Suffering Ceases where Sensations Cease

(The following is a translation of an article of Samvedanā which originally appeared in the Hindi Vipaśyana Patrikā Aug. 1983.)

Our ingrained mental habit is to reel in the pain of unpleasant bodily sensations, and to roll in the pleasure of agreeable ones. However, when we start to observe sensations objectively, so many realities are revealed.

One reality is that every sensation arises because of a contact: the contact of eyes with a vision, of ears with sound, of the nose with odour, of the tongue with taste, of the body with something tangible, of the mind with thoughts or with the body itself. The contact is essential for a sensation to occur; this is the inexorable law of nature. By the practice of Vipassana meditation one can experience and understand this truth directly.

But because of the ingrained mental habit pattern, even if the meditator tries to observe sensations objectively, he is liable again to sink into the slough of reaction, of rolling and reeling. For a short time his head may rise above the surface of the water and then again he sinks below and is carried away by the current, towards an unknown destination.

As this experience repeats itself, gradually it becomes clear to the meditator that the mind is conditioned to wallow in sensation, whether pleasant or unpleasant. It delights in pleasurable sensations, and by that very act generates aversion towards those that are disagreeable. This habit of the mind is called in Pāli assādo-relishing sensations. If the sensation is pleasant, one wallows in the taste of pleasure. If the sensation is unpleasant, one wallows in the taste of misery.

As the meditator continues observing objectively, he further realizes the danger in sensations, their great potential for harm-in Pāli, adīnava. The habit of wallowing in sensations is a habit of stimulating craving and aversion in the mind. When these arise they intensify the sensations, which in turn strengthen craving and aversion. In this way starts a vicious cycle that feeds on itself. This is dukkha-samudaya-gāminī paṭpadā, the path leading to nothing but misery. The meditator realizes that he has wasted so much of his time in the past walking on this path and thus increasing his suffering.

Now, by the practice of Vipassana, the meditator starts to emerge from the habit of relishing sensations and to develop equanimity. As he does so, he realises that the vicious cycle of misery has been broken, at least temporarily, and he has stopped generating suffering for himself. Surely then he has found the path leading to the cessation of suffering-dukkha-nirodha-gāminī paṭipadā-by following which he will eradicate all the miseries of life.

Having come to this point, now the meditator can see for himself how important is bodily sensation, for from it two paths diverge: that leading to the arising of suffering, and that leading to its cessation.

And now he has experienced directly what suffering is, how it begins and multiplies, the meditator is careful to avoid the path leading to its arising, and to follow the path to its eradication. Continuing to observe sensations objectively, he experiences nissaraṇa-emergence from the habit of reacting in craving or aversion.

When one begins the practice of Vipassana, most of the time one's head may be below the surface of the water: one wallows blindly in sensations, generating fresh craving and aversion, fresh misery. As one develops skill in the practice, however, the periods of equanimous observation lengthen and the periods of blind reaction diminish. Once one stops generating new saṇkhāras of craving and aversion, one experiences khaya-the destruction of saṇkhāras of the past. Automatically the accumulated past conditionings of the mind arise and are eliminated, layer by layer, until one reaches the stage of nirodha, that is the nibbānic stage beyond the conditioned world of the senses. Anyone who practices Vipassana properly is bound to experience this ultimate truth sooner-or-later.

In the time that one is experiencing the truth of nibbāna, the mind ceases to work, and therefore, the moment-by-moment contact of mind and matter ceases. And because there is no contact, there can be no sensation. In this stage, the six sense organs cease to function; therefore, there is no possibility of a contact occurring between a sense object and any of these organs, and hence no sensation can arise. Thus by observing objectively the meditator emerges from the habit of wallowing in sensations, and reaches the stage in which all sensations and all suffering cease. The wheel of becoming has been shattered.

Come, meditators! Let us work ardently, diligently, patiently and persistently to shun the path of the arising of suffering, and to follow the path of its eradication, so that we may achieve real happiness, real peace.

The Comprehension of Vedanā, the Sambodhi of the Buddha

- by Vipassana Research Institute

For ages the seers and sages of India have sought to unveil the central mystery of the world: the question of suffering, so very apparent in life, and how suffering may be ended. Many seekers, in their quest, developed theories and philosophies, some based on their own experiences of penance or meditation practice, others based merely on speculative thinking. These seekers were intent on knowing what life is. Why do we live? How can the end of suffering be reached? How can decay and death be overcome?

In the Buddha's day some thinkers believed that if at the end of the present life a man's behaviour was sufficiently excellent, he would be reborn in a higher world than the present. Some samaṇas and brāhmaṇas, not depending on imagination or poetic fancy, were familiar with more refined states of mind, and higher stages of consciousness which they had experienced in various types of meditation practices. They presented their own theories and new concepts. The states of concentration that these Indian saints attained were not peculiar to one set of religious beliefs, and there were common features to many systems of thought. They could not, however, regard them as 'perfect' in all respects. In the Brahmajāla-sutta of the Dīgha-nikāya we come across some sixty-two such views or diṭṭhi which for the most part deal with the following questions:

(i) The nature of 'self' (attā): is it consciousness, is it eternal?
(ii) Is the world eternal or finite?
(iii) Is life (jīva) or being (sattā) the same as body?
(iv) Does the Tathāgata, the person who has realized the Truth in this life, continue to live after death?

Interest in such matters was so intense in those days that many schools of thought came into existence, some with large followings. In another sutta of the Dīgha-nikāya, the Tevijja-sutta, a reference to brahmasahabyatā or 'union with Brahma' occurs.

This is the theory which took a wider dimension in the Vedānta of later times. The Buddha himself made a thorough investigation of these schools of thought and examined them personally, either undergoing their practices and penances, or meeting with adherents and discussing their views with them. He concluded that they were unacceptable and could not lead to perfection, hence he called them micchā (false). He said that whatever they had experienced or whatever conclusions they had arrived at by analytical insight were ultimately based on phassa or contact derived from the six sense organs. He said that as long as one does not truly comprehend the origin (samudaya) and passing away (atthaṇgama), the relishing (assāda) and the danger thereof (ādinava) and the escape (nissaraṇa) from the six spheres of sense contact (phassāyatana), then one cannot transcend this world.

Yato kho bhikkhu channaṃ phassāyatanānaṃ samudayaṃ ca atthaṇgamaṃ ca assādaṃ ca ādinavaṃ ca nissaraṇaṃ ca yathābhūtaṃ pajānāti, ayaṃ imehi sabbāni uttaritaro pajānāti.

The Buddha's contemporaries never realized nissaraṇa, transcendence of the realm of saḷāyatana (the six sense organs) and so remained in the sphere of phassa (contact). As long as they did not truly comprehend phassa or the simultaneous arising of vedanā (sensation), they remained prone to either take blind delight in or be revulsed by them. Not realizing the true nature of vedanā as anicca, they could not emerge from the realm of vedanā and comprehend the ultimate truth. In contrast, the Buddha in his meditation practice passed through the entire sphere of saḷāyatana, and understood that the ultimate truth rests in going beyond it, the ceasing of saḷāyatana, the ceasing of phassa and therefore also the ceasing of vedanā (nirodha). To reach the stage of nibbāna, he made a strenuous effort to realize the true nature of sensations arising, based on phassa, or contact, essentially rooted in contact, conditioned by contact. In the Pubba-sutta of the Saṃyutta-nikāya, the Buddha emphatically says that before his Enlightenment, this thought occurred to him:

What are the vedanā (sensations)? What is the arising (samudaya) of them? What is the ceasing of them (nirodha)? And what is the way leading to the ceasing of them?

He made a thorough investigation of these questions through the development of insight (Vipassanā) and by his deep meditation he could rightly understand the relishing of sensations (assāda), the danger in them (ādinava) and ultimately how to go beyond them (nissaraṇa). He thus realized the true nature of vedanā; only then did he proclaim himself to be a Fully Enlightened One (Sammāsambuddha). In the ñāṇa-sutta of the Saṃyutta-nikāya the Buddha says that the knowledge (ñāṇa), the vision (cakkhu), the insight (paññā), the wisdom (vijjā) and the light (āloko) that he attained at the end of his deep practice of Vipassana were none other than the true comprehension of vedanā-their arising, their ceasing and the way leading to their cessation. He had explored the entire sphere of vedanā, and their complete cessation (nirodha). This is the Sambodhi (full enlightenment) that he attained under the Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya.

It is true that the Buddha discovered the Law of Dependent Origination, Paṭiccasamuppāda, contributing a new dimension to Indian spiritual thought. However, when we approach this theory analytically, we find it is exactly the same as the true comprehension of vedanā, which can arise every moment within ourselves. It is well known that phassa and vedanā are included in the twelve-fold link of the Paṭiccasamuppāda theory of life. The Buddha realized the basic characteristics of vedanā as anicca (transitory), dukkha (suffering) and anattā (having no substance). He also went beyond the realm of vedanā and experienced the truth, the sublime happiness of nibbāna (nibbānaṃ paramaṃ sukhaṃ). By transcending the sphere of saḷāyatana, one experiences this stage of nibbāna where all the six sense doors cease functioning. This is the saḷāyatana nirodha. When the sense doors have stopped functioning, there is no possibility of phassa, and there is phassa-nirodha. This stage leads to vedanā-nirodha and thus taṇhā-nirodha. This is the nirodha-gāminī-paṭipadā, and has been very well illustrated in several discourses of the Buddha.

The dukkha-nirodha-gāminī-paṭipadā (path leading to the cessation of suffering) or the majjhima-paṭipadā (Middle Path) that he taught is also described as vedanā-nirodha-gāminī-paṭipadā, or the path leading to the cessation of vedanā.

The Buddha admonishes the monks that a samaṇa or brāhmaṇa achieves the consummation of his Vipassana practice only when he perfectly realizes the vedanā as they really are and goes beyond them. This is nibbāna, the final goal.

The Vipassana Research Institute

Adapted from an article in the Sayagyi U Ba Khin Journal

The Vipassana Research Institute (VRI) was established in 1985 for the purpose of conducting research into the sources and applications of the Vipassana technique. The institute is adjacent to the Vipassana International Academy, Dhammagiri in Igatpuri, India.

Goenkaji realized the importance of establishing a research institute when he began teaching courses on the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, a discourse in which the Buddha systematically explains the technique of Vipassana. During the Satipaṭṭhāna courses Goenkaji noticed that students studying the words of the Buddha, while at the same time applying them in their meditation practice, were encouraged and filled with gratitude. In comparing their experience with the Buddha's words, confidence arose. Naturally, some of them felt inspired to undertake further study, and to provide an opportunity the Vipassana Research Institute was established.

The Institute's work focuses on two main areas: translation and publication of the Pāli texts, and research into the application of Vipassana in daily life.

Pāli was the common language of north India 25 centuries ago. It is the language in which the teachings of the Buddha have been preserved. While it is less well-known than other Indian classical languages, Pāli has its own august tradition. Within three months after the Buddha passed into parinibbāna (the final extinction of a fully liberated being), a special council of 500 arahants (enlightened ones) was convened. Their express purpose was to collect and arrange the voluminous teachings of the Buddha, whose ministry had spanned 45 years. They organized the Buddha's teaching into what is now commonly known as the Tipiṭaka (meaning literally, three baskets). The Tipiṭaka consists of three collections: the Vinaya-piṭaka (collection of monastic discipline); the Sutta-piṭaka (collection of popular discourses); and the Abhidhamma-piṭaka (collection of profound teachings).

The collected teachings of the Buddha continued to be maintained in an oral tradition for several centuries after the first Great Council. The Tipiṭaka is a vast record, in 41 volumes, containing 82,000 discourses given by the Buddha, and 2,000 discourses given by his chief disciples. The commentarial literature is also extensive, exceeding the Tipiṭaka in length.

Since the first Great Council, five other councils of monks and scholars have been held to review and emend the Pāli canon, most recently in Burma in 1954-56. This demonstrates the concerted effort, consistent for 2,500 years, in different languages and countries, to maintain the purity of the teaching by keeping the recorded words of the Buddha as close as possible to the original.

While the Tipiṭaka and commentarial literature are available in the languages and scripts of the different Theravadin Buddhist countries and in English, they are, unfortunately, currently out of print in Devānagarī (the script of Hindi, Sanskrit and many other Indian languages). Therefore, the words of the Buddha are not readily available to those who speak the languages of the country in which the Buddha's teachings originated.

VRI has all the volumes of the Pāli canon on computer in Devānagarī and is preparing to publish simultaneously the Tipiṭaka and commentarial literature, not only for its own research purposes, but for the use of various educational and research institutions in India and abroad. Each volume will contain a critical introduction highlighting the relevance to Vipassana meditation of the various suttas (discourses). Translation into Hindi will follow the publication of the Pāli texts.

In addition to its work on the Pāli texts, the Institute conducts research into the personal and interpersonal effects of Vipassana meditation and examines the application of Vipassana in the areas of health, education and social development.

VRI sponsors international seminars on various aspects of the research work as it applies to the actual experience of Vipassana. A special feature of the seminars is the opportunity for the participants to practice Vipassana in a 10-day course that precedes the presentation of the seminar papers. The experiential aspect of these conferences has proven to be popular, as well as beneficial. In a very tangible way, the practice of meditation throws light on the research presented in the papers.

Additional projects at VRI include Burmese transcription work. Ten students who have learned Burmese script through a correspondence course are currently transcribing the commentaries and subcommentaries from Burmese into Devānagarī script. The Institute also publishes historical research papers and works of interest to Vipassana meditators, such as the U Ba Khin Journal.

Questions-Answers

(Excerpted and condensed from an interview for In Context, a quarterly of Humane Sustainable Culture.)

Student: Many people believe that there are different kinds of truth, that truth is something created by humans, and that there is no one ultimate truth. Yet, Vipassana seems to point towards an understanding of truth as being something absolute. From the perspective of Vipassana, what is truth?

Goenkaji: Yes, generally human beings create truth according to their views. Human beings are intellectual beings, but the intellect has limitations and differs from person to person. At the level of reason, what seems logical to one person may not seem so to another.

Vipassana is beyond all religions, beyond all sects, beyond all beliefs, beyond all dogmas. It is pure science, the science of mind and matter: how they interact and how they influence each other. However, it is not enough to accept this reality at the intellectual or devotional level; it has to be experienced by each individual.

Vipassana works with truth. It is based on experience and is not an intellectual game. There are levels of truth. One may not be able to experience a particular truth now, but sooner-or-later everyone will experience the same subtle truths at deeper levels. It is not that only a particularly gifted person will experience them; the law of nature is the same for everyone.

There are basic laws of nature; for example, fire burns. What does this have to do with the intellect? It is a simple truth; if you put your hand in fire, it burns. Fire burns anybody who puts a hand in it, whether Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Jew. It does not discriminate.

The defilements of the mind act in the same way. If you generate a mental impurity such as anger, passion or fear, it will make you miserable. The law of nature does not favour somebody belonging to a particular sect. This is the truth for everyone, in every era. But, if the mind is free from these defilements, then it becomes full of love, compassion, and goodwill. These good qualities arise naturally in a pure mind and you feel peaceful, harmonious. Again, this is a law of nature. It makes no difference who you are.

Once you have been burned, naturally you will keep your hand away from fire. In the same way, if you understand not just intellectually, but deep inside, with your own experience that negativity makes you unhappy, then the next time you will be careful not to generate such negativity. This is not a sermon; it is a hard fact of life. If you generate impurity in your mind, you become miserable. Nature starts punishing you here and now. It won't wait until after death to take you to hell. It will give you hell now.

However, if your mind is pure; full of love, compassion and goodwill, then nature starts rewarding you here and now. When your mind is pure, you feel so peaceful, so happy. That's all Vipassana is, just following the law of nature. It's very simple

Appointments

Junior Assistant Teachers:
1.    Mohammad Arif Joiya (Bikaner)
2.    Dr. Dhananjay Chavan (Nashik-Igatpuri)
3.    Takhtmal Kothari (Beawar, Raj.)
4.    Ramniwas Sharma (Jaipur)
5.    Mrs. Uma Kela (Bhopal)
6.    Mrs. Usha Shrikant (Bombay)
7.    Mrs. Shashi R. Beri (Kolhapur)
8.    Mrs. Sabrina Kattakam (Hyderabad)

Assistant Teachers:
1.    Sudhakar Funde (Bombay)
2.    Jayantilal & Kamala Thakkar (Gandhidham)
3.    Mrs. Sushila P. Dhar (Delhi)
4.    Volker & Doris Bochmann (New Zealand)
5.    Jurgen & Ella Mae Stowassen (Japan)
6.    Evie Chauncey (Canada)
7.    Bhaktidas Shreshtha (Kathmandu)