Sayadaw. The Yogi and Insight Meditation as taught by Sunlun Sayadaw I propose to take a practical approach to meditation for you this evening.

I shall consider the matter from the point of view of the yogi, his propensities and inclinations, his encounters with the problems and difficulties of execution, his small concerns and clingings, and his subtle self-deceptions. While doing this I shall attempt to weave in the teachings of the Sunlun Sayadaw on the practice of vipassana to illustrate my points. The first essential equipment of the yogi is a concentrated mind. For only a concentrated mind is a cleansed mind. And only the mind which is cleansed of the five elements of sensual lust, ill will, sloth, agitation, and doubt can function properly to realize vipassana insight. For the initiation of the cleansing process, the normal, everyday mind requires an object to grasp. This object can be one of two types: external to the corporeal-mental system of the yogi or belonging to it.

Those objects which are external to the yogi belong to the environ- ment, such as color discs, corpses, or the food which he eats daily. Those objects which belong to the corporeal- mental organization of the yogi are his body and his thoughts. Any of these can be taken as an object of meditation to establish concentration. For example, color discs can be employed. The yogi takes, let us say, a colored disc or spot and places it at an appropriate distance, about three yards.

He sits down with legs crossed under him, faces the 91 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W disc, and holding the body erect he gazes on the disc with eyes opened neither too wide nor too nanow. He lets his mind dwell with earnest- ness on the disc in order to gain fixity of mind. He does this until at last, even with closed eyes, he perceives a mental reflex image of the disc. This is the acquired sign or image.

As he continues to direct attention to this image there may arise a clearer counter- image. This counter-image appears together with the concentrated mind. If he wills to see it far, he sees it far. If he wills to see it near, to the left, to the right, within, without, above, and below, he sees it accordingly.

After acquiring the counter-image, the yogi protects it with reverence through constant endeavor. Thereby he acquires facility in the prac- tice, and after due practice he gains high and controlled concentration. Fixed meditation absorption (jhdna) follows. These exercises can produce all stages of fixed meditation. Likewise he can practice the earth element meditation, the water meditation, the fire meditation, and so on.

One of the benefits acquired through the ardent practice of the earth meditation is that a man, acquiring supernormal power, is able to walk on water just as on earth. If he gains supernormal power through the practice of the water meditation he can bring down rain or cause water to gush from his body. If he gains supernormal power through the practice of the fire meditation he is able to produce smoke and flame. But somehow it is not possible easily to acquire these powers in our day. Sunlun Sayadaw once said that the times were no more opportune.

One might be able to gain absorption level concentration through such practices, but the supernormal benefits of the practices can hardly be acquired. Let us say that one practices the earth element exercise. He gains mastery of the signs. Let us say he goes to a pond and, seating himself near it, he arouses in himself the elements of the earth meditation. Then looking upon the waters of the pond he endeavors to turn them into earth so that he may walk upon them. He will find at the most that the water thickens to a slushy earth which cannot uphold his feet when he attempts to walk upon it. Perhaps yogis in other countries have done better but I believe it may be taken as a general rule that the acquisition of the total benefits of the element and color exercises are difficult to achieve in our time.

92 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation Another set of objects of meditation can be the loathsome ones, the corpses, or death. These exercises are not without their risk, as may be recounted in an anecdote of the Sunlun Sayadaw and a monk.

The monk was in the habit of crossing the creek which separated the monastery from the burial grounds, to meditate on corpses. One morning the Sunlun Sayadaw met him as he was setting out to medi- tate for the day. The Sunlun Sayadaw smiled at him and said: 'The anapana breathing exercise is free of dangers.' The monk did not act on the suggestion, but continued in the practice of gazing on corpses. One evening he returned to his cell. As he opened the door and looked inside he gave a yell of terror. He had seen a corpse lying on the threshold.

Actually that corpse was only the acquired image of his object of meditation. When the Sunlun Sayadaw heard the story he smiled and said: 'Meditation on breath is free of dangers.' Meditation may be practiced through the analysis of the four elements. The essence of earth is the nature of hardness, strength, thickness, immobility, security, and supporting. The essence of water is the nature of oozing, humidity, fluidity, trickling, permeation, increasing, and flowing cohesion. The essence of fire is the nature of heating, warmth, evaporation, maturing, consuming, and grasping. The essence of air is the nature of supporting, coldness, ingress and egress, easy movement, reaching low, and grasping.

The yogi grasps the elements briefly and in detail through consideration and reflection. But as will be noticed through a recounting of the essential natures of the four elements, they are difficult to distinguish within the body; they are hard to grasp directly; they have to be approached through indirection, through the repetition by word of mouth of the essential characteristics and a forcing of understanding of their natures. This understanding normally takes place first in the realm of concepts. And a yogi who arrives at such an understanding is often led too much to believe for himself that this is the peak requirement of the practice. This is not true, of course. The understanding that is required is not of the elements as they are made for us but of the elements as they are in their essentiality, as they are in themselves. And this, their nature, is beyond the realm of concept and logical thought.

The postures of the body can be good subjects leading to the proper establishment of concentration. The yogi attempts to be 93 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W mindful of going, standing, sitting, lying, bending, stretching, eating, drinking, chewing, savoring, defecating, and urinating. The postures are dynamic, the going-on of the process is unmistakable, and when the postures are really grasped for what they are, the mind can be considered to be pretty well cleansed. However, the yogi should consider whether the postures serve better as the primary object of meditation or as a secondary one to be taken up in those moments of comparative relaxation when the primary object is being set aside for a while.

All of the methods mentioned are traditional Buddhist objects of meditation. They are all contained either in the list of forty subjects for concentration or in the Great Discourse on Awareness (Mahd Satipatthdna Sutta), most of them in both.

They all lead the yogi toward the establishment of concentration, some more, some less. The yogi may legitimately employ them to gain the concentration he needs. But perhaps it would be a wise approach for the yogi to seek to employ and practice that exercise which will lead him all the way to the final goal he seeks. That goal is liberating vipassana insight knowledge. Now, there are two forms of the practice of mental culture. These are known as samatha, or concentration practice, and vipassana, or insight practice.

Samatha leads to calm and tranquility and vipassana leads to intuitive knowledge of the true nature of phenomena and consequent liberation. Samatha is concerned with the universe as it is for us; vipassana is concerned with the universe as it is in itself.

Since the realm of samatha is the universe as it is for us, the objects of medi- tation which lead to samatha are accordingly those objects which we have made for ourselves. The colored visualization disc is something we have made for ourselves.

The thought of the loathsomeness is something we have brought up in ourselves. The stability of earth, the cohesion of water, the maturing of fire, the interception of air are qualities of the four elements which have been conceptualized by us to help us in grasping them. Even the thought of walking in the fact of walking, the thought of bending in the fact of bending, the thought of touching in the fact of touching are ideas which we have created in our minds so that we can better get at the actualities, the postures as they are. But whatever makes the universe for us leads to samatha; 94 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation whatever artifact we construct, whatever idea, image, thought, or concept we create leads to samatha. There is nothing wrong in samatha in itself.

The practice of samatha is legitimate; there are many reasons why it should even be recommended. But concentration is not insight. Therefore he who would gather the fruits of concentration may practice concentration, but he who desires to gather the fruits of insight will have to practice insight. This he will have to do sooner or later, either after the practice of concentration or directly by selecting an exercise which sets him at once on the high road to insight. Whether he wishes to practice concentration now only to switch to vipassana later, or alternatively to take up the practice of vipassana immediately, is a matter of personal choice. And I as a practitioner of vipassana should not be too eager to prompt him on that choice. Sunlun Sayadaw once said: 'Man does what he likes to do, and the doing of what he likes does not bother him.'

Questions arise: If we normally conceptualize the four elements to grasp them, if we commonly make thoughts about walking, bending, and touching to help us get at them better, if our minds are ever so prone to create images and ideas, can we possibly attempt to get at processes as they are in themselves? Is it not necessary that we handle the processes with the gloves of concepts and ideas? This is the answer: If it were true that it is necessary to handle the processes with the gloves of concepts and thoughts, that processes can never be got at directly, then there could be no path to freedom and no liberating knowledge. But because it is possible to get at processes directly as they are in themselves there is vipassana and the winning of intuitive liberating knowledge. Let us take an exercise, awareness of in-breathing and out- breathing.

It is said to be a suitable exercise for all types of personali- ties. If a man practices mindfulness of respiration, he attains the peaceful life. He causes evil and unwholesome states to be overcome. His body and mind do not tremble. He fulfills the four foundations of mindfulness^ and the seven enlightenment factors and realizes wisdom and freedom.

Mindfulness of breathing was practiced by the 9. See Chapter 14 'Ajahn Dhammadharo.' 95 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W Buddha. Furthermore, watching the breath is said to be unadukerated, not requiring any addition to make it complete. This exercise may be practiced in the simple concentration (samatha) way or performed so as to realize insight (vipassana).

Breathe in and out. As the breath goes in and out it will touch the nostril tip or upper lip or some other places within that region. Fixing the mind on that point of touch, count the in-going and out-going breaths. This is one method.

Breathe in and out again. Fix the mind on the point of touch of breath. Thus fixing the mind, know a short breath to be short and a long breath to be long. This is the second method.

Breathe in and out again. Fixing the mind on the point of touch of breath, follow the breath in and out. In doing this, you should not follow the breath into the pit of the stomach or out into the beyond. The breath-body should be experienced going in and out.

It is like a saw. The teeth of the saw are always at one point of contact with the wood but that point of wood experiences the whole length of the saw because the whole length of the saw passes across that point. This is the third method.

Notice that in all three methods the yogi looks for the in-breaths and out-breaths nowhere else than at the point of touch. This is true also for the fourth method. Breathe in and out. Fix the mind on the point of touch of breath. Be aware of the touch. Do not count, do not know the degree of length, do not follow the breath in and out. Of these four methods of mindfulness of breathing, the first three are simple concentration-type exercises while the fourth is an insight exercise.

In the first method, there is counting. Numbers are concepts. In the second method, the form of the breath is noted.

Form is an image. In the third method, the going in and out of the breath is noted. This is achieved thiough the creation of an idea.

Concepts, images, and ideas belong to the universe as it is for us and therefore are concerned with samatha. Only the fourth method, where the touch alone is taken in its bareness, performs the insight practice.

Yet even this practice can be adulterated with concentration. If instead of being aware of the touch in its bare actuality, if instead of guarding this awareness with mindfulness, the yogi makes a mental note of it, then for that moment he has slipped into the old habit of forming a concept or an idea and practices samatha instead of the intended vipassana. 96 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation Mental noting tends to take place at a much slower pace than the actual processes of phenomena. Thus, instead of being able to take these processes as they are, it tends to keep slipping into a past where the processes are reconstructed by an intervening reasoning mind. To be able to keep up with the natural processes the yogi need only be mindful. This is not difficult to perform. The initial requirement is awareness.

Be aware of the touch or sensation. Then ward and watch this awareness with mindfulness. When the awareness is guarded with mindfulness, thoughts are locked out, they cannot intrude. No oppor- tunity is offered for the formation of concepts, images, or ideas. Thereby the processes are got at directly in the very moment of occur- rence, as they are in themselves without the distortion of thought. This is true insight practice. Thoughts always tend to intrude.

Ideas and images stand just beyond the threshold, ready to enter at the least weakening of mind- fulness. The only way to keep up with the processes, to be mindful of them, is to exercise vigilance through a rigor of effort. That is why in a motto the Sunlun Sayadaw said: 'Be rigorously mindful of the awareness of touch.'

He emphasized rigorousness as an essential element because he understood the yogi. The yogi is much inclined to sit loosely and to meditate in a relaxed, leisurely way. He tends to be reflective and considerate.

Reflective in the sense of reflecting and thinking about the task to be done rather than doing it. Considerate in the sense of sympathizing with himself, taking great care to see that he is neither overexerted nor hurt. The yogi has a great love for himself and there- fore prefers to let his thoughts run away with him, to drift rather than to pull himself together. To pull himself together needs exertion and that is anathema to the yogi. That is why when he is told to breathe harder he is ready to quote chapter and verse to prove that he does not need to exert himself. Perhaps he takes a few lines from the famous meditation manual, the Visuddhimagga, and says: 'The yogi should not essay too strenuously. If he essays too strenuously he will become restless.'

This statement is true. The yogi who essays too strenuously will become restless.

But why does he become restless? It is because instead of being mindful of touch or sensation the yogi has his mind 97 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W on the effort he is making. The effort should not be allowed to draw the attention away from the object of meditation. To keep the attention on the object and yet to generate effort, the yogi should first make sure that the attention is fixed on the object. When the object has been grasped with full awareness and this awareness guarded with mindful- ness, the yogi should step up the effort.

When he proceeds in this manner, he will find that the generated effort serves to fix the attention more on the object instead of distracting it away into the effort itself. Furthermore, a greater intentness of the mind will have been devel- oped by the increased effort. The full text of the above quotation from the Visuddhimagga in fact reads thus: He, the yogi, should be mindful and should not let the mind be distracted.

He should not essay too strenuously nor too laxly. If he essays too laxly he will fall into rigidity and torpor. If he essays too strenuously he will become restless. This means then that the effort should be just enough for the purpose of mindfulness and knowledge. But how much is enough? I think it was William Blake who said this: 'One never knows what is enough until one knows what is more than enough.'

And a measure of what is enough may perhaps be supplied by the words of the Buddha when he spoke on how a monk should endeavor. Monks, if his turban or hair were on fire he would make an intense desire, effort, endeavor, exertion, struggle, mindfulness, and attentiveness to extinguish the fire. Even so, an intense desire, effort, endeavor, exertion, struggle, mindfulness, and attentiveness is to be made by him so as to give up every evil and wrong state. Because he knew how much effort was required, because he was familiar with the propensity to slackness on the part of the yogi, the Sunlun Sayadaw instructed: 'Be rigorously mindful.'

To be mindful rigorously is to mobilize all of one's resources, to grasp the processes 98 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation as they are without thinking or reflecting. Rigorousness calls forth the element of energy or right effort. Another inclination of the yogi is to fidget. He likes to scratch, to shift, or, if he is breathing, he likes to stop, then start and stop again.

These are signs of distraction. These indicate that mindfulness has not been thoroughly established. To remind the yogi that the distraction is to be avoided and the agitation stilled, Sunlun Sayadaw instructed: 'Do not scratch when itched, nor shift when cramped, nor pause when tired.' He required the yogi who feels the itch, cramp, or tiredness to breathe harder if he is breathing or to plunge the mind deeper into the sensation if he is watching the sensation, and thereby, with increased attention to the performance of the task, to develop more intense mindfulness. The Visuddhimagga meditation manual says that by getting up and so disturbing the posture, the meditator has to start the meditation anew. The yogi who sits down to meditate, then an hour later gets up to walk away the sensations of sitting, then another hour later sits down to think away the sensations of walking, keeps disturbing the posture. Whatever sensation arises in the sitting posture has to be watched in the sitting posture until it has phased itself out.

Whatever sensation arises in the standing posture has to be watched in the standing posture until it has phased itself out. Remaining still with attention riveted to the awareness of touch or sensation calls forth the element of mindfulness. It is the essential element in practice, right mindfulness.

There is a third behavior characteristic of the yogi. After the lower hindrances have been removed, lights, colors, and geometrical patterns appear to the yogi. On the one hand, there is the fascination of the yogi for these things which have never appeared to him like this before. On the other hand, these lights, colors, and patterns are attrac- tive. Because of these two forces, the yogi begins to turn his attention to the lights and patterns, he gazes on them, he dwells in them.

And with this turning away from the object of meditation, he abandons his original puipose. In like manner, after a period of practice, when the yogi has cleansed his mind somewhat, he will begin to experience a measure of calm and tranquility. Since he has never before experienced such peace of mind he thinks that this is the best fruit of the practice.

99 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W Because of this appreciation of the experience and because the measure of calm and tranquihty attained is attractive in itself, the yogi begins to dwell in it, to savor the calmness to the full. He likes to sink in the sense of peace and hates to put forth the necessary effort to get back again onto the right path. Sunlun Sayadaw illustrated this with a local simile. Myingyan River beach is a stretch of sand a mile wide. A traveler to the river finds the sand exceedingly hot beneath his feet under the raging noonday sun. On the way he comes to a tree. He decides to rest in its shade for a moment.

But when that moment has passed he finds that he cannot urge himself to get up to move out of that cool shade into the heat which rages above and beneath him. So he continues to dwell in the shade. But will this ever help him to reach the riverside? The destination can be reached only if he steps out again into the heat and urges his body forward. That is why the medi- tation masters warn the yogi not to let himself be drawn by the minor calm and tranquility he finds along the way.

There was once a yogi who habitually drifted into this area of tranquility and would not budge out of it. The Sunlun Sayadaw said of him: 'This man keeps lifting up the tail and patting the behind of the little iguana he has caught.' I hope the distinguished yogis will not be satisfied with a mere iguana. With a further increase in the clarity and purity of the mind the yogi sometimes becomes more perceptive to extrasensual things. It is not the true divine sight and divine hearing that he attains but it is a power somewhat similar to these.

Because of this power the yogi can see what others cannot see, he can hear what others cannot hear. People come to consult him and his predictions come true. He becomes a sort of shaman. Thus has he degenerated from a vipassana yogi to a shaman. But after some time, as the distractions of the new vocation grow more varied and the practice of meditation becomes less intense, the answers turn out to be less and less accurate, and gradually the clients go away, never to return.

The yogi is left with an inteiTupted practice. Many are the occasions in which the yogi indulges in self-decep- tion. Though he should practice intensively, he deceives himself that the goal of liberation can be won in a leisurely manner. Though he should sit still, he deceives himself that a slight shift or movement can 100 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation do no harm. Perhaps he is right for the initial crude moments of the practice but for the peak in each phase of practice the smallest wavering of mindfulness can bring down the structure of meditation and the edifice will need to be set up again. Since he can deceive himself in these matters of the body, how much more so can he do it in the subtle mental matters?

A strong inclination for the yogi is to take the first signs of progress on the path to be signs indicating the higher stages. For instance, unpleasant sensation can snap abruptly. For one moment there is the intense unpleasantness of the sensation; the next moment it is gone, snuffed out, and in its place there is a deep sense of calm and quiet. The yogi often likes to believe that this is the post-mental functioning of the enlightenment knowledge.

And he notches for himself one stage of the four enlightened stages. This wrong assignment of the phases of practice can be made also because the meditation master himself is not thoroughly versed in such matters or because his instructions and the teachings in the books are not understood well.

However it is, the yogi likes to classify himself as having attained at least one or two of the enlightenment stages. And with this thought in mind he goes about seeking confirma- tion of his belief.

And woe to the meditation master who, however gently and indirectly, makes his failings known to him. Sunlun Sayadaw would never pass judgment on anyone, whether or not that yogi had really attained the said phase or stage. His only remark would be: 'If it is so, it is so.' In any case, a true attainment would need no confirmation from another source. The yogi would know it himself. Likewise, a wrong sense of attainment would not need debunking; the yogi would realize it for himself. The main danger of this form of self-deception is the wrong sense of achievement that it gives to the yogi.

Satisfied with what he thinks has been his progress, he relaxes his practice and is thus stranded on the path without having gained any progress of real value. There is one pet hate of the yogi, and that is unpleasant sensation. Let him face slight feelings of cramp, heat, or muscular tension, and he will try to be mindful of it for some time. But give him the pain within the marrow of the bone, the burning sensation, the sharp excru- ciating pain along the limbs, and he will abandon them in a few minutes. As usual, he is ready with his excuses and the quotation of 101 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W chapter and verse.

Who says one must employ unpleasant sensation as an object of meditation, he wants to know. Cannot a yogi attain what- ever is to be attained by working on pleasant sensation? Who says one should suffer so much? Is this not self-mortification? The answer is that if a yogi is so well blessed with kamma to be one who can tread the pleasant path, one who can gain wisdom without undergoing pain, then he can work on pleasant sensation. But for the overwhelming majority of us, as may be observed, there is no choice but to tread the path of unpleasant sensation, for we are not blessed with such kamma. Actually there should be no cause for regret.

Unpleasant sensation is an efficacious object of meditation which takes the yogi steadily up the path to the attainment of the final goal. The very fact that the yogi does not normally like unpleasant sensation can be employed by him to establish a deeper and more intense mindfulness. Made to work with an object he does not like, he will remember to arouse the neces- sary zeal to overcome the unpleasant sensation.

It is different with pleasant sensation. Because he likes it, he will tend to sink in it, to suffuse himself with its pleasantness without trying to be mindful of it.

When he does that, the greed and lust that are latent in pleasant sensation will overwhelm him. The yogi will not be able to hold on to sensation as sensation, but sensation will carry him forward to origi- nate the next link of desire in the chain leading to further births.

It is as though a swimmer in a strong current were asked to grasp the bunch of flowers at the winning post. If he were swimming with the current and stretched out his hand to grasp the flowers and missed, he would be carried beyond the point by the force of the current.

If he were swimming against the cunent and missed when he stretched out his hand to grasp the flowers, he would still be below them and thus have an opportunity to try again consciously and deliberately. The swimmer with the current is like the yogi who employs pleasant sensation. If he is unable to be mindful of pleasant sensation he will be carried beyond by clinging to it.

The swimmer against the current is like the yogi who employs unpleasant sensation. If he is unable to be mindful of unpleasant sensation as it is in itself, he will still be 11. See Chapter 12 'Mogok Sayadaw.' 102 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation conscious of it and will be able to summon up the energy and mindful- ness to accomplish his mission.

Pleasant sensation is like a hidden enemy; it catches the yogi unawares. Unpleasant sensation is like a conspicuous foe; the yogi can recognize it and take corrective action so that anger which is latent in unpleasant sensation does not get an opportunity to rise. Between natural dislike of unpleasant sensation and a zealous effort to establish mindfulness, the yogi will neither immerse himself in it nor flinch from it. He will be able to detach himself completely from the unpleasant sensation, dwelling within the sensation, watching the sensation, without thinking any thought connected with the sensation. Unpleasant sensation serves as a firm hitching post for the mind which inclines to wander. An unpleasant sensation will never deceive the yogi about the true nature of phenomena — unpleasantness. Also, there should be no cause for fear of unpleasant sensation.

There are techniques to arouse a sufficient depth and intensity of mindfulness to overcome the infliction and hurt of unpleasant sensa- tion. This infliction is due to the identification of the yogi with the area of pain and the effect of unpleasant sensation. But when mindful- ness has been established sufficiently to penetrate the sensation and eliminate the identification with the notion of a personality, an T which can be hurt, then unpleasant sensation becomes only an unpleasant sensation and no more a source of pain. The ultimate purpose of meditation is to eliminate the illusive notion of T. A yogi has to chip at the notion of T again and again in these struggles with unpleasant sensation. Let us say the unpleasant sensation rises.

The yogi keeps mindful of it until the unpleasant sensation is consumed. Thereby, the cause is killed in the effect. He does it again and again until with perfect proficiency he finally manages to kill the cause in the cause, to end the cause in the cause, so that it can never again give rise to an effect which will only turn out to be another cause in the endless chain. This killing of the cause in the cause is enlightenment. And it is because of this quality of efficiency in eliminating the false notion of T, Sunlun Sayadaw stated: 'The uncomfortable truly is the norm; the comfortable will set you all adrift on the currents of samsara.' Unpleasant sensation is the yogi's 103 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W internal enemy.

Once the internal enemy can be overcome, the external sources of suffering cannot touch him anymore. After a period of ardent practice, there comes a moment when the true liberating knowledge is offered to the yogi. These moments come only to the very few. To arrive at this moment, the yogi must have completely perfected the establishment of mindfulness of the body. He must have completely perfected the establishment of the founda- tion of mindfulness of the sensations. This means that he must have perfectly overcome the unpleasant sensation.

Unpleasant sensations are the greatest obstacles confronting the yogi in his progress along the path. This is where he keeps falling back.

To overcome them, he needs to possess unflinching energy, resolve, and intentness, as well as the right technique. Then these sensations equip the yogi with suffi- cient powers of concentration and mindfulness to deal with the subtle processes of the next phase, the establishment of mindfulness of consciousness. When mindfulness of consciousness has been completed perfectly, he will be offered the task of establishing the foundations of mindfulness of mental objects and fundamental princi- ples. Here comes that awful moment of truth. If the yogi is not perfectly establishing mindfulness of the principles, when liberating knowledge is offered to him he will shy away from it, he will fail to grasp it.

But if he has fully perfected the establishment of the four aspects of awareness and he has fully developed the seven factors of enlightenment, then in that very moment of perfecting and acquiring these seven there will arise in him the true liberating knowledge. Unfortunately, less than perfect behavior characteristics are typical of the yogi. He is disinclined to endeavor ardently, is quick to fidget, eager to follow after lights and colors, prone to rest in areas of calm, ready to exaggerate minor successes, willing to misuse subsid- iary power, liable to give himself the benefit of the doubt, afraid of unpleasant sensation, and tenified and clumsy when the real moment of truth is offered. We do not need to search for this yogi elsewhere; we are the prototype. It is us who would like to reap the benefits of meditation but are unwilling to sow the good seed; it is us who wish to gather the returns but who do not wish to lay down the investment. See Chapter 14 'Ajahn Dhammadharo.' 104 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation We wish to talk ourselves to a goal which can only be reached by high endeavor; we wish to deceive ourselves into a situation which will permit the entry of only the perfectly truthful.

Beethoven Complete Edition Torrent. Does this mean then that the goal will forever be beyond our reach? That is not so. Where Sunlun Sayadaw has trodden, we too can tread. We need only to follow his instructions faithfully.

Sunlun Sayadaw instructed us: Be rigorously mindful of the awareness of touch. We should be rigorously, ardently, intensively mindful. Do not rest when tired, scratch when itched, nor shift when cramped.

We should keep our bodies and minds absolutely still and strive till the end. The uncomfortable truly is the norm; the comfortable will set us adrift on the current of illusion. We should penetrate unpleasant sensation; only he who has penetrated sensation will see processes as they are. We should generate a willing suspension of disbelief, exert that extra ounce of effort, and be rigorously mindful. Have faith, energy, and awareness to purify ourselves, to overcome pain and grief, to reach the right path, to win nibbdna. Developing the Sunlun Way of Mindfulness In this age, the objects of desire and aversion impinge upon the senses with increasing force and growing variety. There is a greater urge and opportunity for the gratification of the senses.

The accelerating pace of living and the increasing pressure create stresses leading to anxiety and neurosis. City life is becoming noisier and noise is a thorn in the flesh of concentration. At the same time the people do not have enough leisure for a long and sustained practice of mindfulness. The result is an increasing diversion of the attention and diffusion of 105 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W mental powers with less and less time even for minimum corrective action. To cap it all, people who are born in these days long after the Buddha are of sluggish intuition rather than of quick intuition. Therefore there is an urgent need for a way of mindfulness which takes into account the growing urges and commodities for sense- gratification, increasing noise and distraction, lack of time, and the meditator's own sluggish intuition. Sunlun Sayadaw's way of mindfulness provides a technique to quickly overcome sloth and desires of the senses.

It raises the threshold over which noise and distraction must pass to divert the attention of the meditator. For the man of sluggish intuition it provides an amazingly sure and rapid method for the complete and perfect establishment of the four foundations of mindfulness. It is not a method fashioned out of the elements available in the books. It is a method forged in the stiuggle against self-love and igno- rance. Sunlun Sayadaw was a barely literate man and was thus blessed by not being shackled with the pale cast of thought. With earnestness, courage, and perseverance he became liberated in 1920.

The tech- nique is now available to the city man who is without the overwhelming courage and perseverance of the Sunlun Sayadaw. What follows is a very brief sketch of the method. Posture Assume a meditative posture which can be maintained for some time without change. Do not lie in bed nor recline in a chair. The posture should be one which will permit the gathering together and assumption of all of one's resources. The posture should be one designed for hard work and not relaxation.

A suitable posture is to sit with legs crossed. The back should be straight. The arms should be held close against the side of the body.

The right fist should be held in the left hand. This is to facilitate the clenching of the fist as the meditator summons his strength to combat unpleasant sensation which may arise later.

Do not mesh the fingers of the hands nor hold them lightly with each thumb against the other. Let the head be slightly bowed. Do not sit loosely. Assume a tight posture where the body provides a firm base, its circuit is closed and the meditator is alert.

106 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation Select a spot where the meditation session can be concluded without disturbance. It is better to select a quiet place out of the wind, but that is not essential.

Meditation may be done individually or in a group. No elaborate preparation of the place is required nor should it be made a ritual. There are no set periods for meditation. Time should be arranged to suit the meditator's convenience. But he should take care that the meditation hour or two is not sacrificed to some other purpose. Western books suggest that the beginner should start with a session of two or three minutes a day, the period to be gradually extended.

Sunlun's experience is that an intensive initial session of an hour or so produces more beneficial results. A normal session should not be less than an hour or two. Those practicing intensively sit through the whole day or night. After the posture has been selected and assumed it should not be changed or altered in any way. It will have to be kept up until the end of the session. Sunlun Sayadaw has said: 'If cramped don't move, if itchy don't scratch, if fatigued don't rest.' Breathing Commence by inhaling.

It will be noticed that the breath touches the nostril tip or upper lip. Be keenly mindful of the touch of breath.

With mindfulness vigilantly maintained, breathe strongly, firmly, and rapidly. Strong, hard, and rapid breathing wards off external noises, helps to control the mind, quickly removes the hindrances, rapidly establishes concentration, and enables the meditator to cope with the unpleasant sensation which may arise later. Strong, hard, and rapid breathing will cause inhaled and exhaled breath to touch with increased friction against the tips of the nostril holes, the upper lip, or some other part of the body in that region. Be mindful of that touch of breath. 'When the breath touches the nostril tip or upper lip you will be aware of it. Be mindful of that awareness,' said the Sunlun Sayadaw.

Let not a single touch pass without awareness. Be aware of every single touch. Mindfulness should be rigorous. It should not be relaxed. This means that there should be putting forth of energy, that the meditator should be ardent and zealous.

107 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W Do not let the awareness be of the breath-body. Do not follow it in and out of the body. Do not count its entrances and exits. Do not take note of the area of touch of breath whether it be the nostril tip or upper lip. Let awareness be only of the sensation of touch of breath.

Be mindful only of the sensation of touch. Breathe in air attentively and fully as though water were being drawn into a syringe. Exhale sharply.

Full and hard drawing- in of breath helps to establish concentration rapidly. It helps the sensations to arise. It provides strength in the coming struggle with unpleasant sensation. Since most people have stronger exhalation it is necessary to pay greater attention in inhalation to realize a balance between inhalation and exhalation.

When these two are balanced, the touch will be continuous. When they are balanced, the meditator will have reached the stage of smooth, effortless, self-compelled rhythmic breathing.

Breathe without shaking the head and body. This will obtain concentration quickly. Fatigue may set in at the early stages of strong, hard, rapid breathing but the meditator should neither stop nor reduce the strength and rapidity of breathing.

'Don't rest when fatigued,' said the Sunlun Sayadaw. The fatigue is probably due to either insufficient strength of inhalation or to excessive blowing on exhalation. The remedy is to increase the strength of inhalation. When inhalation and exhalation strengths are balanced at a high level, the fatigue will disappear. The meditator will then have broken out of the zone of difficult breathing into the zone of smooth, effortless, self-compelled rhythmic breathing. Attention can then be addressed wholly to mindfulness of touch of breath. There are three levels of breathing: high (very strong, hard, rapid breathing); medium (strong, hard, rapid); and low (weak, soft, slow, or the common way of breathing).

Since man is not a machine he will sometimes flag and falter. It is necessary to reach the high level early so that later, when the pace falls, the meditator will reach the balanced, medium level of respiration and be able to main- tain it. Do not preset the time for breathing. On firm, rapid breathing, unpleasant sensations will rise within oneself. These unpleasant sensations may assume the forms of pain, cramp, ache, numbness, heat or cold, or some other sensation.

Continue the breathing until 108 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation there is sufficient sensation to stop the strong respiration. Here sensa- tion is the clock to time the period of respiration. Akernatively, the meditator may preset the time for breathing, say three-quarters of an hour or an hour, at which time he will proceed to the second part of the meditation. But this is not as preferable as the first method. When it is about time to stop strong respiration, 50 or 100 strokes of breath should be made — this time with all the strength at the medi- tator's command. Meanwhile, mindfulness of touch of breath should be relentless.

Then respiration should be stopped suddenly on the inhaled breath and, collecting oneself, the whole body should be watched internally. Sensation Respiration should be stopped completely and suddenly on inhaled breath.

The body should be stilled, gathered together, and watched rigorously. Sensations of pain, cramp, ache, numbness, or heat or cold will arise in the body. Be mindful of the most pronounced sensation. Do not let it go. Do not switch the attention to the navel, the solar plexus, nor any other region.

It is natural for the most pronounced sensation to demand one's attention. Turning to the other regions which do not have the most pronounced sensation makes one lose grasp of the immediate present. 'If the sensation is weak, know the fact of its weakness.

If the sensation is strong, know the fact of its strength,' said the Sunlun Sayadaw. Know neither less nor more. Know it only as it is. Know whatever arises, as it arises, when it arises, in the bare fact of its arising.

Be mindful of just this. Let no thoughts of 'me' and 'mine' interfere. Do not think that this is one's foot or one's body or one's hand. Do not reflect 'this is body and mind.' Do not consider 'this is impermanence, this suffering, and this non-self.' All thinking, reflec- tion, and consideration are conceptual.

They are not insight practice. Sunlun' s method makes direct, immediate contact with reality. It cannot afford the time and effort required first to build a conceptual bridge to approach reality. Confronted with the elephant of its search, it does not follow the footprints backwards and then retrace them again to the elephant. When there arises an ache it immediately catches hold of the fact of the ache; it does not formulate the concept 'aching, aching' and then return to the fact of the ache. Therefore it 109 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W tells the meditator: 'Avoid name- calling; do not conceptualize reality.' Neither reach toward the sensation nor reach after it.

Be mindful of the sensation in the immediacy of its arising or vanishing which is in the present time, the now. In the struggle with unpleasant sensation which may rage with extreme force and virulence the meditator takes care that he does not reach beyond the sensation. This is to say that the effort exerted should not exceed that which is necessary to maintain firm attention. When there is an excess of energy it is as though the meditator had placed his effort before the unpleasant sensation, with the result that the attention slips from the sensation itself and all that remains is the violence of his effort. This violence is none other than anger. And anger is one of the forces which turn the wheel of samsara.

The meditator should take care on the other hand that he does not fall short of the sensation. This is to say that the effort exerted should not fall short of that which is necessary to maintain firm attention. When the effort is inadequate the meditator slips back into torpor and sloth or is overwhelmed by the unpleasant sensation if the sensation is intense. Severe unpleasant sensation which is not held with mindful- ness gives rise to fear, anxiety, and anger, which all constitute a force which turns the wheel of samsara. Torpor and sloth are the basis of ignorance, yet another force which conditions rebirth and delusion.

Therefore the meditator must take great care not to reach beyond nor fall short of the sensation. He must exert that forceful and vigilant attention necessary for knowledge and mindfulness.

This means that the time relation of attention to sensation should not be one of future or past but of the simple, immediate present. This is realized when, instead of being passively attentive to the arising of the sensation and to its disintegrating future, the meditator tends actively to perceive the very birth of the sensation. When dealing with the arising of many sensations simulta- neously, such as in the head, the arm, the body, and the legs, the unguided meditator's mind will run helter-skelter after them and there will be no mindfulness of them right here and now. The result will be personal distress and suffering. To avoid this there should be mindful- ness of only the most pronounced sensation. Vigorous awareness of it should be aroused and this awareness vigilantly watched by mindfulness.

110 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation The meditator should be able to penetrate into the sensation to realize its nature. Effort is required to do this. The simile is of a nail being driven into wood. The wood is sensation, the nail is the mind, the finger which holds the nail straight is mindfulness, and the hammer is effort. When the mind has penetrated into the sensation, the meditator will no longer feel the form of his foot, arm, or body, he will no longer feel that T am suffering.

These conceptual notions will be replaced by a simple, clear awareness of sensation alone. Because the idea of an T which suffers has been removed, the meditator will not feel the discomfort of the unpleasant sensation. The sensation which a few moments ago was felt as pain or burning will now be felt by the medi- tator only as an intense sensation without the element of infliction. Of the three sensations — unpleasant, pleasant, and neutral — the last is most subtle and not normally suitable for ordinary people as an initial object for the establishment of mindfulness. When it arises in the succeeding stages of development the meditator will have to be mindful of it as it arises and when it arises. But by then the meditator should have developed the power to grasp subtle neutral sensation. As we have noted, unpleasant sensation is the greatest obstacle on the road of vipassana.

Only when the meditator is able to overcome that obstacle can he forge forward to attain the rewards beyond unpleasant sensation. It is possible to completely overcome and learn from unpleasant sensation. Since unpleasant sensation too is subject to the Law of Impermanence it must come to an end some time. This end can occur in various ways. Its intensity can subside; but this would not be a true ending. Some measure of unpleasant sensation would remain.

The real overcoming of unpleasant sensation takes place when the meditator dwells in the sensation, watching the sensation without thinking any thought connected with the sensation, and it is consumed, it ends, it snaps, it is shed or extinguished. It is said to be consumed when it gradually subsides until there is no remainder.

It ends when the meditator follows it until there is no more of it, like a road followed to the end, like a length of string felt along the whole length till no more is felt. It snaps when it breaks off suddenly, as when a taut rope is snapped. It is shed like the skin of a snake. It is extinguished like a light which has used up its oil and wick. Ill Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W Pain is unpleasant, ache is unpleasant, heat is unpleasant, cold is unpleasant. Within the unpleasantness of all these there is an element of discomfort. It is this underlying element of discomfort which is basic to all our experience.

The meditator who feels fatigue in his limbs and wishes to alter his position, or whose mind being confined to the narrow point of touch wishes to be let loose among sensual objects, desires escape from the discomfort of his posture and confined mind. But how can one attain enlightenment and escape from the pain of this mind-body process by hankering after the delights and comforts of the senses? 'The uncomfortable truly is the norm; the comfortable will set you all adrift on the current of samsara,' said Sunlun Sayadaw.

He was referring to the efficacy of suffering to overcome suffering. How should one be mindful of unpleasant sensation in order to consume it, end it, snap it, shed it, extinguish it? The only answer is that the meditator should be rigorously mindful of unpleasant sensa- tion as it arises, when it arises, in the here and now. But how does one hold steadfast the mind which flinches from unpleasant sensation? How does one catch unpleasant sensation in the very moment of its arising in the very manner of its arising? First, in being mindful of unpleasant sensation, collect the body and mind together and keep both perfectly still. Watch the unpleasant sensation with bated breath.

Hold the breath as long as you can easily hold it. This is not an exercise in breath retention. It is just the normal practice effected in carrying out the common duties of life. Whenever something is done with great attention the breath is naturally held back. For example, in putting a thread through a needle hole, the oper- ator normally holds his breath till the task is accomplished. In like manner, the meditator should watch unpleasant sensation with bated breath. This will enable him to exercise greater awareness and more rigorous mindfulness.

If the unpleasant sensation is too intense for proper attention with bated breath the meditator should stiffen himself against it. He tenses his whole body against the sensation to support the work of the mind.

He holds his arms tighter against the sides of his body, he closes his fists, he stiffens his neck and clenches his teeth. He puts forth energy 112 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation as he would in a physical struggle against a strong opponent. All the time he keeps rigorously mindful of the sensation. If the unpleasant sensation is excruciating and cannot be over- come by endeavor with bated breath and tensed body, the meditator should brace his mind against it. Just as in breathing he had respired strongly and firmly, so also in applying his mind to unpleasant sensa- tion he should do it strongly and firmly. He should pit the resources of his breath, his body, and, his mind against the sensation. With bated breath, tensed body, and fortified mind he should exert pressure against the pressure of the sensation until he is able to penetrate it, to dwell in it, watch it without thinking any thought connected with it, until finally the sensation is completely consumed or ended.

It will be noticed that the important element in the technique is intentness. The meditator should put forth unflinching energy, he should be ardent, zealous, earnest, and energetic.

He should be all that the Buddha required of his disciples. Escape from delusion is not achieved through reflective, considerate, relaxed effort. It is achieved only through the most powerful and sustained thrust of all the physical and mental capabilities at the meditator's command. Sunlun calls for just this. Though intentness is called for in regard to mental objects of meditation, it will not be necessary also to stir up physical force in being mindful of emotional feeling. However, it will still be necessary to stir up zeal and earnestness for unremitting mindfulness.

For the meditator whose training with unpleasant sensation has helped him to develop those qualities, the practice of mindfulness of emotional feel- ings should not be difficult. Moreover, since emotional feeling is usually accompanied by unpleasant physical sensations, the meditator may turn his attention to those physical sensations and thus overcome attachment to emotions through the conquest of unpleasant physical sensation. Beyond Sensation When the meditator perfectly dwells in sensation, watching the sensation without thinking any thought connected with the sensation, and the sensation snaps or is completely extinguished, the meditator's mind becomes cleansed, purged, firm, and serviceable. He becomes full of loving kindness for all living things 113 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W and he is able to suffuse them with true loving kindness, which is not mere repetition of words, which is without craving and self- identification, and which is without differentiation between a person whom the meditator hates, one whom he likes, and one to whom he is indifferent. With cleansed, purged, firm, and serviceable mind he contem- plates consciousness in consciousness. He knows consciousness with lust as with lust; he knows consciousness without lust as without lust; he knows consciousness with hate as with hate; he knows conscious- ness without hate as without hate. He knows when lust and hate have arisen and keeps mindful of them so that they may not be the cause to further originate lust and hate and thus give another turn to the wheel of sainsara.

This is killing the causative force in the effect. When he comes into contact with an object which could arouse lust or hate he keeps rigorously mindful of it so that lust or hate cannot arise. This is killing the cause in cause. With this last act of mindfulness he perfectly practices what the scriptures instruct: 'In what is seen there should be only the seen; in what is heard only the heard; in what is sensed only the sensed; in what is thought only the thought.'

He is able to do this because he has cleansed his mind and made it firm and serviceable through ardent mindfulness of unpleasant sensation. For the common meditator with sluggish intuition, trying to see only the seen in what is seen is extremely difficult if practiced as the initial exercise in mindfulness. This is because consciousness is a subtle object of contemplation and not readily grasped or held with the impure, weak, and unmanageable mind. But when the mind of the meditator has been strengthened through mindfulness of unpleasant sensation he is able to hold the seen as the seen, the heard as the heard, the thought as the thought.

It has been suggested that if during the practice of mindfulness distractions should arise, the mind should follow after them to take note of them. Theoretically it should be possible to follow each distraction to grasp it mindfully. However, in practice, it is extremely difficult for the distracted mind to be mindful of whatever had distracted it. If it had been powerfully concentrated it would not at all have been distracted away from its originally selected object of medi- tation. Moreover, in taking note of the distraction, the meditator often 114 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation runs the risk of believing that he is being mindful of the distraction whereas he is in fact being drawn along by it. Therefore the safest and most effective method is to generate additional zeal to be more mindful of the initial object of meditation, the touch or sensation.

With respect to the contemplation of mental elements, these are yet more subtle than consciousness. Contemplation of mental elements may be said to be a practice arising out of the ardent mind- fulness of sensation.

During the period of energetic mindfulness of sensation, the mental elements of the five hindrances'^ may arise. When sensation has been consumed or ended, the factors of enlighten- ment'^ may appear. The meditator will have to be mindful of these elements as they arise and disappear.

If the hindrance of anger arises, the meditator does not make a mental note that it is 'anger'; he merely keeps vigilantly aware of the fact of anger. If the detachment factor of enlightenment arises, the meditator keeps vigilantly aware of the fact of detachment.

Here again the meditator will be able to accomplish his mission well because he has developed a powerful concentration and a clear and firm mind from the practice of mindfulness of sensation. In fact the four stations of mindfulness — body, sensation, consciousness, and mental elements do not arise independently of each other. They arise together in association. When the meditator is being mindful of the awareness of touch there is in it the station of the body, the station of sensation, the station of consciousness, and the station of the mental elements. Being mindful of one, the meditator is mindful of all the others. It is as in a glass of sherbet where the four elements of water, lemon, sugar, and salt are present together in asso- ciation. And when one element is dominant, the sherbet is called respectively watery, sour, sweet, or salty.

When sensation is dominant it is called mindfulness of feeling; when consciousness is dominant it is called mindfulness of consciousness, and so on. When mindfulness of the four stations are completed and perfected, the meditator develops fully the seven factors of enlighten- ment. When the seven factors of enlightenment are completely and perfectly developed, the meditator attains enlightenment.

See Glossary. See Chapter 1. 115 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W this is a future result, and further consideration to this matter need not be given in this brief sketch of the Sunlun way of mindfulness. If a mango seed is sown, a mango tree will sprout. A man should give all his attention to sowing well the best mango seed he can obtain. The result will take care of itself. Conclusion The Sunlun way of mindfulness is practised by an ardent monk or layman throughout the day and night.

For the less ardent meditator, the centers offer five to seven sessions a day, each session lasting from one to three hours. The man who is too busy with affairs of work or business should be able to practise it twice a day. Meanwhile, the mind should not be left unguarded in the hours between sessions.

The meditator should endeavor to be continually mindful. He accomplishes this by being mindful of the sense of touch. At no moment of the day will his body not be in contact with an object.

If he is sitting, his body will be in touch with the chair. If he is lying, his head will be in touch with the pillow. If he is walking, his feet will touch the ground on each step. If he is handling a tool or an object, his fingers will touch it.

The meditator should be mindful of touch of body against chair, of head against pillow, of feet against ground, of fingers against tool or object. He should, if possible, be mindful of touch of visual object against the eye, of sound against ear, of taste against tongue, of smell against nose. 'Be rigorously mindful of the awareness of touch,' said the Sunlun Sayadaw.

Sunlun is a simple system; it is as simple as drawing a line or writing an O. Even the child's first attempts with paper and pencil are drawing lines or circles. But to draw a perfectly straight line and a perfectly round circle is extremely difficult. Yet when one practices it with sufficient earnestness and zeal, quick results can be obtained. Most other methods are difficult to describe, and though easy to perform, the results come slow.

Sunlun is easy to describe. Literature on Sunlun is almost non-existent.

There is in Burmese just a pamphlet describing the method and a small book on the life of the Sunlun Sayadaw. Since the method is easy to describe and there is very little theorizing, there has not been much use for books. Sunlun is difficult to perform. By this is not meant that the sequence of operations are complex; they are simple. This means only that it is not a relaxed. 116 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation comfortable method. It calls for courage to face the discomfort of strong breathing and unpleasant sensation, zeal to pass beyond them, and unremitting mindfulness to accomplish the puipose.

But when this is done well, and it can be done well, the results are rapidly gained because Sunlun makes immediate and direct contact with reality and also stirs up the meditator's zeal to help him move forward at an intense pace. For the lazy man of today who has little time to spare for anything whatsoever, who with his conceptualization, logicality, and ratio- nalism is moving further away from the root source of reality and knowledge, Sunlun offers much. It makes him throw away his thought-systems to grasp directly and immediately the actuality of things. It pulls taut, mobilizes, and uses his great physical and mental reserves. It gives him the means and strength to withstand the vicissi- tudes of life. It strikes at the heart of that deceptive, self-loving illusive notion of T which is the cause of all misery and unsatisfactoriness.

Sunlun is an intense, resolute, zealous method to establish the four foundations of mindfulness for 'the purification of beings, for the overcoming of soitow and misery, for the destruction of pain and grief, for reaching the right path, for the attainment of nibbana.' 'Be rigorously mindful of the awareness of touch.' 117 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W Questions and Answers QUESTION: Why is it that when we start the deep breathing, for the first few minutes we feel very tired; then when we breathe longer we no longer feel tired? ANSWER: We feel tired when our breathing is not balanced; usually the out-breath tends to be stronger than the in-breath. Inhalation should be increased. Once we establish proper breathing balance, once our breathing becomes rhythmic, we no longer feel tired and in fact we can go on breathing for a long time.

QUESTION: Why do we stop our breathing with an in-breath? ANSWER: So that we can gather our energies together to grapple with the sensations. If we stop on an out-breath we are likely to be relaxed, which is not good for mindfulness.

QUESTION: When we sit in certain positions we feel strong sensations such as cramps. Do we sit on until the sensations subside, and how long do such sensations last?

ANSWER: Yes, we should let all sensations subside. The length of time depends on individuals. Some take only a short time; others may take hours.

Any sensation that arises is natural and we should not be afraid but should be mindful and patient. We should sit and not move, and should keep our mindfulness on the sensations until they disap- pear completely.

QUESTION: Sometimes after the most pronounced sensation has worn off there is left some numbness, say in the foot. Should we continue till this too has gone? ANSWER: Yes, you should continue until all sensations have gone. You may have to sit a long time for all the sensations to go, but this is necessary. Of course, if you are able to establish rigorous and intense mindfulness it does not take so much time. Intentness is important. QUESTION: But if we do not have the time to sit so long, can we stop before the numbness disappears entirely?

ANSWER: You can, though it is not good; your body may feel heavy and your mind not fully purified. If you do not have enough time, you need not breathe for too long to start with.

Your sensations may not then be too pronounced, and you may not have to sit for very long for 118 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation all sensations to disappear. But then you are not really doing what you should and there may arise feelings of dissatisfaction with the practice or with yourself. QUESTION: / have found that I can make my sensations go by simply stretching my legs for example. Why do I then have to sit till they disappear? ANSWER: The essence of meditation is to grapple with sensations to overcome them.

We can of course make the sensations disappear by simply moving our legs, our arms, or our body, but in this way we are not grappling with our sensations. We are trying to escape from them, and in doing so we come up against new sensations. We have to know that we cannot escape from any sensation, that what we cannot escape from is the suffering inherent in our body, and that the only way is to face up to it and win through to insight, to liberation. QUESTION: What is meant by mindfulness?

Is it, for example, meditation on the cause of the sensation that arises in us? ANSWER: Certainly not. Mindfulness is alert awareness and holding rigorously on to this awareness without any conceptual notion, with- out any thought whatever.

QUESTION: What is the difference between samatha meditation and vipassand meditation? ANSWER: Samatha meditation is concentration on objects, ideas, and images.

Vipassana meditation uses the power of concentration prima- rily on sensations within the body. Samatha makes the mind powerful, while vipassana purifies the mind to enable it to gain insight. A person who succeeds with pure concentration will for example be very persuasive in arguments, and everybody will be influenced by him, but usually reaction will come later. With vipassana it is different; a person who succeeds in vipassana is so clearly full of insight and knowledge that he will be listened to without any doubt appearing either then or later. QUESTION: Is it possible for a person practicing vipassand to go into samatha? ANSWER: Samatha uses concentration as its main support, while vipassana uses the two legs of concentration and sensation. One who practices concentration can do so without vipassana, but one who 119 Copyrighted material SUNL UN Sa YADA W practices vipassana uses concentration to some extent, to obtain the instant-to-instant concentration, and trains this concentration on the sensation.

As long as you keep on this path you will not go into pure concentration. But if you lean entirely on the leg of concentration you can go into the path of samatha. You may see colors, images, etc., and you may become distracted. The trouble is that those who go into samatha may feel that they are achieving something, whereas in fact their experiences tend to become obstacles in the path of true libera- tion. It is difficult for a person who is well developed in samatha to advance in vipassana. The only way to help such a person is to teach him to lean on the leg of mindfulness as well. QUESTION: What should we do if the sensations are too intense to bear?

ANSWER: Patience, perseverance — these are the qualities required to stand up to sensations however intense they may be, and to overcome them. Be mindful, and sensation will disappear, even the most intense sensations. The more intense the sensation which has been overcome, the clearer will be the resultant mind. QUESTION: If firm attention is maintained on bodily sensations, that is, if we can be aware of the sensations without the mind inten^ening, how are we to be benefited in our mind? ANSWER: It is not a question of the intervention of the mind, it is a matter of a way of functioning of the mind. The mind should continue to function through the operation of awareness.

Its thinking function should not interfere; there should be no thinking of thoughts about the sensation. If we are mindful of whatever sensation, when the sensa- tion subsides the mind becomes cleansed and firm; whence arises loving kindness and calm. Besides, sensations are not only bodily sensations; there are mental sensations as well, but these are better left to a later stage. QUESTION: How can we be mindful in our everyday life? ANSWER: When we walk our feet touch the ground; be mindful of this touch. When we hold an object, there is the touch on the hand; when we see an object, there is the touch on the eyes; when we hear a sound, there is the touch on the ears; when we smell an odor, there is 120 Copyrighted material The Yogi and Insight Meditation the touch on the nostrils; when we eat, there is the touch on the tip of the tongue.

We can be mindful in these and in many other ways. But it is best to be mindful of touch on any part of the body.

This is easier to grasp and hold. QUESTION: What are the benefits of this form of meditation? ANSWER: The benefits of this form of meditation are the purification of oneself, the overcoming of sorrow and misery, the destruction of pain and grief, reaching the right path, and the attainment of nibbana. By purification is meant the cleansing of the mind and the strengthen- ing of the moral sense. The mind is quieted through the removal of the five hindrances, namely, sloth and torpor, sensual lust, ill will, agita- tion, and distraction and doubting.

The mind is purified — at least for a period — of greed, hatred, and ignorance. The moral sense is strength- ened not through the acceptance of the social sanctions but through a greater awareness of what happens when one is immoral. Sorrow, misery, pain, and grief take two forms, physical and mental. Physical misery and pain arise when the body is ill or not functioning properly. Sorrow and grief arise when the mind is disturbed.

This form of meditation helps the body to function prop- erly. (I shall here only mention that there are many cases of cure of physical disorders and disease due to meditation but these are minor by-products gained in the pursuit of true liberation.) This form of meditation helps one to attain peace of mind. A peaceful mind is one in which there does not arise either attachment or revulsion and one is thus unaffected by sorrow or joy, grief or anger. It is a mind which refuses to identify itself with anything whatsoever and thus does not become involved in the suffering and joy around it.

Reaching the right path is acquiring the sense of what is and what is not. And one can never truly know this until one has realized what is true in himself. Nibbana can be won only by deep courage and high endeavor.

121 Copyrighted material Copyrighted material Chapter 7 AJAHN BLIDDHADASA Ajahn Buddhadasa^^^ is perhaps the best- known Dhamma master in Thailand at this time. In addition to being a great scholar of Buddhist tradition and scriptures, he is learned in many other fields. He has written numerous books in Thai and English on meditation, comparative religion and the application of Dhamma to daily life. In one extensive work, Andpdnasati, Buddhadasa details the practice of formal mindfulness of breathing from preliminary stages to final enlightenment.

Although this was central to his own practice, he is more inclined these days to teach in a very open style, using meditation as a way to approach each activity of the day. He is a very ecumenical teacher who stresses that the heart or truth of all religions is the same, freely borrowing images and ways of teaching from all traditions. Through his numerous Dhamma tracts and elegantly simple talks, Buddhadasa has become a leading voice in raising Thai Dhamma from simply ritual to an understanding of how peace arises from non- attachment. On entering Wat Suan Moke (The Garden of Liberation), one encounters a Zen-like feeling of peace and harmony with nature. Suan Moke is both a meditation temple for the few nuns and thirty to fifty resident monks and a center for lay visitors. It is surrounded by the beauty of a large, still pond and acres of southern Thai forest rolling up the hills with cottages scattered throughout. Ajahn Buddhadasa has built a large 'museum' which displays Dhamma through pictorial art 15.

123 Copyrighted material AjAHN BUDDHADASA and sculpture gleaned from the various Buddhist countries and from other religions as well. Some of the best art work in the 'museum' was done by a Westerner who came to Buddhadasa from a Japanese Zen temple and who later died while meditating in a cave on the coast of southern Thailand. His cave walls and notebook were found filled with exquisite pictures and exclamations on the joy of enlightenment. In going to live with Buddhadasa, one is free to practice various methods. One may sit alone and pursue strict mindfulness of breathing as an intensive formal practice, or study the scriptures under Buddha- dasa' s guidance.

Most often, however, the monks and nuns who live at Suan Moke practice a kind of meditation- in-action while working at various projects around the monastery. This is the chief focus of Buddhadasa's teaching — natural meditation done throughout one's daily activities. Although he does not deny that the strict intensive methods advocated by many other Theravada teachers may lead to insight and liberation, he warns us about the dangers of attachment to any formal practice, to concentration, or to any special states of mind. In advocating the natural development of insight, Buddhadasa does not see himself as a meditation master who directs one's practice but as a good friend who provides a suitable place to live and some good advice on how to allow the natural development of wisdom to take place. A big part of his natural approach, is to encourage people to see clearly how any desire at all leads them to suffering. Meditation brings the elimination of wrong views.

More and more we see the uselessness of striving for personal gain or happiness in the constantly changing world outside ourselves and realize the peace of mind that comes from non-striving. This natural unfolding of the path, of morality, clear view, and unselfishness is Buddhadasa's way of approaching Dhamma. It is clear, simple, and unmystical, leading to the joy of wisdom, the end of suffering. Buddhadasa speaks excellent English and has had numerous western disciples study with him. He moved from a very simple forest hut to a larger, more permanent cottage nearer the entrance to the monastery where he receives many visitors. He is open and easily accessible.

Further talks of the Venerable Buddhadasa may be found in Toward The Truth, a book of his writings edited by Donald Swearer and published by Westminster Press. 124 Copyrighted material Insight by the Na ture Method Insight by the Nature Method by Ajahn Buddhaddsa In this talk we shall see how concentration may come about naturally on the one hand and as a result of organized practice on the other. The end result is identical in the two cases: The mind is concentrated and fit to be used for carrying out close introspection. One thing must be noticed, however: The intensity of concentration that comes about naturally is usually sufficient and appropriate for introspection and insight, whereas the concentration resulting from organized training is usually excessive, more than can be made use of. Furthermore, misguided satisfaction with that highly developed concentration may result.

While the mind is fully concentrated it is likely to be experiencing such a satisfying kind of bliss and well-being that the meditator may become attached to it, or imagine it to be the fruit of the path resulting from the attainment of nibbana. Naturally occurring concentration, which is sufficient and suitable for use in introspection, is harmless, having none of the disadvantages inherent in concentration developed by means of intensive training. In the scriptures there are numerous references to people attaining naturally all stages of enlightenment. This generally came about in the presence of the Buddha himself, but also happened later with other teachers. These people did not go into the forest and sit, assiduously practicing concentration on certain objects, in the way described in later manuals. Clearly no organized effort was involved when full enlightenment was attained by the first five disciples of the Buddha upon hearing the discourse on non-self-hood, or by the one thousand hermits upon hearing the Fire Sermon.

In these cases, keen penetrating insight came about quite naturally. These examples clearly show that natural concentration is liable to develop of its own accord while one is attempting to understand clearly some question, and that the resulting insight, as long as it is firmly established, can be quite intense and stable. It happens naturally, automatically, and in just the same way as when the mind becomes concentrated the moment we set about doing 125 Copyrighted material AjAHN BUDDHADASA arithmetic. Likewise, in firing a gun, when we take aim, the mind automatically becomes concentrated and steady. This is how naturally occurring concentration comes about. We normally overlook it completely because it does not appear the least bit magical, miracu- lous, or awe-inspiring. But through the power of just this naturally occurring concentration, most of us could actually attain liberation.

We could attain the fruit of liberation, nibbana, full enlightenment, just by means of natural concentration. So don't overlook this naturally occurring concentration. It is something most of us either already have or can readily develop. We can use it, as did most of the people who in ancient times succeeded in becoming enlightened, while knowing nothing of modem concentra- tion techniques. Now let us have a look at the nature of the stages of inner aware- ness leading up to full insight into 'the world', that is, into the five aggregates. The first stage is joy, mental happiness, or spiritual well- being. Doing good in some way, even giving alms (considered the most basic form of merit-making), can be a source of joy.

Higher up, morality, or completely blameless conduct of word and action, brings an even greater joy. Beyond this comes the joy of concentration. We discover that there is great delight associated with even the lowest stages of concentration. As rapture is developed it has the power to induce tranquility. Normally the mind is quite unrestrained, continually falling slave to all sorts of thoughts and feelings associated with enticing things outside. It is normally restless, not calm.

But as spiritual joy becomes established, calm and steadiness are bound to increase in proportion. When steadiness has been perfected, the result is full concentration. The mind becomes tranquil, steady, flexible, manageable, light, and at ease. It is now ready to be used for any desired purpose, especially for the elimination of defilements. The arising of this rapture and tranquility does not result in the mind being rendered silent, hard, and rocklike. Nothing like that happens at all. The body feels normal, but the mind is especially calm and suitable for use in thinking and introspection.

It is perfectly clear, perfectly cool, perfectly still and restrained. In other words it is fit for work, ready to know. This is the degree of concentration to be aimed 126 Copyrighted material Insight by the Na ture Method for, not the very deep concentration where one sits rigidly like a stone image, quite devoid of awareness. Sitting in deep concentration like that, one is in no position to investigate anything. A deeply concen- trated mind cannot practice introspection at all. It is in a state of unawareness and is of no use for insight.

Deep concentration is a major obstacle to insight practice. To practice introspection one must first return to the shallower levels of concentration, then one can make use of the power the mind has acquired. Highly developed concentra- tion is just a tool.

Rather than deep concentration, we aim at a calm, steady mind, one so fit for work that when it is applied to insight prac- tice it gains right understanding with regard to the entire world. Insight so developed is natural insight, the same sort as was gained by some individuals while sitting listening to the Buddha. It is conducive to thought and introspection of the right kind, the kind that brings understanding. And it involves neither ceremonial procedures nor miracles. This doesn't mean, however, that insight will arise instanta- neously. One can't be fully enlightened straight off. The first step in knowledge may come about at any time, but depends on both the intensity of the concentration and how it is applied.

Through concen- trated, clear seeing, what insight does arise is experienced as quite special, extraordinarily clear and profound. If the knowledge gained is right knowledge, it will correspond with the direct experience of reality, and as practice deepens it will progress, developing ultimately into right and true understanding of all phenomena.

Even if insight develops in small measure, it may convert a person into a saint of sorts at the lowest stage; or, if it is not sufficient to do that, it will just make him a high-minded individual, an ordinary person of good qualities. If the environment is suitable and the proper qualities of mind have been adequately established, it is possible even today to become fully liber- ated. It all depends on the circumstances. But however far things go, as long as the mind has natural concentration, this factor called insight is bound to arise and to correspond more or less closely with reality.

If we as meditators hear about, think about, and study the world, the mind and body, or five aggregates honestly in the hope of coming to understand their true nature, it follows that the knowledge we acquire 127 Copyrighted material AjAHN BUDDHADASA while in a calm and concentrated state will not be misleading. It is bound to be always beneficial. The expression 'insight into the true nature of things' refers to seeing transience, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self-hood, seeing that nothing is worth getting, nothing is worth being, seeing that no object whatsoever should be grasped at and clung to as being a self or as belonging to a self, as being good or bad, attractive or repulsive. Liking or disliking anything, even if it is only an idea or a memory, is clinging. To say that nothing is worth getting or being is the same as to say that nothing is worth clinging to. 'Getting' refers to setting one's heart on property, position, wealth, or any pleasing object. 'Being' refers to holding onto the awareness of one's self-image, identifying with one's status as husband, wife, rich man, poor man, winner, loser, or human being, or even the awareness of being oneself.

If we really look deeply at it, even being oneself is no fun, is weari- some, because trying to be anything is a source of suffering. If one can completely give up clinging to the idea of being oneself, of any self image, then one will no longer suffer. This is what it is to see the worthlessness of being anything, and is the gist of the statement that being anything, no matter what, is bound to be suffering in a way appropriate to that particular state of being. When there exists 'oneself, there are bound to exist things which are other than that 'self and b.