In This Very Life Read online

  IN THIS VERY LIFE

  First published in 1992

  Wisdom Publications

  199 Elm Street

  Somerville, MA 02144 USA

  www.wisdompubs.org

  © 1991 Saddhamma Foundation

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photography, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system or technologies now known or later developed, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Pandita Bivamsa, U, 1921–

  In this very life : the liberation teachings of the Buddha / Sayadaw U Pandita ; translated by U Aggacitta ; edited by Kate Wheeler.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  ISBN 0-86171-311-7 (alk. paper)

  1. Religious life—Buddhism. 2. Spiritual life—Buddhism.

  3. Buddhism—Doctrines. I. Aggacitta, U. II. Wheeler, Kate, 1955– III. Title

  BQ5395.P355 2001b

  294.3'444—dc21 2001046878

  07 06

  6 5 4 3 2

  2nd Printing

  Cover design by Suzanne Heiser

  Cover image of stupa © Ed Hauben

  Cover image of bird © Getty Images

  Interior design by Elizabeth Lawrence

  Wisdom Publications’ books are printed on acid-free paper and meet the guidelines for permanence and durability set by the Council of Library Resources.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  This book was produced with environmental mindfulness. We have elected to print this title on 50% PCW recycled paper. As a result, we have saved the following resources: 21 trees, 15 million BTUs of energy, 1,883 lbs. of greenhouse gases, 7,814 gallons of water, and 1,003 lbs. of solid waste. For more information, please visit our web site, www.wisdompubs.org

  CONTENTS

  Foreword by Joseph Goldstein

  Acknowledgments

  To the Reader

  Technical Note

  1. BASIC MORALITY & MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS

  A Basic Sense of Humanity

  Meditation Instructions

  Walking Meditation

  The Interview

  2. CUTTING THROUGH TO ULTIMATE REALITY

  One: Attention to Impermanence

  Two: Care and Respect

  Three: Unbroken Continuity

  Four: Supportive Conditions

  Five: Reapplying Helpful Conditions from the Past

  Six: Cultivating the Factors That Lead to Enlightenment

  Seven: Courageous Effort

  Eight: Patience and Perseverance

  Nine: Unwavering Commitment

  3. THE TEN ARMIES OF MĀRA

  First Army: Sense Pleasure

  Second Army: Dissatisfaction

  Third Army: Hunger and Thirst

  Fourth Army: Craving

  Fifth Army: Sloth and Torpor

  Sixth Army: Fear

  Seventh Army: Doubt

  Eighth Army: Conceit and Ingratitude

  Ninth Army: Gain, Praise, Honor, Undeserved Fame

  Tenth Army: Self-Exaltation and Disparaging Others

  4. THE SEVEN FACTORS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

  Becoming a Noble One

  Mindfulness: The First Factor

  Investigation: The Second Factor

  Courageous Effort: The Third Factor

  Rapture: The Fourth Factor

  Tranquility: The Fifth Factor

  Concentration: The Sixth Factor

  Equanimity: The Seventh Factor

  The Factors of Enlightenment Developed: Healing into the Deathless

  5. THE VIPASSANĀ JHĀNAS

  Softening the Rigid Mind

  Blowing Out Suffering

  Hindrances and Antidotes

  Comprehending the Nature of This World

  Reaching the Higher Vipassanā Jhānas

  On Nibbāna

  6. CHARIOT TO NIBBĀNA

  Appendices

  Seven Factors of Enlightenment

  Hindrances & Antidotes

  The Progress of Insight

  Numerical Lists

  Glossary

  Index

  FOREWORD

  I first met Sayadaw U Pandita in the spring of 1984, when he came to teach a three-month meditation course at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts. We awaited his arrival with great anticipation, having heard of his remarkable presence and unique teaching skills. In some way, that course was a turning point in the transmission of Theravāda Buddhist practice in the West. In ways that we could not have imagined at the time, his teaching and presence helped to open many new doors of understanding. As a skilled meditation master, he guided us through the subtleties of practice; as a renowned scholar, he brought new meaning and life to the timeless words of the Buddha; and as a great spiritual friend, he inspired us to seek the highest freedom.

  Just as the Buddha came from the warrior class of ancient India, so too, Sayadaw U Pandita is a spiritual warrior of our time. He is a rare teacher, uncompromising in his belief that liberation is possible. Through his own example of heroic endeavor, Sayadaw gave life to the last exhortation of the Buddha—“practice with diligence”—and inspired a whole generation of practitioners to follow suit. Sayadaw has helped us recognize our own capacity to go beyond the limitations of the conditioned mind.

  It is said that the gift of Dhamma is the highest gift. What makes it possible for us to receive it is the wisdom and compassion of those who pass it on. It is a great blessing that Sayadaw U Pandita has so openly shared with us the depth and breadth of his understanding. His teachings set a high benchmark in the continuing transmission of Buddhism in the West.

  In This Very Life is a collection of talks from the first three-month retreat that Sayadaw taught at the Insight Meditation Society. He describes in detail both the practical journey of awakening and a profound theoretical model of understanding. These discourses reward a thoughtful reading, allowing the familiar aspects of the teachings to mature in our minds, and challenging us with new perspectives on some old and cherished viewpoints.

  This book is a treasure-house of applied Dhamma. May it help to awaken wisdom and compassion in us all.

  Joseph Goldstein

  Barre, Massachusetts

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  This book came into being through the help of many people.

  We want to thank all those who arranged for and supported Sayadaw U Pandita’s course at the Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts in 1984. Venerable U Aggacitta expertly and lucidly translated Sayadaw U Pandita’s discourses. Ron Browning asked that the tapes be transcribed. Evelyn Sweeney patiently transcribed them. U Mya Thaung went over every word of the manuscript, and Eric Kolvig edited one draft of it. We are grateful to Bruce Mitteldorf for his generous contribution toward the printing of this book.

  Kate Wheeler steadfastly and very skillfully devoted months to editing the talks—none of this would have been possible without her.

  Sharon Salzberg

  Insight Meditation Society

  Barre, Massachusetts

  TO THE READER

  It is my humble and sincere wish to help you discover for yourself the state of inner peace through the essays in this book, based on the Dhamma, or way of truth, taught by the Buddha and also following the tradition of the late Venerable Mahāsī Sayadaw of Rangoon, Burma. I am trying my best, as far as my wisdom can take me, to provide this service to you.

  The publication of these essays helps fulfill five beneficial purposes. First, it may give you access to new aspects of the Dhamma tha
t you might not have heard before. Second, if you have already heard about these subjects, you may be able to consolidate your knowledge of the Dhamma. Third, if you have doubts, these essays may help you to clear them. Fourth, if you have certain pet views and preconceptions that are incorrect, you may be relieved of them by proper and respectful attention to the Dhamma of the Buddha.

  The last and perhaps the most fulfilling aspect is that you may be able to tally your own experiences with what is written in this book. If your practice is deep, it can be a joyous and rapturous occasion when you realize that your experiences conform to the theory.

  If you do not practice meditation, perhaps these essays can inspire you to begin. Then wisdom, the most potent medicine, can bring you relief from the sufferings of your mind.

  I offer you my personal best wishes and encouragement. May you reach liberation, the highest goal.

  Sayadaw U Pandita

  TECHNICAL NOTE

  The Pāli terms in this text are meant to introduce a precision of meaning that is not possible in English. It is hoped that readers will pause and reflect in a way they might not, had the terms simply been translated.

  Pāli is used this way in Burma and in most of the communities in countries where vipassanā meditation is practiced. As Pāli words are incorporated into living languages, they inevitably lose endings or suffer other minor changes. The Pāli in this text will differ slightly from academic usage. This reflects the use in Sayadaw U Pandita’s native Burma, and more important, the refined application of these terms specifically to meditation practice and understanding. For ease of readability, we have used English forms for pluralization or adjectival case.

  The first use of a term in the text is italicized and subsequent uses are generally unemphasized. Definitions will be found in the glossary.

  1. BASIC MORALITY

  & MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS

  We do not practice meditation to gain admiration from anyone. Rather, we practice to contribute to peace in the world. We try to follow the teachings of the Buddha, and take the instructions of trustworthy teachers, in hopes that we too can reach the Buddha’s state of purity. Having realized this purity within ourselves, we can inspire others and share this Dhamma, this truth.

  The Buddha’s teachings can be summed up in three parts: sīla, morality; samādhi, concentration; and paññā, intuitive wisdom.

  Sīla is spoken of first because it is the foundation for the other two. Its importance cannot be overstressed. Without sīla, no further practices can be undertaken. For laypeople the basic level of sīla consists of five precepts or training rules: refraining from taking life, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from sexual misconduct, refraining from lying, and refraining from taking intoxicating substances. These observances foster a basic purity that makes it easy to progress along the path of practice.

  A BASIC SENSE OF HUMANITY

  Sīla is not a set of commandments handed down by the Buddha, and it need not be confined to Buddhist teachings. It actually derives from a basic sense of humanity. For example, suppose we have a spurt of anger and want to harm another being. If we put ourselves in that other being’s shoes, and honestly contemplate the action we have been planning, we will quickly answer, “No, I wouldn’t want that done to me. That would be cruel and unjust.” If we feel this way about some action that we plan, we can be quite sure that the action is unwholesome.

  In this way, morality can be looked upon as a manifestation of our sense of oneness with other beings. We know what it feels like to be harmed, and out of loving care and consideration we undertake to avoid harming others. We should remain committed to truthful speech and avoid words that abuse, deceive, or slander. As we practice refraining from angry actions and angry speech, then this gross and unwholesome mental state may gradually cease to arise, or at least it will become weaker and less frequent.

  Of course, anger is not the only reason we harm other beings. Greed might make us try to grab something in an illegal or unethical way. Or our sexual desire can attach itself to another person’s partner. Here again, if we consider how much we could hurt someone, we will try hard to refrain from succumbing to lustful desire.

  Even in small amounts, intoxicating substances can make us less sensitive, more easily swayed by gross motivations of anger and greed. Some people defend the use of drugs or alcohol, saying that these substances are not so bad. On the contrary, they are very dangerous; they can lead even a good-hearted person into forgetfulness. Like accomplices to a crime, intoxicants open the door to a host of problems, from just talking nonsense, to inexplicable bursts of rage, to negligence that could be fatal to oneself or others. Indeed, any intoxicated person is unpredictable. Abstaining from intoxicants is therefore a way of protecting all the other precepts.

  For those whose devotion makes them wish to undertake a further discipline, there are also sets of eight and ten precepts for laypeople, ten precepts for nuns, and the Vinaya, or 227 rules for monks. There is more information about these forms of sīla in the glossary.

  Refinements during a Retreat

  During a meditation retreat it becomes useful to change some of our conduct in ways that support the intensification of meditation practice. In a retreat, silence becomes the appropriate form of right speech, and celibacy that of sexual conduct. One eats lightly to prevent drowsiness and to weaken sensual appetite. The Buddha recommended fasting from noon until the following morning; or, if this is difficult, one could eat only a little in the afternoon. During the time one thus gains to practice, one may well discover that the taste of the Dhamma excels all worldly tastes!

  Cleanliness is another support for developing insight and wisdom. You should bathe, keep nails and hair trimmed, and take care to regulate the bowels. This is known as internal cleanliness. Externally, your clothing and bedroom should be tidy and neat. Such observance is said to bring clarity and lightness of mind. Obviously, you do not make cleanliness an obsession. In the context of a retreat, adornments, cosmetics, fragrances, and time-consuming practices to beautify and perfect the body are not appropriate.

  In fact, in this world there is no greater adornment than purity of conduct, no greater refuge, and no other basis for the flowering of insight and wisdom. Sīla brings a beauty that is not plastered onto the outside, but instead comes from the heart and is reflected in the entire person. Suitable for everyone, regardless of age, station, or circumstance, truly it is the adornment for all seasons. So please be sure to keep your virtue fresh and alive.

  Even if we refine our speech and actions to a large extent, however, sīla is not sufficient in itself to tame the mind. A method is needed to bring us to spiritual maturity, to help us realize the real nature of life and to bring the mind to a higher level of understanding. That method is meditation.

  MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS

  The Buddha suggested that either a forest place under a tree or any other very quiet place is best for meditation. He said the meditator should sit quietly and peacefully with legs crossed. If sitting with crossed legs proves to be too difficult, other sitting postures may be used. For those with back trouble a chair is quite acceptable. It is true that to achieve peace of mind, we must make sure our body is at peace. So it is important to choose a position that will be comfortable for a long period of time.

  Sit with your back erect, at a right angle to the ground, but not too stiff. The reason for sitting straight is not difficult to see. An arched or crooked back will soon bring pain. Furthermore, the physical effort to remain upright without additional support energizes the meditation practice.

  Close your eyes. Now place your attention at the belly, at the abdomen. Breathe normally, not forcing your breathing, neither slowing it down nor hastening it, just a natural breath. You will become aware of certain sensations as you breathe in and the abdomen rises, as you breathe out and the abdomen falls. Now sharpen your aim and make sure that the mind is attentive to the entirety of each process. Be aware from the
very beginning of all sensations involved in the rising. Maintain a steady attention through the middle and the end of the rising. Then be aware of the sensations of the falling movement of the abdomen from the beginning, through the middle, and to the very end of the falling.

  Although we describe the rising and falling as having a beginning, a middle, and an end, this is only in order to show that your awareness should be continuous and thorough. We do not intend you to break these processes into three segments. You should try to be aware of each of these movements from beginning to end as one complete process, as a whole. Do not peer at the sensations with an overfocused mind, specifically looking to discover how the abdominal movement begins or ends.

  In this meditation it is very important to have both effort and precise aim, so that the mind meets the sensation directly and powerfully. An essential aid to precision and accuracy is to make a soft mental note of the object of awareness, naming the sensation by saying the word gently and silently in the mind, like “rising, rising…falling, falling.”

  Returning from Wandering

  There will be moments when the mind wanders off. You will start to think of something. At this time, watch the mind! Be aware that you are thinking. To clarify this to yourself, note the thought silently with the verbal label “thinking, thinking,” and come back to the rising and falling.

  The same practice should be used for objects of awareness that arise at any of what are called the six sense doors: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Despite making an effort to do so, no one can remain perfectly focused on the rising and falling of the abdomen forever. Other objects inevitably arise and become predominant. Thus, the sphere of meditation encompasses all of our experiences: sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations in the body, and mental objects such as visions in the imagination or emotions. When any of these objects arise you should focus direct awareness on them, and use a gentle verbal label “spoken” in the mind.