Meditation Sequence (3)

The mind-states that arise in an ordinary worldling are not numerous. Within the 54 types of sense-sphere consciousness (kāmāvacara citta), if we subtract the 8 Great Functional Consciousnesses (mahā-kiriya citta) and the one Smile-Producing Consciousness (hasi-tuppāda citta) – totaling 9 – only 45 remain. Mind-states arise randomly, but they only arise from among these 45 types of sense-sphere consciousness. Greedy mind, angry mind, deluded mind, seeing-consciousness, hearing-consciousness – whatever arises does so only from these 45 sense-sphere consciousnesses. Each time they arise, simply examine: Is it present or not? Now, when the examining mind arrives, the mind that was arising is no longer there. Why? Because the subsequent mind examines the preceding mind. Therefore, the preceding mind is anicca (impermanent), and the subsequent mind is the Path (Magga). When the Path arises, subsequent defilements (kilesa) no longer continue. When they cease, future causes (hetu) are cut off. Future results (vipāka) also cease to come. Therefore, constantly examine your own mind. If you are examining, you are attaining the mundane Path (lokiya magga), you are attaining the Insight Path (Vipassanā magga). A person who examines their own mind attains the Path. Understand this: a person who does not examine does not attain the Path. "Examining" means being instructed to look at how the little arising mind suffers. To look at whether it suffers or not, whether it is truly the Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha Sacca). Whether it's a mind arising in the eye, in the ear, or in the heart-base (hadaya-vatthu) in the abdomen – it ceases right there, without moving to another place. It arises in this place and dies right in this place. It arises intending to die, and when you look, you see it has died. You see two things: the arising intending to die (which is Dukkha Sacca), and the dying (which is also Dukkha Sacca). Therefore, "examining your own mind" means being instructed to examine your own suffering. When you examine, you repeatedly see it dying. You witness your own death. The arising is Dukkha Sacca, and the ceasing is also Dukkha Sacca. Then, a little knowledge (ñāṇa) arises, knowing your own suffering. Thus, that which is examined is Dukkha Sacca. That which examines is Magga Sacca (the Noble Truth of the Path). When the Path is present, states leading to the four woeful planes (apāya) cannot arise; they are cut off. Therefore, if you wish to be free from the four woeful planes, examine your own mind. "Examining your own mind" means being instructed to examine your own death. Understand this: the little mind arises and then ceases right now – that is your death. If the next mind does not come, you are dead. You are only alive because one mind arises and then another arises. If it doesn't arise, you are dead. Therefore, your death is Dukkha Sacca. Birth and death, birth and death – these are all Dukkha Sacca. Remember: the instruction is to look until you see these Truths of Suffering. "Birth and death" is just arising and passing away. Arising and passing away is Dukkha Sacca. It is not someone else's Dukkha Sacca; it is your own Dukkha Sacca. When you see that the little arising mind, having arisen, ceases and is Dukkha Sacca, you realize: both the arising (birth) is Dukkha Sacca and the ceasing (death) is Dukkha Sacca. The mind that examines is Magga Sacca. Because suffering is known, the Path arises. This Magga Sacca arises as the second mind in the abdomen (heart-base). Remember: this Path (Magga) cannot be attained by mere prayer; you must practice insight (vipassanā) yourself to possess it. Without knowing Dukkha Sacca, this Magga cannot arise in the abdomen. A Path-attainer (Magga-puggala) is one for whom this Path has reached the abdomen (heart-base). After this Path comes Fruition (Phala), making one a Fruition-attainer (Phala-puggala). So, if you wish to become a Path-attainer, you must first work to make this Path reach the abdomen. When the Path is attained, Fruition will certainly follow. Therefore, arising and passing away is Dukkha Sacca. The observing knowledge (ñāṇa) is Magga Sacca. When this Magga becomes complete from five factors to eight factors on that day, one becomes a true Stream-enterer (Sotāpanna). The mind being observed is Dukkha Sacca because it is suffering in arising (uppāda dukkha) and suffering in ceasing (vaya dukkha). The observing knowledge is Magga Sacca. The cutting off of the cycle of existence (saṃsāra) happens automatically by this Magga. The crucial thing is to make this Magga reach the abdomen. Keep examining! Whatever mind arises, just examine: Is it present or not? Examine (1) with (2). When (1) reports "not present," (2) knows it is absent. The absence is Dukkha Sacca; knowing the absence is Magga Sacca. When you examine your own mind, subsequent states – craving (taṇhā), clinging (upādāna), and kamma driven by them – do not come. The resulting states – birth (jāti), aging (jarā), and death (maraṇa) – also do not come. When birth ceases, Nibbāna. When aging and death cease, also Nibbāna. The moment you examine your own mind, the subsequent defilements cease. When defilements cease, the birth, aging, and death that would result from them also cease. Their cessation is Nibbāna. Make the determination: Nibbāna is attained only by entering the Path (Magga), and attained only by examining your own mind. If you perform good deeds (dāna, sīla) with the view "I do, I get" (sakkāya-diṭṭhi, personality view), you may reach a happy destiny (sugati), but you will not reach Nibbāna. Remember also: if you perform dāna and sīla after abandoning sakkāya-diṭṭhi, you will reach Nibbāna. Therefore, what obstructs Nibbāna is sakkāya-diṭṭhi. What obstructs the Path is also this sakkāya-diṭṭhi ("a hindrance to one progressing towards the Path"). This diṭṭhi clings most strongly to the mind. That is why we must meditate to see the arising and passing away of the mind. When you see the mind's arising and passing away, sakkāya-diṭṭhi drops away. The mind is arising and passing away; the observing knowledge is the Path. If you meditate just like this, diṭṭhi (wrong view), diṭṭhupādāna (clinging to views), and kamma governed by diṭṭhi cannot arise. If they cannot arise, just practice diligently like this. The Buddha himself taught that if you practice in the morning, you will attain [results] by evening. Dr. Ashin Parami