Showing posts with label dhamma:artical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dhamma:artical. Show all posts

Sunday, 17 July 2011

Understanding of Four Postures (catuiriyapatha) on meditating

The main aim of Buddhist meditation is to be purifying the mind held negative tendencies: such as greed, anger and delusion, through mind control. When the mind held all negative tendencies are cleaned up by awakening the four postures: walking, standing, sitting and lying down, it will be free from suffering (Ven. Sujiva (2000) Essentials of Insight Meditation Practice, p.9) This kind of awakening postures meditation also one of most important to keep the mind in the present moment and to see whatever is happening in the mind. 

One in the walking meditation should be mindful on the feet ‘left going thus, right going thus; it can be practiced as three kinds: quick walking, moderate walking, and slow walking. It is the eye that is keep in the downcast while walking meditation, but it is just looking down, not keeping anything. In the basic step of walking meditation, it can note only two: right and left, but in the higher step it is not enough for the walking meditation. So it should keep in mind step by step in order to continue higher level, such as right - left, and lifting - stepping, and lifting – pushing – stepping, and raising – lifting – pushing – stepping, and raising – lifting – pushing – lowering – stepping, and raising – lifting – pushing – lowering – treading – pressing, etc. This is the standing meditation, second of four postures that notes while walking meditation. It means that yogī before starts walking meditation, or after reaches the end of walk should be aware the way of standing meditation. Phra Rājsaddhiñānamongkol suggests the following rules concerning with standing meditation:
  • “The mind is simply a point of awareness, it is simply the natural consciousness. We take this point of awareness and direct it over the body, from the crown of the head, slowly down, like the read disk, sliding slowly down. As we direct the awareness down over the body, we note to ourselves, “standing, thus”. We observe from the crown of the bead down to the navel, then stop and breathe out once, the ndirect the awareness once more slowly down from the navel to the feet. This is one cycle. Then we slowly move the awareness up from the feet, noting “standing”, to the navel, then breathe once more, then sweep upwards again, noting “thus”, up to the crown of the head. This is two times. Then we note going down to the feet once more, noting as before. This is the third time. When we sweep once more from the feet up to the crown of the head, this is “four”, and from the crown down to the feet again is “five”. The body is standing and we note it as it is. Our objective is to know things as they occur.” (Phra Rājsaddhiñānamongkol, Tr. Suchitra Ronruen (2000) Advantages of Chanting and How to Practice Vipassanā meditation, p.28)

Monday, 27 June 2011

Vedananupassana (Contemplation of Feeling)

How does a yogi remain focused on feelings in & of themselves? There is the case where a yogi, when feeling a painful feeling, discerns, 'I am feeling a painful feeling.' When feeling a pleasant feeling, he discerns, 'I am feeling a pleasant feeling.' When feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he discerns, 'I am feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.'
"When feeling a painful feeling of the flesh, he discerns, 'I am feeling a painful feeling of the flesh.' When feeling a painful feeling not of the flesh, he discerns, 'I am feeling a painful feeling not of the flesh.' When feeling a pleasant feeling of the flesh, he discerns, 'I am feeling a pleasant feeling of the flesh.' When feeling a pleasant feeling not of the flesh, he discerns, 'I am feeling a pleasant feeling not of the flesh.' When feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling of the flesh, he discerns, 'I am feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling of the flesh.' When feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling not of the flesh, he discerns, 'I am feeling a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling not of the flesh.'
"In this way he remains focused internally on feelings in & of themselves, or externally on feelings in & of themselves, or both internally & externally on feelings in & of themselves. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to feelings, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to feelings, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with regard to feelings. Or his mindfulness that 'There are feelings' is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the world. This is how a yogi remains focused on feelings in & of themselves. (By Buddha)