The Buddha Smiled .
There are three sources of knowledge . Abhidhaanam , Abhigyaan
am Anubhuti .
What you get during the 10 days of Vipassana is primarily
anubhuti Experience . Experince yourself
within the framework of your body and mind .
Abhidhana ; From books , literatures , ..
Abhigyana : From teacher or experience of someone else
Anubhuti : From self-experience
Genareally from books/and others we get surface level knowledge / intelectual . What we get from Vipassana is experiential
knowledge.
Learnings :
- - Mind wanders either in past or future
- - Thought patterns : pleasant , un-pleasnt
- - Like -> Crave -> Cling
- - Don’tLike -> Aversion -> Hatred
- - Raaga - Dwesha , moha ( ignorance )
- - Observe the realities as it is not as you would like to be .
- - Life is difficult . Life is complicated. let’s uncomplicate it.
- - If you go upstream of a river eventually you will be reaching the source.
- - Enlightenment or Moksha can be achived by anyone who follows the right path
- - Self-discipline
Course Date : 2009-04-15 to 2009-04-26
Day 0: Arrival . Me ,
my brother and two of his colleagues ( not exactly colleagues but co-Vipassnaist ) started ( 7:30 AM ) from my residence and
reached the center around 10:30 AM .
10:30 : we reached at the centre .
12:00 Lunch .
It was 2 phase
meeting post lunch . First with the
Centre in-charge and subsequently
Guruji. Here one of the thing that was
tested whether you are really interested in the course or just because someone
told you that it Is good so you landed up here for some divine experience .Main
purpose of the meeting was to set the expectation right . So after
brief discussion I was enrolled to the course and was provided a room. I had 2 other roommates , one was a priest in
a temple in some nearby village and the other was a student ( he came to the
program upon insistence of his gather ) . I think the last person to the course
came somewhere around 16;00 hr. After
that all the valuables ( Mobile , Wallet
) were collected and deposited in the locker . We had dinner
at 18:30 hr. Yes in the whole
program the only diner that we had ) and
around 19:30 hr we assembled again in the meditation room and formally got
introduced to the program .
The foundation of the practice is sīla — moral conduct. Sīla provides a basis for the development of samādhi — concentration of mind; and purification of the mind is achieved through paññā — the wisdom of insight.
- The Precepts
All who attend a Vipassana course must
conscientiously undertake the following five precepts for the duration of the
course:
1. to
abstain from killing any being;
2. to
abstain from stealing;
3. to
abstain from all sexual activity;
4. to
abstain from telling lies;
5. to
abstain from all intoxicants.
- Acceptance of the Teacher and the Technique
We declare ourselves willing to comply fully and for the duration
of the course with the teacher's guidance and instructions; that is, to observe
the discipline and to meditate exactly as the teacher asks, without ignoring
any part of the instructions, nor adding anything to them. This acceptance
should be one of discrimination and understanding, not blind submission. Only
with an attitude of trust can a student work diligently and thoroughly. Such
confidence in the teacher and the technique is essential for success in
meditation.
- Other Techniques, Rites, and Forms of Worship
During the course it is
absolutely essential that all forms of prayer, worship, or religious ceremony —
fasting, burning incense, counting beads, reciting mantras, singing and
dancing, etc. — be discontinued.
- Noble Silence
All students must observe Noble Silence from the beginning of the course until the morning of the last full day. Noble Silence means silence of body, speech, and mind. Any form of communication with fellow student, whether by gestures, sign language, written notes, etc., is prohibited.
Buddham Saranam Gachhami
Sangham Saranam Gachhami
Dhammam Saranalm Gachhami
The course is basically divided into 2 parts 3 days (
aanapana ) + 7 days (Vipassana ) .
Day 1: The first
morning bell rang ( slow and
non-continuous ) at 04:15 hrs . The inevitable will happen . And by 4:30 we all
are at the meditation hall . Half-asleep , half-awake . We were allocated specific seats (
additional pillows were provided on request
, however I was a bit hesitant to ask for additional pillow ) . Started with aana-paana also known as
mindfulness ( see the thing as it
is ) . The art of observation . Observe
your breathing . Yes only observe . take no action . First I thought why should I observe
something , that something like breathing , even if I do not observe anyway it will happen . How am I helping myself by just observing and not
(re)acting or responding to it . Anyway the morning session was over by 6:30
hr . At this point of time we had a
break for breakfast and daily routines. Yes anything which was perceived as
religious () were not allowed during the whole program . It was a looooooong day . 10 hours of meditation with intervals in
between .
Aaana paana is different from Pranayama and other forms of
meditation in a sense that in Pranayama it is advised to control one’s breath
while in aana-paana it is advised to observe it not to control it. In some other forms of mediation a certain
word or Mantra needs to be verbally/mentally recited or picture of god needs to
be visualized , however in aana-paana breath is used as the object because it
is universal which is not specific to any religion or sect or language or
region.
Day 2: It was relatively easy day . Probably somewhere deep
down inside my mind , I knew anyway I have to to it, so better accept it. After
all pain is not really a bad thing. This was also a day when I was able to concentrate
more on observing my breathing. Without thinking
whether it is hot or cold , slow or fast , deep or shallow , passing through
left nostril or right .
Day 3: Day-by-Day it
became clearer that things are impermanent ( anicca )
Day 4: Started Vipassana . The art of observing ones
sesation ( samvedana ) . Observing with
equanimity , patiently , deligently
without further processing them . It could be pleasant or unpleasant . ,
good or bad , tickling sensation , prickling sensation , itching , fragrance or
smell , pain in neck or back basically anything
. However the key here was to just observe no further processing .
observe their nature . Onething which became clearer was all the sensation are momentary .
They arise and pass . If their nature is to arise and pass is there any reason
for me to unnecessarily process them . here also we observe the habbit pattern
of mind : to wander in past or future
not willing to reside in the present.
Day 5 : A byproduct
of observing sensation was to realize that
mind always wanders between past and future . For example during the mediation there was a
lot of itching , prickling sensation was there and as an immediate reaction
hands were almost ready to scratch where it itches . However since our aim was
to just observe it without any reaction ( involuntary/voluntary ), hands wre
refrained from scratching . the best part of it was after sometime ( when the
focus is not on that part of the body ) , it almost appears that there is no
itching .
Day 6 : This was another tough day . Mantra for this day was
Adhisthaan . Determenation to sit in a posture for one hour and observe one’s
sensation. I decided no matter what
happens ( let the legs , back , anything
) . During adhisthan for the first 45 minutes there was not much pain
after that for each passing minute it was increasing to a point where it was
almost unbearable . However as I had determined . this day I was not focusing
on observing sensation itself but to
have adhisthan.
Day 7 : For few hours went to the Pagodas ( cells ) allocated
for individuals which provided a small secluded place for Vipassana . Objective was to observe
the gross as well as the subtle sensations. Anything that happens outside has
some kind of manifestation in our corporal body . And by observing our
sensation we can objectively observe that event without processing it further.
Day 8: Number of times I did adhisthan has increased to 4. I was able to concentrate more more on
sensation . Subtler sensations . Also learned something about attachment (
sankhara) . we are so much attached to specific things that having/absence of
it gives of so much of pain /pleasure. here the actual object does not have any
power of giving us any pain/pleasure , but the memory associated with , the
thinking and interpretation associated with has the real power . So by just
observing and not reacting to it we remove that sankhara. Sometimes it might be
deep rooted which takes more time to remove.
Sankhara can be
explained as below ;
-
Suppose we want to draw a line
-
On water :
It is momentary so very shallow . It just passes away within few seconds.
-
On sand : It takes a bit of effort to draw but
stays there for few
minutes/hours/days , but passes away as
soon as some external force acts upon it
. Like the waves of ocean erases the lines we draw on a sea beach.
-
On hard rock : it takes time to draw but lasts longer.
Now let’s compare Sankhara with
some of our real-life experience .
-
Event of drawing the line : A person X tells you something which you do
not like.
On water : The persons tells you the thing
, you do not like and you just laugh it
away without processing.
On Sand : The persons tells you the thing ,
you do not like . You get agitated. You
think that what rights does that person has to say you that thing . You tell to
someone that that person said so and so . so that person is bad and should be
condemned may be some action should also be taken . When you are in a calmer
state of find you forgive that person and the story ends there.
On Hard Rock : The persons tells you the
thing , you do not like . You get agitated.
You complain to someone else . someone else takes some action against that
person . You continuously think about that person and use your processing power
and time . That person takes revenge and the story continues .
Day 9 : I was able to
observe subtler sensations. Sensations inside the body which otherwise we don’t
notice .
Day 10: a rather relaxed day . after 4 PM we were allowed to
talk ( slowly and among ourselves ) .Also we did a a little bit of cleaning the
environment at the center.
Day 11: Morning 7 AM after having our breakfast we left the
Vipassana meditation center.
It is not end of the experience but start of a new experience
. Applying the learning in real life . Not just by closing eyes and doing
meditation to solve real-life problems
but by applying the experience of anicca .
If someone gives you something and you do not take/accept it
then that will be with the person . Apply the same logic in real life and
replace something with scolding , and you will find that if do not accept that
it remains with that person.
Bhavatu Sabba Mangalam .
Sadhu , Sadhu , Sadhu
And the Buddha smiled again.
