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Vesak Poya falls tomorrow
Why meditation is indispensable for Buddhists
By S. Siriwardene
Meditation is indispensable for a Buddhist to attain liberation from this mass of suffering in life. Nibbana is the end of the life-cycle of birth. In order to attain this noble state of spiritual advancement, one has to eradicate craving.

Craving binds us to this life-cycle with fetters called The Five Hindrances (Pancha Nivarana). They are the belief of an everlasting self 'I" or 'mine' (Sakkaya Ditti), doubt (Vichikichcha), attachment to rites and rituals, (Silabbatha Paramase), hatred (Vyapada) and sensual desire (Kamaccanda).

Ending suffering
To overcome those five fetters the only way is enlightenment which brings an end to all suffering in life. To achieve this, one has got to learn and practise insight meditation, which will unveil the curtain covering the eyes of an ordinary individual from the truth. Then he would be able to penetrate the inner mind and with wisdom see life in its real forks. Then he will see the impermanence, suffering and no-soul. The mind of a yogi who has realised the truth is clear and shines like a crystal.

What is meditation?
Meditation is to be occupied in thought or absorption in thought. There are two types of meditation called Tranquility Meditation and Insight Meditation. Tranquility Mediation brings the mind to a state of deep tranquility. In this way the five hindrances are kept at bay or made to disappear temporarily.

The other type is Insight Meditation. It is the viewing of life with an analytical mind. This insight meditation was found by Lord Buddha when he attained supreme enlightenment at the foot of the Bodhi tree on Vesak Full Moon Day at Gaya.

Tranquility meditation existed in India and was practised by Hindu Yogis even before Lord Buddha. It helps one to attain supra-mundane state of mind and possess miraculous powers such as reading the thoughts of others, previous births and future. One can travel by air at the speed of one's thought. But it will not end the re-birth. You can be born in the Brahme world of the pure abodes, but one may be born again in a low realm of enormous suffering.

Only in Insight Meditation can one put an end to suffering, disease, death, grief and lamentation. Samadhi Meditation can be a base for Insight Meditation. But a yogi can start practising Insight Mediation in a direct way without attaining 'Samadhi' or a tranquil state. These noble beings are called (Sushka Vidassake). They do not possess supernormal powers, but they attain the noble state and end re-birth.

A trainee in meditation should contemplate on body and mind. Everyone of us does this every day and hour of our life. But we think of them always with evil thoughts. If we perceive body and mind as pleasant and happy we get thoughts of craving and desire and if they are painful and sad we get thoughts of ill-will and hatred. If we like them there is desire.

When engaged in insight meditation we should not take mind and matter as good or bad. We should perceive mind and matter as neither good nor bad. That is viewing with equanimity.

This is called the wisdom of mind and matter. You analyse mind and matter as two distinct entities. Then you realise the arising and falling of things. You see before you how things arise and fall. When you contemplate on this you see the true nature of things and how dissolution takes place.

Truth of life
All living and non-living beings are prone to dissolution. Rising and falling is a wisdom (Udayabbe Gnana) and dissolution is called (Bhanga Gnana). You see that this dissolution takes place at a terrific rate. Then we see them as transient and impermanent, and we get the wisdom of fear (Bhaya Gnana). We get disgusted with our life on earth (Nibbida Gnana). We get the wisdom of consequences (Adinana Gnana). At last these wisdoms lead to equanimity (Sankareepekka Gnana). We then reach, the supra mundane states of the mind when we attain the noble state of stream-winner (sota panna). Then the mind gets pure and clear as a crystal.

To achieve this state of liberation we should learn and practise some form of meditation. Lord Buddha has praised the 'Satara Sathipattana Meditation, the four foundations of mindfulness. The contemplation of body, feelings, mind and mind-objects. The body we know very well, because it is with us and we are in it.

We meditate on the parts of our body like hair, flesh, excreta and so on and in doing so we see the fertile state of our body and contemplate that this body is transient, painful and without an everlasting soul. As the knowledge of insight matures, you let go the three fetters of 'I' and mine, doubt, adhere to rites and rituals and cross the life stream and attain the noble state of a stream - winner (sota patti) who attains Nibbana after seven births.

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