VENERATION - PART 04 Right Approach to Meditation

VENERATION                                        PART 04

Right Approach to Meditation   

The most significant aspect on the path to Nibbana is meditation. The final element found in the Noble Eightfold Path is “Samadhi” (concentration) which derives from meditation. Thus, on the path to nibbana which culminates in the practice of meditation, Dana (generosity) ranks first, and Sila (morality) ranks in the middle. So, the path to nibbana comprises of Dana (generosoty), Sila (morality) and Bhavana (meditation). Nibbana which results from meditation are twofold.

a)      Nibbana which is transient     b) Nibbana which is eternal 

Transient nibbana results from Samatha meditation (tranquility meditation), while eternal nibbana results from Vipassana meditation (insight meditation). Tranquility meditation only suppresses defilements (kilesa). However, Insight Meditation eradicates defilements permanently.

Defilements are found in a mind. Defilements tend to ferment and transform to desires in a mind when defilements are brought to play in the mind constantly. Defilements refresh themselves when those are utilized constantly. Defilements tend to cease when those are not brought to play constantly. When an individual comes into contact  with defilements, those are refreshed instantly. Similarly, when an individual ceases to get in touch with defilements, those get weakened. Dana (morality) helps weaken one’s ties with defilements.  Sila (morality) enables one to dispense with defilements. Meditation allows one to get one’s mind away from defilements.

Defilements in our minds get a boost through our sense faculties by way of objects such as forms (rupa), sounds (sabda), ordour (gandha), taste (rasa) and tactile objects (sparsha).  When we come across these sense objects, our minds experience suffering as defilements also arise simultaneously at these encounters.  As defilements are suppressed, happiness begins to manifest in the mind. So, we can see that it is the defilements that bring about unhappiness in the mind. The roots of defilements are lobha (greed), dosa (hatred) and moha (delusion). Lobha (greed) means “yearning” (liking, desire). Soon after a yearning arises in the mind, the mind goes through a process of suffering until this yearning is fulfilled. Hatred means having an aversion in mind. Until aversion ceases one feels a degree of mental pain greater than the pain which results from having a yearning in the mind. Whether it is a yearning or an aversion, it is an outcome of delusion (moha); Delusion based on the notion that one can seek happiness by accumulating what one likes and getting rid of what one dislikes. However, the only path for eradication of defilements and seek happiness is to dispense with “yearning” and be content with whatever one receives, with a moderate frame of mind. This is known as the “Middle Path”(majjima patipada). This path is to be found within the two extremes known as “self-mortification”(aththakilamathanu yoga) and “self-gratification” (kamasukhallikanu yoga).

The perfect type of meditation which enables one to identify the nature of the frame of mind within the middle path is “mindfulness on in-and-out breathing (anapasathi bhavana). Ana refers to the in-breath and apana refers to the out-breath. Therefore, being conscious of the process of in-breath and out-breath is known as “anapana sathi”. Mind which arises based on the object (arammana) of breath is devoid of greed (lobha) and hatred (dosa). Greed ( Lobha) does not arise as one has unlimited  access to air for breathing. Similarly, hatred (dosa) does not arise as one cannot do without air necessary breathing. In view of this, consciousness without greed, hatred and delusion solely arises during the anapanasathi meditation. This is a state of wholesome consciousness (kusala citta).

When one contemplates one’s in-out breathing and observes the mind that is devoid of greed and hatred, one gets accustomed to apply the same wholesome mindset in respect of the objects perceived from the sense faculties such as eye, nose, ear, tongue and body. When this practice becomes intense one can deal with all objects with a happy, wholesome mind. This practice would ultimately lead to mundane nibbana. One who is adept at dealing with all sense objects with a happy, wholesome mind and is imbued with mundane nibbana would ultimately come to the final realization of supra-mundane nibbana (lokuttara nibbana). Afterlife would become a happy existence for one who leads a happy course of existence (sugati) in this life.

We need meditation in order to lead a life with happiness. Meditation enables us to deal with all sense objects with happiness. Meditation helps us deal with all worldly sense objects without experiencing any suffering while enjoying nibbanic bliss in the presence of these objects.

Subjecting one’s mind to suffering is an unwholesome deed. Getting rid of mind of suffering is a wholesome deed. One of the mental factors known as “thought” (vitakka) in meditation refers to the process of mind getting rid of these unwholesome mental states. “Sustained thought” (vicara) is to maintain these wholesome mental states in the mind. Piti (rapture) is the pleasure derived from maintaining these wholesome mental states in the mind. Sukha (joy) is pervading of the pleasure throughout the mind and body. Ekaggata (one-pointedness) is the culmination of the development of mind based on the convergence of mental factors vitakka, vicara, piti and sukha. Success of meditation depends on the capability of mind to maintain the wholesome state developed through meditation in the face of worldly objects such as visual forms, sounds, ordours, tastes, and tactile sensations. When one is at this juncture, Nibbana is attainable in this lifetime; present life itself becomes a happy course of existence.