[LeThanhPhong]

MOGOK SAYADAW'S WAY
TO THE VIPASSANA PRACTICE

http://www.myanmarnet.net/nibbana/thtutmg.htm

The following dialog between the venerable Mogok Mogok Sayadaw U Vimala and U Kyaw Thein, the author of the Mogok Sayadaw:’s biography and the method is a glimpse on the practice at the Mogok Vipassana Centre. It was given on a day in September 1957 (1318 Burmese era) at the Mingalar Monastery in Amarapura, Burma.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Have you come to practice meditation?
           U Kyaw Thein: Yes Sire, I have come to practice meditation.
        Mogok Sayadaw: All right, does your family give you the permission?

            They gave me the permission Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Why do you come to meditate, is it that I have only asked you?

            I want to be free of the suffering in Samsara, my lord.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Have you developed faith (Saddha) in your mind as well?

            I have the faith Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: If that’s the case you must decide in your mind that you have the rarest opportunities for being a human who is born in the Buddha’s Sasana, and to have the chance to practice Vipassana that I am going to give you. You must also develop faith in you mind that it will help you to escape from the Samsaric sufferings of old age, ailments, death, and other misfortunes and make up your mind to follow the instructions meticulously.

            Yes my Lord.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Maung Kyaw Thein, you must also decide not to think of your business and your family. Try to be detached from these by using wisdom.

            Yes Sire, I will renounce them.

        Mogok Sayadaw: You must rely on the three main principles (Adipadhi).

            All right, but what are these three principles Sire?

        Mogok Sayadaw: Yes, I will tell you. Firstly, you must remember that you need to rely on yourself; that you practice meditation not for your livelihood, but to release from the suffering of old age, disease, death, misfortunes and inconveniences. This is the Attadipadhi (self-reliance principle).

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Secondly, you must regard life as your next principle (Lokadipadhi). You must not pretend to meditate and think of all your life affairs. Don’t be lazy, apathetic, asleep and don’t let your mind roam. Don’t do anything that is not right for your guardian angel, good Devas and those who have Abhinna (super natural powers) know. So you must be shameful of yourself if you are not leading a good life.

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: You must regard Dhamma as the third principle (Dhammadipadhi). You must pay respect to the Dhamma and try to experience insight wisdom (Vipassana nana) directly. You must know that if you were not enlightened it was not that there was no Dhamma, but it was your fault that you did not pay due respect to the Dhamma principle. You must decide to have faith in this principle and strife with all your might.

            Yes Sire. If I take these as the main principles and meditate shall I be awakened in this very life, my Lord?

        Mogok Sayadaw: Have you committed the Panchanandriya kamma (five cardinal sins)? Have you killed an Arahat?

            No Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Have you killed your mother or your father?

            No Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Have you ever caused a split among Sangha?

            No I haven’t Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: All right, I won’t ask you whether you have caused any physical harm to the Buddha as it is not relevant now. If you have not committed any of these sins just try your best in the practice. It will take only seven years if a person is very dull, seven months for an average and seven days for very bright persons with the right practice. It won’t happen without practice. You must work hard with faith, mindfulness, concentration, energy, and wisdom (Saddha, Sati, Samadhi, Viriya and Panna).

            Yes my Lord, I will work hard and follow your instructions.

        Mogok Sayadaw: All right then. You take the eight precepts.

[ After taking the eight precepts (refrain from killing, stealing, practising celibacy, refraining from telling lies, taking intoxicants, taking solid food after mid-day, and refraining from sensual indulgences such as perfume, cosmetics, music & dancing, and handling money & financial matters) ]

        Mogok Sayadaw: Now you need to do the five rituals (Pubbakissa) during meditation.

1. Devote yourself to the Buddha both, physically as well as mentally.
   
2. Ask for pardon if you have done any wrong to parents and holy people either physically, verbally or with your mind.
   
3. Propagate loving kindness towards all sentient beings including your guardian angel and those who watch over your property, your city and the Sarsana.
   
4. Make a wish (Adithanna) for all the merits that you have gained during this life and in previous lives to result in enlightenment.
   
5. Try to realise the nature of dying (Marananussati) by thinking that you have died in your uncountable past existences and that you will have to die some day. Try to realise and persuade yourself that you must work hard before death arrives and thereby develop the effort and energy to meditate. Do you understand?
   

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Do you know how to differentiate between matter (Rupa) and mind (Nama)?

            I have only the theoretical knowledge, Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: All right, I’ll tell you. When you consider vision you have the eye and the object, which are Rupa and the image that developed in your mind is the Nama. Likewise, all six sense organs and their objects are Rupas and the sensations developed by their interactions are Namas (Eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and thoughts).

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw:

1.         You must recognise and differentiate between mind and matter in the present sensation that develops. This is called Nataparinana.
   
2.         You must recognise and realise the impermanence, suffering and impersonal qualities (Anissa, Dukkha and Anatta) of the present sensation. This is called Tiranaparinana.
   
3.         You must realise that the present sensation is neither your body, nor your mind and try to avoid clinging (Tanha) and self conceit (Mana) and delusion or wrong view of regarding consciousness as your soul (Ditthi). This is called Pahanaparinana.
   

            Yes my Lord.

        Mogok Sayadaw: You must differentiate between mind and matter. Then do not go after the Jhana way (for attaining super natural powers). If a Yogi wants to overcome live and death and become awakened he needs concentration of the mind just enough to develop Samadhi. Then he must practise Vipassana.

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Switching over to Vipassana is just like a locomotive changing rails from one to another. The contemplation of the mind is moved from Samatha (one point) to the arising and dissolving phenomenon of the current Rupa-Nama (sensation). You must remember that this is led by the mind.

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: You must do the contemplation of breathing (Anapanna) first. It is mindfulness of the incoming and outgoing breath. You must breathe in normally and fully. Do not force it or reduce it, but breathe in and out regularly.

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: You can focus your mind on the lips at the tip of nostrils or at the sternum, but it is better to keep it at the tips of nostrils (to be sharper in developing concentration). Whatever site you have chosen you must try to be mindful continuously.

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Anapanusatti is the mindfulness that occurs when contemplated on the incoming and outgoing breaths. A Yogi practising Anapananusatti fixes the mind strongly on the breathing while taking breaths regularly and normally. He first focuses the mind on the tip of nostrils and watches as the air goes in and out.

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Apart from this mindfulness of the touch of air he must not divert his attention to any other object.

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: A Yogi who has developed concentration after practising Anapana must know that the person is not "you, I, male or female," but a collection of Rupa (matter) and Nama (mind) and a collection of the five aggregates. Then the Yogi must realise that the mind that registers this knowledge is the Nama. This Nama dwells in the heart. The physic that is in sitting meditation is the Rupa. You will come to know this reality by direct experience.

        After this differentiation of Rupa and Nama you must understand that the collection of twenty-four physical objects is the Rupatkhanda. The consciousness that knows is the Vinanakhanda. Feelings that associate with the mind when contemplated on sensations are the aggregate of Vedanatkhanda. Recognition of the sensations that associate with the mind is the aggregate of Sanatkhanda. The other fifty concomitants of the mind, which include all volitional perceptions except consciousness and recognition, are known as the aggregate of Sankharatkhanda.

        I will need to explain further using the Paticca Samupadda to differentiate cause and effect relationships, as you may not understand thoroughly.

            Yes Sire, its getting more and more clear by your explanations.

        Mogok Sayadaw: That’s right. It is better to let a Yogi know the basics before giving the practical aspects.

            Yes Sire.

        Mogok Sayadaw: After you know the five aggregates you must also understand roughly that the past Avijja-Tanha (ignorance and attachments) are the causes of Rupa-Nama (body and mind).

            Yes my Lord.

        Mogok Sayadaw: Now you repeat what I said to request for the meditation method.

        "Kammathanan mae bhante detha sansara vatta dukkhataw mawcanatthaya"
        Bhante please give me with compassion, the right method of meditation in order to be free of the samsaric suffering. Repeat this three times. Now go and practise for an hour on what I have just taught you.

(To be continued)