Post # 71 – Developing World Transcending Wisdom in the Path to Nibbana- Part 3

You need to read Post # 66 and Post #67, before reading this.

This is the third instalment of the collection for building up a supporting backdrop to engage in this meditation practice

In Post # 17, Post #18, Post # 19 & Post # 20 we discussed how we develop the factors in the Noble Eightfold Path. The eight factors so developed complementing each other gave us an ability to comprehend fully the true nature of our present moment experiences.

The factors of the seela (moral restraint) part, the panna ( wisdom) part, and samma wayama (right effort) factor of the samadhi (concentration) part, of the Noble Eightfold Path thus developed, has organised the mind with the right background and right focus to engage in developing right concentration (samma samadhi) as advocated in Theravada Buddhism. This background forms the spring board for engaging in serenity meditation for gaining right concentration (samma samadhi), the next factor in the path.

It is only a mind established in serenity that can easily concentrate on a subject of meditation. The calm and concentrated mind sees things as they really are. The unified mind brings the five hindrances (pañca nīvaraṇāni) under subjugation. The hindrances are kāmac-chanda (sensual desires), vyāpāda (ill will),  thīna-middha (obduracy of mind and mental factors),  uddhacca-kukkucca (restlessness and worry), and  vicikicchā (doubt).

 A meditator who attains jhānas (a deep absorbed mind on a meditation object), inhibits all five hindrances. Then by the power of samādhi- concentrative thought- thus won, he turns his mind to the understanding of reality through insight (vipassanā ). That is to see things as they truly are- viz. impermanence, sorrow and no permanent soul. It is through insight that the meditator eradicates the latent corruptions (anusaya kilesa), and attains perfect purity.  

 Ven. Piyadassi Thera in his book titled ‘The Seven Factors of Enlightenment (Satta Bojjhaṅga) (Post# 43) says that Kāmac-chanda (sensual desire) - the thirst for possessions and satisfaction of desires- is the thirst that binds man to saṃsāra (the repeated wandering). The learned Monk then goes on to say that (Post # 48) – “According to the discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta) where there is the delightful and the pleasurable, there this craving arises and takes root. When forms, sounds, smells, tastes, bodily contacts and ideas are delightful and pleasurable; there this craving arises and takes root. Craving when obstructed by some cause is transformed to frustration and wrath. From craving arises grief, from craving arises fear. To one who is free from craving, there is no grief, no fear”.

 Forms, sounds, smells, tastes, bodily contacts and ideas are based on what we see, hear and feel etc. When we experience them with awareness, mindfulness and clear comprehension from practicing Samma Sati as discussed in Post# 18 and Post # 25 we are able to see their true nature and how they lead us to develop intensions, feelings and emotions. Our tendency is to give vent to these feelings and emotions by an action through thought, word or deed. These actions then manifest as life experiences      - sankaras- resulting in the creation of Bhava (re-becoming conditions) eventually leading to the arising of the re-linking consciousness and a new birth.

When these feelings and emotions are conditioned by craving (loba), aversion (dosa) and ignorance (moha), the bhava formation is more weighted to them and the resulting birth will be in an unhappy realm. The first objective is to avoid such a birth. On the other hand when these feelings and emotions are conditioned by the opposites -aloba (dispassion), adosa (compassion) and amoha (wisdom) - the bhava formation is more weighted to them and the resulting birth will be in a happy realm.  In both cases the samsaric journey gets well established. Our endeavour should be to avoid the samsaric journey altogether. Therefore towards this objective we cultivate right mindfulness (samma sati) here and now to avoid the bhava forming life experiences. When we learn to experience life with awareness, mindfulness and clear comprehension from practicing systematic reflection (yoniso manasikāra) and Samma Sati, we can exercise some control over this process.  

Ven Piyadassi Thero in his book also explains that systematic reflection (yoniso manasikāra) comes naturally through right mindfulness (samma sati), and it urges one to discriminate, to reason and investigate the nature of things. A mind that cannot act with awareness, mindfulness and clear comprehension is unsteady, difficult to hold back and wanders at will. It is systematic reflection (yoniso manasikāra) that helps the aspirant for enlightenment to subdue the fickle mind.  

We saw that while developing the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path culminating in developing Samma Sathi, how we may control bhava forming sankaras. Thus we are engaging in a practice to limit the future samsaric journey. While developing the skills to practice systematic reflection (yoniso manasikāra) through right mindfulness, this achievement was gradually gained. However by developing Samma Sathi to control the new bhava formation from now on, we find that there are, still existing, sankara that we have previously accumulated in our mind throughout our long samsaric journey. This is an enormous collection of sankaras which dwelling in our mind arises regularly when we are not mindful to cause bhave formation and in turn the continuation of the samsaric process. Although we can contain the new bhawa forming sankaras by practicing samma sathi, the accumulations from the past rise up when we are not mindful and influence new bhawa formations continuing the samsaric process. Dhamma explains that it is the attachment, craving and grasping we have cultivated in the past through ignorance resulting in this collection of Sankaras, as the cause that influences the arising of our new thoughts and intent, culminating in the continuation of the samsaric process.

We have to therefore discuss a meditation practice that is practicable for a busy lay Buddhist householder to overcome this hindrance. The unique opportunity that we now have is the access to Buddha-Dhamma discovered by the Buddha. He on our behalf went into a deep and extensive investigation of the phenomena in this world, to understand their true nature. He then sieved out what of them is relevant for a mundane 'being' to gain release from this unsatisfactory samsara and taught it as Buddha-Dhamma. Therefore, to benefit from this noble effort of the Buddha, we only have to limit our investigation and test out only what is explained in Buddha-Dhamma.

As I have to limit the contents of each Post to facilitate easy reading, I will stop the descriptions here. Please await the next Post # 72 for a continuation of the descriptions.