Q: Can
you describe in practical terms what is happening in the body and in the mind,
how this law of cause and effect works, and how this change can help us?
Principal Teacher of Vipassana Sayagyi U Goenka: The Buddha said that understanding the Dhamma (truth, law of nature) is understanding the law of cause and effect. You have to realize this truth
within yourself. In a ten-day Vipassana course you have the opportunity to
learn how to do this.
This investigation of truth pertaining to mind and matter is not merely for curiosity, but to change habit pattern at deepest level of the mind. As you proceed, you realize how the mind influences matter, and how matter influences the mind.
This investigation of truth pertaining to mind and matter is not merely for curiosity, but to change habit pattern at deepest level of the mind. As you proceed, you realize how the mind influences matter, and how matter influences the mind.
Every
moment, within the framework of the body, masses of subatomic particles
(kalapas) arise and pass away. How do they arise? The cause becomes clear as
you investigate the reality as it is, without influence from any past
conditioning or philosophical beliefs: the material input, the food that you
have taken, becomes a cause for these kalapas to arise. You also find that
kalapas arise and pass away due to the climatic atmosphere around you.
You also begin to understand the formation of the mind-matter structure: how matter helps matter to arise and dissolve. Similarly, you experience how mind helps matter to arise and dissolve. You will also notice that at times matter arises from the mental conditioning of the past, that is, the accumulated sankharas (mental conditioning) of the past.
You also begin to understand the formation of the mind-matter structure: how matter helps matter to arise and dissolve. Similarly, you experience how mind helps matter to arise and dissolve. You will also notice that at times matter arises from the mental conditioning of the past, that is, the accumulated sankharas (mental conditioning) of the past.
By
practice of Vipassana, this starts to become clear. In a ten day Vipassana course you do not become perfect in this understanding but a
beginning is made. You learn to observe: at this moment, what type of mind has
arisen and what is the content of this mind?
You experience how when
the mind is full of passion, subatomic particles of a
particular type arise within this material structure; there is a
biochemical secretion that starts flowing throughout the body with the stream
of the blood or otherwise. This type of biochemical flow, which starts because
a mind full of passion has arisen, is called kamasava (sensual flow).
Now, like a very objective scientist, you proceed further, simply observing the truth
as it is, observing how the law of nature works. When this secretion of
kamasava starts, since it is the biochemical flow produced by passion, it influences
the next moment of the mind with more passion.
Thus this kamasava turns into a craving of passion at the mental level, which again stimulates kamasava, a flow of passion at the physical level. One starts influencing the other, starts stimulating the other, and the passion keeps on multiplying for minutes together, at times for hours together. The behavior pattern of the mind of generating passion is strengthened because of the repeated generation of passion.
Thus this kamasava turns into a craving of passion at the mental level, which again stimulates kamasava, a flow of passion at the physical level. One starts influencing the other, starts stimulating the other, and the passion keeps on multiplying for minutes together, at times for hours together. The behavior pattern of the mind of generating passion is strengthened because of the repeated generation of passion.
Impurity of fear, anger, hatred, and craving -
every type of impurity that comes in the mind simultaneously generates an asava
(biochemical flow) in the body. And this asava keeps stimulating that particular negativity, that
particular impurity, resulting in a vicious cycle of suffering.
You may call yourself a Hindu, or a Muslim, or a Buddhist, or a Jain, or a Christian - it makes no difference - the process is such, the law is such, that it is applicable to one and all. There is no discrimination.
You may call yourself a Hindu, or a Muslim, or a Buddhist, or a Jain, or a Christian - it makes no difference - the process is such, the law is such, that it is applicable to one and all. There is no discrimination.
But
mere understanding at the intellectual level will not help to break this cycle,
and may even create difficulties. Your beliefs from a particular tradition may
look quite logical, yet these beliefs will create obstacles for you.
The intellect has its own limitation. You cannot realize the ultimate truth merely at the intellectual level.
The ultimate truth is limitless, infinite, while the intellect is finite. It is only through experience that we are able to realize that which is limitless, infinite.
Even those who have accepted this law of nature intellectually are not able to change the behavior pattern of their minds. As a result, they are far away from realization of the ultimate truth.
The intellect has its own limitation. You cannot realize the ultimate truth merely at the intellectual level.
The ultimate truth is limitless, infinite, while the intellect is finite. It is only through experience that we are able to realize that which is limitless, infinite.
Even those who have accepted this law of nature intellectually are not able to change the behavior pattern of their minds. As a result, they are far away from realization of the ultimate truth.
The behavior pattern is at the depth of the mind. What is called the
"unconscious mind" is actually not unconscious; at all times it
remains in contact with this body. And along with this contact of the body a
sensation keeps arising, because every chemical that flows in your body
generates a particular type of sensation.
You feel a sensation - pleasant, painful, whatever it is - and with the feeling of this sensation, you keep reacting. At the depth of your mind you keep reacting with craving, with aversion....and the process of multiplication continues. You cannot stop it because there is such a big barrier between the conscious and the unconscious mind - or rather between the surface of the mind and the depth of the mind.
When you practice Vipassana you break this barrier. Without Vipassana the barrier remains, barrier of ignorance of what is happening within.
You feel a sensation - pleasant, painful, whatever it is - and with the feeling of this sensation, you keep reacting. At the depth of your mind you keep reacting with craving, with aversion....and the process of multiplication continues. You cannot stop it because there is such a big barrier between the conscious and the unconscious mind - or rather between the surface of the mind and the depth of the mind.
When you practice Vipassana you break this barrier. Without Vipassana the barrier remains, barrier of ignorance of what is happening within.
At
the conscious level of the mind, at the intellectual level of the mind, one may
accept the entire theory of Dhamma, of truth, of law, of nature. But still one
keeps rolling in misery because one does not realize what is happening at the
depth of the mind.
Sensations are there in your body every moment. Every contact (with the outside world) results in a sensation. Every thought, a memory, a desire arises with a sensation, a biochemical flow. The deepest part of the mind is continuously in contact with these bodily sensations, not with objects of the outside world. This isn't a philosophy, it is the actual truth which can be verified by one and all.
Sensations are there in your body every moment. Every contact (with the outside world) results in a sensation. Every thought, a memory, a desire arises with a sensation, a biochemical flow. The deepest part of the mind is continuously in contact with these bodily sensations, not with objects of the outside world. This isn't a philosophy, it is the actual truth which can be verified by one and all.
The surface level of the mind keeps itself busy with outside objects, or it remains
involved with games of intellect, imagination, or emotion. This is the paritta citta - the small, surface level of the mind. Therefore
you do not feel what is happening deep inside, and you do not feel how you are
reacting to what is happening at the deeper level of the mind.
With
Vipassana practice, when that barrier is broken, one starts feeling sensations
throughout the body, not merely at the surface but also deep inside because
throughout the entire physical structure, wherever there is life, there is
sensation.
And by observing these sensations with equanimity you start realizing the characteristic of arising and passing, the impermanence in everything. With this experiential understanding you start to change the habit pattern of the mind.
And by observing these sensations with equanimity you start realizing the characteristic of arising and passing, the impermanence in everything. With this experiential understanding you start to change the habit pattern of the mind.
Say,
for example, you are feeling a particular sensation which may be due to the
food you have eaten, which may be due to the atmosphere around you, which may
be due to your present mental actions, or which may be due to your old mental
reactions that are giving their fruit. Whatever it may be, a sensation is
there, and you are trained to observe it with equanimity and not to react to
it; but yet you keep on reacting because of the old habit pattern.
You
sit for one hour of Vipassana meditation, and initially you may get only a few
moments when you do not react, but those few moments are wonderful moments. You
have started changing the habit pattern of your mind by observing sensation and
understanding its nature of impermanence. This stops the blind habit pattern of
reacting to the sensation and multiplying the vicious cycle of misery.
Initially
in an hour you get a few seconds, or a few minutes of not reacting to
sensations. But eventually, by patient, persistent practice, you reach a stage where throughout the
hour you do not react at all. At the deepest level you do not react at all. A
deep change is coming in the old habit pattern.
The vicious cycle is broken: your mind was reacting to the chemical process which was manifesting itself as a sensation, and as a result, for hours together, your mind was flooded with a particular impurity, a particular defilement. Now it gets a break for a few moments, a few seconds, a few minutes. As the old habit of blind reaction becomes weaker, your behavior pattern is changing. You are coming out of your suffering.
The vicious cycle is broken: your mind was reacting to the chemical process which was manifesting itself as a sensation, and as a result, for hours together, your mind was flooded with a particular impurity, a particular defilement. Now it gets a break for a few moments, a few seconds, a few minutes. As the old habit of blind reaction becomes weaker, your behavior pattern is changing. You are coming out of your suffering.
Again,
this is not to be blindly believed simply because the Fully Enlightened said so. It is not to be believed
because your teacher say so, nor is it to be believed because your intellect says so. You
have to experience it yourself.
People
regularly practicing Vipassana - i.e. observing with equanimity the impermanence of the biochemical flow of sensations - experience a change for the better in their
behavior, in their attitude, dealings with others and in their lives.
May all beings be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.
(From
Vipassana Research Institute)
