Vipassana Meditation : Lectures On Insight Meditation by Venerable

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According to the Visuddhimagga, there are nine ways to sharpen these fivefaculties, which a meditator must follow.The First Way is that the meditator must keep in mind that he will realizethe disappearance of mental and physical processes or compounded thingswhen he sees them or when he observes them as they really are. That shouldbe the attitude of a meditator. Sometimes a meditator does not believe thatevery mental and physical process is Impermanent, subject to arising andpassing away (anicca).. Because of this preconception he may not be able torealize the true nature of the mind-body processes. Though he may gain someconcentration, it would only enable him to attain peace and happiness to alimited extent. The commentary says: A meditator must keep in mind that he isgoing to realize the Impermanence of existence or mind- body processes if heobserves them.The Second Way is, he must treat the practice of mindfulness with respect,i.e. he must practice mindfulness meditation seriously. If he lacks respect forthe technique or the result of meditation, then he will not put enough effortinto his practice. Consequently, he cannot concentrate his' mind well on theobject of meditation. Then he will not be able to realize the true nature ofnama and rupa.The Third Way is, his mindfulness of mental and physical processes mustbe constant, sustained, uninterrupted and continuous. Only then can he attainthe deep concentration upon which he can build up the insight knowledge,which penetrates into the true nature of mental and physical processes. This isa very important point, which every meditator must follow. While you areawake, you must constantly and continuously be aware of whatever arises inyour mind and body as it really is. Be mindful for the whole day without abreak. When I say 'sati', it means the constant, sustained and uninterruptedmindfulness and not the ordinary mindfulness.The Fourth Way is the seven kinds of suitability, which a meditatordepends upon: a suitable meditation hall, food, weather, etc. Whether or notthe conditions are suitable you should make effort in your practice. Sometimesa meditator is very attached to the fan because of the hot weather. He wants tosit under the fan. Actually a meditator must be indifferent to whether it is cold,warm or hot; he must not choose.Mindfulness is actually the source of every achievement. By means ofmindfulness, he can change an 'enemy' into a 'friend'. If he feels hot, he shouldbe mindful of it. If he does so, the heat will gradually become a 'friend'.Likewise with pain. When he observes it, the concentration becomes strongerand the pain may then seem to be more severe. Actually it does not becomemore severe; it is just that the mind, with deep concentration, becomes moresensitive. So it knows the pain more and more clearly, making it, seem moresevere. But when he comes to realize that pain is just a mental process of41
unpleasant feeling, he will no longer be aware of himself or his bodily form.What he realizes at that moment is just the painful sensation and the mind thatnotes it. He can differentiate between the sensation and the mind that notes it.He does not identify the pain with himself, so the pain does not disturb hisconcentration. It is like a 'friend'. Therefore, mindfulness is everything, thesource of every achievement. Though you know it theoretically, you shouldalso know it practically. By means of mindfulness, you can turn an 'enemy' intoa 'friend'. A mindful meditator has no enemies at all in the world. Allphenomena are 'friends' because they are conducive to the attainment ofinsight or enlightenment - the cessation of all suffering.The Fifth Way is that a meditator must remember the way in which heattained deep concentration. He must remember that way and practice itrepeatedly using that acquired skill to enable him to attain deep concentration.The Sixth Way is that a meditator must develop the seven Factors ofEnlightenment (bojihanga). You must develop the seven bojjhangas, as andwhen they are needed, they are: mindfulness, investigation of states, energy,happiness, tranquility, concentration and equanimityThe Seventh Way is that you must not be worried about your body or yourLife. Sometimes a meditator who strives very hard in this meditation from fourin the morning till nine or ten at right without rest, fears he may become weak.He worries and thinks that if he continues to exert in that way for a month, hemay die of fatigue or some illness. Thus he will not make sufficient effort in hispractice and his mindfulness will not be constant, continuous and sustained.When mindfulness is interrupted, it cannot cause deep concentration to arise.When concentration is weak, insight knowledge of the true nature of bodilyand mental processes will not unfold. That is why the text says that to sharpenthese Five Mental Faculties, you must not be concerned about your body andhealth. Strive to the utmost, practice strenuously for the whole day withouttaking a rest or a break, without concern for the body.The Eighth Way is that whenever mental or physical pain arises, youshould strive to note it by putting more effort into your practice. When painarises, there is a tendency or desire to change position so that it will disappearbecause you are reluctant to note it. Instead, you must put more effort intoyour practice to overcome the pain by being aware of it more energetically,attentively and precisely. Then the pain will become your 'friend' because itenables you to attain deep concentration and clear insight.The Ninth Way is that you must not stop half-way to your goal. It meansthat you must not stop your practice of mindfulness meditation until youachieve Arahantship. Because of your eagerness to achieve Arahantship, youwill put proper effort in the practice thereby making these Five MentalFaculties strong and powerful.42
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 and 26: When the root of all kinds of defil
Page 27 and 28: Chapter FourThe Four Foundations Of
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 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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