September 2009 Newsletter

Meditation Newsletter

from vipassana.com

September 2009

"Cultivate an all-embracing mind of love

For all throughout the universe,

In all its height, depth and breadth —

Love that is untroubled

And beyond hatred or enmity. "

Metta Sutta

Last call for our September course

Our next online meditation course begins on Saturday, September 12th, 2009.

Since 1997 we've been offering online meditation courses and they have proven helpful to meditators in many countries around the world. The course serves as a practical introduction to samatha (tranquillity or serenity) and vipassana (insight) techniques from the Theravada tradition of Buddhism. Intended primarily for beginners, the 90 day course is also suitable for experienced meditators who wish to explore different aspects of the tradition. The emphasis is on building a sustainable and balanced meditation practice that is compatible with lay life.

The course takes place on our special website that offers daily material for each of the 90 days, interaction between participants and support from the tutor. Participants also have access to an audio supplement containing guided meditations and chants to support the online material. Our course is led by Andrew Quernmore, an experienced meditation teacher based in England. Andrew wrote our first course and he has led each course since then.

Application details and further information is available here:

http://www.vipassana.com/course/

We usually begin courses in January, May and September each year.

Parisa

Our Parisa support and encouragement programme is for former course participants; if you have taken one or more of our online courses you are eligible to subscribe. We provide themed teachings each month, year round, and access to our latest course. Our occasional 'Parisa Parallels' looks at Western spiritual practice and links to similar Buddhist themes.

http://www.vipassana.com/parisa/

Sati Haus, Germany

Sati Haus, located in the heart of the Lüneburg Heath, about an hour away from Hamburg, is a new meditation centre offering long weekend retreats on a regular basis. The retreats offer a balanced approach to the practice of Buddhist meditation as found in the Theravada tradition. Teachers this Autumn include Ajahn Vimalo of Amaravati (September 25-27) and Andrew Quernmore of the Vipassana Fellowship (November 6-8). Further details, and booking information, are available at:

http://www.sati-haus.com

Eight Marvellous and Wonderful Truths

from the Mahavastu

by Bhikkhu Khantipalo

(part two of two)

Fifth Marvellous and Wonderful Truth

“Again (friends), the Exalted One (Arhan and Perfect Buddha) in truth speaks according to his actions and acts according to his speech. And (friends), a master of such a character who has so practised as-speaking, so-doing; as-doing, so-speaking according to the truth of Dharma (I do not see arisen in the world whether I survey the past or present, other than this Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha).”

This is a marvellous quality of Lord Buddha and one can see in it a connection with the previous truth. Both there and here, Sakra is teaching us that Lord Buddha has no hypocrisy in his nature. He does not instruct in one way and then, when no one is looking, do something quite the reverse. Not one example of such a thing can be found in the forty-five years of his teaching. Is this not remarkable?

Let us make a comparison whereby we may understand just how remarkable this is. It seems that Napoleon, to take one example, was worshipped at a distance by many who had no idea of all sides of his character and who therefore made much of his glory and announced intentions. His aide-de-camp could take a different view since he knew well a side of the emperor not seen by outsiders. How was this in the case of Lord Buddha? The Venerable Ananda was the disciple closest to him and for a great many years was the personal attendant of the Lord. Had there been any discrepancy between Lord Buddha’s teaching and his personal actions, would these not have been known to him? Such defects cannot be hidden for ever. In an uneventful life a person may seem calm and get along well in friendship with most people, but even then there always comes the testing-time, the time of some quite unexpected event for which he has not provided and cannot guard against. It is then that the roots of unskill (greed, hate and delusion) show themselves. Has not Lord Buddha said this himself on many occasions? (See MN No. 21, for a good example).

But Lord Buddha led quite an eventful life of travel, forever meeting with new personalities and new situations. And yet these unskilful qualities were never seen by the Venerable Ananda, never seen by him during his twenty-five years devoted service to the Lord! He indeed deeply revered Lord Buddha and knew better than other disciples more distant from the Lord, that he was one who constantly and quite naturally practised “As-speaking, so-doing; as-doing, so-speaking.” And this was his constant way of life, the Enlightened way of life, the perfection of the Path, the natural way ’according to the truth of Dhamma.’

Not only was this apparent to those who were his devoted followers. It is related in the Brahmayu Sutta (MN No. 91) how Brahmayu, an aged brahmin, instructed his disciple Uttara to go and meet the revered Gotama. After he had met him, “for seven months the brahmin youth, Uttara, like a constant shadow, followed the Lord closely” from the time when he appeared in the morning until he saw him retire. Uttara, after having minutely observed and considered Lord Buddha’s conduct, could report to his teacher at the end of seven months, that indeed the revered Gotama was exactly what was reported about him—an Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha.

If there had been the slightest difference between ’speaking’ and ’doing’ in the case of Lord Buddha, then his own words would have been sufficient to reveal the discrepancy. For he also advised bhikkhus to examine his words and conduct so as to satisfy themselves that no longer are any ’mixed’ states (of skill and unskill) or ’dark’ states remaining in the Tathagata (See MN No. 47). Only one who has the fearlessness of complete and perfect Enlightenment is able to invite such critical inspection. The malodorous flowers of hypocrisy have no chance for growth in the pure garden of Enlightenment. One Enlightened has nothing to hide.

This is the end of all hypocrisy whatever, the end of all two-faced action. It is the abolition of all those mental tendencies which lead men to have ’double standards of conduct’—to seem upright and honest but, when the veils are removed, to be revealed as corrupt, perverted and full of emotional conflicts. It is the end of being a log rotten within, a simile several times used by Lord Buddha to counter hypocrisy. One who has won to this state is no longer a ’whited sepulchre,’ outwardly pleasing but inwardly foul.

It is a test of our practise of Dhamma as to how far this conflict between appearances and reality is lessened. The more one finds oneself, ’As-speaking, so-doing; as-doing, so-speaking,’ the more has one made the true Dhamma enter into one’s heart. It has then certainly become a personal reason to join the celestials and feel with them glad, thrilled, exalted, joyful, and pleased.

But Sakra goes on to tell of another truth to give us joy …

Sixth Marvellous and Wonderful Truth

“Again, friends, it is out of his knowledge that the Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha teaches the Dharma and Discipline, not out of unknowing. And friends, a master so possessed of the method of teaching Dharma I do not see arisen in the world, whether I survey the past or present, other than this Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha.”

Sakra now makes this very plain statement that the Teaching, some of which he has outlined in previous truths, is born of knowledge. The word for this is abhijña (Pali: abhiñña) and by this term his listeners were meant to understand “the direct intuitional knowledge gained through discipline and meditation (sila-samadhi)” and not the traditional priestly knowledge from texts handed down from teacher to pupil.

Although the conditions affecting the birth and growth of a new religion are many, of prime importance is the character of the founder. Naturally, characters may be widely different but two primary roots in such persons will affect their teachings one way or the other. The first is unknowing (avidya) and the second knowledge (jñana). Avidya has the sense of ”not knowing completely, knowing only segmentally or partly” and therefore is better translated by ”unknowing” since ”ignorance” means ”total lack of knowledge.” There will be many species more or less highly evolved, in the genus of teachers whose doctrines are taught out of unknowing but we are not concerned with them here, nor with their partial views of reality. But there can be only one species in the genus of those who teach Dhamma out of knowledge since “Truth is one without a second” (Sn 884). They are called Perfectly Enlightened Ones.

Having declared to the celestials that the basis of Lord Buddha’s Dhamma is knowledge, Sakra goes on to praise the ways in which it was taught. Elsewhere the Buddha is frequently called Sasta devamanusyanam (Teacher of Celestials and Men), and this not for nothing for he taught all who were able to understand him. We know of his discourses and answers to celestials and of his admonitions to demons (yaksha); but outnumbering these by far are the teachings addressed to men. They were given to all men who questioned or who stood in need of Dhamma. His explanations differed in range and content of subject just as the understanding and the requirements of men vary. He suited his replies to match exactly the character and knowledge of the inquirer. A farmer was answered in similes drawn from agriculture while learned brahmins were shown the greater knowledge of the Buddha drawn from a source beyond all their books. With this great ability to give everyone the right Dhamma ’food,’ it is not surprising that he came to be known as Teacher of Celestials and Men.

This unexcelled adaptation of his teaching to fit the needs of people and circumstances is known as skill-in-means (upaya). It was labelled by the envious disciples of other teachers “Gotama’s enticing-device.” The basis of his ’enticing’ was very simple: truth and penetrating wisdom, non-harming and compassion. These elements were often woven into a gentle dialectic which resolved the doubts and delusions of many, and brought to them devotion and appreciation (pasada) of the teaching. We know how often this happened since at the end of many discourses one passage in particular is repeated: “It is wonderful, Lord, marvellous indeed, Lord. As if, Lord, one were to turn up what was face down, to uncover what was concealed, to point the way to one who is lost, or to carry a lamp into the darkness with the thought.” Also, “Those who have eyes will be able to see objects so has the Dhamma been expounded in many ways by the Lord.”

For being among those able to benefit from the Dhamma so well-expounded out of knowledge, we cannot fail to be glad, thrilled, elated, joyful and pleased. But for the further benefit of celestials and men, Sakra now proceeds to the seventh truth…

Seventh Marvellous and Wonderful Truth

“This Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha, friends, has crossed the sea of doubt, is rid of perplexity and has won assurance in good states. A master, friends, who has so passed beyond doubt I do not see arisen in the world, whether I survey the past or present, other than this Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha.”

Sakra first tells the celestial hosts that the Buddha has crossed the sea of doubt. One who has doubts is not yet enlightened, for the possession of doubts implies incomplete understanding whereas a Perfect Buddha has penetrated to the whole truth. But, it might be objected, it is possible to be deceived about lack of doubts. Many teachers and philosophers have been quite sure that they were right. To provide for this objection, Sakra tells us that the Buddha is rid of perplexity.

Only one who is puzzled or has a desire to know will ask questions. The Buddhas need never question others (nor themselves) in order to understand the nature of Dhamma. Certainty based on pride in one’s own philosophic constructions is one thing while that arising through insight into the Three Marks (lakshana) is quite another.

As if to give the greatest confidence to the celestials, Sakra finally says of the Buddha that he has won assurance in good states. This is the seal to his former statements for ’assurance in good states’ cannot ripen to perfection where the frost of doubt and the blight of perplexity are found.

The Buddha, having passed beyond doubt, established a Dhamma where nothing need remain in doubt. Doubt (vicikitsa) is never in the Dhamma but only in perplexed minds and as it is among the unskilful concomitants. Lord Buddha encourages everyone by wise examination of the Dhamma to overcome their doubts.

Without doubt was the Exalted One! For A master, friends, who has so passed beyond doubt and who teaches the Dhamma devoid of doubt—should not we all be glad, thrilled, exalted, joyful and pleased?

The last and greatest truth, Sakra has reserved until the minds of the celestials are steeped in tranquil joy…

Eighth Marvellous and Wonderful Truth

“Again, friends, Nirvana and the Way leading to Nirvana as taught by this Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha run together one into the other. Just as, friends, the waters of the Ganges and the Jumna flow one into the other and run together into the great ocean, so do Nirvana and the Way leading to Nirvana as taught by this Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha flow together. A master, friends, with such a well-revealed Nirvana and Way leading to Nirvana I do not see arisen in the world, whether I survey the past or present, other than this Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha.”

Here is the cause for highest joy! Quite naturally the Way when practised leads to Nirvana and Nirvana is the natural outcome of that way.

In the simile, the lesser stream of the Jumna can be taken as the Way (marga) taught by Lord Buddha. It is the way of training for the man who sees his own mental afflictions (klesa) and is willing to make effort. He has wise faith that this way once led to the Enlightenment of Lord Buddha; he is one who not only places his trust in, but practices the way itself; and lastly he may have the benefit of a noble friend (a meditation master) who having travelled along that way can point it out to others. In brief, he has gone for Refuge to the Triple Gem. His faith in these refuges gives him the strength to go onward—even though obstacles appear to be very great. But it will be a great consolation to him if he realizes that the Dhamma is so to speak ’on his side’ for if his life truly accords with it he will progress quite naturally ’towards’ Nirvana, just as the waters of the Jumna flow by nature onwards to their union with those of the Ganges.

The mighty spate of the Ganges into which the Jumna flows represents the experience during life of Nirvana, meaning here the most profound understanding of its nature. It is the fruit of perfection and the destruction of all the host of mental ills: greed, hatred, delusion and the rest. It is the summit of Buddhist endeavour so ardently longed for by those who practise the Holy Dhamma.

Although people in Lord Buddha’s days, as now, frequented the union of such rivers and regarded them as ’holy’ places, this simile shows that the real rivers, those of practice and attainment, are not to be found by going anywhere, nor ultimately is it places which are to be esteemed as ’holy.’ Sakra, in using this simile and knowing well the sacred associations of the Ganges in India, has given a characteristically Buddhist meaning to these rivers and their union by pointing out that they flow within anyone who practises the Dhamma. It is also fitting that the broad Ganges together with its famous and illimitable sands often used as a symbol for the inexpressible in Buddhist works, should here represent Nirvana which is also the Inexpressible. For although one may consider Nirvana under many aspects such as Enlightenment, gnosis, freedom or purity, a complete description forever evades one.

These two rivers, the Ganges and the Jumna flow one into the other and run together into the great ocean and while the very perfection of the way is shown quite naturally to be the perfection of the fruit, how should the latter part of this phrase be interpreted? One who has experienced Enlightenment is said to have traversed the whole way with no need to strive further, nor any idea that he has yet anything left to do—he has ’done what had to be done.’ The finest of fruits is his, no longer is Nirvana read about, talked about, thought about but is actually an experience he has and from which he cannot be separated. Such a sage, we are told, is aware of how the distortions (vipallasa) used to play havoc with his perceptions, colouring his emotional reactions and affecting the concepts formed by him. Formerly he will have had such attitudes to samsara, the wandering-on, as assuming its permanence, enjoyability, substantiality and beauty. After having the knowledge of Enlightenment it is said to look rather different, for the wandering-on is then, without any emotional attachment, seen to be a flux of changing events; that which is bound up with unsatisfactory experience being scarcely a place in which to ’have fun’; further, that all its manifestations are without substance and in their nature void, while that which one formerly seized on as beautiful, being impelled to do so by the passions, is now seen as lacking inherently beautiful qualities.

On the other hand, one Enlightened sees permanence in quite another quarter, for Nirvana is called the Permanent. It is also known to him as the highest happiness and is seen by those who are truly noble (arya) as devoid of substance and lacking that which could be interpreted as a metaphysical self. As to beauty, both the Blessed One and his disciples who saw events-as-they-really-are, were appreciative of the fair aspects of the forest in which they lived without having greed or grasping for them. Most highly valued by them were surely the beautiful deeds (kalyana-karma) with which then as now the wise man adorns his mind, speech and body.

Further, when we are unenlightened we have not only distorted impressions of samsara, but also mistaken notions about Nirvana, the more so since words are no substitute for direct knowledge. Whether it is words in books, by way of conversation or lecture, or whether it is the interior stream of words, however precise we try to be concerning ”what Nirvana must be like,” Nirvana can never be adequately contained. Our distorted picture of both samsara and Nirvana might in fact be compared to the belief that the waters in the Ganges and Jumna run upwards and backwards from the ocean to the mountains!

But we find that the text of this truth stresses that Nirvana is well-taught and well-revealed, so how can this be done apart from words? In formulating a reply, we should remember that Sakra has here some authority to speak from his personal experience, since his attainment of Stream-entry is recorded in the Suttas. For him, as it must be for us, that well-taught and well-revealed Nirvana can only be found within the limits of “this six-foot carcass” and its consciousness. It is there that the arising and declining of the fivefold heaps (skandha) according to conditionality, must be apprehended. If samsara, the wandering-on, is ’here’ all around and in us and we are caught up in it as flies upon flypaper, then equally, Nirvana is ’here.’ It is ’here’ since the understanding of conditionality and in particular of the conditioned arising of dukkha, which is the gateway to Nirvana, cannot take place except within ’our own’ mentality and materiality (nama-rupa). Where else indeed could it take place? While this is easily and quickly said in words it is quite another matter directly to perceive Nirvana.

Just as a scientist who wishes to record infra-red or ultra-violet light must use special equipment to allow him to investigate what his eyes are unable to see, so the followers of the Exalted One have to use the special equipment provided by him—the way consisting of the aspects of moral conduct, collectedness and wisdom. Only then shall we come to know the unknown, to ’see’ Nirvana with ’the eyes of wisdom’ (prajñacaksuh).

One who has done this—often called “One-who-knows, one-who-sees”—is a living example of the way come to its perfect fruit and while his life lasts he is like those two great rivers as they run together into the great ocean. In his life will be found all that has ever been most precious for those who follow the Buddhist way. From the seeds of his striving for purity in moral conduct, grows in Enlightenment the white lotus of perfect purity in all the spheres of thought, speech and action. Since he has sincerely tried to make his life the active expression of loving-kindness, compassion and joy with others, Enlightened he is one who pours as from a vessel the ambrosia of perfect compassion upon those still trapped and wandering in samsara. And, as during his training he developed a vigilant mindfulness becoming aware of unskilful thoughts as they arose so that they went to destruction, upon becoming one-who-knows-and-sees, he wields the sword of penetrative wisdom, instantly able to detect views which lead others astray (mithya drishti).

Sages such as this, and such were the great disciples of the Buddha-time together with some teachers of today, as they pass in this way through their lives, in time come to the great ocean. No longer will the patchwork of the five heaps hold together. Ungrieving and unconcerned with what after all does not belong to him, such a sage lets what is material return to the four great elements and since, what is mental arises only in connection with a body that he knows must cease when the body is no more. This state which he approaches is called Nirvana-without-substrata (of existence) and it is this which is compared to the great ocean of which the depths and the extent are not easy to gauge. Nirvana is known, just as the ocean is seen to be by those in its midst, as the Unlimited.

When this had been said, Lord, the celestials of the Thirty-three were still more glad and thrilled, elated and joyful, pleased and happy.

And they said to Sakra, sovereign of celestials, “Therefore, friend Kausika, we should like you to proclaim again the eight marvellous and wonderful truths about the Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha.”—“Well then, again friends…,” and Sakra repeated those eight truths as before.

When he had so spoken the celestials of the Thirty-Three were still more thrilled, elated, joyful, pleased and happy.

Then, Lord, when the Great Brahma saw that the celestials of the Thirty-Three were so increased in happiness, he said to Sakra, Lord of celestials: ”Therefore, friend Kausika, we would like you to proclaim again the eight marvellous and wonderful truths about the Exalted One, Arhan and Perfect Buddha.”

And at the end of this third recital, the celestials of the Thirty-three were still more thrilled, elated, pleased, and happy. Truly, they took delight in what was worth delighting in.

Who can fail to rejoice when following such a Master the like of whom Sakra says, “I do not see arisen in the world, whether I survey the past or the present”! But why is this? We are told that many Buddhas have proclaimed the Dhamma in the past and that many more will do so in the future. The answer to this lies in the timelessness of the Dhamma. It is not limited to any particular time, place or person. As the Buddha is reported to have told Vakkali Thera: “Whoso sees the Dhamma, he sees me.”

How shall we see this Dhamma? How shall we also be able to experience the joy aroused by Dhamma among the celestials? This is not possible if we only beckon to the further shore to come here, or just contemplate from a distance what we imagine are its beauties. When, like a strong man, we bind our loincloth and plunge into the stream then the Dhamma is near at hand. On that further shore lie the real joys and peace of Dhamma; but to enjoy them we must first get there. And to do this we need the practice of Dhamma (pratipatti-dharma).

Meanwhile it only remains to set out on the journey—which over 2500 years ago resulted in such a wonderful discovery. Whatever method we use to cross over, whether raft, boat or bridge, one aspiration we should bear in mind, however long the journey and however rough the waters: “May we, having crossed, lead others across; ourselves free, set others free; ourselves comforted, give comfort to others; ourselves released, give release to others. May this come to pass for the welfare and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the sake of the great multitude, and for the welfare and happiness of celestials and men.”

(concluded)

Source: Wheel No.93 (Excerpt); BPS, Kandy, Sri Lanka.

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The Vipassana Fellowship Newsletter is published about 10 times each year and is sent only on request and to previous participants of our courses. Vipassana Fellowship is an organisation dedicated to the dissemination of accurate and useful information on Buddhist meditation practices as found in the Theravada tradition. Our next mailing will be in October. Our site can be accessed via the vipassana.com and vipassana.org domains.