Yogi
You should know the meaning of the word “Yogi” because you are a Yogi. You can divide word Yogi into two parts as "Yoga" and "i". Yoga means effort. "i" means possessor. So Yogi means possessor of effort. There are three kinds of effort:
Initially made to develop the mind and insight,
Boosted by a step until boredom is overcome
Increase step by step until the goal, Nibbāna, is reached.
If you have the 1st effort, you are a good Yogi. If you have the 1st and 2nd effort, you are a better Yogi. If you have all 3 kinds of effort, you are the best Yogi.
Now are you a good Yogi, a better Yogi or the best Yogi?
Your effort will give you the answer.
Statistics of Mindfulness
Note once and you are purified of defilements once. At a rate of one noting per second, if you note for a minute, you are purified 60 times; if you note for one hour, you are purified 3,600 times.
The more you note, the more purified you are.
Approaching the goal
When approaching the finishing line, a sprinter must keep running without slacking. When approaching the Goal, a yogi must keep striving and noting without slacking.
Gaps
If there is a gap between two floor planks, dusk and sand enter. If there is no continuity of mindfulness and there is a gap, defilements enter. If there is a Concentration-breakdown, defilements enter through the gap.
Confession
When a criminal is interrogated intensively and repeatedly, he has to confess the truth. When the object of mindfulness is noted intensively and repeatedly, it has to reveal the truth of impermanence, suffering and being mere phenomenon (without having any abiding self).
Getting closer to Nībbāna
Each step of a person walking towards the Shew Dagon Pagoda takes him a step closer to it whether he is interested in getting there or not. Each noting of a yogi mindfully walking on the path to Nībbāna bring him closer to Nībbāna whether he is interested in getting there or not.
Magnifying Power
One can see even minute things under a strong magnifying glass. A yogi can see even minute phenomena when the power of concentration is strong.
Read Carefully
One who reads a book lightly is not aware of all the letters in it. He will come to be more aware of them if he reads carefully. Similarly, a yogi who is superficially mindful does not completely comprehend the object noted. If he is attentively mindful he will come to know more.
When Labelling is Optional
When the objects to be noted are occurring at a rapid rate, the yogi may not be able to keep pace with labeling and noting them at each occurrence. He should then let go of labeling and just look at them attentively with the mind. Or, if he wants to keep on labeling, he should just note as much as he can.
Sharp and Bright
A knife is sharp only if it is whetted – otherwise it becomes blunt. Brass vessels are shinny only if they are polished – otherwise they become dull. Similarly, a yogi’s insight is sharp and bright only if he is mindful.
Swim to Nībbāna
A swimmer has to keep his arms and legs moving all the time. A yogi cannot afford to give any rest to the application of mindfulness; he too has to keep it moving all the time.
Get the Taste
Only if one chews the food well can one savour its taste. Only if a yogi concentrates on being mindful of the object to be noted can he comprehend its true nature.
Don’t Change Object Yet
Even though another object may arise, there is no need to chang it if (attention on) the primary object is not distracted.
As Steady as a Rock
A cork dropped onto water floats but a rock dropped into it sinks. A yogi’s mindfulness of the object of meditation should not be (as wobbly) as a cork, but should be (as steady) as a rock.
Never Out of Sight
Just as a footballer never loses sight of the football, a badminton player the shuttlecock and a boxer his opponent’s movements, so too the yogi never loses sight of the object of mindfulness.
Creepers and Weeds
If a tree is overgrown with creepers and weeds it cannot develop. If the mind is overgrown with creepers and weeds of hindrances, it cannot develop.
What is Satipaṭṭhāna
Satipaṭṭhāna is mindfulness of a noted object by entering it, rushing into it, spreading over it so that the mind enters the noted object i.e. the rising movement of the abdomen, rushes into it, spreads all over it so that it (the mind) stays closely and firmly on it (the object). The process is the same when noting “falling” and so on.
Seeing Impermanence
Vipassanā is the Insight Knowledge that perceives the arising objects in the light of the threefold characteristics of impermanence, suffering and being mere phenomena. When a hot sensation is noted as "heat", the heat that is occurring is anicca (an impermanent thing); the disappearance of the heat after its appearance is anicca lakkhana (the characteristic of impermanence) and comprehending that it is impermanence after seeing its disappearance is aniccānupassanā (comtemplation of impermanence). Of the three characteristics, if impermanence is seen, then suffering and non-self can also be considered seen.
Sati the Doorkeeper
Sati (mindfulness) is like a doorkeeper. A doorkeeper does not admit bad people; he admits good people. Sati does not admit unwholesomeness (akusala); it admits wholesomeness (kusala).
Self Research
Practicing Vipassanā meditation is working to find out what “I” is. It is actually research into oneself.
Fresh, Clean Air
Fresh, clean air is necessary for life. Without it one become dizzy or unhealthy or even die. If you practice a lot to easily get the fresh, clean air of Satīpaṭṭhāna, it is likely to be with you everywhere.
Mention the Formula, Please!
It is not quite alright, not quite correct for a person solving a mathematical problem to give only the answer without mentioning the formula used. If a yogi reports only what he knew (or perceived) without mentioning the procedure of noting, it is not quite alright, not quite correct.
Just Reading Directions Can’t Cure
Just by reading the directions on a bottle of medicine, you cannot be cured of your illness. Only by taking the medicine according to its directions can you be cured. Similarly, just by reading or listening to instrument found in according to the instructions can it be cured.
Power of Concentrated Sati
When concentrated sati (mindfulness) become strong, events submerge in the yogi’s life emerge.
Guts to Challenge
If a soldier fought with the enemy at the front line and won a battle once before, he naturally becomes encouraged, brave enough and unhesitant to fight again. If the yogi fought with the thought of cowardly withdrawing from painful sensations and won a battle once before, he naturally becomes encouraged and brave enough to fight again. And if he was able to confront most of the unbearable sensation and overcome them step by step once before, he has the guts to challenge any unbearable sensation.
Yogi’s Job
Just note continuously whatever occurs – that is a yogi’s job.
When pain becomes so severe:
Remain one’s posture: When pain becomes unbearable, you may note the pain and main object alternately and when the noting mind goes to the primary object closely, you may not be aware of the pain. The pain may be weaker. In this way, you can note the pain and main object alternately.
Change one’s posture: One will of course have to change one’s posture if the sensations do not disappear even after one has noted them for a long time and if they become unbearable, one should then begin noting as “wishing to change, wishing to change.”
Three Sessions of Walking Meditation
We have to practice walking meditation for one hour. You can divide the session into three parts. The first twenty minutes, do one-step walking: right step, left step. The second twenty minutes, do two-step walking: lifting, placing. The last twenty minutes, do three-step walking: lifting, pushing forward, placing.
Don’t Count
Do not count while you are noting the rising and falling. Do not count rising and falling one, rising and falling two, rising and falling three. Do not count. It is not necessary to count.
Keep the Body and Head Straight
When we practice walking meditation, we have to keep our body straight. We should not bend our head too low. When we keep our head too low, we will have a headache. That is why keep the upper body and head straight, but keep the eyes down. When we keep our eyes down, we should be able to see about four or five feet away. We do not know who is passing by. We should keep our eyes down always. Do not look anywhere. Keep the mind onto the foot, not onto the abdomen.
Keep one’s Posture
In the beginning of the yogi’s meditational practice, these sensations may tend to increase and lead to a desire to change his posture. This desire should be noted, after which the yogi should go back to noting the sensations of stiffness, heat, etc.
Why is Patience Needed in Meditation?
“Patience leads to Nibbana,” as the saying goes. This saying is most relevant in meditational effort. One must be patient in meditation. If one shifts or changes one’s posture too often because one cannot be patient with the sensation of stiffness or heat that arises, samadhi (good concentration) cannot develop. If samadhi cannot develop, insight cannot result and there can be no attainment of magga (the path that leads to Nibbana), phala (the fruit of that path) and Nibbāna. That is why patience is needed in meditation.
It is patience mostly with unpleasant sensations in the body like stiffness, sensations of heat and pain, and other sensations that are hard to bear. One should not immediately give up one’s meditation on the appearance of such sensations and change one’s meditational posture. One should go on patiently, just noting as “stiffness, stiffness” or “hot, hot.”
Moderate sensations of these kinds will disappear if one goes on noting them patiently. When concentration is good and strong, even intense sensations tend to disappear. One then reverts to noting the rising and falling of the abdomen.
Reason to Note Rising and Falling While Sitting
When one observes a single kind of object for long such as “sitting, sitting”, it would become so easy that he may lose balance from little energy and too much concentration. This would result in sloth and torpor and shallow or weak awareness. That’s why one is instructed to observe “rising and falling” as a main object when one is sitting.
How does a yogi keep the balance between concentration and energy by noting “rising and falling?”
Noting “rising and falling” demands neither too much concentration as it is not a monotonous kind of object, nor excessive enthusiasm as it’s only two types of object to note. Thus, the balance can be kept between concentration and energy.
What is the purpose for the rotation of onehour sitting and onehour walking in practice?
Too much walking tends to arouse more energy but less concentration. So one is scheduled to sit and walk alternately an hour each. Thus, the balance can be kept between concentration and energy.
What does a yogi need to do to see phenomena clearly?
At night, for example, one cannot see things clearly. But if one uses torchlight, things can be clearly seen in the spotlight. In the same way, concentration can be compared to the light, through which one can see phenomena clearly: the manner of rising and falling, and the tension, tightness and movement etc.
Why did Mahasi Sayadaw instruct yogis to start their practice with noting “rising and falling”?
It will take time to develop concentration if you note an object too varied or too subtle, but concentration can be aroused faster if you observe an obvious and limited object. That is why Mahasi Sayadaw instructed yogis to start their practice with watching the abdomen.
For what purpose did Mahasi Sayadaw instruct us to act very slowly?
It is only when you act slowly that your concentration, mindfulness and insight knowledge can keep up with the objects. That’s the reason why you have to start the practice by doing everything slowly and mindfully. Indeed, in the beginning, if you do things fast, your mindfulness or awareness cannot follow.
You cannot get it on credit in Vipassana practice
Even though you can buy something on credit and pay for it later, no credit is given in the case of Vipassana. So, you must note an object the moment it takes place lest you become attached to it.
Relativity of pain and concentration
When your concentration and awareness are not yet strong, you will find the pain increasing while noting pain, stiffness or heat. But you should keep on noting it with patience and persistence. They often fade away when concentration and awareness are strong enough.
Why labeling an object?
In reality, just being aware of an object without labeling at all, will serve the purpose. Without labeling, however, it may be difficult to be fully aware of an object precisely and accurately. Also, it will not be easy for the yogi to report his or her experience to the teacher, or for a teacher to give advice to the yogi. That is the reason why the yogi is instructed to label an object when he or she notes it.
Pile of merit
One moment of noting is available in each second. Thus, 60 moments in a minute, 3600 in an hour and 72,000 a day except for the four hours for sleeping. This is a huge pile of merit!
The Three Characteristics
True characteristics of phenomena will be revealed only when they are observed at the moment they arise.
“Only when the individual characteristics of phenomena are “seen,” will the conditional characteristics of phenomena become manifest,” meaning the phenomena will be seen in three sequences, arising, lasting and passing away.
“only when sankhata (conditional characteristic) becomes apparent, will sāmañña (common characteristic) be ‘seen'. When sāmañña (common characteristic) is “seen,” vipassana-ñāna (insight knowledge) emerged.”
There are three things to report
What object occurs to you, how you note it and what you come to know or experience. For example, you may report thus: “When I breathe in, the abdomen rises. I noted it as rising. I experiences tension or tightness,” and so on. The same is true with falling, lifting, and so on. When reporting, you should start your report with noting the primary object before secondary ones.
Bhūtam bhūtato passati
“one should observe what are happening as they really are.”
Ardent effort, mindfulness, and concentration
For example, if an object is too subtle or minute to see through the naked eyes, we should take the help of the spectacles, a magnifying glass or a microscope. In the same way, in order to see the truth destroying the delusion, all we have to do to observe present objects with ardent effort, mindfulness, and concentration.
Stop right away
For example, if the parent cannot take care of their child properly then the child may hang around with gangsters and may later become a gangster. In the same way, the mind naturally goes to desirable objects and is associated with lust or hatred. You should take care of your mind by noting the presently arising object with aim and effort so that the mind will not wander or go astray. If you find your mind associated with evil thoughts, you should note it as soon as you notice it so that they stop right away. It is what is called cittā-nupassanā, contemplation on the mind. This is explained in the text as: “The moment the thought arises it should be noted as it is.” (yasmim yasmim khane).
Note continuously without gap
Momentary concentration is compared to a rope that is made up of many small fibers. Each small fiber is fragile and breakable. But when they are entwined into a rope, the rope becomes amazingly strong. In the same way, in the case of pure Vipassana practice, the concentration lasts only moment by moment because it is established on phenomena that are arising and disappearing moment by moment. So, it cannot be strong. However, if you can develop it continuously with no gaps in between by noting phenomena continuously, it can become strong enough to penetrate into the truth or to develop vipassana insights stage by stage until you become fully enlightened.
Determine to note as much as I can
You should have the determination: “I will not fail to note anything obvious to me, even the smallest minute activity”. If you have such determination and note carefully, you will miss very few. Although you miss, you will know it.
Different way of noting between sitting and walking
During the sitting meditation, you are supposed to note rising and falling of the abdomen as the primary object. When the secondary objects such as pain, wandering thoughts, become prominent, you can note them, too. During walking, you should keep your attention on the foot and note lifting, moving, and placing. You should not pay attention to other objects during walking in the way you do during sitting.
Divide and conquer
You may think that it is too much to note every object continuously. Actually, if you divide practice into three sections such as sitting, walking and general activities, then it will not be that much.
Who is who
If people call every person born “Human” without given them any other individual names, then they will not know who is who. Only if individual names such as “Maung Phyu, Maung Hla,” etc. are given can people know distinctively who is who. A yogi should note any object that occurs according to conventional terms i.e. by labeling “rising,” “falling” etc. Only then can concentration be easily developed.
Conceptual to ultimate truth
Although a yogi is supposed to be aware of ultimate truth, i.e., psycho-physical phenomena (paramattha), he or she has to deal with concepts (paññatti) unavoidably in the beginning of the practice. It is not easy to experience the ultimate truth (paramattha) right away. Of course, a yogi will see conceptual forms or shapes of a meditative object instead of its true characteristics in the beginning of the practice.
In the early stage the real phenomena are known with the help of correct names. When the practice gets mature, however, the noting mind will get established only on the real phenomena beyond the concepts.
Both concepts and realities appear to the beginner. Some people instruct the beginners to meditate on realities only. This is impossible. To forget concepts is quite impractical at the beginning. What is practical is to observe concepts combined with realities. The Buddha himself used the language of concepts and told us to be aware “I am walking,” etc., when we walk, bend or stretch. He did not use the language of realities and tell us to be “aware it is supporting, moving,” etc. Although you meditate using the language of concepts like “walking, bending, stretching,” as your mindfulness and concentration grow stronger, all the concepts disappear and only the realities like support and moving appear to you. When you reach the stage of the knowledge of dissolution, although you meditate “walking, walking,” neither the legs nor the body appear to you. Only the successive movements are there. Although you meditate “bending, bending,” there will not be any arms or legs. Only the movement. Although you meditate “rising, falling,” there will be no image of the abdomen or the body, only the movement out and in. These as well as swaying are functions of the air-element.
Way to note while standing
At the end of the lane you should stop and note “standing, standing, standing”. While standing the legs or the feet are fully rested on the floor with the upper body upright. You should keep the awareness not only on the feet or legs but also the entire body as a whole.
Way to note in walking meditation
You should keep your attention on the foot and note lifting, moving, and placing without paying attention to secondary objects like seeing, hearing, thoughts or itchiness. If the mind is totally distracted by these and goes off the foot, or if you really want to note them, however, you have to stop walking and note them accordingly. Right afterward, you should go back to the feet and note lifting, moving, and placing. The reason is that if you note other objects while you are walking, you would get confused among the moving feet and secondary objects, and your awareness would be superficial. This is the difference between sitting meditation and walking meditation.
It is no need to learn the characteristics, functions and manifestations before you meditate.
When you meditate on the rising mind-and-matter, you know the characteristics, the functions, and the manifestations, as well. There is no other way than knowing by way of characteristics, functions, and manifestations when you meditate on the rising mind-and-matter. When you look up to the sky on a rainy day, you see a flash of lightning. This bright light is the characteristic of the lightning. As lightning flashes, darkness is dispelled. This dispelling of darkness is the function of lightning, its work. You also see what it is like -- whether it is long, short, a curve, a circle, straight, or vast. You see its characteristic, its function, its manifestation, all at once. Only you may not be able to say that the brightness is its characteristic, dispelling of darkness is its function, or its shape or outline is its manifestation. But you see them all the same.
In the same way, when you meditate on the rising mind and matter, you know its characteristic, its function, its manifestation, everything. You need not learn them. Some learned persons think that you have to learn them before you meditate. Not so. What you learn are only name concepts, not realities. The meditator who is contemplating the rising mind and matter knows them as if he were touching them with his own hand. He need not learn about them. If there is the elephant before your very eyes, you need not look at the picture of an elephant.
Steering Wheel of Life
When driving a car, it is necessary to be able to handle the steering wheel. So too, it is necessary to be able to handle the steering wheel of Satipaṭṭhāna when driving on Life’s Journey.
Automatic Battery Charging
The Body at work is drained of strength proportionate to the amount of work done. The mind working at Satipaṭṭhāna meditation gains in strength proportionate to the amount of work done. It is just like the automatic charging of a car battery when the car engine is kept running.
Power for Purity and Peace
Just as bodily power of resistance is necessary for good health, so too mental power is needed for purity of mind. However, power does not come of itself; it has to be cultivated. Satipaṭṭhāna, if effectively developed, can fully provide this mental power.
Separate Time for Practice
You may have family and social affairs to attend to, but you should nevertherless set aside a separate tim for Satipaṭṭhāna Meditation. There ought to be a devision between worldly and Satipaṭṭhāna affairs.
Yathāpākatam vipassanābhiniveso
Vipassana focuses on whatever is prominent.