Of rose-apples, Bodhis and the way to Nibbana

Ven. U. Vimalaramsi

Continued from last week

The Anapanasati Sutta gives the most profound meditation instructions available today. It includes the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness” and the “Seven Enlightenment Factors” and shows how they are fulfilled through the practice of “Mindfulness of Breathing”. This is done by attaining all of the meditation stages (jhanas). This sutta shows the direct way to practise “Tranquil Wisdom Meditation” and does not categorize meditation practices. Strangely, the current separation into various types of meditation like “fixed absorption concentration or access concentration” and “momentary concentration” meditation seems to occur only in the commentaries but never in the suttas. Thus, one must notice this and compare them with the suttas for their accuracy.

Meditation stages

From the attainment of the fourth jhana, three alternative lines of further development become possible. This sutta deals with only one of those, namely the attainment of all the material and immaterial jhanas (meditation stages), followed by the experience of the cessation of perception and feeling (nirodha samapatti in Pali) and finally the experience of Dependent Origination (Paticcasamuppada). In these attainments, the Buddha mentions four meditative stages that continue the mental unification established by the jhanas (meditation states).

These states described as “the liberation that are peaceful and immaterial”, are still mundane states. Distinguished from the material jhanas (meditation stages) by their deepening of the subtle mental observations, they are named after their own exalted stages: “the base of infinite space, the base of infinite consciousness, the base of nothingness, the base of neither-perception nor non-perception.” These states of consciousness are very attainable if one ardently and continually keeps their daily meditation practice going. As this is a gradual training, one first must learn to walk before they learn how to run. Thus, the beginning of the meditation practice is the basis for further development.

This is a straight and direct path towards liberation and the supramundane Nibbana. It does, however, require sustained meditative effort, applied to a simple object of meditation to watch, i.e., the breath, followed by the relaxation and expansion of mind which allows mind to become calm and clear without distractions.

When one practises the Anapanasati Sutta as a “Tranquil Wisdom Meditation”, they find that their creativity and intuition increase as their practice develops.

This forms the timeless and universal appeal of a true ‘Doctrine of Enlightenment’ (realising Dependent Origination and the Four Noble Truths) which has the depth and breadth, the simplicity and intelligence for providing the foundation and the framework of a living Dhamma for All.

One will sense the urgency of the fundamental “non-materialistic” problems and search for solutions that neither science nor the “religions of faith” can provide.

Final realisation

More important is the final realisation which comes through the method of “Tranquil Wisdom Meditation” that invokes experiencing the various meditation stages (jhanas) and seeing through direct knowledge, all of the twelve links of “Dependent Arising”. This means seeing and realising directly the second and third Noble Truths.

And when these two Noble Truths have been seen and realised directly, this implies that the First Noble Truth and the Fourth Noble Truth are seen and practised. This is because one can’t see the “Origin of Suffering” without first seeing the “Suffering” itself and suffering would not cease without practising the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

Thus, seeing and realising Dependent Origination, means that one sees and realises all of the Four Noble Truths, which is actually the true essence of Buddhist meditation.

The true aim of the Anapanasati Sutta is nothing less than final liberation from suffering which is the highest goal of the Buddha’s Teachings-Nibbana.

The practice of the Buddhist Path evolves in two distinct stages, a mundane (lokiya) or preparatory stage an a supramundane (lokuttara) or accomplished stage.

The mundane path is developed when the disciples undertake the gradual training in developing their virtues (continually keeping the precepts), tranquillity or deep composure of mind, and developing wisdom. This reaches its peak in the practice of “Tranquil Wisdom Meditation”, which deepens direct experience, and at the same time, shows one the three characteristics of all existence, as well as, all of the Noble Truths.

In short, there are two kinds of nibbana, one is the worldly or mundane type of nibbana and the other is the supramundane or unworldly type of nibbana. The mundane or worldly type of nibbana is attained every time the meditator lets go of an attachment or hindrance and relief arises along with a kind of happiness.

This type of nibbana will occur many times when one is seriously practising “Tranquil Wisdom Meditation”. The supramundane type of nibbana only occurs after the meditator sees and realises ‘Dependent Origination’ (Paticcasamuppada) both forwards and backwards. (This means realising the Four Noble Truths).

This supramundane nibbana takes time and effort to achieve. However, that does not mean that it is impossible for laymen and laywomen to attain it. With persistent daily practice and by taking an occasional meditation retreat with a competent teacher who understands how the “Tranquil Wisdom Meditation” works, even those who live active lives in the world can still achieve the highest goal of the Supramundane Nibbana.

It was mentioned in the Parinibbana Sutta, that during the time of the Buddha, many more laymen and laywomen became saints than the Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis when they practised on a regular basis. The common belief that one must be a ‘Bhikku’ or ‘Nun’ in order to reach this goal is just not true.

The exhortation of the Buddha was for all people who were interested in the correct path to ‘Ehipassiko’ (a Pali word meaning ‘come and see’). This is very good advice because it helps those who are interested, to get out of the judgmental, critical mind and honestly practise to see if this is, in fact, the right way.

Buddha’s path

Dependent Origination is the teaching which makes the Buddha’s path unique among all other types of meditation. During his period of struggle for enlightenment, Dependent Origination came as a marvellous and eye-opening discovery that ended his pursuit in the darkness: “Arising, arising-thus, Bhikkus, in regard to things unheard before there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, understanding and light”. (Samyutta Nikaya XII. 65/ii.105). Once enlightened, the mission of the Tathagata is to proclaim Dependent Origination (This means the Four Noble Truths). to the world (Samyutta Nikaya XII.25-6).

The Buddha taught this in discourse after discourse, so much so, that the Dependent Origination soon becomes the most essential and important teaching of all. When the Arahat Assaji was asked to state the Master’s message as precisely and as briefly as possible, he gave the doctrine of arising and ceasing of phenomena.

With a single sentence, the Buddha dispels doubt about the correctness of this summary: “He who sees Dependent Origination sees the Dhamma, he who sees the Dhamma sees Dependent Origination”. (Taken from the Middle Length Sayings (Majjhima Nikaya) Sutta 28 section 38). This means seeing and realising all of the Noble Truths. This is the only way!

When one’s faculties have gained a degree of maturity and they see the twelve links of ‘Dependent Origination’ clearly, the mundane path rises to the supramundane path because it leads directly and surely out of ‘Suffering’. One then realizes ‘The Origin of Suffering’, The Cessation of Suffering’, and ‘The Path Leading the Way Out of Suffering.’

There is another interesting sutta about seeing of the Four Noble Truths, found in the Digha Nikaya Sutta number 16, section 5.27. From this section of the Sutta, one concludes that the way to attain enlightment is by following the Eightfold Path and realizing the Noble Truths. It says:

“In whatever Dhamma and Discipline the Noble Eightfold Path is not found, no ascetic is found of the first grade (meaning a sotapanna), second grade (meaning sakadagami), third grade (meaning anagami), or fourth grade (meaning an arahat). But such ascetics can be found, of the first, second, third and fourth grade in a Dhamma and Discipline where the Noble Eightfold Path is found. Now, Subhadda, in this Dhamma and discipline the Noble Eightfold Path is found, and in it are to be found ascetics of the first, second, third and fourth grade. Those other schools are devoid of (true) ascetics; but if in this one the Bhikkhus were to live to perfection, the world would not lack for Arahats.

Mind opens when it sees and realizes these twelve links of Dependent Origination directly. As a result, mind becomes dispassionate and free. This is as true now in present times, as it was 2500 years ago. Any teaching that doesn’t highlight the necessity of the Dependent Origination as its realization and final goal or destination, isn’t teaching the true path. Currently, many people say that seeing impermanence, suffering, and not self is realizing nibbana. However, one must note that although these characteristics do lead the way to realizing nibbana and are very important to develop, they don’t directly allow one to see the supramundane state of Nibbana.

The meditator can see, one or all of the three characteristics of existence, i.e. impermanence, suffering and not-self, without directly seeing Dependent Origination, but, when one sees Dependent Origination directly he will always see all the three characteristics. According to the first Sutta in the Maha Vagga of the Vinaya, it cannot work any other way. concluded