CONCENTRATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT
Most Myanmar people are Buddhists and understand charity (dana), morality (sila) and meditation (bhavana). Every one knows charity and performs it traditionally; dana is a traditional custom in every part of Myanmar. Morality is also popularly performed by Myanmar Buddhists; taking five-fold precept and eightfold precept are traditional practices and even young boys and girls understand them. Some are even in the habit of observing the ninefold precept. Meditation (bhavana) is also known by people and practised in rural and urban areas; there are many meditators in Myanmar.
What is Bhavana?
Bhavana means, developing, scrutinizing, meditating or the task of repeated contemplation. It is a sort of mental task by means of repeated recitation, repeated contemplation and repeated scrutinizing. There are two kinds, Samatha Bhavana and Vipassana Bhavana. (Bhavetabbati Bhavana). Samatha Bhavanais sometimes called Samatha Kammatthana because it is directed towards one-pointedness of concentration (Samadhi) on one-specific object only; Vipassana Bhavana is also called Vipassana Kammatthana because it aims at the achievement of enlightenment after having contemplated on the objects. There often arises a question; "What should be started first?"
The answer is, "you can start with whatever you like. If you have a chance of meeting with a well-experienced meditation teacher, you may start with whatever you like." The Venerable Sayadaws in days of yore taught their disciples to practise the Samatha first; only when the disciples had been well-equipped with forceful one-pointedness of concentration, they were taught the Vipassana.
At present, there are many who are experienced in the task of Meditation, but they can not differentiate between Samatha and Vipassana. They came to me to find the solution and I have often helped them.
So, here I will explain what the difference between Samatha and Vipassana is.
Three Types of Vipassana
Vipassana denotes, Vi=by different ways and means; passana=looking at, scrutinizing, examining, i.e. scrutinizing and realizing natural phenomena as they really are.
(1) Anicca Vipassana:- You have to scrutinize impermanence; you should realize that all is impermanent if you realize it, you really penetrate the characteristics of impermanence. "What is impermanent?", You may ask. The answer is, everything is impermanent; there is no permanent thing. Note that the world is impermanent; every being is impermanent; everything is impermanent; there is nothing permanent; therefore, the world of being, the world of form and world of location (satta loka, sankhara loka and okasa loka) are all impermanent.
Human beings and animals are impermanent; buildings and plants are impermanent; everything animate or inanimate is impermanent; it should be noted that once you have come to realize how impermanent they are, Anicca Vipassana can be clearly realized!
(2) Dukkha Vipassana: - It is the way to see the truth of suffering; you have to examine it so as to know about the manner of suffering; if you see it, it may be said that you can clearly realize the characteristics of Dukkha Vipassana. What is suffering? There is no real peace and happiness in the whole human world. Search for what is really happy and peaceful; you will not find anything.
Does it make you happy to eat? You have to eat something because it is impossible for you to live without eating. Just like people drive motor cars by using fuel, so they feed themselves in order to live long one day after another. Really, it is not peace and happiness.
Does it make you happy to sleep? Occasionally, you may seem to be happy when you take rest after a long journey and fall asleep with fatigue, but you can see how insufferable and painful it is to stay in bed a long time when you are sick. You will be more weary of sleeping if you stay on the hospital-bed for long. Therefore, you should realize that sleeping is not enjoyable and pleasurable.
In the same way, be watchful of every movement of your body: - walking, standing, sitting, working, etc. It is not enjoyable or pleasurable. The more you endeavour to be watchful, the more you will realize how sufferable and painful it is. When you see it as it really is, you have to understand that you penetrate and fully realize the true nature of Dukkha Vipassana.
(3) Anatta Vipassana: It means penetrating and realizing the true nature of having no 'self' or 'soul'. When you have penetrated and fully realized this true nature, you can see the characteristics of Anatta Vipassana.
What is without 'self'? Everything is without 'self' and therefore uncontrollable. There is nothing controllable in this world; we cannot control even ourselves, i.e, we are unable to master the existence of our body and mind; they are always subject to change.
Forty Samatha Kammatthanas
Samatha means calmness; so, the Dhammas which are the root causes of calmness may be called samatha. There are forty types of Samatha. Ten kinds of whole (kasina), Ten kinds of recollection (Anussati), Ten kinds of loathesomeness( Asubha), Four Sublime States (Brahmavihara); four kinds of Non-Materiality (Arupa); one perception of loathsomeness of nutrition (Aharepatikulasanna) and One Analysis of four elements (Catudhatuvavatthana). All these forty kinds are called Samatha Kammatthana. In order to fulfil the wishes of different kinds of people (Puggalijjhasaya), the Buddha taught the ways of meditation in different kinds.
I have heard some criticize its value contemptuously. The Buddha-to-be have fulfilled ten kinds of Parami (perfections) by means of practising Samatha Kammatthanas in their past rebirths through their Samsaric Circle. Passing through the earth and flying in space, and some different kinds of miraculous powers are the outcomes of practising Samatha Kammatthana. Therefore, you should regard it as a vitally important one, and should not look down upon it:
Meditation on Breath in Breath out (Anapana)
Today most meditation centres in Myanmar use the method of Breath-in and Breath-out; they specialize this method. Anapananussati, one of the ten kinds of Recollection, is a task of concentrating on breath-in and breath-out through the tip of nose; it is a means of concentration and is easy to do. If you maintain the object in your one-pointed concentration, it means that you possess concentration; you have to see it in your mind with closed eyes; this is the true method.
If you know the method, you can do the work easily; you may gradually become interested in your work when you have repeatedly practised it. You will be happy to concentrate on the breath-in and breath-out with mindfulness. Anapana in simple meaning is a sort of contemplation on the concentration of breath-in and breath-out, with stable mind, not letting it go towards any other object. In Pali it is called, "Assasa-passasa Kammatthana".
It produces Jhanic Trance and Miraculous Power
The Gotama Buddha-to-be sitting cross-legged on the golden throne under a Bo-tree, while practising this Breath-in and Breath-out Meditation, attained All-Knowing Enlightenment (Sabbannutannana) and reached the highest status of Buddhahood. Therefore you have to understand that Anapana plays the vital role in attainment of Enlightenment.
Moderate your breath-in and breath-out and be mindful of the movement at the tip of the nose; please make it clear in your minds' eye, not in your own eyes.
When the seeing is repeated, the object of mind becomes more clear. At that moment you will clearly see the process of breath-in and breath-out at the tip in your mind like a turner turning the band of a lathe; knowing or seeing the natural breath-in and breath-out at the tip of the nose is called, Parikammanimitta.
Without concentrating Parikammanimitta at the tip of the nose, if you can know or see the object of meditation, i e. the process of breath-in and breath-out, like the band of a lathe, it is called Uggahanimitta - the object of meditation which can be maintained in mind without concentration.
Develop it repeatedly till you can master this Uggahanimitta of Anapanabhvana: the more powerful one-pointedness of concentration, the clearer the object of meditation; the clearer the object of meditation, the more ecstatic you are. At that very moment rapture spreads through the whole body and mind, and note that you are nearer to attain Jhana.
The Light Produced by Anapana.
It is usual that the objects of meditation arises while meditating, weather he contemplates on Ten kasinas or Ten Asubhas or Four Brahmaviharas. Whichever it is, the very first object of meditation in mind is called Parikammanimitta.
Note that you reach at the stage of Uggahanimitta when you can release the very first object of meditation (Parikammanimitta) from your minds' eye and easily take another object of meditation and retain it again in your mind: the attainment of Jhana completely depending on the Uggahanimitta.
While you are contemplating on the process of breath-in and breath-out with stable one-pointedness of concentration, you may be mindful of it like a small strand of smoke through your nose. Moreover, when you can master your object of meditation, light may appear around your body: the colour of the light is white and it will be as bright as the power of your concentration; and sometimes the light may fill the room or even pass through the roof of monastery into the sky.
The predecessor-Sayadaws who were expert in the Pitaka Texts and the meditation tasks as well, urged devotees to maintain the object of meditation - They said that by doing so they had been able make it clearer and clearer according to their will and obtained Jhana trance. Therefore, these learned and well-experienced Sayadaws never faltered in their study of the object of meditation arisen out of contemplation. But some meditation teachers of this age who do not encourage the attainment of Jhana, but recognize only Vipassana as the correct way prevent their devotees from following the path of Samatha meditation.
My own view is that if one can master and control the object of meditation and his concentration is very forceful, I don't want to hinder him from doing so because he can understand the root-cause of Jhana and obtain miraculous powers. Therefore, I would like to instruct that it may be a right way toward Jhana if the object of meditation, the light produced by Anapana, is maintained.
The Popularity of the Light Produced by Anapana
Here, I would like to tell you of my own experience. Three years ago, it was said that there arose rays of light on the Khantim mountain, the northern part of Chin Hills where my monastery is now located; the native Chin people said that they had seen these rays of light with their own eyes every night. The Chin Nationals who saw this incident live in Loneton village, north of Falam township, in Chunkyune village of Hakah township south of Falam township, Yan-tho village and others in border area.
The people in that region took interest in that event and made inquiries. At that tine I was residing at my small monastery on the side of the Khantim mountain.
U Than Tun, a judicial Officer from Tidam township came and paid respects to me and supplicated that Chin nationals were interested in that event and wanted to know about it. Some Myanmar Government servants answered, "The Guardian Devas of the Khantim mountain come and pay homage to the Ven. Sayadawgyi at night, and they may be the light radiating from their bodies." They answered whatever they thought.
In the same way, Captain Eik Wong (Retired.), the Headman of dun-yan Gurakha village, came and questioned me about it many times, " I myself have seen the light radiating above the mountain where you live now; the Chin people from far away said that they have seen it with their own eyes every night; I can't understand what it is and why it arises".
I never answered the questions they asked, nor took interest in it, either. It was because I did not know where and why the light they had seen at night emerged and I did not want to know about it.
The news of the light did not end! It was a very interesting and popular news in Falam and townspeople there made different assessment of it.
One day, the Chin State Education Officer U Maung Khant, an Upper Myanmar from Myingyan, came to see me and told me about the light. I assumed that he purposely came to me to inquire about it and he wanted to get my opinion. As I was not interested in this news, I said nothing about the light but I remarked, "People do said that!"
U Aung Khant said,:
"Your Venerable Sir! At about 9 pm, the whole sky was totally dark; above the place that the people often talk about, the luminosity of the light was seen wondrously just like a powerful searchlight. People knowing and seeing it for themselves are now discussing about it with great interest; I heard in the Workers' Cafe in Falam that the light emerged from the roof of your monastery and it was seen by Gurakha people as well.
From Samatha to Vipassana
It is easy to apply the method of changing from Samatha to Vipassana if meditation instructor can instruct the right way. Note that it is very easy to change the forty subjects of Kammatthana to Vipassana. Here is the method of changing the meditation of samatha Kammatthana to that of Vipassana Kammatthana. I have said the Vipassana is the contemplation on Anicca, Impermanency or transiency. If you contemplate on the breath-in only with mindfulness, it is samatha; if you comtemplate on the breath-out only with mindfulness, it is Vipassana; if you contemplate as both of breath-in and breath-out with mindfulness it is Samatha.
Change the method of contemplation of this kind; Contemplate on the nature of impermanency-Anicca, meditating that the breath-in passes away in abdomen and it is impermanent; then, such a kind may be called, Anicca Vipassana. So do the cases of the breath-out, and breath-in and breath-out.
Contemplate on the impermanency of the breath-out, meditating on the fact that when it comes out of the tip of nose, it passes away. And you can master the two cases: breath-in, breath-in and and breath- out. If you want to practise Dukkha Vipassana, please meditate on the fact that the effort of breath-in and breath-out causes much suffering.
If you want to practise Anatta Vipassana, please meditate on the fact that the effort of breath-in is beyond control, the effort of breath-out is beyond control and the effort of breath-in and breath-out is beyond control; and also meditate that all these movement are naturally arising and passing away.
Arahantas in Myanmar
The predecessor Sayadaws of Myanmar who were far-sighted and experts on the texts of Buddhism remarked, 'There are always Arahanta in Myanmar." There have been Arahantas in Myanmar since the period of Tagaung, Hanlin Dynasties till today. Even Sinhalese and Thais know this fact and Arahantas in Myanmar are very well-known to them.
Where are Arahantas ?
The foreigners who know about Arahantas of Myanmar asked me, "Where were Arahantas? Where are they living?" It is true that Arahantas never disappeared through the ages but they never said that they were Arahantas. Thus we cannot show the places where arahantas live.
There may arise a question: if so, aren't there Arahantas now?
The answer is: - They have really existed through the ages in Myanmar; at present, they really existed through the ages in Myanmar; at present, they really exist, too, but we know only after those Arahantas had passed away and left their relics after being cremated. These rare occasions often arise in Myanmar.
Ven. Sayadaw U Sila, Moe-god Sayadaw, Ok-Aing Kyaung Sayadaw U Kavinda (U Tharshun) are recent examples in this age. Recently we read a piece of news in the papers that a Sayadaw in Tadar-U Township passed away and was cremated in ceremony; After cremation, the devotees astonishingly saw his relics in the pile of ash.
In the golden eras of Ta-gaung and Han Lin Dynasties, there were many Arahantas. We have seen the Arahantas Relics of those ages with our own eyes; they are indeed, believable evidences and they can be measured by baskets.
There are many Arahantas in Myanmar but thew do not want to be known, simply because they are tired of meeting devotees. Say for instance, if I were as Arahantas, I would not care to be known. Therefore, try to understand the reason Why Arahantas cannot be found anywhere though there are many in Myanmar.
The Best Way
Do this! I'll show you the best way. In order to be released from the Samsaric circle quickly, aim to attain the reward of Noble disciple-Pakati-Savaka. In this age, you can have a golden chance to become an Arahanta. Observe the fivefold precepts at least. Abstain from committing five kinds of evil deeds. If you are replete with the virtues of the fivefold precept, you will have strong will-power and firm confidence; you will automatically know by your own sense, "I can fulfil whatever I wish." Such a view is right. Believe it yourself.
For those who would like to live in worldly pleasures In the Samsaric circle, or those who are very eager to release from the pains of Samsaric Circle-whoever may be, I will show the best way In brief. Regard it deeply! Follow it happily!
As I said earlier, please contemplate on the breath-In and breath-out Anapana Kammatthana. Be mindful of every movement of breath-in and breath-out: note, 'knowing at the very moment when the air of breath-in touches the tip of the nose and note, 'Knowing' at the very moment when the air of breath-out touches the tip of the nose. If you note, 'Knowing' at every touch of breath-in and breath-out, and your noting is stable and your concentration is fixed on what you are now meditating; know that you succeed in your task.
Attitude of Noble Ones
To conclude the Chapter of Samatha and Vipassana, here I would like to tell you of how to become a Noble one and what the Nibbanic Peace is.
There are four Noble Ones in brief. They are: -
1. Sotapannapuggala - Stream-winner;
2. Sakadagampuggala - Once-returner;
3. Anagamipuggla - Non-returner, and
4. Arahattapuggala - Arahat Individual.
Each one has two different kinds of puggala: Magge-Individual and Phala-Individual, such as, Sotapanna Maggapuggala and Sotapanna Phalapuggala, etc. Thus, we have eight Noble ones.
If a puthujjana (worldling) wants to become a Sotapanna, he needs to exercise the above-mentioned Instructions. There is no change of instruction to become Sakadagami. You must follow the same Instruction. But you need put more effort and confidence in your task. It is easy to walk on the same path that you have before.
An Ariya Individual has the chance to be completely free from the danger of the four types of Hellish Suffering and cannot be reborn in the Lower Abodes. He becomes replete with the virtues of Five Precepts, at least. In this way, he can be free from the menaces of immorality.
Inner-attitude of the Sotapanna is totally different from that of the Worldlings; so is his knowledge and idea. He need not to purposely refrain from committing immoral actions. Indeed, he is automatically raised to a soft of higher status of morality. He is called Sotapanna-Stream-winner, simply because he triumphs over the stream of Path (Maggo) towards the Nibbanic Bliss.
The Meaning of Nibbana in Brief
The greatly pure attitude of these Noble Ones can never be understood by the sense of ordinary worldlings. They are very peaceful and noble so that no one can believe in their mental attitude. This is the true attainment of Blissful Nibbanic Peace in this present existence.
If the final stage, Arahatship, is attained and the existence of his life terminates, there will be no next existence to go on any further.
For example, when a flame of a candle is extinguished, it does not exist in air, nor on the candle, nor in any other place. In the similar way, the burden of suffering, i. e, the aggregate of mentality and materiality which has been wandering about in several ways due to the Kammic powers created oneself, totally terminates and the regeneration of kammic force completely ceases too. When there is no cause, no effects arise. Therefore, the passing away of Arahantas is called, Parinibbana-Noble Demise. In fact, it is a final release from all suffering. This is Nibbana, the final Goal which every Buddhist longs for. It is very profound and subtle. The mechanism of the Samsaric Circle, wandering about and being born and reborn in one existence after another in different abodes, ceases at the gate of Nibbanic Realm. The meaning of Nibbana can never be understood by mere knowledge, but it can only be fully realized by practical endeavour.
Exhortation
Here I would like to exhort you to try hard now. The Buddha proclaimed the six supreme Virtues of the Dhamma and openly invite you to try for the Final Goal in the following ways:- Sanditthiko - being practically known by oneself;
Akaliko -being immediately effective;
Ehi passiko - inviting you all to come and see.
Choose whatever you like: the Buddha showed forty kinds of Kammatthana (forty subjects of meditation), three modes of training and the Eightfold Noble Path.
In the Magga Vagga of Dhammapada Pali, the Buddha also taught in the following manner
Eseva maggo natthanno
Dassanassa visuddhiya.
Only the threefold mode of training or the Eightfold Noble Path, the root-cause of enlightenment, is the straight and right way towards Nibbana; there cannot be anything else other than this way.
The Buddha exhorted to follow the right way, which is the root-cause of release from all suffering and which can be known only when the Buddha appears, not to forget to practise it, to make use of this golden opportunity in favour of a good time, and not to feel remorse in future.
Not to Feel Remorse in Future
Jhayatha bhikkhave ma pamadattha,
Paccha vippatisarino ma ahuvattha,
Ayam vo amhakam anusasani.
Oh, Bhikkhus Contemplate on the specific object of meditation by means of Samatha Bhavana or contemplate on the characteristics of arising and passing away of the aggregates of mentality and materiality by means of Vipassana Bhavana. Don't be forgetful. Don't be filled with remorse for your failure when you are getting old, feeling sick and dying.
This is, indeed, all the Buddha's admonition with great compassion and pure loving-kindness for you all!
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