-By Venerable Bhikkhu Lokopalo,
International Friends of Buddhists, Bangalore
It is true that everybody seeks happiness in the world. Hence, all possible efforts are made to destroy suffering and experience enjoyment and happiness. As real happiness is conditioned by attributes of mind, training the mind is the path which some people earnestly practise to eradicate suffering. The suffering associated with old age, disease, etc. is not overcome by material means but can be overcome by training and developing the mind. In this connection, 2,500 years ago, the Buddha gave a well-known discourse – the Mahasatipatthana Sutta – in which he declared –
This is the only way, the 'sole way', for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the destroying of pain and grief, for reaching the right path, for realisation of nibbāna, namely, the four foundations of mindfulness. What are the four foundations of mindfulness?
- Observation of the body (kaya)
- Observation of the sensations (vedanā)
- Observation of the mind (citta)
- Observation of the mind objects (dhamma)
This is the way to be followed by those who wish to eradicate impurities of the mind, which are the cause of their suffering. All vedanā, even those perceived mentally, are found only in the framework of the body. Vedanā arises for some reason or another. But we must understand that some kind of vedanā or other is always in every part of the body. One may ask, if that is so, why is it not felt? Our mind is not in that part of the body. The mind is fully engaged in material enjoyment and pleasure, so the vedanā is not felt. But a Vipassana meditator notices the sensations in all parts of the body as he observes them with right awareness. As his observation with right awareness goes to the feeling in each and every part of the body, he notices the vedanā there. All these sensations should be observed with equanimity. In this way, the impurities of the mind are gradually eradicated. The Vipassana meditator will see that all the sensations arising and found in various parts of the body are changing. The Vipassana meditation rediscovered by Lord Buddha is the purification of mind and observation of things as they really are. By this kind of observation, the impurities of the mind, which are the cause of suffering, are eradicated, and the mind slowly becomes purified. The sensations, whether pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, should be observed objectively, by which the impurities are washed away, while the good deeds are accumulated. It is just like observing a rogue or robber sitting nearby. When the rogue or robber notices that he is being observed by someone, he runs away from the site because of his guilty conscience. But when a saint or a noble man finds himself being observed, he will come closer to the observer and enquire as to why he is being observed or whether the observer is in need of anything from him. In this way, the impurities are eradicated and good deeds accumulated by observation, be they pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. This is the fruit obtained by a Vipassana meditator, as the Vipassana system of meditation teaches only observation of the various vedanā in various parts of the body.
Until now we have been dealing with vedanā, which exists in all parts of the body (kaya). When vedanā are observed as they really are, the defilements are eradicated and the mind purified. With further development, the meditator realises the three characteristics of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and substancelessness (anattā); that is, he understands that everything is transient (anicca), everything which is transient is painful (dukkha), and everything which is transient and painful is not self, soulless (anattā). Then the meditator comes to the conclusion that 'this is not mine (netaṃ mama), this I am not (neso ahaṃasmi), and this is not my soul (nameso atta)'. Thus he finds out about himself, about his body and about his soul (or the lack thereof), which is a great achievement for the meditator.
Now let us pass on to sampajañña (constant thorough understanding). In the Mahasatipatthāna Sutta, Lord Buddha declared:
Kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā ...
Vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā ...
Citte cittānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā ...
Dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā...
Here we find that the Buddha emphasises and gives great importance to sampajañña. From these words, one can understand that mere sati (mindfulness) without sampajañña will not be of any use and will not serve any purpose, but sampajañña is essential. Sampajañña must be with sati. Sati without sampajañña is just like a flower without odour or colour. Hence, in each and every foundation of mindfulness, the Buddha tells us that sampajañña goes along with sati to make the sati meaningful and fruitful. Hence sampajañña plays a very vital part in the Vipassana system of meditation and guides sati in the right way to get good results, that is, to reach samādhi (concentration) and paññā (wisdom).
Sampajañña is fourfold:
- Sātthaka sampajañña (Through understanding of purpose)
- Sappāya sampajañña (through understanding of suitability)
- Gocara sampajañña (Through understanding of the domain of meditation)
- Asammoha sampajañña (Through understanding of the reality of non-delusion)
Satthaka Sampajañña
Here the teaching is that before acting, one should always question oneself as to whether the intended activity is really in accordance with one's purpose, aim or ideal – whether it is truly purposeful in the practical sense as well as the ideal. Sātthaka sampajañña has the negative function of counteracting the aimlessness and wastefulness of an inordinately great part of human activity in deeds, words and thoughts.
Its positive function is to concentrate the dispersed energy of man, to render it a fit tool for the task of winning mastery over life. As such, sātthaka-sampajāno aids in the formation of a deep strength in one's character, powerful enough to gradually co-ordinate all one's activities. It strengthens the mind's leadership qualities by giving it skilful and determined initiative in cases where the mind used to yield passively in the past. It takes care of wise selection and limitation in man's activity, which is necessitated by the confusing multitudes of impressions, interests and demands with which one is faced in life.
Sappāya Sampajañña
This kind of sampajañña teaches the 'Art of Practicality', the adaptation to the conditions of time, place and individual character. It restrains the blind impetuosity and wilfulness of man's wishes or desires, aims and ideals. It will save many unnecessary failures which man, in his disappointment or discouragement, often blames on the purpose or the ideals themselves instead of attributing them to his own wrong procedure. Sappāya sampajañña teaches that skilfulness in the choice of a right means (upāya-kusala). This was a quality which the Buddha possessed in the highest degree and which he so admirably applied to the instruction and guidance of man.
Gocara Sampajañña
It is explained by the old commentators as not abandoning the subject of meditation during one's daily routine and can be explained in two ways.
Firstly, as in many cases, if no link can be established between one's present work and his particular meditation or if such a connection would seem too vague or artificial to be of real value, then the subject of meditation would be deliberately put down like goods carried in the hand, but one should not forget to take it up again on the completion of the work.
Secondly, if one's meditative practice concerns mindfulness, as advocated, there will never be a need to put aside the subject of meditation, which in fact will include everything. Step by step, the practice of Right Mindfulness should absorb all activities of body, speech and mind so that ultimately the subject of meditation will never be abandoned. The object for the followers of this method is that life becomes one with the spiritual practice. The gocara (domain) of the practice of Right Mindfulness has no rigid boundaries. It is a kingdom that constantly grows by absorbing ever new territories of life. It was in reference to this all-comprehensive domain of the satipatthāna method that once, the Master (the Buddha) spoke as follows: 'Which, O monks, is the monk's domain (gocara), his very own pastoral place? It is just these Four Foundations of Mindfulness.'
Asammoha Sampajañña
This removes the deepest and most obstinate delusion in man, which is his belief in a self, a soul, or an eternal substance of any description. Asammoha sampajañña is the clarity and presence of knowledge that there is no abiding personality, self, ego, soul, or any such substance. Here the meditator will be confronted with the strongest inner opposition, because, against this greatest achievement of human thought (the anattā doctrine of the Buddha), an obstinate resistance will be offered by the age-old habit of thinking and acting in terms of 'I' and 'mine', as well as by the instinctive and powerful 'will to live' manifesting itself as self-affirmation. Only by training oneself again and again to the presently arisen thoughts and feelings as mere impersonal processes can the power of deep-rooted egocentric thought habits and egoistic instincts be broken up, reduced and finally eliminated.
In conclusion, we must know that vedanā and sampajāna are very vital factors, for which the Buddha has given much importance in the Satipatthāna Sutta while he was explaining the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are the Vipassana system of meditation. By following this method of meditation ardently and diligently, the meditator gets one-pointedness of mind (samādhi), by which he is able to keep his mind under control, and, when further developed, he attains paññā (wisdom). The importance of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is stressed in the last discourse of Lord Buddha to Venerable Ananda, as follows:
Be your own island, be your own refuge! Let the teaching be your island; let the teaching be your refuge. Do not take any other refuge! And how, Ananda, does a monk take himself as an island, himself as refuge, without any other refuge? How is teaching his island and refuge and nothing else? Herein a monk dwells, observing body in body…. Observing feeling (sensations), in feeling (sensations)... Observing mind in mind... Observing mental objects in mental objects, ardent, with awareness and constant through understanding, having overcome covetousness and grief concerning the world. In that way, Ananda, will a monk be his own island and refuge, without any other; in that way will he have the teaching as his island and refuge, and nothing else. And all those, Ananda, who either now or after my death will dwell being their own island, their own refuge, without any other, having the teaching as an island and refuge and nothing else – it is they among my bhikkhus who will reach the utmost height, if they are willing to train themselves.
When explaining the Satipatthāna Sutta, the Buddha clearly declared that this is the only way for the purification of beings, for the destroying of pain and grief, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for reaching the right path, for the realisation of nibbāna, namely the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
When the Buddha clearly showed the path, for the welfare of the many and for the happiness of many, people who were in search of a way to destroy pain and grief, sorrow and lamentation, practised ardently and diligently and gained the fruit – the realisation of nibbāna.
As Satipaṭṭhāna is the Vipassana system of meditation, the meditators, though they may not go to the extent of the realisation of nibbāna, are often cured from diseases, and they become active and energetic. After such meditation, we find that meditators become sympathetic, gentle, honest and sincere. They also will be blessed with the heart of loving-kindness (mettā).
May all follow the path shown by the Noble Master, the Buddha, and enjoy the fruit of the realisation of nibbāna! May all living beings be well and happy!