美佛慧訊 第七十三期Direct Experience of ImpermanenceOliver C. in Houston【BACKGROUND】 It was the first time in my life to attend a 7-day Vipassana meditation back in 1999 at Houston conducted by Ven. Sujiva. The doubts in Dhamma were cleared and the direction and a right path in the practice of Dhamma have been assured from the retreat. Since then, going for a month-long retreat with a small group of people has become a regular annual event; guided by the same teacher and by invitation only. I have attended in the year of 2000 in Italy and the year of 2001 in Australia. The purpose of this article is to share with readers some of my personal experiences in the most recent 28 days retreat in Tasamania, an island in the south of Australia. Hopefully, the readers will be encouraged to build up the confidence in the practice of Dhamma after reading this article. 【SEVEN-PURIFICATIONS】 There are seven stages of purification in reaching the enlightenment that was written in〈The Relay Chariots Sutta〉of 《Majihima Nakaya》or《A Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha》. The first one, a purification of virtue, is in the scope of Sila (precepts), how to restraint the five-sensors ranged from eye, ear … to the body. The second one, a purification of mind is a training of Serenity, how to guard the mind door to abide in the access concentration and four jhanas. The last five of the Seven-Purification are under a heading of Vipassana, a cultivation of insight (Pana) or wisdom; that is how to observe the natural phenomena of body and mind, how to root out all the conscious defilement and the subconscious ones as well. The commentary,《Visuddhi Maga》 (abbreviate as VM in this text) or《The Path of Purification》was written by Ven. Buddhagosa in 500 AC, according to The Seven-Purification or The Three-Training of Sila, Concentration, and Wisdom. Historically, VM has been acknowledged worldwide as an encyclopedia of meditations even till to today, the global circulation of the commentary has more than eight different language translations from the original Pali Text. Furthermore, in those Five-Purification under the wisdom training, the first one is called"The Purification of View", which is also defined as a correct seeing of Rupa (materiality) and Nama (mentality) in VM. The Nama has the characteristic of "bending on" to the object, adhering in the direction of object. The Rupa holds the characteristic of "being molested"; it's subject to the changing, arising and falling, and tend to disturb the mind. The Purification of View is also termed as a distinction of Rupa and Nama or the first insight knowledge in a stage of 16-Pannas to fulfill the Nibbana. The insight knowledge can be directly experienced in a stepwise progression from the practice of Vipassana and will successfully cross the Rebirth Ocean (Samsara). There are three approaches to discern the Rupa and Nama as described in details in VM: 1. Starting from Nama, the yogis first practices the concentration as a vehicle, and later on switch to Vipassana. 2. Starting from the Rupa, the pure insight will be functioned as a vehicle for the Vipassana yogis to discern the four primary elements in brief and in details. 3. Definition based on the 18-Eelements, 12-Bbases, and 5-Aggregates. The second approach in a practice of pure insight has been the method taken by the writer in a spiritual pursuing of wisdom training. The Rupa consists of four primary elements: Earth (mass), Fire (energy), Water (fluid), and Wind (gas). A process of changes from noting those four primaries is manifested as a "Characteristics of Sign" which likes a gross wave-wise flow of water stream. A much subtle process of arising and falling (come and go) is comprehended as a "Common Sign", the universal law of matter; like a close look of numerous, tiny waves in a turbulent flow of water stream. Naturally, one evolves to consciousness contemplation as foundation of mindfulness from the body contemplation after the momentum to build up the concentration in a full throttle and to attain a Momentary Concentration in continuity from discerning the subtle Rupa as mentioned above. The practice of mindfulness of consciousness (Citta) means the noting mind comprehends the Nama as an object. How can one observe the mind activities because that they are very subtle, transparent, and change in a lightning rod of speed? The answer is by starting from the Rupa as a steppingstone. Then, the yogi should not give up and should contemplate again and again, pay attention to discern, and to watch Rupa only. For in proportion as Rupa become quite definite, disentangled and quite clear to him, the mental phenomena will sequentially become evident (to him). 【IMPERMANENCE BEYOND THE CONCEPTS】 In Vipassana meditation, the stages of progression into the mindfulness of Citta can be broken down as follows: 1. Starting from Body Contemplation as Foundation of Mindfulness. 2. Attaining Momentary Concentration in continuity. 3. Contemplating Consciousness as Foundation of Mindfulness. 1. Starting from Body Contemplation as Foundation of Mindfulness The discerned phenomena of body ranges from the gross changes of the four primary elements to the subtle, arising and falling in moment to moment i.e."Impermanence of Rupa". As human beings, our physical sensations always couple together with mental feelings, and are generated from the contact of four elements and the nerve system at a given point of body. First, only pick up the physical sensation as the object for a beginner to build up awareness and a continuous mindfulness in a practice of Vipassana. The sensation at any point of the body except in the head can be used as the working domain, and only the most predominated sensation is picked up as the primary object at a given time. Naturally, a Vipassana yogi should learn how to systematically scan the entire body up and down in a selected speed, and to switch point to point upon a shift in location of the primary object and the change of sensation intensity. The noting mind should follow the object and stay with the object, again and again, keep repeating the efforts in "looking after". That is exactly the initial application of Vippassana in the "Aiming" Jhana factor. Practice and practice to a certain level, the noting mind seems "sunken" into the object. Whoo! What you experience is a complete different world of sensation in a next deeper level of observing a subtle physical process of phenomena. That is what the meaning in a sustained application of the "Penetration" Jhana factor. Bit you a dollar, at this moment, the new experience will make you very excited to jump up to the sky. When the noting mind become steady, and penetrative into the reality of the object, the process phenomena of the body is revealed as a "molecular wave vibration" as given in classical physics- a rapid tiny vibration (arising and falling) moment to moment, without ending. The location of vibration is spreading slowly from the lower part of body, to the head, the chest, and finally across the whole body. In the sitting, a force of supporting by wind element uplifts the entire body, everything has become very light, like the leaves floating on the surface of pool water. The pains and sores of muscles go away like a process of melting ice cubes, a current flow of heat, and a feeling like in an ultrasonic massage. The subtle change of sensation in noting a detailed process of abdomen movement is experienced in a deepening level as below: a) In the beginning, a linear movement of abdomen evolved in a wavelike flow of water stream: very slow, long, sticky, and heavy. b) In the intermediate, the flow of waves fell into a swirling S-shape curvature and emerged in shimmer, intermittent process in discrete. c) In the end, reached an incessant tiny vibration in a rapid speed. The heartbeat, pulsation, and blood circulation all are in vibration. The direct experience of tiny vibration is similar to a movie made of numerous stepwise, still frame of film. Up to this point, what is observed in the four elements is manifested in a form of energy, and the arising and falling of vibration moment to moment is the reality of physical phenomena or the impermanence of Rupa. 2. Attainment of Momentary Concentration in continuity One's mental state had to be in a Samadhi level for one be able to see or to experience a phenomena of mind by an One-Pointed Concentration of the Jhana factor, that is the noting mind unified together with the object. In the unification, there is no distinction between the mind and the object. In the track of Vipassana meditation, the unique momentary concentration is always paralleled with the insight, which is emphasis on a continuous mindfulness. The serenity is the complement of insight. These two are always in balance, in progression simultaneously, coupling together in hand to hand all the time. In the process of mind's purification such as from the mindfulness of the body in contemplation, one should progress from stages of joyfulness, peacefulness, tranquility, and to the One-Pointed Concentration. How to reach a One-Pointed Concentration depends upon the selection of a object at the moment of mind's penetration into the object. In a way of vortex, exactly as a clockwise vortex of eddy water, the one-pointed penetration will occur if the object located in the crossing legs or bottom touching points. In the case of abdomen breathing, the rhythm of abdomen's movement had to be synchronized with the rhythm of physical sensation in corresponding to the abdomen's movement. If those two were not in synchronization, the mind would be disturbed so that not to be peaceful and to be unified with the object. Based on a personal experience, the skill of synchronization is much powerful in penetration, but much harder to be mastered in comparing to the way of vortex. During the sitting in observation of mental phenomena, it is required to sit much longer and to consume much more energy, especially in the mental power and the efforts by comparing to the observation of materiality (Rupa). Consequently, that the emphasis on a continuous mindfulness, plus an on-going balance between the concentration and the energy faculty have become two key issues in a long, intensive retreat. Like starting a car in a cold weather, the engine keeps cranking and hard to get start running, pretty soon the battery will run out of power. If the energy faculty is not in a proper balance with the concentration, the One-Pointed Penetration will take much longer time, sometime it will take more than one hour to be sucessful. The resulting struggle for a powerful penetration will force one into a "catch-22 syndrome". Cite some of the remedy to recharge the energy such as a long hour brisk walking, especially in a mountain or a forest, eating well and a good rest, more relaxation of the body and a soft, peaceful mind. You will try whatever it takes to shoot for a One-Pointed Concentration and prompt into the next deeper level: Citta Contemplation. 3. Onto Consciousness contemplation as Foundation of Mindfulness Once one had a successful One -Pointed Penetration into a level of Samata Concentration, a phenomena of mind and matter will automatically pop up or show up in pair underneath eyelids and like a silent TV screen in color. The reality and natures of physical and mental phenomena exist here and there in daily life. The worldly living beings normally are not able to see those natural phenomena because their minds are covered by the defilement such as the five hindrances. However, the phenomena will become evident if one is trained to hold direct insight knowledge from Vipassana meditation, or one's mind is purified to a certain degree being capable to observe the fine, subtle nature of phenomena as it is. The above-mentioned mental phenomena, which pop-up as a TV screen, are displayed in a combination of lights and forms but in silence. The lights keep changing in shades with the variance of yogi's mental states as forecasting a person's climate of the mind. A plum of darkens smoke arising upward just like a drop of ink drifting in clear water indicates a some degree of sleepy, torpor mental state at that moment. If the mental state changes and shifts toward a direction of clarity, the plum of smokes will gradually disappeared in a reversed order. Furthermore, the lights will become so bright like the clear sunny sky, or a spotlight. Up to a point, a light beam emits and shoots out from both eyes. Over here, a slow down in the speed of process and a magnification in the nature of the noted object are experienced by a yogi from the mental power of the concentration and a continuous mindfulness as a transformation into a form of energy in a light beam or illumination. After that, a sequential display of forms, which is shown on the TV screen is in pair at a drastic difference in the speed of movement. A relatively stable scanning up and down in a slow speed like a blade of windshield indicates the movement of Rupa. A lightning speed in incessant motion and change denotes the movement of the consciousness activities. The fast movement corresponding with one's mental state changes drastically in a broad range from 150 degrees swing, 360 degrees rotation, then jumping around in motion randomly. To the end, the motion becomes so many light stars occupied the entire screen and flash in a speed like a current of electronics stream bombarding the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube). AT this point, the flashing of lightning stars start to drift downward and merge somewhere in the chest area with the upward shifting of the physical sensation in vibration originated in the lower body. The merge of flashing movement and the physical vibration have become a mind-moment circulation inside the entire body. How does one feel at this moment? All the noting mind and the objects consisted of mind and matter are in tiny vibrations in a lighting rod speed, "come and go" moment to moment, impermanent for all the phenomena, nowhere to abide not even a single moment, no refuge etc. Whatever you can name it! After a few days into the noting of Citta, the teacher instructed that "pay a close attention to the change of Citta movement and not to be attached by the lights and the forms." However, there is a question arisen in following, how is one able to comprehend clearly the change of movement in details for an already pretty fast speed in mind-moment? Suddenly, an idea of a Jhana factor for One-Pointed Concentration popped up in the mind by focusing the object in a single tiny area as a close up. And from the personal experience, any change of the movement falling in this close-up, focused point shall be slow down in the speed, plus a few folds in the magnification of the change by the concentration power. Consequently, a layer of deeper subtle phenomena will become clear and evident by a sharp awareness or a continuous mindfulness. Once apply the technique, a complete different picture shows up in the screen starting with stagnant particles in its color and the sizes exactly like the sand in the Hour Glass. Followed by the particles in the middle section become a flashing of light stars and in a motion just like a turbulent river flush thru a delta of ocean shore! In the interview, the teacher encouraged by advising that " continue to look after the flashing of particles by the change of movement." In reality, the flashing of particles in arising and disappearing moment to moment manifests the true nature of mental phenomena, the "Impermanence of Citta". The observed lights and forms beforehand all come from a combination of the change of particles flashing in movement. One's perception into forms or lights all depends upon a person's imputation in thoughts, concepts and impressions. Direct insight knowledge into the reality or the true nature of the object is a personal experience in a sense beyond the concept without deduction, thinking, and reasoning. In 《Albhidhamma》, the life span of a Citta is termed a mind-moment, in the time that it takes for lightening to flash or the eye to blink. In turn, each mind-moment consists of three sub-moments; arising, presence, and dissolution. Within the duration of a mind-moment, a Citta arises, perform its momentary function, and then dissolves, conditioning the next Citta in immediate succession. Thus, through the sequence of mind-moments, the flow of consciousness continues uninterrupted like the water in a stream. 【CONCLUSION】 As yogis practice Vipassana meditation under the instruction of a qualified teacher, they become able to perceive different truths about reality not accessible to ordinary consciousness. These meditative insights tend to occur in a specific order successively deepening along with the concentration and purity of mind that result from proper meditation practice. But be careful; if you are practicing meditation, don't think about progress! "Purification of View", the third in a path of the Seven-Purification, is termed as the first insight knowledge (Panna) in a practice of Vipassana. Namely, the correct seeing a process of mental and physical phenomena incurs in an incessant arising and dissolving, moment to moment, in a pair, but at different locations and timing. Over and above mere mentality and materiality, there is nothing else that is a being or a person. "Purification of Overcoming Doubt", the forth in a path of the Seven-Purification, is also called as the 2nd Panna, insight into Cause and Effect (Conditionality), a direct apprehension of the causal inter-relationship between mind and matter. Subsequent to a mental intention, a series of physical sensations arise and one has a sudden intuition of the causal relationship. There is no doer and a beneficiary neither, apart from the inter-relationship of mind and matter. See that there is only a natural law of a continuous chain of Causes and Effects only. In addition to the universal law of conditionality, a second meaning of the interrelationship between mind and matter is rarely understood as a series of mental purification followed by a physical purification. A direct insight experience associated with a corresponding mental state in an intensive retreat will be carried over to a daily life. The transpiration into a daily life is expounded in a deeper and broader sense of a general noting in clear comprehension. The stability of Dhamma in the mind in term of "Natural Law of Conditionality" is directly unified with the daily life in reflection without any hesitation. The benefits of practice of Dhamma to take care daily defilement become real instead of a teaching of Dhamma used wrongfully for argument. Thus, no more doubts in that Dhamma is a way of life. In summary, the following three methods in the practice of Dhamma are different in words but one in meaning to the cessation of suffering: 1) Three Training in Sila, Concentration, and Wisdom, 2) Seven-Purification, 3) 16-Pannas in Vipassana meditation. Once you are on the path of insight practice, the only way to go is to reach Nibbana eventually. There is no sidetrack on the way, no matter what. The writer intent to encourage practicing and practicing to the Buddhist disciples by quoting an opening remark from the introduction verse in VM: When a wise man, established well in Virtue. Develops Consciousness (Serenity) and Understanding (Insight). Then as a *bihkkhu ardent and sagacious. He succeeds in disentangling this tangle (defilement). *A bihhkkhu is the one who sees fear in the round of rebirths (Samsara).
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