Meditation
Meditation for Beginners
The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering # 4the way of practice one should aim for is the Middle Way whichthe Lord Buddha had already practiced to completion.Majjhima Patipada is the Middle Way of practice
In the Lord Buddha’s first sermon to the group of five initial disciples he advocated to steer between the extremes of sensual indulgence [kamasukallikanuyoga] and self mortification [attakilamathanuyoga] in one’s practice. He said that the way of practice one should aim for is the Middle Way [majjhima patipada] which the Lord Buddha had already practiced to completion.How can we know whether what we are practicing is the Middle Way? In thepretical terms, we can know that we are on the right track if we are practicing the Noble Eightfold Path-or more briefly if we are practicing self-discipling [sila], meditation [Samadhi] and wisdom [panna] – then these are also the theoretical essentials of the Middle Way.In terms of practice however, Luang Phaw Wat Paknam explained how we can know we are practicing the Middle Way in the sermon he gave on the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta on 3 January 1955. He explained that the word ‘Middle’ in the term ‘Middle Way’ is indeed used in a very profound way-but in a way which has for a long time been overlooked. He explained that the practice [dhamma] that is ‘in the middle’ is ‘bringing one’s mind to a standstill at the middle of the human body’. The exact position of the central point of the body can be pictured by imagining two thin threads-one running horizontally from the navel directly through the back – the other running horizontally form one side to the other on the same level. At the intersectionof the two threads is a point no larger than a needlepoint. This is called the sixth base of the mind. Two fingers’ breadths ver-tically above this intersection is the seventh base of the mind, or the precise central point of the body.Luang Phaw Wat Paknam explained that the ability to bring our mindto standstill at this centre of the body is what we call ‘majjhima’ or ‘centring’.This seventh base of the mind is where the mind belongs. Furthermore, the centre of the body is where the Sphere of Dhamma of the human body is to be found. The Sphere of Dhamma of the human body is to found. The Sphere of Dhamma is about the size of the yolk of a chicken’s egg but is clear and transparent. At the time when we are born, we bring our mind to a standstill at the centre of this Sphere of Dhamma and this is what allows us to be born human. When we are asleep, the mind comes to rest at the centre of this Sphere of Dhamma. Even when we die, the mind comes back to rest at the centre of this Sphere of Dhamma. It is for this reason that the sphere is called the ‘Sphere of Dhamma’ it is what gives us human form, it is the place through which our life comes and goes and when we sleep it is the place through which our consciousness come (wakes) and goes (sleeps).Luang Phaw Wat Paknam explained that the ability to bring our mind to standstill at this centre of the body is what we call ‘majjhima’ or ‘centring’. When the mind comes to a standstill at the centre of the body, it can no longer be considered in terms of good, evil, merit or demerit –and it is completely free of the two extremes of sensual indulgence [kamasukallikanuyoga] and self-mortification [attakilamathanuyoga]-it is the trailhead of the pathway to wards the arahatship. This is the meaning of the Buddha’s words in the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta:Tathagatena abhisambuddha(Thus has the Tathagata known through {His} supreme wisdom)When the mind is brought to a standstill at the centre of the Sphereof the Seeing and knowledge of Liberation the Astral BodyWhen we are able to bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Dhamma that allow us to take human form, then this is where the mind belongs. Once we are able to practice this optimally, then this is what we can call the Eightfold Path –when all eight components of the Path are represented at the centre of the body a clear bright sphere will arise at the centre of the body which we call the Sphere of the Initial Path or ‘Pathama Magga’ Sphere or Dhammanupassanasatipatthana Sphere. It will be mirror – bright and appear the sixe of the sun or the moon and situated at the centre of the Sphere of Dhamma that allows us to take human form. When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Dhammanupassanasatipatthana Sphere, the Sphere of Self-Discipline [sila] will be attained. When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Self-Discipline, the Sphere of Concentration [Samadhi] will be attained. When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Concentration, the Sphere of Wisdom [panna] will be attained. When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Wisdom, the Sphere of Liberation [vimutti] will be attained. When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Liberation [vimuttinanadassana] will be attained. When the mind is brought to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of the Seeing and knowledge of Liberation the Astral Body or Subtle Human Body will be attained.All theabove represents the sequence of following the Middle Way which the Lord Buddha followed for Himself with His supreme wisdom to the point of enlightenment. Whenthe mind reaches the Subtle Human Body inside, the Physical or Coarse Human body has fulfilled its duty.Now it is up to the Subtle Human Budy to continue the process.When the mind is brought to a standstill at the centre of the Sphereof the Seeing and knowledge of Liberation the Angelic Body will be attained.When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Dhamma which allows the Subtle Human body to arise, theDhammanupaassanasatipatthana Sphere will arise. When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of this Dhammanupassanasatipatthana Sphere, the Sphere of Self-Discipline [sila] will be attained. When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Self-Discipline, the Sphere of Concentration [samadhi]will attained. When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Concentration, the Sphere of Wisdom [panna] will be attained. When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Wisdom, the Sphere of Liberation [vimutti] will be attained. When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Liberation, the Sphere of Seeing and Knowledge of Liberation [vimuttinanadassana] will be attained. When the mind is brought to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of the Seeing and knowledge of Liberation the Angelic Body will be attained.By now the sequence of the Middle Way will be more apparent to the reader-the sequence of inner spheres that leads from the the Coarse Human Body to the Subtle Human Body is the same as that which leads from the subtle Human Body to the Angelic Body- that is to bring the mind to a standstill successively at Dhammanupassanasatipatthana, the Sphere of Self-Discip;ine, the Sphere of Concen tration, the Sphere of Wisdom, the Sphere of Liberation and the Sphere of Seeing and knowledge of Liberatin -in that order.When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphereof Wisdom, the Sphere of Liberation [vimutti] will be attained.By channelling the mind in an equivalent way the mind of the Coarse Angelic Body will attain the Subtle Angelic Body,the mind of the Subtle Angelic Body will attain the Coarse Form Brahma Body, the mind of the Coarse Form-Brahma Body will attain the Subtle Form-Brahma Body, the mind of the subtle Form-Brahma Body will attain the Coarse Formless Brahma Body, the Subtle Formless-Brahma Body and the mind of the Subtle Formless-Brahma Body will attain the Dhamma Body-the first body of enlightenment [dhammakaya].This process of channelling the mind is what the Lord Buddha referred to as 'seeing the body within the body' which can be compared to a long journey where we need to transit successively from one different sort of vehicle to another in order to reach our destination (as descrided in the Rathavinita Sutta M.i.145ff.) -we might hire a taxi from our home to the river shore, from there we cross the river on a ferry to reach the station, from there we take the train to the airport and eventually take the aeroplane that will take us to our destination. All the various inner spheres and bodies all the way from the Physical Human Body inwards to the Dhamma Body are all nested within one another at the seventh base of the mind." />" /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " /> " />" />
The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering # 4
[ 31 ส.ค. 2554 ] - [ 18259 ]
![When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Wisdom, the Sphere of Liberation [vimutti] will be attained.](https://images.dmc.tv/www/images/meditationNAW/zx-4.1.jpg "When we bring the mind to a standstill at the centre of the Sphere of Wisdom, the Sphere of Liberation [vimutti] will be attained.")
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