September 2004 Edition
"For the abandoning of aversion, lovingkindness should be cultivated." - AN iii 446
January course now registering
January 2005 sees the release of the new version of our Meditation Course and registration is now available. The main text is based on the tried and tested format that has been offered since 1997 and serves as a practical introduction to samatha (tranquility) and vipassana (insight) techniques from the Theravada tradition of Buddhism. Intended primarily for beginners, the 90 day course is also suitable for experienced meditators who wish to explore different aspects of the tradition. The emphasis is on building a sustainable and balanced meditation practice. The course software and the support site have been redesigned to improve user-friendliness. The CD version includes newly recorded guided meditations. The course is led by Andrew Quernmore, an experienced meditation teacher based in England.
Registration details are available at:
Commitment and Results
A course participant writes:
I recently spoke with an acquaintance who does vipassana meditation with another association. He has been on several 10 day retreats, and some 20 and 30 day sessions. That is a big effort into his practice. Given my own practice and my family duties (my buddy is single), is it even realistic to approach the study of Vipassana? Is this really a monastic method and not for householders?
The above is coincident with my recent realization that the path to awareness is very difficult, nearly impossible from where I am now. Some people have told me I am wasting my time with all this meditation and reading. Apparently, I don't seem to have changed much as a result of 2 years of practice. Does progress require an actual (vs virtual) sangha? Or a direct student-teacher relationship like in Zen?
Andrew replies:
The U Ba Khin method that the other association uses has always primarily been for lay people. Indeed, one of the other prominent teachers of the technique will not teach monastics at all. This is the Burmese "sweeping" form of vipassana practice that we introduce in the final third of our course.
I never understand why people say that meditators are wasting their time. Once we have recognized the "problem" i.e. that with existence comes suffering, surely it makes sense to try to do something about it? Alternative approaches which do not rely on the arising of insight (Pali: 'vipassana') are nothing more than sticking plasters or palliative care. Any comfort we gain from them will be short-lived and another does of dukkha will be along shortly. It is profoundly depressing that people will settle for that cycle of woe when they have the opportunity to overcome all forms of suffering.
The Canon and the tradition tell us that Nibbana is attainable. It does not rely on being a bhikkhu as we can see from the many lay people who became arahants in the Pali Canon. Even if our practice, perhaps through lack of commitment, does not bring us to complete release, it is still Right Action and prepares the ground for future work. Such skilful action will, at the very least, condition any future rebirth. Nothing is wasted. The waste comes only if we do not use the opportunity of a rare and auspicious human birth to try to attain liberation.
The Theravada tradition is not a guru-driven system. Whilst it is helpful to have contact with other practitioners and kaliyana mittas (good spiritual friends) these are not strictly necessary. We have an incomparable guide in the Buddha and his teachings are available for us to read and absorb. If our life choices and our meditation practice is congruent with the example given in the Pali Canon then our practice will certainly bear fruit. Supplementing our solitary practice with the occasional retreat, visit to a temple or talk, or attending meetings of a sitting group can all provide an impetus and inspiration to practice.
Of course, as with anything worthwhile, we will only see results if we put in the requisite effort. This does not mean that we need to disappear to a monastery, but it does mean that the Dhamma has to come to inform our every action. We need to work to ensure that all of our chosen actions are an expression of our commitment to this Path.
With metta
Andrew
Tears
A course participant writes:
When doing lovingkindness meditation I sometimes feel like crying. It's not because I'm sad or depressed. I try hard to feel the sentiment and when I really mean it I'm overwhelmed with the emotion. Am I doing right? I wonder if I'm just feeling guilty about what I've done to myself and others, or I'm feeling sympathy not empathy.
Andrew replies:
This is fairly common and not something to become too troubled about. When there is a depth of feeling, tears can result. The ability to feel so deeply for other sentient beings is a noble thing, and an asset to working with these brahmavihara (sublime abode) practices. The metta practice itself will become self-regulating so that external signs are less frequent and all of your energy can be channelled into sharing lovingkindness with each subject.
If the tearful feeling occurs over a number of different sections I would recommend simply continuing with the practice as outlined in the instructions. Try to ensure that you are not spending too much time in setting up each section. Any mental images or scene setting should be kept to the absolute minimum: we just need to be able to recognize the sentient being as worthy of kindness. The heart can then take over. Please don't spend time analyzing a person's situation or exploring your own historical actions. Lovingkindness meditation takes place in the present - we send this gift to these beings now. The choice to devote time to radiating metta is a wholly positive one; it does not rely for efficacy on our earlier actions having been perfect or on pre-existing harmony between us and the subject of each section.
Guilt is necessarily backward looking. It always refers to something that happened earlier and seems to lock us into a relationship with that unwholesome action from the past. Buddhist practice tends not to find much use for it; indeed, it is usually thought of as an unskilful and debilitating state of mind. As we cannot undo any chosen action, once it has been committed, it would generally be more profitable (for all) to focus on the skilful ethical actions we can choose to commit here and now. Whilst guilt is very often something which is a barrier to progress, there is an associated positive mental state that is useful for the meditator. That positive factor is remorse. Remorse takes place in the present. It is the skilful choice to admit responsibility for our unskilful behaviour. By taking responsibility for our actions we also accept ownership of the consequences that must arise for us as a result of them. In expressing remorse there is an implicit compassionate reluctance to engage in actions which cause suffering from hereon.
With metta
Andrew
Action
Has
Result
'Brethren, of deeds done and accumulated with
deliberate intent I declare there is no wiping out. That wiping out has to come
to pass either in this very life or in some
other life at its proper occasion.
Without experiencing the result of deeds so
done, I declare there is
no making an end of Ill.
Herein, brethren, threefold is the fault and
guilt of bodily action, done with deliberate intent,
causing pain and resulting in pain.
Fourfold is the fault and guilt of action
through speech, done with deliberate
intent, causing pain, resulting in pain.
Threefold is the fault and guilt of mental
action which has these same results.' (Condensed from Anguttara
Nikaya v. 292)
Recommended Book: Mind Overcoming Its Cankers
Acharya Buddharakkhita, an eminent Indian bhikkhu, is probably best known for his establishment of the Bangalore Mahabodhi Society and the Mahabodhi Monastic Institute and for his well regarded translation of the Dhammapada. The Buddhist Publication Society has now issued a new version of his book "Mind Overcoming Its Cankers". In the preface, Ven. Buddharakkhita writes:
"Spiritual deliverance," says the Buddha, "is attained by the destruction of the mental cankers." Indeed, the Arahat is referred to as khinasava, the canker-freed one. A seeker of Truth, therefore, should know what these cankers are, and what he should do to rid himself of them. The answer lies in the Sabbasava Sutta, wherein the Enlightened One unfolds a methodology which in its application is totally effective .... It is earnestly hoped that this work will be used as a practical guide to self-improvement, inner peace and liberation from a world that is increasingly becoming entangled in false values.
The book can be purchased from the Buddhist Publication Society, PO Box 61, 54 Sangharaja Mw., Kandy, Sri Lanka (and its agents around the world).
ISBN 955-24-0250-6
The Vipassana Fellowship Newsletter is published about 10 times each year and is sent only on request and to previous participants of our courses. Vipassana Fellowship is an organisation dedicated to the dissemination of accurate and useful information on Buddhist meditation practices as found in the Theravada tradition. Our next mailing will be in October. Our site can be accessed via the vipassana.com and vipassana.org domains.
Vipassana Fellowship, BCM Box 4398, London, WC1N 3XX, United Kingdom.
Newsletter © Copyright 2004, Vipassana Fellowship Ltd. (Registered in England No. 4730782).