Bodhi Meditation Center

8 Days Myanmar Pilgrimage

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:53:59 +0000

CLICK TO OPEN FACT SHEET ABOUT MYANMAR

四念处静坐新班

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:11:45 +0000

日期：8月14日至10月16日 – 10堂课。
每逢星期六，7时30分至9时30分。
报名费：S$30.

Four Types of People

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:24:29 +0000

Four Types of People

By Sayadaw Ashin Jatila

Today’s Dhamma talk is about “Four Types of People” as expounded by Lord Buddha to King Pasenadi Kosala of Savatthi, a province in India. Lord Buddha in his discourse explains that there are persons who go -
1) To darkness from darkness.
2) To brightness from darkness.
3) To darkness from brightness.
4) To brightness from brightness.

Lord Buddha further elaborated that :

Firstly a person is born in the lower strata of life, with an ugly appearance, poor health, bodily defects such as blindness, deafness, inarticulateness, deformation, etc., and has no food to eat, no clothes to wear, no house to dwell in and no medicine for health. Though born in such a miserable state, he has no repentance but indulges in unwholesome activities such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and taking intoxicants. He fails to observe moral purification. Committing such unwholesome deeds without repentance, he is no doubt, likely to be reborn in the nether worlds – as in hell, in the animal world or in the ghost worlds. Such type of a person is categorized as one who goes from darkness to darkness.

Secondly, a person is born poor with bodily defects as above. Though born miserable, he feels repentant and realizes that due to his unwholesome activities done in the past existence, he is consequently born in such a miserable state and mends his mental attitudes. He observes unbroken morality, does all wholesome activities to his utmost ability, giving meritorious danas (generosity), etc. Moreover, he practices wholesome thoughts, speech and actions and totally abstains from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and taking intoxicants. His status gradually rise or ascends higher and higher as one living on the ground to sitting on a chair, to riding on a horse, to riding on an ornamented elephant and then on to residing in a fully decorated house. Thus a person who mends his ways understandingly is sure to achieve a better kind of existence with healthy and wealthy circumstances and may even land in the deva worlds. Such type of a person is categorized as one who goes to brightness from darkness.

Thirdly, a person born high of rich parents, endowed with good appearance, health and wealth without having to worry about food, clothing, dwelling and medicine and leads a luxurious life. Though born fortunate, he lacks morality, does not understand the benefits of wholesome thoughts, speech and actions and enjoys doing mischievous deeds such as killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and taking intoxicants. Moreover, he is inconsiderate towards others and never cultivates sympathetic feelings. Committing such unwholesome activities throughout his life his status falls or descends gradually from the dwelling in the fully decorated house to riding on an ornamented elephant, to riding on a horse, to sitting on a chair and then falling onto the ground level. Such type of a person is categorized as one who goes to darkness from brightness. He is likely to be reborn in the nether world after death.

Fourthly, a person is born high of rich parents fully endowed with all the necessary requisites of life as above. Though he enjoys the higher standard of living, he is far-sighted, intelligent and realizes that his present status of richness and amenities of good life is due to his wholesome activities of his previous existence. So he carries on the meritorious way of giving charity to the needy, practicing wholesome thoughts, speech and actions, observing morality, etc. He abstains from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and taking intoxicants, is considerate to others and always cultivates sympathetic feelings towards others. Leading such a puritanical way of life, his status ascends or rises higher and higher as one living on the ground to sitting on a chair, to riding on a horse, to riding on an ornamented elephant and then on to residing in a fully decorated house and thus he is sure to be reborn in the higher deva worlds or at least in the human world at a higher influential position. Such type of a person is categorized as one who goes to brightness from brightness.

Now let me recall our present position. Here our meditators are well-to-do in the present life with normal health, wealth and intelligence as a result of the wholesome deeds of the previous existence. And also you are all endowed with a reasonably comfortable life and have a chance to be able to come to this Mahasi Meditation Centre where Satipatthana Bhavana insight meditation can be systematically studied and performed or practiced under the guidance of experienced meditation masters. Thus you can all be regarded as achieving the brightness of life. To be always in this brightness, you should all strictly adhere to wholesome activities throughout your life-span. If you do indulge in both wholesome and unwholesome activities, you are not sure of your future destination whether it will be in brightness or darkness. It is as if you are dropping a piece of paper from a high tree, the paper can land on the ground or on the surface of water or on a thorny bush or in the mud. A person who is not an ariya, that is, one who has not attained magga nana, is never secure about this future existence. Only an ariya who has attained magga nana can be certain to be reborn in brightness.

Lord Buddha, in the introduction of the Satipatthana Sutta, said that only meditators practicing the four divisions of Satipatthana Vipassana Bhavana or insight meditation namely,
1) Contemplation of the physical body (kayanupassana).
2) Contemplation of the feeling or sensation (vedananupassana).
3) Contemplation of the mind (cittanupassana).
4) Contemplation of the mind objects or conditions (dhammanupassana).

To the full extent with the utmost desire enthusiastically will be able to gain magga nana in this very existence. Thus our meditators should endeavor to the best of their abilities to achieve the noble full-fledged path knowledge magga nana.

Therefore, it is advisable that since our meditators are fortunately born during the Buddha Sasana (Buddha Teachings), they should endeavor their utmost effort to attain magga nana through vipassana meditation as vipassana is available only during the Buddha Sasana. After attaining magga nana, all unwholesome activities are being surmounted by themselves and you are sure to achieve brightness: human world or heavenly world and thence due to the accumulation of wholesome deeds in many forthcoming existences, you will achieve the most cherished goal of Nibbana, the cessation of all sufferings. Thus with firm conviction, all meditators will surmount all unwholesome thoughts, speech and actions and achieve progress of insight knowledge through the stages of purification and strive hard for deliverance.

May all meditators be able to practice Satipatthana Vipassana Bhavana meditation steadfastly and continuously with perseverance and attain the perpetual peace of Nibbana in the shortest and quickest way.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

2010 Vesak Day Celebration

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:28:43 +0000

Three Stages Of Development

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:43:06 +0000

Three Stages of Development

by Sayadaw U Silananda

All the teachings of the Buddha can be summed up in one verse which embodies the three stages on the grand path that leads to Nibbana:

To refrain from all evil,

To do what is good,

To purify the mind,

This is the teaching of the Buddhas.

(Dhammapada, 183)

There are three stages of development for a Buddhist-morality is the first stage, concentration the second, and wisdom the third. The eight steps of the Eightfold Path are classified under these three stages. Morality includes right speech, right action, and right livelihood; concentration includes right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration; and wisdom includes right understanding, and right thought (which are the first two steps in the Eightfold Path). Although wisdom is in one sense the beginning of the Eightfold Path, in a more important sense it is the outcome.

There are three stages of development because there are three stages of defilement which must be overcome. In the first stage, defilements are not manifest in the words or deeds, but lie latent in each being. In the second stage they come up from the latent state to the level of thoughts, emotions, and feelings when they are awakened by an object, pleasant or unpleasant. In the third stage they become fierce and ungovernable and produce evil actions.

The three stages of development dispel the three stages of defilement. Morality can dispel only the defilements of evil actions, but leaves untouched the defilements of the two lower levels, so they could rise again. Therefore, morality is called the temporary putting away of defilements. Concentration can dispel only the second defilements of thoughts, emotions, and feelings. It can be effective for a considerable time, for it is more powerful than morality; but since the defilements which are latent are not dispelled, the defilements of the second level could arise again. Therefore the putting away by concentration is called the putting away to a distance.

The defilements of the first level, the latent defilements, are dispelled by wisdom, by insight. They are untouched by morality or concentration, but when dispelled through insight will never arise again. Getting rib of them by wisdom is like cutting a tree by the root; therefore, the putting away by insight is called the cutting away.

Since the three stages of development are interdependent and interrelated, they should be practiced at the same time. For example, when living a moral life, it is easier to have right concentration and right understanding. The practice of right concentration helps one to live rightly and to understand things rightly; and in the same way, the practice of right understanding helps one to live rightly and to concentrate rightly. On the other hand, they cannot be practiced separately, for it is impossible to live a moral life without concentration-which mind control- and without right understanding; in the same way, concentration and wisdom always require the other two stages.

The first of the rules of discipline (morality) prescribed for the lay disciples are the Five Precepts: not to kill, not to steal, not to commit any sexual misconduct, not to lie, and not to take any intoxicating liquor or drugs. These are not the Buddha’s commandments, which it would be considered a sin to break. They represent the preliminary ideals of a virtuous life which a man will accept wholeheartedly if he is to call himself a Buddhist. He dose not make a promise to the Buddha to obey the precepts; he gives the promise to himself. The pledge is phrased, “I accept the precept to refrain from taking life”.

Each man who repeats the precepts puts himself on his honor to do his best not to break them. And if he breaks them the only repentance which is constructive is to make the pledge to himself again as many times as is necessary, day after day, month after month, year after year, until he wins the struggle against his lower nature. A man must win the goal of purity and nobility by himself. Neither the Buddha, nor angles, nor any god can bring a man to deliverance. The practice of the moral life is the very core and essence of Buddhism. A person of right understanding who realizes the law of cause and effect may accept the precepts and then go on a step further and cultivate sense restraint, since he realizes that overindulgence in sensual pleasures is a hindrance to moral and spiritual progress.

The spiritual man who has learned to practice morality and master his senses is inclined to move to the second stage on the path to Nibbana, the stage of control and culture of the mind which brings a higher and more lasting happiness through concentration. This higher happiness can be attained through Jhanas. The word Jhana comes from a root which may mean “to think closely of an object”, or “to burn adverse things which hinder spiritual progress”. It has been translated as trance, absorption, or ecstasy, but it is best thought of a special, extra mundane experience.

The spiritual man who seeks the second stage of development selects one of the recommended objects of concentration which appeals to his temperament and concentrates on it for days, weeks, months, or years until he is able to visualize it without difficulty. When he can visualize it without looking at it, he continues concentration on it until he develops it into a conceptualized object, at which stage he has attained proximate concentration. At that point, he can overcome temporarily the five hindrances of sensual desires, hatred, sloth, restlessness, remorse, and doubts. By continuing in the discipline of concentration he eventually attains the five stages of Jhana and easily develops the five supernormal powers: celestial eye, celestial ear, remembrance of past births, reading thoughts of others,and various psychic powers.

The mind of the spiritual man who has reached such high levels of experience through the Jhanas is highly refined; yet that man is not entirely free from evil tendencies because concentration can only overcome temporarily the evil tendencies of the second stage of defilements. Since the evil tendencies of the first stage-the latent defilements still remain untouched, the defilements of the second stage-the thoughts, emotions, and feelings aroused by sense objects would arise again.

Morality makes a man gentle in his words and deeds; concentration controls the mind and makes him calm, serene, and steady; and wisdom enables him to overcome all the defilements completely.

The spiritual man who has reached the third stage on the path to Nibbana, the stage of wisdom or insight, tries to understand the real nature of his self and of the things of the world in general. With his highly purified mind he begins to realize that there is no ego principle or persistent identity of a self or substratum in either internal or external phenomena. He perceives that both mind and matter, which make up his personality, are in a state of constant flux; he sees that all conditioned things are impermanent (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and void of self-existence (anatta). To him then comes the knowledge that every form of worldly pleasure is only a prelude to pain and that everything is in a state of flux and cannot be the source of real, permanent happiness.

The aspirant then concentrates on the three characteristics of existence-impermanence, suffering, and non-ego. Having neither attachment nor aversion for worldly things, he intently keeps on developing insight into both internal and external phenomena until he eliminates the three fetters of self-illusion, doubts, and clinging to vain rites and rituals. It is only when he destroys these three fetters completely that he realizes Nibbana, for the first time in his existence. At this stage he is called one who has entered the stream that leads to Nibbana, for just as a stream flows inevitably toward the ocean, so the aspirant will with certainty attain his final enlightenment. But because he has not eradicated the remaining seven fetters, he may be reborn as many as seven times.

When the aspirant has developed deeper insight and weakened the next two fetters-sensual craving and ill will, he becomes a Once returner. Because if he does not obtain final release in this present life, he will be reborn in the world of desires only once. When those two fetters are completely discarded, the aspirant becomes a Non returner, one who will not be reborn in this world or any of the realms of sense pleasures. But if he does not attain this final Enlightenment in this life he will be reborn in one of the higher, suitable planes and pass from there to Nibbana.

The fourth stage is that of Arahant, the perfected saint who completely annihilates the remaining five fetters of craving for existence in the world of form, craving for existence in the immaterial world, pride or conceit, restlessness and ignorance. He then realizes that rebirth is exhausted, the Holy Life is fulfilled and what was to be done has been done. This is the highest, holiest peace and end of greed, hatred, and delusion. The Arahant stands on the heights more than celestial, realizing the unutterable bliss of Nibbana. There is nothing to him to cause him to be born again, or grow old again, or die again. There is nothing more for him to do, for he has shown that man can follow the Path of the Buddha to Nibbana.

Nibbana is the cessation of craving, of selfish desires. It may also be defined as the extinction of lust, hatred, and innocence. The Pali word Nibbana is formed of ni and vana. Ni is a negative particle and vana means craving or selfish desire. Nibbana therefore literally means the absence of craving. The Sanskrit word Nirvava comes from the root va which means to blow, and the prefix nir which means off or out. Hence, Nirvana in its Sanskrit form means “the blowing out”. It is understood to mean the blowing out of the flame of personal desire.

The predominance of the negative explanation of Nibbana resulted in the mistaken notion that it is “nothingness” or “annihilation”. However, in the Pitakas we find many positive definitions of Nibbana, such as Highest Refuge, Safety, Unique, Absolute Purity, Supramundane, Security, Emancipation, Peace and the like. Nibbana is therefore not a negative concept because it is the cessation of craving, a blowing out of desires leaves a man free. Nibbana is freedom, but not freedom from circumstances; it is freedom from the bonds with which we have bound ourselves to circumstances. That man is free who is strong enough to say, “whatever comes I accept as best”.

Freedom does not mean that one can do everything that can be imagined, that one can defeat a lion with a slap of the hand. Freedom to do anything we wish is not freedom, for that means a return to the bondage of our wishes, our desires. Freedom means that one cannot be made a slave to anyone or anything, because one is free from personal desire, free from resentment, anger, pride, fear, impatience-free from all craving. Such a man’s binding emotions have been blown out like so many candles. That man is free here on earth. He has reached Nibbana in this world.

清明孝亲报恩法会

Chuan Ren — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 07:08:44 +0000

华人在清明节祭祖扫墓,主要目的是追思哀悼亲人,以表达感恩之心, 佛教也一样,不仅要求信众报答父母生养身命的恩德,也要报答佛法三宝生养慧命的恩德. 因此菩提禅堂决定今年以南传佛教的方式举办清明法会.

日期: 4月11日,星期天

时间: 上午9点开始

活动内容: 供灯,供花,供袈裟(本堂有准备),除此之外, 尊者会以南传佛教的方式诵经以此回向给你们的亲人.

基本慈心观 Loving-Kindness (Metta) Meditation For Beginner

Chuan Ren — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:20:58 +0000

“Let thoughts of boundless love pervade the whole world; Above, below and across without any obstruction, without any hatred, without any enmity.” – metta sutta.

Date : 2-05-2010 to 23-05-2010

Time : 7:30pm to 9:00pm – Sunday

Registration Fee : S$20

Registration form : CLICK HERE

Max. participant : 30 pax.

基本慈心观

“让无限慈心遍照十方世界，

上，下，左，右，不受阻扰，不怀仇恨，

不抱敌意。” – 慈经

日期： 2010 年5月2日至23日

时间：每逢星期日晚上7点半至9点

报名费：20元。

表格：点击此
名额人数：30人

2010 活动 Highlights

admin — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 15:42:43 +0000

APRIL

+ 清明节法会 QingMin Ceremony : 11/4/2010

MAY

+ 慈心观课程Metta Class at BMC – 4 lessons 7:30pm to 9pm ( 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd )

+ 卫塞节庆典 Wesak day celebration : 28/5/2010.

JUNE

+ 巴厘岛九日内观禅 9 days Bali Retreat : 12/6/2010-20/6/2010

JULY

+ Dhamma Class – Introduction to Abhidhamma, date to be confirmed

+ 7月盂兰节7th Months festival

AUG

+ 内观禅课程Vipassana Meditation Class – 10 lessons . August 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, September 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th, October 2nd, 9th

OCT

+ Kathina Ceremory, date to be confirmed

NOV

+ 7日缅甸朝圣 7days Myanmar Pilgrimage, date to be confirmed.

Vipassana Meditation Should be Practised

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:13:19 +0000

Vipassana Meditation Should be Practised

Sayadaw U Kundala

Human life is so full of problems such as the problem of food, clothing, shelter, social affairs, political affairs and so on. Compared to the lives of devas and Brahmas, the human life span is too short. A hundred years in the human world is just one and a half hours in the world of paranimmitta-vasavatti celestial devas.

However, though human life is too short and full of problems, it offers the best opportunities to cultivate or accumulate merits and paramis which will lead to the cessation of sufferings and Nibbana. All Buddhas, Pacceka Buddhas, Arahants who had attained Nibbana accumulated merit and paramis in this human world.

That is why while you have this human life you should make use of your time most profitably. If you wish to make use of your time most beneficially you must practice satipatthana vipassana meditation. Practicing satipatthana vipassana meditation means using your available time in the best way which will be most beneficial.

In practicing satipatthana vipassana meditation by just doing one simple job of being mindful you are extinguishing lobha, dosa, moha defilements which will lead you to apaya on one hand. On the other hand, you will gain maturity of concentration insight (samadhi nana), which will lead you to the noblest Nibbana. Thus two tings are being accomplished.

Consequently, while you have human life you should practice satipatthana vipassana meditation which is most beneficial for you.

Practicing satipatthana vipassana meditation is the work of the mind which is very subtle and difficult. However, it was practiced by Lord Buddha himself and He had given us the method with great compassion. Thus if we practice correctly we will know for ourselves calmness and firmness of the mind remarkably as well as experience insight. We will gain happiness which

ordinary human beings and celestial beings cannot experience. That is why it is of vital importance to practice satipatthana vipassana meditation.

By practicing satipatthana vipassana meditation you will certainly beyond doubt, gain magga-phala nana by which you will escape apaya, samsara and miseries. You will reach Nibbana definitely for which you have prayed every time you do meritorious deeds. Other than the practice of satipatthana vipassana meditation there is no way to attain magga, phala, Nibbana. That is why you should practice satipatthana vipassana meditation in this human life.

In practicing satipatthana vipassana meditation, you are trying to discover the true nature of the changes that are taking place speedily in your physical and mental processes. To note the phenomena of mind and matter which keep changing at a great speed.

There are four dhammas :

1) Kayanupassana Satipatthana – to be mindful to know every bodily behaviour.

2) Vedananupassana Satipatthana – to be mindful to know the three types of vedana : unpleasant sensations, pleasant sensations and neutral sensations.

3) Cittanupassana Satipatthana – to be mindful of the ever changing mental processes.

4) Dhammanupassana Satipatthana – to be mindful of the remaining phenomena other than mentioned in the above three catagories.

Kayanupassana – Noting every bodily behaviour that ariese such as walking, standing, sitting, bending and stretching your arms, to know the nature of all their manners. At the beginning you are unable to note all the bodily actions. To gain concentration or samadhi you have to sit and meditate.

At sitting meditation, you can either sit cross-legged or folding your knees to enable you to meditate for a long time. Your head and back must be erect, keep your attention at the abdomen. As you breathe in, note “rising” and be mindful of the inner motion that rises up. Do not think of the form of the abdomen, which is the concept (pannatti). Note attentively how the abdomen rises up as the air pushes from inside, which is the reality (paramattha).

When you breathe out or exhale you must note “falling” as the motion inside falls, to know the nature of the phenomena. Do not note the form of the abdomen (pannatti) but be mindful of the falling movement of the abdomen and register its occurrence penetratively (paramattha).

As your concentration develops you will realize that the rising and falling of the abdomen of the physical body is separate from the noting mind. This knowledge discerns the nature of matter (rupa) from that of mind (nama). Apart from the rising and falling of the physical body and the noting mind, there is in reality no such thing as self. As you keep on noting continuously you will discover that because there is a cause, there is an effect. Later when your concentration (samadhi) strengthens you will perceive by comprehension impermanence (anicca), unsatisfaction (dukkha) and absence of an unchanging self (anatta).

Later when the samadhi nana becomes stronger, the material and mental processes arise and vanish at a fantastic speed. One will experience for himself or herself that the bodily behaviour such as walking, standing, sitting, lying down, bending, stretching, arise and disappear immediately as noting them is kept on.

After realizing the appearance and disappearance of the physical behaviour such as rising, falling, walking, standing, lying down, bending and stretching, you will be able to note the arising and passing away of the vedanan sensations. When you are noting the conscious mind, also you will notice its appearance and disappearance. When you are noting seeing, hearing, smelling, you will discover the nature of its arising and passing away. You will experience happiness significantly which no ordinary human beings or devas can experience.

When you continue being mindful without interruption your insight will develop step by step and attain fruition by way of sense objects when you reach sotapatti magga phala nana. All the bad kamma due to unwholesome deeds done in the previous countless number of existences which will lead you to apaya will be entirely extinguished. Beginning from this present life since you will have no chance to do any demerit which will lead you to apaya, you will be entirely free from bad kamma.

When you die, you will have no doubts. Can one be reborn in apaya, or as animals, or in the woeful states of petas and most ugly-looking asuras ? You will never reach the woeful states of apaya. You go through life cycles fearlessly.

If a sotapanna who has realized Nibbana by magga phala nana, should be happy in the rounds of rebirth and forget the practice of satipatthana vipassana meditation, he will forget it for seven lives at the most. After seven rebirths, he will becomes specially remorseful and practice satipatthana vipassana meditation and attain Nibbanan as an arahant.

Even if a sotapanna is happy in the rounds of rebirth, he will scarely have sensual pleasures in the mundane world. He is most happy with dana, sila and sammatha. Suffering from ageing, sickness, death, sorrow and lamentation in the future lives has become so few as to be compared to the dust on Lord Buddha’s thumb nail.

At one time Lord Buddha was residing at Jetavana monastery in Savatthi. At the time the monks were assembled to listen to the discourse of Lord Buddha. As there was no time to give a discourse, Lord Buddha approached the monks and picking up some dust from the earth and putting it on his thumb nail asked though knowing it.

“O monks, the dust put on my nail if compared to the whole earth, which is more ?”

Whereupon, the monks answered, “O Lord, the dust put on your nail compared to the whole earth is too little to be accounted for. The dust on the whole earth is far too much.”

When the monks replied thus, the Lord said, “O monks, my disciples in the same manner, those who have practiced satipatthana vipassana and have become sotapannas may be compared to the dust on my nail. The remaining beings who suffer samsara’s miseries such as old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, the bad kamma, may be compared to the whole earth. Thus the Enlightened One discoursed how a sotapanna who has practiced satipatthana vipassana is relieved from suffering and attain happiness.

That is why you should make use of the time available most beneficially by practicing satipatthana vipassana meditation in this human life.

一日精进禅修

admin — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:10:37 +0000

一日精进禅修：禅修者须持八关斋戒(无须报名)
1-Day Meditation Retreat
禅修者须持八关斋戒。
我们将提供素食午餐。
欢迎您来禅修(无须报名)。
费用：随缘乐捐、供养
日期：星期天，早上9点－晚上5点（每月的第一个星期天）