'What is the condition, master Gotama,
What is the cause, why, after the final passing away of the Tathagata, the good Norm does not last long;
and again, master Gotama, what is the condition,
what is the cause, why, after the final passing away of the Tathagata, the good Norm does last long?'
(Samyutta-Nikaya, maha vagga)
4-1 General Conclusions
'What is the condition, master Gotama,
What is the cause, why, after the final passing away of the Tathagata, the good Norm does not last long;
and again, master Gotama, what is the condition,
what is the cause, why, after the final passing away of the Tathagata, the good Norm does last long?'
(Samyutta-Nikaya, maha vagga)
The practice of vipassana consists of the Seven Purities, sixteen yanas,
three Vitakka (ways of deliverance to nibbana), four Satipatthana, etc.
But all these things are really about Kayanupassana Satipatthana - specifically,
the four major and minor positions. With other Satipatthana - Vedananupassana, Cittanupassana,
Dhammanupassana - the practice is the same,
the yanas and the Seven Purities are the same, the benefits are the same - only the objects are changed.
However, vedana, citta, and dhamma are more complicated as objects. There are nine vedana to observe:
dukkha-vedana, sukkha-vedana, upekkha-vedana, etc. There are sixteen citta: citta with kusula,
citta with no kusula, citta with samadhi, etc. With dhamma, there are Five Khandas,
ayatana (sense fields), nivarana (hindrances), etc. So, the practitioner has to be more careful with vedana,
citta and dhamma as objects. For example, if feeling arises, such as love,
the yogi has to be aware of the feeling. But in this case he might become attached to this feeling.
This will prevent him from reaching Satipatthana, because Satipatthana is realized through the Middle Way.
If one has like or dislike (abhijjha or domanassa), one can't be in the Middle Way.
Therefore, the one who comes to practice has to study to understand this.
Without this understanding the practice can't be right.
Indifference (upekkha) is not the Middle Way. Some try to make their citta neither like nor dislike.
This is wrong. This is trying to force upekkha to arise.
All dhamma is anatta, and this cannot be done.
Some practices say citta is void and use the voidness as an object.
But every citta has to have an object. The object is the aiding condition (paccaya) of the citta.
Even lokuttara (supramundane) still has nibbana as an object.
There are so many cittas and so many objects that this can lead to like and dislike.
The object in Satipatthana can destroy like and dislike.
But even the object in Satipatthana can lead to kilesa. For example,
if you want citta to stay with sitting rupa, that leads to abhijjha (liking).
If you cannot stay with sitting rupa (which is highly unlikely - because most citta are not permanent),
this can lead to domanassa.
With Satipatthana the important thing is to have sati-sampajanna in the present moment.
Only the present moment can destroy abhijjha and domanassa. When an object occurs,
the yogi has to observe that object until he realizes the sabhava of that object,
which is either rupa or nama. Then he will see that rupa and nama are anicca, dukkha,
and anatta - not 'I', not self.
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The yogi should remember these important points:
1) The way to practice Satipatthana and reach nibbana, according to the teaching of the Lord Buddha,
depends on having a natural aptitude or talent for vipassana practice,
an aiding condition from the previous life (pubbekata punnata), and patience, perseverance,
and devotion to the task of ending suffering.
2) Practicing vipassana is the work of the mind and the mind is always working to observe sitting rupa,
standing rupa, etc., to change the wrong view that it is you that sits, stands,
walks and walks - and to get rid of kilesa.
The way to get rid of kilesa is to do the right practice - not just by thinking or reasoning.
When you have done the right practice you will get the right result with the right wisdom.
When the right wisdom occurs you will see the true state of the nature that nama and rupa are not you -
and after that you will see the 3 characteristics of rupa and nama.
The objects (nama and rupa) are very important. The object, properly observed,
brings the knowledge and wisdom to the 3 Nama (yogavacara) that nama and rupa are sabhava,
not you, not self, and impermanent and suffering - and after that you will realize nama and
rupa are harmful and dangerous,
and should be abandoned, i.e., wisdom should be realized so rebirth is ended.
3) The yogi has to have observation (sikkhati) so he can know when yogavacara has left the present moment.
This will bring him back to the present moment again and again. The nature of mind (citta) is very changeable:
sometimes it has wandering mind (foong), sometimes it has lust,
ometimes it has doubts about the practice, sometimes it is sleepy,
sometimes it is annoyed and sometimes awareness (yogavacara) is weak.
The yogi has to try to observe rupa and nama very often in the present moment,
and has to try not to get annoyed when he falls out of the present moment -
because mind (citta) is out of control (anatta).
The duty of the yogi is always to try to be in the practice present moment -
and then the truth of Sabhava will follow (vipassana present moment.).
This requires perseverance.
4) If you just use thinking (verbalizing) to realize impermanence, suffering and not self,
this will not get rid of kilesa, because you are not seeing the truth by vipassana wisdom.
Seeing the truth is seeing the 3 Characteristics as they arise in nama and rupa at
any given time (present moment). This truth (sabhava) comes from the practice,
in which you prove it by yourself.
It is not from studying theory or listening to dhamma.
5) Another problem arises when the yogi practices in the wrong way but doesn't know it. For example,
when he walks he just notices the step but not the entire walking rupa.
He should have the right teacher to correct him until he understands the right theory.
6) The right way to eliminate kilesa and to end suffering is to practice Satipatthana,
which is the first step of the 37 Qualities of Enlightenment and then realize the 4 Noble Truths.
This leads to complete disenchantment with rupa and nama (or 5 khandas) -
but it must be done by reaching the 4 paths: stream-winner path, once-returner path,
non-returner path, and arahatta path.
7) To practice Satipatthana one should have equal faith and wisdom together.
If you have more faith than wisdom, you won't be able to tell if your practice is right or wrong.
If you have more wisdom than faith,
excessive pride will develop and you won't be able to reach nibbana and end suffering.
8) One who is interested in vipassana practice,
(or even Samattha for that matter) must understand the principles of practice and the correct way to practice.
If one is going to reach true Buddhism it has to be reached with faith and wisdom -
as can be seen in the description of the Sixteen Yanas.
If the practice is wrong it can be very hard to change the wrong ideas of the yogi.
4-2 Buddha's last words.
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Come now, I address you:
strive on with earnestness,
transient are all compound things.
(Buddha's last words. Digha-Nikaya)
First compiled on 26-Oct-2008
Last updated on
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