Mindfulness of Breathing Day 4

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

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa (3 times)

I am talking about Ānāpāna Meditation (AM). I must repeat again and again (laughing). Many problems, my English is very poor so they do not understand my English, this is one problem. I would like to recite Ānāpāna Meditation taught by the Buddha in MahāSatipaṭṭhāna Sutta:

“Dīghaṁ vā assasanto ‘dīghaṁ assasāmī’ti pajānāti,

dīghaṁ vā passasanto ‘dīghaṁ passasāmī’ti pajānāti.”

 This is Number 1.

  What is the meaning ?

“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 number 2.

Number 3 is:

‘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.

This is number 3.

Number 4 is:

“ ‘Passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ assasissāmī’ti sikkhati,

Passambhayaṁ kāyasaṅkhāraṁ passasissāmī’ti sikkhati”

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

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

This is number 4.       

 

These four stages lead for attaining up to fourth jhāna stage only. This explanation is for Samatha practice. So in this Samatha meditation practice there are four stages.

1. Long breath,

1. Short breath,

1. The whole body of breath,

1. Calming the breath body or tranquilizing the breath body.

1. Sensual desire

1. Anger (byāpāda)

1. Restless and remorse

1. Sloth and torpor

1. Doubt

 

                  When they are practising Ānāpāna , according to these four stages, for some meditators they are practising to understand long breath and short breath at that time, nimitta may also appear; For some meditators they are practising long breath, short breath, the whole body of breath at that time the nimitta also appears. For many meditators when they practise the whole body of breath whether it is long or short at that time nimitta appears; But for some meditators when they practise number four stage: calming the breath body, at that time only nimitta appears.

                  What is the difference of these stages? Practically when they are practising Ānāpāna , there are two breaths only: long breath, short breath. Whether it is long or short, a meditator must try to understand the whole body of breath: when it is long, he should try to understand the whole body of breath, when it is short he should try to understand the whole body of breath. When he is practising in this way, when concentration develops further, then the breath will become subtle, this is natural. When the breath becomes subtle, at that time he should try to understand four stages combined together, four stages mean long breath, short breath, the whole body of breath and calming the breath body. How? When the breath becomes subtle, at that time he should try to understand the whole body of subtle long breath or short breath only. So when the breath becomes subtle at that time if he can concentrate on that subtle breath, then very soon nimitta will appear. When nimitta apprears, nimitta and the breath unify together or nimitta and breath become same, at that time mind automatically sticks to the nimitta. When mind sticks to the nimitta, at that time he should focus on the nimitta only. If he can concentrate on the nimitta, when nimitta becomes Paṭibhāga  nimitta, counterpart sign, and if he can concentrate on that Paṭibhāga  nimitta, counterpart sign, then full absorption may arise, that full absorption is called jhāna absorption, jhāna concentration, first jhāna concentration only, last night I explained about this first jhāna. If you have already this first jhāna’s five masteries, if you want to go to the sencond jhāna how you should try? You should try to see or to understand two disadvantages of first jhāna and one benefit of second jhāna. What are the two disadvantages of first jhāna? This first jhāna is close to the enemy of hindrances. There are five hindrances:

Altogether there are 5 hindrances. When one or two or many hindranes are visiting to your mind, at that time your concentration will decrease. When these hindrances are not visiting to your mind, at that time your concentration may develop. When your concentration becomes deeper and deeper and when nimitta appears, at that time if you can concentrate on your nimitta, when your concentration develops then slowly you may see your nimitta become counterpart sign, Paṭibhāga  nimitta. If you can concentrate on that counterpart sign, Paṭibhāga  nimitta then your concentration will become deeper and deeper. And very soon full absorption may arise. Before full absorption stage, your concentration is called access concentration, Upacāra Samādhi. At the Upacāra Samādhi stage, five hindrances will not arise in your mind. Access concentration and full absorption are very close to each other. Because of this reason when access concentration arise, hindrances will disappear. Access concentration and jhāna concentration are very close to each other. In the same way this first jhāna is also close to five hindrances. This is one disadvantage of first jhāna. Another disadvantage is please reflect jhāna factors again: among five jhāna factors, Vitakka, Vicāra , initial application and sustained application of the mind to the A Paṭibhāga  nimitta object are very gross, Vitakka and Vicāra  are very gross. You must apply your mind to the Paṭibhāga  nimitta again and again. If you can not apply your mind to the A Paṭibhāga  nimitta again, your concentration will fall down. So that application of the mind to Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object is also gross because you want to be deeper and deeper concentration. Without application of the mind to the Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object, if you can concentrate on that Nimitta it will be very good. So you should reflect the disadvantage of Vitakka, Vicāra  application of the mind to Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta  object. Then please reflect one advantage, one advantage is the subtleness of three jhāna factors, three jhāna factors are Pīti, joy, Sukha happiness and Ekaggatā, one-pointedness.  These three jhāna factors are more quiet, these three jhāna factors are jhāna factors of second jhāna. Second jhāna has three jhāna factors only, so they are more quiet. After reflecting in this way you should focus on you Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta again but reflecting time must be for only few seconds only, if you reflect long time then your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta will disappear, so that reflecting time must be for a few seconds only. After reflecting, when you are focusing on your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta again, then full absorption may arise again. For some meditators usually for beginners this full absorption is only first jhāna absorption. You should stay in that full absorption jhāna for about 5 minutes or 10 minutes. Emerging from that full absorption, when you are reflecting your jhāna facttors, at that time you will see Vitakka and Vicāra  are gross; Pìti, Sukha, Ekaggate, these three factors are more quiet. At that time with the intention to remove gross factors and to attain the quiet factors which are the second jhāna factors, you should concentrate on your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta again. When you are concentrating on you Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta again then very soon full absorption may arise. At that time you will understand Vitakka, Vicāra , initial application and sustained application of the mind to the Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object disappear, then only three jhāna factors : Pīti joy, Sukha happiness, Ekaggatā one pointedness, these three jhāna factors only remain. At that time we can say you attained second jhāna. If you attain second jhāna, in the same way you should try to maintain second jhāna for a long time. For the beginners, if they want to go to the second jhāna  they should reestablish first jhāna for about nearly one hour. Emerging from first jhāna they should reflect two disadvantges and one benefit, after that only you should try to attain second jhāna. If you already attained second jhāna, next sitting if your want to go to second jhāna then you should try systematically, first you must reestablish your first jhāna concentration, at that time you should stay in your first jhāna for about 4 or 5 minutes. Emerging from your first jhāna, you should try to go to second jhāna, you should maintain your second jhāna for more than 1 hour, 2 hours etc.. Then you should try five masteries of your second jhāna in the same way as mentined in first jhāna. Then if you want to go to the third jhāna how you should try? You should practise first jhāna for a few minutes, two or three minutes, then second jhāna for about nearly one hour. Emerging from second jhāna, you should reflect two disadvantages and one benefit. Two disadvantages are:

You should refect: “This second jhāna is close to the enemy of the first jhāna, especially Vitakka, Vicāra . Because Vitakka, Vicāra  are very gross. Because of this grossness, this first jhāna is very easy to fall down. In the same way this second jhāna also close to  the enemy Vitakka, Vicāra . This is one disadvantage.

And then please reflect Pīti, Pīti is gross, joy is very strong at that time mind can not be stable. Because of this joy, emotion may arise, because of emotion, concentration can not be deep enough. So Pīti is gross. Because of this grossness, this jhāna also can easily fall down. This is another disadvantage.

Then one benefit: please reflect Sukha and Ekaggatā: happiness and one-pointedness. Sukha and Ekaggatā are more quiet, these two jhāna factors are the two jhāna factors of third jhāna. After reflecting in this way then you should concentrate again on your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object. When you are concentrating on your  Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object again then very soon full absorption may arise. That full absorption for the beginners may be only second jhāna. You should try  to stay in that second jhāna for about 5 minutes or 10 minutes. Emerging from your second jhāna, you should reflect your second jhāna factors, at that time you will see Pīti is very gross, Sukha, Ekaggatā are more quiet. At that time to remove gross factor Pīti and to attain or to achieve subtle factors, Sukha and Ekaggatā, you should focus on your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object again. While you are concentrating on your AP N object again then very soon full absorption may arise, that full absorption may be third jhāna. If it is third jhāna you will easily understand Pīti disappear and only Sukha and Ekaggatā remain, at that time we can say that you attain third jhāna. If you attained third jhāna then next sitting if you want to reestablish your third jhāna concentration again, then you should try systematically, you should reestablish your first jhāna concentration for a few minutes, 2 or 3 minutes and second jhāna concentration for 2 or 3 minutes only, then you should try to attain third jhāna in the same way. You should reestablish you third jhāna concentration for about 2 hours, 3 hours, etc.. and try five masteries again. If you are satisfied if you want to go to third jhāna, how you should try? You should reestablish your first jhāna concentration for few minutes, 2 or 3 minutes, second jhāna concentration 2 or 3 minutes, third jhāna concentration for about nearly 1 hour. Emerging from your third jhāna, you should reflect two disadvantages and one benefit. Two disadvantages are:

You should reflect third jhāna: this third jhāna is close to the enemy Pīti or second jhāna because you can easily fall down to the second jhāna

Then another disadvantage is please reflect jhāna factors: Sukha and Ekaggatā, please reflect Sukha is more gross, why? Taking one object if you feel happiness then this mind is not quiet. Because of this happiness your jhāna can easily fall down. If one has strong happiness, mind can not be quiet, so this is gross. Because of this grossness you can easily fall down from your jhāna. This is one disadvantage.

Then you should reflect One benefit. One benefit is please reflect Upekkhā and Ekaggatā. Upekkhā is equanimous mind or equanimous feeling and Ekaggatā onepointedness, these two jhāna factors are very quiet. These two jhāna factors are jhāna factors of Fourth jhāna.

                  After reflecting in this way, you should focus on your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object again. When you are focusing on your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta object again very soon full absorption may arise. You should stay in your full absorption for about 5 minutes or 10 minutes, that full absorption jhāna may be third jhāna only. Emerging from that full absorption third jhāna, please reflect jhāna factors, at that time you will see your jhāna factor : Sukha is gross, happiness is gross and Upekkhā and Ekaggatā, two factors are more quiet. At that time with the intention to remove gross factors and to attain or to achieve more quiet factors: Upekkhā and Ekaggatā which are the jhāna factors of  Fourth jhāna. You should concentrate on your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta again. When you are concentrating on Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta agian then full absorption may arise, that full absorption may be fourth jhāna concentration. You will understand at that time, Sukha happiness feeling disappear, then only two jhāna factors Upekkhā and Ekaggatā, Equanimous feeling and One-pointedness remain, two jhāna factors are present in your fourth jhāna. So if your fourth jhāna is sure then you should practise five masteries of your fourth jhāna. If your fourth jhāna is real fourth jhāna then you will understand when you are enetering into your fourth jhāna concentration, at that time your breath completely stops, there will be no breathing.

So altogether there are four jhānas: first jhāna, second jhāna, third jhāna, and fourth jhāna. That fourth jhāna can produce strong powerful light. First jhāna can also produce   powerful light but not same, fourth jhāna concentration, light is very bright and very powerful, for example Venerable Anuruddha, fourth jhāna concentration can produce strong powerful light up to ten thousand world cycle or one thousand world cycle, so very strong. For some meditators, the light of wisdom is very far away, maybe 2 or 3 miles or 4 or 5 miles or 10 miles etc.. So fourth jhāna concentration light is very powerful, with the assistance of that light if you discern ultimate materiality and ultimate mentality and their causes you can easily understand them. The ultimate materiality and ultimate mentality are 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 called “Saṅkhāra” formations, these “Saṅkhāra” formations are the object of Vipassanā, you must contemplate them as Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta systematically, at that time we can say you are practising Vipassanā thoroughly. To understand these ultimate Materiality and ultimate mentality and their causes as anicca, dukkha and anatta, strong powerful light of wisdom is necessary. Fourth jhāna concentration can produce strong powerful light of wisdom, but there are some meditators they also want to practise Kasiṇas and eight attainments. If they want to practise 10 Kasiṇas and 8 attainments, at that time when they discern 32 parts, such as head hair, body hair, nail, teeth, etc.. they can clearly see their different organs, different parts. If they can discern these 32 parts clearly at that time if they want to practise Kasiṇas, they can practise four color Kasiṇa, for example taking head hair as the object they can practise “Nīla” Kasiṇa. Nīla Kasiṇa they translate in different ways: some translators they translate as brown Kasiṇa, some translators they translate as black Kasiṇa, some translators they translate as blue black Kasiṇa which is true I don’t know but your head hair color, now what kind of head hair? Asian head hair color, especially Indian’s head hair color. That color is called Nīla, you can practise Nīla Kasiṇa. Taking your urine as object you can practise yellow Kasiṇa, taking your blood as the object you can practise “Lohita” Kasiṇa, red Kasiṇa; taking your skeleton as the object you can practise white Kasiṇa. If you can discern 32 parts internally and externally both, external head hair, etc.. also can be the color Kasiṇa object, so both internally and externally you can do color Kasiṇa. If you already practise these colors  Kasiṇa then you can try other Kasiṇa also.

                  If you attain 10 Kasiṇas up to fourth jhāna stage then you can go to immaterial jhānas. If you practise 8 attainments, 8 types of jhāna, this jhāna is very strong and powerful, they can produce strong powerful light. So if you practise four Sublime Abidings, Mettā Loving kindness, Karuṇā Compassionate, Muditā Sympathetic Joy, and Upekkhā Equanimity, it will be very easy for you.

                  Today I will strop here my Dhamma talk, you can discuss about some questions.

 

Question:       Is this better to have the eyes completely close or open a bit, in either case where should the eyes be pointed up or down, near or far?

Sayadaw:       If you can forget your eyes like this, it is better (laughing), because close eye is better but when you close, here the earth, where should the eyes be up or down? Maybe if you can not forget your eyes, then it is a problem, another problem is when your nimitta appears, if you can concentrate on your nimitta then nimitta will be brighter and brighter and then the light of wisdom surrounding your body everywhere will become bright especially if you focus your nimitta with your close eyes at that time when your nimitta become bright at that time that  light attack to your eyes, when the light attack to your eyes, at that time tears will come out, at that time concentration will decrease. This is one problem, Another problem is when you focus with open eyes to your nimitta, if you pratise many days or many months, then here many tensions will appear and your eyes will become painful, this is also another problem. Because of this reason if you can forget your eyes, it is better, but a little bit open or close, close is better, a little bit open is also not good. But while you are closing your eyes, you should put up or down? (laughing). This is your eye, this is also not good, you should forget everything about your eye, it is better, if you can not forget your eye then the problem will appear.

Q :                   Sometimes when I concentrate on breath object very strong feelings of anger, guilt, regret, excitement  or happiness arised continuously. These feelings are much more distracting than the conceptual thoughts and also are much stronger. What should I do in this case?

Sayadaw:       All unwholesome dhammas, proximate cause ayonisomanasikāra unwise attention and all wholesome dhammas proximate cause are yonisomanasikāra, wise attention. So when you are focusing on your breath object, at that time very strong feelings of anger, regret, excitement, etc.. appeared, they are unwholesome dhammas, anger is unwholesome dhamma, guilt, regret, this is also unhappiness, unwholesome dhamma, excitement it is unwholesome dhamma, it is nearly restless mind. So this unwholesome dhamma proximate cause is ayonisomanasikāra, unwise attention only. Now you are always breathing, have you always anger? You should consider very carefully: while you are practising Ānāpāna , when you are focusing on your Ānāpāna  object at that time only anger appeared, so this is because unwise attention only. Everyday you are breathing, as no time you are not breathing, even you are sleeping, at that time you are breathing, at that time, no anger. Now when you are focusing on you breath object, at that time only anger appear. Why? This is because your unwise attention only, we call “Ayonisomanasikāra” only. What is unwise attention? Every formation is anicca impermanent, but you may pay attention nicca, permanent; every formation is dukkha suffering but you may pay attention Sukha happiness; every formation is anatta non-self, but you may pay attention these formations as atta; especially atta, there are two types of atta, you may accept there is soul or self; sometimes you may accept this is I, this is he, this is She, this is father, this is mother, etc.. If you pay attention in this way it is called unwise attention. Dependent on unwise attention you have anger. Now because of breath (laughing), when you focus on your breath automatically anger can not arise because of this unwise attention only. In the same way happiness, when you focus on your breath object, usually when concentration develops at that time happiness arises, but automatically can not arise, automatically if happiness arise this is because of your attention only. So please remove your unwise attention and in place of unwise attention, please reflect wise attention. What is wise attention? Wise attention is you should focus on your breath object as breath only, not I, not he not she, not father, not mother. You should not remember these. You should focus on your breath object as breath only, then this problem will disappear.

Question:       Some days the Ānāpāna  practice just goes well with mind focus on the breathing object and  some signs of concentration, but some days nothing seems to go right maybe bad weather some have problems etc.. what can one do when such days happen when the practice seems  boring and the mind is weak? How should one maintain motivation to continue further? What adjustments can one make to improve the practice?

Sayadaw:       Continuous practice is necessary (Laughing). Please stop talking, please stop thinking. They are very dangerous phenomena. If you talk too much then your concentration will decrease. Then if you think about especially if you investigate too much, then your concentration can not develop. If you want to attain jhāna concentration, please stop talking, please stop thinking, please stop investigating. When you are practising Vipassanā, Investigation is very useful, very good, but when you are practising Samatha, investigation is not good. If you investigate too much then concentration can not develop. There are 7 Bhojjanga, Enlightenment Factors:

1.     Sati Sambojjhaṅga, the Enlightenment Factor of Mindfulness

2.     DhammaVicaya Sambojjhaṅga, the Enlightenment Factor of Investigation

3.     Vīriya Sambojjhaṅga, the Enlightenment Factor of Effort

4.     Pīti Sambojjhaṅga, the Enlightenment Factor of Joy

5.     Passaddhi Sambojjhaṅga, the Enlightenment Factor of Tranquility

6.     Samādhi Sambojjhaṅga, the Enlightenment Factor of Concentration

7.     Upekkhā Sambojjhaṅga, the Enlightenment Factor of Equanimity

Altogether there are 7 Enlightenment Factors. Among these 7 Enlightenment Factors, Dhamma Vicaya, Investigation, Vīriya Effort and Pīti Joy are one group. Passaddhi Tranquility, Samādhi Concentration and Upekkhā Equanimity are one group. Sati Mindfulness is in the middle, both sides. So if Investigation group, investigation, Effort and Joy are strong, Concentration group will decrease. Concentration group mean Passaddhi Tranquility, Samādhi Concentration and Upekkhā Equanimity, these three are called Samādhi group; Investigation, Effort and Pīti, these are called Investigation group, there are two goup. If one group becomes very strong and powerful then another group will decrease. So when you are practising Samatha, you should try to make two groups balanced. When Investigation group strong at that time Concentration group can not develop. When you are practising Samatha, your Concentration group become excess, it is very good, no problem; but when you are practising Vipassanā, Investigation group become in excess, it is also very good; but when you are practising Samatha if you can make two groups balanced it is better, no problem. So when you are practising Ānāpāna , you should try to make the two groups balanced, but you may not remember these 7 Enlightenment Factors. If you want to remember then you should study, it is better.

Question:       For those who had jhāna experience, can hear she aske  question to the Buddha or BodhiSatta in a jhāna state to ten answers and dogma, if a person who has stable jhāna, will that person be able to live longer and healthier by the power of jhāna?

 Sayadaw’s:   (Laughing) In our Theravāda tradition it is impossible. Jhāna means concentration on your jhāna object only, for example when you are focusing on your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta, if you can focus on your Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta, at that time you can attain jhāna. But if you are asking questions to the Buddha (laughing) this is not jhāna, this is only your imagination only. Where do you see your Buddha? Where do you see your Buddha? So Buddha, according to our Theravada traditions Buddha took Parinibbāna, already took Parinibbāna. Parinibbāna means final cessation. What is final cessation? In one Sutta, Buddha explained final cessation with one example, there is candle light, there is still oil, there is still wick, if wick also exhaust state, oil also exhaust state, fire cease. When fire ceased, where did fire go? Where this fire did go? We can not say where this fire did go. We can say completely ceased the fire because of the exhaustation of oil and wick. In the same way, Buddha took Parinibbāna because of the complete cessation of causes, five aggregates also ceased completely without remainder. Buddha’s Arahant Path destroyed defilements completely without remainder. Especially among the defilements Avijjā Ignorance, Tanhā Craving for new existence, Upādāna Clinging to new existence are more predominant defilements. This Arahant Path completely destroy defilements. Because of complete cessation of defilements, their kammas which they have accumulated before they became arahant, these kammas also have no power to produce existence. Because of this reason, we can say that this Aranhant completely  destroy Avijjā Ignorance, Tanhā Craving, Upādāna Clinging and Saṅkhāra Volotional Formations and Kammas. Because the complete cessation of these causes, then five aggregates after Parinibbāna, final cessation can not arise again, there will be no more one new existence, new aggregates. At the final stage of,  complete cessation stage of Parinibbāna, after Parinibbāna there will be no more one new aggregates, new existence. The meaning is after Parinibbāna, there will be no Buddha, they ceased completely. Because  of this reason, how you should ask the Buddha? It is impossible, it is just only imagination only, meaningless imagination.

Q:                    Number two question any person who has deeper (subsriber is not so sure to catch this reddened word) jhāna , can he live longer life?

A:                    This life depends on his kammas only, for example in time of Buddha, there are some Arahants, as soon as they attained Aranhantship, they passed away, they took Parinibbāna, final cessation like Bahidda Daruciriya . He is quick attainer of Arahantship in our Buddha’s time. But as soon as he attained Arahantship, very soon he passed away. So how we can say one who attain jhāna can be long-ife? It is impossible, but possible if he can maintain jhāna concentration up to death moment, after that he may be reborn one of Brahma world dependent on his jhāna. At that time in Brahma world he may live long, it is possible. So if you want to become longlive then please maintain your jhāna concentration up to death moment not to fall down.

Q:                    What kind of the differences between access concentration and first jhāna? And how does a meditator go from access concentration to first jhāna? When a meditator arises from jhāna, are the five hindrances totally absent? If not, to what extent for the suppress?

Sayadaw:         Between access concentration and jhāna, the difference. Difference, access concentration also take A for example Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta counterpart sign, in the same way first jhāna also takes Ānāpānapaṭibhāga nimitta counterpart sign, object is same; but at the access concentration stage five jhāna factors are not so strong enough to maintain his jhāna concentration for a long time. But when he attains up to first jhāna stage, at that time five jhāna factors are very strong and powerful then he can maintain for a long time. One example there is small child, when he was very young he can not stand up, with the help of parent, he can stand up but easily can fall down to the ground. In the same way access concentration stage, when jhāna factors are not so strong enough, because of this reason he easily can fall down into Bhavaṅga. When he falls down into Bhavaṅga, at that time many meditators say they know nothing at that time, mind go away from the object but which object he can not say exactly, so frequently he can not maintain his concentration for a long time, but when he attain jhāna concentration at that time, he can maintain his jhāna concentration for a long time, because five jhāna factors are at that time very strong and powerful, for example strong powerful means can stand for a long time. Then when a meditator arises from jhāna, are the five hindrances totally absent? This is impossible. In time of the Buddha, there are also some meditators who attain jhānas but when they emerge from jhāna hindrances appear again because of unwise attention, predominant for example Venerable Devadatta, when he practised Samatha within one rain retreat, he attained 8 attainments and 5 mundane psychic powers but he had alot desires to become Buddha, he wants to possess a lot things, a lot gains. Because of this greediness, his jhāna falls down and he can not reestablish his jhāna concentration. So dependent on unwise attention, hindrances may arise when emerge from jhāna, but if he had wise attention continuously for many years it is impossible, five hindrances will not arise, like Venerable MahāNāga, he practise Samatha and Vipassanā for 60 (sis zero), 60 years. Within this 60 years, any hindrances never arise in his mind, because his jhāna concentration and Vipassanā concentration can suppress these hindrances for 60 years because he had always wise attention, but Venerable Devadatta had unwise attention so because of this reason he can not maintain his jhāna concentration. OK.

Q:                    In practising Ānāpāna , why keep two groups of 7 Enlightenment Factors balanced? Is it just focusing on the group to produce concentration for example Tranquility, Concentration and Equanimity. For the other group such as Effort and Joy, when we do not think, do we not investigate ? And just focus on breathing, isn’t it intentionally producing an imbalance? Is the imbalance only direct by proceeding to process of meditation?

Sayadaw:         Maybe if you can focus on your Ānāpāna  or Ānāpāna  nimitta thoroughly, it is not necessary to try to make balanced these two groups but some meditators they investigate too much: “what, what, what, I want to be long this nimitta I only want to just investigate it, I dont want to attain jhāna, I want to investigate only. May my nimitta may long OK, this becomes long, no problem! May round, it will become round”, etc.. In this way he’s investigating only. If you do in this way then you can not attain jhāna. But if you focus on your nimitta only without investigating or without wondering mind, just focusing then concentration will become deeper and deeper, at that time we can say your 7 Enlightenment Factors are balanced. At that time it is not necessary to try to make the 7 Enlightenment Factors or 2 groups to make the balance.

Q:                    What emotions are related to the four elements?

Sayadaw:         I do not understand this question (laughing)

Q:                    I think sorry for that I have to ask the question right now without writing because there’s important question came because of  that 7 factors, and sorry for breaking the rule. In Visuddhi Magga and Mahāsati Kammatthana, because you say sometimes when doing Ānāpāna sati, you dont have to balance 7 factors. But in which occations, that in ... Sutta and .... Sutta and Bojjhanga Kosalla Sutta and ... Bhava Sutta (subscriber could not catch these reddened words and name of the Suttas because the pronunciation seem so difficult) for there you have to balance, so could you please explain us

Sayadaw:         Maybe very long Sutta. They are very long suttas, how I can explain.

Q:                    Not right now, in the interview time. If you can find occasion because sometimes

Sayadaw:         In short there are 7 Enlightenment Factors. If you can make balanced these 7 Enlightenment Factors, then this is enough only. But when you are practising concentration Samatha, then concentration group becomes in excess, a little bit excess, it is also OK, not much problem, you can attain jhāna but when you..

 REMARKS: Transcriber is not sure of the Reddened words above.