Back to Content
Back to Content
 
 
Vipassana
Present Moment & Sabhava Dhamma
 
           The present moment (arompaccupan) can be defined as:
           1) Nama and rupa which occurs at a given time independently of our desire.
           2) Nama and rupa seen with the Three nama: atapi, sati and sampajanna (yogavacara).
           If you are to realize the present moment, a) the object of the 3 Nama must be ultimate reality (paramattha=not man, not woman and not self), which is rupa and nama; b) the object has to be in the 4 Foundations of Mindfulness. The various objects (foundations) should not be mixed. For example, when observing sitting rupa and sitting rupa has pain, don't observe the nama that knows sitting rupa has pain. Just know that sitting rupa suffers. Observe only "body in body"; c) the object must be observed by the 3 nama (yogavacara = earnestness, mindfulness and clear comprehension); d) the event of seeing nama and rupa in the present moment must occur independently of our desire. We cannot create the present moment. Examples of creating the present moment would be slow walking for the purpose of creating insight, or slow movement of the arm to see the groups (kalapas) rising and falling. These examples are not the present moment; e) an example of the true present moment is awareness (sati-sampajanna) observing sitting rupa, but there is a little bit of kilesa, perhaps a hidden desire to see sitting rupa. Then a thunderclap occurs. Awareness leaves sitting rupa and hears the thunder. Instantaneously and automatically there is nama hearing. This is a true example of the present moment (vipassana), because at that moment there is no kilesa.
           There are two kinds of present moment: cinta present moment and Vipassana-panna present moment. Cinta present moment is seen in ordinary good practice. Cinta present moment precedes and leads to Vipassana wisdom, in the way that two dry sticks rubbed together lead to fire.
           If the yogi practices correctly and with arompaccupan, this will destroy abhijjha and domanassa (like and dislike) in the five aggregates (khandas). Then Vipassana Panna will occur. Back to Content
           Vipassana present moment is very elusive. It is like trying to catch a fish in a pond with your hands. Vipassana present moment sees that the one that sits is sitting rupa not "you". It is not even you that knows sitting rupa - but it is the Three nama ("yoki") that know. And in fact, there is not even sitting rupa - there is only sabhava.
           That sabhava that we call sitting rupa doesn't know anything. The nama that knows the object (sitting rupa) is sabhava too.
           There are only two sabhavas in the world: the one that does not know anything and the one that knows.
           The Vipassana present moment is elusive, because of the existence of kilesa. It also takes practice. Catching the Vipassana present moment is like trying to read before learning the alphabet. Until you know the shape of the letters, you can't recognize the words.
           Even when changing from sitting to standing, the present moment should be maintained or otherwise kilesa will enter. When the present moment is maintained continuously, kilesa is kept out and the Vipassana present moment arises and destroys moha (ignorance).
Q: How does the yogi know he is in the present moment?
A: He will have sati and sampajanna all the time. If there is sati and sampajanna, it is the present moment. The reverse is also true: if there is present moment there is sati and sampajanna. The yogi should be continually in the present moment. If this is so, the truth will appear - the truth that is dukkha and rupa and nama.
           (Sati and sampajanna actually work together in the present moment of rupa and nama and destroy abhijjha and domanassa in the "world" of the Five Khandas.)
           This practice leads the yogi to reach sabhava - the True State of the Nature - thus changing the wrong view that rupa and nama is "you".