Mindfulness of Breathing Day 3

PA-AUK SAYADAW’S DHAMMA TALK – FLORIDA, APRIL 2006, THIRD TALK

Namo Tassa Bhagavata Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa (3 times)

 

Today I will continue Ānāpāna Meditation (AM)

 In AM, there are 4 steps last dhamma talks also we have already discussed about this. Today I will again repeat. There are 4 stages in AM:

Number 1 is :  ““Dīghaṁ vā assasanto ‘dīghaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti,

                        dīghaṁ vā passasanto ‘dīghaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti.”

“Breathing in a long breath, he knows I breathe in a long breath,

breathing out a long breath, he knows I breathe out a long breath.

This is number 1

Number 2 is : “Rassaṁ vā assasanto ‘rassaṁ  assasāmī’ti pajānāti,

 rassaṁ  vā passasanto ‘rassaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti.”

“Breathing in a short breath, he knows I breathe in a short breath,

                                    breathing out a short breath, he knows I breathe out a short breath.

            This is second stage.

 

While you are practising AM if you focus your breath object on your touching point, at that time you should try to understand: when it is long, you should try to understand this is long; when it is short, you should try to understand this is short. Intentionally you should not try to make your breath long or short, you should allow your breath in a natural way. Awareness of the long breath and short breath is  important. It is not necessary to make breath long or short. If you can not concentrate Commentary suggest to try counting breath. While you are counting your breath at that time also you should try to understand: when it is long, you should try to understand long breath; when it is short, you should try to understand short breath. Just knowing is enough. But please count. If there are many wandering minds, then it is better to try to note, when breathing in, you should note “breathing in”, when breathing out, you should note “breathing out”, then please count 1: “breathing in, breathing out”: 1, “breathing in, breathing out”: 2... up to 8, please repeat again and again. While you are counting and noting, you should try to understand long and short breath. If you can concentrate on your breath object more than half hour or about one hour, 2 or 3 sittings, then you can stop counting.

If you stop counting, you should try next step:

‘Sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī assasissāmī’ti sikkhati,

                        ‘Sabbakāyapaṭisaṁvedī passasissāmī’ti sikkhati

Experiencing the whole body of breath, I will breathe in, thus he trains himself

Experiencing the whole body of breath, I will breathe out, thus he trains himself.

 

At that stage, you should try to understand the whole body of your breath. What is your whole body of breath? From the begining to the end you should try to understand your breath. Where begins where it’s in. It’s in on your touching point only, if you fix your touching point on your upper lip then from that touching point you should wait and see  from the beginning to the end. When breathing in you should try to understand the whole body of breath from beginning to the end. When breathing out you should try to understand the whole body of breath from the beginning to the end, only from one point. It is not necessary ro follow inside and outside. At that time, sometimes you may breathe slowly, that slow breath is called “long breath”. When it is long, you should try to understand the whole body of breath. Sometimes you may breathe quickly, that quick breath is called short breath. When it is short you should try to understand the whole body of breath only. So these three stages are combined together, the long breath, the short breath and the whole breath.

Then if you can concentrate on your breath object more than one hour or two hour, etc.. slowly your breath will become subtle, very gentle and very fine. When your breath becomes subtle, at that time you should try to understand the subtle breath only. You should not try to make your breath clear, please allow subtle breath. Awareness of your subtle breath is very important at that time.

If your breath is not subtle, at that time you should have the intention ābhoga. What is the intention? After sitting, before you pay attention to your breath object, you should decide: “My breath must be calm” , in this way you should decide.

At that time you are going to fourth stage. What is fourth stage?

“ ‘Passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati,

Passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati”

“Calming the breath body I will breathe in, thus that he trains himself;

calming the breath body I will breathe out, thus he trains himself.”

 

This is Fourth stage.

At this stage the breath becomes very very subtle and then very soon nimitta will appear.

What is nimitta? Usually for many meditators, the breath which is coming out from your nostrils, becomes grey smoking color, there may be other colours also. Colour is not so important. The breath coming out from your nostrils becomes grey smoking colour, that smoking color is called Nimitta, if it is unified with breath. But if it is not yet unified with breath, we can not say this is Nimitta. Nimitta is the sign of concentration. Because of concentrated mind this Nimitta appears. So this is the sign of concentration. At that time we can say concentration is developing.

But if you can concentrate on that Nimitta, then your concentration also will develop further. So because of this reason, this Nimitta is the cause of concentration also. When you are focusing on your Nimitta, you should try to make sure your breath and Nimitta is unified together: breath is Nimitta, Nimitta is breath, Nimitta and breath are same.

At that time, you should focus on Nimitta only. When you are focusing on your Nimitta, you should forget your breath, because if you pay attention to your breath object occasionally then there may be two objects: sometimes Nimitta, sometimes on the breath object. If there are two objects, concentration can not develop further. So because of this reason, when the breath becomes subtle, it is very good. Why? When the Nimitta appears, at that time you must focus on your Nimitta. When you are focusing on your Nimitta, at that time, breath is gross, then you may sometimes pay attention on your breath object, sometimes on your Nimitta. So when there are two objects, concentration can not develop further, because object is not one object, there are two objects. Because of this reason when breath becomes subtle, it is very good.

If you can concentrate on that subtle breath then very soon Nimitta will appear. But intentionally if you try to make the breath subtle, then you will become tired, you can not breathe thoroughly. So because of this reason you should not try intentionally to make your breath subtle. But before you pay attention to your breath object, you should decide: “my breath must be calm”. That decision is enough. This is called ābhoga (intention only).

But while you are breathing in, breathing out, at that time intentionally you should not try to make your breath calm, to make your breath subtle. If you do then you will become tired and concentration can not develop. But real calming breath is when you reach fourth Jhāna stage, at that time your breath will completely stop. The breath will completely stop when you attain fourth Jhāna stage. But before fourth Jhāna stage, in first Jhāna also the breath becomes very gentle, very subtle. When you attain second Jhāna, at that time the breath also becomes very very subtle. When you attain third Jhāna, at that time also the breath becomes very very subtle. But when you attain fourth Jhāna, at that that time, the breath completely stops, only Nimitta there will appear.

So when you are focusing on your Nimitta, you should focus only Nimitta, not breath. If you can concentrate on your nimitta object more than one hour, two hour etc.. when your concentration develops further, then grey smoking colour will change into white color, like cotton wool. But when you are focusing on your Nimitta, you should not pay attention to the colour, you should not pay attention to the form, or you should not pay attention to the four elements’ characteristics. If you pay attention to the colour, then colour will be always changing when your mind changes. For example, if you want to be yellow color, then Nimitta will become yellow color, if you want to be red colour, then Nimitta will become red. If colour is always changing, concentration can not be deep, because your mind is changing differrent objects, different colours. In the same way you should not  pay attention to the forms, the shapes: if you want to be long, your Nimitta will become long. If you want to be white then your Nimitta will become white. If  you want to be round your Nimitta will become round. In this way, the forms will be always changing dependent on your perception. If your perception changes then Nimitta will be always changing. So if Nimitta always changes, then concentration can not develop further. Because of this reason, you should not pay attention to the form also. Then another one is characteristic : hardness, roughness, heaviness, softness, smoothness, lightness, these are earth element. Flowing, cohesion, these two are water element. Heat and coldness, these are fire element. Supporting and pushing, these are wind element. Hardness, roughness, heaviness, softness, smoothness, lightness, flowing, cohesion, heat and coldness, supporting and pushing, these are characteristics of four elements. You should not pay attention to the characteristics of four elements when you are practising AM. If you pay attention these characteristics, then it can not be AM, it is Four Elements meditation only. So if you want to practise AM, you should not pay attention to the characteristics of four elements also.

In this way when you are focusing on your Nimitta, at that time, when your concentration develops further, then nimitta will become transparent and bright, white nimitta will change to transparent nimitta. Grey smoking color is called Parikamma nimitta, “Preliminery sign”. White color nimitta is called “Uggaha nimitta”, “Learning sign”. Transparent and bright nimitta is called “PaṭibhāgaNimitta”, “Counterpart sign”. There are three stages.

This counterpart sign is the object of access concentration as well as the object of full absorption concentration, Jhāna concentration. When your nimitta become transparent and bright, you should focus on your nimitta only. Then when your concentration becomes deeper and deeper, then full absorption will appear. Full absorption means your mind completely sink inside nimitta without moving. You should maintain this concentration, full absorption concentration for more than one hour, two hour, three hour, etc.. If you can maintain your full absorption for more than one hour, two hour every sitting two or three days, then you can discern Jhāna factors.

If you want to discern Jhāna factors, first reestablish your first Jhāna concentration, full absorption about one hour. As soon as you emerge from your Jhāna, you should pay attention interior your heart, but you must pay attention for few seconds only, one or two seconds only, you should not emphasize for a long time. If you emphasize for a long time, your heart will become pain. You may see Bhavaṅga, mind state.

That Bhavaṅga, mind state for beginner is little bit difficult to understand. If you understand Abhidhamma then at that time you will understand clearly, but if you do not understand Abhidhamma then to explain Bhavaṅga is a little bit difficult.

According to previous kamma, five aggregates are always arising and passing away. Among five aggregates, there are also four mental aggregates. Four mental aggregates are called mind or mentality. This mind, there are two types of minds, cognitive process and process free. Cognitive process means, now you are listening my dhamma talk. When you are listening to my dhamma talk, ear door cognitive process and mind door cognitive process are arising and passing away sucessively for a long time. But sometimes you may pay attention, you may see me, at that time eye door cognitive process also may arise, as well as mind door cognitive process. So this cognitive process is  called vithi citta. Vīthi Citta stops, at that time Bhavaṅga mind state appears. Again, when Vīthi Citta arises again, then Bhavaṅga mind state stops. When vithi citta, cognitive process  finishes then Bhavaṅga, mind state appears, because of previous kamma. Not to cease mental series. If mental series cease, then this is called death. Not to cease mental series between two cognitive process, this Bhavaṅga, mind states are arising and passing away sucessively for a long time.

That Bhavaṅga, mind state can also produce mind-produced Kalāpas. If we analyze these Kalāpas, in each Kalāpa, there are 8 types of materiality. Among these 8 types, there is color. That color is also transparent and luminous. One Bhavaṅga mind moment can produce uncountable Kalāpas. Within few seconds, uncountable Bhavaṅga mind moments also can arise and pass away. In the same way cognitive process also, within few seconds, uncountable times they are arising and passing away. Each mind moment which arises dependent on heart-base can produce mind-produced Kalāpas in the same way. So Bhavaṅga mind state also can produce mind-produced Kalāpas. If we analyze these Kalāpas, in each Kalāpa, there are 8 types of materiality, among these 8 types, there is also color, that color is transparent and luminous. One Kalāpa’s color and another Kalāpa’s color combine together and they become transparent element here, like mirror.

And in those mind-produced Kalāpas, there’s also fire element, tejo Dhātu. That fire is called temparature. That temparatue can also produce new Kalāpas, new generation particles. If you analyze these kapalas, in each Kalāpa, there are 8 types of materiality. Among 8 types, there’s also color, that color’s also luminous, transparent. Dependent on wisdom falculty, which is associated with Bhavaṅga mind moment, this tranparent and luminous brightness is different. If wisdom faculty, which is associated with Bhavaṅga mind state becomes very powerful one, then the luminous brightness will be more powerful.

So there may be differences between many meditators. Some meditators Bhavaṅga mind state is more bright, some meditators Bhavaṅga mind state can produce more brightness, but some do not do like that, dependent on their wisdom faculty. So because of this reason, when you are paying attention to your Bhavaṅga mind state, you can see this transparent element only, metaphorically this transparent, luminous and transparent element is called Bhavaṅga, metaphorically only.

You should first try to understand this Bhavaṅga mind state, Bhavaṅga mind door. If you can discern this Bhavaṅga mind door, it is OK. If you can not discern within two or three seconds, you should quickly go back to your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta and then please reestablish your first Jhāna concentration for about five minutes or ten minutes. As soon as  you emerge from that first Jhāna concentration, again you should discern Bhavaṅga mind door. If you do in this way again and again, you will understand Bhavaṅga mind door. If you understand Bhavaṅga mind door then you should try to understand inside Bhavaṅga mind door, transparent mirror, this Paṭibhāganimitta appears.

For example when you are standing in front of mirror, you can see your face inside mirror. So mirror is another, your face inside mirror is another, they are two different objects. In the same way here transparent element, mind door is another and the Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta which appears inside Bhavaṅga mind door is another.

If you can differentiate these two objects, at that time you can discern five Jhāna factors:

1. Number one is Vitakka, initial application of the mind to the Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object.      

1. Number two is Vicāra, sustained application of the mind to the Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object.     

1. Number three is Pīti, joy

1. Number four is Sukha, happiness

1. Number five is Ekaggatā, one pointedness. That one-pointedness is called Samādhi concentration.

You should discern Jhāna factors one by one first. If you want to discern these Jhāna factors, so please reestablish your first Jhāna concentration for about 5 minutes or 10 minutes. As soon as you emerge from first Jhāna, you should discern Bhavaṅga mind door and your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta, counterpart sign inside Bhavaṅga.

At that time please discern Vitakka, initial application of the mind to the Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object. Then if you can clearly understand the Vitakka, initial application of the mind to the Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object, then please try to reestablish your first Jhāna concentration again. Emerging from your first Jhāna concentration, in the same way you should discern bhaganva mind door and Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta, and then please  discern Vicāra, sustained application of the mind. In this way entering into Jhāna, emerging from Jhāna, you should discern one Jhāna factor, again entering into Jhāna and emerging from Jhāna, you should discern one Jhāna factor.

In this way if you try you can discern Jhāna factors one by one. If you can discern 5 Jhāna factors one by one then please reestablish your first Jhāna concentration for about 5 minutes or 10 minutes. As soon as you emerge from first Jhāna in the same way, you should discern bhaganva mind door and Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta together and then please discern 5 Jhāna factors together. At that time you can see 5 Jhāna factors simultaneously.

For example here, 5 fingers. You can pay attention this one first, then this one, this one, this one, this one. Then if you are expert discerning one by one then if you pay attention five together, you can see clearly 5 together in the same way only.

Then you should try five masteries of your first Jhāna:

Whenever you want to enter into Jhāna, you should try to enter into Jhāna within few minutes or few second.

Whenever you want to emerge from Jhāna, then you should try to emerge from your Jhāna.

Then another you should do is Adhiṭṭhāna, strong determination. If you want to enter into Jhāna for about 1 hour then you should do Adhiṭṭhāna: “May my first Jhāna concentration last long 1 hour”, etc.. Then if you can do your first Jhāna concentration one hour, please increase your first Jhāna concentration as long as you can.

Another is reflecting Jhāna factors. While you are reflecting Jhāna factors, if you can discern Jhāna factors very very quicly, this is called “āvajjana vasī” or “paccavekkhana vasī”. What is the difference? The difference between these two reflecting knowledges. If you discern Nàmakammatthàna at that time you will  clearly see. According to Commentary’s explanation, while you are discerning Jhāna factors, there’s one cognitive process, mind door cognitive process.  Number one is mind door adverting consciousness, and then there may be seven or five or six javanas, this javana mind moment they translate as impulsion, these javana mind moments also can understand 5 Jhāna factors. In the same way mind door adverting consciousness also can understand these 5 Jhāna factors. If mind door adverting consciousness can reflect these Jhāna factors, this is called āvajjana vasī. If the impulsion javana mind moment can relect these Jhāna factors, this is called paccavekkhana vasī only. But for beginner it is not necessary to differentiate these two masteries. If you can discern Jhāna factors very very quickly it is enough only. Today I will stop here, you can discuss about this meditation practice.

 

Male’s:           I have a question. For Ānāpānasati, you use breathing in and breathing out air as the object. So can you differentiate because when people read about Mahasi Sayadaw’s method, you may have practised that two and you use the air here and you use the air in and out so could you please differentiate when you going to Nibbāna, how you differentiate because air is used in both ways but how should the difference and what is the advantage of the method that you use.

Sayadaw’s:    Maybe such question is not good (laughing). We should not investigate other method. But according to Visuddhi Magga and other Commentaries, when you are practising Ānāpāna, you should focus on your breath object only, that breath must be on your nostrils or upper lip. “Nāsikāka” and “mukha nimitta”, this is fixed in Commentarires. Nāsikāka is nostrils, mukha nimitta is upper lip, from this point only you should wait and see your breath object. At that time, for beginner, nostril is called nimitta, upper lip is also called nimitta, this is for beginner before they can see grey smoking nimitta, etc.. On that nimitta, you should wait and see breath. When you are focusing on the breath object at that time you can attain Ānāpāna Jhāna. But when you are focusing on your abdomen, you can not see breath, you can see movement only. Or movement or maybe if you pay attention four elements, you can see in this area four elements. You can not see here breath. Can you see? Uhm, yes, if you can not see breath then you can not attain Ānāpāna Jhāna. You may see here four elements. If you practise four elements, not only one place, you should try to understand four elements through out your body. This is Four Elements meditation system. So if you practise Four Elements meditation systematically then you may realize Nibbāna. But if you practise Four Elements meditation in the wrong way, not in the right way then you can not realize Nibbāna. But when you are practising Ānāpāna, focusing on your breath object on the nostrils or upper lip at that time when the nimitta appears, you can attain first Jhāna, second Jhāna, third Jhāna and fourth Jhāna. Based on this Jhāna if you practise Four Elements meditation, you can clearly understand four elements in your body. Why? That concentrated mind  can produce strong powerful light. For example, now this morning one yogi, one meditator also asked me about this. Without Jhāna also, in time of the Buddha, many Mahātheras or many bhikkhu who attained Nibbāna, who realized, who became arahats, we call Suddhavipassaka, arahats. “Suddhavipassaka” they translate “dry Vipassanā”, so “Pure Vipassanā Vehicle”. If it is so, why are you practising Ānāpāna up to fourth Jhāna stage? (Laughing). First Jhāna also possible, second Jhāna also possible, third Jhāna also possible, fourth Jhāna also possible for supporting cause, a supporting cause for Vipassanā. First Jhāna also can be supporting cause for Vipassanā, second Jhāna, third Jhāna or fourth Jhāna also can be supporting cause for Vipassanā. What is supporting cause? The Jhāna concentration can produce strong powerful light: first Jhāna also concentration can produce strong powerful light, second Jhāna concentration also can produce strong powerful light but the power is not same, for example, the sun can also produce light, the moon can also produce light, star can also produce light, candle light or electronic bulb also can produce light, but the power is not same. In daytime when the sun is shiny if you see everywhere you can see more clearly. But in nighttime when the moon is shiny when you pay attention to surrounding, you can not see clearly like daytime, not so much clear. In the same way only first Jhāna can also produce light, it is true. But fourth Jhāna concentration, the light of fourth Jhāna concentration is very strong and powerful. Because of this reason, usually in ancient time they practised up to fourth Jhāna. Based on fourth Jhāna or maybe 8 attainments, if they practise Four Elements meditation systematically they can clearly see ultimate materiality  and ultimate mentality, both internally and externally. If they clearly understand ultimate materiality and ultimate mentality, both internally and externally, at that time, they discern dependent origination, paticca samuppada, they can clearly understand dependent origination. Because when they are practising dependent origination they must search for past causes. Past causes produce present effects, present causes produce future effects. When they are searching for the past causes at that time the light of wisdom is very necessary. When the light of wisdom is not enough they can not see past causes,  in the same way, future causes also. So because of this reason, usually we teach Jhāna concentration up to fourth Jhāna or 8 attainments. Based on that Jhāna concentration they practise Four Elements meditation systematically, they can clearly see ultimate materiality and ultimate mentality and their causes. Ultimate materiality and ultimate mentality is the Noble truth of suffering, DukkhaSacca dhammas, their causes are SamudayaSacca dhammas, the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering. These two Noble Truths are the object of Vipassanā, they are called “Saṅkhāra”, formations. These formations, you must contemplate these formations as Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta. As soon as they arise, they pass away very very quickly so they are anicca, impermanent. They are always oppressed by arising and passing away so they are dukkha, suffering. There’s no permanence entity, permanent substance in them, so they are anatta, non-self. If you contemplate these formations as anicca, dukkha, anatta, such type of contemplation is called Vipassanā. So to reach such type of Vipassanā, strong powerful light of wisdom is necessary.

Female’s:       Venerable Sir, the white Kasiṇa is equivalent to what Jhāna? White Kasiṇa is equal to which Jhāna?

Sayadaw’s:    White Kasiṇa also, if you practise white Kasiṇa systematically then you can attain up to fourth Jhāna. But if you practise ten Kasiṇas up to fourth Jhāna, based on this fourth Jhāna if you go to immaterial Jhānas, formless Jhānas, it is also possible, you can attain 8 attainments, 8 types of Jhāna.

Female’s:       Venerable Sir, we can have white Kasiṇa as first Jhāna?

Sayadaw’s:    White Kasiṇa, first Jhāna, second Jhāna, third Jhāna, fourth Jhāna.

Female’s:       I would like to understand the difference between stages. I would like to understand the difference between the third stage of Ānāpānasati and the first and the second one, because the third one experiencing the whole body, and the first one long and the second one short, right? If you don’t experience the whole body how can you judge if it’s long or short?

Sayadaw’s:    When you are focusing on your breath object on the touching point, from the beginning, here begins, here ends, from the beginning to the end, if you can discern the breath, this is called the whole body of breath. When you are discerning or you are focusing the whole breath body, sometimes you may breathe slowly, that slow breath is called long breath. When it is long, you should try to understand the whole body of breath only. Sometimes you may breathe quickly, that quick breath is called short. When it is short, you should try also to understand the whole body of breath only. OK?

Female’s:       OK, so the first one is long breath,...

Sayadaw’s:    Maybe according to the series of the teaching, the Buddha teach the long breath, the short breath, the whole breath body, but practically, when you are practising practically, “always long breath must be number one”, we can not say like that,” Always short breath must be number two”, in this way also we can not say. Sometimes you may breathe slowly the whole sitting, no problem. Sometimes when your concentration develops further, you may breathe slowly the whole sitting, this is also OK, at that time you should try to understand the whole body of breath. But sometimes you may breathe very very quickly, at that time also you should try to understand the whole body of breath only within one touching point only.

Male’s:           So that mean you have to mentally think the beginning of the breath, the middle of  the breath, the end of the breath when it’s going in, you have to just contemplate, or just to be aware..

Sayadaw’s :   To be aware. Just awareness is necessary. It is not necessary to note this is the beginning, this is the middle, this is the end or this is long, this is short. Why? If you note in this way concentration will decrease. Whether it is long or short, if you know the breath continuously without interruption, this is good enough, this is enough. Enough means you can concentrate well. If you differentiate whether this is long or short, maybe previously maybe this breath is long but not really long, this is maybe long, this is maybe short, in this way you may investigate too much. If you investigate too much, then concentration will decrease, this is one reason. If you note this is beginning, this is the middle, this is the end, in this way if you note then you will become tired and then your concentration will decrease. So in these three stages, long breath, short breath and whole body of breath, these three stages, if you know your breath continuously without interruption, this is good enough. If you want to note then you should note “breathing in, breathing out” only. OK? Do not understand?(Laughing). Eh, maybe Sister will explain to you in Chinese language (laughing)

Male’s:           I am not sure, I think I understand, but I want to check this thing also. Is the difference between the first two stages and the third stage that in the first two stages you want me to recognize it as the long and short but in the third stage you are aware continuously to the breath. In first two stages, it is that you dont need to be aware continously to the breath to be able to practise those two stages?

Sayadaw’s:    If you know continuously without interruption, it is very good, in first stage, in second stage also, very good, very good.

Male’s:           Bhante, in practising to attain Jhāna, we have the object that is to make sure that the mind become one-point with the object. That is why there are forty objects that we can choose, like Kasiṇa, etc.. but each of the object that we choose for meditation for Samatha has its own characteristics. Will this be fair to say that  forĀnāpāna, the characteristic of the object  is always having “in” and “out”, so if we ever wonder whether we are loosing the object, we have just to note that there’re still “in” and “out”, then we know that this is “out”, Ānāpāna object? Thank you. So is it also let’s hope (Transcriber is not sure of this reddened words) to expect as we cultivate the one-pointedness, or tranquility that we become more calm of inside and out, that means even as we are are practising, when we finish meditation section, our movement and walking and talking also become calm? We should expect that? No?   

Sayadaw’s:    (Laughing) we can not expect. If you try, it is better, no problem. Automatically it is impossible.

Male’s:           You talked about the mind becomes more powerful as we become more focused. Can we say that the steadiness of the mind, how steady the mind is in terms of depth of (Transcriber is not sure of this reddened word)focus and sustain of focus is directly proportional to how powerful the mind is, that means the more we can sustain the focus on the object the more powerful the mind becomes. And when the mind becomes more powerful, light of the nimitta becomes brighter, and the attention becomes stronger and the power of observation also becomes more powerful? Is that? So the whole development is to basically strengthen the power of the mind, so that with that power of the mind, we can go into Vipassanā and be able to hold the object that we want to analyze more steadly so that we can see more clearly because ordinarily, the change of those objects are too fast for us, because the anicca, the impermanence is just too far without the power, right? So this day people talk about the dry insighter, the pure insighter, they only develop up to Upacāra Jhāna, the neighbour, the access concentration. So is it kind a minimum power level?

Sayadaw’s:    No, no, they have enough pāramī. In time of Buddha, there are for example, suddhavipassaka arahats, they have enough pāramī, they have intention to attain arahantship very very quickly only before death is coming, they don’t want to waste of time, they want to attain very very quickly because their pāramī is urging them or stimulating them to try hard. When they are practising pure vehicle Vipassanā, Suddhavipassaka, they began Four Elements mediation only according to Visuddhi Magga’s explanation. When they are practising Four Elements meditation systematically, one day they will see Kalāpas, called small particles. Our body is composed with small particles, called Kalāpas. Again they must discern four  elements in each Kalāpa. When they are discerning four elements in each Kalāpa, and if they can concentrate on those four elements object, this is the last stage of Samatha as well as the beginning stage of Vipassanā. So this Four Elements meditation is both sides: Samatha and Vipassanā. Then they must continue to discern derivative materialities, such as color, odour, flavour and nutritive essence, etc.. After discerning ultimate materiality, they must discern ultimate mentality and their causes, dependent origination then they must contemplate them as anicca, dukkha, anatta. When they’re practising in this way, because of their previous pāramī, their light of wisdom is very strong. When they are practising Four Elements meditation their light of wisdom is also very strong. Because of this reason, they can easily discern their past causes. Past causes produce present effects, present causes produce future effects, they can discern causes and effects, past, present and future. So because of this reason, they can attain arahantship. But nowadays (laughing), there are some meditators who can pratise Four Elements meditation and systematically if they practise they can reallize Nibbāna, but some meditators not easy. Not easy means for example when they are discerning ultimate materialites, when they see Kalāpas, their Kalāpas are not so clear, this  is one problem because their light of wisdom is not so bright. When they are discerning ultimate materiality in each Kalāpa, they can not analyze thoroughly clearly, especially life faculty, very difficult for them to discern. What is life faculty? In each Kalāpa there’s life, especially kamma-produced Kalāpas, there’s life faculty. What is life faculty? They can not discern within two or three days, for some meditators nearly one week, they can not see this life faculty. In the same way nutritive essence, in each Kalāpa there’s nutritive essence, that nutritive essence can produce new Kalāpas: when digestive fire supports and nutritive as produced nutriment support both together. At that time also they can not clearly see nutitive essence. In the same way bhāva Rūpa, sex determining materiality, now you can see this is man, this is woman. Why? Because of this Bhāva Rūpa, Bhāva Rūpa can differentiate this is man, this is woman. So according to the Buddha’s teaching Bhāva Rūpa, sex determining materiality is in six doors, everywhere throughout the body. Because of this reason, when they see one person they can easily differentiate this is woman, this is man because of this Bhāva Rūpa. That Bhāva Rūpa also in small particles in some small particles, this Bhāva Rūpa is always present in throughout the body. This Bhāva Rūpa is also very difficult to discern when the light of wisdom is not enough. More difficult is dependent origination, if they pay attention to the past life namarupa, present namarupa also not clear, then if they discern past namarupa more they can not see clearly. So because of this reason nowadays some meditators can practise fullest Four Elements systematically up to Nibbāna stage, up to realization of Nibbāna, but some meditators they can not do. Because of this reason, we teach Samatha Jhāna meditation also.

Male’s:           Venerable Sir, most people can not even dream of seeing the Kalāpas,

Sayadaw’s:    Ah?

Male’s:           Most people can not even dream of seeing the Kalāpas because they never practised enough concentration to see anything. So what is the minimum training in Samatha to allow a person to start to see Kalāpas?

Sayadaw’s:    Maybe usually fourth Jhāna. Fourth Jhāna is necessary. But for some meditators, first Jhāna also possible but we can not read other’s mind. So because of this reason, we can not say exactly, which person should practise up to what Jhāna, this person should practise up to second Jhāna, or this person should practise up to third Jhāna, or this person should practise up to fourth Jhāna. In this way we can not decide because we can not read other’s mind. So because of this reason, many much standards usually we teach up to fourth Jhāna stage. If they want to practise Kasiṇa, at that time we teach them ten Kasiṇas and eight attainments, eight types of Jhānas.

Male’s:           That brings me back to the early question, because some meditators think that all they need to do is to cultivate enough to the access Jhāna without going to the first, second, third, fourth Jhāna. But you said if you don’t go to the fourth Jhāna, most of that can not see Kalāpas and without seeing Kalāpas, how can you go into Vipassanā to see the arising and passing away, of the real reason for dukkha. So that my question is when some people say you can, all you need is to cultivate  up to the access Jhāna and that’s all you need. And that’s my question.                              

Sayadaw’s:    For some meditators, access concentration also can be supporting cause for their Vipassanā, it is OK. But for some meditators not OK.

Male’s:           For most people you think don’t have very strong past pāramī, it’s all a dream then?

Sayadaw’s:    Yes, not easy.

Male’s:           I am sorry, one more question. In seeing a person as woman, man, you just mentioned this “rupa” that allows to make discrimination that this is a person, this is so on. In some of the writing is also described as compactness, because we see a whole person is compactness, and it’s  a big delusion because that is more guaranteed to samsara, right?

Sayadaw’s:    Maybe maybe.

Male’s:           So we are trying to break them to compactness to see that this is not a person, this is a bundle of arising-Kalāpa person, dying-Kalāpas?

Sayadaw’s:    Not Kalāpas, maybe we say ultimate materiality and ultimate mentality,

Male’s:           Yes. Can you say another way is because our  mind has been so scattered and loosing its power without concentration to see clearly. That is  part of delusion? And that delusion makes us see things as one clump, one entity, a person for example, and that is compactness and so in a way we are always seeing a forest, and not a tree. So are we trying to see beyond the forest so that we can see the trees. So when we see the trees, then we can see that this is not really a forest and we break up the delusion and we can free us  from themselves? Can we say that, something like that?

Sayadaw’s:    Just seeing this ultimate materiality and ultimate mentality, you can not free from samsara. You must try to realize Nibbāna and to understand Four Noble Truths.

Male’s:           Thank you Sir.

Male’s:           Venerable Sir, one more question. In practising Four Elements meditation, (here there are some words missing, subscriber can not catch) have experience of a sign, the sign appears as a vision, a specific vision. What is it?

Sayadaw’s:     If you practise Four Elements mediation, for beginners, when their concentration develops, they can not see their body, they can see a group,