Contemplation of the state of mind

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

"The moment a student becomes aware and mindful of the state of anger in his mind, that is the moment he “sees” his anger. Then he faces the choice of whether to act out the anger or abandon it."

Let me discuss the third aspect of mindfulness with regard to our minds. It is called the contemplation of the state of mind (chittanupassana). Rahula notes that meditators should be fully aware of their minds whether they are passionate or detached, whether they are overpowered by hatred, ill-will, jealousy, or are full of love and compassion; whether their minds are deluded or have a clear and right understanding of their feelings. Generally, people are more accustomed to looking at other people’s attitude and behaviour, rather than their own mind. In mediation, it helps to have a humble attitude: this helps one to observe one’s own mind dispassionately. One should make the effort to correct one’s false views, as if looking in a mirror.

When feelings come into awareness, the meditator should not cling the them because they are pleasant nor avoid them because they are unpleasant. There should be no attitude of criticizing or judging between right and wrong, or good and bad. One should simply observe, watch, examine and, most importantly, let go of them. In doing so, one is a not a judge, but should be like a scientist. When people observe their own mind, they can start to see its true nature clearly; a thought and feeling arises, persists and disbands, and another thought comes and follows the same process. By observing this arising and passing away, one is no longer deluded into thinking that thoughts are permanent. When they see the true nature of the mind, they may become dispassionate with regard to their emotions and thoughts. Thus they may become more detached and free, further able to regard feelings and sensations as impermanent.

Students who are under acute stress due to overpowering anger and hatred are, paradoxically, often not self-reflexively really aware that they are angry. The moment a student becomes aware and mindful of the state of anger in his mind, that is the moment he “sees” his anger. Then he faces the choice of whether to act out the anger or abandon it. For example, in general when people way ‘I am angry’ or I got angry’, that means they have identified themselves with the state of anger. They did not pause to check out their anger, its origin, its legitimacy and its consequence. What one should do is to become fully aware of one’s feelings such as anger or hatred just as they arise, and should examine their nature, how they arise, how they disappear, rather than enacting the feelings. Here again it should be remembered that he should not think ‘I am angry’, or of ‘my anger’. He should only be aware and mindful of the state of an angry mind. He is only observing and examining an angry mind objectively. This should be the attitude with regard to all emotions or states of mind. And when one gets used to this practice in daily life, one can feel a peaceful state of mind not occupied with unwholesome thoughts.