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Wisdom State
Introduction
 
            This second edition of Vipassana Bhavana has the same subject matter and chapter headings as the first edition. Section 1.1.1, however ("What is Buddhism?"), has been rewritten to clarify some of the points in this necessarily technical discussion of what we call the "real Buddhism?" We also reworded this section by placing the English words first, followed by the Pali word, so that the reader need not continually stop and refer to the Glossary (Appendix C), in order to comprehend what he is reading. Also, throughout the book, many different points of dhamma were refined and rewritten - in many cases because students raised questions about the text.
 
           A comment should be made here about the copious use of Pali: what is the purpose of it? In our experience, here at Boonkanjanaram, we found that Pali often bridged the language gap between the teacher, who didn't speak any English, and the students, who very rarely spoke Thai fluently enough to understand dhamma. For example, if students were asked what created them? And they answered "kilesa" or the "three tanha"; the teacher knows without translation that the answer is correct ("defilement" of ''craving"). The American students - who can often find English translations of the Buddhist Scriptures (Tripitaka) by the Pali Text Society in a local college library - are not at all daunted by the liberal use of Pali. But European students - and for most of them English is a second language - do not have such easy access to PTS translations and for that reason tend to be more put off by Pali words. We considered these difficulties students have when they are confronted with a plethora of unfamiliar Pali terminology, and we have begun the somewhat difficult Section 1.1.1 with a simple explanation and also used less Pali words.
 
           What, it might be asked, is actually being said in this book? To put it simply, it is that craving (the 3 tanha) is the only cause of suffering, and that a way out exists from this suffering. That way out can be reached by following the Eight-Fold Path, which is the Middle Way, beginning with mindfulness practice (Satipatthana) to realize the three characteristics of nama and rupa: impermanence, suffering, and not-self. This Satipatthana practice uses as an object kaya (body), which is one of the four foundations of mindfulness - the other three are: feeling, mind and mind & body).
 
            This must be done by observing your own rupa and nama and not by observing any objects outside you. Body and mind must be observed with awareness - which consists of earnestness, mindfulness, and clear comprehension.
             The path to nibbana, which is the dhamma that extinguishes defilement and ends suffering, in detail, is the 16 Knowledges (nanas=yanas in Thai). The 16 yanas are actually a step-by step realization by vipassana wisdom of the above-mentioned three characteristics - which leads to nibbana. Only certain of these yanas (1,3,4,12) are crucial, and the others simply follow from them.
             One might ask, what is the real purpose of the term, citta-cetasika-rupa, to describe mind (nama) and body (rupa)? Citta-cetasika can be translated as "state of consciousness", and as such it serves to remind us that mind is not a solid or permanent whole, but just a series of states of consciousness, occurring one at a time, and is rapidly rising and falling away. (In fact our entire "world" the khanda world - at any given time is simply one of these states of consciousness.) When the mind is seen this way (as rising and immediately falling away and, hence, insubstantial), self-illusion is less likely to prevail. Citta-cetasika is from Buddhist Abhidhamma (Analytic Doctrine) and the purpose of Abhidhamma is to break mind and body into ever smaller functions and parts - and thus to see that these parts are not self.
             Finally, it is important for the student who would do this practice to understand how the practice differs from other modern vipassana practices:
                  1) Though the practitioner observes both rupa and nama, he begins with rupa and remains with rupa until rupa becomes clear enough that nama appears. (This is because rupa is obvious and gross and therefore easier to see.) This follows Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa's instruction in the Path of Purification (XVIII, 17):
                  The practitioner cannot stop observing rupa until nama is realized. And he cannot progress to other degrees of knowledge (yanas) and reach true nibbana until the yogi's wrong view about self is changed with insight wisdom.
                  2) Rupa and nama must be seen as ultimate reality - that is, they must be seen in one of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (body, feeling, mind and mind objects), and they must be seen with the Three Nama: earnestness, mindfulness and clear comprehension.
                  3) Rupa in practice must be observed as the entire rupa - not just a part of the body, such as a foot, the abdomen, etc.
                  4) This practice does not regard mindfulness (sati) alone as sufficient. Sati must be combined with clear comprehension (sampajanna). Mindfulness and clear comprehension always go together. Clear comprehension means that what sits, stands, etc. is rupa, not "you" and what hears, sees, etc. is nama, not "you." Too much sati without sampajanna is actually harmful and can lead to excess samadhi, which hinders wisdom.
                  5) The practice is designed to continually prevent like (abhijja) and dislike (domanassa) from arising to change the practitioner's wrong view about self (moha). This is very important, because you cannot practice true Satipatthana, if you do not prevent like and dislike from arising. An example of this is using proper consideration (yonisomanasikara) to see that the old position is not changed because of desire - but to cure suffering in rupa. "Yoniso" is also used to know that eating, bathing and any other tasks are not done for pleasure, but to cure suffering in rupa. We have to use yoniso all the time to prevent like and dislike from arising. Also, deliberately walking very slow or doing tasks in slow motion is acting with desire (desire to see dhamma); this is not correct - or natural - practice and should not be done.
 
Wisdom State
 
              The Buddha passed through three stages in realizing the Four Noble Truths. He realized all three wisdom stages by himself, because there was no one to teach him.
I. Sacca-nana
  In the first wisdom stage, called Sacca-nana, he realized:
               1) The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha Sacca) which has eleven types: birth (of five khandas), decay (old age of five khandas), death (of five khandas), sorrow, lamentation, pain (bodily), grief (mental suffering), despair, association with the unpleasant, separation from the pleasant, not getting what you want.
                2) Cause of Suffering (Samudaya Sacca): kammatanha (sensual craving), bhavatanha (craving for existence), vibhavatanha (craving for nonexistence). (See "Noble Truths," 1.4.5)
                3) Cessation of Suffering (Nirodha Sacca): Nirodha (Nibbana) is the dhamma that extinguishes the cause of suffering (Samudaya Sacca) and the result (Dukkha Sacca). When the cause is extinguished, the result is extinguished.
                4) The Path to End Suffering ( Magga Sacca): The Eight-Fold Path is the Middle Way (Majjhima Patipatta) and is the only practice that can reach Cessation of Suffering.
II. Kicca-nana
              This is actual practice based on stage I. Dukkha must be realized by practice; Samudaya must be eradicated by practice; Nirodha must be reached by practice; Magga Sacca must be developed by practice.
III. Kata-nana
              Kata-nana is fruition, of knowledge of what has been done with regard to the Four Noble Truths. The three yanas (sacca-nana, kicca-nana, kata-nana) are known as "Thrice-revolved knowledge and insight" - the three aspects of intuitive knowledge regarding the Four Noble Truths.
              The Buddha passed through these three stages of the Four Noble Truths on Enlightenment night (4 x 3 =12 stages that he passed through). Then he realized knowledge of the three yanas (Sacca-nana, kicca-nana,kata-nana), each time with the Four Noble Truths.
              The yogi, who wants end suffering like the Buddha, must understand the first wisdom (sacca-nana), then follow the practice and understand the practice too (kicca-nana). Then the two wisdoms have to work together, as we are doing now in practice.
              If you realize the first wisdom (sacca-nana), and practice the second (kicca-nana), then times the Four Noble Truths we have 4 x 2 =8, which is where your vipassana practice is now. If you realize the result, it is 4 x 3=12, at this point the yogi reaches Lokuttara dhamma (supramundane).
              In the sermon delivered shortly after his enlightenment ("Setting in Motion the Wheel of Doctrine"), the Buddha described the 3 Wisdom Stages as follows:
            And so long, monks, as the vision of knowledge of these four ariyan truths, with the 3 sections and 12 modes as they really are, was not well purified by me, so long was I, monks, not thoroughly awakened as to the world with its devas, with is Maras, with its Brahmas, with its recluses and brahmans, its creatures with devas and men. This I knew.
              But when, monks, the vision of knowledge of these four ariyan truths, with the 3 sections and 12 modes as they really are, was well purified by me, then was I, monks, thoroughly awakened with the supreme full awakening as to the world...This I knew.
              Moreover, the vision of knowledge arose in me: "Freedom of mind is for me unshakeable, this is the last birth, there is not now again-becoming."
(Book of the Discipline, IV,16,21)