Post # 75 – Developing World Transcending Wisdom in the Path to Nibbana- A guided meditation Practice - Part 2

This is a continuation of the Step by Step meditation practice described in Post # 74

Step 6

In order to develop the world transcending Right View of the Path, we need to review right view under six aspects directed at Nibbana as taught in the Dhamma.  We therefore continue this review as follows.

In respect of the first of the six aspects - Kammassakata Sammaditthi (way of seeing Kamma and their retribution in relation to Nibbana)-  we review what is taught in the Dhamma that “All acts committed by us with will, understanding and mindfulness are accumulated as Kamma. This accumulation is done by thought, word and deed. The ethical quality of the volition, segregates them as wholesome or unwholesome, thus shaping our re-becoming. This re-becoming determines our samsaric (cycle of re-birth) process.  By right understanding and engaging in the relevant Dhamma practice to develop the four steps in the path and their fruition to enlightenment/Nibbana (marga pala),- that is engaging in the right kamma - the effects of the accumulated kamma can be mitigated thus shortening the samsaric process”- thus the right understanding of Kamma with Nibbana as the focus is developed by us.

The next aspect for review is - Diyana Samma Ditthi (way of developing a concentrated mind for realizing Nibbana)- We review what is taught in the Dhamma that-  “Advancing in serenity meditation to achieve higher levels of one-pointed and absorbed mind is the basis for developing a mind capable of realizing Nibbana. That is to reach mind states of high concentration and absorption in an object of attention. This state is called a jahana in the Pali language. These initial jahanas are four in number. They are associated with corresponding jahana factors. The jahana factors, five in number act in a way to suppress the five hindrances (pancha neewarana) that inhibit our realization of enlightenment. This absorbed and concentrated mind thus developed, is referred to as the initial stage of right concentration in the Noble Eight-fold Path.  Such a developed mind is capable of achieving wisdom. Then by coming out of these jahanas with the concentrated mind thus gained, we engage in insight meditation, first to develop the wisdom to experience the universal truths of impermanence, non-self and unsatisfactory-ness of all aggregates and faculties thus abandoning any attachment or craving for them and then the four path knowledges and fruition knowledges thus destroying the ten  fetters or bonds that tie us down to the samsaric cycle thereby leading to the state of Nibbana”. This is the right understanding of a concentrated mind (diyana samma ditthi) with Nibbana as the focus.

In the third aspect for review -Vidarshana Samma Ditthi (seeing Nibbana through insight knowledge) - we engage in insight meditation to develop wisdom (yatha bhutha nanna; along with discrimination between name and form- nama rupa parichaja nanna; discrimination of formative elements -datu manasikara nanna; realizing the nature of arise and cease of formations - udaya vaya nanna), to see the true nature of all phenomena. That is their impermanence, un-satisfactory nature and nature of non-self - the universal truths. With this wisdom, the attachments to worldly phenomena and views hitherto held of a self, speculative doubt about the noble triple gem, and engaging in mythical rites and rituals (sakkaya ditthi, vicchikichcha, and seelabbatha paramasa) fade away. We thus experience the initial condition for developing the world transcending wisdom (vidya vimukkthi nanna dharshana) for realizing Nibbana.

Under the fourth aspect for review - Chatu Sathya Samma Ditthi (deeper understanding about the four noble truths with Nibbana as the focus) – we contemplate on the four Noble Truths which are- the truth of suffering (unsatisfactory nature of existence elaborated under the 3 sub themes of -it is indeed the truth and reality -sathya nanna : therefore has to be understood  in detail and how it's to be done - kruthya nanana - that understanding has been achieved-kruthak nanna); the truth of the cause of suffering (it's the desire and craving for an existence as the truth - sathya nanna, and therefore has to be eliminated and how to get about it kruthya nanna - that desire and craving has been eliminated -kruthak nanna  ; the truth of the end of suffering -the realization of Nibbana as the reality and truth -sathya nanna; Nibbana has to be attained and realized  and how it is to be done as-kruthya nanna; realization of Nibbana has been achieved -kruthak nanna ;  and the truth about the path leading to the end of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path and is indeed the truth and reality -sathya nanna -; this path has to be followed and experienced and how it is to be done - kruthya nanna -; following this path and it's qualitative aspects has been experienced- kruthak nanna. Thereby the four noble truths have been experienced under the three sub themes and twelve ways directed towards Nibbana.    . Each one signifies the understanding of the truth about life, the reasons behind those truths, the possibility of change and the way of life that can lead to freedom from suffering, ie. Nibbana.

In the next aspect for review -Marga Samma Ditthi (deeper understanding about the steps in the path to enlightenment/Nibbana), we review what is taught in the Dhamma about the Path Knowledge (Magga-Nana) of the Stream Entry Path. This we realize is the first supra mundane vippassana knowledge which takes Nibbana as the object. We also realize that while mundane vippassana knowledge only suppresses the defilements, Path Knowledge destroys the defilements stage by stage. We see then that the Stream Entry path knowledge destroys three defilements, the Once Returner path knowledge weakens two defilements, the Non Returner path knowledge destroys these two defilements and Arahant path knowledge destroys all remaining defilements to realize Nibbana. We then realize that the path knowledge of right view has been fulfilled with spiritual attainments.

The last aspect for review is - Pala Samma Ditthi (deeper understanding about the fruition in the path to enlightenment/ Nibbana) – Under this part we contemplate on the Dhamma teaching that Fruition Knowledge (Pala Nana) is the result of the path knowledge, and follows in the next mind moment. It is also supra mundane with Nibbana as object. We realize that in the process of attaining fruition knowledge, the first stage is either the Sadda-nu-sari (one driven by the trust in the Noble Triple Gem) or Dhamma-nu-sari (one driven by the inspiration of understanding the true Dhamma). We then see the four spiritual stages in which the ten fetters that tie us to the samsaric existence are gradually eradicated. We then consolidate in our minds that a person in the first stage is a stream-winner or sotapanna, who has eradicated the fetters, personality view, sceptical doubt and attachment to mere rites and rituals, and that  a person in the second stage is a sakadagami or once-returner, who has weakened the fetters sensual desire and ill will, and those in the third stage are anagamis, or non-returners,  who have completely eradicated sensual desire and ill will, and those in the fourth stage are Arahants or Enlightened Ones, who have eradicated craving for fine material existence, craving for immaterial existence, conceit, restlessness of mind and eradicating last of all, ignorance, because all these fetters are rooted in ignorance. We then know that in a final stage, ignorance can be overcome by realizing the Four Noble Truths through right view. 

As said before we then reflect on the fact that this is an initial foundation for the development of these factors. We realize that we have to attempt to build on this platform, and achieve higher levels of skill related to them, by learning more about them from listening to Dhamma etc.

Step 7

We then realize that by engaging in this practice for developing the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path, with the factors of the Seela part developing along with Samma Wayama and Samma Sankappa and that part of Right View, we have properly conditioned our minds to engage in serenity meditation for attaining Samma Samadhi (right concentration). We then review what Dhamma says about the concentration that develops through samatha bahawana, to reach a state referred to as Upachara Samadhi (access concentration). Moving ahead in this meditation we attain and experience the next higher level - the first material jhana or a high state of concentrated and absorbed mind. We then contemplate on what Dhamma teaches regarding this first material jhana. We begin to see that this concentrated and absorbed mind is characterized by five jhana factors or factors of absorption.  We experience them as, initial application- Vittakka (applying the factors of the mind again and again to the subject), sustained application- Vichara (keeping the mind anchored on the subject or keep the mind examining the subject), happiness (Peethi), rapture (Sukha), and collected and one pointed mind (Ekkaggatha).

We then contemplate on what Dhamma teaches that a practitioner achieving access concentration or any other level of higher jhana, and first establishing the five jhana factors of  Vittakka, Vichara, Peethi, Sukha, and Ekkaggatha,  will have the five hindrances that inhibit our realisation of nibbana, suppressed in the mind. We also see that such a mind is suitably collected and concentrated, to proceed to insight meditation for achieving Yatha Bhutha Nanaya, the wisdom of seeing the true nature of things. We then realise that, this is achieving the Samma Samadhi or right concentration. We also review that the Buddha attained this state in the first watch of the night in his quest for enlightenment. 

As I have to limit the contents of each Post to facilitate easy reading, I will stop the descriptions here. We will see the continuation in Post # 76