20110807 wfb vipassana a sutta view

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Vipassanā

From the Early Suttas

A presentation prepared for The World Fellowship of BuddhistsBy

Dhammadāsa Bhikkhu

7th August 2011



Why are you here?

I’m assuming you are here because you want tobenefit from the Buddha’s experience and not

have to reinvent the wheel or make the same

mistakes.

I distinguish between Buddhism and what the

Buddha taught. Buddhism is a religion with

many branches/sects, all claiming to have the

original or essential teaching.

As I see it, Buddhism = Buddha-Dhamma +

various cultural influences. They are not the

same and we should distinguish them.



Identifying the Essential

The Pāli Dhammapada is says:

To see the essence in the unessential and theessence as unessential, means one can neverget to the essence, wandering, as one is, onthe path of wrong thought (verse 11).

But to see the essence in the essential and theunessential as the unessential, means onedoes get to the essence, being on the path of right thought (verse 12).



What Did the Buddha Teach?

Only what is essential or necessary:• A handful of leaves (S V 438)

• Only suffering and the end of suffering (M I 140)

He said his teaching is:

• Subtle (M I 487)

So we should not add to, take away from, or modify

what he said.• Not secret (S V 153)

He has taught it openly and clearly (svākāto).



Our Attitude to the Buddha

Those firmly set on the path (Sotāpanna) aresaid to consider the Buddha as the unexcelledteacher (anuttaro purisadamma sārathi), haveunshakable faith in him and only take him as theteacher (M III 64-5, M I 266).

If we consider him the supreme teacher, thenwe don’t need any other information, theBuddha’s own words are enough! Definitely hedoes not need help (other’s additions) to teach us!

In my study, I try to focus on the Buddha’s

words, as Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu encouraged me to.



The Four Great References (D II 124-136)

If a monk were to say, “Friends, I heard and

received this from…”:

1. the Lord's own lips,

2. the community with elders and distinguished

teachers, in such and such a place,3. many elders who are learned, bearers of the

tradition, who know the Dhamma, the discipline,the code of rules, in such and such a place,

4. one elder who is learned, in such and such aplace,

this is the Dhamma, this is the discipline, this is the

Master's teaching.



The Four Great References (D II 124-136)

Then, monks, you should neither approve nor disapprovehis words. Then, without approving or disapproving,his words and expressions should be carefully notedand compared with the discourses (suttas) andreviewed in the light of the discipline (vinaya). If they,

on such comparison and review, are found not toconform to the discourses or the discipline, theconclusion must be: "Assuredly this is not the word of the Buddha, it has been wrongly understood by this

monk", and the matter is to be rejected. But where onsuch comparison and review they are found to conformto the discourses or the discipline, the conclusion mustbe: "Assuredly this is the word of the Buddha, it has

been rightly understood by this monk.”



Say “Sādhu” to Every Dhamma Talk?

Some people may think it is disrespectful not to

believe what a (senior) spiritual friend says,

such as the great commentator Buddhaghosa,

but the Buddha said, “you should neither

approve nor disapprove his words” and wemust first check the discourses and discipline.

Buddha said we should “make a thorough

investigation” (M I 379) and in the Kālāma

Sutta, that we should test what has been well

taught (A I 187).



Thorough Investigation

If we do not follow the advice of the Buddhashown above and we only pay attention towhat monks say, without investigation, howcould we truthfully say “the Buddha is theunexcelled teacher”?

The Buddha warned that in the future, peoplewill not pay attention to what he said and willonly listen to others. He said, this is one causefor the True Dhamma to disappear (A I 72-73and S II 266-7). Here the Buddha warned

against the “Chinese Whisper Syndrome”.




If we follow the advice of the Buddha shownabove, we will not fall into the category of “parrot Buddhists”. Parrots can learn torepeat words said to them, but they do notunderstand the meaning, or practice.

If we do not follow the advice of the Buddha

shown above, how could we truthfully say“we are disciples of the Buddha”?

Sometimes I still act like a parrot and not like a

true disciple!



Thorough InvestigationThe Dhamma is integrated:

"Monks, the Dhamma well proclaimed by me, is clear, open,evident, and free of patchwork” (M I 141).




So the Dhamma could be better compared to a weaved

blanket. Different teachings could be seen as verticalthreads and different themes as horizontal threads.




The tradition has recognised this, by saying theBuddha’s teaching can be summarised as: ethics,meditation and wisdom (sīla, samādhi, paññā).

It is generally understood that:

- these themes can be found in many, in fact, inmost teachings, with varying degrees of detail

- they are to be practised in that order, e.g.wisdom is developed AFTER concentration.

Exploring the links between teachings, will

produce a fuller understanding of the Dhamma.



The [Eight- or]

Ten-fold Path (A V 1-6)

The Three Trainings

Right View Morality

(avoiding wrong or

unwholesome actions of

thought, word and deed)

Right Aspiration

Right Speech

Right Action

Right Livelihood

Right Effort Meditation

(developing wholesome

mental action)

Right Mindfulness

Right Concentration

Right Insight Wisdom

(living a life without

suffering)

Right Liberation



What are the Vipassanā Ñāṇas?

If Insight Knowledges are those experientialknowledges that lead to liberation, then, you

may have heard of:

•

the 16 Insight Knowledges, which are taughtby Buddhaghosa,

but have you heard of:

•the 12 Insight Knowledges taught by theBuddha?

You probably have, but the latter may not seem

as important, or as relevant to Vipassanā.

Th 12 I i h K l d



The 12 Insight Knowledges

from the Dhammacakkappavatana Sutta

Th 12 I i h K l d



The 12 Insight Knowledges

Compared with other Teachings



Suffering and Its EndingThe First Noble Truth defines the term dukkha, which

is usually translated as “suffering”.Interestingly “dukkha” is used for bodily sensations,which are identified as three types: pleasant (sukha),painful (dukkha) and neutral. So, here, dukkha

relates to the body.Another term used in the First Noble Truth is

domanassa and this refers to mental pain.

Dukkha therefore covers both bodily and mental pain,but it seems the body is dismissed in modernpractice. We can see from Ānāpānasati Sutta thatbodily pleasant feelings should be developed and

awareness of the body is developed right to the end.



Ānāpānasati - Samatha and Vipassanā



Ānāpānasati - Samatha and Vipassanā

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are allconsidered to be the practice of Vipassanā, but I

suggest only the last one is. The other three

would seem to be the practice of Samatha.

The last four steps of Ānāpānasati are identified by

the Buddha as “contemplation of Dhamma”, the

last of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.

It is generally understood that contemplating

impermanence (steps 13-15) is Vipassanā.



Teachers of the JhānasVisuddhimagga Style Jhānas – very deep

• Pa Auk Monastery - Myanmar• Ajahn Brahmavamso - Australia• Shaila Catherine - USA

More Sutta-like Style* Jhānas – not so deep• Venerable Amathagavesi - Sri Lankan, deceased• Bhante Gunaratana - USA• Thanissaro Bhikkhu - USA

• Venerable Bhante U Vimalaramsi - USA• Ayya Khema - USA deceased, student: Leigh Brasington• Christina Feldman - USA• Insight Meditation Society – USA

* They only mention 5 jhāna factors, same as the Visuddhimagga.



The 4th Jhāna may include Vipassanā!

Only the simplified version of the first four jhāna, with five factors, as taught byBuddhaghosa, is known, because people donot pay attention to the Buddha’s words in

the suttas.If we have a close look at the Buddha’s

description of the first four jhānas, we can see

there are at least 11 factors.Regarding Vipassanā we should pay attention to

all of the factors of the fourth jhāna.



The 11 Jhāna Factors from the Suttas



Catutthajjh±na½

“Puna capara½, mah±r±ja, bhikkhusukhassa ca pah±n± dukkhassa ca

pah±n±, pubbeva somanassa-

domanass±na½ atthaªgam±

adukkhamasukha½ upekkh±-sati-p±risuddhi½ catuttha½ jh±na½

upasampajja viharati, so imameva

k±ya½ parisuddhena cetas±pariyod±tena pharitv± nisinno hoti, n±ssa

kiñci sabb±vato k±yassa parisuddhena

cetas± pariyod±tena apphuµa½ hoti…”

h d h ( ) h



The 11 Factors and the 4 (Rūpa) Jhānas

The Suttas show Samatha and




Vipassanā go together

So, you can see that the suttas say there arefour factors of the fourth jhāna:

1. Upekkhā – equanimity

2. Sati – mindfulness (?)

3. Sampajañña – clear comprehension

4. Parisuddhi – complete purity

Buddhaghosa says there are only two:

1. Upekkhā – equanimity (yes)

2. Ekaggatā – onepointedness (no)





Vipassanā go togetherWe can see that concentration is in the third

jhāna.

If sati – mindfulness (?) and sampajañña – clearcomprehension are part of the practice of Vipassanā, then we have to say thatVipassanā practice is IN the fourth jhāna,not done AFTER it, but we still see that

Vipassanā FOLLOWS Samatha.That the last factor of the fourth jhāna is

parisuddhi – complete purity, is very

interesting, as we will see later.



Catutthajjh±na½

“Puna capara½, mah±r±ja, bhikkhusukhassa ca pah±n± dukkhassa ca

pah±n±, pubbeva somanassa-

domanass±na½ atthaªgam±

adukkhamasukha½ upekkh±-sati-p±risuddhi½ catuttha½ jh±na½

upasampajja viharati, so imameva

k±ya½ parisuddhena cetas±pariyod±tena pharitv± nisinno hoti, n±ssa

kiñci sabb±vato k±yassa parisuddhena

cetas± pariyod±tena apphuµa½ hoti…”



The Ten Types of Happiness (M I 396-400)

1. The Five Sense Pleasures ONLY concerned with the body –

disassociated from the mind.[One Extreme]

2. The first jhāna Concerned with the body and mind

inter-related and co-dependent.

“Consciousness is bound up with the

body.” M 77 – M ii 17[The Middle Way and all necessary for

enlightenment, the last factor of the

Noble Eightfold Path]

3. The second jhāna

4. The third jhāna5. The fourth jhāna

6. The First Formless Jhāna – Infinite Space ONLY concerned with the mind –

disassociated from the body.[Another Extreme?]

Only experienced by those on the Path

7. The Second Formless Jhāna – Infinite Consciousness

8. The Third Formless Jhāna – Nothingness

9. The Fourth Formless Jhāna –

Neither-conception-nor-non-conception

10. Cessation of Sensation and Conception





Vipassanā go together

One problem is, thinking calming alone isenlightenment, as the Bodhisatta’s teachers did.

I have given a few examples of how the suttas showSamatha and Vipassanā go together.

There is one sutta in which the Buddha teaches the

only way to the purification of beings. So it musttalk about Vipassanā! It is not the SatipaṭṭhānaSutta. Hardly anyone knows about this, because

they don’t focus on the words of the Buddha.



Majjhima Nikāya Sutta Number 61

This sutta was spoken to Rāhula. (M I 414-420)

At the end the Buddha says:

“Rāhula, all those priests and contemplatives in thecourse of the past (and future), who purified theirbodily, verbal and mental acts, did (and will purify)it through repeated reflection on their bodily,verbal and mental acts in just this way. All those

priests and contemplatives at present, who purifytheir bodily, verbal and mental acts, do it throughrepeated reflection on their bodily, verbal and

mental acts in just this way.”



What kind of reflection?

Bodily, verbal and mental acts are to be done with

repeated reflection. Whenever you want to do, aredoing, or have done a bodily, verbal, or mental act,

you should reflect on it: This act I want to do…,would… it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others or to both? Is it an unwise act, with painfulconsequences, painful results?

If, on reflection, you know that it would… lead to self-affliction, affliction to others or both… then any actof that sort is absolutely not to be done (future),should be given up (present), or should be confessed

(past).



Reflect with a calm clear mind…

We should first develop a calm clear mind andthen do the reflection. Otherwise we could getcaught in circular negative thought andfeelings of guilt and depression.

This is why Samatha is important first!

This calls for



This calls forPersonal Responsibility

Many times we may feel frustrated at thesuffering/injustice/corruption in the world.Things may not seem to be changing for the

better.We need to calm down. In the state of

frustration, we will do foolish things, like civil

riots. If we do this reflection properly, thiswill not happen…

This is also why Samatha is important first!



Joyful…

“But if on reflection you know that it did not

lead to affliction... it was a wise bodily, verbal,or mental act with happy consequences,happy results, then you should stay mentally

refreshed and joyful (somanassa), trainingday and night in wise practices.”

We are told this practice leads to thepurification of beings and we saw that the lastfactor of the fourth jhāna is “completepurity” (parisuddhi). Very interesting!



The Famous Summary of Dhamma

Dhammapada Verse 183

Refrain from all evil, develop the wholesome.

Purify one’s mind, this is the teaching of all

Awakened Ones.



The Famous Summary of Dhamma

Vipassanā Insight



Vipassanā - InsightOn the one hand it is commonly taught that one

doesn’t need deep concentration (all jhāna), but onthe other hand, practice for Vipassanā – Insight, ismainly done in meditation retreats.

In Vipassanā retreats, people are encouraged to do

sitting meditation many hours a day. Doing so, onewill definitely develop concentration that is deeperthan what we have in everyday life.

The advice from the Buddha to Rāhula, did notmention many hours of sitting meditation at all!Maybe because the Buddha was only teaching theVipassanā method! This type of Vipassanā seems to

be more useful for everyday life.



Three Time Periods

The reflection on actions of body, speech and mind,taught to Ven. Rāhula covers three time periods:future, present and past, in that order.

Often the Buddha refers to these periods in theopposite order to this: past, present, future. Why isthe order presented the other way to Ven. Rāhula?

I think it is because the Buddha is putting the ultimatepractice first – avoiding harmful actions. If we can’tdo that, then stop them as we are doing them, if wecan’t do that, then reflect on the completed action.

Three Time Periods



Three Time Periods

The Tisso Vijjā or Tevijjā – the Three Super-

Knowledges the Buddha developed on thenight of his enlightenment are also about thethree times:

1. Knowledge of recollection of past births (notlives)

2. Knowledge of the rise and fall of beings

(present tense verbs, so as they occur)according to their actions

3. Knowledge of freedom from the taints (from

that moment on, no more birth) = purity.



Weaved Links

Links between the Tevijjā and the practicetaught to Ven. Rāhula:

• The three time periods are covered in both

teachings.• The second Super-knowledge specifically

speaks of action, the topic of the teaching to

Ven. Rāhula.• The third Super-knowledge is about purity,

which is the outcome of the teaching to Ven.Rāhula.



Weaved Links

The use of the term “births” in the first Super-knowledge.

This term is usually interpreted as “physical

birth,” but we have many examples of theBuddha reinterpreting terms used in anphysical/external sense to have an spiritualmeaning: world, brahmin, kamma…

One discourse clearly shows that the Buddhadid not use the term “birth” in the physicalsense (M II 103).

Weaved Links



Weaved Links

“…you should… Angulimāla, go into Sāvatthī and say to

that woman: ‘Sister, since I was born, I do not recallthat I have ever intentionally deprived a living being

of life. By this truth, may you be well and may your

infant be well!’ “

“Venerable sir, wouldn’t I be telling a deliberate lie, for I

have intentionally deprived many living beings of

life?”

“Then, Angulimāla, go into Sāvatthī and say to thatwoman: ‘Sister, since I was born with the noble birth,

I do not recall that I have ever intentionally deprived

a living being of life. By this truth, may you be well

and may your infant be well!’ “



Weaved Links

The use of the term “beings” in the secondSuper-knowledge.

This term is usually interpreted as “beings

external to oneself ,” but we have manyexamples of the Buddha reinterpretingterms used in a physical/external sense tohave a different meaning.

One discourse clearly shows that the Buddhadid not use the term “being” in the externalsense.



Weaved Links

In the Dona Sutta (A II 37) the Buddha is asked if he is:

• A deva (god, divine being)

•

A gandhabba (? heavenly musician)• A yakkha (monster)

• A human being.

To all of these he said “No, because I haveeradicated the defilements that would enableme to be classed as such a being.”



S i S j ññ



Sati - Sampajañña

Looking back at the factors of the fourth jhāna:

There is one meaning of “sati” that few peopleknow about. It seems to be an older meaningthat is being forgotten.

“to remember and call to mind what was said

and done long ago” (A IV 3-4, A III 9-10).

This is about past action.

Sati Sampajañña



Sati - SampajaññaThe explanation of sampajañña that makes it

clear that it is about present action is in theMahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (D II 292):

“… a monk, when:

going forward or back, looking forward or back,bending and stretching, carrying his inner andouter robe and his bowl, eating, drinking,

chewing and savouring, passing excrement orurine, walking, standing, sitting, falling asleepand waking up, speaking or staying silent,

he is clearly aware of what he is doing.”



Advice to Rāhula, Tevijjā & 4th Jhāna

Reflect on pastaction

Recollection of past birth

Sati – Memory

Reflect on

present action

Recollection of

rising and fallingof beings

Sampajañña –

clear awarenessorcomprehension

Reflect on future(intended) action Recollection of the cessation of the taints

Parisuddhi –complete purity

Method Used Here



Method Used HereIn my research, I often compare different teachings,

which can be easily shown by the use of tables (I used 7

here). This method seems to have been taught by the

Buddha in the Pāsādika Sutta:

“... All you to whom I have taught these truths

that I have realised by super-knowledgeshould come together and recite them, setting

meaning beside meaning and expression

beside expression, without dissension, inorder that this holy life may continue and be

established for a long time, for the profit and

happiness of the many...” (D III 127).

M h d U d H



Method Used Here

As you can see from the quote, the Buddha gaveinstructions for his disciples to meet to comparevarious teachings with each other, so that “this holylife may continue and be established for a long time”.

To me this is the Buddha’s wise and compassionateresponse to the fact that the teaching will getcorrupted over time, being an impermanentconditioned thing.

This method enables us to identify corruptions in theteaching because the teaching is a “gradual training”.

It seems strange that this quote is not mentioned at

all in our records of the Saṅgha Councils!

Is this untraditional explanation correct?



Is this untraditional explanation correct?People may not accept the findings of my study and may like to continue

with the traditional ideas. That is ok with me, but the differencesbetween the traditional teaching and the Suttas (and Vinaya) should beexplained well, because the Buddha said we should “make a thoroughinvestigation” (M I 379). We should not be like parrots and just repeatwhat we hear without investigation, that would be disrespectful to theTriple Gem.

I believe the quote from the Pāsādika Sutta is HOW the Buddha wants usto “make a thorough investigation”. That is, he gave us a METHOD tostudy his teaching, which enables us to identify corruptions.

If we follow the Kālāma Sutta, we will not reject something just because itdisagrees with our existing philosophy, but if it seems reasonable, wewill test it for truth in our life. Then we will know, not just believe.

I also think we should ask the question, how can we understand theBuddha’s teaching, so that it is useful for, or effective in everyday life? If we do not, I think intelligent people will not be interested in theBuddha’s teaching.



Thank you for your kind attention.

May your practice protect you.

Kamma paṭisaraṇo.

A copy of this presentation may be obtained by emailing me at:

20110807 wfb vipassana a sutta view

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