Practical Insight Meditation: Basic and Progressive Stages |
Common terms and phrases
abdomen abdominal movements access concentration acts of noticing applies mindful arahatship arising and passing aware Basic Exercise becomes bending bodily and mental body and mind body-and-mind Buddha Buddhist Buddhist Council BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY cessation of formations Commentary comprehended consciousness disappear dissolution equanimity about formations falling movement feeling foundations of mindfulness fruition knowledge fully known higher path Ibid impermanent insight knowledge insight meditation intending itching Khandha Kindred Sayings knowing knowledge of arising knowledge of equanimity Mahásatipaþþhána Sutta Mahási Sayádaw Majjhima Nikaya manner mature mental note mental processes Mingun non-returner notice the formations object that arises occurs once-returner pain pajánáti Pali path and fruit path and fruition person progress of insight purity of mind rajjati realize Nibbána reflection rising and falling Saí yutta sampajánakárì hoti sensations sitting six sense doors Sobhana Softback stages of insight stream-entry stretching tactile objects ten fetters third path touching Uposatha vipassana Vism Visuddhimagga walking wind-element wish
Popular passages
Page x - This is the sole way for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the ix destroying of pain and grief, for reaching the right path, for the realization of Nibbana, namely, the four foundations of mindfulness.
Page 55 - ... this is not mine, this I am not, this is not my eternal soul.'"33 And the same assertion can be said of feeling, perception, dispositions, and consciousness also.
Page 6 - Perform all these actions in a slow deliberate manner. As soon as you are settled in the new position, continue with the contemplation of the abdominal movements. If you become uncomfortably warm in the new position resume contemplation in another position keeping to the procedure as described in this paragraph. Should an itching sensation be felt in any part of the body, keep the mind on that part and make a mental note, itching. Do this in a regulated manner, neither too fast nor too slow. When...
Page 1 - ... Basic Practice Preparatory Stage If you sincerely desire to develop contemplation and attain insight in this your present life, you must give up worldly thoughts and actions during training. This course of action is for the purification of conduct, the essential preliminary step towards the proper development of contemplation. You must also observe the rules of discipline prescribed for laymen (or for monks, as the case may be), for they are important in gaining insight. For layfolk, these rules...
Page ix - This is the only way, monks, for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation, for the destruction of suffering and grief, for reaching the right path, for the attainment of Nibbana, namely the four Foundations of Mindfulness.
Page 3 - ... contemplation, then obtain a more comfortable way of sitting. Now proceed with each exercise in contemplation as described. Basic Exercise I Try to keep your mind (but not your eyes) on the abdomen. You will thereby come to know the movements of rising and falling of this organ.
Page 52 - There is the body", mindfulness hereof becomes thereby established, far enough for the purposes of knowledge and of self-collectedness.' (Ibid., p. 328.) 'When he is walking (he) is aware of it thus: "I walk"; or when he is standing, or sitting, or lying down, he is aware of it. However he is disposing the body, he is aware thereof.
Page 9 - ... or up, forward, down. When you look at the water faucet, or water pot, on arriving at the place where you are to take a drink, be sure to make a mental note looking, seeing. When you stop walking, stopping. When you stretch the hand, stretching. When the hand touches the cup, touching. When the hand takes the cup, taking. When the hand dips the cup into the water, dipping.
Page 21 - It is through ignorance that we enjoy life. But in truth, there is nothing to enjoy. There is a continuous arising and disappearing by which we are harassed ever and anon. This is dreadful indeed. At any moment we may die and everything is sure to come to an end. This universal impermanence is truly frightful and terrible.
Page 52 - And moreover, bhikkhus, a brother — whether he departs or returns, whether he looks at or looks away from, whether he has drawn in or stretched out [his limbs], whether he has donned under-robe, over-robe, or bowl, whether he is eating, drinking, chewing, reposing, or whether he is obeying the calls of nature — is aware of what he is about. In going, standing, sitting, sleeping, watching, talking, or keeping silence, he knows what he is doing.