Written by U Kyaw Thein
Translated by Dr. Tin Htut (UK)
The following
dialog between the venerable Mogok Mogok SayadawU Vimala and U Kyaw
Thein, the author of the Mogok Sayadaw’s biography and the method
is a glimpse on the practice at the Mogok Vipassana Centre. It was
given on a day in September 1957 (1318 Burmese era) at the Mingalar
Monastery in Amarapura, Burma.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Have you come to practice meditation?
U
Kyaw Thein: Yes Sire, I have come to practice meditation.
Mogok Sayadaw:
All right, does your family give you the permission?
They gave me the permission Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Why do you come to meditate, is it that I have only asked you?
I want to be free of the suffering in Samsara, my lord.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Have you developed faith (Saddha) in your mind as well?
I have the faith Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
If that’s the case you must decide in your mind that you have the
rarest opportunities for being a human who is born in the Buddha’s
Sasana, and to have the chance to practice Vipassana that I am
going to give you. You must also develop faith in you mind that it
will help you to escape from the Samsaric sufferings of old age,
ailments, death, and other misfortunes and make up your mind to
follow the instructions meticulously.
Yes my Lord.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Maung Kyaw Thein, you must also decide not to think of your
business and your family. Try to be detached from these by using
wisdom.
Yes Sire, I will renounce them.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You must rely on the three main principles (Adipadhi).
All right, but what are these three principles Sire?
Mogok Sayadaw:
Yes, I will tell you. Firstly, you must remember that you need to
rely on yourself; that you practice meditation not for your
livelihood, but to release from the suffering of old age, disease,
death, misfortunes and inconveniences. This is the Attadipadhi
(self-reliance principle).
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Secondly, you must regard life as your next principle
(Lokadipadhi). You must not pretend to meditate and think of all
your life affairs. Don’t be lazy, apathetic, asleep and don’t let
your mind roam. Don’t do anything that is not right for your
guardian angel, good Devas and those who have Abhinna (super
natural powers) know. So you must be shameful of yourself if you
are not leading a good life.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You must regard Dhamma as the third principle (Dhammadipadhi). You
must pay respect to the Dhamma and try to experience insight wisdom
(Vipassana nana) directly. You must know that if you were not
enlightened it was not that there was no Dhamma, but it was your
fault that you did not pay due respect to the Dhamma principle. You
must decide to have faith in this principle and strife with all
your might.
Yes Sire. If I take these as the main principles and meditate shall
I be awakened in this very life, my Lord?
Mogok Sayadaw:
Have you committed the Panchanandriya kamma (five cardinal sins)?
Have you killed an Arahat?
No Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Have you killed your mother or your father?
No Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Have you ever caused a split among Sangha?
No I haven’t Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
All right, I won’t ask you whether you have caused any physical
harm to the Buddha as it is not relevant now. If you have not
committed any of these sins just try your best in the practice. It
will take only seven years if a person is very dull, seven months
for an average and seven days for very bright persons with the
right practice. It won’t happen without practice. You must work
hard with faith, mindfulness, concentration, energy, and wisdom
(Saddha, Sati, Samadhi, Viriya and Panna).
Yes my Lord, I will work hard and follow your instructions.
Mogok Sayadaw:
All right then. You take the eight precepts.
[ After taking the eight precepts (refrain from killing,
stealing, practising celibacy, refraining from telling lies, taking
intoxicants, taking solid food after mid-day, and refraining from
sensual indulgences such as perfume, cosmetics, music &
dancing, and handling money & financial matters) ]
Mogok Sayadaw:
Now you need to do the five rituals (Pubbakissa) during
meditation.
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Do you know how to differentiate between matter (Rupa) and
mind (Nama)?
I have only the theoretical knowledge, Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: All right, I’ll tell you. When you consider vision you
have the eye and the object, which are Rupa and the image that
developed in your mind is the Nama. Likewise, all six sense organs
and their objects are Rupas and the sensations developed by their
interactions are Namas (Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and
thoughts).
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw:
Yes my Lord.
Mogok
Sayadaw: You must differentiate between mind and matter. Then do
not go after the Jhana way (for attaining super natural powers). If
a Yogi wants to overcome live and death and become awakened he
needs concentration of the mind just enough to develop Samadhi.
Then he must practise Vipassana.
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Switching over to Vipassana is just like a locomotive
changing rails from one to another. The contemplation of the mind
is moved from Samatha (one point) to the arising and dissolving
phenomenon of the current Rupa-Nama (sensation). You must remember
that this is led by the mind.
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: You must do the contemplation of breathing (Anapanna)
first. It is mindfulness of the incoming and outgoing breath. You
must breathe in normally and fully. Do not force it or reduce it,
but breathe in and out regularly.
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: You can focus your mind on the lips at the tip of nostrils
or at the sternum, but it is better to keep it at the tips of
nostrils (to be sharper in developing concentration). Whatever site
you have chosen you must try to be mindful continuously.
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Anapanusatti is the mindfulness that occurs when
contemplated on the incoming and outgoing breaths. A Yogi
practising Anapananusatti fixes the mind strongly on the breathing
while taking breaths regularly and normally. He first focuses the
mind on the tip of nostrils and watches as the air goes in and
out.
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Apart from this mindfulness of the touch of air he must
not divert his attention to any other object.
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: A Yogi who has developed concentration after practising
Anapana must know that the person is not "you, I, male or female,"
but a collection of Rupa (matter) and Nama (mind) and a collection
of the five aggregates. Then the Yogi must realise that the mind
that registers this knowledge is the Nama. This Nama dwells in the
heart. The physic that is in sitting meditation is the Rupa. You
will come to know this reality by direct experience.
After
this differentiation of Rupa and Nama you must understand that the
collection of twenty-four physical objects is the Rupatkhanda. The
consciousness that knows is the Vinnanakhanda. Feelings that
associate with the mind when contemplated on sensations are the
aggregate of Vedanatkhanda. Recognition of the sensations that
associate with the mind is the aggregate of Sanatkhanda. The other
fifty concomitants of the mind, which include all volitional
perceptions except consciousness and recognition, are known as the
aggregate of Sankharatkhanda.
I will
need to explain further using the Paticca Samupadda to
differentiate cause and effect relationships, as you may not
understand thoroughly.
Yes Sire, its getting more and more clear by your explanations.
Mogok
Sayadaw: That’s right. It is better to let a Yogi know the basics
before giving the practical aspects.
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: After you know the five aggregates you must also
understand roughly that the past Avijja-Tanha (ignorance and
attachments) are the causes of Rupa-Nama (body and mind).
Yes my Lord.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Now you repeat what I said to request for the meditation
method.
"Kammathanan mae
bhante detha sansara vatta dukkhataw mawcanatthaya"
Bhante
please give me with compassion, the right method of meditation in
order to be free of the samsaric suffering. Repeat this three
times. Now go and practise for an hour on what I have just taught
you.
SECOND
PART
[ U Kyaw Thein
paid respect to the Mogok Sayadaw and went to his allotted place,
which was not far from the Sayadaw’s room. He then started to
practise Anapana as he was instructed, but could not prevent his
mind from roaming for the first half an hour. He over heard the
dialog between the Mogok Sayadawand a traditional medicine
practitioner who was attending to the Mogok Sayadawin his room. The
practitioner was discussing about a certain medicine text and the
Mogok Sayadaw:told him that Metta was even more effective than
medicine. U Kyaw Thein (KT)could not help his mind from overhearing
the conversation and began to divert his attention to eaves drop
the discussion. ]
Then the Mogok
Sayadaw warned him from his room. "Maung Kyaw Thein, you are not
mindful. Try to keep your mind from wandering."
[ KT was amazed
when he heard the Sayadaw’s voice as it was not possible for the
Mogok Sayadaw:to see him from his room. There was another room in
between his place and that of the Sayadaw. He did not know how he
was caught, but became very astonished and concerned and tried his
best to build up the concentration. He could not remember how long
he had been meditating when he was summoned to see the Sayadaw.
]
Mogok Sayadaw:
Maung Kyaw Thein did you practise as I told you?
Yes I did. I have kept my mind at the sternum Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Did it stay where it was kept then?
No Sire, it didn’t at the beginning, but it stayed there later
on.
Mogok Sayadaw:
When Anapana is practised for an hour and have obtained Samadhi, it
was not possible if you did not have perseverance. That is Viriya
(effort) and with this effort you have managed to sit for an hour.
This is called Samma vayama, the right effort.
Did your mind
notice the movement of air at the sternum while you were
breathing?
Yes Sire, I did.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, you noticed the movement of air as you were mindful. This is
called Samma sati, the right mindfulness.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
When you were practising Anapana did you mind wander to your home?
Where did it go?
No Sire, it didn’t go anywhere. It stayed at the sternum where it
was kept.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, that was Samma samadhi, the right concentration. Your mind
has stayed where it was kept.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
All right, you have developed Samadhi. However, you need to develop
it further by breathing through the nose, but not through the
mouth. When you are breathing do not try to notice if you are
breathing with your right or left nostril, but try to develop
Samadhi. You don’t need to follow other Samatha methods. If you
breathe through the nose you must know that it is through the nose
and if you take a deep breath you must know that you are doing
so.
Very well, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You have been instructed to keep your mind to the sternum at first.
Now you must watch as the air touches the nostrils, sternum and
umbilicus while you breathe in and vice versa as it goes out.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You must notice the outgoing and incoming air as if through the
bellows and as a string of a lathe-file rubs the stick you must
continuously watch the air at the place where it touches. You must
notice when you breathe faster, and must know when it is slow. You
must be aware when you breath is long/deep and also knows when it
is short/shallow. However, you don’t need to watch the breath in a
continuos stream. Just watch at the point of contact as if a saw
cuts through the timber, but not along the edge of the saw. You
must focus your mind at the point of contact of the air with the
nostrils.
I will, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
If you practise in this way and be mindful you can develop Samadhi
within fifteen minutes when you become accustomed to it.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You need to know that it is the Rupa (matter) that was doing the
breathing and it is the Nama (consciousness) that knew what you
were doing. When you can differentiate between Nama and Rupa the
knowledge developed is called Namarupa pariccheda nana (analytical
knowledge of mind and matter). Cleansing of views is also involved
simultaneously, which is known as Ditthi visuddhi. Remember this
carefully.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
When you meditate you must know the followings.
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: I will give you an example how to master your mind.
Suppose
a herd tender wanted to tame a raw cow he needs to put a post
firmly into the ground, insert a rein into the cow’s nose, and tie
it to the post and tame her. Likewise, you must tame your mind by
fixing it to the cord of mindfulness (Sati) and tie it up to the
post of the object of contemplation in your practice. Do you
understand?
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: I’ll give you another example. If you want to catch a
lizard that went into a burrow that had six holes, you need to
close five holes and wait at the sixth. The analogy to this
procedure would be to close all the five sense doors, namely your
ears, eyes, nose, body, your tongue and then to wait at the last
door, which is your mind. You will surely catch the thought as it
occurs, just like you catch the lizard. Is that clear?
Very well, Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: All right, you keep them aside for a while. You go back
and continue your practice to develop the concentration further.
Then you can sleep after it.
[ U Kyaw Thein paid his respects and did as he was
told. ]
[ The next day he went to see the Mogok Sayadaw at five
in the morning while the Sayadaw was having breakfast. There were
other experienced Yogis who came to meditate and they were
interviewed and assessed by the Sayadaw after the breakfast. When
his turn came the Sayadaw paid more attention, as he was a
beginner. ]
Mogok
Sayadaw: Maung Kyaw Thein when did you start the meditation last
night and when did you stop?
I started at 11.30 PM and stopped at 1AM, Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: How was your Samadhi?
I could manage to get it Sire, but barely.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Why was that?
I must admit that I felt sleepy Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Shame on you. That was due to excess in your
determination. You must have persisted to meditate in your sitting
posture. You should have changed it and did walking meditation
instead, if you felt sleepy.
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: It is all right to change the posture for beginners. As
you become more experienced you may not need to change the posture
when you feel sleepy.
How would I do it Sire? I don’t know how to evade sleepiness
without changing posture.
Mogok
Sayadaw: When you become sleepy how was your breathing? Was it
quicker or slower?
It was slow and shallow, Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Right, the breathing will be slower and you feel sleepy.
Then what about your Sati at that time?
It was poor, Sire. I was not mindful at that time.
Mogok
Sayadaw: "Ca catawva acasati, ca tawva pacasati." As mentioned in
the Maha Satipatthana Sutta a Yogi who practises Anapana must
breathe in and out with mindfulness. But you have lost mindfulness,
you must never let it go.
I admit I lost mindfulness, Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: You must breathe in fully and then breathe out fully. (You
must notice as soon as the breathing becomes slower and correct it
by breathing fully again. If you do not notice as soon as the
breathing gets slower you may go into torpor and soon become
sleepy) You must never let the mindfulness escape. If you breathe
fully in this way for ten to fifteen minutes you can become alert
again.
Yes Sire, now I understand.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Another thing is, when you become angry don’t you breathe
more harshly?
Yes I do, Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Right, why does the breathing become quick and harsh?
I have no idea, Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Maung Kyaw Thein, you note this down well. When you are
angry your blood in the heart is bright red and hot. As the heart
needs to beat faster it needs more energy and you have to breathe
much faster. (Thus, the blood became redder and hot due to
increased turbulence and flow)
Yes Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: When you recover from anger don’t you feel that your body
is weary and tired?
It is, Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Why is that?
I don’t know, Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Because your heart beats much faster, but you do not
realise it during the anger as you are not aware. Only after it you
came to know about the situation and you become weary and
tired.
Exactly Sire, I have the experience.
Mogok
Sayadaw: Sometimes when you are carried away by greed or desire,
you say you do not have the time to become tired, don’t you?
Yes I do, Sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: That is you have followed your desires instead of your
mind.
Yes sire.
Mogok
Sayadaw: When you meditate Anapana you must relax your body and
your muscles. Only then you can breathe regularly and correctly.
The Buddha said "Pacambayan Kayasankharan." That is you must
breathe neither slowly nor quickly, and neither shallow nor deep,
but regularly.
Yes Sire, I will follow your instructions, but what shall I pay
more attention?
Mogok
Sayadaw: You remember this very carefully. It is only Sati
(concentration) that is never in excess. Saddha, Samadhi, Viriya,
Panna (faith, concentration, effort and knowledge) must be
developed simultaneously. If you could not develop them
simultaneously and equally they would not be well balanced and
either Uddhacca (distraction) or Htina middha (torpor or sloth)
would result. At present, you have been instructed to meditate just
to develop Samadhi. Don’t let it mix with anything else!
Yes Sire.
THIRD
PART
Mogok Sayadaw:
You continue with the meditation after you have your breakfast.
Only then you will develop the Samadhi. When you meditate let
faith, knowledge, concentration and effort be well balanced as I
have told you earlier. I am taking my time to explain in detail as
you are a beginner. What’s so difficult to about practising
Anapana. Go and practise till your Samadhi is strong and then come
back.
[ When the Mogok
Sayadaw left U Kyaw Thein had his breakfast and continued his
practice from six to eight in the morning. However, he did not have
strong Samadhi despite the extended practice and he had to try
repeatedly using all available means. ]
[ After eight
o’clock U Kyaw Thein helped preparing the meal for the Mogok
Sayadaw together with those who came to the monastery for offering
the necessities for Sangha. When everything was done he went to the
Mogok Sayadaw:at nine o’clock to be assessed on his progress. ]
Mogok Sayadaw:
How are you doing Maung Kyaw Thein? Have you developed good
Samadhi?
Yes my Lord, I have developed a strong Samadhi now.
Mogok Sayadaw:
What position have you taken to meditate?
Sire, I have done sitting meditation at the first hour and then did
the walking meditation for the rest of the time.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You didn’t look like you have strong Samadhi though you said
so.
Can you, my Lord, tell exactly if a person has Samadhi or not just
by looking the external appearances?
Mogok Sayadaw
smiled and replied "Dear Maung Kyaw Thein, I will explain to you
later how different a person looked if he had the Samadhi. Take a
bath after you have your meal and then make sure that you have no
inconveniences. Otherwise you may have to disrupt the practise if
you have the call of nature while meditating. These things are very
interfering with the practice."
[ Only then U
Kyaw Thein realised his fault of having inconveniences while he was
meditating earlier as he did not go to the loo before the six
o’clock sitting. Now he did as he was advised and started the
meditation from twelve noon till two o’clock. Later on he went to
see the Mogok Sayadaw:in his room. Being a beginner he was given a
special privilege to visit the Mogok Sayadawas often as he wished
if he had any problems. ]
Mogok Sayadaw:
Have you developed a strong Samadhi now?
Yes sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, you now have the Samadhi, but you must remember that Samadhi
is like a column of mercury in a thermometer. It can go up and down
according to the condition. When you are in meditation it is good.
However, if you encounter with crude sensuality it can go down
again.
Yes Sire, but I have a strong Samadhi now.
Mogok Sayadaw:
All right, it’s enough. You can change over to Vipassana. First you
must try to develop good Samadhi and then go to Vipassana.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You are asked to do Samadhi not to encourage you to practise
Samatha. You must let go of the mindful breathing as soon as the
mind is calm and then contemplate on any sensation that develops
without any breach. If you contemplate more and more on sensations
you will come to a point where you can overcome them. You will no
longer register them as sensations, but only as arising or
dissolving phenomenon. You will realise that all sensations
including pleasant ones, unpleasant ones and neutral ones dissipate
and come to an end. When you contemplate on sensations Vedana will
appear, but when you watch them with analytical knowledge you will
come to know that they are impermanent (Aniccha). If this wisdom is
developed it can be regarded as the overcoming of Vedana (sensual
perception). If you couldn’t comprehend the impermanence of sensual
perceptions you haven’t overcome Vedana as yet. When a Yogi has
surpassed Vedana or has eliminated them the Yogi will feel light,
agile and fresh even after the meditation is over. That is why one
needs to try hard to overcome Vedana. Mindfulness of breathing in
Samatha is just to make the mind calm, but it cannot lead to
Nibbana. You must remember this very well.
Yes my Lord.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Vipassana is to keep the mind on the wisdom path and watch and
realise the phenomenon of mind and matter as they are. The physical
body that we have at present is continuously forming and decaying
from cradle to coffin. It must be comprehended that impermanence
(Aniccha), suffering (Dukkha) and impersonal characteristics
(Anatta) are the only realities that can be found.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
When Rupa and Nama (body and mind) are comprehended as Aniccha,
Dukkha and Anatta repeatedly, and the arising and dissolving
phenomenon are perceived it is known to have reached the Udayabbaya
nana. You remember? Do you understand?
Yes my Lord.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You need to know these facts clearly. If they are not clarified
beforehand using acquired knowledge your progress will not be
substantial. So I will have to go further to remove false views
(Ditthi) and doubts (Vicikccha). Maung Kyaw Thein, if you want to
be a stream winner (Sotapanna) what should you remove first?
Yes Sire, I need to remove Ditthi and Vicikiccha first.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, where do false views and doubts lie?
I have no idea, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Ditthi and Vicikiccha are attached with the five aggregates of mind
and matter.
Yes Sire, now I know.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Now you know that they are attached to the five aggregates. If you
do not know where these five aggregates come from and how they are
arising and dissolving, you could not remove false views and doubts
by any means.
All right, my Lord.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You may have the book knowledge or have acquired from teachers that
the five aggregates are Rupakhanda, Vedanakhanda, Sannakhanda,
Sankharakhanda and Vinnanakhanda, but if you do not know the causes
and reasons for their becoming and disintegration false views would
adhere to you despite the acquired knowledge. That is why you need
to know Paticcasamupadda, the cycle of dependant arising first if
you want to have insight into the five aggregates. So, I will teach
you the Paticcasamupadda. Go and fetch the cycle of dependant
arising chart from my room. Do you still remember anything about
Paticcasamupadda?
Yes Sire, I could remember only a few aspects.
[ When he
brought the chart]
The Mogok
Sayadaw said "Right, place it in front of you. I’ll show you. What
you have learnt about dependant arising in the past was only an
acquired knowledge."
I have only the book knowledge, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
If you do not know Paticcasamupadda there is no way you can know
the aggregates. If you do not know the aggregates, false views will
adhere. That’s why you need to comprehend Paticcasamupadda. Book
knowledge is not enough.
Yes Sire, I will try to understand it.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Do you still remember it by heart?
Yes I do, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
In that case I won’t elaborate on it (Please refer to
Paticcasamupadda on the web site). You must remember that there are
two forms of dependant arising. What you know from the book about
Paticcasamupadda is one thing and there is also another
Paticcasamupadda that is arising and dissolving in the body. You
must understand the Paticcasamupadda of the body in order to make
progress. Do you follow me?
Yes Sire.
Pointing at the diagram of the circle of dependent arising The
Mogok Mogok Sayadawcontinued "That’s why I am going to show you the
causes and reasons for arising and dissolving of the five
aggregates. Do you know that your volitional responses (Sankhara)
of the past existence, which were carried out without wisdom
(Avijja) have resulted in the body that you have it now?"
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Those were in the past and therefore they were out of your control.
They were past Paticcasamupadda and did not concern you. Again the
future Paticcasamuppada has not arrived yet and so it does not
concern you. The most important thing is to understand the present
Paticcasamupadda. Is that clear?
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Which Samupadda concerns you?
The present one my Lord.
Mogok Sayadaw:
What about the past?
It doesn’t concern us, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
And the future?
No Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Where do false views and doubts attach?
To the five aggregates, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, they are attached to the five aggregates. If I ask you whose
hair is this, you will answer that it is your hair. The false view
attaches to Rupakhanda, the hair. If I say that the tea is very
nice, it attaches to Vedanakhanda, the feeling or taste. If I say
that this sentence is written by me, I note down this line, then
the false view attaches to Sannakhanda, the interpretation of a
feeling. When I say that my weaving is exceptionally good, then the
false view attaches to Sankharakhanda, the reaction to a feeling.
And if I say "Don’t you dare try me" then the false view attaches
to the Vinnakhanda, the consciousness or self esteem. These are the
places of attachment, do you follow me?
Yes sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Then you must detach the false views and doubts from the
aggregates. Theoretically, if Rupa and Nama (matter and mind) can
be differentiated they say that false views are detached. However,
there is one more thing to understand.
Only when you
understand the cause of Paticcasamupadda and the effect of
Paticcasamupadda you will detach yourself from false views and
doubts. If you know the cause of aggregates you can eliminate the
false views. If you don’t, the false views will stay. If you know
that the effect (of anything that happens in you) is due to the
causes of aggregates, then you can eliminate the false views
totally.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
If you understand that there are only causes and effects, but no
persons and beings (non-personalised view) you can eliminate the
false views.
Very well, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
What you need to work is the present Paticcasamupadda. It doesn’t
mean the whole day, but what you see or hear at the present moment.
It is important to watch the present moment when you meditate now.
Don’t recall the past and don’t look forward to the future, but
watch what is happening at present. By the way, how old are you
now?
Forty, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, even if your are forty you may consider that you have the
same appearance as you were in your younger age, then it is Sassata
Ditthi, the unchanging perverted view.
Yes Sire
Mogok Sayadaw:
If you consider that you can risk your life for money, that you do
not care about your life as you think that there is nothing after
dying (dying is better than suffering), then it is Uccheda Ditthi,
the annihilation view. You must not consider like this as well. Do
you understand?
Yes, my Lord.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You must cleanse of these two false views (Sassata and Uccheda
dtithi) first before you meditate.
Yes, I’ll do it, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
If you know the disintegration phenomena of mind and matter you
cleanse the Sassata ditthi, and if you know the arising phenomena
you cleanse the Uccheda ditthi.
I’ve cleansed them, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, it is only with the book knowledge. Is that clear? Don’t
attach yourself to mind and matter as "You, me."
Very well, Sire. I will no longer get attached.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Then it is enough. Go to a quiet place and start the meditation.
You practise Samatha only to get a good Samadhi (concentration).
Sit straight, know the incoming and outgoing breaths, the Samadhi
will become good, then you must not lax the effort at that time.
Let the awareness (Sati) and knowledge (Panna) go together, the
physical body will start showing changes and you will notice
sensations (Vedana). Try to overcome the feeling that arises, if
you watch your mind focus on the thoughts. If a sound is heard
while watching thoughts you must notice that it is heard.
Very well, Sire. I will watch and register whatever comes.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, after you register it you must consider that your mind is
your consciousness. Then contemplate on the incoming and outgoing
breaths with your consciousness and consider that those are the two
hosts of consciousness. If you hear a sound while watching it is
the hearing consciousness, if you smell anything with your nose it
is the smelling consciousness. Likewise you register your taste
consciousness with your tongue and seeing consciousness with your
eyes. If you feel a pleasant sensation on your body it is the
pleasant consciousness, if it is unpleasant it is the unpleasant
consciousness.
"Dukkha sahagata
kayaVinnana sukha sahagata kayaVinnana" as the literature goes,
there will be an unpleasant feeling on the body sometimes and a
pleasant feeling on the body. There are altogether six
consciousness including these two on the body. You note it
down.
Yes sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Are these six thoughts always occurring in the mind?
No Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
They occur occasionally, so they must be regarded as "External
Visiting Consciousness."
Right Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
When one thought occurs the other five thoughts do not arise. If a
mosquito bites you while watching (your two hosts) breathing
consciousness, an itching or an unpleasant consciousness may
follow, then watch that itching consciousness.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
How many external visiting thoughts are there altogether?
Six, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, are these thoughts always there?
No Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Next, there are five "Internal Visiting Thoughts" that associate
with consciousness. They are thoughts of greediness (Loba), anger
(Dosa), delusion (Moha), absence of grasping (Aloba), and absence
of aversion (Adosa). Amoha is not included here as it is the
consciousness that must watch other thoughts. Therefore, the five
internal visitors and six external visitors, altogether eleven
visiting thoughts must be watched whatever that arises in the
consciousness. When one thought arises the other five do not arise.
Just watch the existing thought that occurs.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, if none of these thoughts occur go back to the consciousness
of breathing in and out and watch continuously. These two are the
hosts consciousness, remember?
Yes I do, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You must follow the example of a spider while meditating. Spiders
make webs and wait in the middle to catch any insects that are
caught in the web. They go after whatever insect that is caught in
the web, devour them and return to the middle. As a spider waits in
the middle when there is no insect, you must also do the same and
watch your breath when there is no thought.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
When you contemplate on consciousness a thought that tells you to
start meditating will arise first. Watch that first thought and you
will notice that it arises and falls subsequently. It will
disappear as soon as you sit down to meditate.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Try to see it with your mind. When you contemplate on it you will
know that it has disappeared. This sort of knowing of actual
phenomena (what’s happening) is called Yathabuta nana.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
If there is no thought arising, you watch the incoming and outgoing
breaths alternately. You need to watch this very carefully. If you
can follow this quickly you will progress, but if you are less
aware of it your progress will be slow. If there is a defilement
(Kilesa) in-between the two breathing consciousness you won’t
progress. Try to prevent the Kilesa intervention. If there is no
object of meditation and you don’t watch, Avijja can come in. You
must be aware of this fact. Do you understand? Now go and
meditate.
Very well, Sire.
LAST
PART
After having the
instructions U Kyaw Thein departed and practised meditation from 2
to 4PM. Together with a huge crowd he listened to the Sayadaw’s
discourse given to the public at four o’clock. Then at eight in the
evening he went to the Sayadaw’s kuti in order to be assessed.
While attending to the Sayadaw (Sayadaw let male Yogis to massage
him to give them a chance of gaining merit) he was asked of his
progress.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Did you get good Samadhi?
Yes my Lord, and I also saw the Divine light.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Oh no, you don’t have to bother these. When Samadhi is good you can
experience all Panata nimita (conditioned signs such as light,
halo, smoke, rapture etc.) as well as Paramatta nimita
(unconditioned signs). You do not have to follow these (as they can
retard the progress).
Yes Sire. Mogok Sayadaw: Did you experience Vedana as well? Yes I
did, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
How did you experience?
When I sat for a long period my legs became painful, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Did you follow that?
Yes
I did, Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
You have created yourself pain unnecessarily. You need to know the
right posture for sitting meditation.
Yes Sire, I do not know how to sit properly.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Sit in a cross-legged position, put your spine straight, don’t lean
to either the front or to the side. Don’t let your head bend
either. When your body above the spine moves back and forth or
sideways, the spinal column doesn’t stay in alignment and you will
feel pain often. If that was the case you couldn’t get Samadhi, let
alone to overcome Vedana. The lower part of the body should also
not to be under severe pressure. Don't’ let the legs press each
other (semi-lotus position). If you let the legs pressed, they will
become numb and painful as the vessels are occluded. If you do not
sit in the proper position you create pain unnecessarily. Do you
understand? These facts are important for beginners like you. The
Sayadaw let the Yogis meditate in whatever posture they prefer, but
he recommended sitting posture as it could give concentration
easily. For those who haven’t started the practise yet they should
consider their health in choosing the posture. Sayadaw mostly used
layman terms and examples to suit the audience. The following
dialog has been written from U Kyaw Thein’s notes while he attended
the Sayadaw every night. The author expressed his responsibility if
there were any errors.
Mogok Sayadaw:
The incoming and outgoing breaths must be regular. If they are too
harsh or too rapid it will be like a self-torture. When you inhale
your breath air and heat (Tejo) enters the lungs through the
pharynx, larynx, trachea, right and left bronchus. It then reaches
the air sacs through very small tubes and the energy (Tejo) is
transferred to the various parts of the body. So, you must sit
straight to let the lungs expand. Only when the air sacs are filled
with air you can sit for hours. If you cannot fill or empty the
lungs fully you can become breathless and tired. This is important
for those who meditate.
Yes Sire.
Mogok Sayadaw:
When you take a breath the heart beats four times. You breathe
approximately sixteen to eighteen times per minute, then the heart
beats from sixty four to seventy two times. If you breathe rapidly
just imagine how much the heart has to beat. You may get ailments
instead of the Dhamma.
Yes Sire we are sure to get disorders instead.
Mogok Sayadaw:
A Yogi meditates in order to attain Nibbana that is free of all
sufferings. It is not possible to acquire the objective by an
extreme practice such as self-mortification. The Buddha had
admitted that he did not obtain Magga and Phala nana when he
practised Dukkhacariya (self-mortification). That’s why you need to
strive moderately following the Middle Path (Majjima padipadda,
in-between the two extremes of self-indulgence and
self-mortification).
Yes Sire, I will strive moderately.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Right, I will tell you further how the body functions. Powered by
Tejo, energy obtained through the lungs, nourishment is produced in
the intestinal tract and it is distributed towards all parts of the
body (the arising phenomenon). The blood carries back the waste
products that are harmful and toxic. They are excreted from the
respective organs and are disposed off as sweat, gasses, faeces and
urine (the dissipating phenomenon). The toxic and bad gasses must
be disposed off through the lungs with the expired air. Blood is
pumped through the vessels by the beating of the heart and is
therefore rising and falling as well. The bad blood that is foul
and dark is pumped to the lungs and the purified red blood that
carries new Tejo comes back to the chamber of the heart. This
excretion and purification process goes on and on and we call this
as staying alive. (The Sayadaw explained the physiology that he had
experienced in layman’s terms)
Yes Sir only with your explanation I now know how we are staying
alive.
Mogok Sayadaw:
Our heart is about the size of a fist. It has a dry red colour and
has a hollow chamber. In this chamber there is a fistful of red
blood. This good blood is pumped towards various parts of the body
four times during a singl
