Vipassana Meditation : Lectures On Insight Meditation by Venerable

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4. Cessation of all kinds of physical suffering.5. Cessation of all kinds of mental suffering.6. Attainment of enlightenment.7. Attainment of nibbána.The Buddha began the Maha Satipatthána Sutta with these seven benefitsof mindfulness meditation. So you are sure to acquire these seven benefits ifyou put strenuous effort into your practice.We are lucky because we believe in the Buddha who is enlightened andwho teaches the right way which leads to the cessation of suffering. But weshould not be complacent. In the Pali texts, there is a simile:There is a great pond full of clear water with many lotus flowers in it. Atravelers hands are dirty. He knows that if he washes them in the pond, theywill be clean. But though he knows it, he does not go to the pond to wash hishands, his hands are still dirty. In this way, he passes the pond and continueshis journey.Then the question was asked in the text: "If the man remains dirty, who isto be blamed, the pond or the traveler?" Obviously, the traveler. Though heknew he could wash the dirt away in the pond, he did not do it. Therefore, thetraveler is to be blamed. The Buddha teaches us the way of mindfulness. If weknow the way but do not practice this mindfulness meditation, we will not getrid of suffering. If we do not get rid of suffering, who should be blamed? TheBuddha, the way of mindfulness, or us? Yes, we should be blamed. If youpractice this mindfulness meditation with strenuous effort, you will purifyyourself from all defilements and get rid of suffering <strong>by</strong> obtaining these sevenkinds of benefit., of mindfulness meditation.25
Chapter FourThe Four Foundations Of MindfulnessWhen the Buddha had explained the seven benefits of mindfulness, hecontinued to explain the Four Foundations of Mindfulness:1. Kayanupassana Satipatthána2. Vedananupassana Satipatthána3. Cittanupassana Satipatthána4. Dhammanupassana SatipatthánaKayanupassana Satipatthána means contemplation of the body ormindfulness of any bodily process as it occurs. Vedananupassana Satipatthánameans contemplation of feeling or sensation. This feeling or sensation is ofthree types:(a) Pleasant feeling or sensation,(b) Unpleasant feeling or sensation,(c) Neutral feeling or sensation.Pleasant feeling or pleasant sensation is called sukha-vedana (sukha meanspleasant, vedana is feeling or sensation). Unpleasant sensation or unpleasantfeeling is called dukkha-vedana in Pali (dukkha here means unpleasant).Neutral feeling or neutral sensation is called upekkha-vedana (upekkha meansneutral - neither pleasant nor unpleasant). When pleasant feeling, unpleasantfeeling or neutral feeling arises, a meditator must be mindful of it as it is.Some meditators think that unpleasant feeling should not be observed becauseit is unpleasant. Actually, all kinds of feeling must be noted very attentively asthey really occur. If we do not observe or note the pleasant or unpleasantfeeling or sensation, we are sure to become attached to it or repulsed <strong>by</strong> it.When we like a particular feeling or sensation, we become attached to it. Thatattachment or tanha arises depending on the feeling or sensation. In this case,the pleasant feeling is the cause and attachment is the effect.If a meditator practices strenuously and perseveringly, his concentrationwill become deep and strong. When the meditator's concentration becomesdeep and strong, he feels happy and experiences rapture because his mind is,at that moment, quite free from all defilements such as greed, hatred,delusion, conceit and so on. The persevering meditator has attained a verygood stage of insight because his mind is now calm, tranquil and serene. If themeditator enjoys it and is satisfied with what he is experiencing, it means he isattached to it, and thus he cannot progress to the higher stages of insight. Such26
Page 1 and 2: Vipassana MeditationLectures On Ins
Page 3 and 4: PrefaceSudassam vajjamannesamAttano
Page 5 and 6: will not arise any suffering. Then
Page 7 and 8: 2. Mindfulness of feeling or sensat
Page 9 and 10: A Samatha meditator has to make som
Page 11 and 12: it is concentrated on it for a mome
Page 13 and 14: meditative practice. When moral con
Page 15 and 16: thinks about your work, your family
Page 17 and 18: nothing else to do except to be min
Page 19 and 20: parittas as taught by the Buddha, w
Page 21 and 22: can observe the five precepts perfe
Page 23 and 24: That means, he can attain Arahantsh
Page 25: When the root of all kinds of defil
Page 29 and 30: Chain of Cause and EffectWhen attac
Page 32 and 33: contemplation of mind objects, i.e.
Page 34 and 35: the Law of Cause and Effect (action
Page 36 and 37: ealize how intention is related to
Page 38 and 39: Purification of Knowledge and Visio
Page 40 and 41: confidence in the Buddha, Dhamma an
Page 42 and 43: According to the Visuddhimagga, the
Page 44 and 45: To summarize, these are the nine wa
Page 46 and 47: passing away. but he must strive wi
Page 48 and 49: impermanent nature. Only if you hav
Page 50 and 51: Note mindfullyNote attentively and
Page 52 and 53: Walking MeditationTake the walking
Page 54 and 55: Pain is observed not to make it go
Page 56 and 57: 4. Samadhindriya: deep concentratio

Vipassana Meditation : Lectures On Insight Meditation by Venerable

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