Right Reflection (Yoniso Manasikāra)

"Yoniso Manasikāra" can be translated as Right Reflection or Proper Attention. In the field of Vipassanā (Insight Meditation), because the aggregates (khandhās) arise and pass away, if one reflects that this body is the impermanent (anicca) aggregate-body, then that is indeed Right Reflection. If you close your eyes and look within at your own body, for example, when a painful sensation arises, and you observe it with the wisdom that appears in your closed eyes, you will see that the sensation vanishes right where it appeared. The Venerable Mogok Sayadaw taught, "Arising here, ceasing here." Whether it is a mind, a material form, or a sensation that arises, if you observe it only with wisdom, you will see it disappearing right at the place of its arising. When you perceive in this way, you find no 'I', no 'he', no person, no being whatsoever in these aggregates. You only see them vanishing and ceasing. This is the direct realization of impermanence (anicca). Therefore, the Buddha taught, "Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā" – All conditioned things are impermanent. It is only because of Right Reflection that one comes to see and know impermanence. However, when one is attached to the body with notions like 'my mind', 'my body', 'my hand', 'my foot', 'I am in pain', 'I feel', 'I see', etc., there is no correctness of reflection yet. This is called Wrong Reflection. Wrong Reflection leads to clinging to views (diṭṭhi). The notion 'I' is diṭṭhi. Following diṭṭhi, clinging (upādāna) and kamma inevitably follow. As the Venerable Mogok Sayadaw said, "Diṭṭhi, diṭṭhupādāna, kamma governed by diṭṭhi – these follow, and thus, conditioned by kammic becoming (kammabhava), there is rebirth in the lower worlds (apāya jāti)." This is the consequence of Wrong Reflection. To give an example: because one reflects upon the impermanent, suffering-filled, non-self five aggregates as 'my daughter', one becomes overwhelmed with endless worries connected to that daughter. Lack of trust leads to anger (dosa); worry leads to sorrow (soka); anxieties lead to lamentation (parideva), tears, and crying; physical suffering (dukkha); mental suffering (domanassa); and burning anguish (upāyāsa) that prevents sleep – all these 'daughters' of suffering blaze up. In truth, the daughter is merely a collection of the nature of anicca, dukkha, and anatta. Because one has reflected, surpassing the reality, thinking 'my daughter', a great mass of suffering simply follows behind. Due to not knowing and reflecting wrongly, ignorance (avijjā) is also attached. Then, the cycle of dependent origination (paṭicca-samuppāda) starts turning: 'Avijjā paccayā saṅkhārā, saṅkhārā paccayā viññāṇaṃ' – with ignorance as condition, volitional formations; with volitional formations as condition, consciousness – all the way to rebirth-linking consciousness. Thus, people usually drown in existence due to Wrong Reflection. They find no peace because of a son, a daughter, a wife, a husband, or any connected person. This becomes almost like a law of nature. If one reflects wisely with Right Reflection, one sees they are merely collections of the phenomena of anicca, dukkha, and anatta. They are only subject to arising and passing away. Yet, even if one reflects correctly in this way, people often perceive it as being cruel. Therefore, even if they know the correct way of reflection, they often dare not reflect for fear of its perceived harshness. In truth, one should strive to be able to reflect that according to the nature of impermanent, conditioned phenomena (saṅkhāra dhamma), they simply arise when it's time to arise and cease when it's time to cease. It is not about abandoning one's children, wife, or husband. Out of duty, one must still care for them. One only needs to care for them with Dhamma understanding. Out of duty, one must still support them. One only needs to support them with Dhamma understanding. Out of duty, one must still provide them with food, clothing, and shelter. One only needs to provide for them with Dhamma understanding. While thus dutifully caring, supporting, and providing, if unexpected bad kamma intervenes and one becomes helpless, if one strives to live with Right Reflection, one can find relief from unbearable situations. One can find peace and live serenely, saving oneself from the terrible state of weeping, wailing, and rolling in grief. If one reflects with wisdom-led Dhamma understanding that these are merely phenomena of an impermanent nature, then the fires of sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair (soka, parideva, dukkha, domanassa, upāyāsa) that can lead to the lower worlds will be extinguished within one's own continuum. One will be free from them and find relief. Otherwise, the wounds from enduring these fires of anguish are not mild; they are severe. Not only do they burn intensely, but they are also fires that will push one towards the even more intensely burning lower worlds. Fire will only push one towards where there is fire. Furthermore, this does not mean leaving one's own possessions and wealth unguarded with the thought, "I don't own this, I don't possess this; let anyone who wants to use it, use it." In the world, ownership, by worldly convention, must exist. It is only necessary to infuse one's actions in the conventional realm (sammuti saccā) with Vipassanā wisdom. Although, in terms of ultimate reality (paramattha saccā), we say, "Not I, not mine, not a self, but mentality and materiality (nāma and rūpa)," one must also be wary of falling into the wrong view of, "Since it's not 'I', I won't do anything anymore." Based on Dhamma understanding, we must still work for worldly prosperity. We must still work to increase knowledge and skills. The reason for saying this is the danger of thoughts creeping in that besides Dhamma work, nothing else needs to be done. The true work for attaining Nibbāna is solely the work of the Path Factors (maggaṅga) and Vipassanā. This is correct. However, the Buddha did not teach that one should only do this one work. This means one must also work for sustenance. One must also work for clothing. One must also work for housing and healthcare. One must also work for development and progress. What is important is to know how to work with Right Reflection. It is true that one reaches Nibbāna through wisdom (paññā), not through kamma (deeds). However, one cannot neglect kammic activities. Works for worldly prosperity, welfare, development, and progress are kammic activities. Yet, one cannot deny that it is precisely because these kammic activities provide support that one can step onto the path of wisdom and its stages. Even the Buddha had to expend countless, limitless lives performing kammic activities to obtain the wisdom capable of attaining Buddhahood. Ultimately, although we say he became Buddha due to wisdom, the reason that he obtained that wisdom is also not devoid of the support provided by all the kamma he had performed. It is very frightening if an unchangeable, fixed view becomes established. It is crucial to practice Vipassanā correctly during the time for Vipassanā. During Vipassanā time, one must practice Vipassanā effectively, and during the time for education, business, and development, one must also strive to work by righteous means. Although business and development activities are part of the cycle of dependent origination (paṭicca-samuppāda), it is an obvious worldly truth that they cannot be neglected. Some people, after practicing Vipassanā, lose interest in any work other than Vipassanā. They start to view business as just for one life, one meal. They come to believe that education is unnecessary for attaining Nibbāna. I have often seen meditators (yogis) even view monks who are teaching and studying texts as engaged in empty, meaningless activity. A relative of this author, a lay devotee, once remarked to me, "What good is there in just studying texts? You should do meditation too!" I can understand that he said this because he wanted me to be a meditator. However, he seemed displeased with the work of studying, and worse, he held the view that it was useless work. Such views are views that will ruin both the beauty of the world and the Sāsana (Dispensation). It is only because the Sāsana has been preserved through the learning of Pariyatti (the scriptures) that it has survived without disappearing until today. If Pariyatti were abandoned and every monk only emphasized Vipassanā work, how could Vipassanā itself preserve the Sāsana? If teachings become distorted step by step, it becomes the duty of monks learned in Pariyatti to correct and preserve them. If learned monks disappear, then even the Vipassanā teachings could gradually become layered with errors and eventually turn into mere arbitrary Vipassanā. Therefore, it is paramount that each fulfills their own duty in their own domain. The Buddha also guidefully taught the two duties (dhura): Gantha-dhura (the duty of studying scriptures) and Vipassanā-dhura (the duty of meditation). Those on the side of Gantha-dhura must dutifully fulfill the task of teaching and learning. They must do it; it is essential. Those on the side of Vipassanā must also correctly practice their Vipassanā. Only then will the Sāsana prosper gloriously and last long, like a lotus in water. One side must not be neglected. Reflecting correctly in this way is also Yoniso Manasikāra. However, this is not for the domain of Vipassanā; it is only for the worldly domain. This is mentioned out of concern that views rejecting the worldly domain might become entrenched. Venerable Dr. Ashin Parami