A good moral conduct of the disciple, in thought, word
and deed, is the firm foundation, essential for the
practice of meditation. Otherwise, it is harmful and
could sear the mind of the one, who is not ready for
what it reveals. The foundation of meditation becomes
self-hypnosis, mechanical and useless. Our experience
and future will conform to our ugly little past. �Sila�
is that mood of mind, and volition, visible in our
thought, speech and bodily action. It is the noble
practice expounded by the Fully-Awakened-One. Organised
mass meditation on a single object too, tend to mislead
the group, and pave the way for mental disorders. Sooner
or later, the organisation puts bonds on the illusionary
self and conditions the mind. The Master left no room is
his dispensation for any kind of organisation, or for a
central authority and dispelled priestcraft.
Necessarily, meditation has to be oriented to one�s
inherent character. The erudite-toom �The Path of
Purification� or �Visuddhimagga�, of Ven. Buddhagosha is
a reliable source of guidance for the disciple when he
fails to find a teacher, well versed in the path. It
holds the essence of the teaching. One has to practise a
suitable meditation in keeping with his temperament. A
careful study of instructions indicated therein, is
necessary for this. The Master has given various
prescriptions, to suit the character traits of the
practitioner. It describes six major temperaments and
many minor ones. They are for those disposed of lust;
hate; stupidity, faith; intelligence; and for
discursiveness. As temperaments differ, so do the
subject of meditation. The book describes forty
techniques to cover every type of psychological need,
and every possible combination of type of individuals.
They are ten objects or �Kasinas�; ten objects or �Asubas�;
ten recollections or �Anussathi�; Four sublime states of
mind or �Brahma-Vihara�; four formless �Arupa� �Janas�;
one perception or �Ekasanna�; one analysis or �Vavathinana�;
The ten purities and mindfulness of the body are suited
for one of passionate disposition; The four sublime
states and colour �Kasina�s are for the irritable;
mindfulness on the �in and out� breathing for the
deluded and discursive; the first six recollections for
the faithful; for the intelligent, mindfulness on death
and peace, analysis of the four primary elements and the
perception that food impulsive; the remaining �kasina�
and formless �Janas� are suitable for all types of
temperaments. It is suitable for the practitioner to
employ �the stanza for loving kindness� coupled with the
four sublime states of mind or �Brahmavihara�, as a
preamble and aid for meditation.
Our thoughts, feelings emotions are followed,
accompanied or reflected by a breathing of similar
character and rhythm. Calm concentration on an
intellectual or spiritual subject attracts thought and
breath of like placidity. Profound concentration in
solving intricate problem, stills the breath. At moments
of spiritual illumination, with the transformation of
consciousness, the life energy of the individual too,
undergoes like transformation. Every thought, feeling or
emotion, whether simple, subtle, or complex, produces,
as a sequence, life energy of equal character. In deep
�Samadhi�, the pulse and the circulation of blood are
slowed down to almost cassation; perceptible breathing
ceases; and the practitioner experiences a feeling of
illumination or brightness, together with a thought-free
state of mind. When one draws-in a regular breath and at
the same time think of something definite, then a link
is formed between the mental plane of form, and the
material plane of illusion. That thought, the some
extent, then and there, becomes a thing. Thoughts are
things. So one has to be careful how he thinks and how
he meditates, for thoughts clothes themselves with life
energy. In meditation according to your thought form,
the act can be completed.
Whatever thoughts we send out to others, return to us in
good time, with compound interest. When we wish �May all
beings be happy and healthy, wholesome�, we should feel
it; mean it� and expect it to happen, now itself-at this
very moment. Feeling is fundamental. Emotion is superior
to will power. When we wish �May they become happy,
healthy and wholesome� then that thought will return to
us in the process in becoming. Those who practise
�Mettha� as described, do really experience a feeling of
well-being and wholesomeness, immediately after.
All meditation techniques incorporating breathing,
posture, and relaxation, affects the mental groups along
ones spinal cord. concentration and memory depends on
relaxation.
The mental groups along the spine are ruled by the
Formless-self, and the mind-made-self respectively. The
mind-made-self is active in trance, while the physical
body is inert. The mind-made-self encloses the physical
body within it and permeates the physical body, and
encloses the formless-self too. These refined selves are
linked with each other, by invisible vibrations, that
are carried to the mental groups.
The mind affects the sympathetic nervous system, which
is linked to the various plexus, or mental groups or
controlling stations. The solar plexus lying behind the
stomach is one of these. Mind-made-self is linked to the
physical body, through the solar plexus. The
mind-made-self is linked to the formless-self, through
glabella, between the eyes. These two refined bodies of
man function in the world-of-form or fourth dimension
and the world-of-non-form or fifth-dimension,
respectively.
Activated by the colour vibrations of our thoughts,
feelings and emotions, complexes, these mental groups
determines and capture identical cosmic rays for the
function of these illusory selves. The disciple has to
take into consideration these basic facts, for the
proper realisation of his non make-up and functions, as
reflected in the three realms i.e. the realm of desire,
the realm of form and the realm of non-form.
අව
අටවක
අමාවක
පුර අටවක
පසෙලාස්වක