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| Friday, 9 July 2004 |
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Why do you want to meditate? by Kingsley Heendeniya A person, retired like me, telephoned recently inquiring if he could meet me to learn about meditation. He read an article I wrote on Metta Bhavana and wanted to begin meditation. I asked him, Why do you want to meditate? Taken aback he at once said, That is a good question. That is the last I heard from him. This essay is therefore a discussion of my question. I shall limit the presentation to bhavana as taught and recommended by the Buddha. Meditation in general is widely taught and practised worldwide. Most of it does not accord with the aim in Dhamma. It is even commercialized and sold as a therapy for many conditions, even for cancer. The WHO has accepted it as a proven technique for therapeutic bio-feed back. But this does not mean that meditation used as such is useless. For example, I know that an American with cancer of the throat was cured from meditating for 40 consecutive days at Bodh Gaya. There are many such anecdotal accounts of the benefits of meditation by devotees of all religions. Meditation in Dhamma has nothing to do with therapy. At the end of nearly all discourses to disciples in training, the Buddha ended with the exhortation, What should be done for his disciples out of compassion by a teacher who seeks their welfare and has compassion for them - that I have done for you, bhikkhus. There are these roots of trees, these empty huts. Meditate bhikkhus. Do not delay or else you will regret later. This is our instruction to you. Herein is the clear, central rationale to practise meditation in Dhamma. So let me now discus it. The Buddha taught Dhamma with one and only one aim: to escape the round of birth and death. Thus I heard. On one occasion, when the Blessed One was newly enlightened, he was living at Uruwela by the banks of the river Neranjana at the root of the Bodhi Tree, the tree of enlightenment. Then the Blessed One sat at the root of the Bodhi Tree for seven days in one session, feeling the bliss of deliverance. At the end of the seven days, he emerged from that samadhi (concentration). In the first watch of the night his mind was occupied with dependent arising (paticcasamuppada) in forward order (anuloma) thus: This comes to be when there is this. This arises with arising of this. That is to say, with determinations as condition, nescience with birth as condition aging and death come to be, and also sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair. That is how there is origin to this whole aggregate mass of dukkha (second noble truth) When things are fully manifest to the ardent meditating brahmin, his doubts all vanish, for he knows that each thing (dhamma) has to have its cause his doubts end, for he perceives how the conditions (sankhara) come to end. This world is anguished, being exposed to contact (phassa). The world, whose being (bhava) is to become other (vibhava) is committed to being, is exposed to being, relishes on being. Yet what it relishes brings fear, and what it fears is pain. Now this holy life is lived to abandon dukkha. The above sutta passages are a paraphrase of Dhamma. They conclusively establish also the normal' rationale for meditation. But that is easily said than understood. Long before one sets out to meditate, it is necessary to know and understand the true Dhamma. That requires arduous committed training. To give this discussion a personal ring, allow me to tell frankly that it took 14 hours a day and 3-4 years of study of the suttas and related texts to realize for myself why the Buddha taught. It can be shorter for those who know Pali but I think even so, it will take least 3 years of intensive effort with help from a teacher. Ignorance of Pali saddled me since English translations of texts such as the Majjhima Nikaya are treacherous. Additionally, the traditional and contemporary commentaries are wrong on key concepts such as sankhara, paticcasamuppada, kamma, cetana, phassa, upadana, atta. Worse, I met no one who understands Dhamma from realizing the path, except in the writings of Nanavira Thera of Bundala. The study of books written by persons who have read books is fatal to any progress in Dhamma. How does one come to understand Dhamma? When engaged in any learning, memorizing, discussing and practicing Dhamma, the Buddha speaks of proper attention (yoniso manasikara), energetic striving (appamada), investigating, scrutiny, onward leading (opanaiyko) and reflective acceptance (ditthinijanakkanti) of the teaching. Men dyed in lust, and whom a cloud of darkness laps, will never see that what goes against the stream is subtle, deep and hard to see, abstruse is a statement of the Buddha is said to have been uttered sotto voce when, immediately after his enlightenment as a young man of 35 years he hesitated to teach. It goes into the heart of the answer to the question: Why do you want to meditate? Meditate on what? The Buddha says that some persons pre-meditate, meditate and over-meditate. Reflect on the wisdom of the Buddha above. Meditate to attenuate lust and surmount it as an arhant in this or another life. In the time of the Buddha, many achieved it in short time. Many went part of the way (magga); and many also failed. Vaccha, there is no householder, who without abandoning the fetter of householdership, on the dissolution of the body has made and end of dukkha. No householder, remaining as such can attain Nibbana. To conclude, for most of us, the aim of meditation, done strictly in solitude, alone, from a background of correct understanding Dhamma should be entry and progress in magga and nothing else. ************************** The Universal Doctrine of Deliverance (Dhamma): Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta by Piyasiri M.L. Hettige
In the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta - The First Sermon Proclaiming the Universal Doctrine of Deliverance (Dhamma), which would lead any intelligent Human to Nibbana, was established by the Buddha Gotama. In this sermon he outlines clearly the reawakening of his Dhamma Vinnana through mental energy generated in his Vijja Gnana while mindfully engaged in tranquil wisdom meditation through 'Mindfulness in breathing (Anapanasati). He practiced this to develop and expand his mental concentration on the mental energy enhancing sequences 'Udapadi Paths' to fortify his own mysterious wisdom (Vijja Gnana) required for the reawakening, recollection and the systematic analytical sorting of all information on natural phenomena gathered throughout past and present births, stored in His memory banks. Thus reawakened Dhamma Vinnana and how he utilized twelve transects on the human mental law based Udapadi path of Arising of Righteous Vision (Chakkum), which led to the arising of Right Insight Knowledge (Gnana), which resulted in the arising of Knowledge based on Wisdom (Panna), which led to Knowledge Dependant on his Kamma Mental Energy Storehouse of Mysterious Wisdom (Vijja Gnana) which finally led him to light concerning things Unknown Before (Aloko). These 12 traverses on the mental energy enhancing udapadi paths he used was termed as his Dhamma Cakka which finally resulted in his complete understanding of the Four Noble Truths and the superhuman wisdom to formulate the Dhamma and attain Incomparable Supreme enlightenment. Thus fulfilling his Unshakable and Indomitable multi-sansaric search for first hand knowledge of the Dhamma Wisdom, which no force in this universe could oppose or disprove. Dhammacakka symbol used in Sri Lanka There are several Dhamma Cakka symbols in use throughout the Buddhist world today, including the shameful representation of the Dhamma Cakka in the form of a cog wheel or ship's steering wheel, which may be unique to Sri Lanka. This misrepresentation of the Dhamma Cakka is seen adorning the portals of many, so called Buddhist Institutions, television networks as well as most of the reputed buddhist temples. Any one who has even superficial knowledge of the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta and Buddha Dhamma will realize that this is a blatant attempt, in their anxiety to portray the Dhamma Magga Chakra preached by Buddha in the form of an eight pronged cog wheel (also incorrectly) and definitely not a correct representation of the Dhamma Cakka of the Buddha. Dhamma Cakka on stone columns of emperor Asoka The Dhamma Cakka, engraved in stone atop the famous pillars of Emperor Asoka bear witness to this fact. Obviously Emperor Asoka would have had this representation of the Dhamma Cakka designed by an Arhant and the stonemason has faithfully carved it on to the pillar. As such there is no doubt, whatsoever, that this is the most appropriate and authentic way of depicting the Dhamma Cakka. This Dhamma Cakka engraved on the Asoka Pillar shows Twenty-four lines (each representing a Mental Energy Path) radiating from the central hub, representing the Human Gnana, towards the outer rim (devoid of cogs or protrusions), which represents the Super Mundane Vijja Gnana of the Buddha. Each cycle of Human Mental Law requires four path lines, to complete one (Aloka) Chakkra or a human astro-mental energy generation sequence denoted in the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta of the Tripitaka as Cakkhum Udapadi > Gnanam Udapadi > Panna Udapadi > Vijja Udapadi >> Aloko Udapadi. This four stage Karma Mental Energy generating process, the Buddha had realized, is universally applicable to all humans, whether they are Buddhists or followers of other faiths and could be scientifically denoted as the cyclic mental facility powering sequence which enables all intelligent human beings to overcome Avijja (Darkness of Mental Ignorance) on a particular subject and gradually facilitate the Arising of Vijja (In depth mystical Knowledge and Karma mental energy registration) leading to Aloko (Light of complete understanding as the case may be for Arhants or resultant karma mental energy for other humans). The Buddha repeated the above Aloka Chakra Sequence twelve times indicating that he used 12 such astro-mental energy generating processes to fully comprehend the Dhamma. Thus the Arhants, during the time of Emperor Asoka, used their ingenuity to interpret and present the Dhamma Cakka as an emblem in the simplest and most correct manner by representing these Twelve Chakras by utilizing the 24 spokes connecting the Gnana and Vijja Gnana Ckakras to represent the Dhamma Cakka. Correct depiction of the Dhamma Cakka In this the Millennium dedicated to the Mind, it is essential that the ideal scientific portrayal of the Dhamma Cakka of Sammasambuddha Gotama, which embodies the Twelve Aloka Chakras, he used, has to be depicted as illustrated in the Detail Dahmma Cakka diagram I have presented in my Thesis, titled 'Unveiling The Dhamma Chakra' of May/January 2002. Where conformity to rational and scientific thought takes precedence over blind faith, and in order to convince those who are sceptical about the universality of the Wheel of Mental Law, since the true explanation of it has been hidden during the translation of the original Sinhala Dhamma texts into the Pali Language, it was necessary to depict the Twelve Cyclic Mental Energy Powering Sequences used by the Buddha and the resultant Aloko he gained, as shown, in my scientific illustration of The Dhamma Cakka. However since it would be impossible to portray all these scientific details in an emblem, the Asoka Dhamma Cakka Symbol with its 24 radiating Mental Energy Paths connected to the Hub (Gnana) and outer Rim (Vijja) is the most appropriate, as long as we understand clearly, what the lines represent and how this Mental Energy producing Chakra Sequence applies to all Humans. As such there is no doubt whatsoever that this Asoka Dhamma Cakka has to be the one that must be Universally adopted as the ideal Emblem for depicting the correct Dhamma Cakka of the Buddha throughout the Buddhist World. ************************** Purpose of education: Character building the priority From the Buddhist viewpoint a person's education or learning should be reflected in his behaviour and any knowledge that cannot be profitably utilised for the amelioration of the condition of man is not of much value. The Buddha was a highly practical teacher whose every word of advice to man was accompanied with the practical element with which only such advice can be used to improve one's character. In this sense the progress of knowledge in the field of physical sciences only is not regarded as of much help in the ultimate sense. The gathering of knowledge through the collection and memorisation of facts and figures, and that too basically about the external world, is today regarded as education at the popular level. This is an estimate that cannot be called 'education' in the real sense of the term, as it basically is a system of schooling humans to earn a living by engaging in some profession. On the other hand, a deep kind of understanding about the facts of life and world, as a knowledge that springs from within through personal conviction of the facts of life and world, is the more meaningful concept which is generally designated by the term 'wisdom', represented by the Pali term pannaa or vijjaa. It was the joy inherent in the dawning of this insight that the Buddha gave vent to when he sang as follows in his maiden discourse, the Dhammacukkappavattana sutta "knowledge dawned, wisdom dawned, light dawned as per things so far unheard" (Pubbe ananussutesu Dhammesu vijja udapaadi, pannaa udapaadi, aaloko udapaadi etc). Thus he equates such insight knowledge to 'light' (aaloka), based on which the Buddha is referred to as the 'Enlightened One' - because he has realised the ultimate light in the unconditioned state of Nirvamic freedom. Although the Buddha's enlightenment is the acme of the attainment of this noble condition, the general human being also can and should profit by this tenet in the sense that he or she also can travel towards the goal in keeping with each person's capacity for, as the saying goes, "a journey of thousand miles begins with a single step". However, an unpleasant situation that has come to stay in today's world is that education only gives knowledge about the external world. This type of imparting mere knowledge lacks the power and vigour to infuse culture and refinement to the person receiving it. Instead of making 'men of letters' it only makes 'men of books'. This is a tragic situation of our times immensely contributing to today's teeming problems crying for solutions. Today's educators, at least the majority of them, howevermuch academically qualified they may be, seem to be groping in the dark as per the growth of character of their charges. Who are the victims of this misplaced concept of education? It is today's children, who will be tomorrow's elders and leaders of society. This is the root cause of today's student unrest, even at the undergraduate level. This idea is graphically expressed in the stanza number nineteen of the Dhammapada as, Bahumpi ce sahitam bhaasamaano "Although one recites many literary works by memory if he/or she does not act accordingly, that heedless man is like a cowherd who only counts the cattle of others - he does not partake of the blessings of the religious life." This lacklustre education sans any cultural value results in the students' hearts becoming dark rooms as its ultimate outcome. Buddhist psychological ethics teaches that this is a condition wherein the 'animal' in man can come to the surface and assert itself. Instead of this 'animal' becoming impoverished and powerless, it gathers momentum and begins to have its say with a vengeance, if the degenerative process is not arrested. The recipient of this low-quality education throws all ethical values into the winds as it has no strength to discipline him to maintain his balance. It has only degraded him. Bookish knowledge cannot achieve anything worthy and noble. The spiritual element in him, his inner soul, is starved in the negative sense and tortured in the positive sense. This situation highlights one of the major causes of today's social decay that is increasingly becoming evident. If success at examinations one after another has made a person's head empty what else can be expected from men and women who compose that society? This process of degeneration is getting established day by day. From the Buddhist point of view education must enable a person to distinguish between good and bad, between what is moral and what is immoral. It should be a case of vijjaa (knowledge) and carana (conduct) which two Pali terms sypnosize the Buddhist concept quite clearly. Let us analyse the five precepts briefly in this context. The first precept makes one promise not to take another's life. If the promise is confined to "killing" alone, one is sadly mistaken. This precept implies every type of harm or pain to another living being, be it by thought, word or deed. Even the minutest kind of sadistic feeling is a violation of it. Hatred, envy, intolerance are all its different aspects. One can just imagine the degree of peace and harmony such an attitude can create in society, provided people observe at least this precept alone correctly, with all these extended implications. Relating this idea to the second precept one promises to refrain from taking things not given along with the extended implications such as all dishonest activities that are common in society. Any public figure, as a state official or a political figure misappropriating public funds meant for common good, would be guilty of this evil. Every form of bribery and corruption, fraudulent activity like not making sufficient contribution service-wise to the enumeration one receives, all fraudulent financial transactions fall into this category. But quite unfortunately, people take this precept to mean the superficial verbal sense only, which is merely half the precept. These observations are applicable to all the Five Precepts in like manner. Thus education should not be just to eke out a living but aimed at the enabling purpose of character-building without which there would be little difference between man and animal. All animals live their lives without any type of education but nevertheless they propagate their species and continue living. It is only man that is blessed with the fortune of reformation via character formation based on education. A classical Sanskrit phrase sums up this when it says vidyaa dadaati vinayam - "education confers discipline". Today's misfortune is that this type of classical wisdom has vanished from amongst us. |
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