What Goes from One Life to Another?

In the discussion of rebirth, most who believe in it seem to consider it as reincarnation of an entity, or a person. They believe that a person is born again as a human or an animal in another realm, which is contrary to the Buddhist teachings. Buddhist term for rebirth is punarbhava (in Pali) meaning again existence.

Teachings reject the reference to the corporeal as a person rather than a Name-Matter composition. It is said that the neither the Name-Matter composition nor any part of it, i.e. name or matter, passes from one existence to the other.

This phenomenon is best explained through the dependant origination doctrine which is the core of Buddhist teachings, i.e. due to ignorance kamma formation takes place which conditions consciousness or knowing. Consciousness in turn conditions the Name-Matter composition to create sense bases which enable re-cognition or arising of re-link consciousness, generating new contact. This occurs momentarily in our life where both name & matter ceases after every sense experience but stationing of consciousness continue to get conditioned (due to ignorance) to re-activate the body, preparing for further cognition through any of the sense bases. This continues in a cycle conditioning contact & resulting sensations that cause craving & clinging leading to becoming & rebirth and hence suffering (decay, death, grief, despair, lamentation etc.). 

At death when the consciousness cannot arise again in the dying body, it emerges within another body forming a new Name-Matter composition, along with sense bases enabling the continuation of the cycle.

If either of the Name-Matter composition, Name or Matter, or both pass from one existence to another, we cannot liberate says Ven. Sudassana Thero. 

The Venerable refers to the analogy of lighting a candle from another to explain this. We can use a flame of a burning candle to light up another candle. One may tend to believe that a part of the flame moves from one candle to the other to create the new flame. However, it has been established that as the flame of the 1^st candle is brought in contact with the wick of the 2^nd candle, the latter’s coefficient of heat is raised to its burning point and thus it catches fire. A new flame is borne, however, nothing moved from the one candle (or its flame) to the next one. Similarly nothing moves from one existence to another but an existence (a Name-Matter composition) creates conditions for the birth of a new existence.

The Great Six Sense-media Discourse: Maha-salayatanika Sutra

On one occasion when the Blessed One was staying at Anathapindika's Monastery, in Jeta's Grove near Savatthi, he taught the Great Six Sense-media Discourse to the monks.

The Buddha preached , If one does not know and does not see (ajanam apassam) , the eye, the visible form , eye consciousness , eye contact & the  resultant sensations; pleasant , unpleasant ,neither pleasant or unpleasant, as they are (Yatha Butan); he or she becomes obsessed by being attached to the eye, the visible form , eye consciousness , eye contact & the resultant sensations; pleasant , unpleasant ,neither pleasant or unpleasant and thus take delight on those.

When one takes delight in these, the Buddha has stressed, he or she becomes engrossed, bonded & perplexed.  Therefore, the person is said to be preoccupied with only the pleasures (aswada) the above bring about and not the drawbacks or evils that accompany them. The Buddha raises an important point here, i.e. though one could contemplate on the nature of impermanence, suffering & selflessness of these dhammas and comprehend that they are subjected to continuous transformation, as long as he does not see them as they really are, he or she cannot be free from being engrossed, bonded & perplexed.

As the person continues to be attached to the eye, the visible form, eye consciousness, eye contact and so on, relishing them, he or she will crave & cling to them more and more resulting in further accumulation of the five clinging aggregates. In other words, the person will continue to accumulate suffering[1], i.e. birth, decay & death, as craving & clinging grows in him. This is the craving the Tathagata referred to as the one (desire) that grows within a person which causes becoming with passion & delight, relishing at any given state, here or there. By accumulating the clinging aggregates one is able to remember things & persons as those that exist. In addition he or she develops the erroneous notion that things are wholesome, permanent, pleasant & with self. However, as said above, the sutra further states that by reflecting upon the, unwholesomeness, impermanence, unsatisfactoriness & non-self of the said dhamma becomes mere words and thoughts and does not help as long as the person is deluded.

As a consequence of being obsessed with pleasures as noted above, it is further said that the person becomes disturbed and aggressive both physically and mentally. In addition, the person’s bodily torments and mental torments begin to grow & therefore he or she continues to suffer mentally & physically.

For instance, say a person finds a precious stone, a diamond; as soon as he sees the value of it he will develop craving & will do whatever he can to protect the stone. He will hide it in the most secure place in his house and may even carry a gun to protect it from burglars. He will not get proper sleep in the night thinking about the valuable stone and its security. The person's behaviour and character will change drastically ending up in suffering both physically & mentally.

If one suffers through the mind and body in this way, it is evidence for the accumulation of the five clinging aggregates and growth of craving. In other words it is evidence for the presence of both suffering and cause for suffering.

The Buddha goes on to explain this dhamma with reference to the ear as well,  if one does not know and does not see , the ear, sound (audible form) , ear consciousness , ear contact & the resultant sensations, pleasant , unpleasant ,neither pleasant or unpleasant, as they are; he or she becomes obsessed with the ear, the sound , ear consciousness , ear contact & the resultant sensations, pleasant , unpleasant ,neither pleasant or unpleasant and thus take delight on those.

When the person takes delight in these, he or she becomes engrossed, bonded & perplexed.  Therefor he or she is said to be preoccupied with only the pleasures (aswada), but not the drawbacks or the evils that they bring about and hence clings to them causing further accumulation of five clinging aggregates.

As a result the person becomes disturbed and aggressive, both physically and mentally. His or her bodily torments and mental torments begin to grow & therefore he or she continues to suffer mentally & physically. This is proof for the accumulation of the five clinging aggregates and growth of craving within the persons mind.

The Buddha has explained this dhamma in reference to the other senses as well, where one becomes engrossed, bonded & perplexed by not knowing or seeing the senses, objects & so on, causing accumulation of the five clinging aggregates with growth of craving or in other words suffering, i.e birth, decay & death.

Let’s see how one could reverse this, how can one live without accumulating the five aggregates but by discarding them?  Tathagata clarifies that, the one who does know and see (janam, passam), the eye, the visible form, eye consciousness & so on, as they are (Yatha Butan), will not be attached to & thus will not be obsessed with them and therefore does not take delight in the same.  When the person doesn’t take delight in them, he or she will not become engrossed, bonded or perplexed.

Such person continues to live being aware of the drawbacks or evils (Adeenawa) of those dhamma. In the earlier instance when one didn’t know or see, the five clinging aggregates got accumulated, now they get dissipated. In addition, the person relinquish the craving that grew within him, which caused becoming with passion & delight, relishing at any given state, here & there. When the five clinging aggregates fade away, what is seen is not left behind, as one sees that the sense (visual) experience ends with the ending of eye contact.

He or she would not return to see things that exist but will be aware that they can be created and experienced when and where necessary. There is a difference between going back to see things that one tend to think as those that exist out there, as against going back to create and experience again. In the first instance he or she goes back without being aware of the reality and thus due to delusion forms greed or aversion. In the other instance one goes back being fully aware, with wisdom, that the person can create and experience as he or she wishes. For instance one can look into a mirror to see his or her image, being aware that it is an image that does not exist but one that appears only when the person looks into the mirror. Therefore one does not leave things in the external as the craving is uprooted.

As a consequence, it is further said, one becomes calm and soft both physically and mentally. The person’s bodily torments and mental torments disappear and he or she is happy and content, both mentally & physically. Free from suffering and cause for suffering, the person reaches the state where he or she enjoys bliss. The Buddha went on to explain this dhamma in terms of all remaining senses, i.e. ear, nose, tongue, body etc. as well.

If we may go back to the earlier example, the person who found the precious stone visits a dealer and shows him the stone expecting a good price. The dealer checks it carefully and rejects it straightaway as a fake with no value. The man not convinced goes to another dealer and gets the same response. All hopes & expectations the man had suddenly falls apart and hence his attachment to the fake stone. Being disillusioned & detached he becomes free from worry and stress thus regains his composure.

The one who gains the vision (Yatha Butha Nana) as discussed is said to be having the Right View. The person’s contemplation focused on such vision is the Right Contemplation. The effort to achieve such vision is the Right Effort. The mindfulness aimed at the above is the Right Mindfulness and the concentration that contributes to it is the Right Concentration.

Being a virtuous person, his (or her) speech, action and the livelihood are already purified and such person is said to have embarked on the Noble Eight Fold Path.  

“Thus for him, having thus developed the noble eightfold path, the four frames of reference go to the culmination of their development. The four right exertions... the four bases of power... the five faculties... the five strengths... the seven factors for Awakening go to the culmination of their development. [And] for him these two qualities occur in tandem: tranquillity and insight.”[2]

The person clearly comprehends the five clinging aggregates (suffering) and the cause for it which he or she now discards along with ignorance. Avidya translated as ignorance has the literal meaning of ‘Nescience’, and thus Vidya is the ‘Science’ which the Buddha has comprehended (Yathabutha Nana) at his Enlightenment, i.e the wisdom that was unheard of before.

The sutra goes on to say,

"He comprehends through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be comprehended through direct knowledge, abandons through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be abandoned through direct knowledge, develops through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be developed through direct knowledge, and realizes through direct knowledge whatever qualities are to be realized through direct knowledge.”

The knowledge to be gained is the knowledge of the Five Clinging aggregates, i.e. suffering. What need to be abandoned are the ignorance, craving & existence. What one has to develop is tranquillity & insight meditation, realisation should be the science and liberation. In other words one has to see & know suffering as it really is and abandon craving to realise cessation.

What we encounter & interact in our day to day life is the form (visible, audible etc.)  not the eye, eye consciousness, contact or the resultant sensations. The Buddha’s words, when one does not know & do not see, in effect refers to the form which we do not see as they really are. This applies to all forms whether its visible, audible etc.

Now let’s explore how we could know & see form as it is (janan passan)?

Ven Mankadawala Sudassana Thero refers to the example of the reflection on water, which we can’t smell taste or touch, but only a visible form. It’s merely an image that can’t bring luck or bad luck to you.

Similarly, says the Thero, we can’t touch the visual object which associates the Four Great Elements, if we attempt to touch we will only feel the Four Great Elements. When we gain the realisation of this phenomena, we do not get attached to a visual object and will not find delight in it. We will not find value in it but will see  as a void, therefore, the Buddha has said “in the seen will be what is merely seen’ (Bhahiya Sutra).

Within our existence we can touch an object that we see, we can even smell and feel, as we do not see the object as it really is. As we don’t see objects as they really are we find gold, silver, sons , daughters etc. which we grasp in terms of the pleasures they bring in. With the accumulation of the five clinging aggregates we keep growing our desire (craving) that make us to go in search of things & persons over and over again, leading to rebirth (punarbhava).

To overcome this unsatisfactoriness one needs to know & see things as they really are (janan passan yathabutan) i.e. He or she needs to develop his /her ability to see form as it is. Thereby, the person can begin to live experiencing the drawbacks or evils of form, the eye, eye consciousness, eye contact & corresponding sensations so he or she wouldn’t accumulate the five clinging aggregates any more, in other words, does not leave behind what the person saw, heard etc. This is the state where one sees & realises ‘being non-existent things arise due to causes and cease when the causes cease to exist’ (Yatha Bhutha Nana).

One cannot see the said reality of form due to hindrances & thus needs to restrain senses adopting a tranquillity meditation technique to calm the mind. Stillness of the mind develops concentration required for insight meditation and thus the person begins to see things as they really are. One needs to use both, tranquillity & Insight meditation techniques concurrently in this manner until the ultimate goal is achieved.

---

[1] The Buddha referred to the five clinging aggregates as suffering

[2] "Maha-salayatanika Sutta: The Great Six Sense-media Discourse" (MN 149), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013

Knowing the Four Noble Truths

The worldly beings know what ‘suffering’ is,  i.e. birth, decay, sickness, death, sorrow lamentation, grief, despair, being conjoined with things one dislikes, separation from things that on likes, not getting what one wants etc., as preached by the Buddha. However, they tend to look at it from the perspective of a ‘self’ or in other words as experiences that an individual undergoes as an entity or a person. They further believe that the cause for suffering is lack of wealth & possessions such as a house, a motor car and relationships such as mother father, son, daughter, partner etc. keeping with the common understanding of the world. As a consequence, they consider that access to material comforts such as wealth, a house, a motor car & relationships etc. helps one to be free from suffering and be happy. With such an understanding their minds become preoccupied with thoughts that relate to acquiring wealth & possessions and fostering relationships. With regard to the latter they take necessary care to ensure well being of the father, mother, children and partner because they will be saddened and undergo mental agony if any of such close relatives become seriously ill or meet with misadventure. Their intentions to gain happiness in that manner are driven by individual desire or craving.  
In terms of Buddhist teachings thoughts of worldly beings are considered to be unwholesome and are gripped with sense-desires (Kama), ill will (vyapada) & cruelty (himsa).

It can also be said that their interactions through speech & bodily action are often focused on ways and means of acquiring and maintaining wealth, possessions & kin, which are also considered as unwholesome, for e.g., they have no hesitation in using harsh words or to lie, steal,harm or even kill someone to fulfill their needs. They make their livelihoods consistent with such unwholesome behavioral patterns aided by necessary effort, mindfulness & concentration that are complimentary. “In effect the life of a worldly being can be considered as an existence of a group of eight unwholesome parts”, says Venerable Sudassana.(i.e. micca ditti, micca sankappa, micca vaca, micca kammantha , micca ajeeva, micca wayama, micca sati & micca samadhi)

The Venerable adds, “The things that the worldly beings wish to embrace or gather in order to be free from suffering and to be happy are essentially the ones that bring them suffering, given that they all are subjected to decay, destruction & death.”

On the contrary to the worldly belief the Buddha preached that the suffering he referred to, i.e. birth, decay, sickness, death etc, are not to be mistaken as experiences an individual undergoes as an entity or a person, but as phenomena that the aggregates (skandas) are subjected to. Hence, he summed up his preaching on suffering by revealing  to the world that ” in short the five clinging aggregates are suffering”. Thereby he emphasised that the objects seen, heard, smelled, tasted & so on (form or Rupa) and associated emotions that are pleasant ,unpleasant or neutral, perceptions and formations, (name or Nama) as ‘suffering’.

This alludes that the worldly belief is contradictory to the Buddhist teachings being the exact opposite to the latter. The reality is that the more one gathers & attracts to things of pleasure, the further he or she distances from happiness, as opposed to the becoming happier.

In this context worldly beings are said to be ignorant or having no knowledge of what suffering is and the cause for it as well as what cessation is or the path to cessation. (Dukhe agnanan, Dukkha Samudaye agnanan, Dukkha Nirodhaye Agnanan, Dukkha Nirodha Gamini Patipada Agnanan)

Having recognised what suffering is, the Enlightened One identified the cause for it as craving which he has said operates at two levels. Rebirth occurs through relink consciousness that arises due to ‘existential root craving’ known in the commentary as Vatta Mulika Tanha. This is said to be three fold, i.e. craving for pleasures, craving to be and craving not to be. The second form or the level of craving occurs in the present existence as craving on from i.e , visual form , sound , smell , taste and touch which fall under ‘behavioral craving’ (Samudacara Tanha). 

He noted that cessation of craving eradicates suffering and the one who becomes free from ‘behavioral craving’ discards defilements and attain emancipation with a remainder of aggregates. This is known as Sopadhishesha Nibbana in teachings. Eventually the final extinction (Anupadhishesha Nibbana) occurs with the removal of ‘existential root craving’ so that there won’t be any further becoming.

However, the Tathagata did not preach a direct intervention to remove craving. He observed that desires or craving develops due to the way the worldly beings live & hence proposed that people should change the way they live. In that context The Blessed One proclaimed the Noble Eight Fold Path which essentially urges for a paradigm shift that he noted as inevitable for liberation. He stressed that the Right View (knowing things as they really are),is paramount in changing the way we think, speak and act as it makes one to disenchant and thus detach from clinging aggregates paving the way for liberation. In other words by gaining the Right View,  our thoughts will become wholesome, built upon non-desire (nekkhamma) , good-will(avyapada) & harmlessness (ahimsa) resulting in speech and action that are wholesome. Furthermore, our livelihoods are expected to become wholesome aided by efforts, mindfulness & concentration that are complimentary.

As a consequence, we will be associating the eight parts described in the Noble Eight Fold Path having gained the knowledge of what suffering is and the cause for it as well as what cessation is & the path to cessation. (Dukhe nanan, Dukkha samudaye nanan, Dukkha nirodhaye nanan, Dukkha nirodha gamini patipada nanan). The one treading on the path reaches beyond the worldly existences (become lokottara) and therefore his or her life is considered as an existence of a group of eight wholesome parts, samma ditti, samma sankappa, samma vaca, samma, kammanta, samma, ajeeva, samma wayama, samma sati & samma samadhi.

Can We Let Go?

In his first sermon the Buddha revealed to the world about suffering (Dukkha) as the first of the Four Noble Truths & identified craving (Tanha) as the cause for suffering, the second Noble Truth. He further preached that suffering ceases when craving ends which is the Third Noble Truth. These three Truths are considered as phenomena which take place naturally. On that account, when the Tathagata declared the path to end suffering as the Fourth Noble Truth, he did not preach to simply end craving to achieve cessation of suffering but declared a path as a truth by itself. The Noble Eight Fold Path helps the practitioner to discard craving and cease suffering.

Any direct effort to restrain craving is considered as an attempt through ‘self’ which is contrary to Buddhist teachings and thus it is expected to take place spontaneously when necessary conditions are fulfilled. In this context the widely accepted idioms, linked to Buddhist teachings in some instances, such as ‘let go’ or ‘detach’ to achieve emancipation (by ceasing suffering) are not plausible as an intervention of a doer becomes apparent. Spontaneous release on the other hand does not involve a doer and is considered to be a natural occurrence which corresponds to the arising of suffering, its cause & its cessation.  

The teachings elucidate that the Right View provides insight to suffering enabling one to abandon craving & accomplish cessation, as one peruses the Noble Eightfold Path. The path involves practice at two levels, firstly, the preliminary practice (purvabhaga prathipada) which focuses on fostering the path and removing hindrances. When the hindrances fade away the practitioner moves to the next level gaining the Right View at supermundane state where he or she sees things as they really are, with ultimate concentration (Anantharika Samadhi).

Complete eradication of fermentations (Asrava) is only achieved in this latter state of meditation by removal of latent tendencies (Anusaya), and hence is beyond the comprehension of a worldly being. Within the world where one associates things of pleasure such as gold, silver, car, house etc. and attachments, such as farther, mother, son daughter etc., craving prevails.

However, it isn’t, by any means, a call to simply discard relationships & to neglect parents or children without due care. The principle has to be understood within the context, i.e. a state beyond the world (lokottara) where one embraces abundance of compassion, loving kindness, care & equilibrium, a Noble state that exceeds humanity. It advocates release from restricted bondages, moving beyond selfishness.

The preliminary practice aims to gain penetrative insight to see the body as a name-matter form rather than a ‘person’. The composition of the body is further analysed as a thing formed by the Four Great Elements and that there is no difference between the body and those formed by the Four Great Elements found externally. For instance, the property of hardness (patavi) in the body is noted as same as the hardness found in external objects. The only distinction is that the body, which is internal & formed of the Four Great Elements, associates the mind. The body is a manifestation of the mind while the two are interdependent. Nutriments for the body are edible foods while the mind is a product of ignorance, kamma & craving. Another technique is to observe the body as a composition of 32 parts, i.e. hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh & bones etc.

In order to develop the penetrative vision and to see as discussed above, the practitioner needs to calm the mind. A tranquility meditation technique such as mindfulness of breathing (Anapana Sathi) is beneficial in this regard. Continence of the speech and action is considered contributory and thus morality is a necessity.

The disciple should meditate until he or she reaches the final goal of abandoning the notion of an existence of an entity, a sentient or person, but just a body. The Name Matter formation should be clearly identified and moreover, that it is a phenomenon which is subject to causality. "One has to make an effort only up to this state until the hindrances are removed and leave the rest to take its own course, naturally", says Venerable Sudassana.

The mind that is free from hindrances will begin to experience pleasantness that will culminate to a state of joy or rapture & happiness followed by relaxation & tranquility that develops ultimate concentration. Such concentration unveils the reality of the phenomena with development of the Right View at the super mundane state, where one begins to see things as they are, gaining insights to the visible form. At this point the disciple realises that the visible form is a mere image created by the eye and not what exists externally (applies to other forms, e.g. audible, as well). Such realisation results in disgruntlement making the person to ‘let go’ of all ‘attachments’ enabling he or she to reach ultimate liberation.

Buddhist Meditation: Path to Enlightenment

We are attached to the world through Craving and Ignorance. It is said that craving is predominant in our noting as sentients or persons which is the cause for suffering. The objective in meditation is to separate Name and Matter from Name-Matter forms (of objects) that we erroneously grasp as persons due to defilements. Though one may be able to see name matter separately through contemplation, his defilements and fermentations prevent him from realising it as a fact. It requires extensive dedication and effort to remove the habits caused by fermentations and these can’t simply be removed but needs to be spent or wasted away.

To understand how we form defilements and how fermentations come into play, consider your foot being trampled by a rock, you will bear the pain and deal with it not worrying about the rock, however, if it was a person who trampled your leg you will react with anger instantly, finding fault with that person. If we see beyond form and refrain from grasping as person there won’t be any difference in reaction in both instances noted above.

Tathagata identified dhammas that have to be removed by seeing and those that has to be removed by meditation. In relation to ten fetters, the first three, Identity View, Doubt and Ritual Attachment which are considered as wrong views (Ditti) are to be removed by gaining the right view. The remaining fetters, Sensual Desires, Ill Will, Lust to Material Existence, Lust to Immaterial Existence, Restlessness, Conceit and Ignorance are noted as those which need to be removed through meditation.

Tranquillity (Samatha) meditation aims to supress objects and to subdue formation of aggregates and to remove fetters such as Sense Desires, Ill Will, Lust to Material and Immaterial Existences and to an extent, Conceit. Insight (Vidarshana or Vipassana) Meditation aims to purify mind from defilements totally, by removing remaining conceit and Ignorance.

Mind (sitha or citta) and mindfulness (sati) are two different things. One can be mindful while the mind can still wonder about. You may be engaging in some activity while the mind can drift away following many objects. These two states of mind are known as conscious and subconscious mind in the West.

Mindfulness or Satipatthana draws our attention to a fixed point on our face such as tip of the nose or lips and requires us to focus on that so that our attention is restrained from being distracted. It further requires us to adopt a technique such as mindfulness of breathing (Anapanasati), loving kindness, disposition of the body (Iriapatha) or foulness meditation (Asubha) which are different forms of tranquillity meditation techniques to restrain the (inner) mind from drifting away. Anapanasati helps to subdue contemplation directly while with the other techniques such as foulness meditation one subdues unwholesome contemplation by contemplating on another wholesome object.

Practicing in this manner one is expected to reach one-pointedness (ekaggata), an advanced state of the mind that restrains thoughts of greed, ill will and delusion.

The literal meaning of Satipatthana is fixing (or stationing) the mindfulness, and is integral to Satipatthana meditation. The purpose is to calm or tranquil the mind so that hindrances are subdued and concentration is developed. Stillness in the body and the mind can be related to stillness in water which enables one to see its depth.

Comparing Tranquillity to still and clear water, the state of Five Hindrances are explained in the commentary through the simile of a water body. It describes the effect of the five forms of hindrances to concentration in relation to different states of the water as follows.

Sense desire is related to coloured water, ill will to boiling water, slop and toper to mouldy water, restlessness to disturbed water and doubt to muddy water and so on. Clarity in water is not found in any of the above states and hence one can’t see its depth.

If the mind can be purified, it can see insights similar to the ability to see the depth in a clear and still water body. Tranquillity Meditation helps to calm and settle the mind by removing hindrances.

Different Tranquillity meditation techniques are recommended in accordance with the type of hindrance that is prevalent over the others, say for instance in terms of Sense Desires, one can practice Foulness Meditation, for Ill will, Loving Kindness and for Restlessness, Anapanasati and so on.

The practitioner of Tranquillity Meditation will experience symptoms such as relief from stress, lightness in body, and a feeling of emptiness as he advances in the process; however, it is not to be mistaken as deliverance of mind (ceto vimukti).

The purpose of Tranquillity Meditation is to tranquil the mind with the ultimate aim of achieving one-pointedness. It is noted as reaching a state of emptiness and hence deliverance, but is not considered as the absolute emancipation that one achieves by removing defilements but a state of dispassion (Raga viraga ceto vimukti).

When a practitioner notes that his lustful objects have diminished and he can remain calm for longer periods of time with no aggression, he would tend to believe that he has overcome defilements.

However, it is clarified that these are symptoms of one-pointedness but not due to achieving any of the four stages of enlightenment (marga pala).  It is said that the defilements are only suppressed in this instance which one may retain for long periods of time, even extending up to eons. However it is also said, that mental concentration achieved in this manner is not permanent and will fade away eventually, also it is said that one can lose such state of mental concentration at any moment if met with unfavourable conditions.

Insight meditation is entirely different. It is built upon the right view and aims to remove defilements totally. Once the hindrances are curtailed with Tranquillity Meditation, the ability to see things as they are improves  and one will begin to see differently to how a worldly being see.

The feeling of emptiness achieved through Insight meditation is called Avidya viraga panna vimukti where ignorance is removed and wisdom gained, by discarding defilements.

The Four foundations of Mindfulness (sathara satipattana) is the meditation which Buddha recommended as the practice that directs one towards the goal of final emancipation. The teachings outline how both the Tranquillity and Insight meditation has to be practiced alternatively in this regard. The former helps with gaining necessary concentration which is essential for insight meditation & Wise Attention (Yoniso Manasikara).

The four foundations preached by the Buddha are known as Contemplation on the Body, Contemplation on Sensations, Contemplation on Thoughts and Contemplation on Dhammas[1]. Practice of the former two states releases one from attachment to corporeal, being the matter part of the name matter composite. The latter two states address the Name component of the said composition.

Buddha has referred to two types of characters in terms of pursuing the four states of this meditation, firstly, the one with Craving character (Tanha Caritha) who begins with Contemplation on the Body and Contemplation on Sensations and secondly, the one having the character of View (Ditti Carita) who can pursue Contemplation on Thoughts and Contemplation on Dhammas directly. It is clarified that the one with Craving character has to work hard to release from his attachments in the sensual world hence has to seek release from body and sensations first, to be free from craving on form. The others with the character of View are usually free from bodily attachments and only need to seek release from Name (Nama), through Contemplation on Thoughts and Contemplation on Dhammas to remove ignorance.  Craving is said to be the cause for Matter and ignorance for Name.

The sutra begins with describing prerequisites such as appropriate environment and required conditioning to meditate, firstly, choosing a conducive and serene environment free from disruptions[2] . One should sit upright, cross legged and focus on the tip of the nose or lips and be aware of the breath whether it is inhalation or exhalation, a long breath or short breath and so on; however it is strictly advised, not to follow the breath but to be aware of it, though it has been interpreted that way by many teachers. The former helps to hold the mindfulness in place and the latter, having awareness of the breath, helps to prevent the (inner) mind from drifting away. If more attention is drawn to the breadth the mindfulness could get slipped away. It has been explained through an example of a carpenter working on a piece of timber. Here the carpenter focuses on a spot on the timber piece he has to plane while being fully aware of the movement of the planer, moving back and forth past that spot. He never takes his eyes off the spot but wouldn’t lose the awareness of the movements of the planer either.

The Sutra further says, ‘tame defilements to be free from thoughts of greed and ill will through mindfulness with clear comprehension’[3]. Once the mind is tranquil, Buddha instructs, one must concentrate on internal as well as external forms[4], analysing both, your own body and of the others, as a formation of aggregates or four elements and dependent on edible foods. The mind inhabits the body and makes it conscious while being responsible for its movements.

One needs to meditate in this manner for some time and switch to Ananpanasati again when he feels that concentration is sluggish. After few minutes of practice when he feels the concentration has improved, he should return to insight meditation and continue this process switching between the two techniques as long as the notion of ‘body is me’ fades away.

The Buddha has referred to the simile of a blacksmith forging a knife to explain the above process. The blacksmith first heats the piece of steel until it glows before he flattens it on the anvil, repeating the sequence over and over again, switching between heating and shaping , until he is satisfied with the final product, a knife. Here, the act of heating the steel to required temperature is compared to calming the mind through a tranquillity meditation technique, to required level of concentration, and shaping of the knife to insight meditation.

The practitioner should also concentrate on external forms in the same way, for e.g. when a thought comes to his mind about a friend or relative. It is said the more you practice in this manner your attachment to body fades away bringing a feeling of lightness and one may even feel like a floating feather.

The exercise of cultivating the mind through tranquillity technique is ably supported by Moral conduct (Sila) as it helps to restrain speech and action. Moral conduct helps concentration (Samadi) which in turn helps to see things as they are (Panna).

As the hindrances are completely removed it will bring about pleasantness that will culminate to a state of joy or rapture followed by relaxation & tranquillity developing ultimate concentration. (Bojjanga dharma)

One who is free from hindrances is compared to being cured from a deadly decease, freed from prison or to finding an oasis when stranded in the desert searching for water.

When one reaches such level of concentration he begins to see things as they really are, i.e., the arising and ceasing nature of conditioned phenomena. Reaching this state of the Right View will remove ignorance and he will be released from the notions of permanence and wholesomeness and hence will see nothing that he can grasp as me mine and myself. Being disillusioned he will gradually detach from things that he used to grasp and when detached no more craving and he is said to be free from suffering.

Furthermore, constant practice is highly recommended by the Buddha in our day to day activities as it helps with instant sighting of the true nature of objects, which is the arising ceasing nature by subduing the ability of defilements & fermentations taking control. The hindered mind can only see the state of arising and the cessation is concealed. What occurs here is that the mental consciousness fills in at the state of cessation and let us experiences continuity. While in the state of deep concentration this does not occur and hence one is able to see cessation.

It is to be noted that impermanence (in Noble) sense cannot be seen from a personality point of view. It’s something that arises as an insight. The vision is only perfected when the phenomenon of “being non-existent it arises due to conditions and ceases when the conditions cease to exist“, is realised through concentration. This cannot be beheld but needs to be sighted, it is said.

---

[1] Kayanupassana, Vedananupassana, cittanupassana and Dhammanupassana

[2] Aranna gatova, rukkha mula gatova, sunnagara gatova

[3] Atapi Sampajano, Vineyya loke abhijja domanassa

[4] Ajjattamva Bahiddava

LATENT TENDENCIES (ANUSAYA DHAMMA)

When an object impinges the eye, one will think about it (note it), contemplate on it and if supported by the presence of latent tendency (Anusaya), consciousness will station (or position) on the object. Even if the person does not think about the object or does not contemplate but latent tendency is present thus stationing of consciousness will take place, in other words whether the person make any response or not, stationing of consciousness occur if supported by latent tendency and as it does, it will grow & establish in Name Matter forming sense bases which is the origin of suffering. Six Sense bases conditions formation of craving & clinging on sensations arising from contact, leading to renewed becoming & eventual suffering. This takes place both in this life momentarily and in future existences as a continuum through re-link consciousness, hence, we are not free from suffering due to decay and death.

In Cetana Sutra, Buddha has preached that regardless of our responses in form of noting or contemplating (or not), stationing of consciousness takes place due to presence of latent tendency.

If we think about an object that we have seen, heard or smelt, that’s referred to as ceteti in the Sutra and if we think over and over again about the same it’s referred to as pakappeti[1]. For instance, when an object that is not seen before impinges the eye, it’s the former (ceteti) and our contemplation to know it by thinking over and over again is the latter (pakappeti), when we already know a thing that comes in front of our eye we recognise it straightaway and that is due to pakappeti. It can also be said that what we know as we ‘think’ (or note) is the former and what comes in to our mind (about what is seen, heard etc.) is the later.

How do we know that consciousness is stationed? The proof is we have a notion that things we have seen or heard exist even after we move away from the object. If we have thought and contemplated about an object we can recall that sense experience with descriptions, if we haven’t contemplated we still can remember the sense experience alone. Therefore the way we can make sure that consciousness has stationed in the object is our ability to recall that things we saw or heard exist out there. Our ability to know descriptions of the object provides further evidence that consciousness has stationed. What comes in front of the eye are mere shapes with colour yet when consciousness stations in them, we perceive them as gold, silver, car, house etc.

The consciousness that is stationed has information gathered through mind consciousness usually as things that exist so that we can go in search of those objects. Therefore, we can connect visual experience to an audible experience and vice-versa. For instance, a pleasant smell is tied to a jasmine flower or a briny taste to salt so that we can always go back in search of jasmine flower for a pleasant smell or salt crystals for the taste of salt. We develop a liking or disliking to such mental constructions of our own but not on what exist in reality.

Regardless of our thinking either wholesomely or unwholesomely, we are not free from decay & death, we may do deeds of merits or demerits (punyabhi or apunyabi sankara) but suffering remains. We could move to a higher state or lower state of existence according to the level of merits or demerits we gather. If we remain nonresponsive or observe equanimity, dhyana states can be achieved, however, we cannot free ourselves completely due to the presence of latent tendencies and therefore we are prone to suffering due to decay and death.

Defilements function at three different levels which are known in the Buddhist scripts as Anusaya, Parivutthana & Veedhikrama.  Anusaya is the state the defilements remain dormant and Parivutthana is the state where they arise in form of greed, hatred & delusion forming obsession type defilements which are also referred to as cankers or fermentation (asrava). The next state, veedikrama is where these get turned into actions (or deeds) in from of thought, speech & bodily action.

Tathagatha has described seven types of Anusaya Dhamma that remain dormant with the potential to let defilements to rise as fermentations (Asrava) when the conditions are present. It is said to be a nature of the mind that brings about the notion of ‘existence’ and ‘presence’.

Also explained as latent tendencies the seven Anusayas are,

1.    The latent tendency to sense-greed (kāma-rāga),

2.    The latent tendency to aversion (patigha),

3.    The latent tendency to speculative opinion (ditthi),

4.    The latent tendency to skeptical doubt (vicikicchā),

5.    The latent tendency to conceit & pride (mana),

6.    The latent tendency to craving for continued existence (bhava-rāga),

7.    The latent tendency to ignorance (avijjā)

(Translation - Bhikku Nayanatiloka 1952)

For instance, the notion that things that we like ‘exist’ is the latent tendency to sense-greed or kama-raga anusaya while the notion that things we don’t like ‘exist’ is the latent tendency to aversion or patigha anusaya. The latent tendency to speculative opinion or ditthi anusaya is the notion of presence of sentients or persons.

The state of dormant or latent tendency is best understood by examining the condition opposite to it, for instance, darkness cannot be described without relating it to light. Where light is present there is no darkness & when light is removed darkness reappear. Similarly the latent tendency is best explained by the condition which is free of it and that is the supermundane state of having the Right view. In other words Latent Tendencies can only be abandoned with by gaining the Right View at super mundane state or by achieving emancipation (Lokottara Samma Ditti ).

Until one is emancipated the person is not free from latent tendencies and whether he or she thinks or contemplates on an object, or not & perhaps even be observing equanimity, stationing of consciousness will occur. A person who is within fire and make an attempt not to get burnt by moving from one side to the other or make no effort and stays nonresponsive, gets burnt either way as long as he is in the fire.

This is further explained in Maha salayathana sutra where it is said that stationing of consciousness does not occur only when one sees things as they really are[2], or in other words when one achieves deliverance by gaining the Right View. It is further said that one with such a state of mind does not gather Kamma which is pivotal in continuation of the cycle of births & deaths (samsara)

The seven forms of latent tendencies described by the Buddha are removed as one treads on the path to enlightenment as follows,

The latent tendencies to speculative opinion & skeptical doubt at the state of Sotapatti (Stream Winner), early stages of sense greed and aversion at Sakurudagami (once returner) state, remaining sense greed and aversion at Anagami (Non Returner) state and the other three latent tendencies, conceit , craving for continued existence & ignorance at ultimate emancipation.

We need to examine how one can achieve it?

If a person does not think or contemplate on an object seen or heard and there is no latent tendency, consciousness will not station. As a result he realises that things do not exist after any sense experience, be it visual audible or tactile etc. He further realises that what he recalls occur within his mind and not externally. For instance we know that we see our face in the mirror but we also know that it disappears when we move away from the mirror. We still can think and recall the image but the proof that the consciousness is not stationed is that we are certain that the mirror image is not there anymore. We know that it is non-existent and just appear when we look into the mirror.[3] That is the state we want to reach and we need to examine what we must do to get there.

It is clear that one who realises things as they really are by discarding ignorance (or delusion) can be free from latent tendencies and will not to let consciousness to station and those who do not realise cannot be free. This can be related to a person having realisation of the Four Noble Truths or not having realisation of the Four Noble Truths.

We need to note that the visual object is always external and that it is caused by ignorance, kamma and craving, we also need to note that it is a form that associate the four great elements[4] . We should further note that being non-existent it arises and ceases after seeing[5] . The above applies to sound heard by the ear and smell felt by ear, nose & so on.

We have divided this existence of ours as external and internal but one needs to comprehend that in terms of objects everything is external, for instance, we can’t say that a particular sound is somebody else’s sound and another is mine as both are external to the ear.

As what we encounter are forms that associate the great elements (upadaya rupa) we can’t interact with visual objects, for instance a reflection of an object, say a flower, on water cannot be touched, smelt or tasted as what you actually can interact with is merely the water. The reflection on water is only an image which is similar to what we see as an upadaya rupa- a form that associates four great elements.

If we are able to see that the object is different to what we think it is, the seed of consciousness can’t germinate. As it has been discussed before what we associate are mental images or name- matter & what is out there is different to what we behold. An example is our perception of gold or silver as valuable metals which in fact are mere manifestations of mental constructions with values added in our mind.

Objects do not exist either before or after they appear (or are heard, smelt etc.) and hence are impermanent (Anithya). If we comprehend the reality of form (visible, audible etc.) as discussed above, we will be disenchanted with our own perceptions & hence will get detached. There won’t be craving anymore to go in search thus a cause to re-link consciousness is removed. Having gained the Right View we will be free from delusion (ignorance) and therefore no more formations that causes consciousness. The seed of consciousness is destroyed! We will be free from all forms of latent tendencies having reached the ultimate bliss of ‘nirvana’. 

---

[1] Duthiya Cetana Sutra : Samyutta Nikaya

[2] cakkun bikkhawe janan passan yatha butan

[3] Yankinci samudays dammam sabbattan Nirodha Dhammam

[4] upadaya rupa’ present due to mahabuta

[5] ahuthwa sambutan hutwana bhavissati

Maintaining Unrestricted Mind - Vesak Article

please click here
http://epaper.dailynews.lk/art.asp?id=2015/05/02/pg07_1&pt=p&h=