Part 03:

Virtues of a noble life

Battaramulla
Siri Sudassanarama
sadaham senasuna
Ven. Dr. Mirisse Dhammika thero
 

It is important to have a favourable environment for bhavana both internally and externally to achieve progress. As the initial step of bhavana. One has to prepare ones mind by establishing certain virtues. It gives self confidence to the participant who feels strength and energy through the purity of mind, body and word. The preservation of the purity of mind, body and word is achieved by keeping eight virtues that are known as “agievaashtaka sila” . It means the virtues of a noble life.

When one observes the above virtues, one’s mind achieves a high degree of purity and begins to feel the joy. That is the most favourable state to commence bhavana.

Bhavana for the Mind Full of Lust

When one’s mind is dominated by lust, one may find it difficult to control the mind. This mind craves and chases after sensual desire for satisfaction and gets trapped into any object of lust. It tends to think that this object is more attractive than the previous one and so on leading to confusion.

There is a high degree of anticipation towards the association with objects of opposite sex. In such a mind, thoughts of lust and craving surface faster and suppress thoughts of loving kindness and mettha. Thus, for individuals with a lustful mind there are two methods of bhavana.
1. Bhavana on ten objects of impurity
2. Bhavana on body parts

Bhavana on Objects of Impurity

In this method, various stages of the dead body serve as Bhavana objects. Samadhi (concentration) is achieved by focusing the mind on these objects. The details of this are to follow in a later segment of this brochure.

Kayaggatha Sati Bhavana
(meditation on body parts)

The Buddha described the body in 32 different parts. By focusing the mind on all these 32 body parts gradually, one can develop Samadhi according to the Teaching. Following are the 32 parts as indicated in the Pali Cannon.