A Guide to Meditation 3 - About sense object (nimitta) and mental image (arammana)

A Guide to Meditation 3

About sense object (nimitta) and mental image (arammana)

Question: In Buddhist teachings, we find the terms nimitta (object) and arammana (preoccupation or mental image). Are these two similar? I f not, could you kindly clarify the difference between these two.

Answer: My straight answer to your question is that these two terms refer to different meanings. We perceive different sense objects with the aid of our sense faculties (indriya). For instance, sense object, in the case of eye, could be a person, a certain object or a form. Similarly, we expect to gain happiness, contentment through our five sense faculties, viz; eye, ear, nose, tongue, body. We turn to our eyes to see forms, turn to our ears to hear sounds etc, expecting happiness in return. However, we are not confident whether we would gain happiness as expected. We always experience a doubt as to the possibility of gaining the expected happiness. In these circumstances, sense objects always tend to generate an element of doubt.

During meditation, many objects arise in our minds. Most of the time, we tend to analyze these objects.  This is where we go wrong. Do not ever try to analyze an object during meditation. You need only to identify each sense object. As a sense object arises in the mind, you should only make a mental note of the object. No further thinking is necessary in respect of that object. You need to stop short of thinking any further in respect of

 that particular object. Otherwise, thinking beyond the stage of identification of an object leads to incorporate “expectations, anticipations or prospects” into the thinking process. Because of this reason, mind proceeds in the direction of greed (lobha) or hatred (dosa).

When we take the mind of an arahant (Worthy One) for instance, arahant’s mind is referred to as “animitta”. (as mind doesn’t surpass the point of identification)

Next, we need to focus our attention on “arammana” (preoccupation, mental image). There are three types of “nimittas’ (mental images). Wholesome mental images

( kusalarammana), Unwholesome mental images (akusalarammana) and Un-manifest mental images (avyaktha ). Our minds tend to generate unwholesome and wholesome mental images most of the time. Only an arahant generates un-manifest mental images.  Our course of action should be to move away from unwholesome mental images to wholesome mental images, and then, switch to a state of un-manifest mental images solely.

 Relation between Ana (in-breath), Apana (out-breath) and watching the mind

Question: Ven. Sir, Could you kindly explain the difference between watching the mind and seeing in-breath and out-breath?

Answer: Now, you mentioned that the mind arises with the aid of a sense object. Similarly, when a sense object comes into contact with a sense faculty – air touching the nose in this case- mind (consciousness) arises as a result. This mind manifests the characteristics of phassa, vedana, sanna, cetana, ekaggata, jivitindriya and manasikara. In this circumstance, it is clear that we cannot see the breath coming in or leaving the sense faculty. We perceive only a feeling as result of the contact of air with the sense faculty of nose. So, with the aid of the feeling, thus generated, we are able to identify the respective feelings resulting from in-breath and out-breath. It is this particular feeling that makes us aware of a sense object.

I f we clarify this phenomenon with an example further, think of a carpenter who is groping in pitch darkness to find his missing box of matches in his carpentry shop. He tries to reach his missing box of matches, extending his hands all over the floor through dust, ruble, small pieces of wood etc. Finally he grabs the box of matches with the help of the touch he perceived, based on his previous knowledge of handling a box of matches. He never really sees a box of matches in pitch darkness. Similarly, breathing (air) generates feelings and these feelings make us aware of the process of breathing-in and breathing-out as in-breath-based mind(consciousness) and out-breath- based mind (consciousness). We need only to become aware of this process. I hope you understand the relationship between watching the mind and being aware of in-breath and out-breath.  

                      Inability to focus on breath

Question: Sometimes, when I keep watching the in-breath and out-breath, I don’t see, feel the in- and- out breath. When this happens, I feel like looking for breath. What are the circumstances leading to this situation?

Answer: Do you know the reason? You have lost your consciousness!!! You have become disoriented as a result. Otherwise you should be able to watch your breath. You have lost what is known as “sati” (mindfulness). Mindfulness has slipped out of your hand. That was why you were unable to watch your breath.

The Supreme Buddha has described four characteristics underlying sati (mindfulness). Those are Anussati (calling to mind), patissati (remembrance), saranata (recollection), and dharanata (bearing in mind). So, in your case, you have experienced a situation where all these characteristics were absent from your mindfulness. Some meditators are under the impression that this is an advanced stage in meditation. That is incorrect. This is a stage similar to a “coma” (murcha). If a meditator happens to die, while being in this stage, that would lead him to a rebirth on the plane of unconsciousness (asanna thala). This is analogous to a drunken person, lying in a ditch, without any knowledge about him and the surrounding. Therefore, we need to understand that this situation results from a weakness in exercising mindfulness with the required level of energy (viriya). So, one needs to watch one’s mind intently and develop energy (viriya). I hope this is clear to you now.

The other point I want to make is about your “intentional attempt to look for in-breath and out-breath”. This is where we go wrong. The Supreme Buddha’s advice is only to be “aware of what is being perceived”. (ditte ditta mattam bhavissat...). When an individual thinks of watching or looking for some sense object, a “binding/attachment” emerges right away in the mind. An attempt to watch brings unnecessary fatigue to mind as it accompanies a “binding”. This binding brings “heat” to mind.  So, the meditator, who sought meditation as a way to cool down the state of heat in mind, has elevated the heat without his knowledge, due to this incorrect process. In pursuance of “kaye kayanupassi viharati”, we need only to be aware of the “action of the mind”. When you are being aware of the action of the mind, you begin to see in-breath and out-breath. If you see only in-breath and out-breath, then you need to realize that your mind has organized itself to a level where no defilements generate within the mind. When a meditator comes to this stage, what would be his sense object (nimitta)? It would be the “mind associated with in-breath and out-breath”. Why did the Supreme Buddha assign in-breath and out-breath as a meditation object?  We need to understand this point very clearly. This is a technique, criterion given by the Supreme Buddha for mediation purposes. This is similar to a fuel gauge (meter) which is used to measure the level of gasoline in a running vehicle at a given time. Same approach is applied here, in terms of the Supreme Buddha’s instructions, to measure the level of defilements in mind, with  the sense object of in-breath and out-breath as a meter, criterion. If one sees only in-breath and out-breath during meditation, one needs to understand that one’s mind is devoid of defilements and mind has reached a certain degree of purity. Then, the meditator comes to an understanding that what is important is not looking for breath, but making the mind devoid of defilements.

When an individual keeps meditating, with in-breath and out-breath as a strategy to keep the mind away from defilements, he/she is able to achieve concentration (samadi). Once samadi is achieved, this meditator is able to analyze, classify all incoming thoughts and achieve purity in mind. This process is known as “cultivating insight meditation” (vipassana).