Basic
Tenets of Dhamma
The
inclement weather made me to be home bound and compose myself to
investigate the three words in our discussion and find the closest
English rendition (as much as Sinhala cannot translate them
correctly, English fare much worse).
As
I write this there is a YouTube session on the Internet on, and an
American Lady (lay person but taken the role of a preacher) is having
a talk show and stating that there is an anti-universe and in there
life of beings is eternal and there is no death but permanent
existence.
What
a hoax?
To
her my prediction is that even the anti-universe is subjected to
state of flux and extinction and another round of universe and
anti-anti universe would come into existence.
But
our discussion is on mind and its behavior which can grasp or cling
into both the micca diiti (wrong view) and samma ditti (right view).
The
bottom line is we should not corrupt the Pali Terminology.
1.
Animitta Conditionless
2.
Apanahita Desirelss
3.
Sunatta Emptiness or Void
What
I find to my surprise is that they are the three of the 18
contemplative states described for monks with correspondingly higher
states that can be attained in Vipaasana Meditation.
Suffice
is to say these are very difficult to accomplish by an
ordinary
layperson.
My
subsequent investigation leads me to the following summary.
The
base line technique which is easy and useful for focusing the mind is
nothing but Ana Pana Sati.
What
is the objective?
Attainment
of Dyana is the correct term for the commonly used term Jhanas (4 to
8 in number) that could be attained momentarily.
These
states are not the same but similar to the psychological effects of
psychedelic drugs.
These
are very addictive states and bring out rapture and happy states and
have the proclivity for more of the same arousal tendency, craving
and delight
in essence.
That
should not be the attitude of the meditator but is a hindrance to
upward mobility.
They
are not permanent and subjected to change.
That
is why one should contemplate the Anitta, Dukkha and Anatta
principles in these state of arousal.
As
one ascends through higher Dyana levels the technique is to drop the
mental states that are hindrance to the next level and finally
achieve the highest level which is Upekka or Equanimity.
The
next stage is to contemplate on detachment, abandoning and extinction
leading to Nirodha.
I
have summarized the states achieved in the first 4 levels, below.
The
seven elements of Enlightenment are
1.
Sati or Mindfullness
2.
Dhamma vicaya or the Truth Principle.
3.
Viriya or Energy
4.
Piti or Rapture
5.
Passadhi or Tranquility
6.
Smadhi or Concentration
7.Upekkha
or Equanimity
The
seven states of enlightenment developed and frequently practiced
leads to Wisdom
and Deliverance
(Vijja-vimutti).
Samadhi
or the Concentration
In
other words the attainment of four to five Jhana absorptions.
In
Jhana Absorptions, there is complete but temporary detachment from
all five sensual spheres and of five hindrances or the
Nivarana
They
are
1.
Kamacchanda (Loba)
2.
Vyapada(Dosa)
3.
Tina Middha (sloth and torpor)
4.
Uddhakka-kukkussa(restlessness)
5.
Vicikiccha (doubt)
1st
Jhana State
one
attains
1.
Vittakka (thought conception and attention to thought-thinkink)
2.
Vichara (reflecting or on inner speech or discursive thinking)
3.
Piti (rapture)
4.
Sukha (joy)
5.
Ekaggata (one pointedness)
2nd
Jhana State
Vittaka is dropped.
1. Vicara
2. Piti
2. Piti
3.
Sukha
4.
Samadhi are accompaniments.
3nd
Jhana State
1. Piti
2. Sukha
2. Sukha
3.
Samadhi
4th
Jhana State
1.
Sukha
2.
Samadhi
5th Jhana State
1.
Equanimity
2.
Samadhi
Beings
of other planets have attained the next four levels (5 to 8) of
higher mental states and for lack of proper terms they could be
called Divine Entities.
The
four Jhana states practised and attained at Patisnandhi state of mind
would cause births in better worlds higher than the earth.
Unfortunately in these states they are unable to acquire new Kusala
Kammasa and it is practically a dead end and once the Kamma is consumed, they fall into
lower levels including birth in world system like ours.
It
is just like one who has a big saving account and he/she withdraws
money little by little before full maturity and empties it in no
time.
Full
maturity should be taken as Nirodha Samapatti.
Pangna
or Wisdom
This
is the understanding of the Four Noble Truths, the suffering, the
origin of suffering, the path for cessation (Nirodaya) of suffering
and the cessation of suffering.
This is the more difficult and is the intellectual pursuit of Vipassana Meditation.
This is the more difficult and is the intellectual pursuit of Vipassana Meditation.
The
Samatha
Meditation
is
the more practical and easy way of meditation. There are about 40
objects for Samatha Bhavana (Vissudhi Magga has over 1000 objects)
and one should select one which suits the personalty.
Objects
of Insight Mediation
There
is lot of commercial advertisement to meditation, I thought of giving
a little resume for the novice.
There
are 18 kinds of insight knowledge that can be used as objects of
Vipassana Meditation.
It is Knowledge or Truth or Dhamma based meditation as opposed to Samatha Meditation.
1.
Annitta Contemplation of impermanence
2.
Dukkha Contemplation of unsatisfactoriness (suffering)
3.
Anatta Contemplation of non self
4.
Nibbhidana Contemplation of disinclination or aversion
5.
Viraga Contemplation of dispassionateness
6.
Nidodha Contemplation of extinction or cessation
7. Patinissangga
Contemplation of of abandonment
8.
Khayanu Contemplation of body
9.
Vayanu Contemplation of state vanishing
10.
Viparinama Contemplation of state change
11.
Animitta Contemplation of state of conditionlessness
12. Apanihita
Contemplation of state desirelessness
13.
Sunnatta Contemplation of state of emptiness or void
14.
Adhipanna Contemplation based on higher knowledge
15.Yathabhuta
Contemplation based on knowledge and vision of reality
16.
Adhinavana Contemplation of misery
17.
Patisankha Reflecting or thinking on
contemplation
18.
Vivatta Absence of cycle of existence – Nirodha samapatthi
