Theravada Buddhist Bavana Practice

by David Tin Win

tinwin@au.edu

Mail Box 184, Faculty of Science and Technology, Assumption University, Bangkok 10240, Thailand.

[This document may be copied, forwarded or distributed with proper acknowledgement]

1. Introduction

            Of the three aspects Dana, Sila and Bavana of Theravada Practice, Bavana or meditation is mentioned here. But interpretation of the word meditation would depend on previous experience or religious background. To a Christian it might mean focusing on Christ or Mary, or their good qualities. To a Muslim it might be concentrated thoughts connected to Allah.

            Even among the same religion, meditation could be interpreted differently. For example in Theravada Buddhism, it would mostly be thought of as sitting cross-legged, motionless for hours on end and watching the mind. But there are many other forms of meditation where such motionless sitting is not mandatory. Hence an alternative word instead of meditation will be more appropriate. The word Bavana Practice is used here.  

2. Two Major Forms 

            There are two forms of Theravada Buddhist Bavana Practice: Samatha or Calm Practice and Vipassana or Insight Practice. The former focuses on solving daily stresses of living, it is a temporary suppression of life’s stresses. The latter focuses on complete permanent eradication of life stresses. It does this by developing the realization that the ultimate components in nature are the following four: mind (citta), mind characteristics (cetasika), body (rupa) and nibbana. Citta and cetasika are collectively called nama.

2.1 Samatha or Calm Practice

            The result of this practice is relief from daily life’s stresses. It is a temporary measure. The daily stresses have to be dealt with over and over again. The main practice is to tame the mind that is never still, and make it calm. Mind you, the idea is to make the mind calm, not still – you can never make the mind still. Focusing and fixing attention on a certain thing or idea (such as a flame, piece of earth, Buddha attributes) is the basic concept in all the various samatha practices.

            Being constantly bombarded by stimuli, the untamed mind endlessly jumps here and there. It is not focused and is excited or agitated most of the time. Agitation is the effect caused by stimuli. The effect (agitation, excitation) can be controlled but the mind cannot be stilled. Controlling the effect gives a calm mind.

            Consider a lake or sea with choppy waters, no image can be seen on the fragmented surface. Images can be observed on the surface only when the water is calm. The excited, agitated mind is like choppy waters and the practiced mind* is like calm waters (not stilled waters). The latter is focused and can experience things that are normally unseen – the so called supernatural phenomena. But this is only the secondary effect.

            The primary effect is that, at each impact of external stimuli on the six internal sensors (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind), the mind knows the presence of attachment (loba), aversion (dosa) and delusion (moha). This knowledge allows controlled responses - without loba, dosa or moha. It is the means to a smooth peaceful life. But stress will come in and disturb the peace every time one’s knowledge slips and uncontrolled response takes over. Constant awareness brought about by Samadhi is essential.

2.2 Vipassana or Insight Practice

            The result of this practice is complete permanent eradication of life’s stresses. Technically it is called attainment of Nibbana. The practice is to observe and gain insight, or first hand knowledge, of the real nature of existence. The following are the two characteristics of existence.

(1) Existence is a combination of nama and rupa. Nama is the energy aggregate or functional component, consisting of the mind together with its characteristics (nama = citta + cetasika). Rupa is the material aggregate or the physical body. 

(2) Both nama and rupa are impermanent (anicca), stressful (dukkha) and soulless (anatta). Based on the inter-convertibility of energy and mass, as described by Einstein’s equation E=mc2, the wave-particle dualism of quantum mechanics says wave (energy component) and particle (mass component) is the same stuff with different emphasis. Since wave-particle pair and nama-rupa pair, are both energy-mass pairs, nama and rupa too is probably the same stuff with different emphasis.

      Rupa and nama appear and disappear together as pairs. For example take a single sound, say a gong being struck once. The sound striking the ear is the rupa component. Knowing the sound being heard or consciousness of the sound is the nama component. The sound and the consciousness, the rupa-nama pair, rise and decay together.

      Rapid, continuous appearance and disappearance cycles of these nama-rupa pairs give a sense of continuity of life – samuti life or life as we know it. In reality, we are constantly and rapidly undergoing life and death cycles at every instant – paramatta life or real life.

      Hence nama-rupa pairs are impermanent (anicca). They cannot exist forever, as we like it to. Although we do not like it to change, they do change nevertheless, and are therefore stressful (dukkha). There is no entity, or soul, which cause these rise and decay of nama-rupa. Thus the nature of the nama-rupa cycles is impermanence, stressful and soulless.

      There are two major types of Vipassana Practice: Observation and Contemplation. The former constantly observes activities or phenomena connected to nama, rupa or both. This develops insight. The latter repeatedly contemplates the insight characteristics of nama, rupa or both and develops insight. Currently, practices that observe items connected to activities in daily routines are being promoted. Vinanna Ahara Practice or watching consciousness of various stimuli in daily routines and Citta Nupassana or watching the mind responses to various stimuli in daily routines, are examples of such practices.

2.3 Pre-requisites

            First minimizing or getting rid of physical and mental stress is absolutely necessary for Vipassana Bavana progress. If there is physical pain from sitting too long in a certain posture, shift to a comfortable position by all means. Do not suffer. Otherwise it becomes an obstruction. Sticking to a fixed posture is mandatory only in Samatha Practice.

A serious misconception concerning Vipassana Practice is that sitting still in a cross-legged position for hours is mandatory. Buddha did not insist sitting for a long time or a short time. In fact he did not specify any definite posture. What is important is to develop knowledge to gain insight, the true nature of nama-rupa, not the posture. The exercise is to develop insight not endurance.

Mental stress can usually be anger, greed or hatred. Hatred is especially dangerous as most people find it difficult to “Forgive and Forget”. The hatred becomes a burden, a heavy   load - an obstacle. Ignoring suppresses, but does not get rid of the mental stress. To really get rid of the mental stress, face it squarely and live through the incident again. But this time watch the “scence” as a spectator. Do not get involved and work up your anger and hatred. Watch the “movie”. Keep watching and the mental stress will get fainter and fainter, until it is eradicated. Of course, it may take more than one session to do it.

            Second a spiritual base on which to build Bavana Practice is needed. The four “Life-guarding” Practices: Buddha Nusati (reflecting on Buddha attributes), Metta Kamathana (transmitting “metta” or goodwill), Marana Sati (reflecting on the certainty of death), and Asuba Kamathana (reflecting on various decay stages of corpses) make up the base, which is like fertilizer for the Bavana vegetation. It is also conducive to avoiding evil and doing good, two of the three fundamental factors present in all of Buddha’s sermons. The third fundamental factor is to keep the mind pure. It is achieved by minimizing one’s involvement in various matters, which in reality are mostly beyond your control, and does not require your involvement.

3. Conclusion

Samatha and Vipassana practices are the two major methods of Thervada Buddhist Bavana Practice. The former gives temporary relief from life stresses, by developing proper responses, without attachment, aversion or delusion, to external stimuli. The latter develops insight that gives complete and permanent eradication of life’s stresses. Observation and contemplation techniques are available. Practices, such as Vinanna Ahara Practice and Citta Nupassana that observe items connected to activities in daily routines are being currently promoted.

Create a physically and mentally stress-less condition. Build a spiritual base, using all or some of the four “Life-guarding” Practices. Do not waste time with unnecessary things, minimize your involvement in such things. Start Bavana Practice!

Bibilography.

1. Nidana-wagga-thanyoke, Chatta Sangha Yana (Sixth Buddhist Synod),

    MyanmarTranslation. p 309,311.

2. Ledi Sayadaw, Ahara Dipani and Sila-wi-nissaya, Sudhammawadi Press,

    Yangon.1317 BE.

3. David Tin Win, “Life and Death – A Scientist’s View” private circulation.

    Available on request. Revised 2002.