Observing Sensations, Yet Seeing Only Arising and Passing Away

Regarding the observation of sensations, I explained yesterday that sensations can manifest in two ways on the body and in three ways within the abdomen. By knowing where they arise, one will know where they cease. The reason for explaining the places of manifestation is so that when any type of sensation arises, one can observe it keenly and intently at the point of its occurrence. The Venerable Mogok Sayadaw instructed, "Don't shift elsewhere. When practicing vipassanā, you must fix your attention right there, firmly and decisively, until it penetrates." One must focus the mind on the place of arising. Only by knowing the place of manifestation can one guard, catch, and apprehend it. The eye can only see. Liking originates from within the abdomen. Disliking also originates solely from within the abdomen. Indifference, too, originates solely from within the abdomen. The mere act of seeing by the eye, the slight consciousness of seeing, is called upekkhā vedanā (neutral feeling). Similarly, the consciousness of hearing, smelling, tasting, and eating are all upekkhā vedanā. Remember these four bases—eye, ear, nose, and tongue—as the four places where only upekkhā can arise. The upekkhā vedanā that arises in the eye ceases only in the eye, without shifting elsewhere. Likewise, the upekkhā vedanā that arise in the ear, nose, and tongue also cease only in their respective places of arising. The Venerable Mogok Sayadaw said, "Arising in this place, ceasing in this place." If we compile only the places where sensations manifest, there are just nine bases: four bases where only upekkhā can arise, two on the body, and three within the abdomen. If one does not know the place of arising and the place of ceasing, even when observing, the mind will not align correctly with the place of arising nor with the place of ceasing. Therefore, it is crucial to understand and know this beforehand. If the sensations that arise in these nine bases are grouped by their kind, only three types of sensations remain: sukha (pleasant) with sukha, dukkha (unpleasant) with dukkha, and upekkhā (neutral) with upekkhā. The place of arising and the place of ceasing are the same. Hence, it is said, "Arising in this place, ceasing in this place." By knowing the place of arising, one can know the place of ceasing. Only by knowing this can one see the arising and passing away. If not, if one practices by guessing or estimating, merely conceiving that things arise and cease by themselves, one falls into the wrong view of ahetuka-diṭṭhi (causelessness), believing in a lack of cause. Thus, while practicing, wrong view sets in. Therefore, one must remember and not forget these nine places of manifestation. (Based on the three types of sensations, it's nine bases; based on the five types of sensations, it was previously said to be twelve bases. Understand that the principle is the same. All are according to the system of the Venerable Mogok Sayadaw.) Only by knowing these places of manifestation can one know, when a sensation arises, where it arises. Without this knowledge, if one simply practices observing arising and passing away, the Venerable Mogok Sayadaw said, "It would be like shouting blindly." Although there are nine places where sensations manifest, what one actually observes are only the three types: sukha vedanā, dukkha vedanā, and upekkhā vedanā. Although there are three types, when one observes diligently and precisely by oneself, and when the practice matures, one will see only a single reality: neither sukha, nor dukkha, nor upekkhā, but only the phenomenon of arising and passing away. There is a difference between experiencing a sensation and seeing its arising and passing away. Experiencing a sensation is experiencing the mental phenomenon (nāma dhamma) of sensation; this is nāma-pariccheda-ñāṇa (knowledge of discerning mentality). Seeing the arising and passing away is reaching udayabbaya-ñāṇa (knowledge of arising and passing away). They are distinct. Merely reaching the stage of experiencing sensations is not yet true vipassanā; it is only the stage of nāma-pariccheda-ñāṇa. It is attaining the lowest of the ten insight knowledges. Even if one observes it as sukha vedanā, it arises and then ceases. Even if one observes it as dukkha vedanā, it arises and then ceases. Even if one observes it as upekkhā vedanā, it arises and then ceases. If one sees only this—that it arises and then ceases—then one is seeing the arising and passing away. The insight knowledge has advanced. This is called udayabbaya-ñāṇa, the second knowledge. Although there are three types of sensations, at any given moment only one exists. Just as when sukha arises, other sensations cannot arise simultaneously; when dukkha arises, or when upekkhā arises, other sensations cannot be present. Therefore, the Venerable Mogok Sayadaw said, "What should exist are three types; what actually exists at a given moment is one type." The reason for explaining the places where sensations manifest is so that by truly experiencing the sensation, one can accurately see its arising and passing away. Only after experiencing the sensation can one see its arising and passing away. Once one sees the arising and passing away, even though there are three types of sensations, one realizes they are of a single nature. If one truly observes the three types of sensations, one will see only the single reality of arising and passing away. "Sukha vedanā is a condition for taṇhā (craving). Dukkha vedanā is a condition for dosa (aversion). Upekkhā vedanā is a condition for moha (delusion)." If one does not observe the sukha vedanā, craving follows it. If one does not observe the dukkha vedanā, aversion follows it. If one does not observe the upekkhā vedanā, delusion follows it. If craving follows sukha vedanā, one will not reach Nibbāna. If aversion follows dukkha vedanā, one will not reach Nibbāna. If delusion follows upekkhā vedanā, one will not reach Nibbāna. The Buddha did not say that following these leads to Nibbāna. Therefore, if one abandons craving following sukha vedanā, abandons aversion following dukkha vedanā, and abandons delusion following upekkhā vedanā, then one will surely reach Nibbāna. Instead of letting craving follow sukha vedanā, one must strive to make the Path (Magga) follow it. If the Path follows, one is on the road to Nibbāna. Similarly, one must strive to make the Path follow dukkha vedanā and upekkhā vedanā. If one does not observe sukha vedanā, the sequence "Vedanā paccayā taṇhā, Taṇhā paccayā upādānaṃ, Upādāna paccayā bhavo" (With sensation as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, becoming) spins on. If one does not observe dukkha vedanā, aversion, grief, etc., cause the cycle of dependent origination (paṭicca samuppāda) to revolve again from the end. These griefs and lamentations arise due to the defilement of ignorance (avijjā), so it turns back to "Avijjā paccayā saṅkhārā, Saṅkhāra paccayā viññāṇaṃ" (With ignorance as condition, volitional formations; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness). If one does not observe upekkhā, delusion arises. Since delusion is ignorance, it turns back to "Avijjā paccayā saṅkhārā, Saṅkhāra paccayā viññāṇaṃ." When these three sensations are combined, only a single truth remains: (arising and passing away) Dukkha sacca (the truth of suffering). ("Yaṃ kiñci vedayitaṃ, Sabbaṃ taṃ dukkhasmiṃ" - Whatever is felt, all that is suffering). Therefore, one must understand that the three types of sensations are merely the truth of suffering. There is no sensation that does not abandon its inherent nature. When dukkha vedanā ceases, it abandons its inherent nature of pain and ache. Abandoning its inherent nature is its dissolution. This dissolution is itself the truth of suffering. Therefore, the Venerable Mogok Sayadaw often taught to observe only the single reality of Dukkha sacca: "Don't observe sukha anymore, don't observe dukkha anymore, (don't observe upekkhā anymore). Observe only the one thing: 'vipariṇāma' - the dissolution, the 'oh, it's not there, it's not there'." One must watch whether the sensation abandons its inherent nature. While watching the pain, when it disappears and ceases, the nature of pain is abandoned, so the sensation as such no longer exists. One will see it as impermanence (anicca), as suffering through change (vipariṇāma dukkha), or as non-self (anatta). However one sees it, if one focuses on and observes the aspect of dissolution, that is sufficient. When dukkha vedanā abandons its nature of suffering, one will no longer find suffering. The Venerable Mogok Sayadaw advised, "Dukkha vedanā is aching, sore, hurting, pain... focus and observe that." When one focuses and observes, one no longer finds dukkha vedanā itself, but only sees its nature being abandoned. Even though one observes dukkha vedanā, during the observation one does not find dukkha vedanā but finds its absence. This absence is called impermanence (anicca). Because it arose and then ceased, it is called suffering (dukkha). Because it is ungovernable, it is called non-self (anatta). Because it abandoned its inherent nature, it is the nature of dissolution (vipariṇāma). It is only because the mind correctly aligns with the sensation that one can know the abandonment of its inherent nature. Therefore, the mind must be directed to where the sensation arises. The Venerable Mogok Sayadaw said, "You must see clearly, in one go, that it is born in this place and dies in this place." Only by looking with clear vision can one know whether the sensation is permanent or impermanent. Only by knowing its impermanence can one decide, "Oh, this is what is called anicca." The impermanence of sensation is itself its arising and passing away. The sensation is the arising and passing away; the observing mind behind it is the Path (Magga). One must simply make the mind align correctly. All sensations without exception culminate in arising and passing away. Whenever arising and passing away occurs ahead, the understanding mind must follow behind. Knowing the subsequent arising and passing away is knowing with the five path factors (maggaṅga). If, every time a sensation arises, the knowledge of arising-passing away and the Path coincide, then dependent origination (paṭicca samuppāda) is cut off. The lobha (craving), dosa (aversion), and moha (delusion) that normally follow sensations cannot come. Because the factors that would cause the cycle cannot come, dependent origination is cut off. The Path is the cutting factor. It is the substitution of the Path in the place where defilements would arise. Even if one sees only arising and passing away, merely seeing it is not yet complete. However, once one sees it, the insight has advanced considerably. Seeing it correctly is not easy. Once seen, one must continue observing until disenchantment (nibbidā) arises. While seeing arising and passing away, there are five path factors; when the knowledge of disenchantment enters, there are still only five path factors. They are not yet complete as eight. Arising is for the purpose of destruction. Therefore, both arising and ceasing are suffering. Arising is suffering because it is certain to cease. Ceasing is suffering because the arising has ended. Since the mind correctly sees arising and passing away as suffering, liking and affection for arising and passing away will fade. This arising knowledge of non-affection is called the knowledge of disenchantment (nibbidā ñāṇa). It still consists of five path factors. However, beneath these five path factors, the latent tendencies (anusaya kilesa) still lie dormant. If one can distinguish between the suffering of arising and the suffering of ceasing, then one will not like either arising or ceasing. There is nothing desirable about the suffering of arising or the suffering of ceasing. In the body, there is nothing but this suffering of arising and suffering of ceasing. One can conclude that all thirty-one realms are nothing but the suffering of arising and the suffering of ceasing. When one can decide with one's own insight, the understanding will arise: "I no longer desire this kind of suffering." As one practices, if the understanding of non-desire arises, then three additional path factors increase. As these three increase, the underlying latent tendencies (anusaya kilesā) lying beneath the path factors are expelled. With the increase of the three factors, the eight path factors become complete. When the eight path factors are complete, one truly becomes a Sotāpanna, a great Sotāpanna; the nominal designation changes. The gates to the four lower realms are closed and locked. All past unwholesome kamma leading to the lower realms is completely eradicated. Therefore, the most important thing is to practice until one can distinguish between the suffering of arising and the suffering of ceasing. The insight knowledge will advance through practice. Venerable Dr. Ashin Parami