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| A good meditation technique is a wonderful and powerful tool. Common sense, caution and discrinination should be used when choosing a technique. A respected teacher of the highest standing is neccessary. Even a good technique badly applied can lead to confusion and distraction. |
| Yoga meditation was well established to a high level in India before the Buddha. This is what Prince Siddhartha learnt from the best teachers at the time and attained all they could teach. |
| But even at the highest level he still peceived a very subtle element of clinging, which would inevitably lead back to a rebirth in a lower level. That is, the cycles of existence, fueled by the Kamma of actions, were not broken. |
| The Buddha resolved to break out of this cycle. This he achieved by totally purifying his mind and realising the the Four Noble Truths. |
| The cycle of existence becomes broken when the person is so purified
that their actions of mind, speech and body are without any element
of craving / aversion, so that no new Kamma can be generated,
and since all past Kamma has been cleansed, the cause of existence
has been eliminated. this is not an easy thing to achieve. As
the Suttas say, it may take many thousands of lifetimes. |
| In the 1000 year period after the Buddha, meditation spread widely over Asia. On this journey, as well as in India itself, it underwent many changes. Different schools of Budhhism emerged, and Yoga developed into Hinduism while borrowing parts of Buddhism. |
| Very briefly, this explains the myriad of beliefs and techniques
existing today. |
| Most everyone begins meditation for the wrong reason. But if their practice is good then the truth will slowly emerge. One has to start somewhere. |
The Dhamma and Buddhism |
| Information and discussion about the Dhamma on this site is drawn from the Theravadin tradition of Buddhism. This 'southern school', as it is sometimes called, is practiced mainly in Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia. |
| 'Whatever, O Brother, there exists of feeling,of perception and of mental formations, these things are associated, not dissociated, and it is impossible to seperate the one from the other and show their difference. For whatever one feels, one perceives; and whatever one perceives, of this one is conscious.' Majjihma Nikaya, Sutta 43. |
| "Impossible is it for anyone to explain... the growth, increase
and development of consciousness independant of corporeality,
feeling, perception and mental formations." Samyutta Nikaya,XXII,53. |
| 'Whatever there is of corporeality, feeling, perception, mental
formations and consciousness... this one should understand...
'This does not belong to me,this am I not, this is not my ego.'
' Samyutta Nikaya, XXII, 49. |
| The difficult task of understanding what Buddhism is. It can be helpful to think not of Buddhism but of its three components: the Buddha, the Dhamma , the Sangha. These are known in english as the Triple Gem. Taking refuge in the Triple Gem is a common "prayer". One is saying that he/she is taking the admirable qualities of these three elements as guidance and something to aspire to. |
| The Dhamma is the Teaching or the Law, the actual state of affairs which exists of itself. The Bhudda is the one who fully understood the Dhamma and explained it to other beings [set the Wheel of Dhamma in motion].The Sangha, traditionally, is the community of monks who practice the Dhamma, but can also be thought of as comprising any persons who correctly practice the Dhamma. The emphasis here is on practice i.e. Meditation. Rites and rituals by themselves are useless. |
| "And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkus [monks], saying: 'Behold
now , bikkhus, I exhort you: Transient are all the elements of
being! Strive with earnestness!' This was the last word of the
Tathagata." Maha Parinibbanna Sutta,vi,8. |
| With his very last words the Buddha said "work hard". To quote a contemporary teacher, "Buddhism is Workism". This is all saying that mere belief, learning from books, rituals etc will be of no help unless you practice the Teaching. |
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| NOTE: the Theravadin traditional texts and learning are in the Pali language, which is closely associated with Sanscrit. The romanised words here are from the Pali. Similarities are usually easy to spot,e.g. Nibbana [Pali] is Nirvana [Sanscrit]. |
| BASIC STRUCTURE OF BHUDDHA DHAMMA (Theravadin Tradition) |
| NIBBANA [ Unconditioned Existence] |
| 3 Types 3rd. Arahant. Has destroyed all Defilements. No more rebirth in the 3 Lokas. 2nd. Anagami. [Non-returner]. All subtle lust & ill will destroyed. Rebirth in Brahma Loka only. 1st. two types [a] Sakadagami. [Once-returner] All coarse lust & hate destroyed. One more rebirth in Kama Loka. [b]Sotapanna. [Stream enterer] Sakadagami and Sotapanna have doubt, perplexity, erroneous views destroyed, are freed from rebirth in the planes of misery i.e. below human, and have a maximum 7 rebirths . Siddhis [supernormal powers] become possible at all levels. |
| To understand the truth of one of the Three Basic Facts [Marks, Salient Features] is to understand all three. A Meditation which concetrates on one, will ultimately penetrate all three. The three divisions of the Three Basic Facts , the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path are closely linked. Fully penetrating the truth of one will fully penetrate the others. |
| The Three Basic Facts of Existence | The Four Noble Truths |
| DUKKHA. Suffering ANICCA . Impermanence ANATTA. No-soul |
1.All conditioned existence is suffering. 2.There is a cause of suffering. 3.There is an end of suffering 4.The way to end suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path |
| Sila is to be practiced first as the basis for Samadhi. Reasonable Samaddhi is necessary for the development of Panna. Panna includes Contemplation Meditation on any of the Three Basic Facts of existence. [Contemplation is not thinking] | |
| Noble Eightfold Path | acts upon | Defilements |
| PANNA [Wisdom] 1.Right Thinking 2.Right Understanding SAMADHI [Concentration] 3.Right Concentration 4.Right Mindfulness 5.Right Effort SILA [Morality] 6.Right Livelihood 7.Right Action 8.Right Speech |
PANNA destroys Latent Defilements SAMADHI puts away to a distance Conscious Defilements SILA puts away temporarily Strong Defilements |
Kilesas or Sankharas exist in 3 stages [Bhumis] Latent 'unconscious' Conscious present at sense doors/mind. Strong. Immoral speech & action |
| Before the time of the Bhuddha, Hindu/Yoga philosophy knew of the Truth and the Cause of Suffering, but not of the end and the Path. Siddhartha found the highest Jhanas unsatisfactory. He learned the Panna training which destroys all latent defilements and penetrates the Ultimate Truth, thus becoming Bhuddha Gotama. | |
| JHANA | LOKA |
| ARUPA JHANA Immaterial sphere 4 levels RUPA JHANA Fine material sphere 4 levels JHANA is a concentration state accessed via strong SAMADHI the Jhana states equate to the Loka levels of other beings. Siddhi [supernormal powers] become possible at the Arupa Jhana levels |
ARUPA LOKA [Immaterial sphere] 4 levels RUPA LOKA Fine material sphere 4 levels KAMA LOKA 6 Deva planes Human Animal Petas [Ghosts] HELLS 4 levels The 3 Lokas comprise the 31 planes of conditioned existence |
| The Vipassana Dipani [ The Exposition of Insight ] from the Manuals of Bhuddhism by Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw |
| The purpose of Vipassana or the Exercise of Insight is to resolve
the three salient chracteristics of Anicca [Impermanence], Dukkha
[Suffering, Unsatisfactoriness] and Anatta [ [the illusory soul
or 'self-principle' which has been held to exist by all Puthujjanas
[ordinary unenlightened people], the idea of soul arising from
simple ignorance or unconsciously or through direct error.] The first five sections are are intended to serve this purpose, for it will be seen that the belief in soul is formed by the Vipallasa; that self-esteem is mainyained by the Mannana; and that it is not firmly rooted in the soil of the Puthujjana-bhumi because of the Abhinevasa; and that the Puthujjana-gati, the 'dispersion of life' is the destiny of all those who take their stand on the platform of soul-belief. |
| Under the heading of Sacca and Cause, it will be shown that Atta
in the sense of 'self'...is no more than a collection of phenomena,
mental and material, produced by causes, the classifications of
which under catagories, are methodically and fully given in detail. Under the headings of Abhinna and Parinna, the classification of knowledge pertaining to Insight is dealt with,...how each is developed, when each arrives at perfection, and how the final goal is won, also are shown. ...extracted from the Preface by Sayadaw U Nyana, Patamagyaw of Masoeyein Monastery, Mandalay. |
| The Three Vipallasa [ Hallucination, delusion, erroneous observation ] 1. Sanna-Vipallasa : Delusion of perception 2. Citta-Vipallasa : Delusion of thought. 3. Ditthi-Vipallassa : Delusion of views. Sanna-Vipallassa is fourfold : (a) it perceives impermanence as permanence. (b) Impurity as purity (c) Ill as good (d) No-soul as soul. |
| The Three Mannana [fantasy,imagination,Feigning to oneself that one is what one
is not] Through nescience [ ignorance ] hallucination arises, through hallucination fantasy arises. 1. Tanha-Mannana : Fantasy by lust [ desire of the senses ] 2. Mana-Mannana : Fantasy by conceit. 3. Ditti-Mannana : Fantasy by error [In beliefs ] |
| The Two Abhinivesa [ strong belief set in the mind as stone pillars] 1. Tanhabhinivesa : Firm belief induced by lust. 2. Dittibhinivesa : Firm belief induced by error. |
| The Two Bhumi [ stages, where all creatures find their footing, generate and
grow ] 1. Puthujjana-bhumi : Ordinary being, with Ditti-vipallassa [erroneous view ] 2. Ariyabhumi : Noble one, knows Right View, Right Apprehension and Right Understanding. |
| The Two Gati [going, the change of existences ] 1. Puthujjana-gati : of the ordinary person, it is Vinipatana [dispersive], liable to fall into any of the 31 abodes, as a result of past Khammas. 2. Ariya-gati : deliverance from dispersion. Potential to be reborn in higher spheres or in sphere of one's choice. Free from rebirth in lower realms. |
| The Two Saccas The Two Truths The constant faithfulness of the term which names a thing, to that thing's intrinsic nature. 1. Sammuti-sacca : conventional or relative truth. The opposite to an untruth, and so can overcome untruth. 2. Paramattha-sacca : ultimate Truth. The opposite to delusion. |
| Two kinds of ultimate phenomena : Material, Mental. The 28 Kinds of Material Phenomena Material is of 28 kinds, divided into 10 classes. [I] the four great essential elements. Mahabhutas. 1. the element of solidity, extension. [earth] 2. the element of cohesion, the holding, the fluid. [water] 3. the element of kinetic energy. [fire], heat and cold. 4. the element of motion. [ air] |
| [II] The six bases. 5. the eye 6. the ear 7. the nose 8. the tongue 9. the body 10. the heart [III] the two sexes. 11. Male 12. Female [IV] One species of material quality of life. 13. the vital force [V] One species of material quality of nutrition. 14. Edible food [VI] The four sense fields. 15. Visible form 16. sound 17. Odour 18. Savour [These 18 are called Jatarupani , genetic material qualities as they possess the power of production.] [VII] One species of material quality of limitation. 19. The element of space [VIII] The two communications. 20. Intimation through the body 21. Intimation through speech [IX] The three plasicities. 22. Lightness 23. Pliancy 24. Adaptability. [X] The four salient features. 25. Integration 26. Continuance 27. Decay 28. Impermanence or death. |
| 54 Kinds of Mental Phenomena One of Citta. [mind or consciousnss.] Fifty-two of Cetasikas. [ mental properties or concomitants.] One of Nibbana: getting out of the circle of existences. |
| 1.Consciousness. Is divided into six classes. Sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, mind. Mind consciousness is divided into four classes. 1. Kama-consciousness. That which lies within the jurisdiction of desire in the Kama-loka [sensuous world,Kama-tanha] and is fourfold, Kusala [moral], Akusala [immoral], Vipaka [resultant] and Kriya [ineffective]. 2. Rupa-consciousness. Is in the Jhanic mind, free from Kama desire, but still within desire prevailing in the Rupa-loka[fine material world].It is threefold, Kusala, Vipaka, Kriya. 3. Arupa-consciousness. In the Jhanic mind that has become free from Rupa desire.But still within the domain of desire prevailing in the Arupa-loka [the immaterial world]. Also threefold, Kusala, Vipaka, Kriya. 4. Lokuttara- consciousness. Transcendental consciousness. In the noble mind [ Ariya-citta], which has become free of the threefold desire and has transcended the three planes, Kama, Rupa, Arupa. It is of two kinds : Noble consciousness of the Path, and Noble consciousness of the Fruition. |
| Cetasika. Mental properties. 52 kinds. Numbers 2-53 are divided into four classes. Class 1. Sabbacittaka. The seven common properties [to all classes of consciousness.] 1.Phassa [contact] 2. Vedana [feeling] 3. Sanna [perception] 4. Cetana [volition] 5.Ekagatta [concetration of mind] 6.Jivita [psychic life] 7 Manasikara [attention] |
| Class II. Pakinnaka. [The six Particulars.] Invariably enter into compostion with
consciousness. 1. Vittaka [initial application] 2. Vicara [sustained application] 3. Viriya [effort] 4. Piti [pleasurable interest] 5. Chanda [desire-to-do] 6. Adhimokkha [deciding] The above 13 kinds are called Vimissaka [Mixtures] as they are common to both moral and immoral consciousness in composition |
| Class III. Papa-jati [Immorals],14 in number. 1. Lobha [greed] 2. Dosa [hate] 3. Moha [dullness] 4. Ditthi [error] 5. Mana [conceit] 6. Issa [envy] 7. Machariya [selfishness] 8. Kukucca [worry] 9. Ahirika [shamelessness] 10. Anottappa [recklessness] 11. Uddhacca [distraction] 12. Thina [sloth] 13. Middha [torpor] 14. Vicikicca [perplexity] |
| Class IV. Kalayana-jatika [Morals], 25 in number. 1.Alobha [disinterestness] 2. Adosa [amity] 3. Amoha [reason] 4. Saddha [faith] 5. Sati [minfulness] 6. Hiri [modesty] 7. Ottappa [discretion] 8. Tatramajjhattara [balance of mind] 9. Kayapassaddhi [composure of mental properties] 10. Cittapassaddhi [composure of mind] 11. Kayalahuta [bouyancy of mental properties] 12. Cittalahuta [bouyancy of mind] 13. Kayamuduta [pliancy of mental properties] 14. Citta muduta [pliancy of mind] 15. Kayakammannata [adaptability of mental properties] 16. Cittakammannata [adaptability of mind] 17. Kayapagunnata [proficiency of mental properties] 18. Cittapagunnata [proficiency of mind] 19. Kayujkata [rectitude of mental properties] 20. Cittujukata [rectitude of mind] 21. Sammavaca [right speech] 22. Sammakammanta [right action] 23. Sammaajiva [right livehood] 24. Karuna [compassion] 25. Mudita [Appreciation of success of oothers] |
| 54.Nibbana may be classified into three kinds. First Nibbana : Freeing or deliverance from the plane of misery. Second Nibbana : Freeing or deliverance from the plane of Kama-loka. Third Nibbana : Freeing or deliverance from the planes of Rupa-loka and Arupa-loka. |
| Thus the 28 material phenomena and the 54 mental phenomena make up 82 ultimate things, which are called Ultimate Facts. Self, soul, creature, person and so forth are Conventional Facts. |
| The four producers or generators of material phenomena 1. Kamma . Moral and immoral actions performed in previous existences. 2. Citta. Mind and mental concomitants existing in the present life. 3. Utu. The two states of Tejo-dhatu [fire element] i.e. heat [unha-tejo] and cold [sita-tejo]. 4. Ahara. The two kinds of nutritive essence, internal nutriment that obtains from the time of conception and external nutriment that exists in edible food. |
| The Two Abhinnanas [Super-knowledges] Are of two kinds. [i] Samatha-abhinnana. Aquired through the practice of exercises in Samatha [calm]. It is of five kinds. 1. Iddhividha-abhinnana. Passing through the air, sinking into the earth, creating wonderful things, transforming into different personalities. 2. Dibbasota-abhinnana. Extreme sensitiveness of hearing, as possessed by Celestial beings. 3. Cetopariya-abhinnana. Knowledge of others thought. 4. Pubbenivasa-abhinnana. Knowledge of previous existences. 5. Yathakammupaga-abhinnana. Knowledge of living beings and of the Kammas in accordance with they are thrown down into the various spheres of existence. [ii] Dhamma-abhinnana. The insight by which are discerned all the things of Ultimate Truth together with their respective characteristics beyond the range of conventional truth. it is divided into three kinds. 1.Sutamaya-nana. Knowledge aquired by learning. 2. Cintamaya-nana. Knowledge aquired by reasoning. 3. Bhavanamaya-nana. Knowledge aquired by contemplation. Bhavanamaya-nana is divided into two. [1.] Anubodha-nana. The triple insight into Impermanence,Infelicity and no-soul. [2.] Pativeda-nana. The trancendental knowledge of the Four Paths, which can dispel the darkness of the Kilesas [defilements] such as error,perplexity etc. |
| The Three Parinnas [ Profound Knowledge.] 1. Nata-parinna. [Autological knowledge] 2. Tirana-parinna. [Analytical knowledge] 3. Pahana-parinna. [Dispelling knowledge] |
| 1. Nata-parinna means the profound and accurate discernment of mental and physical
phenomena with all their proximate causes, and also of Nibbana. |
| 2. Tirana-parinna means a profound and accurate discernment of momentary phenomena
[mental and material] with insight into arising and dissolving
by dissecting the the continuity into momentary ultimates.It is
of three kinds. [a] Anicca-parinna : knowledge of the law of death [marana]. Conventional death and ultimate death. Conventional death as in death is unavoidable for every living creature and by ultimate death is meant the momentary death of all mental and material phenomena occuring innumerable times in one day. Only this, exhibiting the salient feature of Anicca, lies within the domain of Anicca-parinna. [b] Dhukka-parinna. A perfect or a qualified knowledge of the intrinsic characteristic of Infelicity [suffering]. It is of two kinds. [i] Vedayita-dhukka. [Pain-feeling ill]. Unbearable, unpleasant pains that cometo the body, and mental pains such as Soka [sorrow], Parideva [lamentation],Domanassa [grief], Upayasa [despair] etc. which are experienced by mind. [ii] Bhayattha-dhukka. [fear producing ill] . Those pains which fall within thesphere of Bhaya-nana [knowledge of things as fearful] and of the Adinava-nana[knowledge of things as dangerous] , Jati-dhukka [ill of birth], Jara-dhukka [illof decay], Marana-dhukka [ill of death], Sankhara-dhukka [illof conditionality],and Viparinama-dhukka [ ill of changeability]. [c] Anatta-parinna. Means the perfect or qualified knowledge of things as possessing the characteristic of No-Soul. |
| 3.Pahana Parinna The perfect or qualified knowledge that dispels hallucinations. It dispels the three Nicca-vippallasas [by insight gained from the contemplation of impermanence, the three Sukha-vipallasas and thr three Subha-vipallasas [by means of insight gained through the contemplation of Ill and the three Atta-vipillasa [by means of insight gained through the contemplation of No-soul. There are five kinds of Pahana Tadangapahana Vikkhamabhanapahana Samucchedapahana Patipassaddhipahana Nissaranapahana |
| In order to make them clear, the three Bhumi [periods of the Defilements]
must be mentioned. Anusayabhumi,Pariyutthanabhumi, Vittikkamabhumi. Anusayabhumi : the period during which the defilements do not come into existence as mental properties representing themselves in the three phases time [ nascent, static, arrested] but lie latent surrounding the life continuum. .Pariyutthanabhumi : the period at which the defilements come into existence from the latent state as mental properties at the mind door, when any object which has the power to wake them up produces perturbance at one ofthe six sense doors. Vitikkamabhumi : the period at which the defilements become so fierce and ungovernable that they produce sinful actions in word and deed. |
| Thus in the revolution of existences, every Greed that follows a creatures life-continuum has three Bhumis.Similarly, the rest of the defilements [kilesas] have three periods each. |
| In Bhuddhist ethics there are three Sikkhas [trainings]. Silasikkha [morality], Samadhi-sikkha [ecstatic thought] and Panna-sikkha [insight]. Silasikkha is only able to put away the third stage of the defilements [ Vitikkamabhumi]. As there remain two Bhumis undispelled, the defilements which are got rid of by Sila would again arise and soon fill up till they reached the Vitikkamabhumi. Therfore the putting away by Sila is called Tadangapahana, which means the temporary putting away. |
| Samadhi-sikkha the training of thought in the first Jhana, second Jhana etc. is only able to dispel Pariyutthana-bhumi of the defilements, which have been left undispelled by Sila.As there still remains the Anusaya-bhumi undispelled, the defilements which were put away by Jhana would soon arise and fill up till they reach the Vitikkamabhumi , if obstacles to the Jhana were encountered. Therefore the putting away by Samadhi is called Vikkamphana-pahana, which means putting away to a distance. Here Jhana can dispose of the Defilements for a considerable time, for it is more powerful than Sila. |
| Panna-sikkha Training in the Knowledge that pertains to Insight and the Knowledge that pertains to the Transcendental Path is able to dispel the first Anusaya-bhumi of the defilements that have been left undispelled by Sila and Samadhi. The defilements that are entirely got rid of through the said Knowledge, leaving nothing behind, will never arise again. Therefore the putting away by Panna is called Samucchedapahana [lit: cutting off, putting away]. |
| The Knowledge that pertains to Transcendental Fruition puts the defilements away by tranquilizing the same defilements that have been put away by the Knowledge that pertains to the Transcendental Path, this is called Patipassaddhi-pahana. The putting away by entering Nibbana is called Nissarana-pahana, the total escaping from the ties of existence forever. |
| Panna-sikkha [Knowledge of Insight] is able to put away the Anusaya-bhumi
, but not completely. Only the knowledges pertaining to the Paths
are able to put away all the Defilements that respectively belong
to each path. The knowledge pertaining to the Sotapattimagga, the First path, dispels utterly and eradicates all erroneous views ans perplexities. It also destroys all immoral actions which would result in life in the realms of misery. The knowledge that pertains to the Sakadagami-magga, the Second Path, dispels all coarse lust and hate. The knowledge that pertains to the Anagami-magga, the Third Path, dispels all subtle lust and ill-will which has been left undispelled by the second path. To him, the Anagami-puggalo [Never-Returner], the link of kinship with the world is broken and the Brahma-loka is the only sphere where he may take rebirth. The knowledge pertaining to the Arahatta-magga , the Fourth Path, dispels the Defilements that are left undispelled by the other three paths. The Arahatto-puggalo [one who kills all Defilements] , becomes an Arahant, and escapes from the three Lokas. The Samuccheda-pahana is the chief thing to be accomplished. |
| The main points necessary for those who practice the exercises of Insight.Of the three knowledges of Insight [Anicca, Dhukka, Anatta: Impermanence, Suffering, No-Soul], the knowledge of Anicca must first and foremost be aquired. |
| The impermanence and death of mental and material phenomena are to be found in the full in our bodies, our head and every part of our bodies. If we are able to discern clearly those functions of impermanence and death which are always operating in our bodies, we shall acquire the Insight of the Destruction; the breaking up , the cessation, the changes occuring in all parts of the body in every fraction of a second. |
| If contemplation of impermanence is well accomplished, then that
of the contemplation of No-Soul is also accomplished. But it is not meant that knowledge of the Path and of Fruition has been attained. The attainment of the knowledge of the Path and Fruition, is quick or slow, according to opportunity or lack of opportunity, in the practice of higher virtues. |
| Even an Ariyan who has attained the First Path hardly knows that
he has become an attainer of the Path-of -the-Stream , because
of the unfathomableness of the latent period of Defilements. Insight meditators must , for the whole of their life, continue in the exercise on the contemplation on impermanence until the exercise is systematically worked out. If they do this their knowledge will be developed till they pass beyond Puthujjana-bhumi and arrive at Ariya-bhumi, either before death or at the time of death, either in this life or in the life following, in which latter case they will be reborn as Devas. |
| Vipassana-dipani. by Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw. Written at the Ratanasiri Monastery, Mandalay. Finished on the 14th waxing of Taboung, in the year 2458 B.E. [26th February, 1915 C.E.] |
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