In our first sutra study class on the Four Foundations/Establishments of Mindfulness, review and try to answer the following:
- What is the importance of this sutra/sutta?
- What is the meaning of "satipatthana"?
- Why is this the "direct path"? What does this mean?
- What does it mean to contemplate the "body as the body" (or "body in and of itself")?
- What is the difference between "ardent", "mindful" (sati) and clear knowing (sampajanna)?
- In the first part of the mindfulness of the body, we covered the breathing methods. Is there a progression in these methods?
- Why should we treasure and cherish this sutta/teaching?
Posts
Comment and rhetorical questions by class attendee Doug:
ReplyDeleteQuestion 6.
In the first part of the mindfulness of the body, we covered the breathing methods. Is
there a progression in these methods?
While discussing the body, independent from judgment, Shifu gave an example of a teddy bear. Is it cute or is it just fabric?
I thought, it is not just fabric. If I take three stones and arrange them in a straight line, and then I arrange them in a triangle, are they the same? In both cases it is just three stones, but the pattern is different.
What is a body? Is it just atoms? Can we draw an arbitrary line around the atoms and say that they are a body?
What is the pattern that makes atoms a body?
What is a pattern?
Do patterns extend from form to feelings, mind and mental qualities?
If so, does this connectedness imply that there is a progression in these methods?
1. What is the importance of this sutra/sutta?
ReplyDeleteThe World Honored One delineates the importance of this sutra in the beginning: “Bhikkhus, there is a path which can help beings realize purification, overcome anxiety and fear, end pain, distress, and grief, and attain the right practice. This is the path of dwelling in the Four Grounds of Mindfulness. All the Tathagatas of the past have attained the fruit of true awakening, the state of no further obstacles, by establishing their minds in the Four Grounds of Mindfulness. Relying on these Four Grounds, they have abandoned the Five Hindrances, purged the poisons of the mind, been able to transcend the circumstances which obstruct awakened understanding, and, practicing according to the Seven Factors of Awakening, have attained the true, right, and highest awakening. All Tathagatas of the future will also attain the fruit of true awakening…. All Tathagatas of the present (including myself) have attained the fruit of true awakening...”
2. What is the meaning of "satipatthana"?
From Wikipedia:
In the Theravada Buddhist tradition, satipatthana refers to a "foundation" (patthana) for or "presence" (upatthana) of "mindfulness" (sati). Cattāro satipatthana is the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, bases for maintaining moment-by-moment mindfulness and for developing mindfulness through meditation. These four foundations for mindfulness are:
a. the body
b. feelings (or sensations)
c. mind (or consciousness)
d. mental objects (or qualities)
3. Why is this the "direct path"? What does this mean?
This is delineated in the last section of the Sutra:
"Now, if anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for seven years, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here & now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance — non-return.
"Let alone seven years. If anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for six years... five... four... three... two years... one year... seven months... six months... five... four... three... two months... one month... half a month, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here & now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance — non-return.
"Let alone half a month. If anyone would develop these four frames of reference in this way for seven days, one of two fruits can be expected for him: either gnosis right here & now, or — if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance — non-return.
"'This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of Unbinding — in other words, the four frames of reference.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said."
4. What does it mean to contemplate the "body as the body" (or "body in and of itself")?
‘Transformation and Healing, Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness” by Thich Nhat Hanh – Introduction: What is Mindfulness?
This means that when you bring mindfulness into your body, mindfulness becomes the body. Mindfulness is not an outside observer. Mindfulness becomes the body, and the body becomes mindfulness. When mother embraces child, mother becomes child, and child becomes mother. In true meditation, the subject and the object of meditation no longer exist as separate entities; that distinction is removed. When you generate the energy of mindfulness and embrace your breathing and your body, that is mindfulness of the body in the body. Mindfulness is not an outside observer, it is the body. The body becomes the object and the subject of mindfulness at the same time.
It’s like when nuclear scientists say that to understand an elementary particle and really enter into the world of the infinitely small, you have to become a participant and not an oberver anymore. In India they use the example of a grain of salt that would like to know how salty the ocean is. How can a grain of salt come to know this? The only way is to jump into the ocea, and the understanding wil be perfect; the separation between the object of understanding and the subject of understanding is no longer there. That is why they say that in order to really understand the world of the elementary particle, you have to stop being an observer, you have to become a participant.
5. What is the difference between "ardent", "mindful" (sati) and clear knowing (sampajanna)?
A practitioner establishes mindfulness in the body, feeling, minds, and objects of mind with understanding, insight, clarity, and realization.
Be ardent means to apply the Four Right Efforts always (四正勤): to put an end to existing unwholesome thoughts and actions, to prevent unwholesome thoughts from arising, to bring forth wholesome thoughts and actions, and to develop and increase existing wholesome thoughts and good deeds.
Be mindful is to see things with full awareness of one's thoughts, actions or motivations.
Clear knowing means that we have clear understanding that our body is impure, our feelings are sufferings, our mind is impermanent, and the objects of mind is empty of self.
7. Why should we treasure and cherish this sutta/teaching?
This teaching shows us how to practice mindfulness, the way to help us realize purification, overcome directly grief and sorrow, end pain and anxiety, travel the right path, and reslize nivana.
Sharing my understanding in response to Doug’s questions:
ReplyDeleteWhen the Buddha teaches us to put our mindfulness on the body and contemplate “body as the body”, he is asking us to empty out everything else (metaphysical thinking, concepts, judgments, feelings…) from our mind. All kinds of thoughts cloud the clarity of the mind and prevent us to see the hidden truth. So for the moment, try to put aside all the rhetorical questions (no matter how intellectual they are) and just focus on the breathing, then the entire body, then the phenomenon (of origination and of passing away) with regard to the body and so on. Having cleared away worldly concepts and biases from the mind, the progression is to go deeper and deeper in concentrating and contemplating in order to see the true nature of the body.
When I put it into practice, I began to realize that the body exists dependent on all the right conditions coming together. Every single cell and every part of the body function together in just a single breath. And as conditions change (breathing in and out, short and long), the body continues to change in accord. There is not a same body at any given time. Thus is the empty nature of the body - an embodiment of a sequence of conditions arising and ceasing, ever-changing…
There is not an objective world. All phenomena arise from the mind. So if we have a clear and pure mind, we will be able to see the true nature of all things. That is why the Buddha said the mindfulness training is “the direct path” to reach liberation.
Amituofo, Shifu and Dharma Brothers,
ReplyDeleteI have following questions and respectfuuly ask for your guidance and experience.
When we had an experience of serenity during meditation, I believe we should 'observe' or 'contemplate' at the time.
However, in practice, there is always a moment of taking notice, and then the 'serenity' goes away. people would say 'ignore it!' but it is very hard to do. Is there any techniques so we can take notice and continue to do what we are supposed to do without losing the serenity? Is there any way not to notice?
Also there is the 'expecting the same sunrise' syndrome, I would have certain expectation during the next and next and next meditation after some good experience. How do I ease this type of expectation?
one more question,
is compassion an emotion?
thanks.
Palms together, michael
1. The serenity that can be easily disrupted by "taking notice" is not serenity yet, just an unstable, fleeting calmness and quietness. Or, we can say it is very weak serenity.
ReplyDeleteWhen one achieves serenity it should last half an hour to hours, and you can walk, dress, take a shower, eat, etc. You feel like you are shielded from the heat and noise of your old mind.
So keep on meditating.
2. Keep on meditating.
3. Compassion can become emotional, and that is because the "self" is still involved.
What is the difference between "ardent", "mindful" (sati) and clear knowing (sampajanna)?
ReplyDeleteArdent - to not be negligent, to work continuously, eventually even while sleeping, without even a momentary break in sampajanna.
Mindful - to maintain awareness from moment to moment. Awareness of body, sensations, mind and
mental concomitants.
Sampajanna - awareness, equanimity and right understanding of impermanence.