-By Vipassana Research Institute
The Buddha taught the method that he himself practised. Unlike some of his contemporaries, who propagated systems of blind belief, the Buddha's emphasis was on a system of direct experience (paccanubhoti). On the basis of his own life experience, he identified dukkha (suffering) as the universal disease and rediscovered the way leading to the eradication of this disease and so to a state of eternal happiness—paramaṃ sukhaṃ.1 This was achieved through the practice of Vipassana.
Etymologically, the word has been derived from the root 'pas', which means 'to see', with the prefix 'vi', which means 'visesa'—in a special manner or 'vividhaṃ'—from different angles. Thus, literally, the term 'vipassana' communicates the sense of observing or seeing in a special manner—Visesato passatī ti vipassanā.2 or Aniccādivasena vividhena ākārena passatī ti vipassanā. 3 Seeing from different angles as impermanent, etc., is Vipassana.
This process is also described as seeing things as they really are (yathā bhūta ñāṇa dassana)4, not as they appear to be.
Paññatti thapetvā visesena passati ti vipassanā.5
Vipassanā means observing reality in a special way, by going beyond apparent truth.
Through this practice, the basic characteristic of anicca (impermanence) becomes clear. Thus the text states:
Aniccādivasena dhamme passatī ti vipassanā.6
One sees phenomena as impermanent, etc.; thus, it is Vipassana.
Once anicca has been well understood, the characteristics of dukkha (suffering) and anattā (egolessness) also become clear.
The most direct, natural, and immediate way to experience impermanence is by observing sensations within ourselves because they are the most easily observed expression of the characteristic of anicca. By observing them, we are able to understand the reality not merely intellectually, but directly by experience.
Tisso imā, bhikkhave, vedanā aniccā saṅkhatā paṭiccasamuppannā khayadhammā vayadhammā virāgadhammā nirodhadhammā.7
These three types of sensations, meditators, are impermanent, compounded, arising owing to a cause, perishable, by nature passing away, detached and ceasing.
In the Brahmajāla Sutta, the Buddha said that he achieved his enlightenment by observing the entire field of vedanā and its cessation:
Vedanānaṃ samudayañca atthaṅgamañca assādañca ādīnavañca nissaraṇañca yathābhūtaṃ viditvā anupādāvimutto, bhikkhave, tathāgato.8
Having experienced, as they really are, the arising of sensations, their passing away, the relishing of them, the danger in them, and the release from them, the Tathāgata, meditators, is fully liberated, being free from all attachment.
Explaining how and where these sensations are to be observed, he said:
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, āgantukāgāraṃ, tattha puratthimāyapi disāya... pacchimāyapi disāya... uttarāyapi disāya... dakkhiṇāyapi disāya āgantvā vāsaṃ kappenti. Khattiyāpi... brāhmaṇāpi... vessāpi... suddāpi āgantvā vāsaṃ kappenti. Evameva kho, bhikkhave, imasmiṃ kāyasmiṃ vividhā vedanā uppajjanti. Sukhāpi... dukkhāpi... adukkhamasukhāpi vedanā uppajjati. Sāmisāpi sukhā... sāmisāpi dukkhā... sāmisāpi adukkhamasukhā vedanā uppajjati. Nirāmisāpi sukhā... nirāmisāpi dukkhā... nirāmisāpi adukkhamasukhā vedanā uppajjatīti.9
Suppose, meditators, there is a public guesthouse. People from the east, west, north, and south come and stay there. People who are Kshatriyas, Brahmins, Vaishyas and Shudras come and stay there. In the same way, meditators, various sensations arise in this body; pleasant sensations, unpleasant sensations and neutral sensations arise. Pleasant sensations with attachment, unpleasant sensations with attachment, and neutral sensations with attachment arise. Likewise, pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral sensations arise without attachment.
And:
Yathāpi vātā ākāse, vāyanti vividhā puthū; Puratthimā pacchimā cāpi, uttarā atha dakkhiṇā. Sarajā arajā capi, sītā uṇhā ca ekadā; Adhimattā parittā ca, puthū vāyanti mālutā. Tathevimasmiṃ kāyasmiṃ, samuppajjanti vedanā; Sukhadukkhasamuppatti, adukkhamasukhā ca yā.10
Just as in the sky different winds blow, from east and west, from north and south, dust-laden or dustless, cold or hot, fierce gales or gentle breezes, many winds blow. So also pleasant, unpleasant or neutral sensations arise within the body.
How, then, does the observation of these body sensations lead to liberation? What is the release from vedana which the Buddha declared he had experienced? In the Vedanā-saṃyutta of Saṃyutta Nikāya he explained:
Yaṃ vedanaṃ paṭicca uppajjati sukhaṃ somanassaṃ, ayaṃ vedanāya assādo. Yā vedanā aniccā dukkhā vipariṇāmadhammā, ayaṃ vedanāya ādīnavo. Yo vedanāya chandarāgavinayo chandarāgappahānaṃ, idaṃ vedanāya nissaraṇaṃ.11
The relishing of sensation is the physical and mental happiness arising from sensations. The danger in sensations is that they are impermanent, the cause of suffering, and subject to change. The escape or release from sensations is the removal and abandonment of craving for the stimulation of sensations.
Relishing sensations is the habit of an untrained mind. This habit generates tanha (craving) with every sensation one experiences. Observing them, however, one understands that they are all impermanent and therefore suffering. Realising this, the meditator no longer develops craving but instead becomes an impartial observer. By doing so, he sets in motion a process by which the old conditioning of the mind manifests itself in sensations.
The more he observes dispassionately with the understanding of anicca, the deeper are the layers of impurities that arise and get eradicated. The Buddha said:
Yato ca bhikkhu ātāpī, sampajaññaṃ na riñcati; Tato so vedana sabba, parijanati pandito.12
When a meditator, striving ardently, does not lose the thorough understanding of impermanence, even for a moment, such a wise person fully comprehends and experiences all sensations by exploring the entire field.
By constantly observing the sensations in the body, one experiences the arising and passing away. This constant observation of the body sensations based on the realisation of impermanence is sampajañña.13
Thus, one who practises sampajañña is a wise person. Instead of relishing or hating, he constantly observes the sensations with equanimity, understanding thoroughly their impermanent nature. This practice eliminates the very habit of reacting as well as the stock of past conditioning of the mind. In doing so, the meditator frees his mind from craving, aversion and ignorance, from all the defilements of the mind, and goes beyond vedanā. He attains nibbāna, the final emancipation. In the words of the Buddha:
So vedanā pariññāya, diṭṭhe dhamme anāsavo;
Kāyassa bhedā dhammaṭṭho, saṅkhyaṃ nopeti vedagū ti.14
By understanding sensations in their totality, a serious seeker (in this very life) becomes freed of all defilements and becomes an arahant or vedagu. Such a person, who is vedagu (one who has experienced the entire field of vedanā and has gone beyond), is established in Dhamma, and after death, he attains the indescribable state beyond the conditioned world, nibbāna.
Notes: (All references are to the VRI edition.)
- Majjhima Nikāya 2.215-216
- Visuddhimagga-Mahātika 2.427, Dukamatikapadavannana
- Atthasalini, 124-134
- See Saṃyutta Nikāya 12. 5. 1081, Dhammacakkappavattanasuttaṃ; Mahāvagga 16 (Vināya Piṭaka)
- Paramattha Dipani, Ledi Sayadaw
- From the discourses of Sayagyi U Ba Khin
- Saṃyutta Nikāya 2.4.257 Vedanāsaṃyuttaṃ, Aniccasuttaṃ
- Digha Nikāya 1.36 Brahmajālasuttaṃ
- Saṃyutta Nikāya 2.4.262 Vedanāsaṃyuttaṃ, Agārasuttaṃ
- Ibid. 2.4.260 Paṭhamaākāsasuttaṃ
- Ibid. 2.4.263 Paṭhamaānandasuttaṃ
- Ibid. 2.4.260 Paṭhamaākāsasuttaṃ
- For explanation, see Saṃyutta Nikāya 3.5.399-404 Satipaṭṭhānasaṃyuttaṃ
- Saṃyutta Nikāya 2.4.251Vedanāsaṃyuttaṃ, Pahānasuttaṃ