Boonkanjanaram

Practices (Patipatti)
Why Natural Practice?

Dhamma Niyama is the natural law or order of nature (orderliness of causes and effects). It exists everywhere in the world and the Lord Buddha discovered it. It has three characteristics:

1) Sabbha Sankhara Anicca (all component things are impermanent)

2) Sabbha Sankhara Dukkha (all component things are suffering)

3) Sabbha Dhamma Anatta (everything is without self).

Since anatta is true of nibbana also, all dhamma is without self.

These above three exist at all times, even at home, when not practicing. But at home nama and rupa are more susceptible to the kilesa that says "we" exist. That's why in practice, everything has to be done naturally, otherwise these natural laws can't be seen. If walking is unusually slow, it will not be normal, and natural law will be hidden.

The same thing happens if just the walking step is observed and not the entire body. Also in sitting, the entire sitting rupa must be seen, as the Buddha made clear:

And again monks, a monk when he is walking comprehends: I am walking;

or when he is standing still comprehends: I am standing still;

or when he is sitting down comprehends: I am sitting down;

or when he is lying down comprehends: I am lying down.

So that, however his body is disposed, he comprehends it is like that.

(Digha-Nikaya, Mahasatipatthana Discourse)

(Here the Buddha uses the personal pronoun "I", because it is necessary for communication; but no self actually takes these postures, only rupa and nama. This rupa and nama must be observed in your body - not in others.)

Aachan Naeb posed this question:

"How does one know what is walking rupa?"

Answer: "The way one walks is walking rupa. For example, not just the step is observed but the whole position. Walking rupa is known by yogavacara."