2. How to Practise Meditation¶
2.1. Exercise 1¶
While sitting, meditate on the abdomen which rises on inhaling and falls on exhaling. Acknowledge the rising and falling in your mind: “Rising, Falling,” according to whether it is a rise or a fall.
While reclining, do the same and acknowledge in a similar manner.
While standing, acknowledge the posture “Standing standing.”
While performing the mindful walking, acknowledge in stages as follows:
When the right foot advances, acknowledge the movement, “Right goes thus,” keeping the eyes fixed on the tip of the right foot; when the left foot advances, acknowledge the movement, “Left goes thus”, keeping the eyes fixed on the tip of the left foot. Acknowledge every step in this way. Having traversed the space allowed for the mindful walk and wishing to turn back, stand still first, acknowledge the posture, “standing, standing’” then turn back slowly and composedly, and acknowledge the movement “turning, turning.” Having turned right round, stand still first, acknowledging “standing, standing”, then continue to walk mindfully, acknowledging movements as before.
Practise each exercise until you are well experienced in it and can achieve good concentration, then pass on to the next one.
2.2. Exercise 2¶
While sitting, acknowledge the awareness in three stages, viz:- “Rising : falling : sitting.”
While reclining, also acknowledge awareness in similar stages. (See Note below).
While standing, acknowledge your posture, “standing, standing”, until you walk or sit down.
While walking mindfully, perform Exercise 1 for about 10–30 minutes. Then change your acknowledgement of the movement, i.e. when you advance your right or left foot, acknowledge the movement in two stages, “Lifting, Treading”, for about 10–30 minutes.
Thus:
Acknowledge your movements while performing the mindful walk, “Right goes thus, left goes thus,” for about 10–30 minutes.
Acknowledge your movements while performing the mindful walk, “Lifting, Treading,” for about 10–30 minutes.
Note
(For this 2nd exercise concentrate, if only momentarily, on the postures until the images of sitting and reclining appear distinctly in your mind as if reflected in a mirror)
Note
Acknowledgement of “sitting” occurs after awareness of “falling” e.g. “Rising…… : falling…… : sitting.”
Sometimes, the abdomenal movements are not clearly recognized; when this happens it is useful to be mindful of “sitting” as soon as the awareness of “falling” has ceased or has become indistinct. The length of “falling” often varies; some examples may make the problem of acknowledgement clearer: e.g.
“Rising……… : falling……… : sitting……… : rising……… : falling……… : sitting………” and so on.
“Rising……… : rising…. : falling… falling… : sitting… : rising…”
“Rising………: rising……. : falling… falling… : falling… sitting… sitting… : rising…”
Explanation: Each word above (e.g. “rising”, “falling”) represents one’s acknowledgement; that is mentally saying the word. The dots(……) represent one’s awareness or mindfulness of the particular phenomenon. When awareness of one stage (such as rising) ceases (i.e. “Rising…”) acknowledgement and awareness of the next stage begins (e.g. “sitting…”).
2.3. Exercise 3¶
While sitting, acknowledge awareness in four stages, “Rising : falling : sitting : touching.” Meditate upon the touching point as a circle about the size of tical coin ( a penny). Fix your mind -on that point while acknowledging.
While reclining, give acknowledgement in four stages, “Rising : falling : reclining : touching.”
While standing, acknowledge your posture, “standing, standing”.
While performing the mindful walking, do Exercise 1 and 2 first for about 10–20 minutes each; then change the acknowledgement, and while advancing your right or left foot, acknowledge the movement in three stages, viz, “Lifting, moving, treading.”
That is :
Acknowledge the movement of your feet, “Right goes thus, left goes thus,” for about 10–20 minutes.
Acknowledge “Lifting, treading,” for about 10–20 minutes.
Acknowledge “Lifting, moving, treading,” for about 10–20 minutes.
2.4. Exercise 4¶
While sitting, acknowledge the rising and falling of the abdomen in four stages : “Rising, falling, sitting, touching”, as in Exercise 3, but now acknowledge, “Touching” several times (until the end of the out-going breath); i.e. “Rising, falling, touching, touching, etc.”
While reclining, acknowledge awareness in four stages, “Rising, falling, reclining, touching, touching, etc.“
While standing acknowledge your posture, “Standing standing.”
While performing the mindful walking, do as in Exercise 1,2, and 3 for about 10–20 minutes each, and then change the acknowledgement, i.e. while advancing with your right or left foot, acknowledge the movement in four stages, “Heel up : lifting : moving : treading,” for about 10–20 minutes
That is:
Acknowledge the movement of your feet, “Right goes thus, left goes thus” for about 10–20 minutes.
Acknowledge, “Lifting treading,” for about 10–20 minutes.
Acknowledge, “Lifting, moving, treading,” for about 10–20 minutes.
Acknowledge, “Heel up, lifting, moving, treading,” for about 10–20 minutes.
2.5. Exercise 5¶
While sitting, be mindful of four stages, “Rising, falling, sitting, touching”. Find the point where the touch is most distinct, and concentrate on it when acknowledging : “touching.”
For Example :
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching” that is, touching with the right buttock. Concentrate on this position and acknowledge : “Touching.”
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching, ”that is, touching with the left buttock.
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching, ”that is, touching with the right knee. Concentrate on this position and acknowledge “Touching”
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” that is, touching with the left knee.
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” that is, touching with the right ankle.
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” that is, touching with the left ankle.
While reclining, acknowledge in four stages, viz. “Rising, falling, reclining, touching”.
While standing, acknowledge your posture, “Standing, standing,”
While performing the mindful walking, do as in Exercises 1,2,3 and 4 for about 10–20 minutes each, and then change the acknowledgement i.e. While advancing the right or left foot acknowledge the movements in five stages heel up, lifting, moving, dropping, treading“, for about 10–20 minutes.
To Summarize :
Acknowledge your movements in the mindful walking, “Right goes thus, left goes thus,” For about 10–20 minutes.
Acknowledge, “Lifting, Treading,” for about 10–20 minutes.
Acknowledge, “Lifting, moving, treading,” for about 10–20 minutes.
Acknowledge, “Heel up, lifting, moving, treading,” for about 10–20 minutes.
Acknowledge, “Heel up, lifting, moving, dropping treading,” for about 10–20 minutes.
2.6. Exercise 6¶
While sitting be mindful as follows :
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” that is, touching with the right buttock.
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” that is, touching with the left buttock.
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” that is, touching with the right knee.
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” that is, touching with the left knee.
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” that is, touching with the right ankle,
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” that is, touching with the left ankle.
“Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” that is, touching at various points along the body.
While reclining, acknowledge thus : “Rising, falling, reclining, touching,” etc.
While standing, acknowledge your posture, “Standing, standing”.
While performing the mindful walking, acknowledge the movements :
“Right goes thus, left goes thus,” for about 5–10 minutes.
“Lifing, treading,” for about 5–10 minutes.
“Lifing, moving, treading,” for about 5–10 minutes.
“Heel up lifting, moving, treading,” for about 5–10 minutes.
“Heel up lifting, moving, dropping treading,” for about 5–10 minutes.
Now acknowledge a further stage : “Heel up : lifting : moving : dropping : touching : pressing.” for about 10–20 minutes.
2.7. Exercise 7¶
Having performed the mindful walking to the extremity of the space allowed, stop to turn back, Before stopping, however, acknowledge your wish, “Wishing to stop,” and having stopped, acknowledge the action, “Stopped, stopped.” Before turning back. acknowledge your desire, “Wishing to turn, wishing to turn” and during turning round, acknowledge your action in steps “Turning, turning,”. Then stand still and acknowledge your posture, “Standing, standing”. Next perform the mindful walking again and acknowledge the movements as before.
When a desire arises to look right or left, acknowledge it thus: “Wishing to look aside, wishing to look aside”. Wishing to look aside, acknowledge the movement, “looking aside, looking aside.”.
Before bending or stretching, acknowledge your wish, “Wishing to bend,”. Or “Wishing to stretch,”. While actually doing the action, acknowledge it, “Bending, bending,” or “Stretching, streching,”.
Before grasping anything such as clothes, blankets, begging bowls, pots, jugs, and plates, acknowledge your wish, “Seeing, wishing to grasp.” While moving your hand, acknowledge the action, “Moving, moving,” While touching with your hand, acknowledge the action, “Touching.” While grasping it and moving it towards you, acknowledge the action, “Bringing, bringing”.
While you are eating or drinking or chewing or tasting or licking, acknowledge the action in similar manner.
For Example:
While perceiving the food, acknowledge the action. “Perceiving, Preceiving.”
While desiring to eat it, acknowledge the wish, “Desiring, Desiring.”
While advancing your hand towards it, ackowledge the action, “Moving, moving.”
While touching it, acknowledge the action “Touching, touching.”
While grasping or holding it, acknowledge the action, “Grasping” or “holding,”
While lifting it, acknowledge the action, “Lifting.”
While opening your mouth, acknowledge the action, “Opening.”
While the food is touching your mouth, acknowledge “Touching.”
While chewing, acknowledge the action, “Chewing.”
While swallowing, acknowledge the action, “Swallowing.”
While completing the eating, acknowledge the action, “Completing.”
While wishing to discharge excrement or urine, acknowledge your thought, “Wishing to excrete.” While excreting, acknowledge the action, “Excreting.”
When wishing to walk, stand, sit, sleep, get up, speak or keep silent, acknowledge the thoughts, “Wishing to walk,” “Wishing to stand,” “Wishing to sit,” “Wishing to sleep,” “Wishing to get up,” “Wishing to speak,” or “Wishing to keep silent.”
2.8. Exercise 8¶
When seeing, acknowledge the perception, “Seeing, seeing.”
When hearing, acknowledge the perception, “Hearing, hearing.”
When smelling, acknowledge “Smelling, smelling.”
When tasting, acknowledge “Tasing, tasing.”
When touching, acknowledge “Touching, touching.”
When thinking, acknowledge either “Thinking, thinking,” or “Imagining, imagining.”
2.9. Exercise 9¶
While acknowledging the rising and falling of the adbomen in the sitting posture, “Rising, Falling.” if any pain occurs, stop for a while, and acknowledge the pain, ache or stiffness, “Painful,” “aching” or “stiffness”. If the pain is too great to bear, stop the acknowledgement and go back to acknowledging the rising and falling of the abdomen If the pain is still there, change your posture.
If comfort arises, acknowledge it, “Comfort arising”
While reclining or standing, if any comfort or discomfort or indifference arises, acknowledge it, “Comfort arising” or “discomfort arising” or “indifference arising.”
If any pain arises during the mindful walk, stop first; then acknowledge the pain as described before, Note : If any mental image (Nimitta) such as light or a mountain arises, acknowledge it, “Seeing, seeing.” until it vanishes.
2.10. Exercise 10¶
While sitting, if a need for something arises’ acknowledge it, “Needing, needing” or, “Desiring, desiring.”
If you wish to leave practice through, for example, boredom, or if you see or think of something and feel aversion, acknowledge your thought, e.g. “Discontented,” or “Hating.”
If you fell sleepy, acknowledge your feeling, “Sleepy”
If your mind is distracted, acknowledge your feeling, “Distracted.”
If you have any doubt, acknowledge your thought, “Doubting.”
If greed, anger, distraction and doubt, as examples of mental conditions, clear away, acknowledge that also.
While performing the mindful walking, if the mind is distracted stop walking and acknowledge your thought, “Distracted.” After the distraction has cleared away, go on with the mindful-walking.
2.11. Exercise 11¶
If the mind is contented in sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, try to realize that it is a sensual contentment (Kāmagunā). Acknowledge your feeling, “Contented.”
When aversion arises, try to realize that it is hatred or a wish for revenge. Acknowledge it “Hating” or “Revenge.”
When the mind is jaded or apathetic, try to realize that this feeling is torpor and languor (Thinamidha). Acknowledge it, e.g. “Sleepy”.
If the mind is distracted, worried or depressed, try to realise that distraction and worry (Uddhaccakukkucca) have arisen, and acknowledge such feelings. “Distracted”, or Worrying“, or ”Depressed“.
When doubts in respect of mental and physical states (nāmarūpa), ultimate reality and the concepts (paññātti) arise, try to realise that this is sceptical doubt (Vicikicchā). Acknowledge it, “Doubting.”
2.12. Exercise 12¶
Before sitting down, acknowledge your thought, “Wishing to sit down.” Then lower yourself slowly in stages and acknowledge the action, “Sitting down” until you touch the floor. Do the acknowledgement in 8–9–10 steps.
While acknowledging “Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” and an itch arises, acknowledge it, “Itching.” After the acknowledgement if the itch is still there and you want to scratch, acknowledge your desire “Wishing to scratch.” When your hand touches the spot, acknowledge the action, “Scratching.” When the itch disappears, acknowledge it, “disappearing,” and when you lower your hand from the spot, acknowledge your action, “Lowering,” until it is where it used to be. Then begin to concentrate on the rise and fall of the abdomen again and acknowledge your awareness, “Rising, falling, sitting, touching,”
2.13. Exercise 13¶
Before beginning the meditation, make a wish as follows:
“May I be clearly aware of the coming-into-being and passing-away of all mental and physical phenomena appearing to the mind during twenty-four hours.”
Make this wish this whenever you wish, but spend at least twenty-four hours in meditation during this exercise.
Having made the wish as above, perform the mindful walking first; then sit down and acknowledge the rising and falling of the abdomen, “Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” as described before. Perform the two exercise in alternation throughout the twenty-four hours.
2.14. Exercise 14¶
Perform the mindful walking first, then proceed as follows:
Make a wish that in a period of one hour, the phenomena of arising and ceasing shall appear at least five times.
If within this hour the phenomena of arising and ceasing appear distinctly, at least five times and possibly as many as sixty-five times reduce the period of the exercise to 30 minutes and make the wish that within these thirty minute the phenomena of arising and ceasing shall appear to you several times.
Make a wish in the same manner and reduce the period of the exercise down to 20–15–10–5 minutes. Within 5 minutes the phenomenon should appear at least twice, but it may appear as many as six times.
Alternate Walking and sitting exercises for twenty-four hours.
2.15. Exercise 15¶
Perform the mindful walking first ; then in the sitting posture make a wish to attain steady concentration for 5 minutes. Next acknowledge “Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” etc. The resolution is fulfilled if the mind abides in concentration and becomes unconscious of outside phenomena for a 5 full minutes. Keep a careful check on the time and if this exercise cannot be continued for 5 minutes, repeat it until you are successful. Then try to increase the period of full concentration.
Make a resolve to obtain steady concentration without consciousness of outside phenomena for 10 muinutes. If this cannot be achieved yet, try again until you are quite experienced. Then practise further for 15–20–30 minutes to 1 hour, one and a half hour, 2–3–4–5–6–7–8 hours, up to 24 hours.
The number of minutes and hours is to be reckoned from the point of steady concentration with nonconsciousness onwards. In such a condition, we do not experience any feeling. The period wished for being fulfilled, consciousness will return of its own accord as in waking, but this is not waking.
2.16. Exercise 16¶
Practitioners who have become experienced in practice and would like to qualify as future instructors should perform a Special exercise as follows:
First exercise, to be done in one day.
Perform the mindful walking first, then sit as usual and resolve that within one hour the mental and physical states in the process of arising and ceasing shall appear distinctly. Acknowledge ilie awareness, “Rising, falling, sitting, touching”, etc. to complete one full hour. While acknowledging, you will perceive the arising ,md ceasing of the mental and physical states more distinctly than before. This insight knowledge is called Udyabbayañāṇa.
After this, resolve that within the succeeding hour only mental and physical states in cessation (or in their passing-away) shall be perceived. Then acknowledge the awareness, “Rising, lulling, sitting, touching,” etc. to complete one full hour. While acknowledging, only the passing-away of the mental and physical states will appear, that is, the cessation appears more distinctly than before. This insight is called Bhaṃganñāṇa.
Second exercise, to be done in one day.
Perform the mindful walking first, then sit as usual and resolve that within one hour the Bhayañāna shall arise in you. Acknowledge the perceptions, “Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” etc. to complete one full hour. While thus acknowledging, fear will arise in your mind. This insight knowledge is therefore known as Bhayañāṇa.
In the succeeding hours, resolve that the Adinavanana shall arise, and acknowledge the perceptions, “Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” etc. to complete one full hour. While acknowledging in the sitting posture, there will arise all kinds of afflictions latent in the mental and physical states, such as pain, aching, impermanence, suffering, and anattā. This knowledge is known Adinavañāṇa.
In the third successive hour resolve that the Nibbid āñāna shall arise. Acknowledge the awareness, “Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” to complete one full full hour. While acknowledging in the sitting posture there will arise revulsion, the mental and physical states appear to you as ugly refuse, full of afflictions and suffering, unpleasant and disgusting, This knowledge is called Nibbidāñāṇa.
Third exercise, to be done in one day.
Perform the mindful walking first ; then sit as usual and resolve that within this hour the Muñcitukamyatāñana shall arise. Acknowledge the perceptions “Rising, falling, sitting, touching”, to complete one full hour. While acknowledging in the sitting posture, there will arise a wish to retire, to escape into seclusion. This knowledge is known as Muñcitukamyatāñāṇa.
In the succeeding hour resolve that within this hour the Patisamkhañāna shall arise and acknowledge the perceptions, “Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” etc. to complete one full hour. While acknowledging in the sitting posture, there will arise an effort to use one’s energy to seek detachment and to escape into seclusion. This knowledge is Patisamkhanñāṇa.
In the third successive hour resolve that within this hour the Sarnkharūpekkhañāna, shall arise and acknowledge the perceptions. “Rising, falling, sitting, touching,” etc., to complete one full hour. While acknowledging in this posture there will arise equanimity with regard to mental and physical states. This knowledge is know as Sarnkharūpekkhañāṇa.
Q: What are the benefits of performing Insight Meditation (Vipassanā) in the way described? Please expound a little further.
A: There are several benefits as follows :
To give certainty of Truth, and not to be deceived by and not to hold fast to concepts (paññāat ti) which are mere mundane conventions.
To make people truly cultured, having good morals.
To make people love one another, make them feel their unity and to be compassionate towards each other, and to make them have gladness and appreciation when they see others who are joyful.
To bring about a better standard of human behaviour.
To make people know themselves and how to govern themselves.
To cultivate humility.
To bring about realisation of human unity.
To make people abide in gratitude.
To make people Bhikkhus of the Ariya Sangha, as this practice of Dhamma is for the following attainments :-
To be without the five hindrances (Nivarana)
To be without the five stands of sensual pleasure (Kamaguna)
To be without the factors of the “fivefold clinging to existence” (Upādānakakhandha)
To be without the five lower fetters ; the Ego-illusion (Sakkayaditthi), sceptical doubt (Vicikicchā), attachment (or clinging) to mere rules and ritual (Silabbataparamasa), sensuous desire (Kamachanda) and ill-will (Vyāpada)
To be free from the 5-fold destinies (gati).
To be without selfishness in any form ; selfishness in lodgings, selfishness in family, selfishness in property, selfishness in rank and selfishness in Dhamma.
To be without the five higher fetters, set out as craving for life in the world of pure form (Rūparāga), craving for the formless world (Arūparāga), pride, distraction and ignorance.
To be without Cetokhila, the five “nails” which limit the mind, comprising doubt in the Buddha the Dhamma and the Sangha, and in the training and anger against one’s fellow-monks.
To be without Cetovinibandha, the five fetters which hinder the mind from making right exertion ; namely : lust for sensuous objects, for the body, for visible things, for eating and sleeping, and leading the monk’s life for the sake of heavenly rebirth.
To be free from sorrow, grief, woe and lamentation and attain the Path, Fruition and Nibbāna.
The highest blessing is to succeed as an adept or Arahant. Of lower qualifications are the Never Returner (Anagami), the Once Returner (Sakadagami), and the Stream Winner (Sotapana). Still lower down on the scale are the commoners who have a steady determination to go along the path of righteousness according to the principle:
“Iminā pana ñāñanena samannāgato vipassako Buddhasāsane laddhassāsa laddhapatittho niyagatiko jūlasotapanno nama hoti,” meaning, “When the practitioners who are endowed with wisdom have practised Insight Meditation (Vipassanā), they will succeed as minor Sotāpanas, become light hearted, obtain true refuge in Dhamma and have a steady determination to go along the path of righteousness.”
Also, the practitioners who have practised Insight Medetation (Vipassana) and gained insight into the arising and ceasing of mental and physical states, are to be considered as blessed as stated thus :
“Yoca vassasatam jive apassam udyabbayam akāham jivitam seyyo passto udyabbayam” “Those who perceive the arising and ceasing of mental and physical states, even though they live for a day only, are far better than those who never see the arising and ceasing of mental and physical states and live a hundred years.“
Q: How long would it take to succeed in the practice of Insight meditation?
A: If the practice is done continuously for 1 day 15 days 1 month, 2–3–4–5–6–7 months or 1–2–3–4–5–6–7 years one would succeed according to whether one’s previous merits are strong or weak. The time specified is for the practitioners of medium previous merits. Those with great previous merits, when they practise in the morning, can succeed in the evening, and when they practise in the evening, can succeed in the morning according to the words of the commentator:
“Tikkhapaññam pana sandhāya pātova anusittho sayaṃ visesam adhigāissati sāyam anusittho pato visesam adhigmissatiti vuttam”
“Thus was it said ; to be instructed in the morning and to attain the divine Dhamma in the evening, to be instructed in the evening and to attain the divine Dhamma in the morning, is the way of Tikkha persons endowed with great previous merits”.
Explanation of the practice of insight meditation (vipassana) ends here.
2.17. Translator’s note¶
This booklet was originally produced by the Central office of the Division of Vipassana Dhura at Mahadhat Monastery several years ago. When the printing committee of Wat Mahadhat decided to reprint it I was asked to check the English. It became obvious that simple correction would not be sufficient, and rewriting was in order. I have frequently referred to the original Thai text, which is remarkably clear and well-organized, in order to clarify several sections of the text and fill in parts which were missing. Obviously some of the experiences described in this book defy expression in any language, but I have aimed for clarity whenever possible.
This part of the book is not intended for people with little experience of meditation. It is intended for meditation teachers and experienced non-Thai meditators who may find it difficult to get a good translation by a competent interpreter.
