MEDITATION ON SATIPATTHANA SUTTA by Ven' Thich Nu Gioi Huong presented at the class of Religious dep

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MEDITATION ON SATIPATTHANA SUTTA byVen.
Thich Nu Gioi Huong (presented at the class of
Religious department in UW-M on Nov 1, 2007)
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Contents

• I . Meditation.
• II . Categories of Meditation.
• III. The Role Of Meditation On Four
• Establishments Of Mindfulness
• IV. The Purpose Of Satipatthana Sutta
• V . How To Practice It? - Techniques

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I. MEDITATION

• The term meditation (Jhâna) often implies deep
  concentration or contemplation,
• The Jhâna or absorption factors consist of
  applied thought, sustained thought, rapture,
  bliss and one-pointedness. These factors arise
  when mental hindrances such as sensual desire,
  aversion, sloth and torpor, restlessness and
  doubts are transferred.

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• The purpose of meditation is to purify the mind
  of the defiling tendencies of greed, hatred and
  delusion. The mind that is undeveloped and
  untrained has an unsteady nature and is easily
  distracted. It tends to dwell in the past and
  future, promoting craving and aversion. This
  leads to sorrow, fear, worry and anxiety which
  affect the well-being of the individual.

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• In order to maintain peace and harmony within, it
  is important to learn how to focus the mind in
  the present - the here and now. The present is
  nothing but the past merging into the future.
  This is what we call change. So, if one is able
  to keep ones mind in the present, it will enable
  one to realize change at a deeper, experiential
  level.

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II. CATEGORIES OF MEDITATION

• The whole system of Buddhist meditation can be
  classified into two aspects
• Samatha meditation refers to the development of
  calmness and tranquility, stopping.
• Vipassanâ is the development of insight,
  observation, which leads to detachment and
  liberation. This practice centres on
  contemplation of the three characteristics of
  existence impermanence (Aniccâ),
  unsatisfactoriness (Dukkhâ) and non-self
  (Anattâ).

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• The practice Four Establishments of Mindfulness
  (or Satipatthâna meditation on Satipatthana
  Sutta) provides the basis for the development of
  stopping (concentration) and looking deeply
  (observance) means both Samatha and Vipassanâ.
• SATIPATTHANA SUTTA
• Satipatthana Sutta (a discourse on the
  Establishments of Mindfulness) is the Tenth
  discourse of the Middle Length Collection
  (Majjima Nikaya) and the Twenty-two discourse of
  the Long Discourse Collection (Digha Nikaya)

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• The Buddhist Pali term Satipatthâna refers to the
  establishment of mindfulness. Here, Sati or
  mindfulness is explained as objective awareness
  or bare attention. With it, one merely watches or
  observes the processes at work without getting
  involved with the reasoning, speculation and
  intellectual activity.

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• The Four Foundations of Mindfulness referred to
  in the Satipatthâna Sutta consist of
• The Contemplation of the Body (Kâyânupassana)
• The Contemplation of Feeling (Vedanânupassana)
• The Contemplation of Consciousness
  (Cittânupassana)
• The Contemplation of Mental Objects
  (Dhammânupassana)

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• In Northern tradition, the Satipatthana Sutta may
  be not considered important and in some case, are
  not even available for study. However, in
  Southern tradition, the Satipatthana Sutta still
  regarded as the most important texts on mediation
  which was taught by the Buddha. And it is the
  fundamental meditation was studied and practiced
  at the time of Buddha.

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• If we understand the essence of this sutta, we
  will have a deeper vision and more comprehensive
  grasp of the scriptures classified as Mahayana,
  just as after we see the roots and the trunk of a
  tree, we can appreciate its leave and branches
  more deeply. As we know the spirit of this sutta
  is very much present and observable in Mahayana
  meditation sutras. And we hope this text will
  again be put into wide circulation in the
  Northern traditions of Buddhism.

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III. THE ROLE OF MEDITATION ON FOUR
ESTABLISHMENTS OF MINDFULNESS

• To understand the role of meditation and more
  specifically, the practice Four Establishments of
  mindfulness (or Satipatthâna meditation) in the
  context of Buddhist philosophy, let us examine
  the basic teachings which are contained in the
  Four Noble Truths namely the Noble Truth of
  suffering (Dukkha), its cause, its cessation,
  and the Path which leads to the cessation of
  Dukkha.

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• 1. The First Noble Truth is the Truth of Dukkha
  which is suffering. All beings are subject to
  birth, old age, sickness and death. Also,
  separation from loved ones or pleasant
  conditions, association with unpleasant persons
  or conditions and not getting what one desires,
  the over cover of 5 aggregates of cling (form,
  feeling, perception, mental formations and
  consciousness). These are also sources of
  suffering and unsatisfactoriness.

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• 2. The Second Noble Truth explains the cause of
  suffering, that is, craving (Tanha).
• 3. The Third Noble Truth points to the cessation
  of suffering.
• 4. The Fourth Noble Truth explains the path which
  leads to the cessation of suffering. It is called
  the Noble Eightfold Path, which avoids the
  extremes of self-indulgence and
  self-mortification, as follows

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• Eight Path Factors Three Stages of Training
• Right Understanding wisdom or Pañña
• Right Thoughts
• Right Speech morality, good conduct or Sila
• Right Action
• Right Livelihood
• Right Effort mental culture, meditation
• Right Mindfulness or Samadhi
• Right Concentration

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• The Eight Path Factors are aimed at reducing and
  eliminating the habitual tendencies of greed,
  hatred and delusion at three levels
• The level of transgression through unskillful
  speech and bodily actions.
• The level of manifestation through unskillful
  thoughts.
• The latent tendencies which can only be overcome
  through the development of insight and wisdom.

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• Mindfulness is essential at each of these three
  levels of purification. It plays a key-role in
  correcting any unskillful habits by way of
  thought, speech and bodily actions. Buddhist
  meditation (development of mindfulness) is
  contained in the Satipatthâna Sutta which many
  Buddhists learn by heart and give them their
  great attention as well as gain great successful
  in transferring these negative elements.

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1. THE CONTEMPLATION OF THE BODY

• The Four Foundations of Mindfulness referred to
  in the Satipatthâna Sutta consist of 4
  contemplations. The first is
• The contemplation of the Body (Kâyânupassana)
  as following
• 1. Mindfulness of in/out breath,
  slow/fast, shallow/deep, rough/smooth
  (Ânâpânasati)
• 2. Postures of body (going, walking,
  standing, sitting, lying,)

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• 3. Activities (going forward or back, looking
  straight on or away Our Zen Master Thich Nhat
  Hanh in book Present Moment, Wonderful Moment
  taught our activities such as waking up, Taking
  the first step of the day, opening the window,
  looking in the mirror using the toilet, turning
  on the water, washing your hands, brushing your
  teeth, bathing, looking at your hand, washing
  your feet, getting the dressed, inviting the bell
  to sound, hearing the bell, entering the
  mediation room, sitting down, lighting a candle,
  offering a candle, offering incense, praising
  Buddha, finding a stable sitting position,
  adjusting meditation posture, opening the sutra,
  closing the sutra, following the breath,

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• 3. Activities (cont.)
• hugging meditation, greeting someone,
  cleaning the meditation room, sweeping, cleaning
  the bathroom, looking at your empty bowl, serving
  food, contemplating your food, beginning to eat,
  finishing your meal, washing the dishes, drinking
  tea, walking meditation gardening, planting
  trees, watering garden, cutting a flower,
  arranging flower, washing vegetables, throwing
  out the garbage, smiling at your anger, using the
  telephone, turning on the television, driving the
  car, turning on the light

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• 4. Impurities (i.e. the 32 parts of the
  body hair of the head, hair of the body, nails,
  teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow,
  kidney, heart, liver, midriff, spleen, lungs,
  intestines, mesentery, gorge, faeces, bile,
  phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease,
  saliva, nasal mucus, synovial fluid, urine)
• 5. Material elements (earth, water, fire
  and wind)

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• 6. Nine Cemetery of Contemplations (body
  in the grave goes through these 9 steps )
• 1- swollen, blue festering
• 2- a being eaten by crows, hawks,
  vultures, dogs, worms
• 3- a skeleton with some flesh and blood
  attached to it, held together by the tendons
• 4- a skeleton blood-besmeared and
  without flesh, held together by the tendons
• 5- a skeleton without flesh and blood,
  held together by the tendons
• 6- disconnected bones, scattered in all
  directions here a bone of the hand, there a bone
  of the foot, a shin bone, a thigh bone, the
  pelvis, spine and skull
• 7 - bleached bones of conchlike color
• 8 - bones, more than a year-old, lying
  in a heap
• 9 - bones gone rotten and become dust,
  he then applies this perception to his own body
  thus "Verily, also my own body is of the same
  nature such it will become and will not escape
  it)

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• The practice of contemplation of the body is
  aimed at seeing the true nature of the body and
  to eliminate the false notion of beauty,
  thereby bringing about a transformation of our
  habitual attitude and reduce the tendencies of
  attachment to the body.
• Breathing is a means of awakening and
  maintaining full attention in order to look
  careful, long and deeply, see the nature of all
  things and arrive at liberation.

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2. THE CONTEMPLATION OF THE FEELING

• The contemplation of Feeling (Vedanânupassana)
  involves the mindful observation of
• 1. Pleasant
• 2. Unpleasant
• 3. Neither pleasant nor unpleasant
  sensations.
• Our habitual tendency throughout life (samsaric
  existence) is such that we take delight and cling
  onto pleasant sensations, react with aversion to
  unpleasant sensations, and ignore neutral
  sensations. The practice of mindfulness on
  feelings enables one to experience and realise
  the fleeting nature of our sensations and develop
  greater equanimity, thereby reducing our
  reactions to sensations with greed, aversion and
  ignorance.

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3. THE CONTEMPLATION OF CONSCIOUSNESS

• Mind is composed of two things
  consciousness and mental factors (contact,
  feeling, perception, attention, like, dislike).
  While consciousness is defined as the awareness
  of an object. This awareness is not like
  awareness in the practice of meditation. It is
  like I am aware of something bad or good.
• The Contemplation of consciousness
  (Cittânupassana) involves the mindful observation
  of our mental states or thoughts. It enables us
  to observe and experience the different levels of
  concentration as well as those mental states
  tainted by lust, hatred and ignorance. We also
  become aware of the wholesome and positive mental
  states. Seeing the transient nature of the mind,
  we will begin to let go of thoughts - whether
  positive or negative -until the mind becomes more
  and more empty and silent.

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4. THE CONTEMPLATION OF MENTAL OBJECTS

• The Contemplation of Mental Objects
  (Dhammânupassana) involves the mindful
  observation of the mind and body at work. Our
  contemplations are directed upon the following
• The 5 mental hindrances (sensual desires, anger,
  sloth and torpor, restlessness and doubts)
• The 5 aggregates of cling (form, feeling,
  perception, mental formations and consciousness)
• The 6 internal and the six external sense-Bases
  (eyes and visual form, ears and sounds, nose and
  smells, tongue and flavor, body and tactual
  objects, the mind and mental objectss)
• The 7 Factors of Enlightenment (mindfulness, the
  investigation of mental objects, energy, joy,
  tranquility, concentration and equanimity)
• The 4 Noble Truths (the noble truth of dukkha,
  its cause, its cessation, and the Path which
  leads to the cessation of dukkha).

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IV. THE PURPOSE OF SATIPATTHANA SUTTA

• It is divided into four Four Establishments
  of mindfulness (on body, feeling, consciousness
  and mental objects), in reality they are one,
  because all four are all objects of the mind.The
  practice of Mindfulness on these different
  objects of the mind in a calm, clear and steady
  mind leads to the development of insight and
  wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to penetrate and
  realise the characteristics of existence in terms
  of change or impermanence (Aniccâ), sorrow or
  unsatisfactoriness (Dukkhâ) and non-self
  (Anattâ). This development of insight leads to
  detachment and liberation.
• Meditation or mental culture therefore
  involves the development and purification of the
  mind. This leads to calmness and insight,
  enabling one to confront and to overcome
  problems, difficulties and the unsatisfactoriness
  of life.
• The inner peace and blissful contentment
  which one experiences through mental culture does
  not depend on material things. It does not depend
  on personal relationships such as parents,
  teachers, spouses, children or friends. Neither
  does it depend on wealth, fame, status and power.
  The enjoyment and happiness derived through these
  worldly ways is of a fleeting nature. They come
  and go. The things which bring happiness in one
  moment may also bring sorrow in the next.

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• Thich Nhat Hanh said to meditate is to be
  aware of what is going on in our bodies, our
  feelings, our minds and in the world. When we
  settle into the present moment, we can see
  beauties and wonders right before our eyes, a
  newborn baby, the sun rising in the sky. We can
  be very happy just by being aware of what is
  front of us. We can live our entire lives in
  awareness. This help us very much, it helps
  others as well. We find that we have more peace,
  calm and joy, which we can share with others.
• Today many people from all over the world,
  irrespective of their race, religions and creeds,
  have become aware of the benefits, to be gained
  through meditation.

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• The immediate purpose of meditation is to
  help the individual to control the mind and train
  it to bring inner peace to the individual who
  practises it. In this way, a great deal of mental
  energy can be concentrated and thus make the mind
  capable of harnessing great power, so that the
  mind can be used effectively and efficiently in
  our daily life.
• The ultimate aim of meditation is to seek
  release from the wheel of Samsara the cycle of
  birth and death.
• Meditation is the benevolent force to make
  this world a truly beautiful and peaceful place
  to live in

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OPEN INVITATION

• Meditation need not be given any religious
  labels. Anyone can practice it. If the mind is
  ready, it can be trained and made use of for good
  purposes.

PRACTICE NOT THEORY
What is important is not the theory, views,
opinions or concepts about meditation, but to
have the patience to strive on diligently with
the practice of meditation. Depending on our
experience, we can enter meditation deeply or
superficially. The Buddha did not intend to
generate new theories or to confuse the minds of
those new to the practice, so he used simple
terms like impurity, impermanence, disappearance
of desire, hated, cessation and letting go but
which also includes the concepts of non-self,
emptiness, interbeing, signlessness and
aimlessness. That is why it is so important
to practice observing deeply that which lights
our path and lead to emancipation.
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V. HOW TO PRACTICE IT - TECHNIQUESa. MINDFULNESS
OF BREATHING

• After having chosen our time and place and
  having adopted the posture most suitable, we are
  ready to begin. Breathe calmly and naturally, and
  while breathing, be fully aware of your breathe.
  Acknowledge this process thus
• Breathing in/out, we are feeling we are
  breathing in/out
• Breathing in/out, we are knowing we are
  breathing in/out
• While are breathe, we feel, then we know
• Feeling means we feel the breath long and
  short
• Knowing means we are aware of the breath
  rising or falling, rough or smooth, slow or fast.
• If too many ideas or other distractions arise
  and disturb our concentration, then we may try
  counting your breath movements
• Breathing in 1 Breathing out 2
• As the concentration increases, drop the
  counting and acknowledge the breath. Try to fix
  your attention at the point on the nostril where
  the air makes contact with the body.
• Breath may become deep or shallow, slow or
  quick, following natural tendencies. Keep the
  body erect and motionless while being mentally
  alert be keenly observant and as motionless as
  possible. As we gain mastery over this exercise,
  the body becomes relaxed and we will be very
  peaceful and undisturbed by events either within
  the mind or from outside

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• As the concentration increases, drop the
  counting and acknowledge the breath. Try to fix
  your attention at the point on the nostril where
  the air makes contact with the body.
• Breath may become deep or shallow, slow or
  quick, following natural tendencies. Keep the
  body erect and motionless while being mentally
  alert be keenly observant and as motionless as
  possible. As we gain mastery over this exercise,
  the body becomes relaxed and we will be very
  peaceful and undisturbed by events either within
  the mind or from outside
• While doing this exercise, we should forget
  daily affairs of all kinds and should not even be
  conscious of yourself. Only be aware of the
  breathing process. Just mentally note the inflow
  and outflow of the breath as it occurs. Early
  morning is a good time for this exercise.

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• As the concentration increases, drop the
  counting and acknowledge the breath. Try to fix
  your attention at the point on the nostril where
  the air makes contact with the body.
• Breath may become deep or shallow, slow or
  quick, following natural tendencies. Keep the
  body erect and motionless while being mentally
  alert be keenly observant and as motionless as
  possible. As we gain mastery over this exercise,
  the body becomes relaxed and we will be very
  peaceful and undisturbed by events either within
  the mind or from outside
• While doing this exercise, we should forget
  daily affairs of all kinds and should not even be
  conscious of yourself. Only be aware of the
  breathing process. Just mentally note the inflow
  and outflow of the breath as it occurs. Early
  morning is a good time for this exercise.

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b. TECHNIQUE IN SITTING MEDITATION

• To prepare for sitting meditation, let the
  body and the mind relax as much as possible.
  Maintain the body in a well-balanced posture. Do
  not change the posture abruptly or unmindfully
  during the sitting.
• Sit alone and observe the changing conditions
  of the mind. The task is only a matter of
  observing the changing states. Do not fight with
  the mind, or avoid it, or to try to control it.
  Simply look at the mind objectively and try to
  see it as it is. When the mind is in a state of
  lust, be aware that this is so. Observe when the
  mind is in a state if hatred or when it is free
  from hatred. Observe the concentrated mind and
  the scattered mind. Note whatever emotions,
  images, feelings and sensations come to us.
  Observe all the changing conditions without
  identifying ourselves with them. The task is to
  turn our attention away from the world and focus
  it on itself the mind observing the mind to
  discover its own nature. This is hardly an easy
  task, but it can be done.

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• Watch ourselves every day, constantly.
• Watch ourselves be mindful, be alert.
• It is not mandatory to sit in a certain
  position. The important is to focus on breathing
  in and out. Focusing in one thing help us to
  relax and find peace within ourselves.
• Outwardly, stop all involvement.
• Inwardly, stop all fabrication.
• Be alert by the sound we hear.
• Be alert by the ordor we smell.
• Be alert by the flavour we taste.
• The more we let go
• The more we abandon
• The more we get out of the way
• The happier we are
• This is a teaching of something very
  profound and deep.
• Sit in this way for 10 minustes, 20 or 30
  minustes. After slowly stand up and take a few
  steps, walking with the same awareness as when we
  were sitting.

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c. TECHNIQUE IN WALKING MEDITATION

• Walking practice begins with standing on the
  spot. The standing posture should be an erect
  body with heels together. Keep the eyes straight
  forward, neither up nor down. Maintain this
  posture for the whole of the walking practice.
• While standing, be aware of standing
  acknowledge we are standing by saying in the
  mind Standing, standing, standing.
• Then move the walking foot. Acknowledge the
  lifting of the right foot by saying in the mind
  Lifting, lifting, lifting.
• Push the foot forward and acknowledge
  mentally Going, going, going.
• Lower the foot, set it on the ground and
  mentally acknowledge Dropping, dropping,
  dropping.

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• The walking exercise consists of three
  phases Lifting, Going and Dropping. Acknowledge
  each phase as we walk mindfully, concentrating on
  the movements of the walking process until you
  reach the end of our allotted walking space.
• If any feelings, thoughts, sounds,
  disturbands etc. arise, we must acknowledge them
  as them come up. If you hear a sound, say
  Hearing, hearing, hearing. If some thoughts
  enter your mind, acknowledge by saying Thinking,
  thinking, thinking. After acknowledgement, turn
  your attention back to the walking exercise. Do
  not resist the disturbance, because then we will
  be concentrating on the resistance and forget the
  object of meditation.

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d. TECHNIQUE IN DRIVING MEDITATION

• When we do walking meditation, the point
  is not to get somewhere, but rather to practice,
  using walking as the object of our attention.
  Even when we do have to get somewhere and must
  drive to do so, there is an opportunity for
  practice.
• Before starting the car, I know where I am
  going. The car and I are one. If the car goes
  fast, I go fast.
• If we are mindful when we start our car, we
  will know how to use it properly. When we are
  driving, we tend to think of arriving, and we
  sacrifice the journey for the sake of the
  arrival. But life is to be found in the present
  moment, not in the future. Life can be found only
  in the present moment. Therefore, each mile we
  drive, each step we take, has to bring us into
  the present moment. This is the practice and
  maintain of mindfulness in a busy work
  environment.

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• When we see a red light or a stop sign, we can
  smile at it and thank it, because it is a
  bodhisattva helping us return to the present
  moment. The red light is a bell of mindfulness.
  We know the red light is our friend, helping us
  resist rushing and calling us to return to the
  present moment where we can meet with life, joy
  and peace. Even if you are not the driver, you
  can help everyone in the car if you breathe and
  smile.

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• There are many things like that we can do. Years
  ago Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh was in Montreal on
  the way to a retreat, and he noticed that the
  license plates said Je me souviens-"I remember."
  He did not know what they wanted to remember, but
  to him it means that remember to breathe and to
  smile (laughter). So he told a friend who was
  driving the car that he had a gift for the sangha
  in Montreal every time you see Je me souviens,
  you remember to breathe and smile and go back to
  the present moment. Many of his friends in the
  Montreal sangha have been practicing that for
  more than ten years.
• I think we can enjoy the red light we can
  also enjoy the stop sign. Every time we see it we
  profit instead of being angry at the red light,
  of being burned by impatience, we just practice
  breathing in, breathing out, smiling. That helps
  a lot.

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e. TELEPHONE MEDITATION

• And when you hear the telephone ringing you
  can consider it to be the sound of the
  mindfulness bell. You practice telephone
  meditation. Every time you hear the telephone
  ringing you stay exactly where you are
  (laughter). You breathe in and breathe out and
  enjoy your breathing.

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• Listen, listen-this wonderful sound brings you
  back to your true home. Then when you hear the
  second ring you stand up and you go to the
  telephone with dignity (laughter). That means in
  the style of walking meditation (laughter). You
  know that you can afford to do that, because if
  the other person has something really important
  to tell you, she will not hang up before the
  third ring. That is what we call telephone
  meditation. We use the sound as the bell of
  mindfulness.

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• And waiting at the bus stop you might like to
  try mindful breathing, and waiting in line to go
  into a bank, you can always practice mindful
  breathing. Walking from one building to another
  building, why don't you use walking meditation,
  because that improves the quality of our life.
  That brings more peace and serenity, and the
  quality of the work we do will be improved just
  by that kind of practice. So it is possible to
  integrate the practice into our daily life. We
  just need a little bit of creative imagination to
  do so.

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Sources

• 1. The Foundations of Mindfulness Satipatthana
  Sutta,trans. by Nyanasatta Thera, see
  www.buddhismtoday.com 
• 2. Meditation - A Buddhist Perspective,
  Ven.Mahinda see www.buddhismtoday.com 
• 3. Present Moment, Wonderful Moment, Zen Master
  Thich Nhat Hanh, 1990, Parallax Press, Berkeley,
  CA-94797.
• Phuoc-hau Buddhist temple
• 1575 W Oklahoma Ave, Milwaukee WI 53215
• Email thichnugioihuong_at_yahoo.com