paticca-samuppāda suttawe meet in samsāra, who has dedicated his life towards sharing the...

Paticca-samuppāda Sutta(Samyutta Nikāya, Nidānavagga)

Venerable Uda Eriyagama Dhammajiva Maha Thero

Meditation Retreat held at Nissaranavanaya - Meethirigala

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Paţiccasamuppāda Sutta

(Samyutta Nikāya, Nidānavagga)

Venerable Uda Eriyagama Dhammajiva Maha Thero

Paţiccasamuppāda Sutta

This is a compilaition of English translations of the Dhamma Talks recorded at the Meditation Retreat held at

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CONTENTS

1. DedicationandAcknowledgement 4

2. Translator’sForeword 5

3. Editor'sPreface 7

4. DhammaTalk-Day1 9





9. DhammaTalk–Day6 92

10.DhammaTalk–Day7 107

11.DhammaTalk–Day8 119

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Acknowledgements and Dedication

The translator is indebted to Renuka and to all thoseresponsible for organizing this retreat at Nissaranavana-yaMeethirigala in January2012, to those responsible foraudiorecordingandaudioeditingtheDhammatalksanddiscussions, to Devika and Chandana for their valuablecommentsandsuggestionstowardsfinalizingthetext,andthesponsorsofthispublication.

ThisDhammadana is an offeringmade to the Sangha ofNissaranavanayaanditisdedicatedtothememoryof:

Mr and Mrs G C T A de Silva and Mrs Sushila Fonseka

For Free Distribution Only

Throughout the text Pāli terms were reotained wherever it was feltthat the accuracy of the meaning of the teachings may have beencompromised had they not. The Translator liberally used theBuddhist Dictionary by Venerable Nyānātiloka and A Pali-English Glossary of Buddhist Technical Terms(VenerableNānamoliandVenerableBhikkhuBodhi)togivemeaningtothecontentandtoaddrichnesstothediscourses.

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Translator’s Foreword

TheDhammaTalks in this bookwere given at a nine-daymeditation retreat held at Nissaranavanaya, Meethirigalain January2012.TheMeditationMaster isVenerableUdaEriyagamaDhammajivaMahaTheroandtheDhammaTalkswere based on the Paţiccasamuppāda Sutta from theSamyutta NikāyaandwereinSinhala.

The Buddha’s teaching on 'Dependant Arising' is consid-eredasdeepandprofound,andonewhichgivesradicalandpenetrative insight into the Path to nibbāna. On eachday of the retreat every sequential link described in thedoctrine of dependant arisingwas dealt with, with greatclarity.WhileextractingandexpoundingthedeepDhammaembeddedwithinthisSutta,theMeditationMasterrepeat-edlybringstheyogis’attentiontotheirindividualpractice.Themanner in which he exposes the opportunity to skillfullyapplythesepowerfulDhammateachingstoones’ownmedi-tationandtheconstantmessage,thatthattheseexperiencescanberealizedbyanyhumanmind,isunique.Thecompletenovice and new comer to a meditation retreat at Nissa-ranavanayaaswellasaseasonedpractitionercouldequallyrelatetothesememorableteachings.

As a teacher Venerable Dhammajiva inspires andenergizes yogiswithhisdepthandbreadthof knowledgeoftheDhamma.HisskillofimpartingcomplexteachingsoftheBuddhatoagroupoflaymeditatorsisfascinating.Theexperience gained from being a bhikkhu of over twen-ty years seniority, having taught monks as well as laityfor over fifteen years both locally as well as globally, isreflectedinhisdiscoursesandDhammadiscussions,aswellasduringinterviewswithpractitionersfromallwalksoflife.Hissharpandincisivemind,whichdelvesintothedeepestand

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profoundest Dhamma in every sutta he uses for retreatteachingarelacedwithanecdotesandanabundanceofwitandhumour.Thesearewhatmakehimamuchsoughtaftermeditationteachertoday.

During his entire teaching career Venerable Dhammajivahasalwaysused the Buddha’sdiscoursesas thebase forteachingmeditationpracticetobothmonasticsandthelaityalike.DeepsuttasfromthetripitakaaretreatedbythisMas-terwithextraordinaryclarityanddeepsensitivity.Venera-bleDhammajivaisarareandcompassionatekalyānamittawemeet in samsāra, who has dedicated his life towardssharingtheteachingsoftheBuddhawhilstreiteratingthepotential thateachoneofushas, in attainingnibbana in this life itself.

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Editor's Preface

The Paţiccasamuppāda Sutta is an instance where oneof the fundamental and profound principles of BuddhistPhilosophyHetu-Phala dhamma(LawofCauseandEffect)isexplainedindetail.Hetu-Phala dhammaisdealtwithbrief-lyintheariya-sacca(theFourNobleTruths).Themostde-tailedexpositionoftheHetu-Phala dhammaisgiveninthePatthāna PrakaranayaoftheAbhidhamma pitaka.

Venerable Dhammajiva explains this important Sutta dis-playing his in-depth knowledge of the dhamma. Relatingeach Sutta tomeditation practice is his unique ability tomake the Dhamma which was preached 2600 years agocomealivebrilliantlyandvibrantlytothepresent.

Weare indeedgrateful toVenerableDhammajiva forhisuntiring commitment to teach thedhammaandhis guid-anceinthemeditationpractice;encouragingandinspiringthe siwwanak pirisa (four-fold assembly - Bhikkhu/Bhik-khuni/Upasake/Upasika)tostrivediligentlyonthepathtoreachlibrationinthislifeitself.

IamdeeplyhonouredtobeapartofthismeritoriousdeedofeditingthetranslationsintoEnglishthePaţiccasamuppāda Sutta,whichwillenablethisinvaluablewisdombeingmadeavailabletoagreateraudience.

MayAllBeingsbeHappy.

DevikaJayawardena

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Dhamma Talk 1

Evam me sutam ekam samayam

Bhagavā Sāvatthiyam viharati Jetavane, Anāthapindikassa ārāme

Atako bhagavā bhikkhu amantesi bhikkhavoti

Bhadhanteti te bhikkhu bhagavato

Paccassosum bhagavā etadavoca

Paţiccasamuppādam vo bhikkhave desissami

Tansunata sadukam manasikarota

Bhāsissatamiti tī

ThisRetreatwillbebasedonthedeepandprofounddoc-trine taught by the Buddha, the Paţiccasamuppāda andtheDhammaTalkswillbebasedonthePaţiccasamuppāda Sutta (Samyutta Nikāya, Nidānavagga).Thethemeof to-days talk refers to theBuddha’swords,whenonhis ownaccord theBuddha tells thebhikkhus that hewill explainthePaţiccasamuppāda and he invites them to listen andcontemplateonthisimportantdoctrine.ThiswasaclassicmethodusedbytheBuddhawhenteachingbhikkhus :hefirststatedthetopic/tileofthediscourse(uddesa),thenhegaveanexpositiononthetopic(niddesa)andthereafterheexplainedthedoctrinecontainedinthediscourse(patinid-desa).

I intendtopresentthedhammacontainedinthisSutta inamannerthatwouldhelpone’sownmeditationpractice.It is importanttounderstandthisandtopracticallyrelatethe Paţiccasamuppāda tomeditation practise and to notconfine it to theoretical knowledge only. Therefore I sug-gestthattheseteachingsmaynotsuitthecompletebegin-

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nerornoviceinmeditation,butthattheymaybenefitthosewithexperienceinthepractiseofmeditation.IalsowishtoconnecttheteachingsfromthisSuttatotheSeven Insight Knowledges.

TheVisuddhimaggha,themostfamoustreatiseonmedita-tionwrittenbyAcharyaBuddhaghosa,isbasedonthesevenmethodsofpurificationduringmeditationpractice–satta visuddhi. Hence the term Visuddhimagga. However, ac-cordingtotheBuddha’steachings,thepurificationmethodisnot theonlymethodrecommendedandothers include:ariya-wamsa patipada, duwataka patipada, nālaka pati-pada, ratavinīta patipada.TheVisuddhimagghaisbasedontheratavinīta patipada.

The Ratavinītha Sutta (MN), describes a discussion thattakes place between Venerables Sāriputta and PuņņaMantāņiputta.Thelatterwasaseniormonkwhowaswell-versedintheDhammaandwasreputedtobeanexcellentteacher.

TheElder,VenerableSāriputtawasconsideredtheMarshal of the Dhammaandhequestionshowanovicecandevelopandcultivatesīla, samādhi, paňňā.

Duringthisdiscussionthefollowingquestionsareraised:

VenerableSāriputta:Areyouobservingbrahmacariyaforthesakeofsīla-visuddhi(purificationofmorality)?

VenerablePuņņaMantāņiputta:No

VenerableSāriputta:Thenisitforthesakeofcitta-visuddhi(purificationofthemind)?


VenerableSāriputta:Thenisitforthesakeofdiţţhi-visuddhi(purificationofview)?

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VenerableSāriputta:Thenisitforthesakeofkankhāvitaraņa-visuddhi(purificationbyovercomingdoubt)?


The conversation thus goes on and eventually VenerableSāriputtaasks:Ifitisnotforanyofthosereasons,forwhatreasonareyouobservingatheholy/celibate(brahmacari-ya)lifestyle?

VenerablePuņņaMantāņiputtasaysthatheobservessīla-visuddhi for the sake of reaching citta-visuddhi ,and thenby observing citta-visuddhi he would reach the state ofdiţţhi-visuddhi. Therefore, it is through such a stage-by-stageprocess thathewouldreachnibbānaandnotwithsimply one purification. Each purification helps in achiev-ing thenext. In this context citta-visuddhi is the stateofconcentration(samādhi) andthe jhānasonewouldreachduringsamatha practice.Diţţhi-visuddhi, althoughaveryimportant stage in purificationwhere one’s viewof theentitycalled‘self’ismadeclear,isonlyastepping-stonetoreach kankhāvitaraņa-visuddhi–where theyogimaturesandreachesastagewheredoubtislost,andtheyogiunder-standsconditionality(i.e.theDhammaofcauseandeffect).Butthistooisanaidtoreachthenextstage,maggāmagga-ňānadassana-visuddhi – a purification that would over-comealldoubtaboutwhatthePath‘is’andwhatthePathis‘not’,whatis‘good’andwhatis‘bad’,whatismeantby‘Dhamma’andwhatisnot.

This isacrucialhurdletocross,because it isat thisstagethattheyogi’smindwhichwaspreviouslyhesitantandunclear,becomesclearandfocused.Itisonlyatthisstagethatthe yogi knowswith certaintywhat he should do (or not

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do)andhowheshouldforgeaheadwiththepractice.Thisisthefifthpurification,andthestageatwhichtheyogiwillproceedonthePathirrespectiveofwhatmayhappenwithfirmresolve(adhimokkha)andwithnodoubtswhatsoever.Hethenentersthestageofpaţipadāňāņadassana-visuddhi –i.e.thepurificationbyknowledgeandvisionofthepath-progress. The yogiwill thenmaster this knowledge andconsolidateit,anduseittoenterthePath.Suchayogiwillhave reached theňāņadassana-visuddhi – the knowledgeandpurificationthatwouldenabletheyogitoreachforthefruitsofnibbāna.

Thisishowthesevenpurificationsaredescribed,eachoneleadingtothenextandthenext,andsoon.

The Buddha emphasized that the path of purification isagradualoneandthateachstage isequally importanttoreachthenextone.

Theimportanceofmasteringsīla-visuddhiinordertoreachthenextstageofcitta-visuddhicannotbeoverstressed.Yet,ifwe use sīla to judge ormeasure others and ifwe con-siderourselves‘high’andothers‘low’inthiscontextitde-feats thepurpose andwewill neverbe able to eradicateourdefilements. In theSappurisa Sutta (MN) theBuddhadescribesthispitfallthatmanymediatorsfallinto,andhesaysthatthemorejudgmentalwearethelessprogresswewillmakeinourmeditation.Weneedtofirstdevelopourownhumanqualitiesandnot try to judgeorcorrectoth-ers.Wehavenoauthoritytodosoandwecanrestassuredthatourvipassanāpracticewillneverprogress.Thisisnotduetoanydeficiencyofoursīlabutduetotheconceitandarrogancethatwehaveaboutourownsīla.Buddhaspecifi-callyadvisesthatsīlaispracticedto‘still’ourmindstomakeitlessdiscursive,andthereaftertoreachcitta-visuddhi.Weshouldunderstandthisinordertopurifyourminds.

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While understanding this the Buddha cautions us aboutstrengtheninganddevelopingourownsīla,sothatweal-waysendeavortoconvert ittoanadhisīla, i.e.frompan-ca sīla to ājiva atthamaka sīla, from there to observingeightprecepts, tenprecepts and soon. Ifwe fail to real-izetheimportanceofthisteachingitwillbedifficulttoun-derstand profound Dhammas like those described in thePaţiccasamuppāda.Asmeditatorsweneedtounderstandthatsīlawillnotonlyhelpusto‘still’ourminds,butthatitwillalsoprotectusfromthefourgreat‘Fears’-:

1.Fearduetooldage,illnessanddeath-atthānuvāda baya

2.Fearaboutwhatotherswillsay–parānuvāda baya

3.Fearaboutpunishmentsbytheauthorities–danda baya

4.Fearofbeingborninhellrealms-duggathi baya

Todaymostpeopledistractthemselvestoavoidfacingthesefearsbyusing theTV, radio,newspapersandother formsof entertainment. Thereforewhenapersondiligentlyob-servessīlaitisatremendousreliefbecausetheyknowthattheyaremorally‘pure’andtheyknowtheywon’thavetoface these fears. The spectrumand rangeof sīla one canobserveiswide–frompanca sīlaasalayperson,totheex-tremedhutanga sīlaofamonk.TheBuddhaadvisesustoal-waysattempttoobserveahighersīlatowhatwetradition-allyobserve,i.e.toattempttoreachahigherlevelofpurity.Citta-visuddhiwillnotbeachievableunlessthisispracticed.Butthisshouldnotbedoneduetoanycompulsionorduetoanythreatsyoumayface,orduetoanyotheragenda.Itshouldpurelybefortherespectonehasforthesāsanaandtheaimof reaching theultimategoalofnibbāna throughthismoraltraining.

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TheBuddharepeatedlycautionsusthatifwecriticizeothersfordeficienciesintheirsīla, itwouldbeaset-backforthecriticizer’sownpractice.Infact,ifabhikkhuweretocreatedisturbancesinthemindofanotherbhikkhuwithsuchcriti-cismaboutthelatter’ssīla,theformerwillneedsomeformofpunishment.Ourmindislikeanopenwound,constantlyexposedtodefilementssuchasmāna anddōsa–measur-ingothersandcriticizingthem.Wehaveonlyonesalvationandthatistheprotectionfromsīla visuddhi.Withthatifweareabletoreachcitta-visuddhiandthenwewillbeabletoexamineourownmind.

Thisisacriticalsituationbecausethosewithoutsīla visud-dhifind itdifficult todothis.Thefour fears loomin frontofthemwhentheysitdowninseclusiontomeditateandwhentheyshuttheireyes.Theyhaveenormousdoubtsandfears.Thetransitionfromsīla sīkkhātosamādhi sīkkhāisatremendouschallengetomanypeople.Usingsati–mindful-nessononeobjectsuchasthein/out-breath,weattemptto reach one-pointedness of the mind (citta ekaggathā),i.e.toreachsamatha samādhi, upacāra samādhi or arpanā samādhi.Admittedly,thisisquiteastruggle.Butweshouldrealizethissituationisachievableonlybyhumans.Animalsandthoseinthehellrealmscanneverreachthisstageandnorcantheinhabitantsofthecelestialrealmsatmosttimes.Suchisthepurityofthisstage–citta-visuddhi,achievableonlybythoseestablishedinthesīla.

Thebiggestobstacletoreachthisstageisthefivehindranc-es–panca nīvarana.Toreachcitta-visuddhithemeditatorwould have removed the pariyuţţhāna kilesa. But beforethat, through sīla-visuddhi theywould have removed thevīthikama kilesa.Vīthikama kilesa areovertsocietaltrans-gressions, whereaspariyuţţhāna kilesa are hidden defile-mentsthattauntuswhenwesittomeditate.Wecanpre-

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tendtobeverypiousandholy,andyethavethesehiddendefilements beneath. In fact ‘Religion’ teaches us how tosuppressour inner greed,hate, jealousies, doubtetc andhowtoappear‘cultured’and‘civilized’asmembersofso-ciety.WhereastheDhammateachesushowtofacethesecommondefilementsandtoremovethemeffectively.ThisisoneinstancewhereDhammadefersfromReligion.

Itisonlyaverysmallpercentageof‘religious’peoplewhowill know theDhammaand through that know that theystillhavehiddendefilementslikekāmaccanda–greed/cov-etousnessorpatigha–illwill,orthīna-middha–slothandtorpororuddhacca-kukkucca–restlessnessandremorse,,orvicikiccha–scepticaldoubtwhichtheywillhavetofaceandremovesomeday.Thereforewemustlearnthatallthesementalstateshaveoccurredthroughthelawof‘causeandeffect’andthattheseareallsubjecttodependantorigina-tion-Paţiccasamuppāda .Unlessweunderstandthisthor-oughlywewillnotbeabletotranscendourtransgressionaldefilementsor pariyuţţhāna kilesa.Wemaybesuccessfulinsuppressingthese,asitisdoneduringsamathapractise,butwewillneverbesuccessfulinuprootingthesehindrances.Iwouldliketorefertothesimileofthesurgeonpreparingthepatientforsurgery–thepatientistreatedwithanti-septicsandthentakenintoasanitizedenvironmentliketheoperatingtheatreandonlythenhewillbeoperated.Thisislikewhenobservingsīlaheissubjecttoantisepsiswithinasanitizedenvironment.Whenthepatientisthussanitizedandpreparedthoroughly(sīla visuddhi),heisreadytofacethe hindrances and suppress them. Anaesthesia can beequatedtosuppressingthehindrancespriorto‘operating’onthedeeperdefilements.Butthehindrancesneednotbecompletely suppressed always, i.e. General Anesthesia isnotneededalwaysandalocalanaestheticintroducedtoa

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specificareamaybeadequate.Neverthelessthehindranc-eshavetobesuppressedatleasttoacertaindegree,andthemindneedstobesufficientlystilledinordertoallowthedefilementsthatresidedeepdownandwithinthecrevicesofthemind,tosurface.

DuringtheBodhisattvaperiodofthepresentBuddhatherehadbeenmanyasceticsandhermitswhosuccessfullyprac-ticed samathameditationby suppressing thehindrances.They lived in seclusion in remote forests andmonaster-iesinIndia,andattainedheightsofmeditationwithspecialknowledges–abhiňňā. In fact,while theGautamaBodhi-sattvawaspracticingthetenperfections(dasa pāramita)these hermits and rishis were developing and perfectingtheir special attainments through concentration medita-tion.Yet,noneofthemwereablereachnibbāna.Inhisfinalbirth,theBodhisattva–PrinceSiddhartha–attainedpuri-ficationofthemind-citta-visuddhionthedayoftheKing’sploughingfestival,whenheattaineddeepstatesofconcen-trationwhilemeditatingundertheroseappletree.

But the knowledge that the attainment of citta-visuddhicanbeusedforthepurposeofattainingdiţţhi-visuddhioc-curredtothe bodhisattvaonlymuchlaterandthatwasquitebychance.TheancientIndianasceticspracticeddeepstatesofconcentrationbasedontheirHindubeliefsthattheseex-altedmind-statesledtodivinestatesthatwere‘brahma’inoriginandthereforeclosetothecreator-god.Theirbeliefwasthatthesestateswouldleadtovimoksha- liberation.TheBuddha,afterhisenlightenmentdemonstratedthatbyperfectingsīla (sīla-visuddhi)andthenreachingdeepstatesof samādhi (citta-visuddhi) one can systematically reachdiţţhi-visuddhi–thuspurifyingthe‘view’anddispellingthebeliefofaatta/soul, whichcharacterizedthemeditationpractices that existed before the Bodhistava’s enlighten-

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ment.

Reaching vipassanā insights is anoutcomeof thesepu-rification practices. The first Insight Knowledge (nāma- rūpa paricceda ñāna)allowsustounderstandthemeaningofdiţţhi-visuddhi.ThisbringsmetotheessenceoftodaysDhammaTalk–i.e.understandinghowourindividualmedi-tationpractice(i.e.meditationonthein/out-breathorriseand fallof theabdomenor right/left footduringwalking)enables us to transcend citta visuddhi and reach diţţhi- visuddhi.Inourpractisewedon’tstopatcitta-visuddhibutwegofurther.Indeed,intheRatavinītha Sutta,VenerablePuņņaMantāņiputtasuggeststhatcitta-visuddhiisprac-ticed for the purpose of reachingdiţţhi-visuddhi. Under-standing this is vital tobeable tounderstand the Paţicca samuppāda.

Duringmeditation(e.g.ānāpānasati),afterbeginningwiththecharacteristicpresentmomentawareness–‘ Now I am Here’–afterawhileourmindsettlesdownandweareabletohaveminimalthoughtsanddisturbances,andthemedi-tationproceedssmoothly.Supposingweareablestayinthepresent-momentformanythought-momentsdevoidofdis-turbanceswethenenjoyaverypureperiodwhereoursīla visuddhiandcitta-visuddhiarecomplete,andduringsuchaperioditisalmostasifweareexperiencingamomentarynibbāna. Ourchallengeatsuchatimeistopreservethatmomentforaslongaswepossiblycan.Butifweentertainanydoubtsduringthatstage(doubtssuchas–‘amIdoingthecorrectthing?IsthisthecorrectPath?’)thenwewouldbelayingoutpowerfulobstaclesfortheemergenceofdiţţhi visuddhi (purificationofview)andkankhāvitaraņa-visuddhi(purificationbyovercomingdoubt).Instead,iftheyogifeelsoverjoyed and content that themind has turned inwardsandthattheyknowthattheyareinperfectmindfulnessand

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inthepresent-moment,thatisallthatisneeded.Iftheyogicanmaintainthissituationforawhileduringānāpānasati orduringmindfulnessoftherise/fallofabdomen,thenthechancesforreachingthefistvipassanāinsightarehigh.

Atthatpointtheyogiwillbeabletoknowthatthein-breathis indeedthe in-breath,andnottheout-breath andvice-versa. This experience of the breath (in and out) – rūpa dhamma-andtheknowingofthatveryexperience–nāma dhamma-isdescribedasthenāma-rūpaparicceda ñānaorthefirstVipassanāInsight.Thisinsightenablesustoknowthattheeventofthein/outbreathing(ortheriseandfalloftheabdomen)isnotonecompactunit,butthatitcompris-estwo–i.e,materiality(rūpa dhamma–orpathavi, āpō, thejō, vāyōmakingcontactwiththeskin)andthediscrete‘knowing’ of it (nāma dhamma).When the yogi under-stands thisexperientially, theyhavereached asignificantmile stone.After a lot of practice, if the yogi can repeat-edlyexperiencethisphenomenon, thateach activityweengage in comprises amaterial component and amentalcomponentofthemindthat‘knows’it,thentheywouldbecompetentlychallengingtheperpetual‘self-view’.

Theidentificationofthisdualnatureofphenomenaisonething,buttheabilitytorepeatedlyexperienceitisanother.Theformerisreferredtoasāsevnā prathya(knowledgeofassociation) and the latter is calledbhāvitha manasa – amindthatcanrepeatedlycontemplatethe‘knowing’.Whenthisisrepeatedmanytimesandtheyogihasmastereditful-ly,whenengagedinwalkingmeditationaswell,eachtimethesoleofthefoottouchesthegroundtheyogiwillnotethecontactbetweentheskinandtheground,andalsothemindthatnoted it,as twoseparateevents.Similarly theywillnotethatatthepointofcontactthegroundishotandthatthefootiscold(orcoarse/smoothorwet/dry)andeach

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timetheywillnotethemindthatnotedthesedifferences.Previouslytheyogiwouldhavebeenoblivioustotheseex-periences.

Thissameexperienceatthefeet/groundorbreath/nostrilcanbeappliedtoeachsense-door,i.e.soundwavesmakingcontactwiththeeardrum(rūpa dhamma)andthenhearingtakesplace;acolourfulobjectmakingcontactwiththeeyeandseeingtakesplace.Whenwenotethissensorytransac-tion(hearingorseeing)asitoccurswithourminds(nāma dhamma),thenwehavenotednāmaandrūpaseparately.Thesamecanbeappliedtothenose/smelling,tongue/tast-ing,skin/touching,mind/thinking all thetime.Duringev-erygivenmoment,thereisasense-object(rūpa)meetingasense-door(rūpa)andtheresultanteventofseeing/hear-ing/smellingetcoccurallthetime,butusuallythieseevntsgounnoticed.Butif,withrepeatedpracticewemaintainthemomentumofknowing(nāma)thistransactionandnotingnāma-rūpaseparatelythroughouttheday,wewillsuccess-fullydeal repeatedblowstoourself-view (sakkāya diţţhi)thusgraduallyhinderingitspotency.Theabilitytoseetherūpaandnāmaastwoseparateentitiesmeansthattheyo-gi’satta diţţhiissystematicallygettingdestroyed.Hencethereluctanceof theyogi tocontinue thisnotingexperience.Thisiswhydoubtsetsinastowhethertheyaredoingthecorrectthingornot.Theyogiwillfeeldistinctlyuncomfort-ableandnauseous,andwouldmuchratheravoiddoingit.

Realizingthenāma-rūpa paricceda ñānaistoknowthatev-ery transaction ismadeof at least two components andthatthejīva ātta ditthiisnotonesolidorcompactunitaswepreviouslybelieved.Wecanapplythisunderstandingtosittingmeditation,towalkingmeditationandtoeveryactiv-ity inourdaily lives.Apopular teaching inZenBuddhismistotryandhearthesoundofaclapusingonehand.This

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would not be possible becausewithout two hands therewouldbenoclapandthereforenosound.Whentheyogiexperientiallyunderstandsthistheywillnotbeattachedorcling to aparticular sensory input. Ifwhenanobjecthitstheeye, ifwemindfullynotethat transactionas itoccursas‘seeing’thenwewillnotclingtoitandourtendencytoindulgeinthatobjectwillnotarise.Similarlywheneating,ifwenoteeverydistinctflavoras‘sweet’,bitter’,‘sour’etc,thenwewillbecompletelyawareoftheactivityofeatingandalsowewillnotgreedilyovereat.Inthismanner,withsteadfast mindfulness if we note the nāma-rūpa in eachsensoryactivity,suchayogiwillhavelessobstaclestotheirmeditation.

If a yogi hasmastered this knowledge successfully, theywouldbeablemeditatewitheaseunderanycircumstanceandnotbedistractedbyalwayswantingdeepstatesofcon-centration.Theywouldknowhowtousetheconcentrationthey develop (citta-visuddhi ) towards achieving ditthi vi-suddhi - i.e. learning tonotenāma-rūpa ineach sensorytransaction even in themidst of noise andother activity.Duringānāpānasatitheyogiwill ‘know’whenthemindiselsewhereandtheywill‘know’eachsoundandeachpainastheyoccur,butwillreverttheirattentionbacktothebreathandnotbedisturbed.Thustheyogiwillgainexperienceandmaturityinthisexercise,andwillgraduallyincorporateintothedailyliving.Suchayogiisastudentofvipassanāprac-tise.

When contact (phassa) occurs with each sensory organ(salāyatana),sensations(vedanā)willbeexperienced.

Salāyatana paccaya phasso, phassa paccaya vedanā…thisishowitismentionedinthePaţiccasamuppāda.

Inthecaseofānāpānasati,theskinsurface(kāya prasāda)

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anddraftof air (phottabba rūpa) have to come into con-tactwitheachotherforusto‘know’theinorout-breath.Butwhenthistransactionoccursifourmindiswanderingelsewherewewillnot ‘know’ thisevent.Or ifweareen-gagedwithsomesoundsorsightsatthatmoment,wewillfail to ‘know’ this. Ifwe are successful in ‘knowing’ eachinandout-breathaswetakeit,then,wehaveachievedalot.Wemustrealizethatuntilthepointwhenasensoryim-pingementmakes contactwith the senseorgan (until themoment before phassa occurs), our minds are pure andnotdefiled. It isonlywhencontact ismadeand ifweareunawareofthistransaction,sensations(vedanā)arise,andwith that tanhā (craving), upādāna (clinging) and so on.This ishowtheimpuritiesanddefilementsaregenerated.Whereas,ifwithsubtleandsharpmindfulnesswenotethesensorytransactionasitoccurs,likenotingeachbreathasitmanifests, then therewould be notime for any defile-mentslikegreed,conceitandself-view(tanhā, māna, diţţhi) tobeestablished.Thiskeepsourmindpure.Someteachersdescribethisphenomenaas ‘thinslicingoftime’. Itusu-ally takes about four/five thought-moments (cittakkhana)topassaftermakingtheinitialcontact,andforourmindstoregistereverysensetransaction.Thisisduetothecoarse-nessofourminds.Whereasifweareableto‘slicethetime’thinlythenwemaygraspthisclearly.

Appamādameans ‘knowing’ the transactionbefore thosefour/fivethought-moments,i.e.knowingthetransactionasitoccurs.Duringānāpānasati,itmeans‘knowing’eachinorout-breathasandwhenitoccurswithoutanydelayatall.Duringwalkingmeditationitmeans‘knowing’thecontacttheright/leftfootmakeswiththegroundasitoccurs.TheBuddhaadvisedustonotethebeginningofeachbreath–the very startof the in-breathbefore it overtlymanifests

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asafull-blownswellingwithinthenasalcavity.Iftheyogisucceeds in noting each successive breath repeatedly, atits veryonset, thenyoniso-manasikāra or radical/wiseat-tentionhasbeenestablished,andtheyogihasrealizedthePaccaya pariggaha-ñānaorDhammaţţi-ñāna-thesecondvipassanāknowledge.Whenayogireachesthisstageofun-derstandingthentheywouldhavegainedthespiritualma-turityneededtounderstandexperientially,thedoctrineofthePaţiccasamuppāda.UntilthatpointitwouldsimplybeameretheoreticalunderstandingofthisdeepDhamma.

TheBuddhasaidthatseeingeveryevent(e.g.in/outbreath,eachstepduringwalking)exactlyattheverybeginninganduntiltheveryend,willhelpustoeventuallyseethingsasthey really are.Whatweexperiencewithour coarse andunenlightenedmindsareeventsordifferentsensorytrans-actionsaftertheyhaveoccurred,i.e.aftertheyhaveunder-gonesometransformationandaftertheyhavebeen‘madeup’ or ‘disguised’. Andwe always believe that these ‘dra-mas’and‘actors’arereal.Thisisbecauseweneverpausewithmindfulnessandwisdomtoseetheactualnatureofanyevent.

TheBuddhareferstothisdhammaphenomenonwhenheexclaimed the Udāna (inspiredutterance)on thenightofhisEnlightenment.Hesaidthathehadtraveledinsamsāra foraeonsbelievingwhathesaworexperiencedafterithadbecomeestablishedandnot at the verybeginningof theevent, becausehenever knew to look forultimate truth.Hethensaidthathefinallylearnttolookfortheoriginandthenhefoundthebuilder of this ‘house’:Anekajāti samsāram sandhāvissam anibbisamGahakārakam gavesanto: dukkhā jāti punappunamGahakāraka diţţo’si puna geham na khāhasi,Sabbā te phāsukā bhaggā, gahakūtam visamkitham;Visankhāragatam cittam tanhānam khayam ajjhagā

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(ThroughmanyabirthinsamsārahaveIwanderedinvain,seekingthebuilderofthis‘house’.Repeatedbirthisindeedsuffering!Ohouse-builder,youareseen!Youwillnotbuildthishouseagain. Forall your raftersarebrokenandyourridge-pole shattered.Mymind has reached the uncondi-tioned: Ihaveattained thedestructionof cravings–Bud-dha’s ‘Song of Victory’ – Dhammapada 153-154)

Seeing the beginning of each breath before it manifestsneedsaverysharpandsubtletypeofmindfulness.Ideally,theyogiwouldwatchforthemomentbeforethebeginningofthein/out–breath.Thentheyogiwillseehowtheinitialphaseof thebreathcommences, frombeingvery refinedtograduallybecomingcoarse.Thiswouldbelikepatientlywatchingtheskybeforetheonsetofthesunrise,andseeinghowthesungraduallyemerges.TheBuddha,duringthefirstwatchofthenightofhisenlightenment(i.e.between6.00–10.00pm)reflectedonthepaţiccasamuppāda inascend-ingorder– to reflecton theknowndhammaby startingfromtheunknown.Andhethoughtoftracingeverybreathtoitsverybeginningandjustbeforethat,whentheinten-tion(cetana)totakethein-breathhasbeenoccurred.TheBuddhaventuredtoseetheverybeginningofeveryeventandrealizedthateach‘event’inourlivesoccurredduetoa‘cause’andnotduetoanyotherexternalinfluenceorforceordueanaccident.Duetoeach‘cause’therewillbethe‘effect’.Andthisindeedistheteachinginthepaţiccasamuppāda:

Iti imasmim sati asmin satiImassuppada idamm…

VenerableAssaji’s teaching to the BrahmanUpatissa (thefutureVenerableSāriputta),describedthissameteaching.:

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Ye dhammā hetuppabhavā

tesam hetum tathāgatho āha,

tesañ ca yo nirodho

evamvādī mahāsamano

(Ofthosethingsthatarisefromacause,TheThathāgathahastoldthecause,Andalsowhattheircessationis;ThisisthedoctrineoftheGreatRecluse)

TheBuddhagoes further toexplain that ifone isable torepeatedlyseethecessation(nirodha)ofwhatarose,then,andonlythentheywouldseenibbāna.Thisrequiresanex-ceptionallystrongmindfulness.

It is common knowledge that everyone likes to see thebeginningofthings–for instancethebirthofababyorabloomingflower.Noonelikestoseeadeathofapersonorafadingflower.ThereforetheBuddhaskillfullyencouragestheyogi tofirstsee thearisingofevents (in thiscase thein/out-breath)and thengraduallyheencourages theyogitowatchtheinevitablecessationofthesamebreath.Thisteachingpavesthewaytoseenirodhaandtherebyrealiza-tionofnibbāna.

Thisdoctrineisdiametricallyopposedtothetraditionalsci-entificteachingswhichusereductionismasthebasisofar-rivingatthecauseofdiseaseoranyotheractivity.TheBud-dha’steachingonthepaţiccasamuppādaisbasedonthefundamental ‘cause and effect’ doctrine – avijjā paccaya sankhāra–ignoranceisthecauseofformations,andthenshows thatwith the removalof ignorance the formationscease.Thisisaveryholisticteaching.

During the second insight knowledge (paccaya pariggaha ñāna)theyogiunderstandsthisexperientiallybecausethey

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seethearisingandtheceasingofeachbreathortheriseand fall of the abdomen, clearly. But when the yogi ap-proachesthethirdinsightknowledge–sammassana ñāna– they see thebeginning,middle andendof eachevent.Thisisanextremelyvaluableexperience.Duringthefourthstage of purification, kańkhāvitaraņa-visuddhi (purifica-tionbyovercomingdoubt)alldoubtsthatmayexistaboutthecauseorarisingofeventsaredispelled.Theyogireal-izesthateverythinghappensduetoacause,andnotduetosomeexternalperson,creator-godorsomeotherforce.Toarriveatthisrealizationtheyogishouldhavenecessarilypassedthestagesofpurification-sīla-visuddhi, citta-visud-dhianddiţţi-visuddhi,andtheoreticalknowledgealonewillnotbesufficient.

However, inordertoreachthisstageof practicetheyogishouldbeable toencounterall sensory transactionswithdetachedmindfulnessorchoicelessawareness.Theywouldalsohaveadequate sense-restraintandwouldhaveprac-ticed,‘in the seeing let there be only the seeing’ –thepopu-larteachinggivenbytheBuddhatoBahiya(SN).Theyogishouldhaveasufficientamountof theoreticalknowledge(suta-mayā ñāna)toappreciatethisprofounddhammaandtounderstanditsrelationshiptothepracticeofmeditation.

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Dhamma Talk 2Katamoca bhikkhave paţiccasamuppādo?

Avijjāpaccayā sankhārā, sankhārapaccayā viññānamviññānapaccayā nāma-rupam, nāma-rupa paccayā salāyatanamsalāyatanāpaccayā phasso, phassapaccayā vedanāvedanāpaccayā tanhā, tanhāpaccayā upādānamupādāna paccayā bhavo, bhavapaccayā jātijātipaccayā jarāmaranam soka-parideva-dukkha-domanassa-upāyāsā sambavanti.

‘Bhikkhus,whatismeantbythedoctrinaltitlePaţiccasamuppāda?

Itmeansthat:

Withignoranceascondition,volitionalformations cometobe;

Withvolitionalformationsasconditionconsciousness comestobe;

Withconsciousnessasconditionmentality-materiality cometobe;

Withmentality-materialityasconditionthesixsense basescometobe;

Withthesixsensebasesasconditioncontactcomes

tobe;

Withcontactasconditionfeelingcomestobe;

Withfeelingasconditioncravingcomestobe;

Withcravingasconditionclingingcomestobe;

Withclingingasconditionexistencecomestobe;

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Withexistenceasconditionbirthcomestobe;

Withbirthascondition,aginganddeath,

sorrow,lamentation,pain,displeasureanddespair cometobe.

Suchistheoriginofthiswholemassofsuffering’.

ThePaţiccasamuppādacanbedescribedinonephrase:‘conditioned or dependant origination’, i.e. it is becauseof ignorance (avijjā) that volitional formations (sankhāra)cometobeetc. Inthismannerthetwelvelinksthatcom-prisethisdoctrinehasbeendescribed.This isessential inunderstandingtheBuddha’steachingofnon-self (anattā),becauseinotherfaithsthecauseofanythingisattributedtoanunseenandnon-verifiablecreator-god.Thisbeliefhasbeen questioned by certain Buddhists and they ask ‘whowasresponsibleforthecreationofthecreator-god?’Simi-larly,non-Buddhistsandthosewhochallengethedoctrineof thePaţiccasamuppāda question theoriginof thefirstlinkofthischain-ignorance.

Theyask‘wheredidavijjā (ignorance) originatefrom?’

Theanswertothatis:fromtaintsorcankers(āsava).

Āsava samudayā avijjā samudayo,

āsava nirodho avijjā nirodhā

(Withthearisingoftaints,ignorancearisesWiththecessationoftaints,ignoranceceases)

Thenthequestionisposed:howdotaintsarise?

Theansweris,duetoignorance.Nowwecanseethein-terdependencebetweenthetaintsandignorance.Yet,those

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withconfidenceandfaith(saddhā)intheBuddha,Dham-ma,Sanghaacceptthatavijjā istherootcauseandthefirstlinktothischainofdependantorigination.Thereforeeachtime formationsor volition ( sankhāra) are formed, theyareformedwithoutourknowledge. Duringourtravels insamsārawehaverepeatedlycreatedsankhāraduetoavijjā.Sankhāra (formations/preparations) and cetanā (volition)aredescribedassynonymsinthePali Canon. Therefore,ifatanygivenmomentwecreatecetanā,thatisentirelyduetoavijjā.Thereforeallnewthoughts,ideasandcreationsthatweentertainareentirelyduetoavijjā.Wedon’trealizethisbecausewefeelthatsomesankhāra orcetanāaregoodorwholesomeandthatonlysomeareunwholesome.

WelearnthiswhenstudyingBuddhismandtendtobe-lievethatsomecategoriesofcetanā/sankhāraareactuallygoodorwholesome.

Sankhāra is a criticalbut complicated termtounder-stand.IntheBuddha’steachingsaswereadinthePāliCan-onsankhāraaredescribedinseveralwaysandaccordingtocontextithasdifferentshadesofmeaning.

1.Formationsorsankhāra,withreferenceto meritorious‘kamma-formations’(puññ’ābhisankhāra), de-meritorious‘kamma-formations’ (apuññ’ābhisankhāra)andthosewhichdon’tbelong toeitherortheimpertubles(āneñj’ābhisankhāra).

2.Assankhārakhandha–thefourthgroupofex istence(nāma dhamma)referredtowhen describingthefiveaggregates-khandas (rūpa,vedanā,sañña,sankhāra, viññāna)

3.Itincludesallthingsformed(sankhata)andconditioned, andincludesallphenomenaofexistence.

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Hencethefamousline–sabbe sankhāra dukkha, sabbe sankhāra anicca

(All formations/preparations lead to suffering. All for-mations/preparationsareimpermanent)

However, when understanding the Paţiccasamuppāda we learn that, a yogi established in purification by virtue(sīla-visuddhi) first,andthenpurificationofthemind(cit-ta visuddhi) and thereafter thepurificationofview (diţţhi -visuddhi), will approach the fourth stage of purificationofdoubt - (kankhāvitarana-visuddhi). It isonly then thattheywillexperientiallyrealizethatalltypesofcetanāandsankhāra will lengthen our journey in samsāra and notshorten it.Our taskwouldbe tofirst, tryandunderstandthistruthatleasttheoreticallyandsubsequentlyseeifwecan arrive at this realization during our meditation prac-tice.ThereforeIthinkitisimportanttounderstandthetwotermsavijjāandsankhārawithsomedepth.

When describing sankhāra as one of the five aggre-gates (khandas)–rūpa, vedanā, saññā, sankhāra, viññāna - sankhāraisoneofthefiveaggregatesthatleadtocravingandclinging,andtherebygiverisetosufferinganddiscon-tent(i.e.dukkha). Sankhārainthiscontextrepresentsourlikes/dislikes, our addictions/preferences and our views,opinionsandpersonality traitswhichhelpus toconstructand protect the ‘I/me/mine’ concept. Our entire life isspentjustifyingandsafeguardingthis‘I/me/mine’conceptandwego through immense troubleandpain toachievethis task. However, we fail to pause a moment to see ifthiseternalbattlehelpsustoachievepeaceandtranquil-ityinthemind.Wefailtoexaminewithaclearmindastowhetherthisstruggleto justifyandprotectour ‘self-view’willbeofbenefittousinthelong-term.Mostpeoplecometothisrealizationandself-inquiryonlywhenfacedwiththe

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finalthought-momentatdeath.Atthiscriticaljuncture,ourpreferences and addictions don’t offer any form of helporsolace.This iswhytheBuddhaaskedustoexamineallsankhārawhilealiveandwitha clearmind.Thenwewillrealizethatthesesankhāraariseduetoan‘agenda’createdduetoavijjā.

WhentheBuddhapronounced:

‘’Sabbe Sankhāra Dukkha, Sabbe Sankhāra Anicca’’– even the deities are supposed to have shuddered. Thisisbecausethisstatement ismostdeepandprofoundanditclearlystatesthatallsankhāra leadtosuffering.Itshat-terstheperceptionof‘permanency’andmakesthosewiththedesiretoperpetuatetheirlivesandpersonalities,fear-ful.Thosewhoareaddictedtoandare intoxicatedbythenotion of everlasting sensual-gratification, their status insociety,wealthandpower,are joltedbythisstatementoftheBuddha.Becausethisdentstheirperceptionofwhatisconventionallyacceptedastruth.Whenweunderstandthatthesesankhāraareallcreatedasaresultofavijjāwebegintoquestiontheconceptof‘I/me/mine’andthetraitsthatwefamiliarlyreferredtoas‘mine’.Wethenbegintounder-standthatthesefiveaggregateswhichwecraveandclingto,eventuallygiveussufferingateverystageandthatthisishappeninginaccordancetoanagendathatwehavenotformulated.

Ifwearetoexaminethisfurtherandifwearetoexam-inethisteachingoftheBuddhausingvipassanā,weneedtoensurethatwehavefirstachievedtheinitialpurifications, i.e.sīla-visuddhi (perfectingourvirtueby subduing soci-etaltransgressions=vītikama kilesa)andcitta-visuddhi(bysuppressingthefivehindrances=pariyuttāna kilesa,either

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temporarilyorthroughjhānicexperiences).Itisonlyafterthese two preliminary purifications have been achievedthatthemeditatorcanrealizethatbeyondmentality-mate-riality( nāma-rūpa)thereisno‘self’orsoul(jīva ātma).Itisonlyafterthattheyogiwillbecomeeligibletounderstandthe paţiccasamuppādaatanexperientiallevel.Duringthefirsttwopurifications(sīla-visuddhiandcitta-visuddhi)theyogicanpractisebyobservingBuddhismasareligion.How-ever,aftertheyprogress intothedeeperpurifications likemaggāmaggañānadassana visuddhi and kankhāvitarana visuddhistages,thentheywouldneedtotakeuptheDham-mainsteadofBuddhismasareligion.Thentheywillbeca-pableofunderstandingthepaţiccasamuppādaandrealizethatavijjā isthesolereasonforthecreationofsankhāra,andthatthereforethelatterwillalwaysleadtosuffering.

Let us examine this termavijjā. This is commonlyde-scribed as ‘ignorance’, ‘foolishness’, ‘darkness’, ‘delusion’and a general lack of understanding. But more recentlyscholarshavegiventwofacestoavijjā – miccāpatipatti avijjā andappatipatti avijjā. Appatipatti avijjāmeans a lack ofworldlyknowledge.Miccāpatipatti avijjāmeansthebeliefthatwhatisincorrectiscorrect.Weusetheformertohidethe latter typeofavijjā and therefore the latterbecomesmoredangerous.Wewillhavetogothroughade-learningprocesstoberidofmiccāpatipatti avijjā.Invipssanāprac-tise,weaddressthisupfrontanddirectlyconfrontourowndefilements = kilesas by examining the vītikama kilesa, pariyuttāna kilesaandtheanusaya kilesa(dormantdefile-ments).Evenapersonwhoiswellendowedwithknowledgeandskills,andacademicorprofessionalachievementswillcontinuetohavethesetypesofdefilements,andwillthustraverse samsāra endlessly. Therefore, the Buddha urgedus todirectourattention to thisdangerous typeofavijja

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(miccāpatipatti avijjā)andtomakeallefforttoeradicateit.Similarly,ifwefeelthatnotknowingthetripitakaorthePāli languageisanobstacletolearningmeditation,thatiscom-pletelyunfounded. InfactscholarlyknowledgeabouttheDhammacanevenbeahindrancetolearningmeditation.

Everyone has some amount of conceit (māna) aboutwhoweareorwhatweare,oraboutknowledge/skillsthatwemaypossess.Weallhaveatendencyto‘measure’our-selves,asbeingbetterormoreknowledgeableorwiserthansomeothers.Oronthecontrarywemayfeelwearenotuptostandardandthatweare inferiortoanother, inoneormoreways.Allofthisisduetoourignorance.Asaresultof this,whenwe are presentedwith a variety of optionswehavethetendencytochooseandclingtowhateveriscompatiblewithourpersonalityandindividualpreferencesorouraddictions.Consequently,werejectmanyotherop-tions.Thispreferentialselectionisthewaywecreateforma-tions–sankhāra.Thereasonwhywepromptlyidentifyourpreferredoption, is becausewedon’t realize thatwearecreatingsankhāraintheprocessandthisisentirelyduetoavijjā. Avijjāpreventsusfromtakingabalancedandunbi-aseddecisioninrelationtothisselectionprocess.Thisisthedangerousrelationshipbetweenavijjāandsankhāra,andthisishowkammaisaccumulated.Evenifwearepresentedwithverywholesomeandspirituallyupliftingoptionsduetoourpaststoresofmerit,avijjāwillpreventusselectinganyofthoseandinsteaditwillmakeusselectanother.

Letusapplythissameprincipletoourmeditativeprac-tice.Atagiventimewehavetheoptionsofseeing,hear-ing,touching,tasting,smellingorthinking.Wehavetheeyeandform(rūpa)thatmeetstheeye(rūpa-rūpa),similarlytheearandsoundthatmeetstheear(sabbdha-rūpa),thetongueandtaste(rasa-rūpa),thenoseandsmell(gandha-

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rūpa),skinandtouch(phoţţhabba-rūpa),andthemindandthedhammathatmeetsthemind.However,wecan‘know’onlyonesensory transactionatagiventime,andwewillneverbeabletopredictwhichtransactionwilloccurduringtheverynextthought-moment(cittakkhana).Thechoicewemake aboutwhich sense object to choose at a givenmomentisentirelybeyondourcontrol.ThesimileIusetodescribethisphenomenonis,thatthemomentbeforelight-ningstrikesthereisnoindicationwhatsoeverthatlightningisabouttostrike.Noonecanpredictthatoccurrence.Theaviijāwehaveissopowerfulthatthereisnoopportunityforustopauseandreflectontheseindividualsensorytransac-tions,sincewehabituallyindulgeineachsensorytransac-tionassoonasitoccurs.

TheBuddhaadvisedustoattempttheexerciseofnotingeachsensorytransactionassoonas itoccurs,beforewebecomeold.Headvisedustositinseclusion,withoureyesclosed, inaplacewithminimalsoundsandsmells.There-after, theBuddhasaid tobring theyogi’sattentionto thebodyandtonotethebreathasitoccursnaturally.Duringthisexercisetheyogiwouldbeshuttingofffivesenseob-jects(includingthemind/thoughts,sincetheattentionwillbon thebody), and theywill entirely focuson thebreathandwhere it touches the bodymost prominently. This isanobleresearchexerciserecommendedbytheBuddha–anariya-paryeshana.Wethenrealizehowdifficultitistokeep themind inoneplace, in this instanceon thebody(kāyānupassana).Themindhabituallyrunsafterthoughts,sights,tastes,smellsandsounds.This isthenatureofthemind.Forlongithasbeenfedwithmultiplesenseimpres-sions,andithaslearnttopursueeverysenseimpingementassoonasitoccurs,habituallyindulginginoneormoreofthese.Thedifficultyof tamingsuchastubbornandobsti-

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natemindbecomesevidentonlywhenwetrytofocusononeobject.

This is a very distressing experience to a novice yogi.Eventhemosteducated,powerfulandmostaccomplishedyogiwillinvariablyfacethisfrustratingexperienceinitially.Theyogiwhohasalotofconceitandarrogancewillfinditmoredifficult to copewith this situation than the simpleyogiwho starts this processwith a lot of humility.Whenayogibeginstorealizethathehasnocontroloverwhichsenseobjectthemindwillnextchaseafter,hefeelshum-bled. But some yogis may feel defeated and remorsefulwithsuchanexperience.Withgentleencouragement theyogishouldattempttostaywithkāyānupassanaforawhilelonger.Theyogimaythenbegintorealizethathecanstaywiththebreathafewmomentslonger,maybeacoupleofbreathsmorethanthepreviousattempt.Thenagain dis-tractingthoughts,soundsandpainsmaydisturbtheyogi.Withdeterminationtheyshouldtrytostayawhile longerwiththebreath.Atacertainpointhewillrealizethatnowillordeterminationcanpreventthisstrayingmindandwearethencompelledtosurrendertothereality.

AvijjāissostrongandpowerfulthatitwillnotallowustotakethecorrectPath,butinsteadwewillcreateforma-tions(sankhāra)andcomplicateourjourneybytakingdif-ferentdiversions.Theskilledyogiwillunderstandthiswithwisdomandnotberemorseful.Suchayogiwill staywiththebreathasandwhenhecandespitesounds,painsandthoughtswithextremehumility.Iftheyogicancontinueinthismanner,afterawhilehewillnoticeadifferentfacetinthesankhāra.TheBuddhareferstothisas–passambhay-am kāyasankhāram assasissāmīti sikkhati. i.e,thethecalm-ingdownofthebreath.

AsIdescribedearlier,thetermsankhāra,accordingto

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contexthasdifferentshadesofmeaning.

In the case of the meditator’s vocabulary, the Bud-dha gives a subtle meaning to the word sankhāra i.e.- kāya sankhāra, vaci sankhāra andmano sankhāra. Kāya sankhāra is described as the breath. Passambhayam kāyasankhāramisthecalmingofthebreath–alsoreferredtoaskāya sankhāra samatha.Thisisasignificantachieve-mentandisacommonfeaturetoavipassanāyogiaswellasasamathapractitioner.Itshouldalsobenotedthatvacī sankhāra (i.e.vitakka, vicāraor internalchatter,wordfor-mations)alsocalmsdownwhenthisstate is reached.Butwemustrememberthatwhencontemplationorlabelingofthein/out-breathisdone,thatisalso vitakkaandvicāra,oraformofinternalchatter.

Vitakka=Focusingattentiononthein/out-breath

Vicāra=Knowingthein-breathasthein-breathandthe out-breathastheout-breath,andnotvice-versa. It’saformofinvestigativeknowledge.

Meditators(samathaaswellasvipassanāpractitioners)canusethesedhammasastools.Buttheyshouldknowthedifferencebetweensammā vitakkaandmiccā vitakka,andsimilarlysammā vicāraandmiccā vicāra. Iftheyogifindsthathismindisdiscursiveandthatitisdifficulttopreventfromstraying,thenhecancontemplateontheinandout-breath, i.e. use sammā vitakka, sammā vicāra. But yogiswill realize that when ānāpānasati becomes very refinedandsubtle,contemplationonthebreathbecomesdifficult.Similarly,itbecomesdifficulttoidentifythecharacteristicsoftheinandout-breath.Initially,theyogiwilldescribethisphenomenon as onewhere he can’t identify the in fromthe out-breath. If the yogi is unaware of kāya sankhāra,

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vaci sankhāra samatha, (that this is the natural calmingofbodilyandverbalformations)hemayinterpretthisoc-currenceasalossofsati orsamādhi.Apersonwhohasnoclearunderstandingaboutsankhāra,orsomeonewhohasidentifiedsankhārawith hispersonality,preferencesandaddictions,will beanxiouswhenthekāya sankhāra,vaci sankhārabegintoceaseandwhenthein/out-breathbe-come indistinct. Such a personwill voluntarily takemanydeepbreaths,becausethecoarsebreathfeels like‘home’intermsoffamiliarity,ratherthanthesubtle andrefinedbreath.Infact,the‘disappearance’ofthebreathmayseemlikeamistake inthemeditationpracticeandthereforehewillneverallowthebreathtobecomecalm,insteadhewillkeepcontemplatingthein/out-breath.

Ontheotherhand,ifsuchameditatorallowsthebreathtonaturallysettledownhemayfallasleeporhemaystartdoubtingastowhetherhewillfaintorgetastrokeorgetparalysed.

Duetooneormoreoftheabove,suchameditatorwillnotallowthenaturalcessationofthein/out-breathorkāya-sankhāra samatha,vaci- sankhāra samatha.Thisisreferredtoasmiccā patipatthi avijjā–thebeliefthatwhatisincor-rectisinfactcorrect.Thiswillalwayshindertheprogressofmeditation.ThisistheimportanceoflisteningtotheDham-maandunderstandingthatduringānāpānasatiwhenthebreathbecomescalmandrefined,andwhenthemeditatorisnotdisturbedbythesensoryimpingementsandthemindturnsinwards,citta-visuddhi(purificationofmind)willen-sue.

Whenkāya sankhāra, vaci -sankhāra ceases theneedforoxygenalsolessensandthebreathcalmsdownsignifi-cantly.Thedifferencespreviouslyexperiencedbetweentheinandout-breathalsodiminishes.Teachersadvisethatyo-

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gisshouldbepreparedforthisexperience,byinitiallynot-ing the characteristics of the in and out-breath well andthennotethetransformationthatoccursineachbreath.

Asimilethatcanbeusedtodescribethisphenomenaiswhenuncookedriceandwaterareplacedinapot,andmadetoboil. Initiallythericeandwaterareseparateanddiscrete fromone another. But once thewater begins toboil,thericecooks in itandendsupasaporridgecalledcunjee.The inandout-breaths, ina similar fashionceaseto be discrete from one another and vitakka and vicāracease.Thisiscorrectandisdescribedas kāya sankhāra sa-matha-calmingofbodilyformations,i.e,Passambhayam kāyasankhāramorthecalmingofthebreathissignificantprogressinmeditation.Unfortunately,theunpreparedyogiwillnotappreciateandmasterthisexperience,butinstead,theywillbreathedeeplyorfallasleeporstopthemedita-tiondue todoubt. Theseare allmanifestationsofmiccā patipatthi avijjā.TheBuddhahassaidthatunlessthemedi-tatorhasfollowedtheadviceofateacher(parathogosha),itwillbeextremelydifficulttobecomefreeofthesedoubts,andthathemaystagnateinthepractise.

Such a meditator would have perfected sīla-visuddhi andthefactorsneededforcitta-visuddhiarealsoinplace,butthediţţhiisincorrect,andthisiswhytheyogibelievesthattakingdeepbreathsisthecorrectstep.Ifhowever,theyogimastersthecorrecttechniqueaftermanymistakesandisablewatchthecalmingofthebreath(kāya sankhāra sa-matha)withabalanced,undisturbedmindthenitwillbeahugeachievement.Thiswouldalsomeanthattheyogihasmasteredkāyānupassana.Itisonlysuchayogithatwouldqualifytobegintheexerciseoncitta sankhāra,i.e,vedanā andsañña(feelingsandperceptions).

InsuttassuchasĀnāpānasati sutta, Girimānanda sutta,

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Satipatthāna sutta, the section on kāyānupassana is de-scribedas:

Dīgham vā assasanto, Dīgham assasāmī ti pajānāti

Dīgham vā passasanto, Dīgham passasāmī ti pajānāti

(When breathing in a long breath, he knows: ‘I ambreathing in a long breath’. When breathing in a shortbreath,heknows:Iambreathinginashortbreath’)

Rassam vā assasanto, Rassam assasāmī ti pajānāti

Rassam vā passasanto, Rassam passasāmī ti pajānāti

(When breathing out a long breath, he knows: ‘I ambreathingouta longbreath’.Whenbreathingouta shortbreath,heknows:Iambreathingoutashortbreath’)

Sabbakāya paţisamvedī assasissāmī’tī sikkhati

Sabbakāya paţisamvedī passasissāmī’tī sikkhati

(Whenbreathingheistotallyawareoftheentirebreathasiffacetofacewiththeentiretyoftheinbreathandoutbreath).

Atthisstagetheyogiisabletokeephisattentioncontin-uouslyonthebreath,despitesounds,painsandthoughts.Thereaftertheyogimaystarttonotfeelthebreath.Hemayfindtheinandoutbreathindistinctandverysubtle.Thisisreferredtoas:

Passambhayam kayasankhāram assasissāmī’tī sikkhati

Passambhayam kayasankhāramp assasissāmī’tī sikkhati

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(Calming theentireprocess I shallbreathe in,calmingtheentireprocessIshallbreatheout)

This iswhentheyogifeelsuncomfortableandrestlessand may even feel frightened about what may happennext.Teachersadvisetheyogitocontinuewithmeditationdisregarding the discomfort hemay feel, and advise thatthisisastagewhensankhāraarelesseningandwhereavijjāis diminishing, andhowone should appreciate this as animportantstageinone’smeditationpractice.Iftheyogicanremaininthissituationandlearntoappreciatethisstateofbeingdisconnectedwiththesensualworld,itisreferredtoasnirāmisa sukkha–asopposedtoāmisa sukkha.Forthefirsttimetheyogiwillnotbebombardedbythesixsenseworldanditsimpingements.

Thisisdescribedas:

Pītipatisamvedī assasissāmī’tī sikkhati

Pītipatisamvedī passasissāmī’tī sikkhati

Sukhapatisamvedī assasissāmī’tī sikkhati

Sukhapatisamvedī passasissāmī’tī sikkhati

(Experiencing rapture, I shall breathe in, experiencingraptureIshallbreatheout.Experiencingbliss,Ishallbreathein,experiencingblissIshallbreatheout)

Thereafter, the yogi will experience a new situationwhere he is faced with various phenomena at the mindlevel.

Cittasankhāra paţisamvedi assasissāmī’tī sikkhati

Cittasankhāra paţisamvedi passasissāmī’tī sikkhati

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(Experiencingmental formations (feelingsandpercep-tions) I will breathe in, Experiencing mental formations-feelingsandperceptions-Iwillbreatheout)

Inthissituationtheyogiunderstandsthatalthoughthesix sense impingements are not in force, he knows thatwithinthemindtherearecertaindhammasthataremani-festing.Thesedhammasdonotmanifestwhenthesixsenseworldisinoperation.Thesearethenāmadhammathatwehavebroughtwithus insamsāra,namely vedanā, saññā andsankhāra.Thesemaybe images thatarestrangeandinappropriate,depictingpeople,situationsorevents.Simi-larlytheyogimayhearbizarresounds,smellstrangeodoursandsoon.Theseimages,thoughtsorsoundsmayhavenoconnectionwithoneanotherandmayseemtotallyoutofplace. If the yogi claims ownership to thesemental phe-nomenaas‘mine,meorI’thenitwillbeverydisconcertinganddistressing,andmayleadtoremorseanddoubtintheyogi’smind.

The Buddha advised such a yogi who has masteredkāyānupassanā and achieved kāya sankhāra samatha,that he has now ‘graduated’ to the state where he isface to face with the mind, and its manifestations i.e .Cittasankhāra.Thesemanifestwithoutanyintentionorvoli-tion–asanskhārikha-onthepartoftheyogiandthereforetheBuddhaadvisedusnottoclaimtheseasme/mine.Butourignorancealwayspreventsusfromdisclaiming.Thesearewhat theyogihad stored in thedeep recessesof themind and theyarenowgettinganopportunity tobeex-posed.Thisisaveryhealthysituation,ahealingprocessandatimewhenunwanted‘storagebins’arebeingcleaned.In-steadofunderstandingthis,iftheyogireactsandrespondsto thesemanifestations,hewill notprogress inhismedi-tation. Please remember that these cittasankhāra come

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andgouninvited,andweshouldn’tgetdisturbed. Justasmuchas theskydoesnotgetaffectedby theclouds thatpassbyorjustasmuchasthesilverscreeninthecinemawill not get scorchedby the sceneof a ragingfire that isprojectedonto it, theyogishoulddisclaimallsuchmani-festationsand remainunaffected. It isonly ifwe react tothesecittasankhāra,thatwewillactivateourkilesa andcol-lectkammaand ifwedoso,then it isentirelyduetothemiccāpatipatti avijjā.Inthisstageofthemeditationpractisethe yogi is taught to simply sit by the sideof a river andonlywatchtheriverflow.Donotattempttoputthefingersin thewater, because theywill getwet and the flowwillgetdisturbed.Simplywatchingtheflowingwaterwithnoreactionisthemostsignificantdāna pāramitha(perfectionongenerosity)onecanaccomplish.Wettingthefingersanddisturbingthewateristhecreationofsankhāra.

At this stage the yogi will realize that everything ismind-made and mind-created, and may even wonder ifhewasdreaming.Butiftheyogiwaitswithpatience,thesecittasankhāra toowillcalmdownandcease.ThiswastheadvisetheBuddhagaveus.Duringthiscrucialstageinourmeditationwemustensureoursīlaisperfectandthatwehavenoconceit(māna)–eithersuperiororinferioritycom-plexes.Theyogi’smentalhealthshouldbeperfect.Ifontheotherhandwehavemiccāpatipatti avijjā,miccā diţţhiandayonisōmanasikāra(wrongviewandunwiseattention)theyogiwill notprogress further.During this stage theyogi’sfaith(saddhā)towardstheBuddhamustbenotsuperficial(amūlika saddhā, prasāda saddhā)but it shouldbe deepandpenetrativesaddhā(okappana saddhā).ThattheBud-dhataughtuswhatheexperiencedandthatitleadstothebettermentofhumanity,needs tobeunderstoodandap-preciated. Therefore the yogi should have immense faith

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and confidence in theBuddha, andbewilling to sacrificeanythingforthisDhamma.

The cetasika called adhimokkha – which makes theyogiknowthatthis is indeedthecorrectPath–beginstotakeroot.Hethenknows,whencittasankhāraceasewhatupekkha (equanimity) reallymeans and the high level ofsati experienced. He begins to understand that nibbānacan be experienced when sankhāra ceases, at least at atheoretical levelandthatthecessationofall formations-Sabba sankhāra samatha is realizable. Cittasankhāra ormanosankhāra(i.e.vedanāandsaññā)aremoresubtleandmoredifficult toencounter since theyarenotcoarseandobvious like kāya sankhāra and vaci sankhāra. The Bud-dha’steachingistoallowthesetoappearandsimplywatchand let go. Someyogismay feel that they should engageinothermeditationsat thisstage,suchas contemplatingon impurities of the body (asubha bhāvanā) or the Bud-dha’s qualities (Buddhānussati) or contemplateon imper-manence,sufferingandnon-self(anicca, dukkha, anattā)orengageinlovingkindnessmeditation(metta bhavanā).Allsuchmeditationsorreflectionswillbecreatingformations(sankhāra )atthisstageandwillonlylengthenourjourneyinsamsāraandnotshortenit. Allwhatweneedtodoatthisstageinourmeditation,istonotdoanything.Weneedtosimplywatchthecalmingdownofallsankhāra.Butthatbecomes themostdifficult thing.Our tanha, māna, diţţhiwillpreventusfromremaininginactiveduringthisstage.Ifouraimistoparalyseandrenderinert,tanha, māna, diţţhithenweshouldbedeterminedtonotrespondinanywayorclaimasme/mine,whenCittasankhāramanifestduringthedeeperstagesofmeditation.

WeneedtovalueandappreciatetheTheravādatradi-tion,sinceeachmilestoneencounteredduringayogi’smed-

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itativePathhasbeenclearlyoutlined,sothatthedirectionsareveryclearandunambiguous.Thepitfallsinthejourneyhave also been identified. Unfortunately, this teaching isnotappreciatedbymany.Insteadofdevelopingone’sownpracticeinaccordancewiththispreciousteaching;ritualis-ticpractices,Bodhitreepujaandsimilaractivitieslikeflagcarryingandbellringinghavetakenprecedence.Wehavealsolosttheabilitytotolerateotherreligiousworshipandprayers,andevencompetitivepārittachantinghasbeenre-sortedtoincertainplaces.Thisisjusttheoppositeofwhatistaughtinrelationtocalmingtheformations.

Until the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa Kingdoms,theTheravādatraditionandtheDhammahadbeeninprac-tice.Yetafterforeigninvasionsandtheprominencegiventoindulginginsensualpleasures,andthepursuanceoffameandfortune,themeditationpracticefellintosecondplace.Religion took precedence and the Dhamma took secondplace. Miccāpatipatti avijjā became fullblownand ram-pant. AnyonewhoknewthetripitakabymemoryorwasabletogiveDhammaTalkseffectivelywasheldinhighes-teem, even though such a person’s virtue, concentrationandwisdom(sīla, samādhi, paññā)werenotoptimal.Likegivingprecedencetoaddressingthelackofworldlyknowl-edge(appatipatti avijjā),similarlyReligionwasgivenahigh-erplacethantheDhamma.

Mypreceptorandteacher,VenerableŇānārāmaunder-tookextensiveresearchtoseehowandatwhichpointtheVidarshana Lineagegotextinct.Hediscoveredthatafteraseriousstruggleandgreathardship,theVidarshana Lineagebecamenon-existentamongsttheSinhalaBuddhistsinthiscountry.VenerableŇānārāmawasordainedin1913attheageofthirteen.Formanyyearshevisitedancientmonas-teries,readvolumesofolaleavesanddiscussedwithmany

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peopleaboutthepossibilityofrevivingtheVidarshanaprac-tise.Butfromeveryoneheonlygotanegativeanswer.Thelackofteachers,thelackofaprecedinggenerationofprac-titionersandthelackofconfidenceofapossibleresurgenceoftheVidarshanapractise,werethereasonsthattheycit-ed.Thosepeoplefeltcomfortableinkeepingtheirsīlaonlyand not attempting any furthermeditative development.However,subsequently,withtheadviceandguidancefromtheBurmesemeditationmasters,VenerableŇānārāmawasabletorevivethistraditioninSriLanka.

Ifthemeditatorisclearlyadvisedontheroadmaponthe vipassana practise and if themiles stones aswell asthehurdlesandpitfallsareclearlyenumerated,andifheisadvisedonwhatismiccāpatipatti avijjāeventhoughtheyogimayhaveissuesconnectedtoappatipatti avijjā,thejourney will bea smoothone. SayadawUPandithahadinvitedVenerableŇānārāmatodocumentthisresearchandresurgence of the vipassana practise in Sri Lanka so thatfuturegenerationscanusetheseasguide lines. Inthefa-mousbook‘Vidarshana parapura’theevidenceofthemas-siveeffortmadebyVenerableŇānārāmaindocumentingthisforourbenefitisshown.Wefindthatuntilthisvaluablemeditationpracticewasdocumentedandreactivated,theonlypracticesengagedinwerethefourprotectivemedita-tionslikelovingkindness,virtuesoftheBuddha,impuritiesofthebodyandcontemplationondeath.ThosehadbeenpracticedasmererecitationsdonebeforethestatueoftheBuddha,andtherewasnorecordofjhānicpracticeseither.

Itwasinsuchamilieuthat,throughhisownexperienceVenerableŇānārāmataughtthatafterextensivelypractic-ingkāyānupassanā(eitherthoughānāpānasatiorriseandfall of the abdomen), the yogi should watch the calmingdownof theobject,e.g,breath,andallowkāya sankhāra

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samatha,tonaturallytakeplace.Hethenadvisesthat,al-thoughkāya sankhāra samatha has takenplace, the yogimust thenbeawareof thecittasankhāra that lieshiddenbeneaththecarpetandthat theknotty issues lie therein.Kāya sankhāra samathaisnotuniquetoBuddhismbecauseHindumeditators,Catholics, Islamicpractitionersandoth-ershaveallpracticedthis.ButnooneotherthantheBud-dhataughtthattheanusaya(dormantdefilementsthatliewithinthedeeperlayersofourminds)canbeobservedbyahumanbeing,andthatthis ispossibleafterameditatorcalms the bodily formations. However, the Buddha cau-tioned that certain conditions need to be fulfilled by theyogi in order to experience themanifestationofanusaya dhamma,andthatmasteringthetripitakawasnotoneofthem.Norisitessentialtoengageinritesandrituals,andceremonialworship. InfacttheNobleEightFoldPathandthe37EnlightenmentFactorsclearlyindicatethis.Inmyex-periencesuchritualisticworshipandactivitywillonlyham-per theprogress inmeditation, since theywould actuallyinterferewithcalmingtheformations–sankhāra samatha.

The yogi should therefore act with a lot of caution.Whilstswimmingupstream,andwhilstone’sownanusayawill attempt to surreptitiously veer the yogi in the direc-tionofpraise,fameandaccolades,withwisdomheshouldavoidfallingintothetrapbypretendingtonotsee,hearorunderstand.SuchayogiwillthenrealizethateventhoughhehadbeensuccessfulinKāya sankhāra samathathattheMiccāpatipatti avijjāplaysabigroleandthroughtheemer-genceofcittasankhārahewill feel challenged.This is theimportance of discussing themeditation practicewith anexperiencedkalyānamitta (parathogosha).Noonewillbeabletoresolvetheseriddlesonhisown.

The difference between science and sankhāra is that,

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the formerwill always require us to turn ourminds out-wardsand investigateexternally,oftenendingupwithnocompleteresult.Inthecaseofthelatter,theinvestigationisalwaysinternalwiththemindturninginwards,andifpur-sued with accuracy with the Buddha’s advise the resultsarereached.EventheBuddhahadtoundergoextensivere-searchforsixyearsbeforehefoundthetruth.ButthatwasaninternalsearchfortheNobleTruth-ariyapariyeshana.Todaywearemorethanprivileged.WehavetheBuddha’steaching clearly laid out before us, we have been fore-warnedabout thehurdleswecanencounteron thisPathandwehavepreciousopportunitiestolearntheDhammaandlearnthemeditativePath.Andwemaynevergettheseopportunitiesagain.

TheCommentariesurgeustostrengthenandrefinetheSpiritualFaculties–Indriya Dhamma–(saddhā, viriya, sati, samādhi, paññā)usingvariousmethodssothatwecanac-complishthisariyapariyeshanawithsuccess:

Sappāyakiriyāya sampādiţţhi–provideallnecessaryfa-cilitiestodevelopthemeditation.Sitformeditationdailyandallowthemeditationtogoasdeepaspossible.

Sācaccakiriyāya sampādiţţhi – meditate at the sametimeeveryday

Sātaccakiriyāya sampādiţţhi–themeditationshouldbedonewithgreatdevotionandcare

As long as sankhāra (kāya, vacī, mano/citta) are di-minishing, consider that the meditation is progressingwell and that it is helping to shorten samsāra. Any formofcollectionoraccumulation will increasesankhāra (e.g.wealth,status,assets,skills,thoughts,creations,merit)andtherebylengthensamsāra.Relinquishingorcessation(i.e.visankhāra)willshortensamsāra.Theyogiwillfeelasense

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ofimmenseloneliness,disorientationandmonotonyduringthisstageof thepractice.Manypeoplecan’t toleratethisandthereforewillopentheeyestosee ifeverything is inorderandintheprocesswillre-introducetheperceptionsthattheyogiiscomfortablewith.Thenatureofnibbānaisthatitisnotdecoratedbyanything,anditisnotdescribableinwords.Anditisnotpossibletoreachnibbāna usingthecauseandeffecttheory.Althoughtherealizationofcauseandeffectwillhelptheyogitogetclosetonibbānaitwillalwaysbea‘causeless’dhammathatwillpushtheyogito-wardsnibbāna.

DuringthefinerstagesofthemeditativePath,therea-sonwhywewishtobeconnectedwithfamiliarperceptions(saññā) is entirely due tomiccāpatipatti avijjā . The re-peated listening to saddhamma, continuouspractice, anddiscussions with teachers will help in this crucial stage.Watchingthecessationofcittasankhāraisanartwhichtheyogimustmaster.

This isextremelydifficultandhowtheBuddhadiscov-eredthisDhammaentirelyonhisownismorethanamys-tery.Moreover,howtheBuddha taught this complexandadvancedDhammatouninstructedworldlingslikeuswhospendourlivespursuingpleasuresofthesixsenses, is in-triguing. It isevenmore fascinatingto imaginehowthisDhammalastedfor2600yearsandhowithasbeentrans-mitted to those likeusbydedicatedbhikkhus andpracti-tioners.Yet,wegrumbleandcomplainabouttheslightestproblemsinrelationtoourpractice,andoftenhaveaverynegative attitude. This is a sad situation. But the Buddhaencouragesus to takeupthepracticewithvigourand in-stillstheurgencyforthisjourneywhichisakintoswimmingupstream–patisothagāmi.TheBuddhasaysthatsīla sikkhā andcitta sikkhāwehavealreadystartedonaretremendous

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achievements, and thatwe should appreciate those. Thefactthatwerealizethatavijjāandmiccādiţţhiarepresentinus,andthattheyneedtobeaddressedthroughaprocessofself inquiryandself realization, isa remarkablestep inthecorrectdirection.Thisisamanifestationofhumilityinayogi.

TheBuddha taught that thecessationofanythingsig-nalsthatsufferingisceasing.Allourcreationsandachieve-mentssofarhaveoccurredduetoourgreed,conceitandself-view(tanha, māna, diţţhi),andtheyhaveorwillcauseus to suffereventually. It isonlywith their cessation thatwewillseetheendofsuffering.Thisiswhyweteachyogistowatchthecessationofthebreathuntiltheveryend,be-causethismeansthatkāya sankhārawillhaveceased.Withabsolutealertnessandmindfulnessweshould watchthiscessationverycarefullywithno interference inanyway. Ifsounds,painsor thoughtsmanifestduring thisperiodweshouldnotbeworriedbutsimplywatchthemcease.Watch-ingthiscessationwithseriousalertness,isthePathtaughtbytheBuddha.

WhenVenerableKonañña(oneofthefiveasceticswhopracticed austerities with the Bodhisatva) heard the firstDhamma discourse (Dhammacacckapavatthana sutta) bytheBuddhaandreachedthefirststageofsainthood(sota-panna),heexclaimed:

‘Yamkinci samudaya dhammam

Sabbantham nirodha dhammam’

(Whateverdhammaarises,willbesubjecttocessation)

Therefore,justasmuchaseverysufferingwemeetwillcome to an end; every gain, praise, fortune and achieve-

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mentwemeetwill alsocome toanend.Nibbāna canbefoundatthecessation.

AsstatedinthePaţiccasamuppāda suttajustasmuchas-avijjāpaccayā sankhārā,(when ignorance comes to be-ing, formations come to being)-avijjā atteva asesa viraga nirodha…….When ignoranceceaseswithno residue left,formationsceasetobe.Onthenightofhisenlightenmentduringthefirstwatch,theBodhisatvainitiallyinvestigatedthe‘arising’ofalldhammas–hewatchedthearisingofthein-breathandthearisingoftheout-breath(rūpa dhamma),and then studied the causeof thearising and thearisingofeachin/out-breath. i.e.thecauseandeffectprinciple–nāma – rūpa dhamma.Thenhesawhoweverything thatarose(eg,the in/out-breath)ceased..This ishowtheBud-dhamasteredtheentirecycle(arising,middleandend)ofeachinandout-breath,andlearntthatnothinginthisuni-verseisnotsubjecttothedhammaphenomenon–uppādha paññāyati,vayo paññāyati ,titthassa añña.

Wegenerallydon’trealizethateverythingthatarisesissubject toceasing.This isbecausewehabitually seeonlythearising. Ifwealsopausetowatchthecessationofev-erything that arises,wewill then see the inevitable phe-nomenon that theBuddhaurgedus tosee.Watching thecessationisnotexcitingor interesting,andthis iswhywefailtodoso.

Duringthefirstvipassanāinsight(nāma rūpa paricceda ñāna) we see themiddle (coarse and prominent) of thearisenobject, e.g. in/out-breath. Inthesecondvipassanā insight(paccaya pariggaha ñāna)weseethearisingandthemiddleofthatsamephenomena.Inthethirdvipassanā insight(sammassara ñāna)wewillseetheentireobject,i.e.themiddle,thearisingandthecessation.However,theun-trainedmindwillonlyseethecoarse,middleofthebreath

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andwillmissthebeginningandtheend.Withmorepracticethe yogiwill begin to seewhere this coarsebreatharosefrom,i.e.thebeginningofthein/out-breath.Oncethemindgetsmoreandmoretrainedforthisexercise,theyogiwillthenbeabletotracethebreath, fromthemiddle, tothearisingandfinallytotheend–thecessationofthebreath(nirodha) . This iswhereone canfind theultimate truth.However,sinceweconventionallyonlylookforthearising,wefailtowatchthecessation,andthuswillalwaysescapefromseeingthetruth.

Justasmuchasavijjācausessankhāra ,thedayavijjā ceasessankhārawillalsocease.Thatwouldbethedaywewillstopallorcreationsandnewdevelopments.Weengageinallsuchactivitiesbecausewefindthepresentmomentunsatisfactory.Ifwearecontentandfulfilledwiththepres-entmoment,wewillnotwishfornewcreations.Itistheillwillandunhappinesswehavetowardsthepresentmomentthatmakesusembarkuponnewcreationsandnewprojectsandinnovations.ThereforetheBuddhaurgesustobecon-tentandbewiththepresent-momentatalltimes.Whenwewereveryyoungwehadnogreed,conceitorself-view,wewerehappybecausewehadnofutureprojectsorplansandwewerecontentwiththepresentmoment.Withadvancingageour greedandambition increased, andweareneversatisfiedwithwhateverwehave.Wealwayswantmoreandthatisduetoourignorance-aviijā.

Learn this dhamma thoroughly experientially and en-deavour to see the cessation of all phenomena. You willthen see the electric nature of the dhammawhich is somuchaliveandbeforeus.Ouraimshouldbethecessationofallformations-sabba sankhāra samatha-andtoreachsuchastageweneedtoseethecessationofkāya sankhārafirst,andthenthecessationofcitta sankhāra ( vedanā and

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saňňā),andforthisanariyaparyeshanaisneeded,nothingless.ThePaţiccasamuppādawill thencomealiveandyouwill realize that this doctrine, insteadof spanning severallifetimesbecomesvisibleduringeverythought-moment,hereandnow.

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Dhamma Talk 3

The term sankhāra is described as formations, prepa-rations,constructsorfabrications.But inmeditationprac-ticesankhāraisgivenadeepermeaningandiscategorizedasKāya sankhāra,vaci sankhāraandmano/citta sankhāra (bodily,verbalandmind-basedformations).Eachtimeweactorspeakorthink,orweplanandconstruct,andeach‘doing’thatweengagein,wecreatesankhāraandthisoc-cursasaresultofignorance(avijjā).

Avijjāoperatesintwoways:

1.Theignorancewehaveaboutourownkilesa(defile-ments)andthefactthattheyaccumulatekammaandthatkammaleadstovipāka,(i.e.thephenomenonofcauseandeffect)andnotknowingthatthiscontinuouscyclethroughsamsāra isdue toourownperpetuationof threecycles -kamma vattha, kilesa vattha, vipāka vattha.Thiscategoryofignorance,wherewefailtorealizethatwearethecauseofourownproblems,isreferredtoasappatipatthi avijjā.ListeningtotheWordoftheBuddharepeatedlyandasso-ciationwithkalyānamittawillhelptoaddressthistypeofignorance.

2.Theignorance,ofthinkingthatweknowmanythings,wheninfactwedon’t,iscalledmiccāpatipatthi avijjā.Thisisquitedangerousbecauseweimagineweknow,andwhensomeone tries to point out that we don’t knowwe lookuponitwithaversion.Ourpersonalitytraitsandhabitsformthebasisofthisimaginary‘knowledge’,andunfortunatelyitmasqueradesasafriend–thusdeepeningourignorance

The Buddha taught that both above categories of ig-noranceoperate throughourown formations/constructs/preparationsorsankhāra.Inordertorealizethisexperien-

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tiallyweneedtocalmallformationstoabareminimum–i.e.reachastageofsankhāra samatha.Duringmedita-tionpracticewhensankhāraareminimizeddrasticallythemeditator will be able to experience how ignorance alsogetsminimizedandhowitslowlylosesitspotency.Thisex-periencevarieswitheachmeditatorandhe/shewillreal-izethisinaccordancewiththeindividual’sspiritualpoten-tial.During thisprocess themeditatorwill begin toknowifthemeditationpracticeisproceedinginthedirectionofvipassanāteachingandtowardsrealizationofthePath.Themeditatorwillalsoknowifthereissteadyprogressionac-cording to theBuddha’sword,orwhether there isuncer-taintyandconfusion inone’spractise.Thisunderstandingand‘self-judgment’isentirelyinthehandsofthemedita-tor. Themeditator’s mind (viññāna) during this period iscritical–becauseitistheviññānathatwillprompttheyogitoselectthe‘correct’or‘incorrect’Pathatthisjunctureinmeditation.Itistheviññānathatwillmakeus‘choose’thecorrectpathascorrectortheincorrectpathascorrect(orviceversa).AndtheBuddha,withhis infinitewisdomandboundlesscompassiondescribedwithclarity this stageofthepractice,ifnotwewouldnothavethecapacitynorin-dependent initiative tounderstand this complexdhammateaching.

Whenpracticingmindfulnessonthebody(kāyagatāsati orkāyānupassanā)andwhentheattentionisonthebreath(ānāpānasati), after the in/out-breath become refinedandlessprominent,wereachastateofcalmingthebodi-ly formations . This is referred toaspassambhayam kāya sankhāram.

Duringthisstageinmeditationwewillgradually leavethesix-senseworld(kāma loka)andthemindwhichiscon-nected to the six senses (rūparāga paţibaddha viññāna

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orindriya patibaddha viññāna),andreachastateofmindwhichisdisconnectedfromexternalsights,sounds,smells,taste,touchandthoughts.Thisisaveryspecialstateandit is referred to as anindriya paţibaddha viññāna. Herewedeal a significantblow toour ignorance -avijjā. Thisbecomes very disconcerting and unpleasant. The mind(viññāna) feels isolated because it is being systematicallydeprivedofnutriments–i.e,phassa ahāra(touch/contactwiththein/out-breath),mano sancetana āhāra(thoughts),kabalinkāra ahāra (due toobserving sīlaand theconse-quentrestrictionoffoodintakeaftermidday).Atthisstagethe viññāna feels isolated, paralysed and dysfunctional.When‘trapped’inthismannertheviññānamanifestsinavarietyofbizarrewaysattemptingtodistractthemeditator,andthesemanifestationsaredescribedasimperfectionsofinsight–vipassanā upakkilesa.Thisisacriticalmilestoneinthemeditationpathandtheyogi’sjourneytowardstheultimatetruth.

Themeditator’s challenge at this stage is to keep thebody and mind stilled, not allowing any provocation ordisturbancetogainafoothold.Thisiswheretheyogiisintransition– fromastatewhich isknowntoastatewhichis unknown, from the conventional truth to the ultimatetruth,fromthedescribabletotheindescribable.Thismind-statehasbeenreferredtoas‘magical’andonethatevadesdescriptioninaconventionalsense.BeforethetimeoftheBuddha,sagesandrishishadexperiencedsimilarsituationsandthesehavebeendescribedinliterature.Themeditatoris nowon ‘autopilot’where themeditation is proceedingon itsownandwherehis connectionswith thebase (thesix-senseworld)havebeenmadedefuncttemporally.Thisisthestagewherehefacesavastunknownandhebeginstoaddressformationsofthemind–citta/mano sankhāra.

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Avijja leads to sankhāra and the latter will select orchoose a portion of what is presented to themind, andcreatesanillusiveworldofmake-believe,thustrickinganddeceivingus.Sankhārawill‘makeup’and‘create’aworldby presenting carefully selecteddata to theviññāna, andtheviññāna accepts all this helplessly. Pre-Buddhist spiri-tualteacherswerecautiouswhenapproachingthisstageofmind exposure, because they felt that itwas the domainof the creator-God . TheBuddhahowever ventured forthwithconfidenceandpursuedtheexplorationofevendeep-erstatesofthemind. Asyogisweneedanextraordinaryamount of faith (saddhā) when reaching these stages ofmeditation, and our confidence in the Buddha should beunwaveringandstrong.Deepandunshakeablefaith(okap-pana saddhā),strongeffort(viriya),continuousanduninter-ruptedmindfulness-satiareessentialatthisstage(anara-hant’s sati=vepulla sati).Thesamādhiinsuchayogiisfirmandwellguardedbysatiandupekkha.Thistypeofsamādhiisdifferenttothesamādhithatpre-Buddhistasceticsusedtopractise.Paññāmaturessubstantiallyandtheyogibeginsto realize that all the knowledge he had onworldlymat-tersarenarrowandtrivialincomparisontothisextraordi-naryexposureof thevastmindstatesandconsciousness.Theyogineeds toallow themind toexplore these statesofconsciousnesswithoutprejudiceandselection.Ifnotwewillonceagainbedirectedbyourlikesanddislikes,andourjudgmentsandpreferences.

Whendealingwithandunderstandingviññāna in thismanner the yogimustbebraveandbewilling to gamblewithone’s lifeduring this experience.He should continu-ously renew his faith and confidence in the Buddha, andhaveprefectsīla.

Thepleasantstatesofmindtheyogiexperienceswhen

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reachingsuchdeepstatesofmeditation is referredto asnirāmisa sukha(asopposedtoāmisa sukha=pleasurebornoutofthesenses)ornekkhamma sita.=(pleasurebornoutofseclusionandrelinquishment).Thecontentmentandbal-anceofmindexperiencedduringthisstageisdirectlydepen-dantontheyogi’ssammādiţţhi.Suchayogiwillknowwithforesightthatnibbānaissuchareleaseand‘lettinggo’.Hewouldhaveanideaofwhatequanimity(upekkha)andsatiis. After repeatedly experiencing this stage inmeditation,theyogiwill next faceadifferent setof challenges.Mārawill thenpresent the yogiwithwonderful experiences allofwhichareillusory.Forinstance,theyogimayseelights,feel deep tranquility and he/shemay experience excep-tionallygoodsati andsamādhi.These‘spiritualtraps’areoftenexceedinglypleasingandtheyogi feelshehasbeenendowedwithrarespiritualrewardsandfame.Iftheyogiisnotforewarnedandifheisill-preparedtofacethesestagesofmeditativeprogress,he/shemayget confusedandbe-lievethathe/shehasreachedattainmentssuchasjhānaorspecialknowledges(=abiññā)orevenstagesofsainthood.Thesewrongassumptionswillincreasethekilesaonceagainandkeepbringingbackandtyingtheyogitosamsāraonceagain.Themeditatorshouldbeforewarnedthattheseim-perfectionsofinsight(upakkilesa)areactuallythemagicalillusionscreatedbyviññāna,andthatonemustknowthiswithcertaintyinordertoavoidbeingtakenin.

In the typical journey ameditatorwill first face bore-dom,monotony, sloth/torpor andmuchhardshipsphysi-cally.ButifhefortifiesfaithandconfidenceintheBuddha,Dhamma,Sanghaandsīla,hewillthenreapthefruitsofthepractiseprovidedheremainssteadilyonthePathanddoesnotfallintotheseinevitablepitfalls.

Viññānaisadeceptivetricksterwhowillnevershowthe

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waytonibbāna.Infactonthecontraryitwillpavethewaytoprolongingsamsāra.Thereforeviññāna mustberecognizedinitstrueformbytheyogi.Ifnot,theyogimaybegintohe-ro-worshipthesemagicalillusionsthuscreatedbyviññānaandwillsacrificesatiandtheprimaryobjectofmeditationthathadbeendevelopedwithsomuchhardship.TheskilfulyogiwillunderstandthatViññāna,doesnotbelongto‘me/mine/I’,andthatitisjustanother‘creation’conditionedbyformations/preparations (sankhāra), and that the latter’smandate is to trick and deceive themeditator by show-ingwhat isnotrealasreal, therebyrepeatedlytyinghimbacktosamsāra.IftheyogiisabletotranscendtheseroadblocksonthePathhewillemergewithabalancedoutlooktowardsmeditationandlife,andwithanimprovedsatiandupekkha. Hewill bebetter equipped to face the vicissi-tudesoflifewithasenseofspiritualmaturity.Infact,thefirstlessonswelearnaboutremainingunfazedinthefaceofpraiseorblame,gainorloss,pleasureorpain,attentionorneglect;occurwhenwereachthestagewherethein/out-breathbecomesrefinedduringtheendofkāyānupassanā.

During a recent research study conducted by DanielBrownithasbeenshownthatirrespectiveofthesubject’sraceorreligion,afterawhileduringānāpānasatithebreathinevitablygets refined (i.e.kāya sankhāra samatha) .The‘spiritualbenefits’yogisgetduringthatstage,(eg.peacefulstates,lights,coolness,chills,specialknowledges=abiňňā)arecommontoBuddhists,Catholics,HindusandMuslimsalike.Thedifferencewasthateachsubjectoftheresearchstudy,attributedthespecialexperienceshe/shehadhad,totheirindividualspiritualbenefactorortoacreatorGod,aspertheirindividualfaithandbelief.TheBuddha’steachingexplainsthisscenarioveryclearly–thesearethemanifesta-tionsofimperfectionsofinsight(upakkilesa)andiftheyogi

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clingstothesepleasantexperiencesorifhedevelopsaver-siontounpleasantones,hewillnotproceedonthePath.Infact,truevipassanāpracticebeginsonlyaftertheyogihaspassedthisstage.

At this stage of spiritual maturity the yogi will learnthatviññānawillneverallowtheyogitoproceedtowardsnibbāna, insteaditwilltrickanddeceivetheyogiateverystageand therebynourishhis self-view. Sankhāraalwaysarise due to tanha, māna, ditthi. Similarly viññānawhichis nourished by sankhāra cannot exist without papañca,thereforeitwilluseeverybitofdata,informationorassetstonourishtheyogi’sself-view,conceitandselfimportance.If the yogi is to forge ahead in the practicewithout get-tingdeceivedbyandtrappedintotheillusorytricksoftheviññānahewouldhavetoskillfullydevelopthefivespiritualfaculties(saddhā, viriya, sati, samādhi, paññā)andraiseitfromalevelof indriyatothelevelofbala. Inaccordancewith the advice given by Venerable Sariputta in thePati-sambhidhamagga,anindicationthatthespiritualfacultieshavematured-fromindriya dhammaintoabala dhamma-iswhen,theyogidevelopsmonotonyandboredomtowardsthepracticeandhasdecreasing levelsof saddhā, but yetremainssteadfastinthepractise-assadhe nakampethithi saddhā balam.Ifontheotherhandtheyogilosescourageandtheabilitytofacethissituation,theviññānawilltaketheupperhand.

Therefore the yogi should be prepared to face theseeventualitiesandnotloseheartwhenhefeelsthatsaddhāhas decreased in intensity. In fact saddhā (and the otherspiritualfaculties)areallsankatha dhammas(theyarecon-ditiondandprepared)andarethereforeimpermanentandare necessarily subject to change. The yogi will begin torealize this. Thiswould also be an important opportunity

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to learn how to face the vicissitudes of life. Thematureyogiwillremainequanimousinthepresenceofdecreasingsaddhāaswellaswhensaddhā isstrong.Thiswouldindi-catethatsaddhāhasdevelopedinto‘bala’andthatwewillnotbeallowingviññānatotakeadvantageofthesituation.

Similarlyincaseoftheenergy(viriya)-evenexperiencedyogismayfinditdifficulttokeephighlevelsofenergydur-ingmeditation.Theirposturemaystoop,theymaysalivate,tear,andvariousmanifestationsof thephysicalbodymayoccurandtheymaybecomeverydisheartened.Thisiswhythe Buddha teaches us thatwe are helpless in such sce-nariosbecause thebody/posture isnot ‘meormine’.Wehaveabsolutelynocontrolorexecutivepowertodeterminewhatthebodywilldoorbecome.Thechallengeistobeun-fazedinthefaceofsuchmanifestations,andhighlevelsofsaddhāandsīlaarenecessary.Whenviriyadevelops,fromindriyalevelstobalalevel,theyogiwillnotbedisappointedwhetherviriya ispresentornot,andhewillthendisclaimallsuchbizarremanifestationasnot‘me/mine/self’.Ifnot,onceagainviññānawilltakeadvantageofthesituationandwewilltakethesetraitswithusinourcontinuoussamsāricjourney.

In the caseofsati theBuddhawent toextraordinarylengthstoteachushowwecanbemindfulofeverysingleactivityweundertakeduringtheday.IntheSatipaţţhāna sutta this is described in great detail. During meditation(ānāpānasatiorbreathmeditation,walkingmeditationormeditation on the rise and fall of the abdomen), we aretaughttobemindfulwithregardtoeachdetail.Inthecaseofānāpānasatiafterawhilewhenthein/out-breathbeginsto feel indistinct andeven ‘disappear’, and the yogi mayfeelasifhehasfalleninadeepabyssandmayreactwithfearanduncertainty.Oncertainoccasions themind that

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hadbeen focusedon thebreath suddenly startspursuingthoughtsandtheyogigetsstartledwhenhediscoversthis.Allthesenaturaloccurrencesduringmeditationareindica-tive of the impermanent nature (anicca characteristic) ofsati.

Pamāde nakampatēti sati balam - This is VenerableSāriputta’steachingwhichsays,thathowevermuchwetrytopractisemindfulness,weshouldrealizethatitwillnotalwaysbepossible.Therefore,thiswillalsogiveussufferingandwewillthenrealizethatwehavenocontroloverhav-ingsatialways.Onceagain,whenthishappensiftheyogiremainsequanimousandundisturbed,thensatiwillevolveintobala, andwewill be able towithstand the illusionscreatedbyviññāna.Itisessentialforeverypractitionerofvipassanātounderstandthesestagesinone’sownpractice.

Thesameappliestoconcentration(samādhi).Therearetimesduringmeditationthatsamādhiwillbeexceptionallygoodandsimilarlytherewillbetimeswhenitfallstoverylowlevels.Thisiswhentheyogimustbefullypreparedandknow that samādhi is also subject to anicca,dukkha andanatta.Inthecaseofwisdom(paññā),itwillbethesameandduringcertainstagesinmeditationwewillnotbeawareoftime-spaceboundariesandwemayfeelcompletelylost.Althoughwe considerpaññā in very high esteemwewillsoonrealizethatthattooissubjecttochange.

Therefore the skilful yogiwill not be distressedwhenthesechangesoccurinanyofthespiritualfaculties.Hewillknowthat this is inevitableandthatsuchchangeswillal-waysoccur. I alsowish to state that ifone’ssati is strongandif itcanbemaintainedduringanyoneofthefluctua-tionsofthespiritualfaculties,itcouldreinforceequanimity(upekkhā)andhelptheyogi tomaintainabalanceduringmeditation.Themostdifficulttaskis,forsatitorealizethe

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lackofsati.Whenthemindisfocusedontheprimaryobjectofmeditation(e.gin/out-breath)afterawhilethemindmayleave the breath andpursue a thought. This is extremelycommonandmayoccurduetotheyogi’spersonalitytraits,likesanddislikes,his influxesortaints(āsava)ordormantdefilements (anusaya) or sankhāras or any other reason.But after awhile themind returns to the breath andweneverknowwhat‘force’madethemindreverttotheorigi-nalobjectofmeditation.Ithappenswithnospecialthoughtorinitiativetakenbytheyogi.Weshouldlearntoappreci-atewhen this happens, because thismeans that sati hasreturned.Instead,viññānawillconvinceusthatthisoccur-renceisanindicationthatmeditationwasnotproceedingsmoothly.Thisisbecauseviññānaalwaysoperatesthroughanotionofpermanency (nicca saññā) , happiness (sukha saññā)andself(atta saññā),andthereforethelossofsatiisviewedascalamitous.Buttheyogishouldhaveamaturemindtorealizethatthisisnotsoandthatthisisanindica-tionthatsatihasdeveloped intobeingasati balaya.Thisfurthershowsthedeceptiveandillusorynatureofviññāna.

Thiscommonexperienceduringmeditationisakeytounderstanding thatwithineverydiscontentor frustration,therewillbeanopportunitytounderstandthefirstNobleTruthofsuffering.Therefore,Iurgeyoutowelcomealldis-turbances(e.gsounds,thoughts,pains)thatwemeetdur-ingmeditation, because it is only through understandingsuch instances that we will realize the transformation ofsati intosati balaya.Thissameexperiencecanbeappliedtoallfivespiritualfaculties.Allofthesearesubjecttocauseandeffect,andthereforethesewillchangeandwillresultindukkha. Therefore,understandingtheinevitabletransfor-mationofall thespiritual faculties from ‘indriya’ to ‘bala’ stageiscriticaltounderstandingthevalueofupekkha.The

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BuddhasaysintheDhammapadathatlossofsaddhā isatrait thatevenanarahantwouldexperienceand thatweneedn’tbeperturbedwhenweexperiencespellswithnosaddhā.Althoughthis ismaybedifficulttounderstandforanoviceyogi,oncehemastersthetechniquedescribedhebecomesstrongandself-reliantineverydaylifeaswell.

Inourjourneytowardsrealizationofthedhammawewillnecessarilyneedtogothroughtheconventionalnorms.ButoncetheteachingsoftheBuddhaontathatāva,tādibhāva (equipoise, equanimity, mental balance) are reached theyogi will find no need for saddhā or any of the spiritualfaculties.Thissupremequalityofequanimityiswherethepractitionerwillnotbeswayedbyexcessordeficiency,heputs anend topartiality andbias, andwill remain in theperfectmiddlewithabalancedstateofmind.Thestateofmindexperiencedbyanarahant.

Duringmeditationwhenthein/out-breathcalmsdownwe face a stage where we cannot identify any sign – anemptyspace.This isdistinctlyuncomfortableandwe feelrestless.Generallywearecomfortabletobeconnectedtothe six senses – that is a state of consciousnesswhich islinked to thesensepleasures– i.e., rūpa dhātu rāga vini-baddha viññāna.Animalstooenjoythissameformofplea-surableexistence.Butwhenweenterdeepstagesofmedi-tationafter thebreathcalmsdown,when thehindrancesare not disturbing us,webecomedisconnected from thesensestemporally.Thenweenjoyadifferentkindofplea-sure–viveka ja pīti sukha–pleasurebornoutofseclusion,free from hindrances, a pleasure that is not dependanton sense objects (nirāmisa sukha)- a very different typeofpleasure to thatwhich is carnalor ‘beastly’.When themeditator experiences such a stage he deals a significantblowtotheviññānabecauseitlosesitsbaseandstability.If

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atthisstageacetanā(volition)orpracalpanā(proliferativethoughtsandplanning)oranusaya(latencies/dormantde-filements)becomemanifest,theviññānawillusethoseasnourishmenttore-establishitself(i.e.Paţitthiţa viññāna,astateofconsciousnesswhichisnourishedbyandbasedoncetanā, pracalpanā, anusaya).

Ifduringsuchapurestagewhentheyogi isfreefromkāma rāgaandrūpa rāgathechallengeistonotdoornotwillanything.Iftheyogigetsanideatocontemplateonan-icca, dukkha, anattaortocontemplateontheimpuritiesonthebody(asubha bhāvana)ortoengageinlovingkindness(metta) meditation, that ishowcetanā operateand theviññānawillgetnourishedonceagain.TheBuddhataughtusnottobetemptedbyanyofthose,andtoallowsuchapureandundisturbedstatetoremainforaslongaspossi-ble.InfacttheBuddhagoesfurtherandadvisesustomakeadeterminationtonotallowanycetanātomanifest.Thisisnoteasy,sinceinoursamsāricjourneywehavealwaysbeenproducingcetanā.Andthisispreciselywhathasalwaysfa-cilitatedourrebirth.

Similarly, ifcertainpracalpanāmanifest, theyogimaygetcarriedawayandfeelthathehasfoundanswerstoallquestionsordevelopedtelepathiccommunicationwithoth-ersandsuchsimilarfeats.Thiswouldagainnourishviññāna.Anusaya is theother factor thatcannourishviññāna andtheysurfacefromthedormantstateandcandangerouslytrap theyogionceagain.The redeeming fact is thatanu-saya kilesa,ifknownandifconfrontedastheyappear,willbecomepowerlessandwilllosepotency.Afterthein/out-breath(kāyasankhāra)subsidesandwhenvedanā, saňňāmanifestandiftheyogisuccessfullydeterminestonothavecetanā and pracalpanā, then,itwillonlybeanusaya kilesathatwillsurface,becausethesehavetravelledwithusdur-

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ingoursamsāricjourneyandhavetrappedusinsamsārare-peatedly.Thesemanifestationscanappearasrūpa, vedanā, saňňā, sankhāraoreven viňňāna.TheBuddha’sadviceistoregardallas‘notmine,notme,notmyself’,i.e.todisclaimallanusayaassoonastheyappear.Theseareallsimplycre-ationsof themind,and ifwe identifywiththeseorclaimthemwewillbehinderingthepathtonibbāna.Weshouldrealize that theseareall illusoryand tricks that themind(viňňāna)habituallydeceivesuswith.Bydisclaimingevery-thingthatmanifestsduringthisstagewewillbegraduallyharnessingequanimity(upekkha).Thatisextremelyimpor-tant.Thegradualdevelopmentofupekkhaisonlypossiblethroughrepeatedpracticeandbyrepeatedlydisclaimingallmanifestations as described. There is noway that knowl-edge/studyofthetipitakaorresearchandanalyticalskillswillhelpayogiduringthisstage. Aftertheyogihasbeensuccessful in disclaiming cetanā, pacalpanā andanusaya,hewillthenapproachaverypurestateofmind,freefromallimpuritiesandthisstateofconsciousnessisreferredtoas -apaţitthiţa viññāna i.e., viññānawhich is totally freefromallformsimpuritiesandisnotbasedonanything.

The viññāna at this stage in meditation is free of allbindings and is extremely peaceful – etam santam etam paneetam yadidam upekkha .Inthissituationthereisnomanifestation that viññāna is present and therefore thisstateisalsoreferredtoas‘non-manifestive’consciousness(anidassana viññāna).SuchapurestateofconsciousnessissimilartothatofanarahantortheBuddha.Thisiswherethereisequanimitytowardsallformations–sankhāra up-ekkha, i.e.whenever sankhāra are created themeditatorwillpromptlydisclaimallas,‘notmine,notme,notmyself’.Wewillthenrealizethatallremorsefulthoughtsofthepastorfutureplanningorexcitementshadbeenclaimedbyus,

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as‘mine,meandmyself’andtherebywehaveconsolidateda‘self’andself-view.Thisisduetoourowndefilements.Theabilitytosuccessfullydisclaimallthesedependsonourpriorreadiness,ourtrainedsati and upekkha,andrespectfortheDhamma.

Everyonemakesalargenumberofmistakesbeforethisrealizationtakeseffect.Pleaserememberthathavingsuchanexperienceduringevenonethought-momentisahugeachievement,becausewewillbeshakingtheveryfounda-tionofsamsāraforthefirsttime.

Thiscanbringfearintosome,particularlytothosewhoare not practicing the Dhamma (asappurisa). However, ifthemeditatorhadpreviously listenedtothesaddhamma, associatedwithariya sangha, sappurisaandkalyānamitta, then,when facingnibbānahewillnotbe fearful,butwillremainequanimous.Andthisexperiencewillbenotbasedonanyformoftanha, māna, ditthiandwillbeonewhichcannot be describedor explained. TheBuddhawill guidethepractitioneruptothisstage,butdoesnotpromisetobea liberatororsavior.TheBuddhawilladviseyogiswith‘littledustintheireyes’onhowtograduallyrelinquishthelikes,preferences,personalitytraitsandaddictionssothattheywillbeabletoapproachanusayaandthenclearthefinalhurdle.Theroadtoanon-manifestiveconsciousness-anidassana viññāna-isdifficulttotravelbutitistheroadtoendingsamsāraandtonibbāna.

TheBuddhasaidthatallthoughts,intentionsandac-tionsweengage in, are always directed at creating somebenefit/profit for ourselves. This is due to the kilesa wehave.Thedaywe learn todistinguish vijjā fromavijjā wewillbeamazedathowtheBuddhaunderstoodthisDhammaandtaughtus.Thetrickeryandillusorynatureofviňňānaischaracterizedbythedualityitpresents.Theclassicsituation

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ofadream,isagaincharacteristicofhowtheviňňānaproj-ectsacompletelyunrealsituation.Theonlywaytoseetheviňňānaasitreallyis,ittobringittoalevelwhereitisnotbased/dependedonanythingoranysign–i.e.appaţitthiţa viññāna.Buttoreachsuchastagetheyogiwouldneedtopractisevipassanāwithgreatdiligence,makemanymistakesandwouldneedamaturesammā ditthi,yoniso-manasikāraandveryhighlevelofsati.

AlwaysremembertheBuddha’sadviseandchoosewhatisgoodoverbad,andwhatisbetteroverwhatisgood,i.e.aratiasopposedtorati.

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Dhamma Talk 4

Katamoca bhikkhave paţiccasamuppādo?

Avijjāpaccayā sankhārā, sankhārapaccayā viññānam

viññānapaccayā nāma-rupam, nāma-rupa paccayā salāyatanam

salāyatanāpaccayā phasso tī tī

Due to our ignorance,wheneverwe are facedwithanysituationorobjectorthought,wewilldifferentiateonefromanotherand therebychooseor selectwhatwepre-fer– i.e,wecreate formations= sankhāra.Althoughthisisdonewitha lotof innocenceandnaiveté,beneath thischoosing and differentiation lie our habitual preferences,personalitytraits,ourlikesanddislikes.Thelatteraremani-festationsofour self-view (sakkāya diţţhi) andunderlyingdefilements,allofwhichwilldragusthroughthesamsāric journey.Thereforeweshouldrememberthateventhoughthesedefilements aren’t overt andobvious, theyoperatefrombeneathandarethereforedangerous.Hencetheneedtounderstandthisdhammaphenomenonandtheneedtolearnhowtowatchforthesehiddendefilementsandtode-velopthecapabilitytoparalyseandincapacitatethem.Inordertodoso,weshouldfirstadoptsīla sikkha(thiswouldcontroltheovertdefilements-vītikama kilesa)andthere-afterundertakesamādhi sikkha(whichwouldsuppressthefivehindrances–panca nīvarana).Itisonlythenthatwewouldhave theability towatchout for theseunderlying,dangerousanddormantdefilements–anusaya kilesa.

Daily,weengagein‘choosing’and‘dividing’(i.e.mak-ing judgments about good vs bad, right vswrong, just vsunjust,spiritualvsnon-spiritualetc).Thisdualitynourishesviňňāna,andbecauseofthislopsidedchoosingviňňāna is

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alwaysimbalancedandimperfect.Butviňňānaisnotawareofthisandthereforepretendsandcreatesanillusionthatit isall-perfect. It iscompletelyunawarethat it isentirelynourished by the sankhāra thatwe accumulate continu-ously.Becauseviňňānaalwaysconjurestricksandpretendstobereal, wheninfactit isnot. This iswhytheBuddhadescribeditasa‘magician’strickandanillusion’.Viňňānawhichisdependedonavijjāforexistenceandonsankhāra fornourishmentalwayssuffersfromaninferioritycomplexduetoitsinabilitytosurviveonitsown.Butitpretendstobeallpowerfulwithauthority,andalwayscreatesdualityinourminds–asnāma-rūpa,good/badetc.andendsupdividingandruling.Thereforeifviňňānagetsestablishedatsomepointthefirstindicationwouldbethedualitythatmanifests.Thisisthecaseeachtimeoursenseorganscomeinto contact with sense impingements – eg, contact be-tweeneyeandvisualobjectleadstoestablishingeye-con-sciousness(cakkhu viňňāna),andthereby‘seeing’andthuselicitingthedivisionintomentalityandmateriality(nāma/rūpa).Hencethecriticallinkinthepaţiccasamuppādachain- viññānapaccayā nāma-rūpam. Thusviññānacreatesaninterdependency with nāma-rupa and this peculiar rela-tionshipisdescribedastwosticksstandinguprightsupport-ingeachother–ifonelosesbalanceandfallstheotherwillfollowsuit.

Thisiscomplicatedanddeepdhammawhichmaybedifficult to understand. In the Mahānidāna Sutta (Dīgha Nikāya)theBuddhaGotamadescribeshowtheBodhisattaVipassiattainedfullenlightenmentastheBuddhaVipassi.Hedescribesthesuffering(dukkha)thatexistsintheworld–jāti dukkha(sufferingofbirth),jarā dukkha(sufferingduetooldage),vyādi dukkha(sufferingduetoillness),marana dukkha(sufferingduetodeath).Todaytheworldrevolves

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around trying to eliminate the latter three only, becausethesuffering inthose threesituations isobvious.Noonehasbeenabletosucceedineliminatingdukkhathatresultsfromjarā, vyādi, marana.Nordidtheyrealizethattherootcauseofthisdukkhawasbirth–jāti.TheBodhisattaVipass-siwithdeepcontemplationpronounced thatall typesofsuffering stem from the sufferingofbirth (jāti) , and thatoncebornthereisnowaythatanyonecaneliminatejarā, vyādi, marana,i.e.theyallcomeasonepackagewithbirth.Thatisaninevitability.ThisiswhytheBuddhafocusedoneliminatingjāti.TheBuddhataughtthatthedukkharesult-ingfromjātiisasimilar(orevengreater)dukkhathanthedukkharesultingfrommarana(death).Hethenfocusedontheoriginofjāti–i.e.bhava,andthereontracedtheen-tireseriesof linksdescribedinthePaţiccasamuppāda uptothepointwhereviňňānaoccursduetonāma-rūpa,andviceversa–i.e.bycontemplationheunderstoodtheinter-dependentrelationshipbetweenviňňānaandnāma-rūpa.Butbyusingcontemplationonly,hecouldn’tproceedbe-yondthatjunctureduetothedepthandprofundityofthedhamma. However, after meditating continuously on thecausativerelationshipbetweenviňňānaandnāma/rūpa, theBodhisattaVipassihadrealizedthedhammaphenom-enonexperientiallyandsimultaneouslyhadattainedfullen-lightenment.

ThisfurtherdemonstratesthedepthandsignificanceofthisparticularlinkinthePaţiccasamuppāda.Butduetothedeceptiveandillusorynatureofviňňāna itconjuresaduality, and creates diversity and conflict and shifts thefocusofattentiontonāma-rūpa.Thisissimilartohowtheleaderofagangofthieveswouldcreateadiversionandshiftthefocusofattentiontoanothersituationorperson,andtherebyavertbeingdiscoveredasthetrueculprit.There-

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forewheneverweexperienceasituationconnectedtothesenseorgans,theresultanteffectwillalwaysbeexpressedasaduality(i.e.asnāma-rūpa),andthisisduetothefunc-tionofviňňāna.Thisisdeepdhammabutneverthelessletusmakeanattempttounderstandthisfirstatatheoreticalandanalyticallevel,andlaterattempttounderstanditatanexperientiallevel.

Letususewalkingmeditationasanexample.Whenayogiinitiallytakeseachstepwithmindfulnessafterawhilehismindfulnessbecomessteadyanduninterrupted.Attheendofthewalkingpathwhentheyogihastoturn,hewillceasebeingmindfulofthestephetakesandwillshifttheattentiontothepostureandtheturningprocess.Atsuchatime,thereisatendencyfortheyogi’smindtogetdrawntoasight,soundorsmellinthevicinity.Thebodyconscious-ness(kāya viňňāna)whichuntilthenhadbeennotedeachtimethefeettouchedtheground(kāya prasāda–thebodyexperiencingtheearthelement-pathavi dhātu),mayshifttocakkhu viňňāna(eyeconsciousness)orsota viňňāna(earconsciousness).Inthatsituationhemaybecomea‘seer’ora‘hearer’asopposedtowhatheoriginallywas–a‘walker/toucher’.Bothseeingandtouchingcannotbeexperiencedat the same givenmoment.We can only experience onetype of consciousness at a givenmoment and this is therealitywewill experiencewith 'thin slicingoftime'. Thisshiftingofconsciousnessfromthebody/skintotheeyeoranyothersenseorgandoesnothappenwithanintentionorathoughtoftheyogi.Ithappensnaturally.Supposingtheyogigoeswellpreparedknowingthatsuchaninterruptionofmindfulnesscantakeplaceandthat theattentionmayshiftfromthefeetandwalking,toanotherobject;thenheisforewarnedandhemaybesuccessfulinkeepingmindful-nessintactwhenheseesanobjectorhearsasound.

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Withsuchpreparednesshemaybeabletosimplynoteonlythecolourorthefiguretowhichtheattentionwent(withoutengaginginanyfurtheractivitysuchasrecognitionoftheobjectandthinkingaboutit), andhemaybeabletoinstantlyreverthisattentionbacktothefeetandresumewalkingwithanunbrokensati.Thisisasignificantachieve-mentandasignofprogress.Untilthisstageisreached,eachtimetheyogi’sattentionshifts fromthe feet toasightorsound,thetendencywouldbetogetengagedwiththatrel-evantsenseobject,andconsequentlyfeelremorsethatthesatiwasbroken.This isbecausetheviňňāna atthatpointestablishesitselfinrelationtotheeye/visualobjectorear/sound, and that sense objectmomentarily becomes theyogi’s primary object ofmeditation, relegating the feet/groundasthesecondaryobject.Theyogiishelplessinsuchasituationsinceviňňānaisthesoledecisionmaker.Whenthecontinuousmovementofthefeettouchingthegroundbecomesmonotonoustheviňňānachoosestoestablishit-selfwhereveranothersenseobjectbeckons.Thisdemon-stratesthepredispositionoftheviňňānatowardsdiversityorkāmaccanda,andthelatterisresponsibleforbindingustosamsāra.Themonotonyweexperiencewhenassociatingwithoneobjectforalongperiodisamanifestationofthistrait.TheBuddhataughtustocultivateekaggatā–repeat-edlybringingthemindtooneobject–leadingtosamādhi. Hetaughtthedangersofdiversityand tanhā,andtherebyhowitbindsustosamsāra.

Viňňāna paccaya nāma-rūpa=Whentheyogiwhoisengagedinwalkingmeditationshiftstheattentionfromthefeettoanobjectthathesees,thenāma-rūpathatwasatkāya viňňāna/photthabba,inonethoughtmoment(cittak-khana)becomescakkhu viňňāna/rūpa rūpa.Whentheat-tentionofthemindshiftstothesight/sound,theattention

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thatwaspreviouslyonthefeet/groundbecomesautomati-callynullandvoid.Therefore,theestablishmentofnāma-rūpa in every sequential thought moment is entirely de-cidedbyviňňāna.Whentheviňňānabecomesestablishedinrelationtoonesenseorgan/object(eg,eye/visualobjectandeyeconsciousness),forthatmomenttherestofthefivesenseorgans/objectsbecomeirrelevantandceasetomani-fest.Thatparticularsenseobject/organchosenbyviňňāna thusbecomesthenewfocusofattentionandtheyogimayevengettotallydistractedfromtheoriginalprimaryobjectofmeditation.Infacttheyogimaytakealongtimetoreal-izethatthewalkingmeditationhasbeendisruptedandhemaybecomeveryremorsefulwiththatdiscovery.

Wemustbecautiousandrememberthatduringeverythoughtmomenttheviňňānahassixstations(senseorgans/objects)tochoosefrominordertoestablishitself.TheBud-dhawarnsusthatthespeedwithwhichtheviňňānashiftsfromonesensoryengagementtotheother,issorapidthathecannotfindacomparablesimiletodescribe it. Vener-ableMahaSiSayadawcomparesthespeedoftheviňňāna toacircleofflames. If in thedarkwevery rapidly turnaflameseveraltimesinacircularmotionwewouldseeonecontinuouscircleoffire.Butinfactthereareaseriesofdis-creteballsoffireveryclosetooneanotherwhichwefailtoseebecauseof thedarknessand the speedof themove-mentoftheflame.Similarlywehavetheimpressionthatalloursix senseorgansaresimultaneously functionalatonegivenmoment.Wefeelquiteproudat this ‘multi-tasking’ability.Butthisisnottherealsituation.Whenwebecomea‘seer’weceaseduringthatmomenttobea‘hearer’ora‘toucher’.Theviňňānawillestablishitselfinonlyonesen-sory transaction at a givenmoment although it poses asthoughallsixaresimultaneouslyestablished.Thisissimilar

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tothespurious‘circle’offire.

When a yogi becomes accomplished with sati and'thinslicingoftime'(eg,duringwalkingmeditation),hewillbeable toexperienceonhisown, thisdeceptivepicturethatviňňāna creates.Therefore it is viňňāna whichwilldecide which nāma-rūpa will be established during eachthoughtmoment,anditwillalwayschooseagreateroppor-tunityforallowingtanhā, māna, ditthi.Thisisreferredtoas‘abhāvita hitha/manasa’–amindthatwillpromotetanhā, māna, ditthi.Therebywithoutaknowingmind-‘bhāvita hitha/manasa’ -whichwillbeable tounderstand this,wewillbecircling insamsāra rooted in thecirclesofkamma vattha, kilesa vattha, vipāka vattha.Andironically,weneedthesupportofviňňānatounderstandthissituation.

Letustaketheinstanceofsittingmeditation.Weshutour eyes and intentionally prevent the establishment ofcakkhu viňňāna.Similarlywesitinaplacedevoidofsoundsas far as possible and intentionally prevent the establish-mentofsota viňňāna.Smellandtastearealmostirrelevantduring a sitting meditation session. Therefore the yogiisnowable to tell theviňňāna toonly focuson thebody(kāyānupassanā).Thenafterashortwhiletheattentionwillsettleonthebreath–in/outbreathortherise/falloftheab-domen.Thentheviňňānawillgetthesignalthatthebreath(wherever itprominentlymanifests) is theprimaryobjectofmeditation.Supposingtheyogihadchosenānāpānasati(in/out-breath) as the primary object, after a while thebreathwillappearfadeawayandthehewillreachapointwherethattheprimaryobjectisnotdiscernible,althoughtheviňňāna, samādhiandsatiareintact.Sometimesthisisreferredtoasanimitta samādhi–asamādhiwithnoap-parentsign.Theviňňānainsuchasituationbeginstoloseitsholdonthesensoryworldandfeelslost,andtherefore

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theyogiwill feelmonotonyandboredom,orhemayfeelsleepyorhemaybegintoexperiencedoubtanduncertain-ty. Theseexperiencesaredue to thehiddendefilementswehave,andinsteadofappreciatingandconsolidatingthissituationwebegintorejectit,orwetakeadeepbreathorwemayevenstopthemeditationsession.Thisagainisthemanipulationofviňňānaanditsillusorynature.ThisiswhytheBuddhacalledviňňānaamagicianwhokeepsconjuringtricksofthemindinordertoprolongsamsāra.

The Buddha advises us to appreciate and acknowl-edgethisbalancedstageinmeditationandhesaystoknowandcontemplatethemonotony/boredom/restlessnesswefeel.Furthermoreheadvisestonottakeadeepbreathortointroduceexternalsigns/objectsofmeditationanddisturbthisstate.Becausetheviňňānaisbereftofitsholdonthesixsensesduringthisstagetheyogimayexperiencesomethingmoresubtlebeneaththecoarsersensoryplane.Thiscouldmanifestasamovementorasavibrationorassomeen-ergy.Thissituationissansboundaries,personalities,race,genderandappearsasonecontinuousstateofemptinesswithno variety. Santati orSantāna (stateof continuousflux)isthetermthatisusedforsuchasituation.Viňňānaisrenderedweakanddysfunctionalduringthisstageandtheformationofnāma-rūpaisweakandincomplete-viňňāna paccayanāma-rūpa. Themore theviňňāna is disconnect-edfromthesensesandthedeeperitgoestowardsaplacewithoutsensorystimuliandwhereonlyvibrations/energiesexist,wemust learn that this ‘place’ is indeedwhereweshouldaimtogettoandstayin.Infactsucha‘place’rep-resentstheentireworldthatweareusedtolivingin.Thesevibrationsareofaprimordialnatureandsubjecttoarisingandceasing,andtheyhavetheabilitytotransformintoasound, smell, pain etc. Ifwe are successful in bearing up

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theunpleasantness,fearandmonotonyandwemanagetoremainwithnoreaction,wemayendupbeingabletobreakthelink-viňňāna paccaya nāma-rūpa.

This is extremely difficult because the viňňānawilluseeveryavailable trick and illusion toprevent this fromhappening. Ifwefailtoremain inthisstateofuniformityandwere-connectwith nāma-rūpaweagainbegin withrecognizingdualityanddifferentiation, i.e.wearebacktowherewestarted.

A writer from theWest has described this state ofremaining with these vibrations/energies as ‘whole bodyexperienceorwholebodyconsciousness’.Thisstaterepre-sentsallsixsensesintheirprimordialform,buttheyhavenotyet transformed intoaspecificsense impingementorasenseorgan.Thereforewedon’tusethemindoranyofthesixsensestoexperiencethisstateandinfactitisnotpossibletodescribethisparticularexperience.Thereisnobeginning,middleandendinthisstate.Withinthisstateisnorightorwrongandnome/mine/self.The viňňānaisinaveryprimitivestateandexistsasenergieswherenāma-rūpa have not been expressed. If during this period thesamādhigetsinterruptedbyasoundorapain,immediatelytherelevantnāma/rūpaandsalāyatanawillmanifest.

Unfortunately themindwill reactby doubting thisstateandalsoitwillexperiencemonotonyanddistaste,re-sultingintheyoginotwantingtoremaininsuchasituationandfallingasleep.Ourconstantconnectionwiththesens-es isamanifestationofthe illusorynatureoftheviňňānaandthetricksitplaysbyconjuringimages,soundsetc.Infact this ‘world’withwhichweareconnected incessantlyisacreationofviňňāna. Ithasthesoleauthoritytotrans-formtheyogifrombeinga‘seer’(onewhoseessights)toa‘hearer’(onewhohearssounds)ortoa‘taster’(onewho

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tastesflavours),andthisoccurssimplybychanceandthehaplessyogi isavictiminthehandsofthe illusionthat iscreatedmoment tomoment. Each time there is connec-tionwithsensoryinputskilesa(defilements)areactivated,whereas the longerwestaywith the bodyexperienceorwholebodyconsciousnessthelessdefilementsweactivate.

If we are to apply the particular link in thePaţiccasamuppāda -viňňāna paccaya nāma-rūpa-toourdailymeditation, after the breath calms downwe shouldmakeeveryeffort to remain still,notmakinganycetanā (volitions)oranydeterminations.Norshouldweattempttocontemplateanicca, dukkha, anattaorengageinmeditat-ing on the impurities of the body (asubha bhāvana) dur-ing thisperiod. Insteadtheyogi shouldmakeeveryeffortto stay in this state with no nimitta (sign) for as long aspossible.Suchisamatureandbalancedstateofmind,andwillyieldmaximumkusalbydoingnothingandthinkingofnothing.This isastatefreeofcetanāandkamma forma-tion,andmayinfacthelpextinguishpastkamma.Theyogiwill thenbeswimmingupstreamandveryclosetoreach-ing the deeper states of meditative development. In theĀnāpānasati suttathisstageisdescribedascitta patisam-vedi assasissāmīti sikkhatī - citta patisamvedi passasissāmīti sikkhatī(thebreathhascalmeddownandisnotfeltandthesamādhiissuchthattheyogiisleftonlywiththemind).Thisisaveryrefinedstatewheretheviňňāna hasbeenmomen-tarilyparalysed,andtheyogishouldremainwithoutcreat-inganynewthoughts/ideas(sankhāra).Thisisaluminousstateofmindwheretheyogihastheabilitytoexperiencecitta sankhāra(saňňāandvedanā).Thispurestateoftheinnermindiscommontoeveryperson,goodorbad.There-foreweshouldrealizethattheexternalsense-basedworldisonlyatinyfractionofouroutermindasopposedtothe

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ultrapure innermind.Butbecauseoftheconstantdesirefordiversityandvariety,andtheneedtopleaseoursenseswetendtoavoidthissituationnotrealizingitsvalue.Wefailtounderstandhowupliftingaunifiedmindis,asopposedtoonewhichistaintedbythesense-worldanddisturbedbytheHindrances.

The daywe realize the value and profundity of theemptiness (suññatā) we experience in meditation wewill thenbecomeasappurisa and that that indeed is likenibbāna.Thatrealizationwilltakeplaceinapersonwhohascompletedsīla visuddhi(purificationofactionandspeech),citta visuddhi(purificationofmind),ditthi visuddhi(purifi-cationofview)andkankāvitarana visuddhi(purificationofdoubt).Suchapersonwouldalsohavedevelopedtheceta-sika adhimokkha(highdegreeoffaithandspiritualmaturi-ty,wheretheyogihasthedeterminationandclearlyknowsthePathtotakedespitemanycomplexities).ThiscouldbealsodescribedasamatureformofSaddhā. Saddhācharac-teristicallypullsinalldirectionsbutayogiwithadhimokkha willhavesufficientspiritualstrengthandwisdomtoknowexactlywhichdirectiontotake.

Suchapersonwillalsoknowthatworldlyknowledgeandacademic/professionalachievementswillnotbehelp-fulinreachingsuchaspirituallyexaltedstate.Worldlymat-tersonlypromotethefivehindrancesandthisisduetoourdefilements. Using mindfulness as the guide if we reachthese states inmeditation,withoutanyconfusionwewillthen know when samādhi is present and whenever ourmindgetsdiscursive.

Therewas a question aboutwhetherwe could dis-tinguish the energies/ vibrations we experience duringtheabovementionedstate inmeditation, fromthe trem-orswe experience as a result of thewind element (vāyō

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photthabbha dhāthu).Thewindelementisexperiencedinconnectiontoasenseorgan–usuallyinconnectiontothebody (kāya prasāda),whereas the vibrations experiencedafterthebreathcalmsdownisnotfeltinanyparticularloca-tionbutisgeneralizedandisexperiencedinrelationtotheentirebody.Thisisagoodsignindicatingthattheviňňāna is getting paralysed. The Buddha’s advise is to reducesankhārabecauseitissankhārathatleadstotheformationofviňňāna.Thereforewhenkāya sankhāra,vacī sankhāra andcitta sankhārasubsidegradually,viňňānalosespower,andthismanifestsintheformofmonotonyandboredom.TheBuddhaadvisedustowelcomemonotonybecauseitmeansthatweareonthepathtonibbāna,asopposedtodiversityandvariety,whichmeanstheoppositei.e.wearelengtheningsamsāra.Weneedtoevenmomentarilysacri-ficeourlikes/dislikesandpreferences,ourhabitsandcom-forts; and staywithabalanced stateofmind. Thiswouldseemlikewalkingatightropewhenthebreathcalmsdownandwearefacingdiscomfiture.

We need to understand both extremes (good andbad)andthereafterletgoofboth,sothatthemiddlepathwillbeopenforexploration.TheBuddhasaidthatwhenayogi understands sensual pleasures (āmisa sukha/indriya badda)aswellaspleasurederivedfrombeingdisconnectedtothesenses(nirāmisa sukha/anindriya patibaddha),thenhewouldhavebothhiseyesopenasopposedtoonlyone.Hewouldthenrealizewhataninordinateamountoftimehespendsseekingthetemporarysensualpleasureswhichamounttoalmostnothingwhencomparedtowhathecanexperience with spiritual advancement. Unfortunately,wheneverwemeetthistypeofspiritual,non-sensualplea-sureinmeditationtheviňňānawilltryeverytricktointer-ruptandbreakthetrend,andasaresultwereverttothe

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inferiorsensualpleasures.Thereforewemustbewellpre-paredandbraveenoughtocontinuethepractice,becausethedhammawillripenbeforeussomedayandwewillseenibbāna inthis life itself.That is theakālikanatureoftheDhamma.

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Dhamma Talk 5



salāyatanāpaccayā phasso , phassapaccayā vedanā tī tī

Idapaccayatāva = specific conditionality, the arisingofphenomenaisdependantonspecificconditions.

We have already discussed how, during meditationonecanexperienceviññāna leadingtonāma-rūpa .Thisis important because traditionally the literature refers toPaţiccasamuppādaastheprocesswhereatdeathviññāna leavesthepersonconcernedandthatthenextnāma-rūpa getconnectedviapatisandhi- viññāna re-link conscionsneri.Thequestionthenarisesastowhetherweareinapositionto experientially realize the sequence of events betweenthemomentofleavingthispresentlifeandthebeginningofthenextlife.Andastowhether,atthemomentofachiev-inghigherspiritualstateslikestream-entryifthisparticularexplanationcanbeexperiencedinpractice.Instead,Iwouldlike to urge you to try and understand this phenomenonin amore refined context, and to experience the shiftingof viññāna as and when it happens when one thought-moment(cittakkhana) isreplacedbyanother. Thisoccursmoment-to-momentandismorerealisticandcanbeexpe-riencedwithahighdegreeofawarenessorsati.

Thisistheclassicalvipassanāteaching.Theexampleswe used were walkingmeditation, when the conscious-nesswhichwasoriginally basedon thebody/foot –kāya viññānarapidlyshiftstotheeye-cakkhu viññānaorear-sota viññāna. When that happens the nāma-rūpa thatmanifestedinconnectiontothefootwillnextbereplaced

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by those nāma-rupa relevant to the eye/ear (e.g, sightand sounds). Thisdemonstrates the very rapid shiftingofviññāna, moment-to-moment, whilst generating the rel-evantnāma-rūpainitswake.Thesamethingwouldhappenwhenwe press abuttonand swiftly changeTV channelsin accordancewithourpreferences. In all these transac-tionsitisthemindthattakestheleadroleorbecomesthedecisionmaker.Itisaccordingtowherethemindwishestoshiftitsattentionthatwefocusonasightorasound.HencetheimportanceofBuddha’steaching-manopubbaňgamā dhammā manoseţţhā manomayā (the mind is the forerunnerofallmentalstates,mindistheirchief,theyareallmind-wrought)-Dhammapada.

Duringwalkingmeditationforinstance,afterawhileboredomandmonotonysetinandtheyogigetstemptedtoshifttheattentiontoasightorasound.Theviññānawhichisresponsibleforthisselectionwillalwaysselectanobjectthatwillgenerateoneofthefollowing–tanhā, māna, diţţhi.Wecanbeassuredthattheselectionmadebytheviññānawillneverbecompatiblewith themiddlepathbecause itwillalwaysleadtogeneratingdefilements.Therefore,dur-ingsittingmeditationweshouldneverexpectourmindtobe continuously focused on the in/out-breath or, duringwalkingmeditationweshouldnotexpecttohavetheatten-tionalwaysontheleft/rightfoot.Andweshouldnotgetdis-tressedwhenwecannotcontinuouslykeepourattentionononeobject.Becausethatisthenatureofthemind,andwehavenocontrolwhatsoeveraboutwhereorwhenitdecidestoshiftfromoneobjecttoanother.Suchistheunpredict-ableandillusorynatureofviññāna.

TheBuddhaadvisedus todevelop sharpenedandastuteawarenesssothatwewillbeabletonotethewaythemindshiftsfromobjecttoobject.Healsoadvisedthat

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wetryandkeeptheattentionontheobjectofmeditation(i.e.breath,feet,abdomen)atleastforawhile.Sometimeswemaysucceedindoingsoforquiteawhile.Sometimeswewon’t.Ourdeterminationshouldbethatwecatcheachsuccessivecittakkhanasothatwewillcatchtheviññānaasitshiftsandtheresultantnāma-rūpa.Ioftencomparethisphenomenon to the skyand theappearanceof lightning.Themomentbeforelightningstrikesthereisabsolutelynoindicationwhatsoeverthatlightningisgoingtostrike.Itissosuddenandsounpredictable.Viññānademonstratesthesame suddenness andunpredictability in regard towhichsense-organ/object (and therefore which set of nāma-rūpa)itwillchoose.Anuninterruptedstreamofsatiandamindthatwillremainunshakenandundisturbedareessen-tialpre-requisitesthatayogishouldbearmedwith,ifthenatureofviññānaistobeexperiencedduringmeditation.

Inourspiritualjourneywecannotaffordtohavearoadmaporaspecific itinerary,becausethepathistotallyoutofourcontrol.However,thecriticallessontolearnisthateachnewthought-moment isabsolutelypureand freeofdefilements.Therefore,evenifwehaveanimpurethoughtandadefiledmind-stateatonemoment,weshouldbere-assuredthattheimmediatelysucceedingthought-momentcaninfactbetotallypureandthatwehavethepotentialtoevenexperiencenibbāna.

Duringwalkingmeditation if after awhile themindshiftsfromthefeettoavisualobject(rūpa ārammana),theyogiwillexperiencethecharacteristicsofthatobject(i.e.shape,colour,signandmarks=uddesa, nimiţi, ākāra, linga)anduntil these fourare registered theyogiwill notactu-allyexperiencetherelevantsightnorrememberit.Whichmeansthatatleastfourcittakkhanahavetobecompletedbeforeasightisactuallyregistered.Thesameappliestoa

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sound, smell, thought, tasteor touch. Supposing theyogihaddevelopedpowerfulandpenetrativesatisothatwhileengagedinwalkingmeditation,assoonasthevisualobjectmeetstheeye,theyogibecameawarecompletelythatthemind’sattentionhadshiftedtotheeyewithnogap inhisattention,thenitispossiblethathecouldkeepfocusingonthefeetandthewalking,whilemaintaininganuninterrupt-edstreamofsati.Thismeansthatthevisualobjecthadnotregisteredinthemindsincetheyogi’ssatiwasstrong(sati balaya) and uninterrupted. Hence the ability to continuewithwalkingmeditationwithnobreakinawareness.Suchayogiwillnotbeabletosaywhatthatvisualobjectwas,norrecognizeit,sinceheonlynotedavague‘sight’andnotanobjectoraperson.

Ifontheotherhand,theyogi’sattentioniscaughtbyasight/sound,andhesees/hearsandrecognizesthatpar-ticular senseobject, then theviññāna gets established inthatparticularsensorytransactionthusforsakingthefeet/walking.Thiswouldinvariablyresultinnāma-rūpaconnect-edtothesight/sound,andthusleadtokammageneration.This iswhy theBuddhaadvisedusnot to take in/registerthecharacteristicsofexternalsenseimpingementswhileinwalkingmeditation.Instead,headvisedustofirstmasterthewalkingmeditationbycontemplatingthecharacteristicspeculiartowalking–i.e.thesurfacehardness,unevenness,wet/dryness,cool/warm.Thustheyogimastersallfeaturesuniquetowalkingandthesurface,therebyhewillbenotdisturbedbytheexternalsenseimpingementsthatmayoc-curandnorhaveanyremorse/regret.

Thisistheimportanceofbeingwellpreparedpriortocommencingmeditation.Suchapreparedmindislesslikelytogetdivertedtosights/sounds/thoughtswhenmonotonyand boredom set in after engaging inwalkingmeditation

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for awhile. The same principle applies to sittingmedita-tion. Initially we are advised to strongly contemplate in/out-breathingifsounds,thoughtsandpainsaredisturbing.Andwe are advised to avoid paying attention to sounds,thoughts etc. If not, our attentionwe be grabbed by thesoundorthoughtandit is likelythatourattentionwillbecarriedaway,evenasfarthelevelofthesense-organsandtheir contact (i.e. viññānapaccayā nāma-rupam, nāma-rupa paccayā salāyatanam salāyatanāpaccayā phasso).Ifwehadallowedthistoproceedthenvedanāwillresultandthereaftertheconsequenceswillnotbefavourable.

Allofthiswilltakeplaceinanun-trainedminddevoidofanuninterruptedsteamofsati(vêpulla sati).Theyogishouldtrainthemindrepeatedlysothatitwillbetamedatleastwithinreason.Asufficientlytrainedmindcanbemadetocontemplatethechosenobjectofmeditationforawhile,andthereafterifthemindchoosestoleaptoasoundorasight,theyogiwillseethatleapwithapowerfulsatiandwillnotbedisturbed.Hewillknowthatthemindleapsaccord-ingtoourlikes/preferencesanditissankhārathatfacilitatessuchdigressions.Butthereaftertheyogiwillknowthatthemind reverts to theoriginalobjectagain, andwill remainundisturbed.Theyogiwillnottrytostop/preventthemindmovingrapidlyinthismannerandbuthebecomescleveratfocusinghismindonwhereveritchoosestogo,i.e.thesati hasbecomesati balaya,anditisnowsufficientlytamedtorevertalmost instantaneously to theprimaryobjectwith-outremorse.Thisisagreatleapforwardanddemonstratesversatility.

Thematurityoftheyogi’s sati anddevelopingtheabil-itytoreverttotheprimaryobjectdespiteconstantdigres-sionstosights,sounds,thoughtsareintimatelyconnectedtothedevelopmentofsense-restraint(indriya samvara).In

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theSatisampajaňňa sutta(MN)theBuddhadescribesfearandshame(hiri ottappa)astheproximatecausefordevel-oping indriya samvara. TheBuddha states that a personwhohasnofearandshamewillneverbeabletocultivateindriya samvara,andthatindriya samvaraistheproximatecauseforsīla.Fearandshameisdeterminedbyapersonssocio-cultural upbringing. For instance, a personwhohasbeenbornandhaslivedoverseasforalongtimewillhaveasetofvaluespertainingtofearandshame,whichmaybedifferenttoours.

Therefore sīla for such a person may need to beadaptedaccordingly.TheBuddhasaidthatsatisampajaňňa playsacriticalroleindevelopingfearandshame.Onewhohascultivatedsatisampajaňňawillalwayspossessafearofbreakingthelawortransgressingsocietalvaluesandnorms,andthereforeapersonwithsampajaňňa(=paňňāorwis-dom)willautomaticallyobservesīla.

However,traditionallywearetaughtthatweshouldobservesīlafirst,andthatsubsequentlypaňňāwilldevelop,i.e.theclassicalteachingofsīla,samādhi,paňňā .Yet,re-peatedlytheBuddhaemphasizedthatsīlaandpaňňārein-forceeachotherandthattheyareinter-dependant,i.e.onecannotdeveloppaňňā withoutsīla andviceversa.TheBud-dhaalsoreiteratedthatsuchasīlaisonethatwouldleadtohigherspiritualattainmentsandnotwhereoneisattachedirrationallytoritesandrituals(=sīlabbathaparāmasa).

A yogiwith amature sati andpaňňā will thereforeunderstandeachtimewhenthemindstraysduringmedi-tation, our vulnerability and helplessness where we can-notdeterminetheagendaofourconsciousness.Thereforesuch a yogi will re-configure his life so that he will keepsatisampajaňňaand indriya samvaraattheforefrontandtherebyprotecthissīla so that itwill leadhim togreater

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spiritualmaturity. Suchavipassanā yogiwilluse thisma-turitywhenfacingtheusualproblemsindailylifeandwillnotheapexpectationsfromhisfamily,friendsorthestate.Heshouldnotalsomeasureorjudgeothersbyhis‘world-view’onvariousmattersandnorshouldhetrytoteachoth-ersbecausesuchapractisewillhinderhisownmeditativedevelopment.Onecanonlysetanexampleandshowhowsatisampajaňňa can be practiced, butwe should remem-berthatwecannotgiveanyoneindriya samvaraorsīla.OneshouldneverbeinhastewhentreadingthisPathandthosewhowish to accelerate the journey or are in a big hurryto see results are experiencing amanifestation of tanhā, māna, diţţhi.

This is a journey that is going against the grain andweare swimmingupstream,and theviňňāna isnotcom-fortable to tread this Path that the Buddha taught 2600yearsago.Itisusedtodoingexactlytheopposite.Untilnowtheviňňānahasdictatedtermstousandnowforthefirsttimewehaveimposedsomeconditions.Duringthisperiodthe yogi should be cautious about the daily timetable headopts,thepeopleheassociateswith,andheshouldbelis-teningtothesaddhammaandbeultrasensitiveaboutthelifestyleheleads.Thesewouldbecomeentirelytheyogi’sresponsibility.Becausewehavealwaysgothabituallydis-turbedbyeverysensualimpingementwewillfindthisup-streamjourneyhardtoaccomplish,andasaresultremorseandregretarecommonfeaturesthatwewillencounter.TheredeemingfactoristhatthisisexactlyhowtheBuddhaandall thearahants likeVenerablesSāriputtaandMoggallānaunderstoodthisdhamma.Theytoowentthroughthesamedifficulties that we experience. When treading this Path,wewill realize thatwithineverymistake there isa lessonto learn.Withenhancedsati,weneedtoscrutinizeevery

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experienceas thoughweareseeing itusingamagnifyingglass.Everytimewe facesorrowandvariousdisturbancesinlife,ifweshinethetorchofsationedaywewillbesuc-cessfulintranscendingthesadnessandseeingthedhammawithin.

During walking meditation, when lifting, placingandmovingthefoot;thesamephenomenonaswhenweseea sightorhear a soundoccurs.When lifting the footandplacing thesensorytransaction isas : kāya prasada-phoţţabbha-kāya viňňāna.Theunionofthesethreeresultsiscontact–kāya samphassaandweknowofsuchcontact.Withthecontactweimmediatelyexperienceasensation–vedanā- and this sensationcouldbepleasant,unpleasantorneutral.Untilthepointatwhichsensationisexperiencedourmindisfreeofdefilements.Itisonlywiththearisingofvedanāthatourmindsgetdefiled.Becauseeverysensationwilleitheryieldacraving/attachment/likeORitwillresultindislikeorillwill.Usuallywearenotadeptatunderstandingoracknowledgingneutral feelings. If a yogi can introducesatiatleastatthepointwherecontactleadstosensations,atapointbeforethesensationstakeoverthenweareskil-ful.Becausewewillthenhaveinterruptedthechain.Usu-allywedonothavethepractisetodoso,andasaresultphassaleadstovedanāandthentotanhā, upādānaandsoon,thusdefilingourminds.

Wheneverwechangepositions,orshift from lefttorightfootduringwalkingorshiftourattentiontoasightorsoundduringmeditation, ifwe can practise strongmind-fulness(sati, appamāda)duringthatprocesswecanthenpreservethepurityofourmind.Alwaysweshouldbelikeabeginner/noviceandseethesechangeswithclarityusinguninterruptedmindfulness then it is as thoughwe are inthepresenceofnibbāna.Habituallyweareusedtothink-

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ingthatthisisnotpossible,andthisisbecauseourusuallydefiledmindwillnotbewilling toaccept that this ispos-sible. Habitually our mind always reaches out to defiledstatesandmovingtowardspurity is seenas difficult taskandasalien.This is theverytrendthatshouldbebrokenandtheonlyrecipe istosharpenmindfulnessdaybyday,andtomakeitahabittoapplyittoeveryactivityandeverysensorytransactionassoonasittakesplace.Thisisdifficultatthebeginningbuteventuallyyouwillbeamazedathoweasyitbecomes.Whetheryouapplythisdhammaduringsittingmeditationwhentheattentionshiftsfromthebreathto a sound/pain/thoughtORwhether you apply it duringwalkingmeditationwhentheattentionshiftsfromthefoottoasight/sound/smell,itisexactlythesame.Theabilitytoconstantlysharpenthemindfulnesstocapturethisshiftinattentionasitoccurs,isreferredtoasapplyingradical/wiseattention (yōniso manasikāra). This is a powerful experi-encetocultivate.

Thetendencyweallhavetogetengagedandbecar-ried away by every sensory transaction and its attendantemotions, is very natural and it is a samsāric addiction.Thereforeweshouldneverclaimsuchfeelingsasme/mineandfeelremorseorregret.Weshouldlearntoseethoseten-dencieswithastuteawarenessandunderstandthatmostofthoseoccurdevoidofanycontrolbyus.Infactwearehelp-less andnoneofushaveany control overhowemotionstake over and run riot, at times. TheBuddha taught thattheseoccurwithoutourwill and control –asanskhārikhaoracetanica-andthusdemonstratedthata‘self’orātma cannot exist.Our suffering exists due to the fact thatweclaim these as me/mine. The sensations that we experi-encewheneverasenseimpingementmakescontactwithasenseorgan,aswellasthesenseobjectandtheorganare

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allsubjecttocauseandeffectandisinaccordancewiththePaţiccasamuppāda.

Thismaybedifficulttocomprehendatthebeginningofonespracticebutoncewelearntoseethingswithsharpmindfulnessandwiththinslicingoftimewewillknowhowinsubstantial and hollow everything is. The law of causeandeffectwilloperate throughmanychannels– niyāma dhamma – karma niyāma, irthu niyāma, beeja niyāma, citta niyāma. Thesehavebeen inexistence for longbeforewewerebornandtheywillcontinuetoexistlongafterwearedead. Therefore claiming every thought, emotion, eventinour livesasme/mineandconsequentlysuffering is thenaturaltendencyofanuninstructedworldling–puthujjana.

Ifwetrainourmindsandcultivateappamādasothatwecanseethebeginningofeachevent,andifwetrainour-selvestonotclaimtheseasmineandbedisappointedasaresult,thenwewillbeabletowatchhowthemindshiftsfrom the object duringmeditation and not be disturbed.Ayogiwhowilldisturbed insuchamannerwouldhaveastrongperceptionofself–ātma saňňā.

Ayogiwhoiswillingtoseethisfrequentshiftingofat-tentionwithequanimityandonewhocultivatestheabilitytotracetheverybeginningofeachsuchshiftingdevelopsclarityofmindtoseethingsastheyreallyare.AndsuchapersonwouldhaveexperiencedwhattheBuddhaandthenobledisciplesdid.It isonlysuchatrainedmindthatcanprotectitselffromreactionarythoughtsandhiddendefile-ments.At least this canbedonea fewtimes initiallyandsubsequentlythistrendwillincrease.Ourchallengeistoin-creasethesespellsofnon-reactivitybecausethosepreciousthought-momentswillprotectthepurityofthemind.Eachtimewereactorintroducethoughtswearecreatingimpu-ritiesandallowingdefilementstoflourish.Thisisthevery

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thingweshouldavoid.

TheBuddhahasrepeatedlyadvisedustorefrainfromunwholesomeness – ‘sabba pāpassa akaranam….etam Buddhanusāsanam’.Satibecomesourprotectionsincethatisthesingletoolwecanusetowatchourmindflittingfromobjecttoobject, initiallywithdifficultybutgraduallygain-ingmomentumsothatsatimaturesintosatipatthāna,andthenindriyasatiandthenapowerfulsati balaya.

Suchavipassanā samādhi ismoreversatilethansa-matha samādhi becauseitenablesustomindfullywatcheachmovementofthemindwithnoreaction.Itwouldbelikefocusingavideocameraonourmind–thevideocam-eraisoursati.

Automatically we would apply restraint when weknowthatourmindisbeingwatched.

Initially,ateachsense-doorwhentherelevantviňňāna resultsingenerationofnāma-rūpawemayfeelfrustratedbecauseithappenswithoutanycontrol.Yet,withasharp-enedsatiwhenwebegintocatchthesenāma-rūpaastheyarise it becomesheartening andwe feel encouraged.Wewillthenbegintoseethetricksofthemindanditsillusorynature.Wemaythenbegintowonderwhenwewill stopgettingtrappedintothesedangerousgamesthemindplays.Wearevictimsofthesethought-momentsandeachoneofusisnodifferentfromoneanother,becauseallourmindsexperiencethesametypeofthoughts.

It isonlyasharpenedmindfulnessthatcanshowusthistruthandwillprotectusandwillpreventusfromgener-atingnewkamma.TheysaythatwhentheBuddhawalked,hehadasharpmindfulnessspreadallroundandlikeara-daritcapturedeverysenseimpingementthatmadecontactfromnearorfar,assoonasithappened.Suchwasthepro-

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tectionawelldevelopedsatioffered.

Ifwecultivatesatithenitwillprotectus.Similarlyifweobservesīlawithasharpenedsati,thenthesīlawouldprotectus.Similarlysamādhiwouldprotectus.And ifwepracticevipassanāwith sati itwill showuswith absoluteclarity,howtoseethingsastheyreallyare,andthatwillbetheultimateprotectionandthepathtowisdom.

Duetoourignorancewehabituallyselectorchoosewhatwelikeandprefer.Thisisaveryinnocentactthatwehave been doing all our lives. However, beneath this in-nocence lies thedangerous tendency toestablishand re-inforceourself-view,conceitandgreed,andtherebyper-petuatesamsāra.

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Dhamma Talk 6




salāyatanāpaccayā phasso, phassa paccayā vedanā

vedanā paccayā tanhā tī tī

The Buddha taught that even though our bodies willbecome frail and diseased, our minds are able to retainthevitalityandalertness.Ifweareabletowatchwithas-tute awareness, the five khandas – rūpa, vedanā, saňňā, sankhāra, viňňāna–astheyarise,orifweareabletoseethe conditionednatureof thesefive aggregates, thenwewillbe‘awake’andwillretainasharpalertnessduringtheageingprocess.TheBuddhadescribedthis indetail intheNalkulamātha Nakulapītha Sutta. Usually after about theageoffortythebodybeginstodeteriorateandourhealthbeginstosuffer.Yet, ifwehadstartedmeditationearly inlifeandhadwecultivatedsati, theneven thoughdiseasetakesoverwewillbeabletomaintainawarenessandwatcheveryeventitariseswithaclearstateofmind.

If duringmeditationwe are able to immediately noteeachtime theattention shifts from theprimaryobject toasound/pain/thought,andifweareabletoinstantlynoteeachtimetheattentionrevertstotheprimaryobjectwith-outanyregretorremorse,thenclarityofmindismanifest.Thisconfirms increasingequanimityandtheabilityof themeditatortotrackconsciousness–viňňāna–asandwhenitchoosesonesenseorganoveranother.Andthisisapointatwhichwecaninterruptthischainofeventsanddisrupt

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theperpetuationof samsāriccycle.Instead,ourfollyisthat,atsuchamomentweclaimthischoicemadebytheviňňāna asme,myselformine,andasaresultwegetcarriedawaybysuchsense-engagements.Throughourengagementandreactionstosuchsensorytransactionswenourishviňňāna andperpetuateitsexistence.Wealsofailtounderstandthatduringeachsensorytransaction,duringthatonethought-momentitwillalwaysbeonlyonesenseorganthatwillbeengaged.Wefailtorealizethatduringthatprocesswene-glectorrenderinactivetheothersense-stations.

This selectivechoosingof justonesensory interactionisentirelygovernedbyourownpreferences,likesandourgreed–tanhā.IntheSatipatthāna SuttatheBuddhaattrib-utedthispreferentialselectionduetoourgreedandcraving-Tatra tatrābhi nandani...seyya tīdam kāma tanhā, bhava tanhā, vibhava tanhā.Inordertoknowthisparticularselec-tionand tobe thoroughaboutwhich sense-impingementwaschosenatagivenpoint,onehastospendatleastafewthought-moments with a relevant sensory engagement.Sati/appamādahastobeparticularlystrongforthisunder-standingtotakeplacesuccessfully,andthat is indeedthevipassanāteaching.

Thenatureofthemindissuchthattheshiftfromoneobjecttoanother isextremelyswift.Thereforebeingabletocatchit,isbyitselfaremarkableachievement.Whentheyogirealizesthatitispossible,onhisownaccordtocatchthis fickle and unpredictablemind – often likenedby theBuddhatoamadmonkeywhojumpsfrombranchtobranch-theyogidevelopsalotofconfidenceandwillknowforthefirsttimethatwithoutanyexternalsupportandonhisown,heisablehavecontroloverthemind,albeititmaybeforjustasplitsecond.Thisisaremarkablerealization.Accordingtothesaptha visuddhimethod(sevenstagesofpurification),

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theyogiwouldthenbefreeofnegativedoubtsandwouldhave reached the stages of kankāvitharana visuddhi ormaggāmagga ňānadassana visuddhi (stagesduringwhichtheyogi’sdoubtsinrelationtowhetherheisprogressingorregressingandwhatisthePathorwhatisnotthePath,tendtogetcleared).Thisisasignificantdevelopmentbuteveryyogiwillnotnecessarilyexperiencethis.

Even though this freeing of doubt is not a powerfulself-confidenceaswhatonewouldreachatthemomentofstream-entry,this isan importanthurdletocrossand isacriticalmilestoneinone’smeditativepath.Thisisthestagewhentheyogiwillknowwithcertainty,whenhissatiispres-entorabsent,andsimilarlywithviriya, saddhā, samādhi.Theyogibythenwouldhavecompletedsevenpurificationsandwouldgainsomeeligibilitytounderstandexperiential-ly,thepaţiccasamuppāda.Itisonlysuchayogiwhowouldbeinapositiontocatchtheverymomentthatthemindwillleapfromtheobjectofmeditationtoasound/pain/anyoth-ersenseimpingement.Anessentialpre-requisiteforayogitocultivatethisability is,thathewillnotchooseorjudgetheobject/sense-impingementtowhichthemindwillleap,i.e, the yogimust invariably cultivate a choiceless aware-nesswithupekkha.Ifnot,andifwemeasuretheobjectasgood/bad, happy/sad thenwehavenot really achievedapurification.Itisthis‘choosing’or‘judging’thatactasafet-terandbindsustosamsāra.

If we continue to feel distressed each time themindshiftsfromtheobjectofyourattentiontoanother–andifthisisthetrendduringsitting/walkingmeditationorwhenengagedinday-to-dayactivities,thenitmeansthattheyo-gi’sself-confidenceisyettoripenandmature,andthatfur-therpracticeisneededforeliminationofdoubt.Thiswouldalsomean that the yogi has not yet cultivated choiceless

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awarenessandthathestillhasajudgmentalmindset,andthathisreactionsaredeterminedbyhisinnerhiddendefile-mentslikegreed,hatredanddelusion.

Iftheyogireachesastagewhereduringwalkingmedita-tionforinstance,whilenotingthefoottouchingtheground,theattention shifts toa visual-object then theyoginotestheshiftfromthefeet/groundtothevisual-object/seeing,i.e. kāya viňňāna to cakkhu viňňāna (eye-consciousness).Thensimultaneouslyhecannotethenāma-rūpathatoccurinrelationtothevisual-objectandseeing.Ifhehadnotedtheeye-consciousnessassimplytheprocessof‘seeing’andifheisabletoonlyrecognizetheparticularsalāyatanathatwas activated (in this case the eye/visual object/seeing),then that yogihasdevelopeda special skill. This typeofcontemplationhelpstorecognizehow,duringasplitsecondthemind shifted from the feet/ground to the eye/visual-object.Infactthisisalsoapowerfulmethodto‘tame’thisunpredictableandconstantlyflittingmind.

Ontheotherhand,wemayfindthatwehavebeencom-pletelyoverpoweredbythevisual-objectandbeencarriedawaybytheseeingwhilestillengaged inwalkingmedita-tion. The reasons for this could be simplymonotony andboredomwiththewalking.Thenweshouldbeawareandaskourselvesastowhetherweareactively‘looking’attheobject or whether we are passively ‘seeing’ it. Initially itwas just ‘seeing’ but subsequently this passive event canbereplacedbyactively‘looking’,i.e.activeformations–ce-tana–wouldhavebeenintroduced.Thenthecontempla-tion shouldbeon ‘looking’ ‘looking’ (andnot focusedonthevisual-objectoron‘seeing’‘seeing’)becauseitisnowatthestageofcakkhu viňňāna.Suddenlytheyogimayrealizethathisattentionhadbeentakenoverbythe‘seeing’andthenhewillswiftlyreturntothewalkingmeditationthathe

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hadbeenengagedin.Thisrealizationcouldhappensecondsorminutesaftertheattentionwastakenoverbythevisual-object.

When the yogi thus reverts theattention to the feet/groundfromthevisual-object/eye,heshouldbefullyawareof the transition.Heshouldknowhowhiseye-conscious-ness shifted to body-consciousness. This is difficult butmustbepracticedbytheyogi.Whentheyogi’smeditationpracticeimproves,hewillhaveanaturalinteresttodevel-opamatureandseasonedsati.Thisiswhentheyogiwillbeequippedtowatchhowtheattentionmovesfromonesense-organ to anotherwith absolutelynopriorwarning.Whenthathappens,insteadofexperiencingremorseorre-gret,theyogishouldbeinapositiontocontemplateeachsuchshiftofattentionwithcompleteequanimity.Itisonlythenthatwewillrealizehowfickleandunpredictableourmindisandalsohowvulnerableweare,whenwearewithallsixsense-doorsopen.Thisistherealityindailylife.

Theabilitytoobservethisunpredictablemind-shiftfromsense-organtosense-organ,opensthedoortotherealiza-tionthateverythingissoephemeralandsubjecttotransfor-mation.ThisindeedistherealizationoftheBuddha’steach-ingonanicca.However,whenfacedwiththissituationwehaveremorsethatwecan’tkeepthemindononeobject.Thereforeweneedtounderstandthreeteachings in rela-tiontothis:

1. Thisrapidandunpredictedshiftoftheminddemon stratesthateverythingissubjecttoimpermanence–an icca.

2. Thisisaverytiringexerciseandthemindisfatiguedas aresultofthiscontinuousmovement

3. Itistotallybeyondourcontrol

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Wheninmeditativeenvironment(likeattendingaRetreatsuchasthis)wewillnoticethattherearemanyoccasionswhenwecankeepthemindononeobject.Wemayalsobeable tonotewhen themindshifts fromonesense-objecttoanother,andwemaybegintofeelthatwehaveatleastsomeamountofcontrol.Thiscanhappenduringasittingorawalkingsession.Yetwewillrealizethatwecannevertotallypreventthemindshifting.Ifwegetdistressedduetothisstubbornmindandifweblameourselves,thenweareunnecessarilycreatingproblemsbyclaimingownershiptothisnaturalbehaviorofthemind.TheBuddhahastaughtustodisclaimthisshiftingmindas‘notme,notmine,notmyself’. Insteadofexperiencinggrief and regretover thisnaturalphenomena,theBuddhataughtustotraininmedi-tationbyfirstestablishingourselvesinstrongsīla,andthento suppress thehindrances through samādhi and then tofacethisissuebyusingapowerfultorchtoflashthebeamoflighttowhereverthemindshifts.Thenthespot-lightwillalways be on themind, wherever it goes. The torch andthebeamoflightwillbesati,thusknowingeachandeverymovementofthemind.

Fortunately, the attention can shift to only one of sixstations–eye/seeing,ear/hearing,nose/smelling,tongue/tasting, body/touching, mind/thinking. And a skilful yogiwillbeabletocatcheachshiftbyusingthecontemplationwereferredtoearlier.Whentheattentionisonthefeet–‘touchingtouchingorwalkingwalking’andthenwhenheseesabirdorcat , ‘seeingseeing’.This isanexercisethatshouldbepracticedallthetime.Weshouldalsoknowandbepleased,thatthemind’sattentioncanonlybewithoneobject/sense-organatagiventime,sothatwewillgeneratedefilementsfromonlythatparticularstation.Allotherfivesense-organsatthatgivenmomentarenotfunctional.

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ThisiswhytheBuddhaaskedustopractiseusingsatisothatwecancapturetheverythought-momentwherethemindshiftsfromonetoanother.Capturingthethought-momentalone isahugeprotection forusbecausewewouldhavebythenisolatedthatmindstateandtherebypreventedthegenerationofdefilements.

IntheMalunkyaputta Sutta(SN)theBuddhareferstothisteachingindepth.VenerableMalunkyaputtawasabhikkhuwhowasoldinyearsandheaskedtheBuddhatoteachhimasuitableobjectformeditationsothathecouldpractiseinseclusion.TheBuddhainitiallyaskshimwhythisquestionisposed,sincethistopichadbeendealtwithbytheBud-dha somanytimesandmeditation instructionshadbeengiven tohimpreviously. Then theBuddhaasksVenerableMalunkyaputta:‘ifthereisanobjectinthisworldthatisnotvisibletoanyone,andnooneseesitnowandnorwillany-oneseeitinthefuture,cansuchanobjectgeneratedefile-ments?Similarly–asound,thatwasnotheardbefore,norcanbeheardnownorwillbeheardlater,cansuchasoundgeneratedefilements?…andsoon’.Theansweris‘No’.

TheBuddha then said thatourmindwill generatede-filementsonly fromthesense-object/organ thatwemeetduringagiventhought-moment.Notthethought-momentbefore or after. Therefore remorse and regret about thepast, or planning and anticipation about the future are afruitlessexercise.Itisonlytheprocessofremorseorplan-ningthatwillgeneratedefilementsandnottheeventsthatledtoit.Unfortunatelytoday,thestresslevelsinsocietyarehugeandthetensionspeoplehaveabouttheproblemsofthepastandthoseanticipatedforthefuture,areincompa-rable.Peoplecanneverbeinthepresentmoment,becausetheywouldbeeitheranalysingthepastorpreparingforthefuture.

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Therefore,theBuddhas’steachingtoVenerableMalunky-aputta is tobe totallywith thepresentmomentalways–beitthebreath,theriseandfalloftheabdomen,asound,asmell,athoughtoranyothersense input.Andthattooshouldnotbeclaimedas‘me/mine/myself’.Traininginsuchmindfulnesspracticewouldofferthehighestformofprotec-tiontotheyogi.Theyogiwillthenbecomeskilledatknowingthepresentmomentandtherelevantnāma-rūpaatwhichtheyogi’sattentionison,i.e.hewillknowthesense-organ,andsensoryinteractionthatistakingplaceduringthepres-entmoment- nāma-rūpa paccayā salāyatana. Iftheyogibecomesalittlemoreawarehewillknowthattheseeventsaretakingplaceduringthepresentmomenttotallyfreeofhisownwill/volitionorhiscontrol.Theeventsandsensorytransactionsthattakeplacethroughourownwillareveryfewincomparisonwiththosethataren’t.

The daywe decide to disclaim and let go of these in-teractionswewillfeelfreeandunburdened.Ourproblemisthatsocietywill judgesuchpersonsasbeinginsensitiveandaloof,andthereforethiswouldnotbealabelthatmostpeoplewouldwishfor.Ifwebecomespirituallymaturethenwewill knowwhen these sensory transactionsoccur andalsowhencontactleadstofeelings-nāma-rūpa paccayā salāyatana, salāyatana paccayā phassō, phassa paccaya vedanā. Then we will know whether a pleasant feeling,unpleasant feeing, or a neutral feeling was experiencedand alsowhether our feelings generated greed – vedanā paccayā tanhā. Suchayogiwill gain theability todissecttheentireprocessofthesensorytransactionwithprecision,andtodiscoverthatthisissimplyaprocessthatoccurs.Noadvancedor sophisticated instrument in theworldwouldenableustodothis.

Theproblem is that,when contactwith the sense im-

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pingementoccurstheresultantfeeling(vedanā)willbefol-lowed by either like or dislike, and thesewill disturb ourmindandcausesometension.Thereafterwewillnotstopwiththatbutwilltakethisfurtherandanalysethereasonsforourlikes/dislikesandponderonrelatedmatters.

The Buddha taught us to stop with just the ‘seeing’,‘hearing’, ‘touching’, ‘knowing’,etc. and tonotgo furtherwith analysis, calculations, regrets and remorse. Our hid-den/dormant defilements (anusaya kilesa) lead us alongthispathofmentalproliferation(papanca) renderingusto-tallyhelplessandvulnerable,andeventuallywesuccumbtothesedangerousdefilements.Weshouldnotbedistressedbecausethishasbeenthepatternthathasexistedalways,butthedifferenceisthatnowwearebeingtrainedtowatchtheprocesswithanobjectiveandequanimousmind.Afterrepeatedobservationusingafine-tunedsati,onedaywewillbeabletowatchthisprocesshappeningateachsense-doorassoonasithappens,andseeitasthoughitwashap-peningoutsideme/mine/myself, i.e,wewould have thenlearnttheartofdisclaimingtheseprocesses.

Thenwewouldbeinapositiontocapturethemomentbeforethecoarserdefilementstakeroot-beforeourfeel-ingsgenerategreedor irritation,andbefore theyaredis-played overtly as vītikama kilesa or before they becomepariyuţţāna kilesa.Thatwouldbeagreatmilestoneinthedevelopmentof the sāsana. Instead, ifwe keep remem-bering our failures and ifwe keep regrettingor being re-morsefulatwhatwecouldn’tdoordidn’tachieve,thenthatwouldbeagravemistake.Wehavebeentaughttobeginthepracticewithwhatwecaneasilyexperiencefirst,andthen subsequentlymove towards deeper levels of teach-ings.Theimportantlessonisthatwemustbegintheprac-tice,andtherestwillfallintoplace.

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Vipassanā practice focuses on initially using themostpredominantobjectastheprimaryobject,andtousethatto begin the practice. Thereafter, gradually the work be-comeseasierthanatthebeginning.

Inthecaseofānāpānasati,thein/out-breathwilleven-tuallybecomeindistinct,andsimilarlyduringsakman,keep-ingcontinuousawarenessonthemovementofthefeetwillcomeverynaturally.Thentheyogi’staskwouldbetosimplyallowtheviňňāna todowhat it seeksand toonlywatch,sansanyaspirationsorvolition.But theyogiwill soonre-alizethatthis 'dedicatedawareness'or 'choicelessawake-ness' needs a verymuchmore astute sati thanwhen ac-tivelycontemplatingonameditationobject.

Theyogi’ssatineedstobesharpandalwaysveryalerttoseethetrickstheviňňāna plays.Itwouldalmostbehavelikeaspy,andremainhiddenandunseen,sothatcapturingthemovementoftheviňňānawillbedonesurreptitiously.Butevenwhen itdetectsthegenerationofdefilements itwillsimplywatchandnotethemonly.Thisistheonlywaywecancapturethearisingandceasingofthedefilementsorkusalthoughts.Ifwewatchthisscenariowithaninterven-tionistmind-setwewillnevertoleratethearisingofhatred,irritation,jealousyorexcessgreed.Wewillwanttoimme-diately interrupt it arising and thereby escape seeing thenaturalcessationofsuchdefilements.Similarlywearelikelytograspandgetattachedtopleasantthoughts,andtherebynotseethemfadeaway.Weshouldrememberthatwhenitcomestowholesome(kusal)thoughtsordefilementsofthemind,theybothbehaveinasimilarmanner,inthattheywillallarise,peakandthenfadeaway.

Whentheyogi’ssatimaturessufficientlyhewillthenbeabletoseethearising-peaking-cessationofall fivekhan-das,andIwouldsuggestthatvedanā isthemostsuitable

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placetostartthisexercise.Inthecaseofānāpānasatiob-servingthearising-peaking-fallingoftheinandout-breath(rūpa khanda) is recommended. Similarly during sakman,thelifting-moving-placingofeachfoot.Itisdifficulttogetusedtothisbutoncetheyogidevelopstheskillitbecomeseasy.Yet,Iwouldrecommendthatvedanāisachallengingandinterestingplacetostartwith.

InthiscontextIwouldliketorecommendanexcellentsutta in the Samyutta Nikaya, Vedanā Samyutta – Chul-avedalla Sutta.TheSuttadescribesaverysubtleQuestionandAnswerDhammadiscussion betweenArahantBhik-khuniDhammadinnaandAnagārikaVisākha.

Question by Anagarika Visakha: ‘What is the plea-sure and pain experienced in a pleasant sensation (sukha vedanā)?’

Answer by Arahant Bhikkhuni:‘When the sukha vedanā arises it gives pleasure but when it leaves it causes pain’

Also,wheneverthesukha vedanāarises,therāga anu-saya(dormantdefilementofgreed)surfacesalongside.Weexperience thisduringmeditationwhen thebreathcalmsdownandwebecome temporally freeof thehindrances,thenwefeelapleasantsensation.Wefeelveryhappyandwillinglyembracethishappysensation.Becausewearecap-tivatedbytherāga anusayaatsuchatime,weareoblivioustothefactthatwhenthispleasantsensationleaveswearegoingtofeelunhappy.

Question by Anagarika Visākha:‘What is the pleasure and pain experienced in an unpleasant sensation (dukkha vedanā)?

Answer by Arahant Bhikkhuni: ‘When the dukkha vedanā arises it causes pain but when it leaves it gives plea-

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sure’

Again,alongsideanunpleasantsensationtherewillbethehiddendefilementofirritationorhatred(patigha anu-saya).Thereforeweeagerlyawaitthedisappearanceoftheunpleasantsensation.

IwouldalsoliketorefertoanothersuttafromtheSa-myuttaNikāya–Salla Sutta–wheretheBuddhaasksustoconsiderbeingstabbedbyasword(salla=pointedobjectlikeasword)andthepainwewouldexperience.Hethensaystoconsiderthatatthesameplaceanotherincisionismade froma similar sharpobjectand thenasksus to re-flectonthepain,whichthenbecomestwo-fold.Thissimileshowsthefirstpainasdukkha vedanāandthesecondpainastheangerorirritation(patigha)weexperiencetowardsthatvedanā.Thisisanunbearableexperience

TheBuddhaasksustoseepatighaasdistinctfromduk-kha vedanāthatgaverisetoit,andtoseeitfadeaway.Fur-thermoreheasksustoseethesetwofeelingsastwodistinctandseparateexperiences.Thisisadifficulttask,butitcanbedone,providedwecancatchthepatighaassoonas itarises.Forthisweneedastuteawareness,asharpsati.Thedaywecanactuallyseedukkha vedanāandwhenwecanseepatighatowardsitfadingaway,andweeventuallyseethebeginning,middleandendofthedukkha vedanā,thatisindeedatremendousachievement.Wewillthenrealizethatthereasonwhywecouldn’tseethepatigha towardsthedukkha vedanāwas becausewehadn’t actually seenthedukkha vedanāasitreallywasi.e,thatithadabegin-ning,middleandend.

Atsuchastageofrealization,thestressand tensionsweexperienceduetophysicalpainorduetosadness/un-happinessbecomemuchmorebearable.Wewillthenlearn

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toseesuchdukkha vedanāasaprocessandasadhammaphenomenon.Weneedtolearntoseealltheincidentsinourlifeinthesameway,i.e.thattheyallhaveabeginning,middleandend. Ifwecatchtheseatthebeginningand ifwecanwatchthesefadeaway,thentheresultantproblemsandissueswouldbeminimum.

InfactIadviseyogistowelcomeproblemsandpaindur-ingmeditation.BecausethesepainsandproblemspresentuniqueopportunitiestoustoobservethefirstNobleTruth.With advancing sati,we shouldmakeapledgebefore at-tendingeachRetreatthatwewillbeabletotoleratepainanddiscomfortmorethanwedidduringthepreviousocca-sions.

Question by Anagarika Visākha:‘What is the pleasure and pain experienced in a neutral sensation (adukkhama-sukha vedanā)?’

Answer by Arahant Bhikkhuni:‘When the neutral sen-sation (adukkhamasukha vedanā) arises, if we recognize it there will be pleasure, but if we don’t recognize it there will be pain’

This is more complicated since the neutral sensation(adukkhamasukha vedanā) is difficult to recognize. Weusuallyexperienceitasastateofmonotonyandboredomandwewillalwaysseekachange,andtherebynotallowachancetorecognize itsbeginning,middleandend.This isthe reasonwhywealwaysdistractourselvesbywatchingTV,makingaphonecall,havingconversationswithfriendsordoingvariousthingswhenwefeelbored.Boredomisin-deedadukkhamasukha vedanā, butweneverwatch it orcanappreciateitspresence. IntheMajjhe SuttatheBud-dhaclearlystatesthatthePathtonibbānaisthroughaduk-khamasukha vedanā–andnotthroughsukkhaordukkha

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vedanā.Yetourignoranceissuchthatwewillneverbepa-tientandwatchit,becausewearetooimpatienttochangethesituationsinceboredomsetsin.Thisiswhywewillnev-erlearnthemiddlepath.

During meditation whenever we experience a senseimpingementateachsense-door, ifwecanwatchthe im-pactas itoccurs,andifwecanseethesukkhaandwatchfortherāga anusayainitswake,andsimilarlythedukkha andthepatighaanusaya,thenwewillbereadytoseetheadukkhamasukha vedanāwhichfalls intoneitherofthosecategories. This is themost unique feature of vipassanā meditation.Whenduringbreathmeditation,when the inandout-breathbecomeindistinctandnotobvious,wewillexperiencea stagewherewewill have sati and samādhi,butnotfeelthebreathsensationaswedidbefore.Suchan‘eventless’statemaybeexperiencedasaneutralsensation.Usuallywewouldfeelquiteboredanduneasyatthatpointandwemaytakeafewdeepbreathsorbreathefaster.Thisiswhenwedon’tallowadukkhamasukha vedanātosetinand insteadweopt foraneventful situation.TheBuddhaadvisesustostayinthatneutralsituationandtowatchwhathappens,insteadoffallingasleeporwalkingaway.Itisonlythenthatwewillexperiencepleasure.

This is why the arahant bhikkhuni replies saying thatknowing adukkhamasukha will eventually bring pleasure,andthatnotknowingitwillbringpain.Theyogiwhodoesnot know will constantly have doubt as to whether themeditation is progressingor not. This is howwe sacrificethemiddlepaththatleadstonibbāna.Iamconfidentthatduringourdailylivesweexperiencethisneutralsensationat least85%of thetime,butwedon’t realise it.Becauseeachtime it raises itsheadwefeelboredandweengagein amultitudeof activities thatwillmask it. Thedaywe

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begintoappreciatethissensationwewillunderstandourmeditationpracticebetter,andwewillknowwithcertaintywhenthebreathcalmsdownthatitisindeedtheheraldingofadukkhamasukha vedanā.Wewillalsoknowthatourde-filementslosetheirpotencyduringthatstage,thatwecanbegintounderstandupekkhaandthatwearesteppingontothemiddlepathormovingtowardsnibbāna.Theprimaryreasonforcirclingsamsāraforaeonsisourinabilitytorec-ognizethisstate.

Thecharacterofadukkhamasukha vedanāissuchthatitisnotcolourfulorexcitinganditdoesnotundergotrans-formation, asopposed to sukha and dukkha vedanā. It isastateofseclusionand is freeofanydisturbance.This issomethingthattheviňňānawillnottolerateandthereforewillalwayssuggestachangeandwillbringtheyogibacktosquareone,wherehebegan. This indeed is the samsāricjourney.Remaininginastateofadukkhamasukha vedanādoesnottakeusinthecircuitousroute,butinsteadleadsto infinityandtonibbāna.But thosewhoconstantlyseekkāmaorsensepleasuresviewthisneutralsensationasin-sipidandtheyviewitwithtrepidationandfear.

TheBuddhataughtthat,vedanā paccaya tanhāisavul-nerable link in the chain that canbebrokenwithdiligenteffort.

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Dhamma Talk 7




salāyatanāpaccayā phasso, phassa paccayā vedanā

vedanā paccayā tanhā tī tī

Whendescribingthesixsense-doorsandtheimpactoftherelevantsense-impingements,theBuddhataughtthatuntilphassa(contact)takesplacewewillneverbeabletounderstand the mechanism of each sensory transaction,Thiswouldbethecaseevenifwehadaverysharpsati.Hereferredtothisteachingonmanyoccasionsandinavarietyof Suttas. After contact takesplace the resultantvedanā willinvariablyleadtotanhāandtanhāwilleventuallyleadtodukkha.That isan inevitability.Unlesstheyogi’ssati isexceptionallysharpandhemanagestocatchvedanāasandwhenitoccurs,theabovesequenceistobeexpectedandthereafterinaccordancewithkamma vattha, kilesa vattha, vipāka vatthathesamsāricjourneywillnecessarilycontin-ue.Thisbringsintofocusthepowerfulmessagethat,phas-sa is thekey juncturewhichwilldetermine the sequenceofevents thatwill followasense impingement, i.e. itwilleitherperpetuatesamsāra (asdescribedabove) or itwilldirecttheyogitowardsrealizingnibbāna.

We should remember that consequent tophassa,weexperiencevedanā fromonlya fractionofwhatwecameintocontactwith.Thisisparticularlysoinapersonwithadiscursivemind. As Arahant Bhikkhuni Dhammadinna ex-plainedintheChulavedalla Sutta,thereasonwhywearen’t

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abletoseethebeginning,middleandendofadukkha/suk-kha vedanā iseitherthepatigha/rāga anusaya thatmaskandcamouflageit.Andsimilarly,whywearen’tabletoap-preciateadukkhamasukha vedanāistheavijjāanusayathatliesbeneath.Aseasonedmeditatorwillawakentothisfactandknowwhenadukkhamasukha vedanāarisesandwillbehappy,becausehewill know that this is the route to themiddlewayandtonibbāna.This ispossibleduringformalmeditationsessionsaswellduringdailylife.Butanon-med-itatorwill first, not recognize this valuable sensation andsecond,hewillbeexceedinglyuncomfortablewhenfacedwiththisandwillexperienceboredomandmonotony.Itissuchapersonwhowillseekcomfortsandfindsgreatdelightwhen facedwithpleasurable circumstances .But it is alsosuchapersonwhowillweepandwailwhenfacedwithsor-row.Althoughwespendthebulkofourdailylivesinneithersukhaordukkhabutinadukkhamasukha vedanā,sadlywedon’trealizethis.Duringsittingmeditationwhenthemindbecomesextremelyrefinedwecanactually‘touch’thissen-sationwithourmind.Buttoknowthisandtoexperiencethatsensationoursatiandsamādhi havetobeexceptional.Thiswillgiveasignificantboosttoourspirituallife.

The role of sati is therefore to sharpen our ability toexperienceeverytouchandeverysensation,tothefull. Ifsatiisweakthenwewillspendourliveschasingpleasures,always,andwillnotrealizethatsuchachasewillendinsuf-feringwithoutexception.Thusourlivesarespentoscillat-ingbetweenpleasureandpain–likeapendulum.Thusweneglectseeingthemiddlepathandfailtounderstandthespiritualitythatlieswithin.Ifwediligentlypracticemedita-tionandendeavourtoseethebeginning,middleandendofeverysensation(pleasurable,sorrowfulorneutral),thenwewillexperientiallyrealizethatifweseeeverysensation

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withasharpenedsatiwewillbeguidedtowardsspiritualwisdom(paňňā);whereasifweneglecttodoso,everysen-sationwillleadtotanhā.

In Burma, prior to the popularizationofMaha Si Say-adaw’s meditation teachings, a famous teacher namedMogokSayadawtaughtapracticeofmeditationwhichwasentirelybasedonthepaţiccasamuppāda.WhendescribingthelinksofDependantOriginationhetaughtthattheeasi-estlinktobreakinthischainisvedanā paccaya tanhā.Heaskedyogistochangethislinkto-vedanā paccaya paňňā,simplybyusingasharpsatiandbycatchingthevedanāasitarisessothattheyogicanseeitsbeginning,middleandend.Therebywewillfullytrainourmindstowatchandpreventthe surfacingof rāga, patigha andavijjā anusaya,whichwouldinvariablysurfacehadoursatibeennotstrong.Wewillthenreachastagewherewewillbeabletofacesukhaanddukkhaasthesame,withanequanimousmindset.Atsuchastageofrealizationwewillbeabledescribeanaver-ageday,anaveragesitting/walkingmeditationsessionwithequanimity,withnoreferencetoeitherpleasureorpain–butwithanawarenessoftheneutralsensation.Forthis,ahighdegreeofpreparednessisessential.

This meditative experience on vedanā is very spe-cialandtheBuddhaaskedustocultivateitwithrepeatedpractice.Wewillthenunderstand,thatwhenweregularlyoscillate between the extremes of pleasure and pain,wealwaysdosowhilstpassingthemid-point, i.e,theneutralsensation. Youwill not notice this, butwe also pause foraverybriefmomentatthemid-pointbeforeswingingtoeitherextreme–exactlylikehowapendulumswingsinanoldfashionedgrandfatherclock.Ifwewatchagrandfatherclockwithasetofweakbatteries,wewillnoticethatwhenthebatterieseventuallywearout,thependulumwillstopat

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themidpoint–andthispointisoursimileforadukkhama-sukha vedanā.

Oftenweaskthequestion:

Whyisitthatvedanāisalwaysfollowedbytanhā,eventhoughthevedanāisadukkha vedanā?

Ifweexperienceapleasantsensationthenasdescribed,therāga anusayainvariablyfollowsunlessweareexceed-inglywatchful.Similarlywhenexperiencinganunpleasantsensationthepatigha anusayaraisesitshead.Butthisha-tred/angertakesplaceonlybecausewehaveahiddende-sireforsomethingelse.Forinstance,whenwefeelirritatedwhenseeingsomethingwedislike,theirritationarisesbe-causewehadn’tseenwhatwelikedtosee,thusshowingatanhābeneath.Andwewillneverexperiencesuchanirrita-tionunlesswehaveahiddendesire (rāga) for somethingelse.Thisishowwefailtoappreciatethepresentmomentorwedislikeandrejectthepresentmoment, in favourofanticipatingandwantingsomethingmorefavourableinthefuture. Consequently, the hopes and aspirationswe haveforthefuturewillalwayshideandcamouflagethedislikewehaveforthepresentmoment.Thisishowthetruthofdiscontentwith the presentmoment is intentionally sup-pressedandnotlookedat.

This forms thebasisofdescribingkāma tanhā, bhava tanhā and vibhava tanhā. Kāma tanhā/rāga =thedesiretopleasethesixsenses.

Kāma guna = visualobjects, sounds,flavours,odours,touch,thoughts/ideas

Bhava tanhā/rāga =thedesiretoperpetuatetheplea-suresderivedfromthesenseswellbeyondthepresentmo-ment,and theaccompanyingdesire toenable thosenear

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anddear, toexperiencethesamesensepleasures.This isanextensionandoverflowofone’sownkāma tanhātoex-pansiveproportions.Suchapersonwouldbesacrificingthepresentmomentandthecontentmentwithin,tosomethingbiggerandbeyond.Whenthisdesirecannotbefulfilledinaccordancewiththeexpectations, there isan irritationorhatredinthemindofsuchaperson.Thiscanbeaveryde-structiveemotion leadingtodepressionandevensuicide.Thisisdescribedasvibhava tanhā,andisclassicallyseeninthemindsetoftheso-calledguardianangelsof‘SinhalaBuddhism’.Theywillcriticizeandevenunleashviolenceonthosewhomtheyfeelwillnot‘protect’Buddhismandwillevenneglecttheirownspiritualdevelopment infavourofsuchacause.

Thisishow,evenwhenweexperienceadukkha vedana,theresultistanhābecausethepatighathatisgeneratedinresponsetodukkhaisalwaysduetotanhāforsomethingbetter, which lies hidden beneath. The manner in whichtanhācaninstantlyswitchtopatigha(asisthecasewhenkāma tanhāeventuallyendsupasvibhava tanhā)isbeyondcomprehensionbyevena logicalmind.Andthis indeedistheBuddha’steaching,thattherootcauseofallsufferingistanhā.Ittakesalotofunderstandingtorealizethisswitchfromtanhātopatigha,andwemayneverseeitinothers.Similarlytheswitchfromcompassion(karuna)topatigha,andtheswitchfrommettatorāga.Hencetheimportanceof understanding these emotions carefully, particularlywhenpracticingthesetypesofmeditation(e.gmettamedi-tation).

With awell developed sati the yogiwill be equippedtoseevedanā-itsbeginning,middleandend-andtoseethemechanismthatoperatesbeneath.Suchayogiwillbeequippedtotranscendvedanāandsubsequently,insteadof

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takingthetraditionalpath-vedanā paccaya tanhā-hewillbeabletoreachvedanā paccaya paññā.Thisisacriticallinkinthepaţiccasamuppādathatcanbesevered,providedtheyogihasanadvancedsati sothatintranscendingvedanāhewill be able to see the beginning,middle and end oftanhā.Thisisakeyteachinginthevipassanāpractice.Andseeingtheendoftanhāwouldbeakeyfactorineliminatingthecauseofdukkha.

Iwouldliketohighlighttheimportanceoftanhāinrela-tion to the fournutriments thatperpetuate the samsāricjourney. All four nutrients have tanhā as the proximatecause.Thisdoesnotoperateovertly,buttanhāfeedsandnourishes these samsāric nutriments in a subtle and sur-reptitiousmanner.Theyare:

Kabalinkāra āhāra =ediblefood

Phassa āhāra =contact

Mano- sañcetanā āhāra =mentalvolition

Viññāna āhāra =consciousness

Kabalinkāra āhāra - Thegreedforediblefoodandtheconsequencesofeatingwithoutanycontroloverwhatorhowmuchweeat,havebeendescribedbytheBuddhaingreatdetail.Thisiswhymeditatingyogisarerecommendedtwomealsonlyandsimilarlymonasticstakeonlyone/twomealsaday.Greedforfoodisanimpedimentforamedita-tivelifeandwillresultinaccumulatingkilesa.TheBuddha’steachingisthatweshouldreflectonwhywetakefoodandthisisincorporatedintothemonks’disciplinarycode.Thereflectionshouldbethatwetakefoodtoquellourhungerandtoonlymaintainthebody;andtonotpromotebeautyortoattractothers,norasanaphrodisiac.Tobesatisfiedwiththefoodthatisofferedduringpiņdapāth,tonotbeun-

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happyifnoofferingsweremade,andalsotonotmeasureorjudgeanyothermonkonhowheutilizesthepiņdapāthof-ferings.Theteachingsonalmsfoodhavebeengiveningreatdetail, and as appropriate tomonks observing sāmanera sīlaandbhikkhusobservingupasampadā sīla.Allofthiswasgivenasadvicesoastonotallowgenerationofkilesa.

The Buddha taught all yogis and monks/nuns to eatmindfully and to take eachmouthful, slowly and silently.MahaSiSayadawtaught thatmonksandyogis should re-flect on the four elements that comprise all edible food.Furthermorehesaid to reflect that thebody too ismadeupof fourelements,andthateating issimplyacombina-tionfourelementsmeetingoneanother,andthatthereisnoperson/self involved,but that it isonlyaprocessonly.Venerable Sāriputta advised that when eating, to alwaysstopbeforethestomachbecomesfullandtodrinkwaterinorderfillthespaceinthestomach.

IntheLathupikopama Suttaitisindicatedthatitisthenightmeal thatgenerates themostamountofkāma andthat refraining from dinner will aid the observance of abrahmacariya(celibateandholy)lifestyle.Thisisapracticethatevenlayyogiscanadopttogetherwithabrahmacariyalifestyle,andsuchapracticewillbehelpfulinfurtheringameditativelifestyle.

The Buddha’s teachings on partaking edible food em-phasizedonthecurtailmentofgreedandoverindulgence,andnotonissueslikethemeritsordemeritsofeatingani-malfleshorcontroversiesconnectedtovegetarianism.Theofferingofamealtoamonasticwholivesonalmsfood,oreven the thoughtofmaking suchanofferingyieldsmuchmerit.Suchistheimportancetheconceptofdānaandgiv-ingothers,i.e.oflettinggo.

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Ifwetaketheexampleofbreathmeditation,practitio-nerswill know thatafter thebreath calmsdownandourmindisinasettledstate,wewillbeeitherrewardedwitha pleasantmental state – sōmanassa, orpīti (rapture) orsukha (joy). Or the opposite can happen during breathmeditation–wemayexperienceseverepainorunpleasantsensations.Thesemaybewithvolition(cetanā)orwithout.TheBuddhateachesustodisclaimandletgoofeithertypeofsensation,pleasurableorpainful,withamindsetofgiv-ing-cāga,relinquishment-patinissaggha,beingfree-mut-thi,withnoattachment–anālayo.

Thisistheidenticalmindsetthatweneedtoadoptwithregardstootherformsofāhāra–likecontact(phassa),men-talvolition(manō sancetanā - sankhāra)andconsciousness(viññāna).Theseallappearduringdeeperstagesofmedita-tionanddisturbstheyogi.Theyogimaybepresentedwithplans,projects,ideasandnewinnovations.Theseareveryencouraging and seempraiseworthy, but they shouldbedisclaimedasnotme/mine/self,becauseifnot,defilementsaregenerated,andsamsāraislengthened.

TheBuddhataughtninetypesofcontemplativethoughts(vitakka)thatmayappearatthisstageinmeditation:

Kāma vitakka, vyāpāda vitakka, vihimsā vitakka =thesethreetypesaredirectlyconnectedtokilesaandmayevenleadtotheyogicreatingoverttransgressionslikebreakingsīla-precepts.

Theothersixtypesofthoughtsthatappearwhentheyogigetsdeeperintomeditation.Theyaremoretricky,cun-ningandsurreptitiousinthattheyappearverysensibleandthattheywillgenerategoodness.But,wearewarnedthatifweencourageandindulgeinthesetheyhaveahugepoten-tialtoworsentanhā, diţţhi, mānaoftheyogi.

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Theothersixare:

Gnāthi vitakka =wantingtosharetheyogi’smeditativeexperiencesandteachthosenearanddear.Thisresultsinsacrificing the present moment awareness. The yogi willneverbeabletorealizethattheyogiisinfactnourishinghisown tanhā, diţţhi, māna.

Janapada vitakka =acompulsiveneedtoaccessinfor-mationandnews regards the society and theworld. Thisseemsveryinnocentbutitisaverydistractingthoughtthatcantakeawaytheyogi’sfocusofattentionandbeinginthepresentmoment.

Parānaudayatha patisamyutta vitakka = an irrationalcompassion forothers andwanting tohelp them to seekliberation, even thoughone’sown journeyon thePath isyet incomplete. Often such a yogi will consider that theteacherisofferinginsensitiveadviseandislackingincom-passion.Suchayogiwillalsobedistractedfromthepresentmoment,andgetwrappedinthosehumanitarianthoughtsandonceagaincouldgetluredthroughtanhā, diţţhi, māna.

Amara vitakka =Theyogibeginstogeneratethoughtsabouthishealthandwellbeing,determiningtotakeade-quate exercise or yoga, andwill takedietary precautions,sothathewillmaintaingoodhealth.Hepledgestonotdieandkeepsponderingover these irrelevant thoughts, thussacrificingthepresentmomentandagain,increasingtanhā, diţţhi, māna.

Lābasathkāra patisamyutta vitakka =Theyogithrivesonpraise,assetsandselfaggrandizement.Hepretendshedoesn’tneedorenjoysuchbenefits,butactuallydoesandkeepscontemplatingonthese.Onceagaintheyogiwillsac-rifice thepresentmomentandget luredby tanhā, diţţhi, māna.

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Anavamyutthipatisanyuktha vitakka thought of beingpureandnotmakingthesamemistakesofthepast.

Yogisortheirteacherswhogetswayedbyaccoladesandpraiseoftendonotpracticemeditationforthepurposeofreachingnibbāna. It issometimesdonepurelytosatisfyamundaneobjective,whichwillonceagaintrapthatpersonintothekāma lōka.

Thesetypesof‘thought-conceptions’(vitakka)surfaceafter the breath settles and the yogi passes the stage ofkāyānupassanā,andaftervedanāhavebeentoleratedandtransgressedtoadegree,andtheyogiwithfullawarenessmeetstheupakkilesaconnectedtosaññā–whichmanifestasperceptions/memoriesofthepastoranticipationsofthefuture,andtheabilitytoreadmindsandcommunicateper-fectlywithothers.Heisnowfacingcitta sankhāra .

Manosancetanā āhāra are both deadly and decep-tive. These seem exceptionally noble and praiseworthy.Noonewillcontestthisview.Unfortunately,theyogiswhogettrappedintothesesituationsareactuallytheoneswithmostmeritandmost‘successful’intheirpractice.Theseyo-giswhohavegreatpotentialunfortunatelysuccumbtothetemptationsofferedbypraiseandassets,andoftenmeetwithadisastrousend.Thisiswhyitisimportanttoprotectones’humilityandsimplicityespeciallywhentreadingthisPath.Associationwithawiseteacherisessentialtobeabletounderstandandrealizethesetrapsthatmāralaysoutfortheyogi.

Thereforeatthisstageonemustcontinuetomeditatewithnoaspirations.TheBrahmasanddevasveneratethosewhomeditatefornoapparentreason,sansalldesiresandexpectations.

Whenayogimovesaheadandreachesastagewherehe

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developsequanimity-upekkhā-toallsankhāraorengagesinpaţivipassanā hewillprobablynotknowwhetherheisactuallymeditatingorwhetheritishappeningautomatical-ly.Suchayogiwillhavenoexpectationswhatsoever.

Viññāna āhāra – iswhenweget a thought/idea,weimmediatelyevaluateandjudgeifitisgood/bad,correct/incorrectandcreatesimilardivisionsinourmind.Thereforewemustnotembrace theDhammawithattachment,be-causeitwillalsogeneratetanhā, diţţhi, māna.TheDhammaispurelyaraftwhichwillhelpuscrosstherivertothefarshore.Thedaywereachastagewhereweallowthemedita-tiontoproceedonitsownwithnosignorobject(nimitta)andwithno external interference,and ifwe seem tobenotdefinedbytime/space,thenviññānawillceasetobeanutrient(āhāra)forthesamsāricjourney.Butthisisastagewhere loneliness andmonotony set in, and thereforeweneedtobefullyawakeandawareofthisstate.Wewouldthenbeapproachingthestateofsuññatāoremptiness,orastateofperfectequanimity–tathatāvaya.

As longaswehavea judgmentalandanalyticalmind-set,andaslongaswekeepmeasuringothersandourownselves,wewill be nourishing viññāna and getting furtherawayfromnibbāna. Andduringthisprocesswekeepcol-lectingcankers/taints(āsava)andkeepnourishingthedor-mantdefilementsanusaya,thuspromotingconceit(māna).Instead,wemustendeavourtobejustahumanbeing,hum-bleandsimple,andstrivewithdiligence.That ishowthearahantsoftheworldcametobeandtheir‘aim’wassimplytobeyetanotherarahantamongsttherest–simplytobejustanothergrainofsandinabedofsand,simplytobean-otherbrickinthewall.Andsuchanoblebeingwillhavenoattachmentinanywaytoastatethatheisin.

Suchisthenatureofthesefournutriments,allofwhich

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havetanhāastheirrootcauseandwhichwilltakeusfurtherandfurtherawayfromnibbāna.Andthemannerinwhichweencourageandnourishthesenutriments,unknowinglyatmosttimes,needstobereflectedon.Themostdanger-ous of these beingmano- sañcetanā āhāra and viññāna āhāra . They operate very stealthily and will stalk us asvipāka(asacauseandeffectphenomenon)eitherinthislifeorinanother.Yogisshouldknowthisatleastatatheoreti-callevelinitially,andrealizethatbeinginthepresentmo-mentwithsati forevenonethought-momentwillprotectusfromthesesamsāric nutriments.Andkeepinganuninter-ruptedstreamofsatiduringsittingandwalkingmeditationsessionsaswellasengagingindaytodayactivitiesisindeedthehighestkusal.

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Dhamma Talk 8


Avijjāpaccayā sankhārā, sankhāra-paccayā viññānam

Viññāna-paccayā nāma-rupam, nāma-rupa paccayā salāyatanam

Salāyatana-paccayā phasso, phassa paccayā vedanā

Vedanā-paccayā tanhā, tanhā paccayā upādānam

Upādāna- paccayā bhavo, bhava paccayā jāti

Jāti-paccayā jarā maranam, sōka parideva dukkha dōmanassa upāyāsāsambhavam tī tī.

Todaystalkwillbeontanhāandhowitpropagatesat-tachmentandclinging(upādāna)andthereaftertheotherlinksinthischainofdependantoriginationasdescribedinthepaţiccasamuppāda sutta.

Buddha taught that tanhāwas the single cause forallforms of suffering. Tanhā gives rise to suffering becausewe chase pleasures due to greed (tanhā) expecting thatallwhatwechasebehindwillgivehappiness.Thenwebe-comedisappointedwhenwerealizethatallsuchpleasuresareephemeralandthattheyeventuallyleadtosuffering–dukkha.Itisonlyourignorance(avijjā)thatmakesuschasepleasures,andthereforeignoranceistheultimatecauseofsuffering,becauseitoperatesfrombehindandallowsustogenerategreedwhichcanneverbepermanentlysatisfied.This iswhat brings sorroweventually, i.e.whilst avijjā isthe distantcauseforallsuffering,tanhā is theproximatecause.Thereforeitisdescribedthatalthoughwecraveforsukha/pleasure,weareactuallycravingfordukkha,andthisisduetothedepthofourignorance.Thisisthecraftyanddeceptivemannerinwhichavijjāmanipulatesusanddragsusthroughsamsāra.

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Inanysituationwhenwearepresentedwithmanyop-tions,wewillchooseone.Thischoice ismadeduetothetaņhāwehaveforthatparticularobject/person/event/situ-ation. Instead, ifwe vieweverything that is presented touswithamindfullofequanimityandifwedonotchoose,thenwewillnotsuffer.Inchoosingweallow taņhātodotheselectionandtherebycreateanattachmenttothatparticu-larsituation/personandeventuallyendupwithdisappoint-mentsincethatselecteditemwillneveryieldapermanenthappiness.Dukkha is invariablewhen the selectedobjectundergoes transformation. In this equation, taņhāmakestheselectionduetothemanipulator(=avijjā)workingbe-hindthescenes,andthischoosingalwaysconsolidatesthe‘I-Factor’ and self-view. From the options that were pre-sentedtous,theitemswedidnotchoosewillalsoundergotransformationbut theywill never give usdukkha simplybecausewedidnotchoosethemwithtaņhā.Thedukkha thatwillfollowusinsamsārawillbegeneratedfromtheop-tionsthatweproactivelychose.Ifwithpatiencewecultivateamind-settopause,andvieweachoptionwithequanimitythenwemayavoidcreatingmoredukkhaforourselves.

Furthermore,ifweclingtowhatwechosethenupādāna followsandthatwillcompoundthedukkhathatwillfollow.Thenitwouldseemlikewehaveclungtodukkha,becausethelinkbetweentaņhāandupādānawillbethisimmediateclingingtotheobjectthatwechose.Ifwecandevelopourmindtoasituationwherewestopattheleveloftaņhāandnotallowupādānatofollow,thentheseverityoftheduk-khatofollowwillbemilderandmorebearable.Thenatu-ralprocessthatoccursisthatwechoosebecauseoftaņhāforthatparticularobject/person/situation,andbecauseweneglecttoseealltheotheroptionsthatwerebeforeuswepromptlybegintocling,thusyieldingupādāna.Thereforeif

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equanimitycankickinpriortothechoosing,thentheyogimaybeable to seeeverythingmoreobjectivelyandallowsanercounseltoprevail,thusprotectinghimfrompotentialmisery.

TheBuddhawarnsthatifwedon’tapplyanequanimousmindthenthechancesforclingingareveryhighandthattheyogiwillgetentrenched,sunkintotheobjectofhisse-lection,andbeaddictedtoitandclaimitasme/mine.TheBuddharecommendsthatweseethisprocessastwocom-ponents:

1.taņhāleadstoupādāna.

2.Upādānaleadstoabhava,andthatwillgeneratejāti.

Ifwepredictably keep clinging towhat is conditionedthenwewill get identifiedaccordingly, thus consolidatingtheself-viewandlengtheningsamsāra.

Therefore,consideringtheabovetwodistinctstepsbywhichthisprocesstakesplace,theBuddhasawtwoweakpointsandsaid:Sabbhe dhamma nālan abhnivesa (noth-inginthisworldisworthclingingto).Evenifwedochooseoneobject outofmany,we should remembernot to getaddictedtoit,becausethenthehurtwillbeless.Weshouldremember that any disturbance or destruction related toanythingoranybodythatweassociatewithme/mine/my-self,willalwaysbe followedbysorrow. Itwillbeourchil-dren,ourfamilies,ourassets,ourlikesandviewsthatwillyieldsorrow.Anythingoranybodydisconnectedtouswillnotbringsimilarsorrow.Thegreaterourlikes,loves,attach-ments toanything/anybody– thegreaterwill be the sor-rowwhenwehavetonecessarilypartfromthem.There-forehavingsuchpreferencesandassetswithoutclingingtothemandwithoutdeepaddictions/attachmentswillspareusfromgreatsorrow.

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It is theseverypersonalpreferences that increaseourtaņhā, māna, diţţhi, and when these are threatened wegetdeeplydisturbed.Ifweareabletounderstandthisandgraduallyeliminatetaņhā, māna, diţţhithenwewouldhaveenteredthePathto liberationfromsufferingandsteppedonthemiddleway.IntheGirimānanda Sutta,theBuddhaadvisestoidentifywiththeveryobjectsthatusuallybringus pleasure,with distaste and dispassionately. He warnsthatweshouldnotgetenrapturedandaddicted to thesebecausetheywillwithoutdoubt,bringsorrow.Hesaystoconsidersuchobjects/people/assetsthatarenearanddeartoyouwiththeanabiratha saññā.Ifnotandifwecontinueto regard theseworldlyassetswithgreatpassionandad-dictionthenitwillbeveryhardtoevenconsiderdeathasanecessaryeventuality.Thiswillbringusenormoussorrowat themomentofdiseaseanddeath. ‘Lettinggo’of suchdesiresandaddictionsforourassetsandpreferencesatthetimeourmentalandphysicalfacultiesarewell,iswhattheBuddhasawasremedyfortheinvariabledukkhathatwouldfollow.

Ye loke upāyupādāna cetaso adhiţţhānā’bhi

Nive sānusayā te pajāhnāto,

Viramati na upādiyanto

Ayam vuccati Ananda – “sabba loke anabhirata saññā’’

‘Abandoningclingingtotheworld

Abandoningmentalprejudices

Abandoningwrongbeliefsandwrongdeterminations

Abandoning latent tendencies concerning this world,bynotgraspingthem,butbygivingthemup,becomesde-

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tached.

ThisĀnanda,iscontemplationofdistasteforthewholeworld’

(Girimānanda sutta – Kuddhaka Nikāya)

TheBuddhaadvisesustofacethisrealityandtoactivelyengage in this reflection and contemplation on what weclingandholdonto.Thesethingsweconsiderasme/mineandareattachedto,occurduetoourtaņhāaswellasduetothedormantdefilementslikeanusaya.Heasksustodothiswhileweare still youngandhealthy,and realize thatthis iswherewewill beprolonging the samsāric journey.Thenthesorrowwewillfaceinouroldagewillbeconsider-ablyless.Thistypeofself-reflectionifdonewhenyoung,isthebestself-diagnosisonecanmakeaboutone’sownlikes,preferencesandwewillcometorealizetheconsequentpo-tentialforsuffering.Thiswillperhapsbethefirsttimethatwewillunderstandwhowereallyare.

However,themindwhichisconstantlyengagedwiththesixsenseswillrevoltagainstthistypeofselfdiscovery,andwillhampersucharealization.Thereforewewillnecessarilyhavetotemporallycalmandsettlethemind,anddisengagefromthesenseworldofkāma-rāga,andallowthedefile-mentsthatareunderthecarpettosurface.Itisthen,thatall our hidden preferences, our private likes and dislikes,ourprejudicesandpet ideals, instinctsorcherishedopin-ionswillgetrevealed.Thisisnotapleasantexperience,andwemay feelashamed ifothersareable tosee these rev-elations. Wewouldmuchratherkeep theseattachmentsandprejudiceshidden.ButonthecontrarytheBuddhaad-visedthatthemoreweexposeandseeourinnermind,themorethedefilementswilllosetheirvirulenceandpotency.In fact he said that the Dhamma shines at its very best,

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whenitisconstantlyexposed.Thereforeifwekeeptaņhā, upādānahiddenandnotallowedexposurefromwithinthedeepcrevicesofourinnermind,themoretheywillgrowinstrengthandtoxicity.

Weneedtoshinethetorchofmindfulnessandaware-nesstobeabletoseeboth-thehiddendefiledmindstates(kilesa) aswellasthewholesomekusalmindstates.Andwhen this happens,whilst thekilesaswill lose their viru-lence,craftinessanddeceptivenature;thekusalwillshineandglow.Adifferencebetweenthereligionandthedham-maissuchthat,inthecaseoftheformer,kilesasarenotal-lowedtosurfaceandmanifest.Infactwearetaughttokeepthemhidden,andthereforeinourfamilylife,insocietyandinourworkplacewecarrythisbasketwithusandcanneverescape from these. This ishowwemasqueradeas ‘good’people insocietybutthis ispreciselyhowweconsolidatetaņhā, māna, diţţhi.

Thisiswhyweareadvisedtoseehowvedanā isfollowedbytaņhā,andtoseeitasitarises.Ifwearesuccessfulwemayseehowtaņhā,getstransformedinstantlytoupādānaandcatch itbefore thatso thatdeepclinging/attachmentdoesnottakeplace.TheBuddha’sinstructionsaretoapplyvigilantsatiatallsixsensedoorssothatwewillmasterthetechniqueof pausingwith each sensory transaction, thusnot allowing taņha and upādāna to develop. Hence theimportanceoftheteachingtoBāhiya:‘…in the seeing, let there be only the seeing..’ (Udana)

Habituallyweneverdo this, and insteadwe ruminateoneverysensoryimpingementthatwetakealikingordis-liking to, andweproliferate thoughts on these sense im-pingementsincessantly.Thisconstantassociationwithsuchthoughtsisadangeroussituationandwillleadtoupādānaandtheinvariableattachmenttothatparticularbhava.In-

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stead, if wementally associate with noble dhamma likesati, viriya, saddha–thenwewillnaturallybe‘attached’tosuchmental states.Anunprotectedmind,one that isnotdisciplinedbysīla sikkhā, samādhi sikkhā isconstantlyex-posed to such unwholesomemental states and they willnaturallygetattractedandattachedtodefiledmindstatesandtherebyproliferateunwholesomethoughts.

Satiisthecriticalinstrumentwecanusetoexposeandcapturetheseeventsastheyoccurwithinthedeeper lay-ersofourmind.Whenthesati-torchshinesonthesemen-tal states (likes, dislikes, tendencies for good or bad) weshould simply disclaimall of themas ‘notme,mine,my-self’.Weshouldneverjudge,evaluateoranalysetheseastheybecomeexposed,norshouldwedisclaimonlythebadthoughtsandcherishthegoodones.Thisiswheretheyo-gi’sdeterminationhastobestrong.Ifwefindthatthespiri-tualfacultiesappearasstrongandvibrantfromwithinthedeepermind,weshouldnotbeattachedtothoseandweneedtodisclaimthem.Thereisarealdangerthatyogiwillclingtosuchmindstates,becausethatwouldbethenaturaltendency.Therealizationofthedangerofsuchclinging,islikelytooccurinadvancedstagesofvipassanāinsightslikemuccitu-kamyatā-ñāna where, by using incisive penetra-tion(balava vipassanā)theyogiwillbefullyawareofhowtheclingingtakesplace.Heretheyogiwillexperientiallyun-derstandthatwhetherheclingstowhatisgoodorbad,theendresultinalengtheningofsamsāra.

Thetemptationtoclaimandclingtowhatseems‘nobleandgood’asme/mineisveryhigh,butonlyanexperiencedandadvancedyogiwillunderstandthatclaiminganythingisabindingtosamsāra.Havingaperfectlybalancedmindwithequanimityisneededtoseethedhammainthisman-ner.Theeverysufferingwegothroughinlifeisaresultof

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the thoughts, plans, people, events, situationsandassetsthatwecallme/mine.Weliveinacozyballoonneverthink-ingthatitcanruptureatanygivenmomentthusshatteringallourcomforts,hopesanddreams.Andwhenitdoesoc-cur, invariably,webecomementalwrecks,unabletocopeanddealwith theensuing trauma. Themoreassetswehaveandthemoreattachedwearetothesecozycomfortzones,thegreaterthedangersthatwewillface.Therem-edyistocultivateamindwithequanimityandperfectbal-ance,where everything and everyone canbe treated thesame.ThisiswhattheBuddhataughtasidealinthecom-munityofsangha.

This is not easy to practice with an untrained mind.This iswhy thebestplace tobegin this exercise iswhen,duringmeditationweareable todisengage fromthe sixsenseworld, calm themind and suppress thehindranceseventemporally,usesharpsupatitthitha satiandwatchthekhandhas – form, sensations, perceptions and thoughts,likesanddislikesmanifest.Rūpa (form)maynotmanifestinitscoarseform,butmayappearassubtleshadowsofsights,sounds,tastesandsmells.Noneofthesearereal,theyap-pearonlytodisappear,andweshouldsimplyallowthattohappenwithnoclaimingasmine,norecognitionandnoin-terference.Whilstallthisisgoingon,theneedforanequa-nimousmindisofparamountimportance.

TheaimistoreachapointofequilibriumsuchaswhattheBuddhadescribedintheKalahavivāda sutta .

Whenaskedthequestion:‘..atwhatpointcouldoneseethroughmateriality/rūpa?’

The answer is : it iswhen perception reaches a pointwhere it is no longer connected to the senses, a stateofmind which cannot actually perceive the touch of the

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breath. Asthoughsensorycontacthasceased,anaware-nessofanexperiencewhichoftencannotbedescribedinwords.Wewillnotactuallyseealthoughthereisanappar-entseeing,similarlyhearingwithnosound.

na sannasaññi =thereisnorealperceptionofformasthatconnectedtothesenses,

na visannasaññi =notcollapsedorfainted,

no pi asaññi =notreachedthehigher immaterialbrahmarealms,notinperceptionnornon-perception,

na vibhutasaññi =thereisstillaperceptionandlifeispres-ent

evam samettassa vibhoti rūpam saññānidānā hi papancasankhā =experiencingcontactwithnoarousalofmentalproliferation,i.e.perfectlybalancedmind

Reachingthispointwouldbelikeexperiencingtheavakāsa dhātu (space element) via, the four obvious elements –paţhavī, āpo, tejo, vāyo.Or itwould be like transcendingsukha , dukkha vedanātoreachadukkhamasukha vedanā. Likebeinginasituationwithnocetanā whatsoeverandnomanifestationofanyform.Wecannotactuallydescribethatparticularsaññāthatweexperience.Itisnottangibleandthisisindeedthemiddlepathandwemustnotinterfereorpollutethismomentbyintroducinganything,oranyformsofcontemplation.Thesecretistopreservethisstateasitisforaslongaspossible.

Similarly,whenreachingthemiddlepointofallsankhāra(wherewithsatiweseetheninetypesofproliferativeplansand thoughts = vitakka, appearing and disappearing) andthenon-dualityofviññāna,wherewecease to judgeanddifferentiate,weneed tobedetachedand remainunper-turbedwithabalancedmind.

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Theyogimust aim to stay in such statesand tonot clingtoanyofthesesituations.Thisiswherewedon’taccumu-latenew kammaandwheretheexistingkammagetburntandextinguished.Iftheyogicanremainwithastrongsati,then everyemergingnewthought-moment (cittakkhana)canbeknownthoroughly.Eachcittakkhanaweexperienceistotallyindependentofthenextandevenifonethought-momenthadbeendefiled,theimmediatenextonecanbecompletely pure. If a defiledmind state in one thought-momentoverflowsintothenext(theBuddhareferstothisasbhava neţţhi)thenthecircuitwillgoon,andeachsub-sequentthought-momentwillkeepgettingdefiled.Where-as,ifwithafullytrainedmindwithasharpenedsatiwithcatcheachthought-momentthentheimmediatenextonecanbetotallyuninfluencedandunpollutedbythepreviousone–making itcompletelypure. Inthatwaywewillpre-ventourtraits,preferences,defilementsseepingintoeachsubsequentthought-moment,andwewillbeburningandextinguishingdefilementsaswegoon.

Thiswillneverhappenimmediatelyorwithafewsittings.Itwilltakeawhileandonlyafterthe‘package’ofdefilementswehavebeencarryingwithusduringsamsāra graduallygetlessandless,thatthisself-discoverywillbecomeeasier.

Atypicalsuch‘package’willinclude:

upaya = approaches, coming near

upadhi =assets,substratumofexistence

upādāna = clinging,attaching

abhinivesa = sinkinto,getdrawninto

āsava =cankers,taints,intoxicants

anusaya =dormanttraits,inclinationsandproclivities

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adhiţţhāna=ambitions,plans

Duringthecleansingprocessdescribedabove,theyogimayexperiencestrangeandunconnectedmentalimages,pains,thoughts,feelingsandavarietyofbizarremanifestations.Hemustthennotattempttorecognizeorclaimthesebutsimply allow them to go away. They came uninvited andtheycango inasimilarmanner.Themindissharpatthispoint and can see how each thought-moment is not get-ting influencedbythenext. Themindcanseethat thereisnoseepageoroverflowintothenext.Wheneachimageorthoughtorfeelingappears,itwillburstlikeabubbleandvapourise, and the subsequentnew thought-momentwillhavenotraceofthepreviousone.Thisiswheretheyogiisusingpaţi vipassanā toexperienceeach thought-momentwithclarity,knowingthatthisisacleansingandhealingpro-cess.Heisactivelyburningoffkammaduringsuchperiodsandwillgraduallybuildhisimmunityandcapacity.

Thisstage isclassicallydescribedasonewhere,theyogi’smindisseeinghisownmindwithacuteandsharpenedclar-ity. This ishowthepaţi vipassanāprocesshasmadewayforthe‘seeingmind’(ñānaya)toseeeveryemergingform/feeling/thought/plan (ñāthaya), in a balanced state. Theyogi’ssharpenedclaritywillnowallowhimtoseehimselfclearlyasthoughviewingthroughapowerfulimagingpro-cess. Itwouldbe like subjectingone’s self to apowerfulCT/MRIscan.Thisisasignificantjunctureinthemeditativepath.Theyogiwillfeelasifheisgettingsuckedindeeperanddeeperintohismind.Theyogi’ssati, samādhiareverystrongandthedhammaprotectionduringsuchaprocessishuge,andthecleansing/healingisverysubstantial.This iswherewestopaccumulatingsankhāraandinsteadwearerelinquishingthem.

Theessentialprerequisitesfortheyogitoreachandmaintain

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thisstageare:associationwithsappurisaandkalyānamitta,listening to saddhamma, perfecting sīla, sutamaya andcintāmaya ñāna,andsamādhisufficientforthispurpose.Thekeywouldbetoretainabalancedstateofmindtoeverysankhārathatwillmanifest.Thentheyogiwillbecomelikearockorvegetation,unperturbedwithupekkhā;andhewillregardeverything/everyoneasthesame.Families,personalassets,hisviewsandopinionswill cease tobe ‘his’, therewill benopersonalizationand thereforehewill have lesssorrowandhurt.Suchayogiwillavoidgettingengagedandinvolvedinprojectsandnewdevelopments,hewillprotecthismindasfaraspossibleandwilleventuallyhaveamindthatisequipoised=thathathāvaya.

A yogi who reaches the state of sankhāra upekkhā ñāna(equanimitytowardsallformations)andonewhohasculti-vatedthepracticeofpaţi vipassanāwillhavesuchamind-statethathewillbeableremainrock-likewheninsociety,notwithacallousindifferenceordisregard,butwithsharpaclarityofmindandwithperfectequanimity.Suchayogiwillbeabletokeepseeinghismindateachthought-momentandwill develop a strong spiritualmaturity. Themind oftheyogi,whichinitiallymovedawayfromthetwoextremes(sukhaanddukkha)and approachedthemiddlepath, isnowable togoback to thoseextremeswith penetrativeclarity,andremainunswayed.

Eventuallysuchayogiwillbesuccessfulpreventingupādānataking place and therefore prevent creating a newbhava andsubsequentjāti (birth).Thetraditionalandconvention-alworldwillhoweverattemptto‘treat’theconsequencesofbirth suchasoldage, sicknessanddeath. TheBuddhataughtthatthesewereunavoidableinevitabilitiesafterweareborn,andthatthesearethetwosidesofthesamecoin.The Buddha’s teaching is focused on preventing birth, by

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preventingandarrestingtheoccurrenceofbhava,andthatthisisapossibilityforeveryhumanmindinthislifeitself.

ItisworthreflectingontheBuddha’sfirstutterance-paeanofjoy(Udānaverse)soonafterfullenlightenment:

Anekajāti samsāram, Sandhāvissam anibbhisam

Gahakāram gavesanto, Dukkhajātī punappunam

Gahakāraka diţţho’ si, Punageham na kāhasi

Sabbā te phāsukā bhaggā, Gahakūtam visańkhitam

Visańkhāragatam cittam, Taņhānam khayam ajjhagā

Throughmanyabirth Iwandered in samsāra seeking,butnotfindingthebuilderofthishouse.Sorrowfulitistobebornagainandagain.OHouse-builder!Thouartseen.Thoushaltbuildnohouseagain.Allthyraftersarebroken.Thyridge-poleshattered.Mymindhasachievedtheuncon-ditioned.Achievedistheendofcraving.(Dhammapada – Venerable Narada Thera).

paticca-samuppāda suttawe meet in samsāra, who has dedicated his life towards sharing the...

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