The Breath of Love
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
About the Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
became a Buddhist monk in 1986 because of his
keen interest in meditation. He went to Burma
in 1988 to practice intensive meditation at the
famous meditation center, Mahasi Yeiktha in
Rangoon. While there, he practiced meditation
for 20 to 22 hours a day for three months and
16 hours a day for 5 months. Because of some
social unrest, all foreigners were asked to leave the country. So
Bhante traveled to Malaysia and practiced intensive Loving-
kindness Meditation for 6 months.
In 1990, Bhante went back to Burma for more intensive Vipassanà
meditation, for 14 to 16 hours a day, at Chanmyay Yeiktha in
Rangoon. He practiced for 2 years, sometimes sitting in meditation
for as long as 7 to 8 hours a sitting. After two years of intensive
meditation and experiencing what they said was the final result,
he became very disillusioned with the straight Vipassanà method
and left Burma to continue his search.
He went back to Malaysia and began teaching Loving-kindness
Meditation. In 1995, Bhante was invited to live and teach at
the largest Theravàda monastery in Malaysia. This Sri Lankan
monastery offered public talks every Friday evening and Sunday
morning where 300 to 500 people would attend. Bhante gave
talks every other Friday and on every Sunday.
While staying there he had the opportunity to meet many learned
monks, and Bhante questioned them at length about the Buddha’s
Teachings. He found out that the straight Vipassanà Burmese
method of meditation is taken from a commentary written a
thousand years after the Buddha’s death, called the Visuddhi
Magga. This commentary is not very accurate when compared
directly with the sutta teachings. Bhante Vimalaramsi then began
to study the sutta texts more thoroughly and practice meditation
according to these texts. After a three month self-retreat, he
came back to Malaysia and wrote a book on the Mindfulness
of Breathing called “The ânàpànasati Sutta – A Practical Guide
to Mindfulness of Breathing and Tranquil Wisdom Meditation”.
There are now over 1,000,000 copies distributed worldwide in
multiple languages. This book is currently used as a practical
study guide for meditation teachers and their students.
Bhante Vimalaramsi came back to the U.S. in 1998 and has been
teaching meditation throughout the country since then. In 2003
he cofounded the United International Buddha-Dhamma Society.
UIBDS supports the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center located
near Annapolis, Missouri, USA, where he teaches meditation
from May–October each year.
In 2008 he officially announced the birth of the Buddhist
American Forest Tradition in Annapolis, MO. This is the first
Buddhist American Forest Tradition study center on American
soil where all teaching and work is done using English as the
primary language and the core teachings rely on the Pàli Canon
directly with the Vissudhi Magga used as an additional reference
support. The Tradition actually began in 2005.
International monks now come there to improve their English
and study more deeply the meditation and sutta studies. An
active ordination program is available where both men and
women are trained equally.
About Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center
United International Buddha-Dhamma Society (UIBDS) and
Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center (DSMC) are located on 103
acres of forested land located in the Ozark Mountains of Iron
County (near to Annapolis) in Missouri, USA.
DSMC’s goal is to be open
all year round. At present
it usually houses from
10–20 students at a time
between the months of
May 15–October 15 each
year for meditation training
and Buddhist studies. In
winter it is open for visitors
and there are small group
retreats. The main teachers
usually teach abroad during
the coldest time of the year. This helps to raise money for further
buildings at the center. Presently there are cabins, dining hall
and kitchen, library, and a new Dhamma hall is going up in 2012.
There are beautiful walking trails and flat areas for walking near
the main halls. There is a lay area for meditators and a separate
monastics living area.
June–October full moons serve as the center’s Rains Retreat
period each year. Monastics may come in for a May to September
Rains Retreat if they let us know in advance. We do offer an
Dhamma English support program.
In this Buddhist tradition, Rains Retreat is when monks and
nuns stay in one place to give Dhamma talks and teach people
meditation. They also practice their own meditation deeply at
this time. Each year various monastics who also support the
goals of this program visit from different traditions. Often times
they will offer to teach Buddhist history, Chanting, and Pàli
classes while in the center. From over 23 countries around the
world, students and faithful lay people come to investigate early
Buddhist teachings and they stay from 2 weeks to 3 months at a
time upon by approval by the teacher.
There is also an active ordination program for men and women
for equal training. It is a sincere forest training which is received
and there will be opportunities in the near future for study
abroad at a university in Sri Lanka which is now partnering with
the DSMC project in 2012.
DSMC is dedicated a religious center sheltered by United
International Buddha-Dhamma Society. UIBDS is a Missouri 501
(c) (3) non-profit corporation set up for the purpose of Religious,
Charitable and Educational works.
DSMC provides a support place for people to come and hear
early Buddhist texts taught in English by a master meditation
teacher, Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera and
Sasana Dipika Sister Khema who have both taught this Buddha-
Dhamma internationally over recent past years.
In the center you will study and practice early foundation
teachings recovered from the very earliest Buddhist texts that
survived. Center monastics offer free counseling support for
people. Daily meditation is practiced and many supports are in
place to help students keep their practice going in life.
After 14 years of investigation work, at DSMC, it has been
confirmed that the Buddha recovered something extremely
unique that leads directly to a reduction of suffering and, if the
teachings and meditation are pursued more deeply, following
the precise instructions, this training can lead to an eventual
total cessation of suffering in this lifetime.
The center teaches a simple meditation practice based on Right
Effort as found in the early texts. The practice is called Tranquil
Wisdom Insight Meditation, TWIM for short. TWIM is easy and
fun to learn and is appropriate for anyone within the bounds of
any religion.
This teaching is easy to understand and immediately effective.
The practice transfers very well into daily life to help us lighten
up, smile more, and become happier. It is so progressively
interesting that it invites deeper inspection and people really do
want to ‘come and see’ and understand more.
There is no question that Buddhist
teachings make life easier. They provide
a clear understanding of how the mind
works. As you discover how things
actually operate, then quite naturally,
as you calm down, you will tend to act
in more compassionate ways towards
people in daily life.
Training at the center uses the Majjhima Nikàya as a main text for
guidance during your training. Students who practice in earnest
and want to progress well are encouraged to follow the advice of
MN-95 The Canki Sutta when coming to the center to study. In
that sutta there are 12 steps key to making good progress. MN-15
describes the best student for the teacher to put time and energy
into training. The proper outcome of your training is described
in MN-21. It is worth it for you to investigate these suttas before
coming to train.
At the center, students
and monastics alike
are challenged to test
their understanding
through their own
investigation for
verification of any
spoken truth they
hear in a Dhamma
talk. If their results
match the results
described within
the suttas, then
they are considered
the Buddha’s teaching. If not, then its time for open Dhamma
discussion and re-evaluation.
More Information
We encourage you to visit our website at www.dhammasukha.
org
At the website you will find a lot more information about
Dhamma talks, how we teach at the center, books that can help
you, articles, and more information about how to contact our
center in Missouri.
If you need help, you can write to Rev. Sister Khema at
sisterkhema@yahoo.com. She will forward you to whomever can
help you best.
Please make arrangements to come into the center by April 15 if
possible so residences can be carefully planned for you.
The address of Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center and
Anathapindika’s Park is:
Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center
8218 County Road 204
Annapolis, MO 63620 USA
Website: www.dhammasukha.org
Office Telephone: (573) 546-1214 (please leave a clear message)
E-mail: bhantev4u@dhammasukha.org,
Training Questions: sisterkhema@dhammasukha.org
Showing posts with label The Breath of Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Breath of Love. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The Breath of Love - Glossary of Study Terminology
The Breath of Love
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
Glossary of Study Terminology
Appearing in the order of training
This glossary offers assistance with a working terminology for
the TWIM practices.
This chapter has been put in the back of the book to assist the
beginner and for solving any mix-up in understanding for the
experienced practitioner. The definitions for terminology used
in this book for training appear more or less in the order that
you will have to deal with them as you learn the practice of
meditation.
Buddhist Meditation shows us how mind’s movements
actually work. It reveals the true nature of things by uncovering
the impersonal moment-to-moment process of Dependent
Origination and the Four Noble Truths. The Buddha-Dhamma
specifically shows us where we get caught by suffering, how this
manifests first, the exact cause of it and the way out.
This journey can sometimes be difficult but it also can be magical
and fun as the changes become apparent in your life and people
begin to notice the change for the good in you.
As we study this, we need to understand clearly some working
definitions of certain training terminology. From the beginning
one learns to do this practice ALL THE TIME. So the precise
definitions of terminology are very important if we are going
to use this practice as our key to opening this doorway to Peace.
Some of these definitions may be slightly different from what
you have heard in other places. As you read further in this book,
make sure the author and you are on the same page with key
words, because this training is pretty important.
Meditation (bhàvanà) – observing the movements of mind’s
attention moment-to-moment, object-to-object for the purpose of
seeing clearly the impersonal process of Dependent Origination
and the Four Noble Truths.
Mindfulness (Sati) – ‘Remembering’ to observe the movements
of mind’s attention all the time.
Awareness (sampaja¤¤a) – Understanding what mind is doing;
meaning whether its releasing what is arising, or getting involved
with it? Is it Recognizing the movements of mind’s attention, or
is it moving into craving and clinging? Is it Releasing, Relaxing,
Re-smiling and then Returning to the object of meditation to
continue mindfulness?
Object of Meditation – Any object of meditation we choose
is to become the home-base for re-centering during our
meditation. The information we seek will not be found in the
object of meditation we observe but rather it is our recognition
of the impersonal Process of Dependent Origination that leads
to our knowledge and vision. This occurs around the object of
meditation.
Hindrances (nivarana) – unwholesome tendencies that begin
with an arising feeling that is the same as any other feeling
and therefore, it should be treated in the same way during the
meditation by Releasing them and not placing mind’s attention
on them in any way. By denying them mind’s attention they will
become weak and fade away.
Jhàna – The definition here for ‘Jhàna’ in Buddhist terms is a “stage
of meditation through understanding” (the interconnectedness of
the ‘Four Noble Truths and Dependent Origination’) and seeing
how mind actually works”. A Jhàna is a level of understanding;
stage of the meditation path.
Craving (tanhà) – the weak link in the process of Dependent
Origination which manifests as tension and tightness in mind
and body as it is first appearing.
The common definition for the word “Craving” is ‘to want or
desire’, but there is much more to this word. According to the
Buddha there is a definite pattern with everything that arises.
For instance, in order “to see” there is a set way things happen.
First, there must be a functioning sense door such as the eye. Next
there must be color and form. When the eye hits color and form
then eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of these three things
is called eye-contact. With eye-contact as condition eye-feeling
arises. (Feeling [Vedanà] is pleasant, painful or neither painful
nor pleasant and this is either physical or mental feeling.) With
eye feeling as condition, then eye-craving arises.
Now ‘Craving’ (tanhà), in all of its many different forms of seeing,
hearing, tasting, smelling, bodily sensations, and thoughts,
always arises as being a tension and tightness in both mind and
body. ‘Craving’ (tanhà) always manifests as the “I like it or I don’t
like it” mind and can be recognized as tension or tightness in
both one’s mind and body. This is where we come to understand
the importance of the Buddha’s instructions about consciously
tranquilizing one’s mind and body.
When the meditator has any kind of distraction arising, that
pulls their attention away from their object of meditation, then
a feeling immediately arises, and next, right after that the “I
like it.... I don’t like it” [craving-tanhà] mind arising. This is
sometimes seen as a big gross tightness and sometimes as a very
subtle tightness or tension in mind and body.
As ‘Craving’ (tanhà) is the cause of suffering (the Second
Noble Truth) what the meditator must do is softly let go of
that tension or tightness (i.e. relax) and this must consciously
be done. It doesn’t happen automatically as is demonstrated in
the meditation instruction given to us by the Buddha. We then
gently redirect mind’s attention back to the object of meditation
(this step is the Third Noble Truth or the cessation of craving or
suffering). In practical terms this relaxing is the most important
and major step that the Buddha discovered, revealing clearly the
Fourth Noble Truth- that is ‘the way’ leading to the Cessation of
Suffering.
The Buddha saw that when ‘Craving’ (tanhà) was let go of; mind
became clear, open, and very observant. He saw that the thinking
mind did not arise. The thinking mind in Buddhism is called
‘Clinging’ (Upàdàna).
So, when a teacher says something like “Cling to Nothing”
they are actually saying to ‘stop thinking about things and just
observe’. This is good advice as far as it goes. Actually it would be
better to say “Crave Nothing” but that would be misunderstood
because the question would arise of ‘how are we supposed to do
that?’
“Crave Nothing” means ‘to notice and let go of the tightness or
tension in one’s mind and body before it arises’.
How does one do this? When one sees a ‘Feeling’ arise, if they
relax at that very moment, then the ‘Craving’ (tanhà) won’t
arise. ‘Craving’ (tanhà) is the weak link in the cycle or process of
Dependent Origination. It CAN be recognized and let go of, and
when it is released then the ‘Clinging’ (Upàdàna) won’t arise.
One thing that has become popular today is the putting together
of these two words, ‘Craving/Clinging’ and I think it helps to
cause even more confusion. Craving’ is the “I like it ... I don’t like
it” mind and ‘Clinging’ is all of the thoughts, ideas, opinions,
and concepts why mind likes or dislikes a feeling when it arises.
These are two very different and separate parts to the process
of how things work. Putting them together just makes one’s
understanding of this process, even cloudier.
Some teachers today define ‘Craving and Clinging’ as ‘Grasping’.
And as I just explained that moves away from the more precise
definitions that the Buddha showed us within his teaching. To
eliminate clinging is not to eliminate suffering if craving is the
root cause.
No-self (anattà) – Impersonal Nature; Impersonal perspective.
An absence of taking anything personally which occurs during
life. Seeing things purely as they are.
To do this in life, you don’t have to stop using the pronouns in your
language! And you don’t have to try to disappear. Promise!
Delusion (moha) – In some Buddhist traditions the word
“delusion” (Moha) is linked up with two other words which are
‘Lust’ (lobha) and ‘Hatred’ (dosa). Together these three words
are sometimes called “the three poisons” and this actually is a
reasonable way to look at them.
But there can be some confusion about what “delusion” (Moha)
actually means. The Buddha meant something a little bit different
every time he used this word.
According to the suttas the word ‘delusion’ (Moha) most often
means ‘to see whatever arises as being a personal self’ (atta). Or
we can say that ‘Delusion’ (Moha) is seeing things through the
false (deluded) idea of a self (atta). In other words, one takes all
feelings or sensations to be a part of the “I”, “Me”, “My”, “Mine”
(atta) identification. In Buddhism, that is delusion.
Serenity (samatha) – Here again is another word to look at. In Pàli
the word is ‘Samatha’. The meaning of ‘Samatha’ is tranquility,
serenity, peacefulness, or stillness.
Often the common popular definition is a strongly one-pointed
type of concentration, absorption concentration, or ecstatic
concentration. This specific definition of serenity or tranquility
certainly implies a different type of “collectedness” than the
deeper types of absorption or ecstatic ‘concentration’.
The goal of absorption or ecstatic concentration is to have mind
stay on only one thing as if it were glued to it (to the exclusion of
anything else), By comparison, ‘Samatha Collectedness’ implies
to have a mind that is still, serene, and calm, but alert to whatever
the shifting or moving mind does moment-to-moment. Of course
Samatha/Vipassanà (which is the standard way it is described in
the suttas (see MN 149:10 where they are always linked together)
leads to the total liberation of mind by seeing and recognizing
how the Four Noble Truths interact with Dependent Origination.
The Bodhisatta experienced firsthand, Samatha/Vipassanà leads
directly to the end-result of Nibbàna and absorption or ecstatic
concentration does not.
Insight (Vipassanà) – This word has a surface meaning which is
‘seeing things as they truly are’.
According to the Buddha’s the definition goes much deeper than
that. It means ‘Insight’ or understanding. But understanding into
what? Realizing the impersonal nature and deep understanding
of the Four Noble Truths and ‘HOW’ Dependent Origination
actually occurs with everything that arises and passes away
(anicca) in one’s mind and body. This is Buddhist Insight. In other
words, one gains a deeper and deeper understanding (in each
stage of Jhàna) of the impersonal process of ‘HOW’ mind and
body arises through truly seeing and understanding (knowledge
and vision) of the Four Noble Truths interconnection with the
ongoing process of Dependent Origination.
When one can see clearly this process in all of existence, they will
experience an unshakable knowledge that this is the right path
to follow. Mind begins to see clearly that whatever arises and
passes away (anicca) and that this is a part of a definite process
leading us to a deep understanding that everything going on is a
part of an impersonal pattern (anattà).
These ‘Insights’ can occur at any time whether one is sitting
in meditation or doing their daily activities. They are quite
profound when they occur.
‘Insights’ are like finding a lost part to a puzzle and this is where
the true “aha!” experiences happen.
Wisdom (pa¤¤à) – there are many phrases within the suttas using
the word ‘wisdom’ and they usually turn out to be concerning
in some context ‘the impersonal process of Dependent
Origination’.
Anytime the words ‘Wise Attention’ or ‘Wisdom’ is seen in
the suttas they are referring to the understanding of the Four
Noble Truths and the process of Dependent Origination. Other
such phrases appear as: “He sees with Wisdom”, “Seeing with
Wisdom”, “… and his taints were destroyed by his seeing with
Wisdom…”, ”Wisdom”, or “He is Wise”.
If we can remember such instances are referring to understanding
the Four Noble Truths and the process of D.O. as we read
the various suttas, then our minds will open up to a new
understanding of how this process and the Four Noble Truths
are at the core of the teaching of the Buddha.
Concentration (samàdhi) – The Pàli word actually means
the unification or bringing together of mind. The word
‘Collectedness’ appears to be more functional for success in the
meditation rather than the word ‘Concentration’. In the West
people take the word ‘Concentration’ to mean a kind of deep
one-pointedness of mind or an absorbed mind and this is not
what the Buddha was trying to get across. Before the time of the
Buddha there were many words that described deep absorption
or one-pointedness of mind. But the Buddha made up a new
word. “Samàdhi”. Samàdhi describe a completely different way of
seeing and experiencing Jhàna. After the Buddha’s Parinibbàna,
because this word was very popular, the Brahmins of that time
changed the definition of ‘samàdhi’ back to mean—‘strong
one-pointedness’. But, the Buddha was showing that there is a
difference between a ‘Collected Mind’ and a strongly absorbed
or ‘Concentrated Mind’.
The words ‘Collected Mind’’ (Samàdhi) give us the idea of a
mind that is composed, calm, still, and very alert. This kind of
mind observes whenever mind’s attention shifts from one thing
to another. A ‘Concentrated’ mind, on the other hand, means
that mind is stuck on one thing to the exclusion of anything
else that may try to arise. So a ‘Concentrated’ Mind’ by this
definition loses full awareness and mindfulness (Sati) of what is
happening in the present moment because it is only seeing the
one thing it is pointing at. This statement also refers to “access or
neighborhood concentration” (upacàra samàdhi) and “moment-
to-moment concentration” (khanika samàdhi). Why?
The simple answer is there is no tranquilizing of mind and body
before the meditator brings their attention back to the object
of meditation. Because of this, there is no lowering of tension
in mind or body or seeing of how the Four Noble Truths and
Dependent Origination actually work. One does not realize how
craving (tightness and tension) is brought back to the meditation
object.
This is why when the teachers of straight ‘Vipassanà’ tell their
students that ‘Absorption Concentration’ won’t ever lead to
Nibbàna, they are 100% correct. Any kind of practice which
divides ‘Samatha Meditation’ and ‘Vipassanà Meditation’ into two
different practices, can’t possibly lead one to Nibbàna. Why?
Because mind has the need to be calm, composed, and clear, while
it is in a Jhàna, in order to see clearly the interconnectedness of
the Four Noble Truths and Dependent Origination. This is why
the practice of straight Vipassanà has some serious students. The
Buddha taught us to practice ‘Samatha/Vipassanà’ together and
this is the difference between commentary based meditation
practice and the sutta approach to meditation.
The results of these two practices are different. One-pointed
‘Concentration’ is not the same kind of mental development that
the Buddha shows us. The Buddha taught us to tranquilize our
mind and body every time mind’s attention shifts from one thing
to another. The ‘Collected Mind’’ is not so deeply one-pointed
that the force of one’s ‘Concentration’ causes mind to stay on
one object of meditation, even if that attention ‘Concentrates’ on
something momentarily.
The ‘Collected Mind’ is able to observe how mind’s attention
goes from one thing to another, very precisely. There is much
more full awareness of both mind and body here than with a
deeply ‘Concentrated’ one-pointed mind or absorbed mind’.
This is why I choose to use the word ‘Collected’ rather than
‘Concentrated’’ mind. By using the word “Collected” there is
less confusion about the kind of meditation that the Buddha is
referring to and it is easier to understand the descriptions given
in the suttas.
The words listed here are a good start for you with which to
work on this approach to the meditation.
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
Glossary of Study Terminology
Appearing in the order of training
This glossary offers assistance with a working terminology for
the TWIM practices.
This chapter has been put in the back of the book to assist the
beginner and for solving any mix-up in understanding for the
experienced practitioner. The definitions for terminology used
in this book for training appear more or less in the order that
you will have to deal with them as you learn the practice of
meditation.
Buddhist Meditation shows us how mind’s movements
actually work. It reveals the true nature of things by uncovering
the impersonal moment-to-moment process of Dependent
Origination and the Four Noble Truths. The Buddha-Dhamma
specifically shows us where we get caught by suffering, how this
manifests first, the exact cause of it and the way out.
This journey can sometimes be difficult but it also can be magical
and fun as the changes become apparent in your life and people
begin to notice the change for the good in you.
As we study this, we need to understand clearly some working
definitions of certain training terminology. From the beginning
one learns to do this practice ALL THE TIME. So the precise
definitions of terminology are very important if we are going
to use this practice as our key to opening this doorway to Peace.
Some of these definitions may be slightly different from what
you have heard in other places. As you read further in this book,
make sure the author and you are on the same page with key
words, because this training is pretty important.
Meditation (bhàvanà) – observing the movements of mind’s
attention moment-to-moment, object-to-object for the purpose of
seeing clearly the impersonal process of Dependent Origination
and the Four Noble Truths.
Mindfulness (Sati) – ‘Remembering’ to observe the movements
of mind’s attention all the time.
Awareness (sampaja¤¤a) – Understanding what mind is doing;
meaning whether its releasing what is arising, or getting involved
with it? Is it Recognizing the movements of mind’s attention, or
is it moving into craving and clinging? Is it Releasing, Relaxing,
Re-smiling and then Returning to the object of meditation to
continue mindfulness?
Object of Meditation – Any object of meditation we choose
is to become the home-base for re-centering during our
meditation. The information we seek will not be found in the
object of meditation we observe but rather it is our recognition
of the impersonal Process of Dependent Origination that leads
to our knowledge and vision. This occurs around the object of
meditation.
Hindrances (nivarana) – unwholesome tendencies that begin
with an arising feeling that is the same as any other feeling
and therefore, it should be treated in the same way during the
meditation by Releasing them and not placing mind’s attention
on them in any way. By denying them mind’s attention they will
become weak and fade away.
Jhàna – The definition here for ‘Jhàna’ in Buddhist terms is a “stage
of meditation through understanding” (the interconnectedness of
the ‘Four Noble Truths and Dependent Origination’) and seeing
how mind actually works”. A Jhàna is a level of understanding;
stage of the meditation path.
Craving (tanhà) – the weak link in the process of Dependent
Origination which manifests as tension and tightness in mind
and body as it is first appearing.
The common definition for the word “Craving” is ‘to want or
desire’, but there is much more to this word. According to the
Buddha there is a definite pattern with everything that arises.
For instance, in order “to see” there is a set way things happen.
First, there must be a functioning sense door such as the eye. Next
there must be color and form. When the eye hits color and form
then eye-consciousness arises. The meeting of these three things
is called eye-contact. With eye-contact as condition eye-feeling
arises. (Feeling [Vedanà] is pleasant, painful or neither painful
nor pleasant and this is either physical or mental feeling.) With
eye feeling as condition, then eye-craving arises.
Now ‘Craving’ (tanhà), in all of its many different forms of seeing,
hearing, tasting, smelling, bodily sensations, and thoughts,
always arises as being a tension and tightness in both mind and
body. ‘Craving’ (tanhà) always manifests as the “I like it or I don’t
like it” mind and can be recognized as tension or tightness in
both one’s mind and body. This is where we come to understand
the importance of the Buddha’s instructions about consciously
tranquilizing one’s mind and body.
When the meditator has any kind of distraction arising, that
pulls their attention away from their object of meditation, then
a feeling immediately arises, and next, right after that the “I
like it.... I don’t like it” [craving-tanhà] mind arising. This is
sometimes seen as a big gross tightness and sometimes as a very
subtle tightness or tension in mind and body.
As ‘Craving’ (tanhà) is the cause of suffering (the Second
Noble Truth) what the meditator must do is softly let go of
that tension or tightness (i.e. relax) and this must consciously
be done. It doesn’t happen automatically as is demonstrated in
the meditation instruction given to us by the Buddha. We then
gently redirect mind’s attention back to the object of meditation
(this step is the Third Noble Truth or the cessation of craving or
suffering). In practical terms this relaxing is the most important
and major step that the Buddha discovered, revealing clearly the
Fourth Noble Truth- that is ‘the way’ leading to the Cessation of
Suffering.
The Buddha saw that when ‘Craving’ (tanhà) was let go of; mind
became clear, open, and very observant. He saw that the thinking
mind did not arise. The thinking mind in Buddhism is called
‘Clinging’ (Upàdàna).
So, when a teacher says something like “Cling to Nothing”
they are actually saying to ‘stop thinking about things and just
observe’. This is good advice as far as it goes. Actually it would be
better to say “Crave Nothing” but that would be misunderstood
because the question would arise of ‘how are we supposed to do
that?’
“Crave Nothing” means ‘to notice and let go of the tightness or
tension in one’s mind and body before it arises’.
How does one do this? When one sees a ‘Feeling’ arise, if they
relax at that very moment, then the ‘Craving’ (tanhà) won’t
arise. ‘Craving’ (tanhà) is the weak link in the cycle or process of
Dependent Origination. It CAN be recognized and let go of, and
when it is released then the ‘Clinging’ (Upàdàna) won’t arise.
One thing that has become popular today is the putting together
of these two words, ‘Craving/Clinging’ and I think it helps to
cause even more confusion. Craving’ is the “I like it ... I don’t like
it” mind and ‘Clinging’ is all of the thoughts, ideas, opinions,
and concepts why mind likes or dislikes a feeling when it arises.
These are two very different and separate parts to the process
of how things work. Putting them together just makes one’s
understanding of this process, even cloudier.
Some teachers today define ‘Craving and Clinging’ as ‘Grasping’.
And as I just explained that moves away from the more precise
definitions that the Buddha showed us within his teaching. To
eliminate clinging is not to eliminate suffering if craving is the
root cause.
No-self (anattà) – Impersonal Nature; Impersonal perspective.
An absence of taking anything personally which occurs during
life. Seeing things purely as they are.
To do this in life, you don’t have to stop using the pronouns in your
language! And you don’t have to try to disappear. Promise!
Delusion (moha) – In some Buddhist traditions the word
“delusion” (Moha) is linked up with two other words which are
‘Lust’ (lobha) and ‘Hatred’ (dosa). Together these three words
are sometimes called “the three poisons” and this actually is a
reasonable way to look at them.
But there can be some confusion about what “delusion” (Moha)
actually means. The Buddha meant something a little bit different
every time he used this word.
According to the suttas the word ‘delusion’ (Moha) most often
means ‘to see whatever arises as being a personal self’ (atta). Or
we can say that ‘Delusion’ (Moha) is seeing things through the
false (deluded) idea of a self (atta). In other words, one takes all
feelings or sensations to be a part of the “I”, “Me”, “My”, “Mine”
(atta) identification. In Buddhism, that is delusion.
Serenity (samatha) – Here again is another word to look at. In Pàli
the word is ‘Samatha’. The meaning of ‘Samatha’ is tranquility,
serenity, peacefulness, or stillness.
Often the common popular definition is a strongly one-pointed
type of concentration, absorption concentration, or ecstatic
concentration. This specific definition of serenity or tranquility
certainly implies a different type of “collectedness” than the
deeper types of absorption or ecstatic ‘concentration’.
The goal of absorption or ecstatic concentration is to have mind
stay on only one thing as if it were glued to it (to the exclusion of
anything else), By comparison, ‘Samatha Collectedness’ implies
to have a mind that is still, serene, and calm, but alert to whatever
the shifting or moving mind does moment-to-moment. Of course
Samatha/Vipassanà (which is the standard way it is described in
the suttas (see MN 149:10 where they are always linked together)
leads to the total liberation of mind by seeing and recognizing
how the Four Noble Truths interact with Dependent Origination.
The Bodhisatta experienced firsthand, Samatha/Vipassanà leads
directly to the end-result of Nibbàna and absorption or ecstatic
concentration does not.
Insight (Vipassanà) – This word has a surface meaning which is
‘seeing things as they truly are’.
According to the Buddha’s the definition goes much deeper than
that. It means ‘Insight’ or understanding. But understanding into
what? Realizing the impersonal nature and deep understanding
of the Four Noble Truths and ‘HOW’ Dependent Origination
actually occurs with everything that arises and passes away
(anicca) in one’s mind and body. This is Buddhist Insight. In other
words, one gains a deeper and deeper understanding (in each
stage of Jhàna) of the impersonal process of ‘HOW’ mind and
body arises through truly seeing and understanding (knowledge
and vision) of the Four Noble Truths interconnection with the
ongoing process of Dependent Origination.
When one can see clearly this process in all of existence, they will
experience an unshakable knowledge that this is the right path
to follow. Mind begins to see clearly that whatever arises and
passes away (anicca) and that this is a part of a definite process
leading us to a deep understanding that everything going on is a
part of an impersonal pattern (anattà).
These ‘Insights’ can occur at any time whether one is sitting
in meditation or doing their daily activities. They are quite
profound when they occur.
‘Insights’ are like finding a lost part to a puzzle and this is where
the true “aha!” experiences happen.
Wisdom (pa¤¤à) – there are many phrases within the suttas using
the word ‘wisdom’ and they usually turn out to be concerning
in some context ‘the impersonal process of Dependent
Origination’.
Anytime the words ‘Wise Attention’ or ‘Wisdom’ is seen in
the suttas they are referring to the understanding of the Four
Noble Truths and the process of Dependent Origination. Other
such phrases appear as: “He sees with Wisdom”, “Seeing with
Wisdom”, “… and his taints were destroyed by his seeing with
Wisdom…”, ”Wisdom”, or “He is Wise”.
If we can remember such instances are referring to understanding
the Four Noble Truths and the process of D.O. as we read
the various suttas, then our minds will open up to a new
understanding of how this process and the Four Noble Truths
are at the core of the teaching of the Buddha.
Concentration (samàdhi) – The Pàli word actually means
the unification or bringing together of mind. The word
‘Collectedness’ appears to be more functional for success in the
meditation rather than the word ‘Concentration’. In the West
people take the word ‘Concentration’ to mean a kind of deep
one-pointedness of mind or an absorbed mind and this is not
what the Buddha was trying to get across. Before the time of the
Buddha there were many words that described deep absorption
or one-pointedness of mind. But the Buddha made up a new
word. “Samàdhi”. Samàdhi describe a completely different way of
seeing and experiencing Jhàna. After the Buddha’s Parinibbàna,
because this word was very popular, the Brahmins of that time
changed the definition of ‘samàdhi’ back to mean—‘strong
one-pointedness’. But, the Buddha was showing that there is a
difference between a ‘Collected Mind’ and a strongly absorbed
or ‘Concentrated Mind’.
The words ‘Collected Mind’’ (Samàdhi) give us the idea of a
mind that is composed, calm, still, and very alert. This kind of
mind observes whenever mind’s attention shifts from one thing
to another. A ‘Concentrated’ mind, on the other hand, means
that mind is stuck on one thing to the exclusion of anything
else that may try to arise. So a ‘Concentrated’ Mind’ by this
definition loses full awareness and mindfulness (Sati) of what is
happening in the present moment because it is only seeing the
one thing it is pointing at. This statement also refers to “access or
neighborhood concentration” (upacàra samàdhi) and “moment-
to-moment concentration” (khanika samàdhi). Why?
The simple answer is there is no tranquilizing of mind and body
before the meditator brings their attention back to the object
of meditation. Because of this, there is no lowering of tension
in mind or body or seeing of how the Four Noble Truths and
Dependent Origination actually work. One does not realize how
craving (tightness and tension) is brought back to the meditation
object.
This is why when the teachers of straight ‘Vipassanà’ tell their
students that ‘Absorption Concentration’ won’t ever lead to
Nibbàna, they are 100% correct. Any kind of practice which
divides ‘Samatha Meditation’ and ‘Vipassanà Meditation’ into two
different practices, can’t possibly lead one to Nibbàna. Why?
Because mind has the need to be calm, composed, and clear, while
it is in a Jhàna, in order to see clearly the interconnectedness of
the Four Noble Truths and Dependent Origination. This is why
the practice of straight Vipassanà has some serious students. The
Buddha taught us to practice ‘Samatha/Vipassanà’ together and
this is the difference between commentary based meditation
practice and the sutta approach to meditation.
The results of these two practices are different. One-pointed
‘Concentration’ is not the same kind of mental development that
the Buddha shows us. The Buddha taught us to tranquilize our
mind and body every time mind’s attention shifts from one thing
to another. The ‘Collected Mind’’ is not so deeply one-pointed
that the force of one’s ‘Concentration’ causes mind to stay on
one object of meditation, even if that attention ‘Concentrates’ on
something momentarily.
The ‘Collected Mind’ is able to observe how mind’s attention
goes from one thing to another, very precisely. There is much
more full awareness of both mind and body here than with a
deeply ‘Concentrated’ one-pointed mind or absorbed mind’.
This is why I choose to use the word ‘Collected’ rather than
‘Concentrated’’ mind. By using the word “Collected” there is
less confusion about the kind of meditation that the Buddha is
referring to and it is easier to understand the descriptions given
in the suttas.
The words listed here are a good start for you with which to
work on this approach to the meditation.
The Breath of Love - Forgiveness & Walking Meditation
The Breath of Love
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
3
Forgiveness Meditation
A great tool for life’s little toolbox!
Forgiveness Meditation can be a useful tool. It is a part of Loving-
kindness Meditation. It can help open the heart and mind if there
seems to be any blockage in the beginning of your practice.
Forgiveness Meditation can be used when someone dies and
there seems to be a great overwhelming grief. It helps relieve
depression very much and can rebalance a person. Any
accompanying suffering that might follow any catastrophic
event can be helped by forgiveness work
One thing about Loving-kindness Meditation is that you cannot
give what you do not have. We spend more time with ourselves
then anyone else while we are alive and sometimes we need to
forgive and love ourselves before we can give anything to others.
Forgiveness can help with many other memories from the past
that you might be attached and which can be blocking your
progress in the Loving-kindness Meditation.
Therefore, the Forgiveness Meditation is a way of opening yourself
up to the possibilities of true healing so that you can send love to
yourself and to others. This is a soft gentle way of learning how to
lovingly-accept whatever arises and to leave it be, without trying to
control it with thoughts.
Sometimes in our lives there can be a feeling of letting someone
down by not doing enough to help them. Of course, this is just
mind saying “I should’ve been better; I could’ve done better; I
would’ve done better; I failed and I am not worthy and because of
that I should suffer even more”.
Forgiveness Meditation is not ever to be used as a club to beat away
a feeling of sadness, anger, frustration, or any other kind of feeling.
Once again, the Forgiveness Meditation is a soft gentle way of
learning how to lovingly-accept whatever arises and to leave it be,
without trying to control it with your thoughts.
Of course, these unwholesome blaming kinds of thoughts and feelings
don’t have anything to do with reality. We don’t need to blame ourselves
for our friends or a family member’s decision to take their own life, to
die, or to dive into depression, anxiety, or anger. It is always a difficult
situation to have to cope with such circumstances and there are a few
things that you can do for yourself and others around you in the case of
a death or suicide. This can help the deceased person as well.
Forgiveness Meditation Instructions
This meditation is done by sitting down and beginning the process
of forgiveness by forgiving yourself for:
1] not understanding,
2] for making mistakes,
3] for causing pain to myself or anyone else,
4] for not acting the way I should have acted.
The way you do this practice is by first forgiving yourself. This is
done by taking each of these four statements, one at a time, such
as “I forgive myself for not understanding” and saying it over and
over again.
You then place that feeling of forgiveness in your heart and radiate
that feeling of soft acceptance to yourself.
The thing is, mind is tricky and you will sometimes have huge
resistance to forgiving yourself. You will come up with all kinds
of thoughts to distract or blame yourself. But when you see mind
taking off and thinking unwholesome things, then gently 6R those
thoughts and feelings, while gently redirecting your attention back
to forgiving yourself again.
Sit with that feeling of loving-acceptance for as long as it lasts.
Then, make the statement again to help the loving-acceptance
last even longer.
Mind will naturally have a lot of “yes, but... yes, but... yes, but…”
interruptions and try to distract you and condemn you and make
you feel guilty or sad or angry or whatever it wants to do.
This is where patience needs to be cultivated. Softly allow those
distracting (hindrances) to be there and then gently bring your
attention back to forgiving yourself. Do this softly with the 6R’s
practice cycle.
Of course your mind will naturally go to the person who died or
committed suicide. When that happens then softly, gently, start
forgiving them for 1] not understanding, or 2] making mistakes,
or 3] for causing pain and suffering to themselves and to you, or 4]
for not acting in the way they should have acted. Forgive them for
everything.
See them in your mind’s eye and look into their eyes and forgive
them. Keep repeating one of these statements (whichever one that
seems most appropriate at the time), or you can make up your own
statement of forgiveness if it seems right.
It is best not to get involved with a story with that person in your
own mind. It is best to forgive them by using the same statement
over and over again. “I forgive you for _______.”
Then, place that forgiveness into your heart with the person who died
and stay with that feeling or forgiveness for as long as it lasts. At first
this may not be for very long, to be sure, so, whenever mind becomes
distracted, softly, gently, 6R that distraction and start over again.
After a period of time (during that sitting), then change things
around and hear that person forgiving you for _______. Still look
into their eyes and hear them say “I forgive you too. I really do
forgive you”.
Completing the Circle
This Forgiveness Meditation starts by forgiving yourself, forgiving
another person, and then, you hear them forgive you too. This is a
complete circle.
This practice will eventually make things change in your mind so
there will not be any guilt, frustration, sadness, anger, or making
excuses for making mistakes and then feeling hard about yourself.
Making excuses about anything means that one doesn’t take
responsibility for their own actions and this is a subtle attachment
to be forgiven and let go of also.
There will develop a loving-acceptance and a true feeling of love
toward that person who caused so much pain. The pain will
diminish until there is only a memory of that person without any
experience of grief.
Now, this is the sitting meditation, but, there is still more to the
meditation and that is to forgive everything and everybody, all of
the time.
Expanding Forgiveness into Your Life
You can use forgiveness as your only object of meditation along with
smiling. Forgive yourself for bumping into something or, if cooking,
for cutting yourself or burning yourself or making mistakes.
Put forgiveness into everything all of the time!
Forgive thoughts for distracting you. Forgive others for distracting
you. In short forgive everything all of the time. When walking
from one place to another, forgive yourself and/or others. Any
tiny distraction, forgive it. Forgive yourself for not remembering.
Forgive yourself for making mistakes. Forgive every thought, every
memory. Forgive every pain that arises. 6R and forgive ALL OF THE
TIME!!! If you forget to forgive something, then forgive yourself for
forgetting! Then, start again.
Do you see what I mean? It may take some time before mind
begins to let go of this attachment, but, patience leads to Nibbàna
(eventually)!
I have helped people in this type of situation and for some of
them it has taken as long as one year of doing nothing else but the
Forgiveness Meditation before they finally let go of the suffering
and pain. This doesn’t mean that they still didn’t have the memories
of what happened. They did. But they could reflect and remember
without having any pain or suffering arise anymore. Therein lies
the true healing!
So please, if you want to do this type of meditation for yourself, it
would be best to get in touch with me, and stay in touch at least for
a little while so I can help you to stay on the path and get it firmly
going.
Grief is very strange stuff because it will come up for periods of
time, even six months or a year after the event took place, and strong
sadness, frustration, anger etc can arise for no apparent reason. This
is why it is necessary to keep this practice going for quite some time
so the attachments will eventually let go.
4
Walking Meditation
To accompany Breath, Loving-kindness,
or Forgiveness practices.
Walking Meditation Instructions
First of all, when you practice the TWIM approach to meditation,
Walking Meditation is specifically used for exercise and it is to
be done in between your sitting meditation sessions to keep your
blood flowing so you have good energy for your investigation.
The first thing is that it’s very important to remember:
SMILE all the time while you walk!
Stay with your object of meditation the entire time!
Do not put your attention on your feet!
Remember you are doing this for exercise
and walk at a normal pace.
Don’t look around; keep your eyes in front of you.
Stay with your object of meditation the entire time you are walking.
Keep your eyes down to the ground about 6 feet in front of you
while you walk. Do not look around you with any particular
interest or take a nature hike and forget your meditation.
Now, one thing that happens during retreats, and it’s very
frustrating to me, but I can’t get people to stop doing it, is that
you’ll be sitting on the floor and you’ll say to yourself, “Well,
I’m uncomfortable.” It may have been 45 minutes or an hour or
something like that and then, you suddenly get up off the floor,
and sit in a chair.
If you get up from the floor and just go to a chair and sit, what
happens is that your mind starts to dull out because you haven’t
got your circulation going so well. So, don’t do that! Instead,
please get up and begin walking.
The Walking Meditation is every bit as important as your sitting
meditation. You don’t have to do the Walking Meditation super
slowly, you can walk at a normal pace. Just remember to stay
with your object of meditation AND relaxing all the time.
Consider this as practice for continuing the meditation as you
move around in your daily life.
Now, at first the Walking Meditation is going to be somewhat
difficult because you’re not used to it. In life you are used to
walking around or going from here over to there. You’re used to
thinking this and thinking that and ho-humming around.
This Walking Meditation is a very important aspect to training
that helps to break old habits of thinking instead of radiating
Loving-kindness while you’re moving in life. With this kind
of walking you want to keep your meditation going on your
spiritual friend from the time of your sitting, as you are getting
up, and going outside to walk or, if you are using another object
of meditation, you want to keep this going.
Walk no less than 15 minutes after 30 minutes of sitting meditation.
When your walking is good, walk longer. You can walk up to
45 minutes. That is the maximum time. I don’t think any longer
than that is really useful because you get tired after that.
After you do your walking with your spiritual friend or on the
breath, as the case may be, come in, sit down again and continue
to do more sitting meditation.
Please understand that it is best that you sit no less, and this is
sitting, not just sitting and walking—just sitting—no less than 6
hours a day during retreat times. Sit for no less than 30 minutes
each time you sit and sit longer if you have a good sitting.
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
3
Forgiveness Meditation
A great tool for life’s little toolbox!
Forgiveness Meditation can be a useful tool. It is a part of Loving-
kindness Meditation. It can help open the heart and mind if there
seems to be any blockage in the beginning of your practice.
Forgiveness Meditation can be used when someone dies and
there seems to be a great overwhelming grief. It helps relieve
depression very much and can rebalance a person. Any
accompanying suffering that might follow any catastrophic
event can be helped by forgiveness work
One thing about Loving-kindness Meditation is that you cannot
give what you do not have. We spend more time with ourselves
then anyone else while we are alive and sometimes we need to
forgive and love ourselves before we can give anything to others.
Forgiveness can help with many other memories from the past
that you might be attached and which can be blocking your
progress in the Loving-kindness Meditation.
Therefore, the Forgiveness Meditation is a way of opening yourself
up to the possibilities of true healing so that you can send love to
yourself and to others. This is a soft gentle way of learning how to
lovingly-accept whatever arises and to leave it be, without trying to
control it with thoughts.
Sometimes in our lives there can be a feeling of letting someone
down by not doing enough to help them. Of course, this is just
mind saying “I should’ve been better; I could’ve done better; I
would’ve done better; I failed and I am not worthy and because of
that I should suffer even more”.
Forgiveness Meditation is not ever to be used as a club to beat away
a feeling of sadness, anger, frustration, or any other kind of feeling.
Once again, the Forgiveness Meditation is a soft gentle way of
learning how to lovingly-accept whatever arises and to leave it be,
without trying to control it with your thoughts.
Of course, these unwholesome blaming kinds of thoughts and feelings
don’t have anything to do with reality. We don’t need to blame ourselves
for our friends or a family member’s decision to take their own life, to
die, or to dive into depression, anxiety, or anger. It is always a difficult
situation to have to cope with such circumstances and there are a few
things that you can do for yourself and others around you in the case of
a death or suicide. This can help the deceased person as well.
Forgiveness Meditation Instructions
This meditation is done by sitting down and beginning the process
of forgiveness by forgiving yourself for:
1] not understanding,
2] for making mistakes,
3] for causing pain to myself or anyone else,
4] for not acting the way I should have acted.
The way you do this practice is by first forgiving yourself. This is
done by taking each of these four statements, one at a time, such
as “I forgive myself for not understanding” and saying it over and
over again.
You then place that feeling of forgiveness in your heart and radiate
that feeling of soft acceptance to yourself.
The thing is, mind is tricky and you will sometimes have huge
resistance to forgiving yourself. You will come up with all kinds
of thoughts to distract or blame yourself. But when you see mind
taking off and thinking unwholesome things, then gently 6R those
thoughts and feelings, while gently redirecting your attention back
to forgiving yourself again.
Sit with that feeling of loving-acceptance for as long as it lasts.
Then, make the statement again to help the loving-acceptance
last even longer.
Mind will naturally have a lot of “yes, but... yes, but... yes, but…”
interruptions and try to distract you and condemn you and make
you feel guilty or sad or angry or whatever it wants to do.
This is where patience needs to be cultivated. Softly allow those
distracting (hindrances) to be there and then gently bring your
attention back to forgiving yourself. Do this softly with the 6R’s
practice cycle.
Of course your mind will naturally go to the person who died or
committed suicide. When that happens then softly, gently, start
forgiving them for 1] not understanding, or 2] making mistakes,
or 3] for causing pain and suffering to themselves and to you, or 4]
for not acting in the way they should have acted. Forgive them for
everything.
See them in your mind’s eye and look into their eyes and forgive
them. Keep repeating one of these statements (whichever one that
seems most appropriate at the time), or you can make up your own
statement of forgiveness if it seems right.
It is best not to get involved with a story with that person in your
own mind. It is best to forgive them by using the same statement
over and over again. “I forgive you for _______.”
Then, place that forgiveness into your heart with the person who died
and stay with that feeling or forgiveness for as long as it lasts. At first
this may not be for very long, to be sure, so, whenever mind becomes
distracted, softly, gently, 6R that distraction and start over again.
After a period of time (during that sitting), then change things
around and hear that person forgiving you for _______. Still look
into their eyes and hear them say “I forgive you too. I really do
forgive you”.
Completing the Circle
This Forgiveness Meditation starts by forgiving yourself, forgiving
another person, and then, you hear them forgive you too. This is a
complete circle.
This practice will eventually make things change in your mind so
there will not be any guilt, frustration, sadness, anger, or making
excuses for making mistakes and then feeling hard about yourself.
Making excuses about anything means that one doesn’t take
responsibility for their own actions and this is a subtle attachment
to be forgiven and let go of also.
There will develop a loving-acceptance and a true feeling of love
toward that person who caused so much pain. The pain will
diminish until there is only a memory of that person without any
experience of grief.
Now, this is the sitting meditation, but, there is still more to the
meditation and that is to forgive everything and everybody, all of
the time.
Expanding Forgiveness into Your Life
You can use forgiveness as your only object of meditation along with
smiling. Forgive yourself for bumping into something or, if cooking,
for cutting yourself or burning yourself or making mistakes.
Put forgiveness into everything all of the time!
Forgive thoughts for distracting you. Forgive others for distracting
you. In short forgive everything all of the time. When walking
from one place to another, forgive yourself and/or others. Any
tiny distraction, forgive it. Forgive yourself for not remembering.
Forgive yourself for making mistakes. Forgive every thought, every
memory. Forgive every pain that arises. 6R and forgive ALL OF THE
TIME!!! If you forget to forgive something, then forgive yourself for
forgetting! Then, start again.
Do you see what I mean? It may take some time before mind
begins to let go of this attachment, but, patience leads to Nibbàna
(eventually)!
I have helped people in this type of situation and for some of
them it has taken as long as one year of doing nothing else but the
Forgiveness Meditation before they finally let go of the suffering
and pain. This doesn’t mean that they still didn’t have the memories
of what happened. They did. But they could reflect and remember
without having any pain or suffering arise anymore. Therein lies
the true healing!
So please, if you want to do this type of meditation for yourself, it
would be best to get in touch with me, and stay in touch at least for
a little while so I can help you to stay on the path and get it firmly
going.
Grief is very strange stuff because it will come up for periods of
time, even six months or a year after the event took place, and strong
sadness, frustration, anger etc can arise for no apparent reason. This
is why it is necessary to keep this practice going for quite some time
so the attachments will eventually let go.
4
Walking Meditation
To accompany Breath, Loving-kindness,
or Forgiveness practices.
Walking Meditation Instructions
First of all, when you practice the TWIM approach to meditation,
Walking Meditation is specifically used for exercise and it is to
be done in between your sitting meditation sessions to keep your
blood flowing so you have good energy for your investigation.
The first thing is that it’s very important to remember:
SMILE all the time while you walk!
Stay with your object of meditation the entire time!
Do not put your attention on your feet!
Remember you are doing this for exercise
and walk at a normal pace.
Don’t look around; keep your eyes in front of you.
Stay with your object of meditation the entire time you are walking.
Keep your eyes down to the ground about 6 feet in front of you
while you walk. Do not look around you with any particular
interest or take a nature hike and forget your meditation.
Now, one thing that happens during retreats, and it’s very
frustrating to me, but I can’t get people to stop doing it, is that
you’ll be sitting on the floor and you’ll say to yourself, “Well,
I’m uncomfortable.” It may have been 45 minutes or an hour or
something like that and then, you suddenly get up off the floor,
and sit in a chair.
If you get up from the floor and just go to a chair and sit, what
happens is that your mind starts to dull out because you haven’t
got your circulation going so well. So, don’t do that! Instead,
please get up and begin walking.
The Walking Meditation is every bit as important as your sitting
meditation. You don’t have to do the Walking Meditation super
slowly, you can walk at a normal pace. Just remember to stay
with your object of meditation AND relaxing all the time.
Consider this as practice for continuing the meditation as you
move around in your daily life.
Now, at first the Walking Meditation is going to be somewhat
difficult because you’re not used to it. In life you are used to
walking around or going from here over to there. You’re used to
thinking this and thinking that and ho-humming around.
This Walking Meditation is a very important aspect to training
that helps to break old habits of thinking instead of radiating
Loving-kindness while you’re moving in life. With this kind
of walking you want to keep your meditation going on your
spiritual friend from the time of your sitting, as you are getting
up, and going outside to walk or, if you are using another object
of meditation, you want to keep this going.
Walk no less than 15 minutes after 30 minutes of sitting meditation.
When your walking is good, walk longer. You can walk up to
45 minutes. That is the maximum time. I don’t think any longer
than that is really useful because you get tired after that.
After you do your walking with your spiritual friend or on the
breath, as the case may be, come in, sit down again and continue
to do more sitting meditation.
Please understand that it is best that you sit no less, and this is
sitting, not just sitting and walking—just sitting—no less than 6
hours a day during retreat times. Sit for no less than 30 minutes
each time you sit and sit longer if you have a good sitting.
The Breath of Love - Radiating Love to a Spiritual Friend
The Breath of Love
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
Radiating Love to a Spiritual Friend
After sending loving and kind thoughts to yourself for about ten
minutes, then begin sending loving and kind thoughts to your
“spiritual friend”. A “spiritual friend” is someone who, when you
think of them and their good qualities, it makes you happy.
This is a friend who is of the same sex, they are alive, and not a
member of your family. This is for right now. Later, you will be able
to send Loving-kindness to all of the members of your family. But
for this training period please choose a friend that you love and
respect.
Once you start sending Loving-kindness to your spiritual friend,
please don’t change to another person. Stay with the same spiritual
friend until you get to the third meditation stage (Jhàna). As you are
sending a sincere wish for your own happiness and then, mentally
you say, “As I wish this feeling of peace and calm (happiness, joy,
whatever) for myself, I wish this feeling for you, too. May you be
well, happy and peaceful.” Then start radiating this feeling of love
and peace to your friend. It is quite important for you to feel the
sincere wish and that you place that feeling in your heart.
Visualization
You also visualize your friend in your mind’s eye. For example, you
can visualize your friend as if they are in a photograph or you can see
them moving around as if in a movie. For some people visualizing
can be somewhat difficult because they don’t realize that one can
visualize with words as well as pictures in their mind. Saying your
friends name and using some words that help to see that person in
your mind’s eye is fine! The exact visualization doesn’t matter. But
when you see your friend, see him or her smiling and happy. This
can help to remind you to be smiling and happy too!
The visualization can be somewhat difficult. It can be cloudy, or
fuzzy, or a long distance away. It can be there for just a moment and
disappear. That’s all right. Don’t try too hard because it will give
you a headache. You want about 75% of your attention spent on
the feeling of Loving-kindness, 20% (more or less, depending on
what is happening) on making a sincere wish and feeling that wish
in your heart. This helps the feeling for your friend’s happiness to
grow. Only about 5% of your time should be spent on visualizing
your friend. As you can see, the Feeling of Loving-kindness is by far the
most important part of the meditation, and the visualization is the
least important part. But still put a little effort into the visualization.
Eventually, it will get better and easier.
Smiling
This is a smiling meditation. While you are sitting and radiating love to
your spiritual friend or to yourself, smile with your mind. Even though
your eyes are closed during the meditation, smile with your eyes. This
helps to let go of tension in your face. Put a little smile on your lips and
put a smile in your heart. Smiling is nice and most helpful to practice
all of the time, but especially when you are sitting in meditation. The
more we can learn to smile the happier mind becomes.
It may sound a little hokie, but scientists have discovered that
the corners of our mouth are very important. The position of the
lips corresponds to different mental states. When the corners of
your lips turn down, your thoughts tend to become heavy and
unwholesome. When the corners of your lips go up, mind becomes
more uplifted and clear so that joy can arise more often.
This is important to remember because a smile can help you to
change your perspective about all kinds of feelings and thoughts.
So try to remember to smile into everything that arises and
everything that you direct your mind’s attention to. In other words,
smile as much as you can into everything.
Dullness of Mind
The more sincere and enthusiastic you are in sending Loving-kindness
to yourself and your spiritual friend, the less you will experience
sleepiness or dullness of mind. When sleepiness or dullness occurs,
your body may begin to slump. This is the only time that you can
move your body to straighten up. But don’t do this too often, either.
If you see your mind starting to dull out, then take more interest
in your friend; see him or her doing things that you truly
appreciate. For example, you can visualize times that they were
helpful and generous, or times when they made you happy and
you laughed with them. This can help to increase your interest
and energy, and then the dullness will subside.
Please, once you begin this meditation, start by sitting for 30
minutes. The first ten minutes you send Loving-kindness to
yourself. The rest of the time, send love to your spiritual friend
(remember to use the same friend all of the time). When your
meditation becomes better and you feel more comfortable, you
can sit for a longer periods of time (whatever is appropriate for
you with your time constraints). But, don’t sit for less than 30
minutes a day in the beginning! Sit more if you have the time.
Active Meditation
This is not simply a passive meditation to be practiced only when
you are sitting in a chair or on a cushion. It’s a meditation to be
practiced all of the time, especially when you do your daily activities.
So many times we walk around in a mental haze of random nonsense
thoughts. Why not try practicing Loving-kindness Meditation
whenever we can possibly remember? When you are walking from
your house to your car, or your car to your job, what is your mind
doing? Ho-humming probably about more nonsense thoughts.
This is the time to notice what your mind is doing in the present
moment and to let go of these distracting thoughts. Relax the tightness
in your head/mind and wish someone happiness! It doesn’t matter
who you send loving thoughts and feelings to in your daily activities.
It can be to the person walking next to you, your spiritual friend,
yourself, or all beings. The key words here are to “send love”, smile,
and feel that sincere wish. Try to do this as much as possible during
the day. The more we focus on sending and radiating loving and kind
thoughts, the more we affect the world around us in a positive way.
As a result, your mind becomes uplifted and happy. Nice!
Benefits of Loving-kindness
There are many benefits to practicing Loving-kindness:
1. You sleep peacefully.
2. You wake up peacefully, easily, and mind is very alert.
3. Disturbing dreams do not occur.
4. People like you.
5. Animals like you.
6. You are protected by the Deva.
7. You are not affected by misfortune from, fire, poison, and
weapons.
8. Meditation progress is faster with this meditation than any
other meditation.
9. Your face becomes radiant and beautiful.
10. You die with a mind free from confusion.
11. If the stage of sainthood if not reached during this lifetime,
one will be born in a Brahmà world.
When you practice Loving-kindness, your mind goes deeper
in meditation and more quickly than with any other type of
meditation.
Actually, the Buddha mentioned Loving-kindness Meditation
well over 100 times and he taught the “Mindfulness of Breathing”
meditation only 8 times in the suttas. So, you can see just how
important he thought it was.
Loving-kindness and Nibbàna
The practice of Loving-kindness Insight Meditation can lead you
directly to the experience of Nibbàna if you follow all of the Brahmà
Vihàras precisely. The Brahmà Vihàras include the practice of Loving-
kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity. This is mentioned many
times in the suttas which are the original discourses of the Buddha.
Many times other teachers will say that this practice alone doesn’t
directly lead the meditator to the experience of Nibbàna. But, when
Loving-kindness Insight Meditation is practiced as part of the
Brahmà Vihàras (the heavenly abodes), it will take the meditator
“automatically”, without changing the meditation instructions, to
the material (Råpa Jhànas) and immaterial realms (Aråpa Jhànas) up
to the realm of nothingness. All of the Brahmà Vihàras actually arise
by themselves.
This opens the path for you to experience the realm of “neither
perception nor non-perception” and “the cessation of perception,
feeling, and consciousness” which happens right before you see
and truly understand how the impersonal links of Dependent
Origination and the Four Noble Truths occur. When this is seen
and fully understood it is such an eye-opening experience that
Nibbàna takes place.
There is a very special sutta called “The Simile of the Saw” (sutta
number 21, Majjhima Nikàya) which shows the usefulness of
practicing Loving-kindness in your daily life. In order to attain
Nibbàna you must decide to change old unwholesome habits of acting
and speaking into the wholesome habits of having equanimity and
Loving-kindness towards everyone you see or think about. This
sutta shows how to practice your meditation during your daily
activities and this simple instruction leads to true happiness all of
the time.
It says:
“There are these five courses of speech that others may use when
they address you: Their speech may be timely or untimely, true or
untrue, gentle or harsh, connected with good or with harm, spoken
with a mind of loving-kindness or with inner hate. When others
address you their speech may be timely or untimely; when others
address you their speech may be true or untrue; when others address
you their speech may be gentle or harsh; when others address you
their speech may be connected with good or with harm; when others
address you their speech may be connected with loving-kindness or
with inner hate.”
“You should train thus: “My mind will remain unaf fected, and I shall
utter no evil words; I shall abide compassionate for their welfare,
with a mind of loving-kindness, without inner hate. I shall abide
pervading that person with a mind imbued with loving-kindness;
and starting with them, I shall abide pervading loving-kindness to
the all-encompassing world with a mind that is abundant, exalted,
immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will.”
“If you keep this practice in mind, do you see any course of
speech, trivial, or gross, that you could not endure? Therefore,
you should keep this advice in mind always and that
will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time.”
This is a good reason to remember to smile all of the time. There are
many advantages to smiling and one of the main reasons is because
smiling will show you what true mindfulness is. Another reason
is when you smile a lot, joy arises very easily while you are doing
your daily activities. When joy arises, mind is exceptionally bright,
clear, alert, and agile. It is easy to see when mind starts to get pulled
down into unwholesome states and with that mindfulness present
it becomes very easy to 6R and come back to smiling.
I hope these instructions are helpful and that by practicing in this
way you will benefit greatly and lead a truly happy and healthy
life.
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
Radiating Love to a Spiritual Friend
After sending loving and kind thoughts to yourself for about ten
minutes, then begin sending loving and kind thoughts to your
“spiritual friend”. A “spiritual friend” is someone who, when you
think of them and their good qualities, it makes you happy.
This is a friend who is of the same sex, they are alive, and not a
member of your family. This is for right now. Later, you will be able
to send Loving-kindness to all of the members of your family. But
for this training period please choose a friend that you love and
respect.
Once you start sending Loving-kindness to your spiritual friend,
please don’t change to another person. Stay with the same spiritual
friend until you get to the third meditation stage (Jhàna). As you are
sending a sincere wish for your own happiness and then, mentally
you say, “As I wish this feeling of peace and calm (happiness, joy,
whatever) for myself, I wish this feeling for you, too. May you be
well, happy and peaceful.” Then start radiating this feeling of love
and peace to your friend. It is quite important for you to feel the
sincere wish and that you place that feeling in your heart.
Visualization
You also visualize your friend in your mind’s eye. For example, you
can visualize your friend as if they are in a photograph or you can see
them moving around as if in a movie. For some people visualizing
can be somewhat difficult because they don’t realize that one can
visualize with words as well as pictures in their mind. Saying your
friends name and using some words that help to see that person in
your mind’s eye is fine! The exact visualization doesn’t matter. But
when you see your friend, see him or her smiling and happy. This
can help to remind you to be smiling and happy too!
The visualization can be somewhat difficult. It can be cloudy, or
fuzzy, or a long distance away. It can be there for just a moment and
disappear. That’s all right. Don’t try too hard because it will give
you a headache. You want about 75% of your attention spent on
the feeling of Loving-kindness, 20% (more or less, depending on
what is happening) on making a sincere wish and feeling that wish
in your heart. This helps the feeling for your friend’s happiness to
grow. Only about 5% of your time should be spent on visualizing
your friend. As you can see, the Feeling of Loving-kindness is by far the
most important part of the meditation, and the visualization is the
least important part. But still put a little effort into the visualization.
Eventually, it will get better and easier.
Smiling
This is a smiling meditation. While you are sitting and radiating love to
your spiritual friend or to yourself, smile with your mind. Even though
your eyes are closed during the meditation, smile with your eyes. This
helps to let go of tension in your face. Put a little smile on your lips and
put a smile in your heart. Smiling is nice and most helpful to practice
all of the time, but especially when you are sitting in meditation. The
more we can learn to smile the happier mind becomes.
It may sound a little hokie, but scientists have discovered that
the corners of our mouth are very important. The position of the
lips corresponds to different mental states. When the corners of
your lips turn down, your thoughts tend to become heavy and
unwholesome. When the corners of your lips go up, mind becomes
more uplifted and clear so that joy can arise more often.
This is important to remember because a smile can help you to
change your perspective about all kinds of feelings and thoughts.
So try to remember to smile into everything that arises and
everything that you direct your mind’s attention to. In other words,
smile as much as you can into everything.
Dullness of Mind
The more sincere and enthusiastic you are in sending Loving-kindness
to yourself and your spiritual friend, the less you will experience
sleepiness or dullness of mind. When sleepiness or dullness occurs,
your body may begin to slump. This is the only time that you can
move your body to straighten up. But don’t do this too often, either.
If you see your mind starting to dull out, then take more interest
in your friend; see him or her doing things that you truly
appreciate. For example, you can visualize times that they were
helpful and generous, or times when they made you happy and
you laughed with them. This can help to increase your interest
and energy, and then the dullness will subside.
Please, once you begin this meditation, start by sitting for 30
minutes. The first ten minutes you send Loving-kindness to
yourself. The rest of the time, send love to your spiritual friend
(remember to use the same friend all of the time). When your
meditation becomes better and you feel more comfortable, you
can sit for a longer periods of time (whatever is appropriate for
you with your time constraints). But, don’t sit for less than 30
minutes a day in the beginning! Sit more if you have the time.
Active Meditation
This is not simply a passive meditation to be practiced only when
you are sitting in a chair or on a cushion. It’s a meditation to be
practiced all of the time, especially when you do your daily activities.
So many times we walk around in a mental haze of random nonsense
thoughts. Why not try practicing Loving-kindness Meditation
whenever we can possibly remember? When you are walking from
your house to your car, or your car to your job, what is your mind
doing? Ho-humming probably about more nonsense thoughts.
This is the time to notice what your mind is doing in the present
moment and to let go of these distracting thoughts. Relax the tightness
in your head/mind and wish someone happiness! It doesn’t matter
who you send loving thoughts and feelings to in your daily activities.
It can be to the person walking next to you, your spiritual friend,
yourself, or all beings. The key words here are to “send love”, smile,
and feel that sincere wish. Try to do this as much as possible during
the day. The more we focus on sending and radiating loving and kind
thoughts, the more we affect the world around us in a positive way.
As a result, your mind becomes uplifted and happy. Nice!
Benefits of Loving-kindness
There are many benefits to practicing Loving-kindness:
1. You sleep peacefully.
2. You wake up peacefully, easily, and mind is very alert.
3. Disturbing dreams do not occur.
4. People like you.
5. Animals like you.
6. You are protected by the Deva.
7. You are not affected by misfortune from, fire, poison, and
weapons.
8. Meditation progress is faster with this meditation than any
other meditation.
9. Your face becomes radiant and beautiful.
10. You die with a mind free from confusion.
11. If the stage of sainthood if not reached during this lifetime,
one will be born in a Brahmà world.
When you practice Loving-kindness, your mind goes deeper
in meditation and more quickly than with any other type of
meditation.
Actually, the Buddha mentioned Loving-kindness Meditation
well over 100 times and he taught the “Mindfulness of Breathing”
meditation only 8 times in the suttas. So, you can see just how
important he thought it was.
Loving-kindness and Nibbàna
The practice of Loving-kindness Insight Meditation can lead you
directly to the experience of Nibbàna if you follow all of the Brahmà
Vihàras precisely. The Brahmà Vihàras include the practice of Loving-
kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity. This is mentioned many
times in the suttas which are the original discourses of the Buddha.
Many times other teachers will say that this practice alone doesn’t
directly lead the meditator to the experience of Nibbàna. But, when
Loving-kindness Insight Meditation is practiced as part of the
Brahmà Vihàras (the heavenly abodes), it will take the meditator
“automatically”, without changing the meditation instructions, to
the material (Råpa Jhànas) and immaterial realms (Aråpa Jhànas) up
to the realm of nothingness. All of the Brahmà Vihàras actually arise
by themselves.
This opens the path for you to experience the realm of “neither
perception nor non-perception” and “the cessation of perception,
feeling, and consciousness” which happens right before you see
and truly understand how the impersonal links of Dependent
Origination and the Four Noble Truths occur. When this is seen
and fully understood it is such an eye-opening experience that
Nibbàna takes place.
There is a very special sutta called “The Simile of the Saw” (sutta
number 21, Majjhima Nikàya) which shows the usefulness of
practicing Loving-kindness in your daily life. In order to attain
Nibbàna you must decide to change old unwholesome habits of acting
and speaking into the wholesome habits of having equanimity and
Loving-kindness towards everyone you see or think about. This
sutta shows how to practice your meditation during your daily
activities and this simple instruction leads to true happiness all of
the time.
It says:
“There are these five courses of speech that others may use when
they address you: Their speech may be timely or untimely, true or
untrue, gentle or harsh, connected with good or with harm, spoken
with a mind of loving-kindness or with inner hate. When others
address you their speech may be timely or untimely; when others
address you their speech may be true or untrue; when others address
you their speech may be gentle or harsh; when others address you
their speech may be connected with good or with harm; when others
address you their speech may be connected with loving-kindness or
with inner hate.”
“You should train thus: “My mind will remain unaf fected, and I shall
utter no evil words; I shall abide compassionate for their welfare,
with a mind of loving-kindness, without inner hate. I shall abide
pervading that person with a mind imbued with loving-kindness;
and starting with them, I shall abide pervading loving-kindness to
the all-encompassing world with a mind that is abundant, exalted,
immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will.”
“If you keep this practice in mind, do you see any course of
speech, trivial, or gross, that you could not endure? Therefore,
you should keep this advice in mind always and that
will lead to your welfare and happiness for a long time.”
This is a good reason to remember to smile all of the time. There are
many advantages to smiling and one of the main reasons is because
smiling will show you what true mindfulness is. Another reason
is when you smile a lot, joy arises very easily while you are doing
your daily activities. When joy arises, mind is exceptionally bright,
clear, alert, and agile. It is easy to see when mind starts to get pulled
down into unwholesome states and with that mindfulness present
it becomes very easy to 6R and come back to smiling.
I hope these instructions are helpful and that by practicing in this
way you will benefit greatly and lead a truly happy and healthy
life.
The Breath of Love - Loving-kindness Meditation
The Breath of Love
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
2
Loving-kindness
Meditation
One of the favorite things I like to do with students who have ever
practiced the breath meditation without the 6R’s, is to ask them to
take Mettà as their object of meditation while they learning TWIM
first. I do this because it is easier for them to progress without
having to break old bad habits from a previous practice, before they
can learn to 6R smoothly.
IF they are not progressing extremely well, later on, they can decide
to go back to the breath. But usually students do not because of how
much emphasis the Buddha placed on practicing this meditation in
the texts. The Loving-kindness Meditation was practiced far more
often then the Breathing Meditation. When bad habits are already
operating with breath mediation it makes is very hard to investigate
a new practice. If their cup is full they have to empty it before they
can taste something new. If you can learn Loving-kindness from an
empty cup, you are in great shape with a beginner’s mind.
So, right up front, I am going to suggest that you try TWIM in this
way and let the breath or any other practice go for awhile; at least for
two weeks to a month to see what can happen. When you practice,
please follow the instructions VERY carefully and exactly.
Now, these instructions were given by me on July 3, 2000, at the
Washington Buddhist Vihàra in Washington, DC and to this day,
they have not changed much at all. They include the practice of
“Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation” (TWIM) and the practice of
the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness” at the same time.
These instructions may be a little different than what you are used
to, because this I have followed the instructions given in the suttas
very closely. If you practice in this way, the end results can bring
great benefit to you and all other people around you. This, in turn,
will bring true happiness in your daily life.
Loving-kindness Meditation
When practicing Loving-kindness Meditation, you first start by
sending loving and kind thoughts to yourself. Begin by remembering
a time when you were happy. When the feeling of happiness arises,
it is a warm glowing or radiating feeling in the center of your chest.
Now, when this feeling arises, make a very sincere wish for your
own happiness and feel that wish. “May I be happy”... “May I be
filled with joy”... “May I be peaceful and calm”... “May I be cheerful
and kind”, etc.
Make any wholesome sincere wish that has meaning for you, feel
the wish in your heart, and radiate that smiling feeling. The key
word here is “sincere”. If your wish isn’t a sincere wish, then it
will turn into a mantra, that is, it may become a statement repeated
by rote, with no real meaning. Then you would be on the surface
repeating the statement while thinking about other things. So, it’s
really important that the wish you make for yourself, and later for
your spiritual friend, has real meaning for you and uses your whole
undivided attention. You then feel that wish and put that smiling
feeling into your heart and radiate it.
Don’t continually repeat the wish for happiness: “May I be happy...
may I be happy... may I be happy... may I be happy”. Make the wish
for your own happiness and feel that wish when the feeling of
Loving-kindness begins to fade a little.
Relax Tension
The following step is a very important part of the meditation:
After every wish for your own happiness, please notice that there
is some slight tension or tightness in your head, in your mind. Let
it go. You do this by relaxing mind completely then smiling. Feel
mind open up and become calm, but, do this only one time.
If the tightness doesn’t go away, never mind, you will be able to let it
go while on the meditation object (your home base).
Don’t continually try to keep relaxing mind without coming back
to the home base. Always softly redirect your smiling tranquil
attention back to the radiating of happiness.
One problem that many meditators seem to have is that they try too
hard! This meditation needs to be done with a soft relaxed mind,
not pushing or making mind stay on the Loving-kindness. If you
try too hard then it will cause you to have a headache. So please do
this Loving-kindness lightly, have fun with meditation, and smile
a lot. The more you smile, the easier the meditation becomes, and
your mindfulness will improve by leaps and bounds.
How to Sit
When you sit in meditation please do not move your body at all.
Sit with your back nicely straight, but not rigid. Try to have every
vertebrae stacked comfortably one on top of the other. This position
has the tendency to bring your chest up a little, so it can be easier to
radiate the feeling of love and the wish.
Sit with your legs in a comfortable position. If you cross them too
tightly, the circulation in your legs may stop, causing your legs to
go to sleep and this becomes very painful. If you need to sit on a
cushion or even in a chair, that is okay. If you sit in a chair, however,
please don’t heavily lean back into it. Leaning heavily back stops
the energy flow up your back and can make you feel sleepy. Just sit
in a comfortable way.
The most important part of this is to sit completely still. Please
don’t move your body at all while sitting. Don’t wiggle your toes;
don’t wiggle your fingers; don’t scratch; don’t rub; don’t rock your
body; don’t change your posture at all. In fact, if you can sit as still
as a Buddha image, this would be the best! If you move around, it
becomes a big distraction to your practice and you won’t progress
very quickly at all.
While you are sitting, radiating the warm—glowing feeling of Loving-
kindness in the center of your chest, making and feeling the sincere
wish, and feeling that wish in your heart, your mind will wander
away and begin to think about other things. This is normal.
Arising Thoughts
Thoughts are never your enemy! So, please don’t fight with them
or try to push them away or try to suppress them. When a series
of thoughts come up to take you away from your meditation
object, notice that you are not smiling or experiencing the feeling
of Loving-kindness and making a wish for your own happiness.
Then, simply let go of the thought. This means to let the thought be
there by itself without keeping your attention on it. Even if you are
in mid-sentence, just let go of the thought, don’t keep your attention
on it, let it be there by itself. This is done by not continuing to think
the thought, no matter how important it seems at that time.
At this point there is another very important step:
Notice Tension
Notice the tightness or tension in your head/mind, now relax.
There are two halves to everyone’s brain. There is a membrane
called the “meninges” surrounding these two halves. Every time
a thought, feeling, or sensation arises this membrane tightens
around the brain.
This tightness is how craving (tanhà) can be recognized and let go
of. This is also called the cause of suffering or the “Second Noble
Truth”. Relaxing this tightness is the way of letting go of craving
which is called the cessation of suffering or the “Third Noble
Truth”! Feel the tightness open. The brain (a part of the body) and
mind feels like it expands and relaxes. It then becomes very tranquil
and calm.
At this time there are no thoughts and mind is exceptionally clear,
alert, and pure because now there is no more craving or clinging.
Immediately smile and then bring that soft smiling mind back to
your object of meditation, that is, the feeling of Loving-kindness
and making and feeling the wish for your own happiness.
It doesn’t matter how many times your mind goes away and thinks
about other things. What really matters is that you see “HOW”
your mind has become distracted by a thought. The same method
holds true even for any sensation or emotional feeling that pulls
your attention to it. In that case just notice “HOW” the movement
of mind’s attention occurs, “HOW” mind becomes distracted, and
let that distraction go.
Now, relax the tightness or tension in your head/mind, softly smile
and redirect your calm attention back to the object of meditation.
Strengthen Awareness
Learn to let go of any distraction, make a wish for your happiness,
and then relax the tightness caused by the movement of mind’s
attention, and redirect your smiling tranquil attention back to
the feeling of being happy. Every time you return to the Loving-
kindness and make that wish and smile, you are strengthening
your mindfulness (observation power). Please, don’t criticize
yourself because you think that you “should” do better, or that your
thoughts, feeling, sensations and emotional feelings are the enemy
to be squashed and destroyed.
These kinds of critical hard-hearted thoughts and feelings contain
aversion, and aversion is the opposite of the practice of “Loving-
Acceptance”. Loving-kindness and Loving-Acceptance are different
words that say basically the same thing. So please be kind to yourself.
Make this a fun kind of game to play with, not an enemy to fight
with.
The importance of relaxing the tightness or tension after every
thought, sensation, or emotional feeling can’t be stated enough.
When you let go of this tightness you are letting go of craving. It
is very important to understand this because craving is the cause
of all suffering. This tightness or tension is where our wrong idea
about ego-identification occurs. This is how the personal perspective
(wrong view) arises.
Craving and Ego-Identification
Craving and the false idea of a personal “self” (“I”, “Me”, “Mine”)
always manifests as tightness or tension in your head/mind. When
you let go of tightness, what you are actually doing is letting go
of craving and the false idea of a personal “self”. You are letting
go of “ego-identification” with all of the thoughts, bodily feelings,
sensations, and emotional feelings, opinions, concepts, etc. that
arise. This is referred to as clinging (upàdàna). When you let go of
this tightness in mind (craving) you don’t have clinging arise, which
means that all these thoughts, opinions, concepts, ideas, and stories
about why you like or dislike things won’t arise to disturb mind
and pull your attention away from relaxing and having fun with
your meditation. This is how you purify your mind and become
happier and more uplifted, all of the time!
While you are sitting still, there may be some sensations that arise in
your body. You may feel an itch, heat, tension, a feeling of coughing
or wanting to sneeze, or pain. Please don’t move your body at all.
When such a feeling arises, your mind will immediately go to that
feeling, let’s say an itch or cough. You don’t have to direct
mind, it goes by itself. The first thing mind does is think about the
feeling: “I wish this would go away.”... “I want this to stop bothering
me.”... “I hate this feeling.”... “Why doesn’t it just go away?”... “I
want this to stop.”
Every time you entertain these kinds of thought, the sensation
becomes bigger and more intense. It actually turns into an emergency
in your mind. Then you won’t be able to stand it anymore, and you
have to move. But the instructions are: don’t move your body
for any reason at all. Watch the movements of mind’s attention
instead.
So what can you do? You need to open up and allow the feeling to
be there, without trying to change it or make it go away:
Opening Up
First, notice that your mind’s attention has gone to the itch or cough,
etc., and the thoughts about that sensation. Now, let go of those
thoughts, simply let them be there without keeping your attention
on them. Next notice the tightness in your head/mind and relax.
Every time a sensation (or emotional feeling) arises, it is only natural
for mind to wrap a mental tight fist around it; this tight mental fist
is aversion. So, open up and allow the itch (or emotional feeling)
to be there. Remember that it is okay if the tightness doesn’t go away
immediately.
The “Truth (Dhamma) of the present moment”, is that when an
itch or any other sensation arises, it is there. What you do with this
Dhamma dictates whether you will suffer more unnecessarily or
not. Resisting the itch and trying to think it away, trying to make it
different than it is, produces more both subtle and gross pain.
Five Aggregates
We have five different things or bunches of things that make up this
mind/body process, they are called the Five Aggregates.
They are:
Physical Body (1. kàya)
Feeling (2. vedanà)
Perception (3. sannà)
Thought (formations—4. sankhara)
Consciousness (5. vinnàna)
As you can see feelings, are one thing and thoughts (formations)
are another. If you try to control your feelings with your thoughts,
the resistance that you have to this feeling causes it to get bigger
and more intense. In fact, it becomes so big that it turns into a true
emergency (real un-satisfactoriness—dukkha), and you can’t stand
the sensation (or emotional feeling) anymore. Then you have to
move. While you are sitting in meditation, if you move your body
even a little bit, it breaks the continuity of practice and you have to
start over again.
Letting go of the thoughts about the sensation (or emotional feeling)
means that you are letting them be there by themselves without
keeping your attention on them. The want to control the feeling
with your thoughts is only natural, but, it leads to immeasurable
amounts of suffering! It also means that you are letting go of craving
when you relax, which directly leads to the cessation of suffering.
Next, you notice the tight mental fist wrapped around the sensation,
and, let go of that aversion to it. Simply allow the itch or cough
(sensation or emotional feeling) to be there by itself. See it as if it were
a bubble floating in the air and let the bubble float freely. Whichever
way the wind blows, the bubble will float in that direction. If the
wind changes and blows in another direction, the bubble goes in
that direction without any resistance at all.
This practice is learning how to lovingly-accept whatever arises
in the present moment. Now, again notice that subtle tightness or
tension in your head/mind, relax, smile, and softly redirect your
gentle loving attention back to the feeling of radiating love from
your heart and making a wish for your own happiness.
The 6R’s:
The true nature of these kinds of feeling (which includes both
mental and emotional feelings), and sensations are that they don’t
go away right away. So, your mind will bounce back and forth
from your object of meditation and to that feeling (that is smiling,
radiating the feeling of love, and then making and feeling a sincere
wish for your happiness). Every time this happens you use the 6R’s
which are:
*Recognize – *Release – *Relax – *Re-smile – *Return – *Repeat
The 6R’s is the way to remember this practice:
Recognize: Be alert or mindful with what arises in the present
moment. Recognize any distractions that pull mind’s attention
from the meditation object.
Release: Let go of any thoughts, sensations or emotional feelings.
Remember its O.K. for that thought, sensation, or emotional feeling
to be there because that is the truth (Dhamma) of the present
moment. Allow the thought, sensation, or emotional feeling to be,
without trying to make it be anything other than it is.
Relax: Relax the tightness! Let go of the tight mental fist around the
feeling and let it be. Tranquilize both body and mind.
Re-Smile: Remember that this is a smiling meditation and it is
helpful to smile as much as possible.
Return: Come back to your object of meditation by gently re-
directing your tranquil attention back to radiating the feeling of
love, making a sincere wish for your happiness, and feeling that
wish in your heart.
Repeat: Continue on with your meditation of radiating Loving-
kindness, making and feeling the wish, and visualizing your
spiritual friend for as long as you can.
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
2
Loving-kindness
Meditation
One of the favorite things I like to do with students who have ever
practiced the breath meditation without the 6R’s, is to ask them to
take Mettà as their object of meditation while they learning TWIM
first. I do this because it is easier for them to progress without
having to break old bad habits from a previous practice, before they
can learn to 6R smoothly.
IF they are not progressing extremely well, later on, they can decide
to go back to the breath. But usually students do not because of how
much emphasis the Buddha placed on practicing this meditation in
the texts. The Loving-kindness Meditation was practiced far more
often then the Breathing Meditation. When bad habits are already
operating with breath mediation it makes is very hard to investigate
a new practice. If their cup is full they have to empty it before they
can taste something new. If you can learn Loving-kindness from an
empty cup, you are in great shape with a beginner’s mind.
So, right up front, I am going to suggest that you try TWIM in this
way and let the breath or any other practice go for awhile; at least for
two weeks to a month to see what can happen. When you practice,
please follow the instructions VERY carefully and exactly.
Now, these instructions were given by me on July 3, 2000, at the
Washington Buddhist Vihàra in Washington, DC and to this day,
they have not changed much at all. They include the practice of
“Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation” (TWIM) and the practice of
the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness” at the same time.
These instructions may be a little different than what you are used
to, because this I have followed the instructions given in the suttas
very closely. If you practice in this way, the end results can bring
great benefit to you and all other people around you. This, in turn,
will bring true happiness in your daily life.
Loving-kindness Meditation
When practicing Loving-kindness Meditation, you first start by
sending loving and kind thoughts to yourself. Begin by remembering
a time when you were happy. When the feeling of happiness arises,
it is a warm glowing or radiating feeling in the center of your chest.
Now, when this feeling arises, make a very sincere wish for your
own happiness and feel that wish. “May I be happy”... “May I be
filled with joy”... “May I be peaceful and calm”... “May I be cheerful
and kind”, etc.
Make any wholesome sincere wish that has meaning for you, feel
the wish in your heart, and radiate that smiling feeling. The key
word here is “sincere”. If your wish isn’t a sincere wish, then it
will turn into a mantra, that is, it may become a statement repeated
by rote, with no real meaning. Then you would be on the surface
repeating the statement while thinking about other things. So, it’s
really important that the wish you make for yourself, and later for
your spiritual friend, has real meaning for you and uses your whole
undivided attention. You then feel that wish and put that smiling
feeling into your heart and radiate it.
Don’t continually repeat the wish for happiness: “May I be happy...
may I be happy... may I be happy... may I be happy”. Make the wish
for your own happiness and feel that wish when the feeling of
Loving-kindness begins to fade a little.
Relax Tension
The following step is a very important part of the meditation:
After every wish for your own happiness, please notice that there
is some slight tension or tightness in your head, in your mind. Let
it go. You do this by relaxing mind completely then smiling. Feel
mind open up and become calm, but, do this only one time.
If the tightness doesn’t go away, never mind, you will be able to let it
go while on the meditation object (your home base).
Don’t continually try to keep relaxing mind without coming back
to the home base. Always softly redirect your smiling tranquil
attention back to the radiating of happiness.
One problem that many meditators seem to have is that they try too
hard! This meditation needs to be done with a soft relaxed mind,
not pushing or making mind stay on the Loving-kindness. If you
try too hard then it will cause you to have a headache. So please do
this Loving-kindness lightly, have fun with meditation, and smile
a lot. The more you smile, the easier the meditation becomes, and
your mindfulness will improve by leaps and bounds.
How to Sit
When you sit in meditation please do not move your body at all.
Sit with your back nicely straight, but not rigid. Try to have every
vertebrae stacked comfortably one on top of the other. This position
has the tendency to bring your chest up a little, so it can be easier to
radiate the feeling of love and the wish.
Sit with your legs in a comfortable position. If you cross them too
tightly, the circulation in your legs may stop, causing your legs to
go to sleep and this becomes very painful. If you need to sit on a
cushion or even in a chair, that is okay. If you sit in a chair, however,
please don’t heavily lean back into it. Leaning heavily back stops
the energy flow up your back and can make you feel sleepy. Just sit
in a comfortable way.
The most important part of this is to sit completely still. Please
don’t move your body at all while sitting. Don’t wiggle your toes;
don’t wiggle your fingers; don’t scratch; don’t rub; don’t rock your
body; don’t change your posture at all. In fact, if you can sit as still
as a Buddha image, this would be the best! If you move around, it
becomes a big distraction to your practice and you won’t progress
very quickly at all.
While you are sitting, radiating the warm—glowing feeling of Loving-
kindness in the center of your chest, making and feeling the sincere
wish, and feeling that wish in your heart, your mind will wander
away and begin to think about other things. This is normal.
Arising Thoughts
Thoughts are never your enemy! So, please don’t fight with them
or try to push them away or try to suppress them. When a series
of thoughts come up to take you away from your meditation
object, notice that you are not smiling or experiencing the feeling
of Loving-kindness and making a wish for your own happiness.
Then, simply let go of the thought. This means to let the thought be
there by itself without keeping your attention on it. Even if you are
in mid-sentence, just let go of the thought, don’t keep your attention
on it, let it be there by itself. This is done by not continuing to think
the thought, no matter how important it seems at that time.
At this point there is another very important step:
Notice Tension
Notice the tightness or tension in your head/mind, now relax.
There are two halves to everyone’s brain. There is a membrane
called the “meninges” surrounding these two halves. Every time
a thought, feeling, or sensation arises this membrane tightens
around the brain.
This tightness is how craving (tanhà) can be recognized and let go
of. This is also called the cause of suffering or the “Second Noble
Truth”. Relaxing this tightness is the way of letting go of craving
which is called the cessation of suffering or the “Third Noble
Truth”! Feel the tightness open. The brain (a part of the body) and
mind feels like it expands and relaxes. It then becomes very tranquil
and calm.
At this time there are no thoughts and mind is exceptionally clear,
alert, and pure because now there is no more craving or clinging.
Immediately smile and then bring that soft smiling mind back to
your object of meditation, that is, the feeling of Loving-kindness
and making and feeling the wish for your own happiness.
It doesn’t matter how many times your mind goes away and thinks
about other things. What really matters is that you see “HOW”
your mind has become distracted by a thought. The same method
holds true even for any sensation or emotional feeling that pulls
your attention to it. In that case just notice “HOW” the movement
of mind’s attention occurs, “HOW” mind becomes distracted, and
let that distraction go.
Now, relax the tightness or tension in your head/mind, softly smile
and redirect your calm attention back to the object of meditation.
Strengthen Awareness
Learn to let go of any distraction, make a wish for your happiness,
and then relax the tightness caused by the movement of mind’s
attention, and redirect your smiling tranquil attention back to
the feeling of being happy. Every time you return to the Loving-
kindness and make that wish and smile, you are strengthening
your mindfulness (observation power). Please, don’t criticize
yourself because you think that you “should” do better, or that your
thoughts, feeling, sensations and emotional feelings are the enemy
to be squashed and destroyed.
These kinds of critical hard-hearted thoughts and feelings contain
aversion, and aversion is the opposite of the practice of “Loving-
Acceptance”. Loving-kindness and Loving-Acceptance are different
words that say basically the same thing. So please be kind to yourself.
Make this a fun kind of game to play with, not an enemy to fight
with.
The importance of relaxing the tightness or tension after every
thought, sensation, or emotional feeling can’t be stated enough.
When you let go of this tightness you are letting go of craving. It
is very important to understand this because craving is the cause
of all suffering. This tightness or tension is where our wrong idea
about ego-identification occurs. This is how the personal perspective
(wrong view) arises.
Craving and Ego-Identification
Craving and the false idea of a personal “self” (“I”, “Me”, “Mine”)
always manifests as tightness or tension in your head/mind. When
you let go of tightness, what you are actually doing is letting go
of craving and the false idea of a personal “self”. You are letting
go of “ego-identification” with all of the thoughts, bodily feelings,
sensations, and emotional feelings, opinions, concepts, etc. that
arise. This is referred to as clinging (upàdàna). When you let go of
this tightness in mind (craving) you don’t have clinging arise, which
means that all these thoughts, opinions, concepts, ideas, and stories
about why you like or dislike things won’t arise to disturb mind
and pull your attention away from relaxing and having fun with
your meditation. This is how you purify your mind and become
happier and more uplifted, all of the time!
While you are sitting still, there may be some sensations that arise in
your body. You may feel an itch, heat, tension, a feeling of coughing
or wanting to sneeze, or pain. Please don’t move your body at all.
When such a feeling arises, your mind will immediately go to that
feeling, let’s say an itch or cough. You don’t have to direct
mind, it goes by itself. The first thing mind does is think about the
feeling: “I wish this would go away.”... “I want this to stop bothering
me.”... “I hate this feeling.”... “Why doesn’t it just go away?”... “I
want this to stop.”
Every time you entertain these kinds of thought, the sensation
becomes bigger and more intense. It actually turns into an emergency
in your mind. Then you won’t be able to stand it anymore, and you
have to move. But the instructions are: don’t move your body
for any reason at all. Watch the movements of mind’s attention
instead.
So what can you do? You need to open up and allow the feeling to
be there, without trying to change it or make it go away:
Opening Up
First, notice that your mind’s attention has gone to the itch or cough,
etc., and the thoughts about that sensation. Now, let go of those
thoughts, simply let them be there without keeping your attention
on them. Next notice the tightness in your head/mind and relax.
Every time a sensation (or emotional feeling) arises, it is only natural
for mind to wrap a mental tight fist around it; this tight mental fist
is aversion. So, open up and allow the itch (or emotional feeling)
to be there. Remember that it is okay if the tightness doesn’t go away
immediately.
The “Truth (Dhamma) of the present moment”, is that when an
itch or any other sensation arises, it is there. What you do with this
Dhamma dictates whether you will suffer more unnecessarily or
not. Resisting the itch and trying to think it away, trying to make it
different than it is, produces more both subtle and gross pain.
Five Aggregates
We have five different things or bunches of things that make up this
mind/body process, they are called the Five Aggregates.
They are:
Physical Body (1. kàya)
Feeling (2. vedanà)
Perception (3. sannà)
Thought (formations—4. sankhara)
Consciousness (5. vinnàna)
As you can see feelings, are one thing and thoughts (formations)
are another. If you try to control your feelings with your thoughts,
the resistance that you have to this feeling causes it to get bigger
and more intense. In fact, it becomes so big that it turns into a true
emergency (real un-satisfactoriness—dukkha), and you can’t stand
the sensation (or emotional feeling) anymore. Then you have to
move. While you are sitting in meditation, if you move your body
even a little bit, it breaks the continuity of practice and you have to
start over again.
Letting go of the thoughts about the sensation (or emotional feeling)
means that you are letting them be there by themselves without
keeping your attention on them. The want to control the feeling
with your thoughts is only natural, but, it leads to immeasurable
amounts of suffering! It also means that you are letting go of craving
when you relax, which directly leads to the cessation of suffering.
Next, you notice the tight mental fist wrapped around the sensation,
and, let go of that aversion to it. Simply allow the itch or cough
(sensation or emotional feeling) to be there by itself. See it as if it were
a bubble floating in the air and let the bubble float freely. Whichever
way the wind blows, the bubble will float in that direction. If the
wind changes and blows in another direction, the bubble goes in
that direction without any resistance at all.
This practice is learning how to lovingly-accept whatever arises
in the present moment. Now, again notice that subtle tightness or
tension in your head/mind, relax, smile, and softly redirect your
gentle loving attention back to the feeling of radiating love from
your heart and making a wish for your own happiness.
The 6R’s:
The true nature of these kinds of feeling (which includes both
mental and emotional feelings), and sensations are that they don’t
go away right away. So, your mind will bounce back and forth
from your object of meditation and to that feeling (that is smiling,
radiating the feeling of love, and then making and feeling a sincere
wish for your happiness). Every time this happens you use the 6R’s
which are:
*Recognize – *Release – *Relax – *Re-smile – *Return – *Repeat
The 6R’s is the way to remember this practice:
Recognize: Be alert or mindful with what arises in the present
moment. Recognize any distractions that pull mind’s attention
from the meditation object.
Release: Let go of any thoughts, sensations or emotional feelings.
Remember its O.K. for that thought, sensation, or emotional feeling
to be there because that is the truth (Dhamma) of the present
moment. Allow the thought, sensation, or emotional feeling to be,
without trying to make it be anything other than it is.
Relax: Relax the tightness! Let go of the tight mental fist around the
feeling and let it be. Tranquilize both body and mind.
Re-Smile: Remember that this is a smiling meditation and it is
helpful to smile as much as possible.
Return: Come back to your object of meditation by gently re-
directing your tranquil attention back to radiating the feeling of
love, making a sincere wish for your happiness, and feeling that
wish in your heart.
Repeat: Continue on with your meditation of radiating Loving-
kindness, making and feeling the wish, and visualizing your
spiritual friend for as long as you can.
The Breath of Love - True Knowledge and Deliverance
The Breath of Love
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
Fulfillment of True Knowledge and Deliverance
41] “And how, Monks, do the Seven Enlightenment Factors,
developed and cultivated, fulfill true knowledge and
deliverance?
42] “Here, Monks, a Monk develops mindfulness enlightenment
factor, which is supported by seclusion, dispassion, and
cessation, and ripens in relinquishment.
The term “supported by seclusion” means that one must gain
the lowest Jhàna (meditation stage). As was stated above, the
description of the first Jhàna starts with “to be secluded from
sensual pleasure, then to be secluded from unwholesome
states”. At that time, mind is alert and stays on the object of
meditation with clarity, i.e. no distractions.
If a distraction begins to arise, mindfulness recognizes that and
lets it go. Next, the description says the happiness experienced
comes about by being born of seclusion. This is how the
mindfulness enlightenment factor is supported by seclusion.
Dispassion means mind is free from attachments and clinging, i.e.,
not thinking or analyzing. Gaining to the fourth Jhàna (meditation
stage) means to reach a stage of having an imperturbable mind,
or a mind that has such strong equanimity that it becomes
dispassionate. This is how the mindfulness enlightenment factor
is supported by dispassion.
Cessation here means the ceasing of defilements and ego-
identification with what arises.
Being mindful is a term that always had a kind of slippery
meaning and it is not what most people think. Its meaning is
very simple and precise when it is seen as observing mind, or
attention, or alertness of attention. Being truly mindful means
to see what mind is doing at all times, then let go of the things
that cause tension to arise in the head, relax and tranquilize both
body and mind. It includes observing how this whole process
works and allows it to be, without getting involved in the drama
of things. Not getting involved with the drama of things means,
to not identify with, or take personally this impersonal process
or try to control the present moment.
‘Being mindful’ means ‘to lovingly open one’s mind and let go
of all identification with that distraction, then relax the tension
in the head and in mind’, so that one can see things clearly and
calmly. Whenever you try to resist or control what is happening
in the present moment, at that time, you are fighting with the
‘Dhamma’ or ‘Truth of the Present Moment’.
This fighting with the reality of the present moment causes so
much un-satisfactoriness and suffering to arise. However, when
you are mindful and see clearly that this is just phenomena
arising and passing away, you can open up and accept it, without
hardening your mind or resisting in any way. This time, joyful
interest is very important because when mind has some joy in it
there is no anger, jealousy, aversion, fear, or anxiety, etc.
Joyful interest helps the meditator to have the proper perspective
to impersonally see what happens in the moment. When mind is
uplifted, you see that whatever arises is just part of a continuing
process which you can learn from. Joy causes mind to be uplifted,
which is why it is an enlightenment factor and very important to
one’s practice. Also, when joy is in your mind, you are pleasant
to be around.
Remember, the acronym that is very helpful to use is DROPSS.
It stands for Don’t Resist Or Push, SMILE and Soften mind and
accept everything when it occurs, because that is the ‘Dhamma
of the Moment’.
When you continue on with your practice, mind will eventually
attain to the higher and more subtle stages of meditations (Aråpa
Jhànas). At that time, mind experiences the realm of ‘nothingness’.
This is what is called cessation. It is called this because there is
nothing more to watch outside of mind. When you experience
the realm of ‘nothingness’, mind is watching nothing. But mind
is still there and the different enlightenment factors can arise
along with the five aggregates which are affected by clinging.
Also, some hindrances can still arise and knock you out of that
exalted state. Thus, there is nothing for mind to watch outside of
itself, and yet, there is still lots to see. This is how the mindfulness
enlightenment factor is supported by cessation.
When you experience the realm of neither-perception nor non-
perception, and keep opening and relaxing mind, eventually
you will experience the cessation of perception and feeling
(Nirodha-Samàpatti). During this occurrence, you will not know
this turning off of consciousness because you have no perception
or feeling at all! This is the only stage of meditation where this
phenomenon occurs. This meditation state is still mundane; it is
not the Supramundane Nibbàna yet.
How can you know what is happening without perception or
feeling? It is only when the perception and feeling come back,
and if mindfulness is sharp enough, will you can see directly,
each and every link of Dependent Origination forwards, one by
one as they occur. Even this is not the Supramundane State of
Nibbàna.
The links are:
When ignorance arises, then formations arise;
when formations arise, then consciousness arises;
when consciousness arises, mentality-materiality arises;
when mentality-materiality arises, then the six-fold sense base
arises;
when the six-fold sense base arises, contact arises;
when contact arises, feeling arises;
when feeling arises, craving arises;
when craving arises, then clinging arises;
when clinging arises, then habitual tendencies arise;
when habitual tendencies arise, birth arises;
when birth arises, then old age, death arises.
After this arising phenomenon ends, and at that point, you will
experience the cessation of the Dependent Origination, which
goes like this:
When ignorance ceases, formations will not arise;
when formations cease, consciousness will not arise;
when consciousness ceases, mentality/materiality will not arise
when the six-fold sense base ceases, contact will not arise;
when contact ceases, feeling will not arise;
when feeling ceases, craving will not arise;
when craving ceases, then clinging will not arise;
when clinging ceases, then habitual tendencies will not arise;
when habitual tendencies cease, birth will not arise;
when birth ceases, old age and death, sorrow lamentation, pain,
grief, and despair, cease.
That is the end of the whole mass of suffering.
The seeing of Dependent Origination both forwards and in
reverse order leads mind to the attainment of the ‘Supramundane
Nibbàna’.
This is where there is a major change in your outlook. Your
mind at that time becomes dispassionate about the belief in
a permanent everlasting ego or self. You see from first hand
experiential knowledge, that this is just an impersonal process
and there is no one controlling the way phenomena arise. They
arise because conditions are right for them to arise. In Buddhist
terms, this is called ‘anattà’ or not-self nature of existence.
You also realize that no one can possibly attain sainthood by
the practice of mere chanting words or phrases or suttas, or the
practice of having rites and rituals done for you by someone else
or by yourself. You have no more doubt about what is the correct
path that leads to the higher stages of purity of mind towards
Arahatship. This is how you become a Sotàpanna and attain the
true path of purification.
There is no other way to attain these exalted stages of being. It
is only through the realization of the Noble Truths by seeing
Dependent Origination. Merely seeing the three characteristics
will not now, nor ever be the experience which leads to the
‘Supramundane Nibbàna’.
This is why all of the Buddha’s appear in the world, to show the
way to realizing the Four Noble Truths.
He develops the mindfulness enlightenment factor….
The investigation of experience enlightenment factor ...
the energy enlightenment factor...
the joy enlightenment factor...
the tranquility enlightenment factor...
the stillness enlightenment factor...
the equanimity enlightenment factor,
which is supported by seclusion, disenchantment, dispassion,
and cessation, which ripens in relinquishment.
ânàpànasati Sutta:
43] “Monks, that is how the Seven Enlightenment Factors,
developed and cultivated, fulfill true knowledge and
deliverance.”
Since this sutta describes the Four Foundations of Mindfulness
and the Seven Enlightenment Factors, the author will conclude
with the last part of the Satipatthàna Sutta. This is taken from
the Majjhima Nikàya sutta number 10, sections 46 to 47. It says:
46) “Monks, if anyone should develop these Four Foundations
of Mindfulness in such a way for seven years, one of two fruits
could be expected for him: either final knowledge here and now,
or if there is a trace of clinging left, non-return.”
This means attaining to the state of being an Anàgàmã or non-
returner
“Let alone seven years, Monks. If anyone should develop these
four foundations of mindfulness in such a way for six years... for
five years... for four years... for three years... for two years... for
one year, one of two fruits could be expected for him: either final
knowledge here and now, or if there is a trace of clinging left,
non-return.”
“Let alone one year, Monks. If anyone should develop these Four
Foundations of Mindfulness in such a way for seven months...
for six months... for five months... for four months... for three
months... for two months... for one month... for a half month
..., one of two fruits could be expected for him: either final
knowledge here and now, or if there is a trace of clinging left,
non-return.”
“Let alone half a month, Monks. If anyone should develop
these Four Foundations of Mindfulness in such a way for seven
days, one of two fruits could be expected for him: either final
knowledge here and now, or if there is a trace of clinging left,
non-return.”
47) “So, it was with reference to this that it was said: ‘Monks,
this is a ‘direct path’ …
Some translations say ‘This is the only way’, but that doesn’t
say it in the correct way—a direct path or way, says this much
more clearly and with less confusion.
… for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow
and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and grief, for the
attainment of the true way, for the realization of Nibbàna—
namely, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.’
That is what the Blessed One said. The Monks were satisfied
and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.”
This is a pretty big claim which is not made up by the author.
He is only reporting what is in the suttas. When you are serious
about the practice of developing mind through the ‘Tranquility’
of the ‘Mindfulness of Breathing’, you can reach the final goal.
When you reach the first pleasant abiding (the first Jhàna) and
if you continue on with their practice, you have the potential to
attain either the stage of ‘Anàgàmã’ or ‘Arahat’. This is what the
Buddha said. If you are ardent, and continues without changing
or stopping in your practice, then surely you will reach the goal
which is described.
Again, remember that the only way to attain the Supramundane
Nibbàna is by realizing Dependent Origination both forwards and
in reverse order. There is no other way because this is the seeing and
realizing of the Four Noble Truths which forms the main teaching of
the Buddha. Great fruits and benefits accrue to those who practice
according to the instructions prescribed by the Buddha.
SâDHU... SâDHU... SâDHU....
If there are any mistakes in this book, the author takes full
responsibility and requests that these mistakes be pointed out
to him. The sincere wish of the author is that all who practice
meditation, will continue on with their efforts until they reach
the highest and best state possible, that is, the attainment of Final
Liberation, the Supramundane Nibbàna.
May all those who are sincere, know and understand the Four
Noble Truths and Dependent Origination through direct
knowledge, attain the highest goal. May all practitioners of the
Buddha’s path, realize all of the links of Dependent Origination
quickly, and easily in this very lifetime; so that their suffering
will soon be overcome.
* * * * * * *
The author would like to share the merit accrued by the writing
of this book with his parents, relatives, helpers and all beings so
that they can eventually attain the highest Bliss and be free from
all suffering
Sharing of Merit
May suffering ones be suffering free
And the fear struck fearless be.
May the grieving shed all grief
And may all beings find relief.
May all beings share in this merit
That we have thus acquired
For the acquisition of
all kind of happiness.
May beings inhabiting space and earth
Devas and Nagas of mighty power
Share in this merit of ours.
May they long protect
the Buddha’s Dispensation.
Sàdhu! Sàdhu! Sàdhu!
Footnotes
[1] The author refers to the ânàpànasati Sutta, which includes
the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, as well as the Seven
Enlightenment Factors.
[2] See Thus Have I Heard. The Long Discourses of the Buddha,
translated by Maurice Walshe, Wisdom Publications (1987),
p.556.
[3] See Mahàsaccaka Sutta, sutta number 36 of Majjhima
Nikàya.
[4] This means all nine of them! They are the four material Jhànas,
the four immaterial Jhànas and the cessation of perception and
feelings.
[5] Here, the word ‘Jhàna’ carries the meaning of absorption
concentration (appanà samàdhi), or access concentration (upacàra
samàdhi)— This is the stage right before mind becomes absorbed
into the object of meditation. These are the standard definitions
as given by other teachers.
[6] In this context, it only means absorption (appanà samàdhi) and
not access concentration (upacàra samàdhi).
[7] Some meditation teachers call this momentary concentration
or moment-to-moment concentration (khanika samàdhi)
[8] Notice the plural form of the word sutta—this means seeing
the agreement many times.
[9] This ceremony marks the end of the rains retreat where the
Bhikkhus gathered together to confess any slight wrong doing
which they may have committed.
[10] This refers to talking and idle gossip. The Bhikkhus waited
patiently, and quietly doing their own meditation practices of
expanding the silent mind and having clear mindfulness while
waiting for the Buddha to speak.
[11] This refers to mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of
feelings, mindfulness of consciousness, and mindfulness of
mind objects.
[12] For example, see Mahàsakuludayi Sutta, sutta number 77
and Anupada Sutta, sutta number 111. Both of these suttas are
found in the Majjhima Nikàya.
Author
Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahàthera
Fulfillment of True Knowledge and Deliverance
41] “And how, Monks, do the Seven Enlightenment Factors,
developed and cultivated, fulfill true knowledge and
deliverance?
42] “Here, Monks, a Monk develops mindfulness enlightenment
factor, which is supported by seclusion, dispassion, and
cessation, and ripens in relinquishment.
The term “supported by seclusion” means that one must gain
the lowest Jhàna (meditation stage). As was stated above, the
description of the first Jhàna starts with “to be secluded from
sensual pleasure, then to be secluded from unwholesome
states”. At that time, mind is alert and stays on the object of
meditation with clarity, i.e. no distractions.
If a distraction begins to arise, mindfulness recognizes that and
lets it go. Next, the description says the happiness experienced
comes about by being born of seclusion. This is how the
mindfulness enlightenment factor is supported by seclusion.
Dispassion means mind is free from attachments and clinging, i.e.,
not thinking or analyzing. Gaining to the fourth Jhàna (meditation
stage) means to reach a stage of having an imperturbable mind,
or a mind that has such strong equanimity that it becomes
dispassionate. This is how the mindfulness enlightenment factor
is supported by dispassion.
Cessation here means the ceasing of defilements and ego-
identification with what arises.
Being mindful is a term that always had a kind of slippery
meaning and it is not what most people think. Its meaning is
very simple and precise when it is seen as observing mind, or
attention, or alertness of attention. Being truly mindful means
to see what mind is doing at all times, then let go of the things
that cause tension to arise in the head, relax and tranquilize both
body and mind. It includes observing how this whole process
works and allows it to be, without getting involved in the drama
of things. Not getting involved with the drama of things means,
to not identify with, or take personally this impersonal process
or try to control the present moment.
‘Being mindful’ means ‘to lovingly open one’s mind and let go
of all identification with that distraction, then relax the tension
in the head and in mind’, so that one can see things clearly and
calmly. Whenever you try to resist or control what is happening
in the present moment, at that time, you are fighting with the
‘Dhamma’ or ‘Truth of the Present Moment’.
This fighting with the reality of the present moment causes so
much un-satisfactoriness and suffering to arise. However, when
you are mindful and see clearly that this is just phenomena
arising and passing away, you can open up and accept it, without
hardening your mind or resisting in any way. This time, joyful
interest is very important because when mind has some joy in it
there is no anger, jealousy, aversion, fear, or anxiety, etc.
Joyful interest helps the meditator to have the proper perspective
to impersonally see what happens in the moment. When mind is
uplifted, you see that whatever arises is just part of a continuing
process which you can learn from. Joy causes mind to be uplifted,
which is why it is an enlightenment factor and very important to
one’s practice. Also, when joy is in your mind, you are pleasant
to be around.
Remember, the acronym that is very helpful to use is DROPSS.
It stands for Don’t Resist Or Push, SMILE and Soften mind and
accept everything when it occurs, because that is the ‘Dhamma
of the Moment’.
When you continue on with your practice, mind will eventually
attain to the higher and more subtle stages of meditations (Aråpa
Jhànas). At that time, mind experiences the realm of ‘nothingness’.
This is what is called cessation. It is called this because there is
nothing more to watch outside of mind. When you experience
the realm of ‘nothingness’, mind is watching nothing. But mind
is still there and the different enlightenment factors can arise
along with the five aggregates which are affected by clinging.
Also, some hindrances can still arise and knock you out of that
exalted state. Thus, there is nothing for mind to watch outside of
itself, and yet, there is still lots to see. This is how the mindfulness
enlightenment factor is supported by cessation.
When you experience the realm of neither-perception nor non-
perception, and keep opening and relaxing mind, eventually
you will experience the cessation of perception and feeling
(Nirodha-Samàpatti). During this occurrence, you will not know
this turning off of consciousness because you have no perception
or feeling at all! This is the only stage of meditation where this
phenomenon occurs. This meditation state is still mundane; it is
not the Supramundane Nibbàna yet.
How can you know what is happening without perception or
feeling? It is only when the perception and feeling come back,
and if mindfulness is sharp enough, will you can see directly,
each and every link of Dependent Origination forwards, one by
one as they occur. Even this is not the Supramundane State of
Nibbàna.
The links are:
When ignorance arises, then formations arise;
when formations arise, then consciousness arises;
when consciousness arises, mentality-materiality arises;
when mentality-materiality arises, then the six-fold sense base
arises;
when the six-fold sense base arises, contact arises;
when contact arises, feeling arises;
when feeling arises, craving arises;
when craving arises, then clinging arises;
when clinging arises, then habitual tendencies arise;
when habitual tendencies arise, birth arises;
when birth arises, then old age, death arises.
After this arising phenomenon ends, and at that point, you will
experience the cessation of the Dependent Origination, which
goes like this:
When ignorance ceases, formations will not arise;
when formations cease, consciousness will not arise;
when consciousness ceases, mentality/materiality will not arise
when the six-fold sense base ceases, contact will not arise;
when contact ceases, feeling will not arise;
when feeling ceases, craving will not arise;
when craving ceases, then clinging will not arise;
when clinging ceases, then habitual tendencies will not arise;
when habitual tendencies cease, birth will not arise;
when birth ceases, old age and death, sorrow lamentation, pain,
grief, and despair, cease.
That is the end of the whole mass of suffering.
The seeing of Dependent Origination both forwards and in
reverse order leads mind to the attainment of the ‘Supramundane
Nibbàna’.
This is where there is a major change in your outlook. Your
mind at that time becomes dispassionate about the belief in
a permanent everlasting ego or self. You see from first hand
experiential knowledge, that this is just an impersonal process
and there is no one controlling the way phenomena arise. They
arise because conditions are right for them to arise. In Buddhist
terms, this is called ‘anattà’ or not-self nature of existence.
You also realize that no one can possibly attain sainthood by
the practice of mere chanting words or phrases or suttas, or the
practice of having rites and rituals done for you by someone else
or by yourself. You have no more doubt about what is the correct
path that leads to the higher stages of purity of mind towards
Arahatship. This is how you become a Sotàpanna and attain the
true path of purification.
There is no other way to attain these exalted stages of being. It
is only through the realization of the Noble Truths by seeing
Dependent Origination. Merely seeing the three characteristics
will not now, nor ever be the experience which leads to the
‘Supramundane Nibbàna’.
This is why all of the Buddha’s appear in the world, to show the
way to realizing the Four Noble Truths.
He develops the mindfulness enlightenment factor….
The investigation of experience enlightenment factor ...
the energy enlightenment factor...
the joy enlightenment factor...
the tranquility enlightenment factor...
the stillness enlightenment factor...
the equanimity enlightenment factor,
which is supported by seclusion, disenchantment, dispassion,
and cessation, which ripens in relinquishment.
ânàpànasati Sutta:
43] “Monks, that is how the Seven Enlightenment Factors,
developed and cultivated, fulfill true knowledge and
deliverance.”
Since this sutta describes the Four Foundations of Mindfulness
and the Seven Enlightenment Factors, the author will conclude
with the last part of the Satipatthàna Sutta. This is taken from
the Majjhima Nikàya sutta number 10, sections 46 to 47. It says:
46) “Monks, if anyone should develop these Four Foundations
of Mindfulness in such a way for seven years, one of two fruits
could be expected for him: either final knowledge here and now,
or if there is a trace of clinging left, non-return.”
This means attaining to the state of being an Anàgàmã or non-
returner
“Let alone seven years, Monks. If anyone should develop these
four foundations of mindfulness in such a way for six years... for
five years... for four years... for three years... for two years... for
one year, one of two fruits could be expected for him: either final
knowledge here and now, or if there is a trace of clinging left,
non-return.”
“Let alone one year, Monks. If anyone should develop these Four
Foundations of Mindfulness in such a way for seven months...
for six months... for five months... for four months... for three
months... for two months... for one month... for a half month
..., one of two fruits could be expected for him: either final
knowledge here and now, or if there is a trace of clinging left,
non-return.”
“Let alone half a month, Monks. If anyone should develop
these Four Foundations of Mindfulness in such a way for seven
days, one of two fruits could be expected for him: either final
knowledge here and now, or if there is a trace of clinging left,
non-return.”
47) “So, it was with reference to this that it was said: ‘Monks,
this is a ‘direct path’ …
Some translations say ‘This is the only way’, but that doesn’t
say it in the correct way—a direct path or way, says this much
more clearly and with less confusion.
… for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow
and lamentation, for the disappearance of pain and grief, for the
attainment of the true way, for the realization of Nibbàna—
namely, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.’
That is what the Blessed One said. The Monks were satisfied
and delighted in the Blessed One’s words.”
This is a pretty big claim which is not made up by the author.
He is only reporting what is in the suttas. When you are serious
about the practice of developing mind through the ‘Tranquility’
of the ‘Mindfulness of Breathing’, you can reach the final goal.
When you reach the first pleasant abiding (the first Jhàna) and
if you continue on with their practice, you have the potential to
attain either the stage of ‘Anàgàmã’ or ‘Arahat’. This is what the
Buddha said. If you are ardent, and continues without changing
or stopping in your practice, then surely you will reach the goal
which is described.
Again, remember that the only way to attain the Supramundane
Nibbàna is by realizing Dependent Origination both forwards and
in reverse order. There is no other way because this is the seeing and
realizing of the Four Noble Truths which forms the main teaching of
the Buddha. Great fruits and benefits accrue to those who practice
according to the instructions prescribed by the Buddha.
SâDHU... SâDHU... SâDHU....
If there are any mistakes in this book, the author takes full
responsibility and requests that these mistakes be pointed out
to him. The sincere wish of the author is that all who practice
meditation, will continue on with their efforts until they reach
the highest and best state possible, that is, the attainment of Final
Liberation, the Supramundane Nibbàna.
May all those who are sincere, know and understand the Four
Noble Truths and Dependent Origination through direct
knowledge, attain the highest goal. May all practitioners of the
Buddha’s path, realize all of the links of Dependent Origination
quickly, and easily in this very lifetime; so that their suffering
will soon be overcome.
* * * * * * *
The author would like to share the merit accrued by the writing
of this book with his parents, relatives, helpers and all beings so
that they can eventually attain the highest Bliss and be free from
all suffering
Sharing of Merit
May suffering ones be suffering free
And the fear struck fearless be.
May the grieving shed all grief
And may all beings find relief.
May all beings share in this merit
That we have thus acquired
For the acquisition of
all kind of happiness.
May beings inhabiting space and earth
Devas and Nagas of mighty power
Share in this merit of ours.
May they long protect
the Buddha’s Dispensation.
Sàdhu! Sàdhu! Sàdhu!
Footnotes
[1] The author refers to the ânàpànasati Sutta, which includes
the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, as well as the Seven
Enlightenment Factors.
[2] See Thus Have I Heard. The Long Discourses of the Buddha,
translated by Maurice Walshe, Wisdom Publications (1987),
p.556.
[3] See Mahàsaccaka Sutta, sutta number 36 of Majjhima
Nikàya.
[4] This means all nine of them! They are the four material Jhànas,
the four immaterial Jhànas and the cessation of perception and
feelings.
[5] Here, the word ‘Jhàna’ carries the meaning of absorption
concentration (appanà samàdhi), or access concentration (upacàra
samàdhi)— This is the stage right before mind becomes absorbed
into the object of meditation. These are the standard definitions
as given by other teachers.
[6] In this context, it only means absorption (appanà samàdhi) and
not access concentration (upacàra samàdhi).
[7] Some meditation teachers call this momentary concentration
or moment-to-moment concentration (khanika samàdhi)
[8] Notice the plural form of the word sutta—this means seeing
the agreement many times.
[9] This ceremony marks the end of the rains retreat where the
Bhikkhus gathered together to confess any slight wrong doing
which they may have committed.
[10] This refers to talking and idle gossip. The Bhikkhus waited
patiently, and quietly doing their own meditation practices of
expanding the silent mind and having clear mindfulness while
waiting for the Buddha to speak.
[11] This refers to mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of
feelings, mindfulness of consciousness, and mindfulness of
mind objects.
[12] For example, see Mahàsakuludayi Sutta, sutta number 77
and Anupada Sutta, sutta number 111. Both of these suttas are
found in the Majjhima Nikàya.
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