The analysis of meditation experience in terms of ultimate realities

 

"When we say 'meditation sitting,' let's examine: is it a person sitting or is it just sitting? What enables us to sit now - is it a person or supporting air element? Standing - is it a person or supporting air element? Walking and moving - is it a person or moving air element?

Isn't the air element material form (rūpa)? Isn't the knowing of air element mental form (nāma)? These are the two elements - nāma and rūpa. When meditating, do we find people or nāma-rūpa? Do we find men and women or nāma-rūpa?

We only find nāma-rūpa, isn't this what's taught as ñāta pariññā (knowledge of the known)? What we think are humans, devas, and brahmas - what we find is just nāma and rūpa. Shouldn't we take what we actually find as truth?

Let's sit in our mind and wisdom. When we sit, doesn't our bottom touch the floor? When there's contact, shouldn't we be mindful? Isn't this taught as 'contact-knowing-mindfulness'?

When being mindful, do we find floor or hardness? Do we find buttocks or body-sensitivity? Because of sensitivity, doesn't the knowing mind arise? Does this knowing mind know 'floor' or know 'hardness'?

That consciousness (viññāṇa) which knows hardness, body-consciousness - can we point to where it exists before the contact of two material elements? It only arises when two material elements meet.

Can knowing hardness occur with consciousness alone? Don't feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), and volition (cetanā) accompany it?

Is the feeling of hardness human feeling, deva feeling, or brahma feeling? Is the perception of hardness human, deva, or brahma perception? Is the volition that drives feeling and perception self or non-self?

When feeling, perception, and volition combine, don't they complete the four mental aggregates? Only when these four are complete does contact-consciousness arise. Are these human, deva, brahma, or just four mental aggregates?

Is body-sensitivity human, deva, or brahma? Is hardness (earth element) human, deva, or brahma? When we analyze the aggregates, don't we find material aggregate?

Four mental aggregates plus material aggregate make (Five aggregates, Venerable Sir). What we think are humans, devas, brahmas - what we find are five aggregates. Shouldn't we take what we find as truth?

Upon these five aggregates, don't people designate various kinds of humans, devas, brahmas, animals, petas, and hell beings?

These are just designations and names. Whether designated or not, there are just five aggregates. Didn't the Buddha call Ānanda 'brother,' Rāhula 'son,' and disciples 'dear children'?

Did the Buddha reject these conventional designations? What did he reject? Isn't it worth examining? Don't we think 'person'? But what we find - is it a person or nāma-rūpa? We only find nāma-rūpa.

Isn't it clear that we find nāma-rūpa? Is it because a person exists or doesn't exist that we don't find one? Shouldn't we say this is what's rejected? Strive to reach this understanding..."

Test on Meditation and the Nature of Existence

Learning Objectives

• Understand the concepts of nāma (mental form) and rūpa (material form).
• Analyze the relationship between consciousness, perception, and the material world.
• Evaluate the implications of the five aggregates in understanding existence.
• Apply knowledge of meditation to real-world contexts and personal experiences.

Test Structure

Total Questions: 25

Multiple Choice (5 Questions)

1. What does 'nāma' refer to in the context of meditation?

   • A) Material form
   • B) Mental form
   • C) Human existence
   • D) Physical sensations

2. Which of the following best describes the relationship between nāma and rūpa?

   • A) They are identical
   • B) They are opposites
   • C) They are complementary elements of existence
   • D) They are irrelevant in meditation

3. What arises when two material elements meet?

   • A) Consciousness
   • B) Emotions
   • C) Perception
   • D) Memory

4. Which aggregate is NOT one of the four mental aggregates?

   • A) Form
   • B) Feeling
   • C) Perception
   • D) Volition

5. What term describes the awareness that arises from contact between two material elements?

   • A) Feeling
   • B) Contact-consciousness
   • C) Mental aggregate
   • D) Material form

True/False (5 Questions)

6. True or False: The Buddha rejected all conventional designations such as 'human' or 'deva'.

7. True or False: The feeling of hardness can be classified as a human feeling only.

8. True or False: When meditating, one discovers humans, devas, and brahmas.

9. True or False: The five aggregates consist of both mental and material forms.

10. True or False: Contact-knowing-mindfulness involves awareness of both the floor and the sensation of hardness.

Fill-in-the-Blank (5 Questions)

11. When we meditate, we only find _ and _.

12. The four mental aggregates are feeling, perception, volition, and __.

13. The __ element is associated with material form.

14. The Buddha used the term 'brother' to refer to his disciple __.

15. The complete understanding of existence according to the teachings is based on the recognition of the __ aggregates.

Matching (5 Questions)

Match the terms in Column A with their descriptions in Column B.

Column A	Column B
16. nāma	A) Awareness of the material world
17. rūpa	B) Mental form
18. viññāṇa	C) Consciousness
19. vedanā	D) Feeling
20. saññā	E) Perception

Short Answer (3 Questions)

21. Discuss how mindfulness in meditation can alter one's perception of reality.

22. Explain the significance of 'contact-knowing-mindfulness' in understanding the nature of existence.

23. Describe how the aggregates contribute to our understanding of self and non-self.

Essay (2 Questions)

24. Analyze the implications of the five aggregates in distinguishing between existence as a concept versus the reality of nāma-rūpa. Provide examples from personal experience or observation.

25. Evaluate the teachings of the Buddha regarding conventional designations. How do they challenge our understanding of identity and existence? Discuss the relevance of these teachings in contemporary society.

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Evaluation Criteria

• Multiple Choice/True/False: 1 point each
• Fill-in-the-Blank: 1 point each
• Matching: 1 point for each correct match
• Short Answer: 5 points each, based on clarity, relevance, and depth of analysis
• Essay: 10 points each, based on argument strength, coherence, and integration of concepts

Feedback Suggestions

• Review the explanations for incorrect answers in multiple-choice and true/false sections to clarify misunderstandings.
• Encourage students to explore additional resources on nāma and rūpa.
• Suggest group discussions on the significance of mindfulness in daily life as a follow-up to the essay questions.

The stages of insight knowledge

 

"The desire to walk is nāma (mind), the walking itself is rūpa (matter). These two, nāma-rūpa, work together while walking. Walking is neither self nor other - it's just nāma and rūpa. Is it humans, devas, or brahmas? No, it's just nāma and rūpa.

What we think are humans, devas, and brahmas - what we actually find are just nāma and rūpa. Isn't this what's taught as ñāta pariññā (knowledge of the known)? Nāma-rūpa is ultimate reality (paramattha), while humans, devas, and brahmas are concepts (paññatti). Whether designated or not, there are just these two: nāma and rūpa.

How do they exist? Isn't it worth investigating? They exist as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. Walking is impermanent, walking is suffering, there is no self in walking - this is vipassanā.

The desire to stand is nāma, standing is rūpa. These two work together while standing. Standing is neither self nor other - it's just nāma and rūpa. Standing is impermanent, standing is suffering, there is no self in standing - this is vipassanā.

The desire to lie down is nāma, lying down is rūpa. These two work together while lying down. Lying down is neither self nor other - it's just nāma and rūpa. Lying down is impermanent, lying down is suffering, there is no self in lying down - this is vipassanā.

The desire to sit is nāma, sitting is rūpa. These two work together while sitting. Sitting is neither self nor other - it's just nāma and rūpa.

What we think are humans, devas, and brahmas - what we find is just nāma and rūpa. Shouldn't we take what we actually find as truth? Do we find humans, devas, and brahmas? If they're not found, do they exist? If they don't exist, is there any reason to cling to them? What we find are just nāma and rūpa.

How do they exist? As impermanent (anicca), as suffering (dukkha), as non-self (anatta). Sitting is impermanent, sitting is suffering, there is no self in sitting - this is vipassanā.

Therefore, when we see anicca, dukkha, anatta, do we still see nāma-rūpa? This is called tīraṇa pariññā (knowledge of investigation). When we see nāma-rūpa, do we see humans, devas, and brahmas? This is ñāta pariññā.

These two, nāma and rūpa, cease after being known. Matter changes and ceases. Mind knows and ceases. Is it permanent or impermanent?

Is impermanence pleasant or suffering? Is suffering happiness or dukkha? Does this dukkha have an owner? Does it follow beings' wishes? Isn't it taught as anatta?

When we see impermanence, do we still see nāma-rūpa? When we see suffering, do we still see nāma-rūpa? When we see non-self, do we still see nāma-rūpa?

Don't we need to distinguish between impermanence and nāma-rūpa? Between suffering and nāma-rūpa? Between non-self and nāma-rūpa? Isn't this called tīraṇa pariññā? When we combine anicca, dukkha, and anatta, isn't it taught as arising and passing away?

Arising and passing away - which Noble Truth is this? (The Noble Truth of Suffering, Venerable Sir). Is it pleasant or suffering? Should suffering be called happiness or dukkha? Knowing this as it truly is - this is yathābhūta ñāṇa.

When we know the truth, doesn't the wrong view disappear? What disappears? Isn't it worth examining? Haven't we wrongly conceived of human happiness, deva happiness, brahma happiness? What we find - is it human happiness or the Truth of Suffering? Deva happiness or the Truth of Suffering? Brahma happiness or the Truth of Suffering? When we know the truth, doesn't the wrong view disappear? This is yathābhūta ñāṇa."

"In the second stage of practice, don't you only find arising and passing away? Which Noble Truth is this? (The Noble Truth of Suffering, Venerable Sir). In the second stage, as wisdom matures, doesn't the mind want to be free from the aggregates? Isn't this called nibbidā ñāṇa (knowledge of disenchantment)?

When one gains this wisdom, are they the same as before? Don't their speech and behavior change? This nibbidā ñāṇa is very subtle.

The mind wants to be liberated from the aggregates, wants to be free. One becomes weary and disenchanted with the world. Is this the same as before? This is nibbidā ñāṇa.

In the third stage of practice, don't you only find arising and passing away? Which Noble Truth is this? (The Noble Truth of Suffering, Venerable Sir). Search from head to toe - can you find even a needle-point of happiness? If you can't find even a needle-point of happiness, is it because it exists or doesn't exist?

If it doesn't exist, don't we determine it as complete suffering? When we make this determination, don't the three moral factors of the Path enter - Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood? Combined with the five kinds of insight knowledge, don't they complete the Eight? When the Eight are complete, do we still see the five aggregates? Do we still see arising and passing away? Isn't this called lokuttara (supramundane)?

Isn't it worth examining what Stream-entry Path and Fruition eliminate? Aren't the latent defilements of wrong view and doubt eliminated? When these are eliminated, do mental actions still arise? If mental actions don't arise, do physical and verbal actions still occur? If they don't occur, aren't the kammas leading to lower realms exhausted? Doesn't this end the cycle of lower realm births? Isn't this called pahāna pariññā?

For one who has gained these three kinds of knowledge - ñāta pariññā, tīraṇa pariññā, and pahāna pariññā - the infinite unwholesome kammas from the beginning of time: killing for livelihood, stealing for livelihood, sexual misconduct for livelihood, lying for livelihood, taking intoxicants for livelihood...

Do these infinite old unwholesome kammas still have the chance to give results? Don't they become ahosi kamma (ineffective kamma)? Strive to reach this stage. These are the essential points, aren't they? Isn't this worth examining? One must strive to reach this stage.

Therefore, when practicing Dhamma, whether at home, in forests or mountains, or when visiting temples, one must pay respects to the Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, parents, and teachers.

After paying respects, may all unwholesome kammas from beginningless samsara be eliminated. Don't we have wholesome kammas too? We have wholesome kammas of giving, morality, and concentration. Shouldn't we share merits with all beings - humans, devas, brahmas?

Shouldn't we send loving-kindness? We should send metta wishing for their physical and mental well-being. Offer your body to the Buddha, without time limitation. After such offering, practice noting the in-breath and out-breath with mindfulness. Don't forget this."

Test on Nāma and Rūpa: Understanding Ultimate Reality

Learning Objectives

• Understand the concepts of nāma (mind) and rūpa (matter) as they relate to Buddhist philosophy.
• Analyze the relationship between desire, actions (walking, standing, lying down, sitting), and their impermanence, suffering, and non-self.
• Differentiate between ultimate reality (paramattha) and conceptual reality (paññatti).
• Apply insights gained from understanding nāma-rūpa to daily life and personal experiences.

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Test Structure

Section 1: Multiple Choice (5 Questions)

1. What do nāma and rūpa represent in Buddhist philosophy?

   • A) Eternal and unchanging concepts
   • B) Mind and matter
   • C) Human and divine beings
   • D) Knowledge and ignorance

2. According to the text, how do nāma and rūpa exist?

   • A) As permanent entities
   • B) As separate from each other
   • C) As impermanent, suffering, and non-self
   • D) As absolute truths

3. Which Noble Truth is associated with the concept of suffering (dukkha)?

   • A) The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering
   • B) The Noble Truth of the End of Suffering
   • C) The Noble Truth of Suffering
   • D) The Noble Truth of the Path Leading to the End of Suffering

4. What is the term for the knowledge of investigation?

   • A) Ñāta pariññā
   • B) Tīraṇa pariññā
   • C) Pahāna pariññā
   • D) Yathābhūta ñāṇa

5. What is the term for knowledge of disenchantment?

   • A) Ñāta pariññā
   • B) Tīraṇa pariññā
   • C) Nibbidā ñāṇa
   • D) Yathābhūta ñāṇa

Section 2: True/False (5 Questions)

6. True or False: According to the text, humans, devas, and brahmas are ultimately real and exist independently of nāma and rūpa.

7. True or False: The desire to walk is an example of rūpa.

8. True or False: Understanding that all phenomena are impermanent is an essential aspect of vipassanā.

9. True or False: The knowledge of investigation (tīraṇa pariññā) involves distinguishing between nāma-rūpa and concepts like humans and devas.

10. True or False: Once one understands the truth, the wrong views about happiness disappear.

Section 3: Fill-in-the-Blank (5 Questions)

11. The desire to lie down is _, while lying down itself is _.

12. The concept of __ refers to the understanding of the nature of suffering.

13. According to the text, when we see __, we should still recognize nāma-rūpa.

14. The ultimate reality consists of only two elements: _ and _.

15. The realization of non-self is referred to as __.

Section 4: Matching (5 Questions)

Match the terms to their definitions:

A) Anatta	1) The truth of suffering
B) Anicca	2) The concept of non-self
C) Dukkha	3) The nature of impermanence
D) Tīraṇa pariññā	4) Investigative knowledge
E) Yathābhūta ñāṇa	5) Knowledge of reality

Section 5: Short Answer (2 Questions)

16. Explain the relationship between nāma and rūpa in the context of one of the actions discussed (walking, standing, lying down, or sitting).

17. Discuss how the concepts of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anatta) contribute to the understanding of one’s experiences in daily life.

Section 6: Essay (1 Question)

18. In a well-organized essay, analyze how the understanding of nāma and rūpa can lead to a transformation in one’s perception of happiness and suffering. Use examples to illustrate your points, and discuss the implications for personal growth and spiritual practice.

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Evaluation Criteria

• Multiple Choice, True/False, Fill-in-the-Blank: Each question is worth 1 point.
• Matching: Each correct match is worth 1 point.
• Short Answer: Each response should be 3-5 sentences and will be graded on clarity, depth of understanding, and relevance (5 points each).
• Essay: The essay will be evaluated based on structure, argument coherence, use of examples, and connection to key concepts (20 points).

Feedback

• Test results will be discussed in class to provide insights into areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.
• Students are encouraged to reflect on their understanding of nāma and rūpa in their practices outside the classroom.

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End of Test

The practice of mindfulness can be maintained in all four postures

 "In meditation practice, aren't the four postures (iriyāpatha) taught? Walking, standing, sitting, and lying down - aren't these taught? Now, when people work, is sitting the only posture?

Think about it - we want to criticize someone who's standing, we want to fault someone who's lying down, we want to blame someone who's walking. Isn't this worth considering?

So, those who cannot sit must listen to Dhamma while walking, while standing, while lying down. The essential point is what the Mogok Sayadaw taught: 'The ear listens to Dhamma while wisdom observes the khandhas (aggregates).' Think about this.

The ear should turn toward the Dhamma, isn't that what's taught? And wisdom should observe the khandhas, isn't that what's taught? This aligns perfectly with the four postures, doesn't it?

While sitting, one should know the Dhamma. You need to be aware of the khandhas while sitting, you need to be aware of the khandhas while standing, you need to be aware of the khandhas while walking, you need to be aware of the khandhas while lying down, do you understand? Isn't this worth studying?"

Beyond Nothingness("From Resistance to Realization" "ငြင်းဆန်ခြင်းမှ သိမြင်နားလည်ခြင်းဆီသို့")

 "Merit leading to Nibbana is rare to achieve. Among all merits leading to Nibbana, Vipassana meditation is the closest. Yet, compared to the general population, very few people can practice Vipassana. It often takes considerable encouragement just to get someone to practice Vipassana. Some even need persuasion just to listen to Dhamma talks. Some, despite having the potential for attaining Noble Path and Fruition, require extensive encouragement.

Take Queen Khema, King Bimbisara's chief consort - she needed indirect persuasion just to visit Veluvana monastery. Yet once she inevitably reached the Buddha, she was ready - attaining Arahantship after hearing just one discourse. Similarly, Kala, son of Anathapindika, despite being the son of the monastery's main benefactor, needed his father's clever persuasion to visit the monastery.

Nibbana is not merely the cessation of mind and matter. Some think it's just nothingness, a useless state. But this is incorrect. It is the real state of cessation, the object of Path Knowledge, Fruition Knowledge, and Reviewing Knowledge. It is something that Buddhas, Arahants, and Noble Ones directly experience.

If there were no Nibbana as the cessation of defilements, kamma, and resultant aggregates of suffering, no one could end suffering. Defilements would persist, creating more kamma, leading to endless cycles of rebirth and suffering. However, through Arahant Path Knowledge, defilements cease, kamma can no longer bear fruit, and the cycle of rebirth ends. This cessation is real, as evidenced by the final Nibbana of the Buddha and Arahants. Therefore, Nibbana, as the object of Path Knowledge, Fruition Knowledge, and Reviewing Knowledge, exists as an ultimate reality."

Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu"

Sao Dhammasami @ Bhikkhu Indasoma 

Siridantamahapalaka/Author/Researcher

BA(Q,UDE),M.A(Literature), M.A(Pali),Ph.D (Candidate),

Dip in Social Work (Yangon University),Certified  FCTOT Trainer(American Center),

Certified Master Trainer (European International University,Paris),Consultant Trainer of SCORE(Switzerland Geneva)

Certificate in International Mediator (IBSC),Certified Counselling Psychologist.

The Buddha's Teaching on Managing Pain Through Mindfulness

 

Whether it's numbness, stiffness, or pain,

gently ease your mind and
without developing "resistance" towards it,
calmly observe what is as it is.
If you do this, you'll find that these pains
and discomforts will transform.
You'll be able to observe without exhaustion.
You'll reach a state where
"though the body hurts, the mind doesn't hurt."

That's why, whatever happens,
you need to learn to observe with a calm mind.
When you develop this habit of mindful,
calm observation, if you encounter
even more severe pain and discomfort,
this quality of calm observation
will gradually improve.

Training the mind
has nothing to do with whether the object is pleasant or unpleasant.
The current "vedana" (sensation) is just temporary while sitting.
It would go away if you changed position right now.
It's not that significant.
But someday, in a hospital or clinic,
when you encounter pain that can't be relieved by any means,
when you have to endure prolonged pain
lying in bed without being able to move,
how will you maintain mental peace?
What kind of "mindset" will you use to observe?
You need to prepare and
practice from now on.

When you push away "dukkha" (suffering/pain), it gets worse.
So instead of trying to push it away, observe it willingly. Sometimes, just by observing, it diminishes.

When discomfort increases:
- Mental tension will grow
- The body becomes rigid
- Dissatisfaction may arise
When you notice this "dissatisfied mind," just gently be with it.
Though there's physical pain, mental tension will decrease.

When mental tension arises, first observe the tightness in the mind.
If it becomes unbearable, mindfully adjust your body position.

Often in Vedanā practice, we're told to focus only on physical pain.
The more it hurts, the more we focus.
Don't forget to observe the mental aspect.

If the pain is too intense, don't focus on it.
Instead, observe the "feeling of resistance."
If you dislike it, observe that "disliking mind."
When the mind is good, everything becomes good.

If you want the resistance or aversion to disappear,
observe that mind.
Observing will bring peace.

Don't just look at "where it hurts."
Focusing only on the pain magnifies it.
If you don't like it, observe that disliking mind.
Relax the tense mind and observe gently.
Be patient in your observation.
If it becomes too much, adjust mindfully.

Don't mix up the pain with "body."
Observe how the physical and mental experiences are separate.
This is about understanding the difference between "concepts" (paññatti) and "ultimate reality" (paramattha).

Don't mix up "self" with "body."
Don't observe what isn't there.
Concepts are what's not there
(knee, waist, back, chest, feet, hands, etc.)
Ultimate reality is what's there -
the nature of mind and matter.

In Vipassana practice, distinguishing between concepts and ultimate reality is crucial.

Why do you dislike "Vedanā"?
We'll die embracing "Vedanā."
If you know how to use it, an enemy becomes a friend.
It's just a matter of learning how to live with it.