Sensuousness
So far we have spent some time on jhana - the first jhana. We have not discussed kama sensuousness , without which the discussion jhana will not be complete. Previously, I have touched on it briefly in order not to cause confusion. Now, I wish to talk about kama. Kama is of two kinds vatthu kama - objective sensuousness kilesa kama - subjective sensuousness The vatthu kama vatthu - object kama - sensuousness means objective sensuousness, object-base of sensuousness or sense desire as object. It...
Ten Armies of Mara
In this sensuous world, people go after sensuous objects and desires. They consider them as the real pleasures. Neglecting the dhamma, they end their lives. In fact they have enjoyed such sensuous pleasures throughout samsara, and still they do not wish to relinquish them. Now the bhikkhus have left such worldly pleasures either temporarily or permanently and are practising the dhamma in order to free themselves from the akus-ala courses of action. They are said to have won over the Armies...
Preliminary Practice
This means pre-jhanic or preliminary practice in order to prepare the yogi for the mainjhanic practice. It covers four elements, namely effort viriya , mindfulness sati , calmness passaddhi and concentration samadhi . Viriya has four elements caturanga . The yogi vows to make effort thus 'Let my flesh and blood dry up leaving only the skin, bones and sinews, let me die, I shall not fail'. Such is the kind of courage the yogi should possess. When he is faced with severe feeling vedana he will...
Kamasugati Samsara
The three vattas relating to kamasugati samsara happy course of existence in the sensuous world are Kilesa vatta It means desire for sensuous pleasures, such as, taking pleasure in and attachment to pleasant sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Kamma vatta It means the three domains of meritorious actions of ten punna-kriya-vatthu bases of meritorious action consisting in sUa observing the precepts bhavana mental concentration apacdyana respecting the elders veyyavacca serving or helping...
Attachment Nikanti
Craving tanh for unusual events, such as illumination occurring in vipassan , is nikanti. This kind of attachment can be mistaken for delight in mind development bhavanarati as the result of dhamma perception. Just the emergence of this nikanti can, therefore, disrupt insight. One need not speak of how vipassan can be ruined by wrongful clinging to this nikanti through tanh , m na and ditthi. For this reason, the other nine objects of imperfection, if attached to through tanha, mana and ditthi,...
Seven Suitable Things
Equilibrium, balance or harmony of faculties Indriya -samatta , relates to the five spiritual faculties Of these there are two pairs of faculties, in each of which both faculties should well counter-balance each other, namely faith and wisdom on one hand and energy and concentration on the other. Excessive faith with deficient wisdom leads to blind faith, while excessive wisdom with deficient faith leads to cunningness. In the same way, great energy with weak concentration leads to...
Vayodhatu
Vayo-dhatu literally the air element is given as the element of motion, a quality possessed only by this element and none other. Just as in the case of rupa, nama also has its specific characteristics. Nama or citta is that which is aware of an object. Cetasika consciousness-concomitants or mental states are aspects of mentality that arise together with consciousness, colouring influencing the latter, giving a special character or distinguishing quality to the mind. Examples are phassa contact...
Pahana Parihha
This is 'full understanding by overcoming or abandoning', starting from the stage of bhanga nana knowledge consisting in the contemplation of dissolution of all forms of existence . Here the yogi sees the terminal instead of the beginning and the middle, perceiving that both mind and matter, which constitute his personality, are in a state of rapid flux, not remaining for two consecutive moments the same. Pah na means freeing, abandoning. Since the yogi sees the dissolution of existence, he is...
Buddhist Ceremonies of the Vassa Lent
Pavarand means invitation and has come to be a name given to a meeting held at the end of the rainy season, during which, members of the Sarigha having dwelt cheek byjowl for three months, grievances might have made themselves felt. Mutual confession was invited Pavareti on this valedictory occasion in accordance with the tradition of the Sarigha. It is of four kinds
Insight Meditation
It is a compound of 'VF unique features of all sorts, and 4Passatt' observing. It is defined as Insight Meditation. Insight is so called from its close examination of the characteristics of impermanence, etc. Because the work to be done by insight is accomplished through the path magga , so it is called Path. And because fruition phala examines closely the truth of cessation and comes next after the path, so it is called Fruition. By means of spiritual insight knowledge called vipassana nana,...
ekaggata
one-pointedness, synonymous with samddhi orjhana. The consciousness which is associated with these factors is known asjhana sampayutta citta. Vitakka has the quality of applying, aiming or directing the mind citta to the target in a continuous manner. It is active and shiny. It is the opposite of thina-middha sloth and torpor where the mind is dull, inactive and slack. Vitakka has a blossoming effect and thina-middha has a withdrawal effect. Vitakka, in conjunction with other associated mental...
Vedana Feeling
If we are not mindful, craving or anger will arise whenever a pleasant or painful sensation occurs. This means feeling vedana causes craving lobha or anger dosa . Both are unwholesome mental states. Again the root of feeling vedana can be traced back to delusion moha which is synonymous with ignorance avijja . For the ordinary worldlings, it is so easy to drift into the cur rent of defilements kilesas as a result of seeing or hearing. The current may flow at a slow pace or at a fast rate - at...
Buddha lays down the Dhamma Principles
In the practice of Dhamma to overcome kilesas, Buddha lays down two principles. But before I come to these principles, I would like to relate an event leading to the exposition of these principles. Hearing that 'On this day, in the last watch of the night, the parinibbana of the Samana Gotama will take place', Subhadda, a wandering ascetic, had this thought 'I have heard that Tathagatas arise in the world only rarely. Today, in the last watch of the night, the parinibbana of the Samana Gotama...
Charlie Wuvanich Meditation
We would like to acknowledge here our deep and sincere gratitude to the many yogis who have come from many parts of the world to practise under Sayadaw U Pandita and given valuable suggestions, to Leon Prolius posthumously , for his dedication to this noble deed, to Chris MacLachlan for his persistent labour and to Chayanont Charlie Wuvanich of Thailand for his valuable support. Also to yogis in Malaysia, particularly those from Malaysian Buddhist Meditation Centre, Santisukharama and Buddhist...