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THIS DHAMMA- TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA This Dhamma has been realised by Buddha himself and eloquently delivered for the benefit of others.(Swakkatho Bhagavatho Dhammo) Is completely transparent and visible to all.(Sandhittico) Is timeless and is true anywhere in space and time.(Akaliko) Is completely open for investigation and practice and to be convinced by any one who wishes to do so.(EhiPhassiko) Knowing and practicing Dhamma leads one to peace and happiness (Openiko Pachchathan) And is understood by people who are wise enough to travel this path. (Vehithabbo Vingnguhi).

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THIS DHAMMA-

TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA

This Dhamma has been realised by Buddha himself and

eloquently delivered for the benefit of others.(Swakkatho

Bhagavatho Dhammo)

Is completely transparent and visible to all.(Sandhittico)

Is timeless and is true anywhere in space and

time.(Akaliko)

Is completely open for investigation and practice and to be

convinced by any one who wishes to do so.(EhiPhassiko)

Knowing and practicing Dhamma leads one to peace and

happiness (Openiko Pachchathan)

And is understood by people who are wise enough to travel

this path. (Vehithabbo Vingnguhi).

ACCESS TO THIS PATH-

THROUGH SAMMA DHITTI

Those who travel this path(Marga), will achive

results (Phala) in stages.

To start with, the person should understand his/her

own world view.(Skkhaya Dhitti).

This differs from person to person. That is what a

person sees and misunderstands as reality.

Sakkhaya Dhitti prevents understanding the reality.

This need to be translated to Samma Dhitti as

shown by Buddha. Look at the world through

Samma Dhitti.

ACCESS TO THIS PATH – BY

REMOVING VICHIKICHCA

This is a condition in mind which prevents a

person from complete trust in Dhamma or the path

shown by Buddha.

As dhamma is Sandhittiko, Akaliko and Ehi

Phassiko it is open for all challenges irrespective

of time and space for any one to debate and

realise.

When one removes this doubt completely, the

person will be well on the path to realisation of

truth.

ACCESS TO THIS PATH BY

DISCARDING SEELABBHATHA

PARAMASA

Most people are misguided by false and

meaningless practices in their daily lives.

They believe in supreme powers, Powers of Magic

and luck and fortune.

They are enslaved to unrealistic expectations,

hoping to achieve comfort and happiness through

these practices.

One should realise the meaningless nature of

these practices and discard those beliefs by

developing Samma Vayama.

ONE WHO ENTERS –THE

ONLY PATH EKAYANA

MAGGA

By establishing Samma Dhitti, By removing Vichikichcha and

by discarding Selabhatha Paramasa;

Do so by practice of meditation which will lead to the

development of wisdom.

The wisdom so developed, will lead the practitioner to

achieve states of mental absorption. (Dhyana) and to get to

the first stage of realisation of the truth- Sothapanna.( Stream

Enterer)

MEDITATION

A WAY TO TRAIN MIND(SIKKHATHI) TO

ACHIEVE INTERNAL PURITY AND TO

UNDERSTAND(PAJANATHI) TRUE

NATURE OF PHENOMENA AS THEY

ARE, THROUGH CALMING THE MIND

AND DEVELOPMENT OF WISDOM

THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO

PRACTICE MEDITATION

Samatha Bhavana

• Settling the mind to a state of calmness and one

pointedness.

Vidharshana Bhavana

• Development of Wisdom

Develop ability to realise the way things really are

through understanding of the “Cause” and “Effect”.

The effect is conditioned by the cause and

impermanence is an inherent characteristic of all

conditioned phenomena. The first level of wisdom,

so developed is called “Vidharshana Gnana”.

THE PRACTICE

Samatha preceded by Vipassana

Vipassana preceded by Samatha

Both Samatha and Vipassana practiced

together.(Yuganaddha)

However Vipassana is an essential feature of the practice, as

it is required for the development of Wisdom. Realisation of

the true nature of all phenomena. ie to understand that

Impermanence is inherent in all things conditioned. Looking

at all living things from the micro to Macro level , it is well

understood how organisms generate and degenerate die and

regenerate in the natural process of life.

SAMATHA MEDITATION AIMS TO REMOVE THE

FOLLOWING WEAKNESSES IN THE MIND “PANCHA

NEEVARANA”

Kamachchanda

• Attachment to inputs from five sense faculties

Vyapada

• Anger or ill will, Hatred -As a result , the mind weakens and spoilt

Theenamidda

• Laziness, sleepiness and lack of interest in action to remove above weaknesses.

Uddachcha Kuckuchacha

• Inability to focus due to remorse, and attachment to faults of the past.

Vichikichcha

• Suspicion, non belief lack of trust in methods to be used in the removal of above weaknesses.

FIVE CHARACTERISTICS WHICH LEADS TO

THE REMOVAL OF NEEVARANA

Sathi -

Mindfulness

Viriya –

Incessant

effort

Panna –

Wisdom to see

reality

Saddha-

Belief in

doctrine

Samadhi –

Absolute

concentration

AIM OF VIDHARSHANA

MEDITATION

Develop wisdom to understand the three main pillars of Buddha’s teaching.

Anichcha

All phenomena are conditioned by a causes. Such conditioned phenomena are impermanent.

Dhukka

As conditioned phenomena are impermanent, they are subjected to disease, decay , suffering, lamentation and death.

Anaththa

We can not stop the above. Therefore, nothing remain as ours to hold. Therefore there is nothing called me, myself, or my soul.

SATHI PHATTANA

Methods of Samatha and Vidharshana together

compiled in to one approach of meditation

guideline called “Sathi Phattana”.

The meaning is “Establishment of the

Mindfulness”. Buddha said this teaching is

timeless. It leads any one to understand the reality

as it really is, whether it was in the past, at present

or in the future.

It teaches you to look at life mindfully. This will

develop a virtue called “Samma Sathi”.

THERE ARE FOUR MEDITATIVE

PARACTICES TO ESTABLISH

MINDFULNESS

Kayanupassana

• Establishment of mindfulness about body and body

functions

Wedananupassana

• Establishment of mindfulness about feelings derived

from five faculties

Chiththanupassana

• Establishment of mindfulness about mind and its

characteristics

Dhammanupassana

• Establishment of mindfulness about phenomena

associated with life

PRACTICE OF ANAPANA SATHI

WITHIN SATHIPHATTANA

Anapana Sathi practice belongs to the category of

Kayanupassana.

Because Inhaling and exhaling is a bodily function.

By establishing total mindfulness (Yoniso Manasikara)

about breathing, it is possible to bring the mind to a

focus.

This is called one pointedness of mind.(Ekaggatha

Chiththa).

By training the mind this way leads one to achieve deep

meditative concentration called “Dhyana”.

BUDDHA’S INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO

SET ABOUT PRACTICING ANAPANA

SATHI

Find a lonely place – A quiet, empty room

Sit down cross legged and keep the back straight.

Establish full and perfect attention to your in breath by

knowing the process of inhaling.

Establish full and perfect attention to your out breath by

knowing the process of exhaling.

Unwavering effort, wise attention and sharpness in mind is

necessary in this process.

BE TOTALLY MINDFUL

OF YOUR BREATH

At this moment I am breathing long (if you are breathing long)

At this moment I am breathing short (if you are breathing short)

… and so on, be mindful of every characteristic of your breath, and nothing but the breath.(Yoniso Manasikara of breath)

This incessant attention to the breath will take you to a state of Ekaggatha Chiththa about breath.

Because you are now mindful only about what your breath doing, everything else in your mind will disappear in to the background.

Developing this with effort, wise attention and sharpness in mind will lead you to a state of meditative concentration.

BUDDHA’S EXPERIENCE AS HE

EXPLAINED IN DEVADAHA VITAKKA

SUTRA ( REFLECTIONS AT DEVADAHA )

after a long process of thinking and pondering, the

body would be weary; if the body were to become

weary, the mind would be distracted; and if the

mind were to get distracted, it would be far

removed from Concentration.16 (Accordingly,)

bhikkhus, I kept my mind only on an object (of

concentration) within myself; I calmed it well; I

brought it to one-pointedness of mind; 17 and I set

it up well (in concentration). What was the reason

for this? It was so that my mind might not be

distracted.

EXTENSION OF ANAPANA SATHI FOR

REALISATION OF ANICHCHA, DUKKHA

AND ANATHTHA

When you give total attention to the breath and breathing process, you will realise,

In this process air comes in from somewhere and goes out to somewhere. Appears and disappears (Anichcha). I can not stop it. If I do it gives me pain discomfort and death (Dukkha). I have no control in this process as it happens naturally. (Anatta)

The whole phenomenon is a representation of Anichcha, Dukkha and Anaththa . It is true for me and true for others. This is development of Vidharshana, within Anapana Sathi

IRIYAPATHA MEDITATION

(TRACKING YOUR POSTURE)

This refers to paying absolute attention to

postures of the body, such as walking, sitting

down or lying down etc. This belongs to the

Kayanupassana category.

The practitioner will pay full attention to the

movement of the feet or the posture of the body at

the present moment.

Here, the Nimitta is the bodily action (iriyapatha).

Walking meditation can be practiced in conjunction

with Anapana Sathi.

IRIYAPATHA MEDITION

PREVENTS NEEVARANA

Due to the absolute attention to bodily

movements and postures with complete

mindfulness, the practitioner is able to

prevent neevarana from appearing in the

mind.

This will help to develop “Samma Sathi”.

Walking meditation will also help to

develop mindfulness over a longer period.

PRACTICING WALKING

MEDITATION

Pay absolute attention to the bodily actions associated with

walking, stopping, turning, sitting down etc.

The walking path should be free from distractions

Eyes should be directed about 5 ft ahead in front.

Be completely aware of the movement of feet in walking

action.

Be completely aware when you stop, turn, sit down etc.

Need to be completely focused on walking and related

action in the present moment.

There is no room for other thoughts as you are engaged

actively in a bodily function.(Be totally mindful all the time)

MEDITATION WITH ASUBHA

NIMITHTHA

Asubha Nimiththa is a meditation object which is

very direct and sure way to realisation of

Anichcha,Dukkha and Anaththa concepts. It allows

one to realise the truth about oneself, by mental

dissection of the body and contemplation about

the destruction(Anichcha), Decay (Dukkha) and

reduction of all things in to four states of matter at

the end.(Phatavi, Apo, Vayo and Thejo) or Solid,

Liquid,Gas and Energy)-Anaththa, which is not you

but four states of matter. True for you, true for

others. At the end indistinguishable, whose parts

are there in them.

THE REALITY

All living being, Young or old, pretty or ugly. Large or small

has one thing in common.

They can all be separated in to four components.

Solid(Integrate or turns in to Earth), Liquid (Gets dissolved

in water), Gas( Incorporate with air) and Energy (Turns in to

Heat or other forms of Energy).

This transition happens while alive and completes upon

death. As we can separate a mixed bag of 4 types of seed in

to four separate heaps, our body can be separated and

heaped in to four components. That is the reality.

When you develop wisdom through “Dhatu Manasikara”,

this will become clearer. There is nothing called me or you;

just four states of matter. That is Anaththa.

MEDITATE WITH DHATHU

MANASIKARA NIMITHTHA

Start from the top of your head and consider outside in and separate what is in the entire body in to the four heaps.

Hair => Falls away and becomes soil

Skin => Scales away and becomes earth.

Flesh/blood => dries away and becomes earth.

Tears and other liquid secretions => dissolves in water.

Breath=> mixes up with air

Food => Turns in to solid, liquid, Gas and energy

And when we take the bear bones => they turn in to earth.

That is what we are. When you meditate with absolute attention to this reality, the mind will absorb in the state of SAMADHI.

VIDHARSHANA METHOD-

CHAKKHU VINNANA

Eye consciousness and impermanence

Whatever you see is a result of contact (Phassa) of the Eye , the object and the Vinnana

Eye was formed as a result of Maha Bhuta and consciousness.

However this eye will grow and grow old . Becomes week. As you have no control on this change it can not be you or yours. It is not yourself.

The object you see in front of your eyes are similarly formed and subject to decay and destruction. No one can keep it in the way you wish to keep it. Therefore, It is not you or anybody else.

You have no control on mind component of the eye consciousness. Therefore it is not you or yourself.

Realisation:

Thus all these components which produces eye consciousness are all formed of things that are impermanent. Therefore consciousness of the eye is impermanent.

SOTHA VINNANA

Ear consciousness and impermanence

Whatever you hear is a result of contact (Phassa) of the Ear , the sound and the Vinnana

Ear was formed as a result of Maha Bhuta (Four states of matter ) and consciousness.

However this ear will grow and grow old . Becomes week. As you have no control on this change it can not be you or yours. It is not yourself.

The sound you hear in your ears are similarly formed from a source which is subject to decay and destruction. No one can keep it in the way you wish to keep it. Therefore, It is not you or anybody else.

You have no control on mind component of the ear consciousness. Therefore it is not you or yourself.

Realisation:

Thus all these components which produces ear consciousness are all formed of things that are impermanent. Not you or yourself. Therefore consciousness of the ear is impermanent.

“PHASSA PACHCHYA

VEDANA” OF THE EYE

As a result of contact(Phassa) of the eye, vedana (Experience of the contact) is produced.(‘Vindeema’)

Sukha vedana, Dukkha vedana or Upekkha vedana

As a result of the experience of the contact an identification occurs.(Sanna)

As a result of the identification an action (Sankhara) is initiated.

Vedana Pachchaya Sanna

You see (Experience the sight of) a person. You identify him as an enemy. That identification makes you angry. Anger is a Chiththa Sankhara.

You see (Experience the sight of) a person. You identify him as a friend. That identification makes you say “Hello! Good morning” . That is “Vachie Sankhara” resulting from upekkha vedana.