2 Paths To Enlightenment by Ven Maha Prasert

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho
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What-Buddha-Taught.net
The Two Paths to Enlightenment

by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho
CONTENT CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7 CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER 9 CHAPTER 10 CHAPTER 11 CHAPTER 12 CHAPTER 13 CHAPTER 14 THE DIRECT PATH THE INDIRECT PATH STEPS IN SAMATHA FOUR STATES OF CONCENTRATION IDENTIFICATION OF CONCENTRATION STATES VIPASSANA ALTERNATING SAMATHA WITH VIPASSANA NEW TECHNIQUE TO INDUCE CONCENTRATION MENTAL POWER SETBACKS IN MEDITATION QUESTIONS & ANSWERS DHAMMA FOR YOUR DAILY LIFE COMPLETE LIFE WITH LIBERATION CLOSING BENEDICTION CHAPTER 1 THE DIRECT PATH The direct path is the practice of pure contemplation(Vipassana) without first developing a state of calm concentration (Samatha). As such, the meditator mainly uses his intelligence to contemplate Dhamma. The use of Vipassana alone, bypassing the calm state of mind (Samatha) is alternately termed insight meditation.In Buddha's time, many Buddhists obtained insight by means of this direct method. In Pali, people who acquire the highest level of wisdom through pure contemplation (Vipassana) were called AraThis refers to the fact that they attained Arahantshiphant Sukhavipassako. without developing a serene state (Jhana) or by using supernormal power (Abhinna). To apply this method the meditator does not need to focus his attention on his breathing, recite mantras, or force the mind to be still by any means. The only requirement is that the meditator be mindful and conscious of his actions whether he is standing, walking, sitting, or lying down. He is even aware of such minor bodily movements as glancing left or right, raising a hand, blinking, swallowing, or any other slight movements. Also, if a thought occurs while he is observing his movements, he should be aware of that thought. Thoughts occur whenever we lower our guard. These thoughts can be either positive or negative. Positive thoughts refer to thoughts about charitable donations or any good deeds that we have performed. Negative thoughts refer to thoughts about wrongful actions or words that we have spoken in a bad manner. These thoughts often cause us discomfort. Other examples of negative thoughts include those which cause us to feel sensual craving (craving that arises from the five senses) or attachment to the object of thought. We must be mindful of all thoughts and let them go. In Vipassana practice, we must acknowledge both positive and negative thoughts. When our mind slips from our present activity into thoughts, whether they are positive or negative, we must be mindful and let go with full awareness. Also, it is important for the mind to remain in the present. We must be aware of thoughts of the past or future. Other things we must be aware of include mental reactions or Sankhara. Finally, we must see all physical and mental objects as Anicca (impermanence), Dukkha (suffering), and Anatta (non-self), the three components of the Triple Gem. In Vipassana practice we must always be conscious of our words, thoughts, and actions. We are mindful and aware at all times. When our mind moves, we must be aware of it. When our body moves we must be aware of that, also.The awareness makes our mind free by liberating it of any thought processes. When the mind is free, we will feel light and unattached to everything. Only mental brightness and mental clarity will remain. Our mind will then be rid of pain, happiness and all other sensations.
CHAPTER 2 THE INDIRECT PATH The indirect path refers to the attainment of pure contemplation (Vipassana) by first practicing meditative concentration (Samatha). To take this route, the meditator must develop awareness that enables him to focus his mind on one point or reach a state of serene reflection (Jhana) which allows him to progress to Vipassana. The meditator will then understand the internal conditions of body and mind and be able to separate the two, so as not to be attached to either. He will perceive birth, death, and all of life as impermanent, full of suffering, and without substance, the
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characteristics of the Triple Gem. His mind will arrive at an internal stillness, becoming free and pure as it does through the practice of Vipassana. THE MEANING OF SAMATHA Before insight meditation (Vipassana) via the indirect path is explained, I will first define concentration development (Samatha). Vipassana will be explained later. The reader will then be able to distinguish between the two paths and practice without confusion. Some books and teachers use the terms Samatha, Samathakammathan, and Samathapavana interchangeably. The reader should become familiar with the meaning of all three terms. 1) "Samatha," is tranquility. 2) "Samathakammathan," can be divided into three words: Samatha + Kamma + Than Samatha means tranquility Kamma means an action Than means a foundation. When these three words are combined to form the word "Samathakammathan" it means the foundation for action leading to tranquility. 3)"Samathapavana" can be divided into two words: Samatha + Pavana Samatha means tranquility Pavana means to develop. When these two words are combined to form the word "Samathapavana" it means the development of mindfulness or mental training tranquility. In summary, the terms Samatha, Samathakammathan and Samathapavana all refer to the training of the mind to make it concentrated and calm. Therefore, the reader must understand the meaning of all three terms because teachers and books may use any one of the terms to refer to the same state.
CHAPTER 3 STEPS IN SAMATHA TRANQUILITY DEVELOPMENT There are different approaches to making the mind calm (Samatha). According to the Scripture, there are forty ways to do so called the Kammathan 40, or Samathakammathan 40. All of these approaches are just ways to render your mind calm. In Thailand, not all of the forty ways are being practiced. The following are examples of some of the more common techniques that are currently in use. 1. Focusing on the breath and repeating the word "Buddho" which is called Anapanasati. 2. Focusing on a glass sphere while repeating the words "Samma Arahang". 3. Observing the stomach while contemplating its rise and fall. 4. Contemplating the 32 bodily functions. 5. Contemplating the ever changing nature of the body and its gradual disintegration. 6. Observing the gradual decay of a cadaver. All of these methods are means by which you can make your mind calm if they are practiced correctly. After the mind has become calm, do not stop. Advance to Vipassana where the mind becomes clear, bright and pure. Many different methods can be used to attain a calm state of concentration and develop the mind to attain Vipassana. If a teacher has been successful with a particular method, he will teach that method and exclude others. The meditator should not be confused by the variety of methods presented by teachers. Different methods, if correctly practiced, can lead to the same results. Which method is Samatha and which method is Vipassana? The method that enables the mind to be unconstrained, mindful, alert and always conscious is Vipassana (insight meditation). The mind in Vipassana does not stay in any one state. It is mindful of thoughts and internal emotions as they rise. It clearly perceives the state of matter whether it is concrete or abstract and can differentiate between body and mind. In Vipassana, the mind is pure, uncolored by anything it perceives. It is liberated, unscattered, ethereal, light, and attached to nothing. This is the state of Vipassana. To differentiate between Samatha and Vipassana remember this single, short description: In Samatha the mind is still, it is in one state of deep concentration. In Vipassana the mind is not still. It is aware of all thoughts, but remains unattached to them. ANAPANASATI Different methods for attaining a concentrated mind appear in the Buddhist Scripture and are taught by teachers in various institutions. I will not go into detail here. If any meditator wishes to learn more about these various methods, please consult the Scripture or contact the various institutions. Here, only Anapanasati and some other techniques in which I have had experience will be explained. Anapanasati is a method whereby the meditator follows the inhalation and exhalation phases of breathing. With this technique, the meditator focuses his attention at the end of his nostrils or follows his breathing by way of observation. On inhalation, the meditator should observe that the breath begins at the end of the nostrils, the middle of the breath occurs at the lungs and the end of the breath occurs at the diaphragm. Exhalation begins at the diaphragm, passes through the lungs, and ends at the end of the nostrils. Be mindful of breathing in and out lightly, without pressure. When the meditator's attention is continuous, the mind will enter a calm state of concentration. If the meditator is not skillful at following his breathing, he may simply focus his attention at the end of his nostrils. The meditator may use whichever method he is most comfortable with to induce a calm state of mind. As the meditator observes inhalation and exhalation, he may chant "Buddho" together with the observation. When inhaling, say "Bud-," and exhaling say, "-dho." If the meditator is not skilled in chanting, he need not be concerned. Chanting is not for everyone. It is up to the individual to adopt the method that works for him. As for the posture, any sitting position may be used. For example cross legged, both legs folded on one side, or sitting in a comfortable position. If you cannot sit on the floor because of the physical limitations, you may sit in a chair. The most important point is to have continuous awareness. In observing inhalation and exhalation, the meditator should study various methods to understand the breathing process. Do not create pressure or force your breathing to be smooth if it is not even. Do not try to make each breath longer or shorter. Breath normally as you breathe every day; just be mindful and focus attention at the end of your nostrils. Be mindful of inhaling and exhaling. You must observe inhalation and exhalation until your attention is continuous. The breathing will then become softer and softer as your mind becomes increasingly mellow. If a thought occurs while you are observing your breathing, you must be mindful
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of that thought. When the thought dissolves, go back to observing your breathing. Also, observe whether you are feeling light or heavy. If heavy, you have to relax and adjust your feeling to make it lighter before resuming the observation of your breathing. If the feeling is light, it means that you have performed the technique correctly. Continue until you enter a calm state of mind. The meditator must try to differentiate between forcing the feeling and guiding it. If it is forced, your mind will not attain concentration; if guided, your mind is able to attain concentration. An example of forcing or pressuring the feeling is when your mind is not still and you force it to be still or if thoughts keep entering your mind, you try to make them disappear. This type of practice is called pressuring the feeling or controlling the feeling. Pressuring the feeling can also occur with the breathing technique. For example, if your breathing is coarse and you try to refine it. Or if your breaths are short, you try to lengthen them and vice-versa. The most important point is that the meditator will know whether he is pressuring or guiding by observing his feelings. If the meditator feels light, he is guiding the feeling and practicing correctly. If the meditator feels heavy, he is controlling the feeling and must gently guide the feeling. The way to guide the feeling or breathing is to be aware, be conscious and lightly focus your attention. When a thought occurs, be conscious of it. When it disappears, return to the stillness. As you gain more experience in Anapanasati, the mind will return to tranquillity by itself. MANIFESTATION OF A CONCENTRATED MIND The concentrated state of mind varies with each meditator, because of the different mental training and experience that each person may have. Some meditators find that as they continue to observe their breathing, their breaths become finer and finer until the feeling is very light. At that moment, the meditator is in a minimum state of consciousness, but not sleep. At the same time he may feel still or cool inside. He may also feel as if he is falling, plunging into a hole or losing altitude in an airplane. This is the appearance of the mind that has been concentrated. When your mind is thus concentrated, do not withdraw from that state. Try to maintain that feeling, whether it is calm, still, or cool inside, until the state of concentration subsides on its own. If your mind has withdrawn from the fully concentrated state and you wish to re-enter that state, first try to guide your mind back into that state without following your breathing. But if you cannot readily guide your mind into that concentrated state, then you may have to revert to following your breathing for a while -- just start the process and redirect the mind into the proper state. After your mind has entered into the concentrated state, you can stop following the breathing and focus your attention on the feeling again. Keep repeating the process until you are able to enter and exit concentrated states at will and maintain the state for the desired amount of time. There are different states of concentration, which will be explained later. Many people, when their mind disengages from the breathing and plunges into the concentrated state, pull out of that state and return to their focus on breathing. They become frightened, thinking that they have lost touch with their breathing, and go back to following it. If you revert to focusing on breathing, your mind will withdraw from the concentrated state and will not be able to enter a deeper state of concentration. Understand that breathing is only an initial conduit to concentration. When your mind has attained the concentrated state, you no longer have to focus on breathing, and can ignore it. This can be compared to a ferry that you use as a means to cross a river. When you have reached the other side, you must step off the ferry in order to climb up onto the riverbank. The mind in concentration will automatically disengage itself from the breaths. If you feel that your mind has not completely disengaged itself, simply focus on the breathing a little longer until it is able to do so. Your mind will then become still or perhaps, content. Try to maintain this feeling for as long as possible, for this is an example of the mind in concentration. Some people acquire a feeling of contentment as they focus their attention on their breathing. If this is what you experience, try to maintain that feeling. Again, your mind should disengage on its own. But if it does not, continue to focus on your breathing and that feeling of contentment until it does. When your mind has disengaged from the breathing, maintain the feeling of contentment. Your mind will become increasingly refined until it attains full concentration. Some people, as they continue to focus their attention on breathing, will notice that their inhalation and exhalation will appear to them as a continuous stream-like a beam of light or a stream of smoke, flowing back and forth, white and clearly visible as if seen by their own eyes. At that moment, their mind is in a state of bliss. If you see your breaths in the form of such streams, try to bring the stream into the center of your body and mind which is the spot about two inches above the navel. As you do so, the stream of breaths will flow into your body, and become luminous inside. You may feel still or content or eternal, with the stream luminous throughout your entire body. The light that you see is not your breath, but your "mental aura." Not everyone experiences this luminosity. Some people will stay still and they do not see their nimbus aura. Why does my mental aura sometimes look like my breath on a cold winter day? Answer: Because you have used your breathing as a focus, a conduit for the mental concentration. When your mind enters a state of true concentration, you will see the mental aura in the form of a stream like the breath-streams that you used as a conduit. Understand that this is the phenomenon of the mind seeing itself, your mind's eye seeing its own aura or mental image. When your mind starts to attain bliss, it sees the mental image that appears will usually be in the exact form of the object that you used as a conduit for mental concentration. In most cases, the mental image is a replica of the conduit, taking on the same color or shape. The purpose of the above explanation is to make sure the meditator understands the details about concentration and the mental image that may appear during meditation. It is nothing out of the ordinary; it is simply a phenomenon of the mind seeing itself. Whatever you use as the conduit, the resultant image will take that form. If you use a Buddha image as the conduit, the resultant image will appear as a Buddha. If you use a round object as the conduit, the resultant image will appear as the round object; and if you use your breathing as the conduit, the resultant image, therefore look like your breath on a cold winter day. If you should use an object as your conduit, other than the ones mentioned above, in most cases the image that appears to you will be an exact replica of that object. What use can be made of such mental images? Answer: Bring the mental image into the mind-body center (two inches above the navel) and maintain the image there for as long as you can. With continuous
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focus, your mind will enter into the state of Piti, Sukha, or Ubekkha (the three states of Samatha). If you do not bring the image into your mind-body center, your mind will not be able to advance to a deeper level of connection. What should be done will be explained later. DEEP CONCENTRATION Some people, as they focus their attention on their breathing will begin to feel nauseous or dizzy, as if they are about to faint. Some feel as if their spirit is leaving their body. All of these are the manifestation of the mind about to attain deep concentration. Deep Concentration is the state of full concentration (Appanasamadhi). But many people, when faced with such manifestations, become afraid and back out of that mental state. If you experience such feeling, you must understand that these feelings do not originate from the body. They are a manifestation of the mind about to attain deep concentration. You must: 1) Not be afraid 2) Remain in the state 3) Try to maintain that feeling by lightly guiding it or keeping it within the body. When the mind reaches equilibrium, it will enter into a state of deep concentration. At this point, any feeling such as nausea and dizziness originating from the mind rather than the body will disappear. This type of deep nausea is called Turbulent Concentration. A second type is called Instantaneous Concentration, which allows the meditator to attain deep concentration in just one instant rather than in several steps. In this one instant that has led your mind to deep concentration, your mind is brilliantly illuminated as if you are sitting among several fluorescence lamps or under the full moon or the sun. After exiting concentration, your mind is still peaceful, the feeling of lightness still remains, and you can maintain tranquillity in any position. The feeling of Piti, Sukha, or Ubekkha will be quite pronounced. In summary, when the mind has attained deep concentration, all types of Samatha i.e., Piti, Sukha and Ubekkha can be attained instantaneously, and you do not have to spend time building up each state to get to another. On the other hand, Accumulated Concentration does not occur instantaneously. The mind will gradually become concentrated according to its own pace. You will have to practice frequently until you become skilled in bringing out each state of concentration; then it becomes Instantaneous Concentration. That is, it takes longer to attain this systematic type of concentration than it does for Instantaneous Concentration. SUMMARY OF MANIFESTATIONS Mental concentration can manifest itself in the various forms just described: Some attain Instantaneous Concentration in which the mind in one instant disengages from the breaths and plunges into stillness. Some attain Accumulated Concentration in which the mind gradually enters deep concentration. Some attain Turbulent Concentration which initially manifests itself as dizziness, the feeling that the spirit is leaving the body or the body is beginning to rock back and forth. Remember that these are merely manifestations of the mind about to attain concentration. It is important that you are able to distinguish between physical and mental manifestation. If physical, you must try to correct it's bodily cause, but if mental, you do not need to withdraw from concentration, just maintain the same mental state. When the mind has equilibrated it will enter deep concentration on its own. How can we tell whether it is a physical or a mental manifestation? Answer: If any of these manifestations occur exclusively during meditation, it is a sign that your mind is about to attain concentration. But if you should only experience these manifestations outside of meditation, then it is a symptom of a physical ailment. And you should seek a physical remedy. The wise meditator must be observant and learn about these manifestations. For some that have a strong foundation in Samatha, these manifestations can occur even outside of meditation whenever the mind is about to become still or calm. These signs will appear and should be classified as mental manifestations. This happened to a laywoman who attained Turbulent Concentration. The laywoman at first worked hard at her concentration practice. Through she carefully followed her teacher's instructions, she often felt dizzy, as if her soul was leaving her body. She became afraid and believed she was about to die. She backed out of that mental state, fearing that she would faint if she continued. But the symptoms reappeared whenever she started to meditate. It reappeared even when she was engaged in other activities such as feeding her baby. This occurred regularly for four years until she met a wise monk who understood her problem. He explained to her that the symptoms did not come from a physical source, but was a signal of her mind's readiness for deep concentration. By backing out every time she reached that stage, she prevented herself from attaining deep concentration at which point all the symptoms would disappear. After she understood what had happened, the monk asked her to look at the beam of the flashlight and mentally try to bring that light into her mind-body center. As soon as she did that, her mind attained concentration quickly and easily. The symptoms that had been bothering her for four years disappeared and never resurfaced. The above are just a few examples of the different meditation experiences that people have undergone. It would take too much space to relate to the reader every case that has ever been reported. It is left up to the individual to compare and study additional examples. CHAPTER 4 THE FOUR STATES OF CONCENTRATION
1. VITAKKAVIJARA The four states of concentration are Vitakkavijara, Piti, Sukha, and Ubekkha. We must first understand Vitakkavijara, which is wonderment and examination. Vitakkavijara is the analytic component that accompanies every state of concentration. There are two types: External and Internal. External Vitakkavijara is neither concentration nor insight but it is a hindrance that must be cast aside by means of mindfulness and wisdom. This external Vitakkavijara sometimes appears as unwholesomeness (Akusala Vitakka), thoughts that are sensual (Karma Vitakka), vengeful (Bayapata Vitakka), or injurious (Vihingsa Vitakka). This kind of ill thinking is not good, and should be cast aside. Positive thoughts, such as those about good deeds you have performed or will perform in the future, are called Kusala Vitakka which is the opposite of Akusala
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Vitakka. Some examples of Kusala Vitakka are: thoughts about abstaining from carnality (Nekkhamma Vitakka), about not exacting revenge (Abayapata Vitakka), and not causing injury (Avihinsa Vitakka). To develop concentration, even benevolent thought will have to be cast aside. If you fail to do so, your mind will not be able to attain deep concentration (Appanasamadhi). In insight meditation (Vipassana), you must be completely aware of these thoughts. However, benevolent thoughts are allowed at the level of Piti, which is the first step of Access Concentration (also known as Upacara Samadhi meaning close to reaching deep concentration). If you think about benevolent acts such as charitable donations that you have done in the past, this is called Jakanussati; if you think about virtues that you have maintained, this is called Silanussati or thoughts about the purity of conduct. So remember, both negative and positive thoughts are examples of external Vitakkavijara and are not a part of concentration. Internal Vitakkavijara is the Vitakkavijara that is a part of concentration, or tranquility. This word can be divided into: Vitakka + Vijara = Vitakkavijara Vitakka means the elevation of the mind into meditation. Vijara means analyzing thought as it arises within meditation. It is difficult to translate these two words literally. You might wonder what it means to elevate the mind into meditation or to analyze thought as it arises within concentration. When you attain deep concentration however, you will see how Vitakkavijara manifests itself as curiosity or doubt within the states of Piti, Sukha, or Ubekkha. When you are maintaining the Concentration State of Piti, Sukha, or Ubekkha, you may wonder why you have goosebumps, where your breaths have gone, or what kind of bright light has appeared. These questions are examples of the doubt or wonder that is Vitakkavijara. This kind of doubt or wonder is blended within the states of Piti, Sukha, or Ubekkha. The meditator should understand that Internal Vitakkavijara is a part of concentration development and will manifest itself as a feeling of wonder or amazement. II. PITI (JOY OR BLISS) The term Piti literally translates into delight or elation. It means that after your mind has reached the Piti State, you will feel calm and collected both bodily and mentally. A feeling of coolness and lightness will permeate throughout your entire body. Other manifestations include goosebumps and tears. If your feeling is light and tranquil, your mind is filled with joy, and tears would flow naturally, this is a pure Piti. But if, with the tears, there is a feeling of sadness, or even mental sobbing, this is not a pure kind of Piti, but Piti blended with Soka (sadness). If such symptoms occur, the meditator should discard these feeling before continuing with the practice. If you try to maintain this combination of tranquility and sadness, the Soka will increase causing Piti to diminish. You should only maintain pure Piti. The characteristics of Piti, as written in the Buddhist Scriptures are: 1.Kuttaikapiti: small-scale joy, with a small amount of goosebumps and perhaps, some tears. 2.Kanikapiti: Joy that lasts for a short period of time like lightning. 3.Okakantikapiti: Periodic joy, with internal tingling sensations - either all over the body or in the chest and diaphragm. It has been compared with waves rushing ashore. 4.Uppengkapiti: Exhilarating joy, a feeling of lightness in the body as if flying. In the Buddhist Scripture, it is said that strong Uppengkapiti may enable the meditator to actually float in the air. In the scripture is the story of a young girl who lived near a big pagoda where masses of people would gather together. In the evening, a great number of monks would assemble there for evening prayer. Some lay people would listen to the monks chant. Others would walk in reverence around the pagoda. Some would light candles and joss sticks so that the entire pagoda was well illuminated. As the young lady watched all of these activities, she felt herself wanting to visit the pagoda too, to pay homage. But her parents would not allowed her to go because she was unmarried and it was already dusk. And so they left for the pagoda without her. Alone in the house, the young girl began to feel deeply religious as she heard the monks chanting and watched all the people walking around the pagoda. She then experienced Uppengkapiti so strongly that she floated into the air towards the pagoda, arriving even before her parents. This is written in the scripture. How it occurred or whether it is possible is left for the meditator to decide. 5.) Phranapiti: Cool Piti, feeling cool all over the body and mind. All of the above are different manifestations of Piti. You should understand the meaning of the various terms that have been explained, for the concentrated mind can manifest itself in many different ways. Some meditators reached Piti first, other go straight into Ubekkha. The manifestation of Piti can occur in many forms as described above, but the clear and solid Piti that can be classified as serene contemplation attained by meditation (Jhana) is pharanapiti. Piti is a kind of mental nourishment. Those who can maintain Piti at all times will have their mind imbedded with such a joyous feeling that the thought of food rarely crosses their mind; they can go several days with out being hungry. III, SUKHA (DEEP CONTENTMENT) The characteristic of this state of concentration is a feeling of fulfillment within the body. It differs from Piti in that it is not as widespread. Sukha comes in two forms: physical and mental. Physical Sukha is called Sukhavedana. Mental Sukha is further divided into the Sukha that is happiness which normal people experience day to day and the Sukha which is a constituent part of concentration. We will focus on the latter type of mental Sukha. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PITI AND SUKHA Piti manifests itself as a feeling of coolness and tingling sensations over the entire body. Also, there is lightness in both body and mind. The cool feeling occurs throughout the body, internally and externally and is sometimes accompanied by goosebumps or tears. Sukha is a feeling of fulfillment within that does not spread outward like Piti. It is a concentrated feeling of contentment. Sometimes, there is a feeling of coolness inside the chest or the diaphragm, as if a block of ice has been placed there. Piti and Sukha are very similar and the meditator should try to differentiate between the two. IV. UBEKKHA (EQUANIMITY) The characteristic of this state of concentration is internal stillness. The mind is tranquil; it remains absolutely still, unresponsive to any external stimuli. Your thoughts are pure and do not extend to anything outside the body. There is only internal stillness. There are two types of Ubekkha: deep and conscious.
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Characteristics of Deep Concentration 1. The mind is still. 2. The mind is unresponsive to stimuli 3. The mind is void of thoughts. 4. There is no appearance of breathing. 5. Outside noises are not heard. 6. The mind is serene. Characteristics of Conscious Concentration 1. The mind is still. 2. The mind is unresponsive to stimuli. 3. The mind is void of thoughts. 4. Soft, almost imperceptible breathing 5. Outside noises are audible but the mind is unresponsive to them. 6. The mind is serene. Both Deep and Conscious Ubekkha are called Appanasamadhi or Appanajhan. The mind in Deep Ubekkha is finer, lighter, freer, and more still than the mind in Conscious Ubekkha. Deep Ubekkha is difficult for most people to attain. By the way, you should be pleased with whatever stage you have attained. The important point is that you should not underestimate the value of your achievements. Work hard, persevere and you will progress to higher and higher stages. Don't forget to go back and master those stages that you have already reached. Both Deep and Conscious states of Ubekkha meditation offer the same benefit in helping your mind to "rest" within. Rest can be classified into two categories: physical and mental. Physical Rest. The body rests by sleeping or sitting. The body that keeps going all the time receives no rest. Mental Rest. Similarly, a mind that wanders all the time receives no rest. But a mind that is able to stay serene within meditation is one that is at rest from scattered thoughts and external stimuli. The resting of the mind inside the Concentration State of Ubekkha is true rest. The mind is at peace and unresponsive to external stimuli. Deep Ubekkha is more beneficial than Conscious Ubekkha, for in Deep Ubekkha the mind is more peaceful, lighter and more refined. A mind that attains Deep Ubekkha has left its physical shell to enter the mental dimension. All external activities, noises and the body itself are ignored. The states of concentration that have just been described are all part of Samatha, not Vipassana which is insight meditation. CHAPTER 5 IDENTIFICATION OF CONCENTRATION STATES You must be able to identify the four states of concentration, Vitakkavijara, Piti, Sukha, or Ubekkha, in order to understand Vipassana. If you can not identify the various states of concentration, it will be difficult to differentiate between Samatha and Vipassana. If you can make the distinction among Vitakkavijara, Piti, Sukha, and Ubekkha and understand each of these four mental states, you will immediately understand that the mind in Vipassana is not the same as the mind in Samatha. In Vipassana, your mind is lighter, freer and sharper than in the four concentration states of Samatha. TEMPORARY CONCENTRATION VS. CONTINUOUS CONCENTRATION Temporary concentration can be maintained for only a specific duration. It is not maintained continuously. Also, the mind can only attain concentration with the eyes closed. If you open your eyes the concentration disappears. You can not maintain concentration through any activity. When you get up and walk you will loose your concentration. Continuous Concentration, on the other hand, can be maintained in all positions, i.e. standing, sitting, or lying down. It does not matter whether the eyes are open or closed. The mind is peaceful, cool, and light at all times. While you are working or engaged in other activities, the mind is light and content in its own comfortable environment. Therefore, before you can identify the four states of concentration, you have to train your mind to attain Continuous Concentration. If you have Temporary Concentration you will not be able to identify these states. The meditator must understand this point well and acquire this understanding empirically, not just by listening or reading about it. MENTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN STATES OF CONCENTRATION When your mind has attained Continuous Concentration, you will want to classify successive states of concentration and identify each of these states. First, try to maintain Piti and make the feeling as strong as possible. At full strength, your mind will move from Piti to Sukha by itself. When your mind has reached Sukha, maintain this feeling for as long as you can. When Sukha is at full strength, your mind will become increasingly refined until it moves from Sukha into Ubekkha. When Ubekkha has been attained, maintain this state until the mind withdraws. After the mind has withdrawn from Ubekkha, you may re-enter Ubekkha by simply guiding your mind into the state again. Practice entering and leaving each state until you have acquired skill (Vasi) in entering, exiting, and maintaining all the states of concentration. Skill in entering means you can attain a particular state whenever and wherever you wish, even in a noisy environment, without taking too long to do it. Skill in exiting means you can leave a particular state of concentration and move to another state instantly at will. If you can not leave when you want to, you have not acquired the necessary skill for that state. Skill in maintenance means you can maintain a particular state of concentration for as long as you wish, whether it is minutes, hours or days. Skill in Identification of Concentration States means you can identify the manifestations of the four states of concentration (Vitakkavijara, Piti, Sukha, Ubekkha) and also Egakkata which means the mind in a state of one-pointedness. One who has acquired the skill for each and every state of concentration is deemed to have completed development of concentration. Most people, however, become skilled in only one state. Some are skilled in Piti, while others are skilled in Ubekkha. Some are skilled in entering and exiting, but cannot maintain a particular state for as long as they wish. Even if you have not been able to master every state, you still can go on to Vipassana if you have attained at least one of the states of concentration. IDENTIFICATION OF EACH STATE OF CONCENTRATION How do you know which state of concentration you are in? First, observe your feeling. If you feel coolness covering your entire body, a tingling
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sensation, goosebumps or tears welling in your eyes, these are manifestations of Piti. If you feel content within, or a cool feeling inside that is not spread out over the whole body like Piti, then these are manifestations of Sukha. You may also feel like a block of ice is lodged in your chest. If you feel serenity inside and become disinterested in what is happening to your body, this is Ubekkha. Remember that there are two types of Ubekkha: Deep and Conscious. If your mind ignores your body and remains still, and you feel as if you have no body, no thought - just stillness, then this is Deep Ubekkha. This is sometimes coupled with brightness. If the stillness is not so absolute as to shut out all external stimuli, this is Conscious Ubekkha. Some noise comes through, but your mind does not respond. In Deep Ubekkha, your mind is disconnected from the outside world because it has left the body to enter into the mental dimension. Finally, the manifestations of Vitakkavijara, the first of the four states of concentration - is astonishment, doubt, or wonder about the other three mental states, or the various mental manifestations encountered during meditation. For example, you may see some brightness, feel your body getting smaller or bigger and become amazed at what you have observed. The moment that your mind has withdrawn from concentration, you should try to regain and maintain the feeling of concentration. Know that the wonderment and curiosity are just manifestations of Vitakkavijara. Vitakkavijara can be interpreted as analysis within concentration or the elevation of your mind into a state of concentration. The meaning of this term is not as important as your understanding of its nature. Therefore, you do not need to maintain the state of Vitakkavijara, nor should you worry about it. Just try to maintain Piti, Sukha, or Ubekkha, as Vitakkavijara is already embedded in each of these. For example, if you simultaneously feel coolness and amazement while you are in Piti, it means that Vitakkavijara has been mixed in with Piti. But if you feel only the sense of coolness and no wonderment, that is pure Piti without Vitakkavijara. ENTERING AND EXITING CONCENTRATION. When you have become skilled in maintaining a state of concentration and can identify the different states of concentration, you must then learn how to properly enter and exit each state. If it is not properly performed, or not performed in a proper sequence, it can adversely affect your body. Entering concentration should follow this sequence: Vitakkavijara Piti Sukha Ubekkha Exiting should follow this sequence: Ubekkha Sukha Piti Vitakkavijara This order of entry and exit is called Sequential Concentration. If you frequently enter a state of concentration without following the proper sequence, for example if you jump from Vitakkavijara to Ubekkha, there could arise such problems as Mental Power. This manifests itself as a heavy feeling. Entering by skipping integral steps is a way to train for supernatural power (Abbinna), a practice that should be avoided by all good meditators who wish only to be liberated from suffering. THE ILL EFFECTS OF NON-SEQUENTIAL EXIT When you wish to exit from Deep Ubekkha, you will have to do so according to the order of Samadhi. First, move to Sukha, then Piti, and finally to Vitakkavijara. Do not withdraw straight into Vitakkavijara, or even Piti, as the skipping may prove detrimental to your body. Your body may become weak because your mind and body are not synchronized. This is because when your mind entered deep concentration, it may have detached from the body, causing it to shut down temporarily. I remember the story of a laywoman who was practicing meditation. After a while, her mind plunged into deep concentration and remained there for a long time. As she was ready to exit, she did not follow the correct sequence, but withdrew straight into Vitakkavijara. Her body suddenly fell to the floor. Two other lay women saw her body on the ground and came to me for help. I told them to pat various spots on the fallen laywoman's body in order to bring about the mind-body synchronization. After a while, she managed to sit up and appeared to have no further problems. Later, she told us that physically she had felt as if she had no strength. Her mind had been alert, but her body simply refused to follow her command. CHAPTER 6 VIPASSANA
After you are able to practice the stages of concentration in Samatha, the next step in meditation is to advance to Vipassana. Vipassana practice by means of the Direct Path is different from Vipassana via the Indirect Path in that one does not have to go through concentration development (Samatha) to reach Vipassana. In Vipassana practice with Samatha as the foundation, i.e., the indirect path, the meditator must first train his mind to focus on one-point to attain one-pointedness (Samadhi), identify the different states of concentration and then go on to Vipassana. If you are not able to identify the various states of Samadhi, it will be rather difficult to understand Vipassana. You will not be able to differentiate between Samatha and Vipassana. Certain states of concentration are so fine that it is difficult to determine whether you are experiencing a mind in Samatha or a mind in Vipassana. In Samatha the mind is in concentration. In Vipassana, the mind is detached from everything: positive and negative thoughts, emotions and even the different states of concentration. You must detach your mind from every mental activity or you will never attain a free mind. AVOID DEEP CONCENTRATION IN VIPASSANA To practice Vipassana that was attained by way of Samatha, you must not enter into too deep a state of concentration, as it will be difficult to contemplate and understand impermanence, suffering and non-self. Even if you are already in a deep state of concentration, you must back out and return to Piti or Vitakkavijara in order to get the most out of Vipassana practice. In the indirect method of Vipassana practice, you must first maintain your concentration at the Piti level. Do not enter Sukha or Ubekkha because you will have gone too deep into concentration to be able to practice Vipassana. As you maintain Piti, be alert for thoughts that occur. When you catch a thought, let it go. Free your mind of that thought. Be aware of your body and mind, even of any slight change in Piti itself. For within Piti there exists impermanence, suffering, and non-self. When such emotions as happiness or sadness occur, you must be conscious of that also and discard it. Do not let its existence continue. There are two ways in which you can follow your thoughts: 1. Following your thoughts in Samatha 2. Following your thoughts in Vipassana. Following thoughts in Samatha. If a thought occurs while you are in Piti, you must focus your awareness on it. When the thought disappears, go back to maintaining Piti. When another thought occurs, again focus awareness on it and then go back to Piti. If you can do this on a regular basis, the number of
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thoughts will gradually decrease until they stop coming altogether. Meanwhile, your Piti will become progressively stronger. This is how you follow your thoughts in Samatha. Question: Are there still thoughts within Piti? Yes, depending on which level of Piti you are in. Piti at a lower level of concentration called Upajara Samadhi is not deep enough to be void of all thoughts. However, the remaining thoughts are not as widely scattered as they would be in a mind that is not in any state of concentration. Piti at a higher level of concentration called Uppana Samadhi will have no thoughts at all. THOUGHT CONTEMPLATION IN VIPASSANA When you become aware of the appearance and disappearance of a thought, you do not need to go back to Piti, nor do you have to keep your mind still. You need only make your mind free. There is no need to maintain any state of Samatha. However, you must initially use Piti as a strong foundation for Vipassana. An unconcentrated mind may not have enough strength and insight to rid itself of all cravings or be sufficiently alert to perceive the onset and disappearance of all thoughts. THE FREE MIND IN SAMATHA (tranquility) AND IN VIPASSANA (insight). The free mind in Samatha refers to the mind that is free from Nivarana (the five hindrances: sensual desires, doubt, ill will, restlessness, and laziness) and Sankhara (mental reactions) but is maintained in a state of concentration. The mind is free of any coarse feeling that include biased or scattered thoughts, but not fine feelings which are found in the states of concentration. This type of free mind does not enable you to get rid of concentration. This type of free mind does not enable you to get rid of defilement. The free mind in Vipassana refers to the mind that is free from Nivarana and Sankhara, but also Jhana is a state of serene contemplation encountered in Samatha. In Vipassana, the mind is without both coarse and fine feelings. You have reached the ultimate freedom. OBSERVING THE MIND RESPONDING TO A SOUND If you hear a sound while observing your thoughts, acknowledge it. Be aware of the mind, as it perceives the sound. When you are aware of hearing the sound, you will also become mindful of the sound itself as well as your reaction to it. Why is it more important that you are aware of the mind receiving the sound as opposed to the sound itself? Because the mind's satisfaction or dissatisfaction from the sound will occur in your mind, not in the sound. In fact, the sound is an external stimulus calling for a mental reaction. If you wish to get rid of impurities, you have to do so at their source. As you succeed in becoming conscious of each mental reaction, you will come to realize that a sound is just a sound, carrying with it no positive or negative feeling. Then you will be able to strip your mind of all conditioned reactions. Paramettha (the ultimate reality) will result. CONSTANT ALERTNESS When meditating, you must be aware of everything that is going on at all times. When a thought occurs, be aware of it. When a positive or negative feeling occurs, be conscious of it. Whether you blink, swallow, raise a hand, or glanced left or right, maintain mindfulness. In summary, you must be aware of any movement of the body or mind. You must even be aware of any change in Piti. OBSERVING YOUR THOUGHTS. Focus only on current thoughts. Do not focus on thoughts regarding the past or the future. Observe the current thought as it is being formed, sustained, and dissipated. Do not anticipate a thought not yet formed. Do not focus on waiting for the thought to form or this will lead you into Samatha again and your mind will not be free as it is in Vipassana. Continuously observe your mind to see whether it is still or free. If it is still, move your body about a little in order to shake the mind out of concentration. Continue the process, and your mind will move from the concentration of Piti to the liberation of Vipassana. The feeling in Vipassana is light, free and more delicate than any of the concentrating stage. You will feel detached, pure, and ethereal. Your mind is not as still as in Samadhi, but is not scattered and it is liberated. It could perceive a thought materializing and disappearing. Your mind is now like a raindrop on a waterlily leaf, pure, free, and unattached. You have wisdom. You are aware of any thought that appears. Your mind and body do their jobs automatically, aware of every contact with the external and internal world. CHAPTER 7 ALTERNATING SAMATHA WITH VIPASSANA
When you have had some mastery in Samatha and Vipassana, you may want to alternate between the two states. To do so, enter Piti, then Sukha, and then Ubekkha, maintaining each state for as long as you can. Proceed to Vipassana contemplating body and mind until you can clearly understand them in terms of impermanence, suffering, and non-self. If you are not able to do so, or your perception of them is not sufficiently clear, then you may not have acquired enough mental strength. Go back to Samatha again to enhance it. As soon as your mind is still, return to Vipassana to contemplate the body, mind, thoughts, and feelings once more. The meditator must develop both Samatha and Vipassana to a high level of clarity. It takes much more than a single moment of seeing the truth to acquire insight. In fact, it takes many moments of understanding and clarity. It requires a great deal of practice to become skilled enough to clearly see all aspects of the truth. COMPONENT OF SAMATHA 1. Mindfulness: awareness and the ability to guide your mind into at any level of concentration development. 2. Perseverance: the continuous effort to maintain the mind in a state of one-pointedness. 3. Memory: ability to recall a particular mental state. COMPONENTS OF VIPASSANA 1. Mindfulness: awareness of the formation and disappearance of every thought and the subjective entity; consciousness of the body and mind. 2. Perseverance: the continuous effort to bring about mindfulness and eliminate defilement. 3. Wisdom: ability to contemplate any and all mental states, in addition to the body, mind, feelings, and Dhamma. There exists countless meditation techniques and methods. Some students take them directly from the Buddhist Scriptures. Others modify techniques that were passed down to them by their teachers. The techniques that are currently popular in Thailand are those that essentially induce the mind into a state of concentration. Some techniques are pure Vipassana or pure Samatha. Others start with Samatha and proceed to Vipassana. Any technique that can induce the mind to be still until it attains a state of concentration whether it is Vitakkavijara, Piti, Sukha, or Ubekkha - may be classified as Samatha. Any technique that liberates the mind so that it is not in a particular state of concentration is Vipassana. The mind is pure, ethereal and free from the subjective entity; it is conscious of the formation and disappearance of all thoughts.
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CHAPTER 8
NEW TECHNIQUE TO INDUCE CONCENTRATION
A new technique that does not conflict with any of the established methods has been applied successfully in the United States, enabling a large number of meditators to attain concentration. This method makes uses use of ice cubes or healing ointment as a conduit instead of the breathing method. To practice the ice cube method, the meditator places a glass containing ice cubes on his stomach just above his navel, then focus the mind on the resultant cool feeling and experiences Piti. In other words, the physical coolness from the ice cubes will induce a state of mental coolness and the meditator tries to mentally replicate that feeling. After being associated with the icy coolness for a while, the meditator mind will take up that coolness. This happens to be the concentrated state of Piti. The meditator maintains the feeling of Piti for as long as he can. Then he may try to move his mind into Sukha and Ubekkha as described in the breathing technique earlier in this booklet. When the meditator is sufficiently skilled in maintaining Piti, he can forego the ice since its function as a conduit for concentration of the mind is no longer necessary. Now, whenever the meditator wishes to enter into concentration, he can simply guide his mind into it - just like the breathing method. In the technique using an analgesic ointment, the meditator applies a small quantity of the ointment onto the stomach at the mind-body center about two inches above the navel. This is the most effective spot to induce concentration of the mind. The meditator focuses his mind on the coolness of the ointment - just like the ice method for a period of time, and his mind will eventually enter into a state of concentration. Later, he can identify various levels of concentration and advance to Vipassana. Most meditators who have used ice or ointment attained Piti first. They then learn how to move on to Sukha and Ubekkha. Only a few of them attained Ubekkha first. On the other hand, some meditators use the breathing technique to attain Ubekkha first, while only a few attain Piti first. Those who attain Piti first find it easier to classify the differing states of concentration. SUMMARY Anapanasati is not the only technique that guides the mind into a state of concentration. Ice cubes or analgesic ointments can also be used as a conduit to concentration if the proper procedure is followed. The various objects used to bring the mind into a concentrated state are just conduits. Let go of the conduit as soon as you have succeeded in bringing your mind into concentration, or you will not be able to enter Deep Concentration. With every method of induction, the mind must be light and content. If the mind or the feeling is heavy, it is very likely that the proper technique has not been followed. For example, the meditator may have placed too much pressure on his mind. A good meditator will discover the right approach to concentration practice by actually experiencing it on his own. It is basically trial-and-error. Do not argue over whose technique is superior or read through the Scripture to determine the right method. The best way to decide which method is best for you is to look at the results of the methods that you have tried. If the state you are able to attain enables you to live above suffering, reduce cravings, dissolve greed, anger, and ignorance, then you are practicing the right path. But if your method increases greed, anger, or ignorance, does not lighten your internal feeling, leaves you in a state of constant tension, produces chest pain and stupor, or makes your mind neither free nor content, then you have pursued the wrong path. CHAPTER 9 MENTAL POWER
When you have progressed in your concentration development to achieve continuous concentration, whether or not you go on to identify the concentrated states, you may experience mental power. Your entire being will become heavy. You will feel heavy physically and mentally at the place where the power has built up. If it accumulates in the head or chest, you will feel a headache or pressure in your chest. In the extreme, it can cause pain throughout the entire body. Therefore, the good meditator should be able to identify mental power or he may not be able to neutralize it if it occurs. A good meditator should not train to acquire mental power for it is not the state of mind that allows you to live above suffering. Moreover, if you develop mental power you will not feel light and comfortable, but heavy in both mind and body. If the build-up of mental power is allowed to continue, it will place pressure on the body, causing discomfort and heaviness. This can occur in the head, the chest, and throughout the entire body. Those who seek freedom from suffering should not try to develop mental power since this will delay progress in their practice. Mental power leads to supernatural power that will not free you from defilement. The attainment of mental power is a skill developed by some yogis and monks, but should not be attempted by ordinary people. It is potentially dangerous for those who do not have a full understanding of the training sequence. I have had some experience with this power and I strongly advise any meditator to withdraw from it as soon as he encounters it. HOT AND COOL MENTAL POWER Mental power can be hot or cool, depending on the temperature of the conduit that was initially used. The coolness, in particular, needs to be differentiated from the coolness of Piti and Sukha. How do we know which is which? You must observe your feeling. If the coolness is blended with lightness, that is either Piti or Sukha which you should maintain. If the coolness is mixed with heaviness, lethargy or pressure in the chest, then it is cool mental power. You must withdraw from the state, or your mind will put additional pressure on the body and increase the feeling of heaviness. Thus, you should understand the different manifestations of mental power. Heat can only come from the development of mental power. There is no heat in Piti or Sukha. USES OF MENTAL POWER From my research and personal experience, I have found that mental power can be applied to cure certain ailments. It is highly beneficial if utilized in a positive manner. But it is also dangerous if improperly applied. For example, if you only know how to harness its powers, but are unable to dissolve it, your body and your mind will suffer. Over all, its potential dangers outweigh its usefulness. Again, this is not the state of mind that will deliver you from your suffering. Therefore, you should not waste any time on this subject. However, if you are still curious about mental power, you will have to learn about it on your own. Be sure that you completely understand mental power and all its complexities before you try it. IMMOBILIZATION OF THE BODY If mental power is allowed to accumulate, it can become so powerful that it can
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immobilize the body. A Dhamma student who was interested in Samadhi and mental power once tried to practice both at the same time. He continued to build up the mental power until it became so strong that it temporarily paralyzed his body. He lay still, unable to move until several days later when he finally regained his mobility. As you can see by his example, you must understand the steps involved in both the developments of power and its neutralization. Otherwise, the power can cause paralysis, bleeding through the skin's pores, or permanent damage to your neurological system, leading to blurry vision and possibly even a nervous breakdown. So don't try to develop mental power unless you have a very experienced teacher who can help you. Mental power is an extremely complex subject to learn and understand. CAUSES OF MENTAL POWER There are direct and indirect causes: Direct Causes. If the meditator understands and follows the proper steps of a particular method, then he shouldn't run into any problems. But if the meditator persists in developing mental power in excess of the level that can be neutralized by his own ability, then he may encounter several problems. I will not elaborate on the steps and methods for the development of mental power in this booklet, as it may divert attention from the true goal of meditation. Indirect Causes: Mental power can certainly occur if the meditator does not understand the proper sequence and method of concentration practice. For example, after attaining concentration he continues to focus on his breathing. When used as a conduit, the focus on his breathing can induce the mind into a state of concentration. But if your mind has already attained concentration and you revert to Anapanasati, the mental trip between breath observation and the state of concentration can cause the accumulation of mental power. Hence, as soon as you enter directly into a concentrated state, leave the conduit and maintain the feeling. Only if you fail to attain concentration should you go back to the conduit again. Another way that mental power can occur is if the meditator who has attained concentration tries too hard to hold his mind still. If he puts excessive pressure on his mind during meditation instead of guiding it gently, he will experience mental power. ALLEVIATION OF MENTAL POWER The remedy of mental power is Vipassana. However, if the power is not overwhelmingly strong, a meditative state of Piti, Sukha, or Ubekkha can also provide relief. In other words, if your mind becomes a bit heavy, you can seek refuge in Piti, Sukha, or Ubekkha. But if the power is too great, Samatha is no match for it and you will need to apply Vipassana.
CHAPTER 10
SETBACKS IN MEDITATION
Setbacks in meditation refers to any state of mind that impedes the progress of Samatha or clouds Vipassana. When the meditator encounters a setback, he will face a dead end and can make no progress in meditation. The setback is mental power. Mental power can sometimes occur unintentionally. The meditator may start out developing Samatha or practicing Vipassana in order to escape suffering, but ends up with mental power. This can occur because the meditator does not fully understand every aspect of the Samatha practice or the correct procedure of Vipassana. Many people think they are developing Samatha when they are actually putting pressure on their mind by forcing it to be still. The proper technique is to guide it gently into the mind's own equilibrium. Another meditator may say, "I am doing Vipassana to escape suffering," yet he keeps his mind in one spot, even constricting his feeling. The proper technique of Vipassana involves the development of mindfulness and consciousness so that you can maintain awareness at all times. There is no need to keep the mind still as in Samatha. The purpose of this section is to reinforce how important it is that you understand the consequences of mental power. This is a state of mind that can cause many problems. It can occur in spite of your original intentions, because of an improper sequence or technique. From my own experience and that of others, I have found that this problem arises out of four situations: 1. Meditators who use their breathing as a conduit for concentration and do not let it go after their mind has attained Samatha will experience mental power. 2. Meditators who use the distention of the stomach as the conduit for concentration, but cling to this routine after their mind has attained Samatha will also experience mental power. Conduit used as an aid to attain concentration should be employed only at the beginning of meditation. After your mind has successfully attained Samatha, you must discard these conduits and try to maintain the state of Samatha instead. If your mind has attained inner peace, maintain that inner peace. If your mind becomes still, maintain that stillness. If you revert to the conduits, a feeling of heaviness or mental power can occur. The only time you may go back to the conduit is when your mind has not yet attained concentration. 3. Meditators who attain Samatha by constantly forcing their minds to be still, or abruptly stopping the flow of thoughts instead of observing them and letting them go away, experience mental power. 4. Meditators who are able to maintain Piti but cannot advance any further to achieve Vipassana will experience mental power. In each of the above four instances, the unintentional occurrence of mental power is caused by a lack of understanding or proper meditation procedures. Mental power is not easily understood by most people. When the power increases it can place pressure on the body so that the person feels the physical pressure or becomes dizzy. It can cause physical pain throughout the body and sometimes paralysis. Mental power can also put pressure on the nervous system so that the person becomes tense or even insane. Many meditators do not understand that mental power has several physical manifestations. When there is a problem caused by mental power, it is usually blamed on the body - not the mind. Some become convinced that they have a particular illness and will go to a hospital. Predictably, doctors will not agree on a diagnosis, since medical technology is not yet advanced enough to detect mental ailments (there is of yet no mental X-ray). Some actually have been cursed. All this is because they did not understand mental power. When the problem is of physical origin, the cure must be applied to the body; when the problem is mental in nature, the cure must applied in the mind. If the cure is applied to the wrong place, the problem obviously will not be solved. Great care and thorough understanding are required. I have known a large number of meditators who, during meditation, feel heavy and dazed and believe this to be of physical origin or some type of illness. The following examples are case studies of people who had problems with the accumulation of mental power.
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Please read them carefully so that you may learn by their mistakes. CASE 1 I once knew a young monk who was very advanced in his practice of meditation. But he had trained in heat fixation, i.e., focusing his sight on a candle's flame or the sun in order to acquire supernatural powers. The training was not the way to purge defilement and resulted in the accumulation of mental power. He suffered from alternating symptoms of hot flashes and cold chills. He described the effect of mental power as an abrupt flare-up of either heat or cold and a feeling of heaviness all over. The heat flare-up made him feel like he was sitting on a burning pyre; the cold surge made him feel like he was sitting on an ice block. For a long time, the young monk searched for a remedy. But he was without success because he did not understand the proper method of meditation and Vipassana. Eventually he had to leave the monkhood, and the mental power disappeared soon afterwards. CASE 2 A laywoman encountered the problem of mental power but did not understand that it was a mental, not physical affliction. She tried every possible method of treatment at every hospital. She even resigned from her job in order to search for the cure full-time. The laywoman had the same symptom as the young monk in the first case. The alternating feelings of hot and cold and the overall feeling of heaviness. She sought a cure for ten years until she met a teacher who understood her problems and helped her solve them. I have met many meditators who believed that someone put a curse on him when the real problem was mental power. A good meditator should not rashly jump to conclusions when he has a problem with his meditating practice. You should carefully analyze your problems and try to find their true roots. Otherwise, much meditation time might be wasted. CASE 3 An American laywoman who was a Dhamma student was very interested in meditation. Although all her family members were Christian, she chose to become a Buddhist. She studied Buddhism with Thai and Tibetan monks. She also practiced meditation and was able to attain Samatha and an elementary level of insight. She was also able to develop mental power and learned from the Tibetan monks how to apply the power to cure patients of various ailments. After a while, however, the mental power became so strong that it went beyond her control. Her symptoms included a feeling of heaviness and pain all over her body. She did not understand that these symptoms were a manifestation of mental power, but was convinced that she had a serious illness. Searching for a remedy, she went from hospital to hospital for three years until she met a Thai monk who understood her condition and was able to instruct her on the proper relief. CASE 4 Mental power is curable with Samatha as long as it has not accumulated to the point of becoming deep-seated, of which Vipassana is the only means of relief. Deep-seated mental power refers to the case in which the power has accumulated until it feels as if it has become a part of you. When afflicted, meditators are stuck with it for months, or even years, before finding a cure. I knew of a young monk who had it for five years. This mental power, when properly developed and utilized, can be enormously useful. Improper development and application, however, can bring about extreme danger. If the power gains control over the physical faculties, it can exert debilitating pressure on the body. SIMPLE MEANS OF RELIEF FROM MENTAL POWER If you have not reached competency in Vipassana, a simple means of relief from mental power is to open your eyes and look outside. Let your mind pleasantly follow your senses. Don't be distracted by the external stimuli or allow your mind to wander uncontrollably. Also, don't let your mind linger on the spot of your body where the feeling of heaviness has developed, i.e.., your head or chest. Try to distract your mind from the feeling of heaviness. Lighten it, free it. If you sit with your eyes closed and the heaviness occurs, open your eyes. If it still feels heavy, get up and walk about, or occupy yourself with some chores. The most important point is not to let your mind focus attention on the heaviness. If it feels heavy, ignore it. After some time of practice, the feeling of heaviness should gradually disappear. As the heavy feeling lessens, the feeling of lightness should take its place. When lightness occurs, try to stay with it. After a while, you should experience Piti. The above explanation is just a small part of the entire procedure. Bringing about relief from mental power is a very detailed and complicated process - it is too difficult to describe in general terms, since each case differs in its manifestation and degree of seriousness. For anyone with mental power, it is best to seek out a teacher who has had experience in this matter to obtain a remedy that is appropriate for the gravity of the affliction. Failure to do so will slow you down in your pursuit of a higher level of Dhamma. I myself, had this problem and was stuck with it for eight or nine months because I did not know how to let go. Even though I had some understanding of this topic, it was beyond my ability and I wasted eight or nine months in trying to solve the problem. Understand the seriousness of mental power and become alert in your mental training. Don't go beyond your personal limit or you will delay your progress in attaining a higher level of Dhamma. CHAPTER 11 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q. Which is better in concentration development, eyes closed or with the eyes open? A. There is no rule. It depends on the individual's personal preference. The best thing is to be able to practice both methods. Q. How long does it take for the mind to become still? A. It depends on the meditator, Karma and his understanding of Samatha. It will not take long for the meditator with a high aptitude for meditation, the correct technique, and the mental make-up that is receptive to that particular technique. Without those three things it, may take longer. Q. Do we meditate in order to make our mind still and free of all thought? A. Yes, concentration training aims at calming the mind and making it still. However, you should not stop at calmness. Develop concentration in order to use it as a foundation for acquiring insight. Some meditators who are not able to practice Vipassana alone, owing to inadequate strength of their Panna, have to utilize Samantha as the foundation for Vipassana in order to acquire insight.
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Q. I have practiced meditation for several years, but my mind never enters concentration. Thoughts of work or daily routines always intrude - so much that I hardly feel as if I have made any progress. What should I do? A. The meditator should practice Vipassana, as it is the direct path to mental development. You will become aware of your thoughts, of your mind's tendency to wander. You will perceive a thought as it forms and disappears, and all the stages in between. Your mind will become free, ethereal, and ready to enter the stream of Vipassana. With your mind in that stream, try to develop it further. This is bare Vipassana, without the foundation of Samatha. Alternatively, you can start with Samatha and contemplate on each thought as it rises. When a thought appears and disappear, keep your mind still. When no thought appears, your mind will enter a state of concentration. After your mind has remained still for a period of time, you can guide it out of concentration and into Vipassana. A state of analytical reflection and insight will result. Q. Can concentration development used in observation of body movement lead to all four states of Samatha? A. Concentration development using the observation of body movements is in fact a technique of Vipassana. If you wish to attain all four states of concentration you should practice Samatha. The observation of movements will liberate your mind, resulting in Vipassana not Samatha. If you do the right and correct practice by focusing your mind into one-pointedness, observing your body movement, this process will bring you into the four states of Samadhi. Q. How should meditators who do not have the opportunity to meet with a teacher in person practice meditation? A. Follow the system to which your mind responds best. That system is identified as the one that gives rise to a state of concentration that has not yet been attained or one that further enhances the concentration state that already been attained. Any system that does not enhance concentration or Vipassana is not the one to which your mind is responsive and should be abandoned. Q. Whenever I meditate, my mind stays very still and my feeling is light and comfortable, but wisdom does not develop. Is this the wrong practice? A. It is correct for Samatha but not for Vipassana. If you wish to apply the correct method for Vipassana, you should have to back out of the inner peace and contemplate the body, the mind, and the thoughts forming and disappearing in order for wisdom to emerge. Q. How can I get into Samatha as deep as I did when I began concentration development seven years ago? A. Not everyone has the ability to attain deep concentration. It is a matter of the individual's personal aptitude and Karma. If you wish to reach as deep a level of concentration as you did when you first practiced meditation, try to remember the period immediately preceding the attainment of deep concentration. Remember that state of mind and how you guided your mind into it. If you want to become skilled in entering and exiting a state of concentration, you must practice entering and exiting it. Also, don't forget that when your mind has attained Samatha, you must stop focusing on your breathing, otherwise you will not be able to achieve deep concentration. Q. When my mind has attained a certain level of concentration, why do I feel as if I have two bodies and one of them is floating in the air? A. When your mind has attained a certain level of concentration, you may experience extraordinary manifestations. Sometimes you may feel as if you have two bodies and that the second body is leaving the original one. The new body is the mental body. You do not feel your physical body because the feelings are not attached to the mental body. It may appear as if your mental body is floating away or is looking down on your physical body that has remained sitting or lying down on the ground. All this is a mental manifestation. When this happens, try to study the episode for the purpose of acquiring more knowledge. Do not become attached to this kind of experience. This is merely a step in Samatha; you have not reached Vipassana. Q. After meditating for a while, mental images usually appear. Are these things real? A. Some are real, and some are not. If you want to know whether these mental images are real or not, ask your mind that question. Your Panna or wisdom will tell you. If the image is mentally created, it will change into your own image, whereas the real image will maintain its identity and you will receive an affirmative response. The word "real" here specifically means what is real according to the conventional concept. In the ultimate reality (Paramattha) there is only name and form. There is no man, woman, angel or divinity. Q. After meditating for some time, my body seems to grow larger or sometimes smaller. What is the cause of this manifestation, and how should I react? A. This is another manifestation of your mind. When your mind is about to attain a certain state of concentration, you may feel that your body has grown larger or smaller, floated up or down, or even decomposed. You do not need to react to such a mental manifestation. Keep your mind still, light, and comfortable. After a state of concentration is fully attained, the manifestation will disappear. Q. During meditation, should I change my posture if I feel a cramp or pain? A. If the feeling is above the mind, you should change. The term "feeling above the mind" refers to the situation in which the feeling is so strong that it impedes your concentration. The feeling distracts your mind. You should change your posture, otherwise you will become more distracted and your mind will not be able to attain concentration. But if
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"the feeling is not above the mind," i.e., the feeling does not interfere with your concentration, and you are not distracted, then you need not move. Q. Do I need to fast in preparation for practice? A. No, not if you intend to do Vipassana. For Samatha, however, fasting may help the mind attain concentration. Fasting is unnecessary if your mind can attain concentration without it. If your mind has trouble attaining concentration in the normal way, you may need a more drastic approach. For example, fasting or reducing the amount you eat may help. I do not recommend fasting unless the proper method is followed, because it may lead to health problems. Q. Why can't I fall asleep? A. Insomnia is caused by: 1. Physical aches and pain 2. Nervous stress and strain 3. Wandering of thoughts 4. Mental power causing physical tension 5. The mind is excited by Piti, especially newly-attained Piti. 6. Your mind is aroused by Vipassana The first four are negative causes of insomnia while the last two are positive. The feeling for Piti and Vipassana should be maintained for as long as possible, even overnight. Q. Why do I often become sleepy during meditation? A. Drowsiness sometimes has physical causes. If your body is tired because of insufficient sleep, the obvious remedy is to rest. When the mind and body are refreshed, you may restart your practice. If you try to fight the exhaustion and continue with the meditation, you may become tense or dazed. Your mind may become blurred and your concentration will be unclear. Sometimes the cause of sleepiness is in the mind. Although you are not physically in need of rest, you may feel the drowsiness that is produced in your mind. If closing your eyes induces sleepiness, keep your eyes open; if sitting makes the mind drowsy, stand up and do walking meditation or something to wake yourself up. Q. Is concentration development necessary before practicing Vipassana? A. If you think that you have enough Panna, you do not need to develop concentration before practicing Vipassana. But if you are not confident that you have enough Panna, then you should begin with concentration development (Samatha) as the foundation upon which to build insight. A concentrated mind is more capable of the comprehensive analytic reflection than a mind without Samatha. Q. What level of concentration should be used as the foundation for Vipassana? A. Piti is the most suitable level. In practicing Vipassana, you should not enter into too deep a level of concentration or it will be too difficult to perceive impermanence, suffering, and non-self. If you are in a deeper level of concentration, you must back out to Piti in order to practice Vipassana fruitfully. Q. How do I know when I have attained Vipassana? A. You will realize with your own mind. There is no need for anyone else to inform you. If you have attained Vipassana, all the answers will be there. Just like when you are eating a meal; only you know when you are full. Q. What do I do after my mind has attained Vipassana? A. After your mind has attained Vipassana, the next step is to enhance wisdom. Make Vipassana more pronounced, perception and insight more clear, and knowledge more distinct. Do this until your mind gains the Ultimate Reality (Paramettha), with enlightenment as the ultimate destination. But if on occasion in Vipassana you are unable to either catch a passing thought or discard emotions and biases, then you should return to concentration development to reinvigorate your reflective awareness. After that, you may withdraw the concentration and continue your analytic reflection. Q. Which will lead us out of suffering first: Samatha followed by Vipassana or Vipassana alone? A. Vipassana alone, but if it is practiced incorrectly it can result in longer duration of suffering than the Samatha followed by Vipassana approach. Your ability to practice correctly determines the duration of suffering. Q. Why is my perception (Sanna) not function when I practice meditation? A. Your perception may not function because of the following reasons: 1. You stay in deep concentration. The more your mind stays in deep concentration, the more it becomes accustomed to that environment and refuses to have anything to do with the external world. Even when the mind comes out of deep concentration, it still does not wish to perceive anything. 2. Your mind has attained Vipassana, which tends to cut off the outside world. Only the truth, the Dhamma remains. 3. Your mind has become stagnant. This state of mind is not Samatha, Vipassana, or even mental power. It is not free and light as in Vipassana, tranquil as in Samatha, or heavy and inflexible as in mental power. 4. You are getting old. Body and mind are closely related. When the body ages, perception deteriorates accordingly. DHAMMA FOR YOUR DAILY LIFE To enjoy your work, To get rid of defilement with wisdom, To know the joy of
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a happy mind from meditation, To progress in the eight fold path with right understanding, Don't be worried about your property or personal belongings, To be kind to every life, To be friendly with every person, To be delighted with the joys and happiness of meditation, To be aware of every action , You will detach from desire, anger and delusion.
CHAPTER 12
DHAMMA FOR YOUR DAILY LIFE
To enjoy your work, To get rid of defilement with wisdom, To know the joy of a happy mind from meditation, To progress in the eight fold path with right understanding, Don't be worried about your property or personal belongings, To be kind to every life, To be friendly with every person, To be delighted with the joys and happiness of meditation, To be aware of every action , You will detach from desire, anger and delusion. CHAPTER 13 COMPLETE LIFE WITH LIBERATION
Nowadays our society is full of problems and confusions. Day after day, we try to make our ends meet by working hard and trying to fulfill our daily responsibilities. In a family, the peace of mind for the parents is their children's good behavior. If the children are not behaving in a proper manner are mischievous, or suffering, that falls upon no once else but the parents. In a workplace, many problems may occur between co-workers. As the result some people may carry those problems home and disturb the peace in the family by starting an argument with their own spouse. The many problems which were mentioned, indeed, occur within the path of life that we have to take. It is up to the individual to find ways to solve them . There are mainly two kinds of problems. They are the external (outside) problems and internal ( inside ) problems. When the external problems occur, we, as human beings may solve them according to the law of nature. For instance, the car has not been running properly, as the result, we will seek the right mechanic to fix it. At the same time we should not overlook our internal problems which directly involve our minds. How can an individual confront and overcome everyday problems with calmness and grace, and with less suffering? Meditation and Dhamma of Lord Buddha is the answer! In summary, we have to recognize our problems and be able to classify them. So we may look for the answer to solve those problems accordingly. Many people who said to be wanting to learn Dhamma have made many excuses , for example having a poor health. Factwise, practicing Dhamma does not require an individual to have a lot of time or a strong, healthy body. It is however, suggested that the sooner an individual starts to practice, the sooner that individual will learn and gain the valuable knowledge. There have been many theories that suggest Meditation as the cure of many diseases. Practicing Dhamma is not limited to monks, novices and nuns as many people may have misunderstood. Actually everyone is able to do it. Since the Lord Buddha discovered this path of avoiding suffering for all mankind, we shall use it wisely and cherish it. Practicing Dhamma does not excuse us from working or fulfilling our duties as a normal human being, but it suggests that we live in the society and we should preserve the valuable way of life which is the way of the Buddha. To begin, we should practice with a monk or anyone who is experienced. This is because he or she can guide us to the path of righteousness. But be sure to continue to practice on your own anywhere and anyplace. Being mindful is the key. Therefore everyone who is interested in practice of meditation and wants to be liberated from suffering to be peaceful in life should practice meditation at Natural Buddhist Meditation Temple.
CHAPTER 14
CLOSING BENEDICTION
I wish that all of you would see the light of Dhamma. I have tried to give you as much information that I possibly could out of my own experience, knowledge, and understanding of the subject. I hope that you can find something in this book that will help your practice of meditation. I would like to dedicate whatever is beneficial and useful in this book to you, the reader. May you have tranquility and wisdom if you have not already attained it. May any tranquility and wisdom that has already been attained become more pronounced. Finally, may every one of you arrive at the bank of Nibbana soon. May you progress in Dhamma.
Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho
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The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

NEW TECHNIQUE TO INDUCE CONCENTRATION

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

The Two Paths to Enlightenment by Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

DHAMMA FOR YOUR DAILY LIFE

Phra Maha Prasert Jittasettho

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Copy Right Issues 2005 What-Buddha-Taught.net

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