Vipassana Meditation : Lectures On Insight Meditation by Venerable

Chapter FiveThe Seven Stages Of PurificationTo attain enlightenment we must go through seven stages of purification(visuddhi).Purification of Moral ConductThe first is sila-visuddhi, Purification of Moral Conduct. Meditators have toobserve at least five precepts, if not eight, so that they can attain purificationof síla. The third of the five precepts is abstention from sexual misconduct,whereas the third of the eight precepts is abstention from all kinds of sexualcontact. If a meditator does not abstain from sexual contact, his mind will bedefiled by the hindrance of sense desire kamacchanda nivarana). Only whenthe mind is purified from all hindrances can meditators realize mental andphysical processes in their true nature.Of course it is better if meditators can observe the eight precepts. If they donot, they may have desires for taste, food, visible things, audible things, odorsand tangible things - five kinds of sense desire (kammacchanda) in their mind.By observing eight precepts, one can purify one's deeds and speech, which ispurification of moral conduct (Citta-visuddhi). When moral conduct ispurified, the mind is also purified to some extent.When the mind becomes purified, it becomes calm, serene, tranquil andhappy and can concentrate on the object of meditation. Then the meditatorattains Purification of Mind, i.e. Citta-visuddhi the second stage of purification.When Venerable Uttiya, one of the disciples of the Buddha was sick in bed,the Buddha visited him and asked about his health. Venerable Uttiya told theBuddha about his sickness:Venerable sir, my sickness is not decreasing but increasing. I do not knowwhether I can or cannot live out today or tomorrow. So I want to meditate todestroy all kinds of defilements through to the fourth stage of enlightenment,Arahantship, before I die. Please give a short instruction, which will enable meto develop my meditation practice to attain Arahantship.Then the Buddha said:Uttiya, you should cleanse the beginning. If the beginning is purified, thenyou will be all right, i.e. able to attain Arahantship.The Omniscient Buddha asked the question, "What is the beginning?" Hehimself replied, "Herein the beginning is purified moral conduct or síla andright view (Samma-ditthi). Right view means the acceptance of and belief in32