2-2 The Practice 2-2-3-1 Why Natural Practice ? 2-2-4 How to Tell if one's Practice is Right or Wrong 2-2-5 Simplified Practice For The Beginning Yogi
2-2 The Practice top The practice is to be mindful in all positions: sitting, standing, lying down, walking. If the position is sitting, the ¡§three nama¡¨ ¡V atapi, sati, sampajanna ¡V are aware of the sitting position, and aware that it is sitting rupa. The three nama (and not ourselves) observe sitting rupa like watching an actor on the stage. An actor is watched while o-n stage, but there is no attempt to control his behavior or actions. Seeing a play is like the presen moment, there is no interest in the past or future. So, the yogi should practice as though watching a play. Then, as he observes sitting rupa, pain will occur and he will know sitting rupa suffers. This is dukkha vedana. But don't observe dukkha vedana. This practice is in kaya. By observing sitting rupa suffering over and over in the present moment, until the position must be changed, he will see the truth of suffering in sitting rupa. This is because dukkha vedana arises from rupa and nama-rupa are dukkha sacca. It is the same way with sitting rupa, walking rupa, etc. They should be observed like watching someone that we have o-n control over. While rupa is the object, Vipassana is the responsibility of the mind (nama). So the mind has to be in the present moment to see wisdom. Therefore, the mind must observe the truth (nama hearing, for example) as it arises, rather than try to create the truth. We should simply observe what happens. Any attempt to control the mind means we want to see sabhava; this is kilesa and takes us out of the middle way and the present moment. Atapi, sati, sampajanna work together observing nama and rupa. If there is too much sati it will weaken sampajanna. The yogi must notice this; this noticing is called sikkhati. When sikkhati observes this imbalance, the yogi must try to make atapi, sati and sampajanna equal. This is done by having more awareness. When suffering is felt, sitting rupa changes position, because it is forced to move by pain. (The same natural way we would move, if we were sitting around in some social situation. It is with ¡§yoniso¡¨ that we notice the pain is forcing sitting rupa to change to another posture. When the position is changed, the pain is followed into the new position, and ¡§yoniso¡¨ notices that the new position is curing pain from the old position. This is necessary because most new practitioners don't like the old position and think the new position will make them happy. Thus, we will not feel aversion to the old and attachment to the new, because ¡§yoniso¡¨ knows that the change is to cure suffering in the old. ¡§Yoniso¡¨ is emphasized a great deal in this practice, because proper ¡§yoniso¡¨ leads to realizing dukkha (dukkha vedana and sankhara dukkha). (see 1.4.4.1, Types of Dukkha.) If it is dufficult to stay in the present moment, it can be helpful to ask the question: ¡§What is walking?¡¨ ¡§Walking rupa.¡¨ ¡§Why is it walking?¡¨ ¡§To cure suffering from the previous position.¡¨ 2-2 The Practice Or, ¡§What is sitting?¡¨ ¡§Sitting rupa,¡¨ etc. (This verbalizing functions as yoniso, helping the mind to develop awareness.) The Buddha said: ¡§I cannot see any single dhamma that leads (more surely) to right understanding (samma ditthi) than that of yonisomanasikara¡¨. (Anguttara-Nikaya, Aykah-Nibat) When you ask ¡§What is sitting?¡¦ etc., sati and sampajanna(awareness) arise and cause you to answer: ¡§Sitting rupa.¡¨ Atapi(earnestness), sati (mind-fulness, and sampajanna (clear comprehension) can be summed up as rusuthua (Thai ¡V awareness). They have the same object (nama or rupa) and so they work together. Sati knows the posture, the way you sit, and sampajanna knows that it is sitting (etc.) rupa. But it is not sati first and then sampajanna. Sati and sampajanna work at the same time. The correct practice is, ¡§Now we are sitting.¡¨ Take ¡§we¡¨ out. ¡§Now it¡¦s sitting rupa.¡¨ The point here is that the process of knowing the position is the same as in daily life, except the wrong view of ¡§we¡¨ sitting is removed. Often to describe rusuthua, we hear the words ¡§feel,¡¨ ¡§know,¡¨ ¡§see,¡¨ (mentally), ¡§observe,¡¨ and ¡§be aware of¡¨ sitting rupa, etc. All of these words can be correct. Actually, the word awareness can be described as being like ¡§we sit,¡¨ but substitute ¡§sitting rupa.¡¨ Awareness is the key to practice done in the right way. Rusuthua is kusula (skillful) and has wisdom that destroys kilesa (abhijjha and domanassa) Feeling refers to feeling the way you sit and feeling it is sitting rupa, and that is sampajanna. But a word of caution about feeling: If o-ne gets into physical feeling, especially too strongly, it can make the mind tired and push o-ne out of the present moment. This is practicing with desire, and if done too long can bring on physical problems, such as chest pains, choking feeling, etc. The point here is don't try to ¡§make¡¨ sitting rupa, just know it. Sitting rupa is already there, you just aren¡¦t aware of it. When you are at home you feel you sit, but this is kilesa. So in practice just change this to sitting rupa, with wisdom (panna). The word ¡§thinking¡¨, however, is generally avoided to describe ru-suthua ¡V because thinking is often associated with mere verbalizing. The difference between feeling rupa and merely thinking rupa can be seen, using cold water as an example. We can think of (picture) cold water, but to touch or taste cold water is entirely different. Cold water is a verbal concept, but knowing it by feeling is to really know cold water. Remember also to be aware of the entire rupa from head to toe ¡V and that rupa knows nothing. only nama knows. Try to notice when you observe sitting rupa if desire to see sabhava is there or not. If you notice this desire, stop practice for awhile until the desire goes away. If this desire is there you won¡¦t be able to see the truth of sabhava. The Lord Buddha said you cannot see the truth when craving (tanha) is there, because craving hides the truth. Since Vipassana is concerned with eliminating kilesa where it arises, the practitioner should learn whether the particular object is to be seen as nama or rupa. To determine this, reference should be made to Figure 2-1, ¡§Summary of Sense Spheres¡¨, at the end of the Practice section.
1) Don't exame both nama and rupa at the same time. For example, don't think: ¡§Rupa walks, nama knows.¡¨ Some yogis think they will see wisdom sooner if they have more objects (both rupa and nama). But this desire to see wisdom only creates kilesa. Rupa in the four postures is sufficient object. 2) Don't walk or sit for a prescribed time. Change, when suffering forces a change. 3) Don't feel that ¡§we¡¨ are ¡§meditating¡¨ or there is something special or mystic about practice. We don't walk or sit for practic, but because we must sit or we must walk. 4) Don't take special positions, such as the lotus position or walking unusually slow; these positions are usually with the desire to see dhamma. 5) Some beginning practitioners tend to get bored easily with prac-tice. These practitioners should remind themselves that the reason they are practicing is to eliminate suffering. If we give in to boredom we can never eliminate suffering, being doomed to continual rounds of birth and death on the wheel of samsara-cakka. Those who have never practiced before will also have problems with foong. They develop dislike for it ¡V which is not the Middle Way. New practitioners can find samadhi difficult to maintain, and also don't like to be alone for days at a time. Also tanha arises and they become restless. They crave tranquility or they want to be happy, to see pleasant objects. 6) When pain occurs in sitting rupa, it should be realized that only sitting rupa, etc. is suffering ¡V not ¡§you¡¨. Sitting rupa is the present moment. Sitting-rupa-suffering, is also the present moment. The yogi should not change from sitting-rupa-suffering, present moment, to nama knowing the pain (the pain being nama, called ¡§dukkha vedana¡¨). When we cure suffering it should be in rupa, not nama at the same time. 7) The practitioner has to always have rupa and nama in awareness. But he should not focus on any particular part of the body. Nor should he be waiting for or anticipating dukkha to arise ¡V this will take him out of the present moment. It is not necessary to wait until dukkha gets too strong or the body becomes numb. The truth of dukkha does not depend o-n the severity of the pain. Every time suffering is seen ¡V large or small ¡V the yogi will see that dukkha is real. 8) Although we sometimes speak of ¡§seeing ¡§ sitting rupa, etc., the eyes should not actually be used to see or look at the various rupas. Awareness of rupa should be done with mind ¡V that is sati-sampajanna, and that is wisdom. As to whether the eyes should be opened or closed (or partly closed) in practice, it depend on the individual. Some yogis prefer the eyes open, some closed, while others prefer to partially close the lids, creating a sort of twilight world. 9) The object in practice is your rupa, not somebody else's. Don't look at other people's rupa. If others do come into view, they should not be regarded as rupa, but as ¡§nama seeing¡¨. ¡]10¡^Sila a) The yogi should talk o-nly when necessary, such as to request a needed item. He should talk dhamma o-nly with the teacher. The practice is the Eight-fold Path, sila, samadhi and panna, and sila must be perfect, and this requires silence. If sila is not perfect, there cannot be good samadhi. Without good samadhi, there cannot be panna. b) Overall sila should follow the Eight-Fold Path (see 1.4.7). Yogis should be especially carful not to harm living things, such as insects. The problem should be turned over to meditation center staff.
1) The Visuddhi Magga says that if sitting rupa is observed diligently, the yogi will soon see nama with wisdom too; it is not necessary to observe nama along with rupa. 2) The Visuddhi Magga also says that the body postures conceal suffering, because we don't notice the postures, and then don't notice that the new posture hides the suffering from the old o-ne. This is because we normally change posture without yoniso, which reminds us that the position change is to cure suffering. (See 1.11, ¡§Conditions that Obscure the Three Characteristics¡¨) Therefore,we should see suffering in sitting rupa,etc. Realizing suffering will also destroy abhijjha and domanassa, because we are in the present moment. 3) When doing something other than the four positions,such as household tasks, the yogi must use yoniso to realize suffering is being cured. The yogi must ¡§yoniso¡¨: Eating, drinking, going to the toilet, bathing, doing dishes, washing clothes, etc. When eating, it should be noticed at every bite that the food is being taken to cure suffering. This can be done by noticing the moment of swallowing, which is the moment suffering is cured. When chewing you must notice every bite and that it has to be chewed to cure suffering. Then you will realize that suffering forces you to eat, to chew, to swallow ¡V and eating is not for pleasure. When awakingg in the morning, be sure to notice that the position is lying rupa. Then, before getting up notice the reason (¡§yoniso¡¨) ¡V such as to have tea to cure hunger or wake o-ne up; or simply because it is impossible to sleep any more, and lying rupa must get up because it is suffering . If the face is washed, that is to cure suffering also. Through the constant use of ¡§yoniso¡¨, kilesa is prevented from entering through the feeling. ¡§Yoniso¡¨ reminds that it is rupa being cared for, and not ¡§us¡¨. It is a good idea for the yogi to spend one day noticing how many times and in how many ways he must cure rupa's suffering. The result can be rather startling. In o-ne day, the yogi can ¡V put on mosquito repellent, scratch when itching occurs, turn on a fan, drink a glass of cold water, sweep out some ants from the kuti, go to the toilet, eat, do the dishes, put out the garbage, bathe, shave, brush the teeth, cut the toenails and fingernails, wash clothing, etc. All to cure rupa¡¦s suffering. Don't see sitting rupa, etc. during tasks. Sitting rupa, etc. Should be observed o-nly in the 4 positions. Observing rupa in interim positions creates too much sati and weakens sampajanna. In the interim positions, we should o-nly observe curing suffering. Don't practice detail sati! This will increase sati and decrease sampajanna. The yogi should take care not to rush through household and other tasks in order to ¡§meditate.¡¨ This desire to ¡§meditate¡¨ is kilesa, because the yogi wants to see dhamma. Everyday tasks offer a good opportunity to see suffering in rupa. Also, they offer a good opportunity to reduce samadhi, if there is too much. 4) The yogi should do only those things that are necessary. For example, a) Posture. You change from sitting rupa to standing rupa, to cure suffering. This is necessary. The cause (suffering) must occur before you do the action. Don't change to walking because you want to. Wait until suffering forces change. b) Eating. This is necessary to cure suffering, because hunger forces one to eat. c) Toilet. This is also necessary to cure suffering ¡V you are forced to go to the toilet. d) Cooling rupa. If rupa is hot, it is necessary to turn on the eletric fan or take a cold bath to cure suffering. All of these require ¡§yoniso¡¨. If correct ¡§yoniso¡¨ is not applied, these things will be done because there is desire to do them ¡V and so kilesa slips in. Certain interruptions, however, can and may, occur outside of normal practice:
a) Someone knocking on the door These should be handled in the normal way, but the yogi should know that they are outside Vipassana practice and cannot be incorporated into the practice. 1) Sit and act and walk as though at home, using normal positions. 2) ¡§Natural¡¨ sitting usually involves a number of different sitting positions, rather than to just sit, stand, walk, etc. Normal behavior is to sit one way, then another (always to cure suffering), and then another, and then perhaps to stand or walk. With the exception that we must have self-control regarding talking, doing unnecessary things, etc. Also, we must have sati and sampajanna ¡V plus sikkhati to know if the practice is right or wrong 3) Walking should also be done to cure suffering. If the intention is to exercise, then it should be ¡§yoniso¡¦d¡¨ as being done to cure suffering. With many yogis, walking is a position that seems to easily lead to other motives than to cure suffering ¡V walking for pleasure, walking in certain ways to see sabhava, or to control wandering mind, etc. 4) Lying down should not be neglected. It is one of the natural positions. At first, the lying position takes a longer time to reach suffering, but with continual practice the body becomes more sensitive, and even lying down, begins to show pain fairly soon. If lying on the back is changed to lying o-n the side, be sure to ¡§yoniso¡¨ the change of position. 5) Sleep. If in the lyingdown position, sleepiness is felt, go ahead and sleep ¡V mentally noting that it is to cure suffering. But, if the body has had sufficient sleep, and it is merely drowsiness, an exzmination should be made as to whether too much food is being eaten for breakfast or lunch. If so, begin to eat three bites less than a full stomach. If drowsiness persists, then get up and douse water o-n the face, or go outside for fresh air. (Sleep, beyond what the body normally requires, is a form of craving for happiness: finding sleep pleasurable, an attempt is made to get more and more of it.) 6) When awaking in the middle of the night, try to notice lying rupa, and if awake for awhile, notice any changing of the lying position (to cure suffering).
Dhamma Niyama is the natural law or order of nature (orderliness of causes and effects). It exitsts everywhere in the world and the Lord Buddha discovered it. It has the three characteristics: 1) Sabbha Sankhara Anicca (all component things are impermanent) 2) Sabbha Sankhara Dukkha (all component things are suffering) 3) Sabbha Dhamma Anatta (everything is without self).
Since anatta is true of nibbana also, all dhamma is without self. These above three exist at all times, even at home, when not practicing. But at home nama and rupa are more susceptible to the kilesa that says ¡§we¡¨ exitst. That¡¦s why in practice, everything has to be done naturally, otherwise these natural laws can¡¦t be seen. If walking is unusually slow, it will not be normal, and natural law will be hidden. > The same thing happens if just the walking step is observed and not the entire body. Also in sitting, the entire sitting rupa must be seen, as the Buddha made clear: And again monks, a monk when he is walking comprehends: I am walking; or when he is standing still comprehends: I am standing still; or when he is sitting down comprehends: I am sitting down; or when he is lying down comprehends: I am lying down. So that, however his body is disposed, he comprehends it is like that. (Digha-Nikaya, Mahasatipatthana Discourse) (Here the Buddha uses the personal pronoun ¡§I¡¨, because it is necessary for communication; but no self actually takes these postures, o-nly rupa and nama. This rupa and nama must be observed in your body ¡V not in others.) Aachan Naeb posed this question: ¡§How does o-ne know what is walking rupa?¡¨ Answer: ¡§The way o-ne walks is walking rupa. For example, not the step but the whole position. Walking rupa known by yogavacara.¡¨
It is important that the practitioner realize when his practice is right or wrong. With the right practice he will know the posture and know that the posture is sitting rupa. Knowing the posture is sati, and knowing it is sitting rupa is sampajanna. And he will know these two together. If he is aware of sitting rupa with practice wisdom he will know by the feeling that this is right. This right practice wisdom repeated over and over will lead to vipassana wisdom. He should know that the duty of Satipatthana is to destroy like and dislike. For example, if he doesn't like wandering mind,then dislike (do-manassa) will develop. o-n the other hand, if he would like to be in the present moment because it is peaceful, then desire (lobha) will develop. So correct practice is to be in the present moment as much as possible ¡V which will destroy like and dislike. Also, when the mind encounters an object, states with either no defilement (present moment) or with defilement (mental, or nivarana, kilesa) will arise, depending o-n whether one's yoniso is good or not. Suppose the mind encounters ¡§foong¡¨ (mental kilesa). If yoniso is not good, aversion (domanassa) can occur. But if the yoniso is correct, it will be clear that foong is nama (a mental state), and it is not ¡§you¡¨ ¡V and you will be back in the present moment.
It is not a good idea to make practice too complicated at first. Since rupa is easier to see (grosss), and nama is rather difficult (subtle), it is best for the beginning yogi to use rupa as the object in the present moment as much as possible, and to restrict practice to these essentials: 1) The yogi's main duty is to know sitting rupa, standing rupa, etc. at all times and to know it through yogavacara: that is, to stay in the cinta panna present moment as continuously as possible. 2) A secondary duty is to note whatever mental states interfere or intrude upon the knowing of sitting rupa, etc. (such as ¡§nama hearing¡¨, ¡§nama seeing¡¨ etc.). 3) To remain in a given position until pain forces a change , then to ¡§yoniso¡¨ the pain as to cure suffering and follow the pain into the new position. 4) To ¡§yoniso¡¨ all other activity (eating, bathing household task, etc.) as to cure suffering. 5) In short, the main duty of the beginning yogi is to be aware of rupa continuously in all postitions, until complete familiarity is developed. ¡¨¡Kjust as when a man wanting to claritfy water has taken a katuka nut and put his hand inside the pot and rubbed it o-nce or twice the water does not come clear , he does not throw the katuka nut away; on the contrary he rubs it again and agin , and as he does so the fine mud subsides and the water becomes transparent and clear ¡V so too, the bhikkhu should not give up , but he should again and again comprehend give attention to , discern and define materiality (rupa) only.¡¨ (visuddhi-magga, XVII, 16)
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