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Tsunami Sayadaw U Ottamasaras

Practical Insight Meditation

Arranged by

SoeWinHtut

FOR those only who wants to abandon

ALL stress or suffering

REALLY & QUICKLY

WHERE IS THE DHAMMA?WHERE IS THE DHAMMA?


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Tsunami Sayadaw

U Ottamasaras

Practical Insight Meditation

Only one way to abandon the sufferings

at all truly

FOR those only who wants to abandon

ALL stress or suffering

REALLY & QUICKLY


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Richard Feynman, who also was a Noble Prize winner, passed away

very recently and was a member of NASA organizations. He said an

electron is not a thing, it is a theoretical model, there is only energy and

energy is always changing.

Nothing can stay the same, but if we take the whole picture it seems as if it

stays the same. If you look into the energy pattern youll find that it is

always changing. We cannot think of anything as a thing, the whole

Universe is a process, not a thing. When we look at something as a thing,it seems as though it is not changing,...

Everything is insubstantial; and it doesnt last.

In quantum physics about sub-atomic particles you can understand this.

No substance, No form, no shape, just energy nature.

Robert Oppenheimer, American theoretical physicist and professor of

physics at the University of California, Berkeleysaid that if you ask does

an electron stay in the same position?The answer is, no. Does it change?

The answer is, no. Does it stay? The answer is, no. Does it move? The

answer is, no. An electron is just a theoritical model; something disappears

and something arises. There is a link (between them) but they are not the

same anymore.

In the field of materiality, the modern scientists knows that there

is no something, somewhere or permanent one which is unchanging

for a while in reality. Although their discovery is nearest to Utimate reality

of material nature the Buddha had already said about 2600 years ago,

they cant know yet even in intellectual level that there is no something

or a permanent entity or self-ego or soul or one single mind in Ultimate

reality of mental nature that Buddha had discovered in inner experiential

level. The discovery of Buddha about the nature of mentality and

materiality is very important in practising the insight (vipassana)meditation to abandon the defilements (kilesa) truly.

Preface


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Buddha taught the two types of meditation method ; serenity

(samatha) & Insight (vipassana) meditation. Budda taught that in insight

meditation, meditators must remove the idea of the something, form or

shape -etc. [i.e, In insight meditation level, in order to find the ultimate

truth( paramattha sacca) behind the relative truth (sammuti sacca) or

conventional words(vohara), we have to erase the idea of something,

someone, abdomen, nose, form, or shape..-etc;which are conventional

or relative truth which are unreal or barrier for knowing the ultimate

truth( paramattha sacca).]

Traditional medition methods are based on the focusing something

such as abdomen, nose, touching place, air coming in and going out orsound.. etc. These method are very good for serenity or concentration

level (samatha meditation). If you wants to step on the insight (vipassana)

level, focusing something such as abdomen, touching place, pain,

pleasure, sound or air.. etc- beacuse in insight meditation level, we must

remove the idea of the relative truth such as I, ego, self, someone,

something, somewhere, form or shape.. etc;. If you cant remove the

idea of the relative truth such as self, someone, something, somewhere,form or shape.. etc, attachments together with likes, dislike are

automatically arising upon something such as abdomen, touching area,

air, sound, pain, pleasure, sensation.. etc; with the idea of I, someone,

something of mine. So we are assuming we are doing vipassana

meditation in spite of noting or focusing something such as abdomen,

touching place, odour, sound, or air coming in and going out.. etc.

One layman who was a business man from Yangon has found out

the weak point of some traditional meditation method after practising &

learning the traditional meditation methods diligently.

At the age of 29, he first encountered Ultimate truth or the

teaching of the Buddha or Anatta nature or theory of the

insubstantiality or non-self (not-something, not-someone, not-

somewhere and not-sometime) of mentality and materiality. From then

onward, he practiced diligently never to lose the awareness of the

Truth of not something, not someone (I, you, individual), not

sometime, or not somewhere.. etc;


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After he had understood well the ultimate reality or what the

Buddha meant mainly in insight meditation level, he was ordained under

the monk, Rev.Nyayyathagara and so has been teaching insight

(vipassana) meditation in Yangon, Myanmar, for the past 7 years as a

monk to fix the weak points of traditional meditation method. Now, he is

well-known in the insight meditation fields in Myanmar.

Some people ask him which tradition is followed by Sayadaws

method. Sayadaw answers that his method is Buddhas tradition of direct

Insight meditation in spite of having learned under with the help of Mogok,

Sonlon, TeeInnGu and U Ba Khins method.

Sayadaw explains how his method came to be:This teaching method has come into being because of the

inadequacy of traditional teachings. In traditional teachings and methods

there are a many weaknesses, especially concerning the role of I. In

traditional methods, action is essential. And because there is action, there

comes the doer of the action, which is the misunderstanding of I.

Whatever you do with I, you are doing with non-enlightenment and

attachment. In this way, you are accepting the enemies as your friends,thats why, however much you practice, it is very unlikely to get to the

goal of real enlightenment.

Most meditators, (especially in Myanmar), have the idea I must

meditate, or meditation is something I should do. Their intention is not

bad but the weak point is that what they understand and practice is not

real insight meditation - because they misunderstand what they called

I is meditating. In reality, knowing there is no I, is the insight meditation.

Instead of [trying to accept] the truth of no I, they practice [various]

techniques with I and thats why although they have the right intention,

it is nearly impossible they will reach the final goal.

I see that there are a lot of misunderstandings when it comes to

meditation, so I determined to try and solve this problem. Because of my

hard work for over 6 years, this explanation appeared and it really works

for nearly all people who are open-minded.

To follow & practise this way, you must have the rigid trust (saddha)


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upon this method, Practical Insight Meditation and youll need the certain

period to meditate regularly, while listening to Guided meditation

instruction-CD attached with this book or while youre meditating, please

turn on his guided meditation instruction-CD until youve already

understood this method well so that you can easily abandon any

hinderance such as stress, sufferings, hatred, laziness or doubt..etc;

This method seems little bit difficult to understand for beginners

or some meditators who cant understand yet what insight meditation is

or those who have been attaching the tradational meditation method.

But if one will try to understand & practise patiently & persistently, he

will find out the axiomatic benefits from this way more greatly and fasterthan other traditional meditation methods.

For those who want to get some reference sutta from Theravada

Pali texts about this practical insight meditation method the Buddha

taught, this book includes Phena Sutta (Foam)(SN 22.95), Malunkyaputta

Sutta (SN 35.95), Bahiya Sutta(Ud 1.10) and Satta Sutta (A being) (SN 23.2)

by Thanissaro Bhikkhu and pali quotation from ~Visuddhimagga & its

translation in Part One of the book.

Author

Content

Part One

1. Phena Sutta (Foam) 6

2. quotation from ~Visuddhimagga 9

3. Malunkyaputta Sutta 10

4. Bahiya Sutta 14

5. Satta Sutta (A Being) 18

Part Two

6. Introduction to Practical Insight Meditation 19

7. Practical Insight Meditation Method 26

8. Three steps of Practical Insight meditation 27

9. Not to Forget 28


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On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Ayojjhans

on the banks of the Ganges River. There he addressed the monks:

Monks, suppose that a large glob of foam were floating down this

Ganges River, and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observeit, & appropriately examine it. To him seeing it, observing it, &

appropriately examining it it would appear empty, void, without

substance: for what substance would there be in a glob of foam? In

the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines

any form that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant

or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him seeing it,

observing it, & appropriately examining it it would appear empty,

void, without substance: for what substance would there be inform?

Now suppose that in the autumn when its raining in fat, heavy

drops a water bubble were to appear & disappear on the water,

and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, &

appropriately examine it. To him seeing it, observing it, &

appropriately examining it it would appear empty, void, withoutsubstance: for what substance would there be in a water bubble? In

the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines

any feeling that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant

or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To himseeing it,

observing it, & appropriately examining it it would appear empty,

void, without substance: for what substance would there be infeeling?

Now suppose that in the last month of the hot season a mirage

were shimmering, and a man with good eyesight were to see it,

PTS: S iii 140

CDB i 951 Source:

Transcribed from a file provided by

the translator.

Copyright 1999 ThanissaroBhikkhu.

Access to Insight edition 1999

SN 22.95

Phena Sutta

FoamTranslated from the Paliby Thanissaro Bhikkhu

PART ONE


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observe it, & appropriately examine it. To him seeing it, observing

it, & appropriately examining it it would appear empty, void,

without substance: for what substance would there be in a mirage?

In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examinesany perception that is past, future, or present; internal or external;

blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him seeing

it, observing it, & appropriately examining it it would appear

empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be

in perception?

Now suppose that a man desiring heartwood, in quest of

heartwood, seeking heartwood, were to go into a forest carrying a

sharp ax. There he would see a large banana tree: straight, young,

of enormous height. He would cut it at the root and, having cut it at

the root, would chop off the top. Having chopped off the top, he

would peel away the outer skin. Peeling away the outer skin, he

wouldnt even find sapwood, to say nothing of heartwood. Then a

man with good eyesight would see it, observe it, & appropriatelyexamine it. To him seeing it, observing it, & appropriately

examining it it would appear empty, void, without substance:

for what substance would there be in a banana tree? In the same

way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any

fabrications that are past, future, or present; internal or external;

blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him seeing

them, observing them, & appropriately examining them they

would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance

would there be in fabrications?

Now suppose that a magician or magicians apprentice were to

display a magic trick at a major intersection, and a man with good

eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately examine it. To

him seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it itwould appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance

would there be in a magic trick? In the same way, a monk sees,


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observes, & appropriately examines any consciousness that is past,

future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common

or sublime; far or near. To him seeing it, observing it, &

appropriately examining it it would appear empty, void, withoutsubstance: for what substance would there be in consciousness?

Seeing thus, the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones grows

disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted

with perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with

consciousness. Disenchanted, he grows dispassionate. Through

dispassion, hes released. With release theres the knowledge,

Released. He discerns that Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the

task done. There is nothing further for this world.

That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-

Gone, the Teacher, said further:

Form is like a glob of foam;

feeling, a bubble;

perception, a mirage;

fabrications, a banana tree;

consciousness, a magic trick

this has been taught

by the Kinsman of the Sun.

However you observe them,

appropriately examine them,

theyre empty, void

to whoever sees them

appropriately.

Beginning with the body

as taught by the One

with profound discernment:

when abandoned by three things


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1. SN 22.85

Dukkha eva hi, na koci dukkhito

karako na, kiriya va v jati

atti nibbutim, na nibbuto puma

maggam atthi, gamako na vijjati

~Visuddhimagga

Mere sufferings exist, no suffereris found.

Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.

Mere the actions(creations) are ..

but no actor(creator) of the actions or creations is there.

Nibbana exists, but not the man(someone) that enters it.

The path is, but none who travels on it is seen.

~The Path of Purification

Thus a monk, persistence aroused,

should view the aggregates

by day & by night,

mindful,

alert;

should discard all fetters;

should make himself

his own refuge;

should live as if

his head were on fire

in hopes of the state

with no falling away.

life, warmth, & consciousness

form is rejected, cast aside.

When bereft of these

it lies thrown away,senseless,

a meal for others.

Thats the way it goes:

its a magic trick,

an idiots babbling.

Its said to be

a murderer.1

No substance here

is found.


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SN 35.95

Malunkyaputta Sutta

(To Malunkyaputta)

Then Ven. Malunkyaputta, who was ardent & resolute, went to the

Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one

side. As he was sitting there, he said to the Blessed One: It would

be good, lord, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma inbrief so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I

might dwell alone in seclusion: heedful, ardent, & resolute.

Here now, Malunkyaputta: What will I say to the young monks

when you aged, old, elderly, along in years, come to the last stage

of life ask for an admonition in brief?

Lord, even though Im aged, old, elderly, along in years, come to

the last stage of life, may the Blessed One teach me the Dhamma in

brief! May the One Well-gone teach me the Dhamma in brief! It

may well be that Ill understand the Blessed Ones words. It may

well be that Ill become an heir to the Blessed Ones words.

What do you think, Malunkyaputta: the forms cognizable via the

eye that are unseen by you that you have never before seen, that

you dont see, and that are not to be seen by you: Do you have anydesire or passion or love there?

No, lord.

Similarly, The sounds cognizable via the ear...

The aromas cognizable via the nose...

The flavors cognizable via the tongue...

The tactile sensations cognizable via the body...The ideas cognizable via the intellect that are

uncognized by you that you have never before cognized, that

PTS: S iv 72

CDB ii 1175 Source:

Transcribed from a file provided by

the translator.

Copyright 2005 ThanissaroBhikkhu.

Access to Insight edition 2005Translated from the Pali

by Thanissaro Bhikkhu


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you dont cognize, and that are not to be cognized by you: Do you

have any desire or passion or love there?

No, lord.

Then,Malunkyaputta, with regard to phenomena to be seen, heard,sensed, or cognized: In reference to the seen, there will be only the

seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the

sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the

cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there

will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in

reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed,

only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Malunkyaputta,there is no you or someonein connection with that. When there

is no you or someone in connection with that, there is no you

there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder

nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress.1

1. (see also Ud 1.10 Bahiya Sutta)

[Alternative translation of above passage by Maurice OConnell Walshe]

Well then, Malunkyaputta, in things seen, heard, smelt, tasted,

touched, sensed, cognized: in the seen there will only be the seen, in

the heard only the heard, in the sensed only the sensed, in the

cognized only the cognized... Then, Malunkyaputta, there will be no

thereby for you.2

2.[There is no agent or one single entity or something, i.e., no seer,

feeler, knower, someone, I in the seen, heard, smelt, tasted,touched, felt, known, or cognized.. -etc; There will be no thereby

whereby one will be lustful, hating or deluded (SA[SN commentary]).

Having no thereby, you have no there or in that matter.3

3. If there is no agent (i.e., something or someone or self ), then

there is nowhere such an agent can be located. You will have no there:

you will not be bound there or attached there, i.e., with regard to theseen, heard, sensed and cognized (SA).

Having no there,Malunkyaputta, there is for you neither this world,


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nor the next, nor anywhere in between.4

4. You will realize that nothing is really reborn.

That in itself is the end of suffering.

I understand in detail, lord, the meaning of what the Blessed Onehas said in brief:

Seeing a form

mindfulness on the ultimate truth lapsed

attending to the theme of endearing,

impassioned in mind,

one feels and remains fastened there.Ones feelings, born of the form,

grow numerous,

Greed & annoyance

injure ones mind.

Thus amassing stress,

one is said to be far from Unbinding or Detaching.

{Similarly, Hearing a sound...

Smelling an aroma...

Tasting a flavor...

Touching a tactile sensation...

Knowing an idea... }

Not impassioned with forms seeing a form with mindfulness firm on the ultimate truth

dispassioned in mind,

one knows and doesnt remain fastened there.

While one is seeing a form

and even experiencing feeling

it falls away and doesnt accumulate.

Thus one fares in being mindful in ultimate truth , i.e., one only does

wihout the idea of I or doer.

Thus not amassing stress,


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one is said to be

in the presence of Unbinding or Detaching.

{ Similarly, Not impassioned with sounds...

Not impassioned with aromas...

Not impassioned with flavors...

Not impassioned with tactile sensations...

Not impassioned with ideas...}

Its in this way, lord, that I understand in detail the meaning of

what the Blessed One said in brief.

Good,Malunkyaputta. Very good. Its good that you understand indetail this way the meaning of what I said in brief.

[The Buddha then repeats the verses.]

Its in this way, Malunkyaputta, that the meaning of what I said in

brief should be regarded in detail.

Then Ven. Malunkyaputta, having been admonished by the

admonishment from the Blessed One, got up from his seat and boweddown to the Blessed One, circled around him, keeping the Blessed

One to his right side, and left. Then, dwelling alone, secluded,

heedful, ardent, & resolute, he in no long time reached & remained

in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly go

forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for

himself in the here & now. He knew: Birth is ended, the holy life

fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for the sake of thisworld. And thus Ven. Malunkyaputta became another one of the

arahants.

See also:MN 18; SN 23.2.


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Ud 1.10

Bahiya Sutta

About Bahiya

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near

Savatthi, in Jetas Grove, Anathapindikas monastery. Now at that

time Bahiya of the Bark-cloth was living in Supparaka by the seashore.

He was worshipped, revered, honored, venerated, given homage a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medical requisites

for the sick. Then, when he was alone in seclusion, this line of

thinking arose to his awareness: Now, of those who in this world

are arahants or have entered the path of arahantship, am I one?

Then a devata (deity who has a limited lifespan) who had once been

a blood relative of Bahiya of the Bark-cloth compassionate,

desiring his welfare, knowing with her own awareness the line of

thinking that had arisen in his awareness went to where he was

staying and on arrival said to him: You, Bahiya, are neither an

arahant nor have you entered the path of arahantship. You dont

even have the practice whereby you would become an arahant or

enter the path of arahantship.

But who, living in this world with its devas, is an arahant or hasentered the path to arahantship?

Bahiya, there is a city in the northern country named Savatthi. The

Blessed One an arahant, rightly self-awakened is living there

now. He is truly an arahant and he teaches the Dhamma that leads

to arahantship.

Then Bahiya, deeply chastened by the devata, left Supparaka right

then and, in the space of one day and night, went all the way towhere the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi, in Jetas Grove,

PTS: Ud 6

Source: Transcribed from a file

provided by the translator.

Copyright 1994 Thanissaro

Bhikkhu.Access to Insight edition 1994

For free distribution.Translated from the Pali

by Thanissaro Bhikkhu


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Anathapindikas monastery. At that time, a large number of monks

were doing walking meditation in the open air. He went to them

and, on arrival, said, Where, venerable sirs, is the Blessed One

staying the arahant, right self-awakened? We want to see him.

He has gone into the town for alms.

Then Bahiya, hurriedly leaving Jetas Grove and entering Savatthi,

saw the Blessed One going for alms in Savatthi calm, calming, his

senses at peace, his mind at peace, tranquil and poised in the ultimate

sense, accomplished, trained, guarded, his senses restrained, a Great

One (naga). Seeing him, he approached the Blessed One and, on

reaching him, threw himself down, with his head at the BlessedOnes feet, and said, Teach me the Dhamma, O Blessed One! Teach

me the Dhamma, O One-Well-Gone, that will be for my long-term

welfare and bliss.

When this was said, the Blessed One said to him: This is not the

time, Bahiya. We have entered the town for alms.

A second time, Bahiya said to the Blessed One: But it is hard to

know for sure what dangers there may be for the Blessed Ones life,

or what dangers there may be for mine. Teach me the Dhamma, O

Blessed One! Teach me the Dhamma, O One-Well-Gone, that will be

for my long-term welfare and bliss.

A second time, the Blessed One said to him: This is not the time,

Bahiya. We have entered the town for alms.

A third time, Bahiya said to the Blessed One: But it is hard to knowfor sure what dangers there may be for the Blessed Ones life, or

what dangers there may be for mine. Teach me the Dhamma, O

Blessed One! Teach me the Dhamma, O One-Well-Gone, that will be

for my long-term welfare and bliss.

Then, Bahiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the

seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the

heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference tothe cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train

yourself.


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When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen,

only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference

to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then,

Bahiya, there is no you or someone in terms of that. When there

is no you or someone in terms of that, there is no you there.

When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor

between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress or sufferings.1

1.[There is no subject or object (I, me, someone, seer, feeler,

knower, ) in reference to the seen, heard, sensed, felt, or cognized.. -

etc; but there will be action only, doing only, creation only, seeing only,

hearing only, knowing only, or feeling only..-etc; or annata nature only.No more included in insubstantial nature (annata) but action only,

creation only.

By understanding this ultimate truth, you can stop or abandon directly

your wrong view of I, you, someone, individual, self-ego,

something, or one single entity..-etc; According to the Law of

Dependent Origination (Paticca-Samupadda), in normal minds process,

with the base of sensations or feelings, likes, dislikes and attachment

arise because normal mind process is in the wrong view of I, you,

someone or sensations as mine or something.

By understanding or believing this ultimate truth of not-I, not-someone,

non-self, or not-something behind the feelings but action only, creation

only, or feeling only, you can stop or erase the arising of likes, dislikes

and attachment (Tanha & Upadana)with the base of sensations or feelings(Vedana). ie , There is no someone or feeler which feels the feelings or

sensations but actions only, feelings only, creations only, By being mindful

or believing this truth, one can stop or erase directly the chain of

Dependent Arsing (Paticca-Samupadda) or the origins of sufferings

(Samudaya Sacca) or the law of causes and effects.(Sankhara or Kamma

bhava, Jati, and Jara-Marana) (1 Authors alternative translation)

Through hearing this brief explanation of the Dhamma from theBlessed One, the mind of Bahiya of the Bark-cloth right then and

there was released from the effluents(defilements) through lack of


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clinging/sustenance. Having exhorted Bahiya of the Bark-cloth with

this brief explanation of the Dhamma, the Blessed One left.

Now, not long after the Blessed Ones departure, Bahiya attacked

by a cow with a calf lost his life. Then the Blessed One, havinggone for alms in Savatthi, after the meal, returning from his alms

round with a large number of monks, saw that Bahiya had died. On

seeing him, he said to the monks, Take Bahiyas body and, placing

it on a litter and carrying it away, cremate it and build him a

memorial. Your companion in the holy life has died.

As you say, lord, the monks replied. After placing Bahiyas body

on a litter, carrying it off, cremating it, and building him a memorial,they went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down

to him, sat to one side. As they were sitting there, they said to him,

Bahiyas body has been cremated, lord, and his memorial has been

built. What is his destination? What is his future state?

Monks, Bahiya of the Bark-cloth was wise. He practiced the Dhamma

in accordance with the Dhamma and did not pester me with issues

related to the Dhamma. Bahiya of the Bark-cloth, monks, is totally

unbound.

Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that

occasion exclaimed:

Where water, earth, fire, & wind have no footing:

There the stars do not shine,

the sun is not visible,the moon does not appear,

darkness is not found.

And when a sage,

a brahman through sagacity,

has known [this] for himself,

then from form & formless,

from bliss & pain,he is freed.

See also:SN 35.95; AN 4.24.


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I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near

Savatthi atJetas Grove, Anathapindikas monastery. Then Ven. Radha

went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to

him sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed

One: A being, lord. A being, its said. To what extent is one said

to be a being or someone or individual or ego-entity or a life3?

Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for form, Radha: when one is

caught up1 there, tied up2 there, one is said to be a being.3

Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for feeling... perception...

fabrications...

Any desire, passion, delight, or craving for consciousness, Radha: when

one is caught up there, tied up there, one is said to be a being.

Just as when boys or girls are playing with little sand castles:4 as

long as they are not free from passion, desire, love, thirst, fever, &

craving for those little sand castles, thats how long they have fun

with those sand castles, enjoy them, treasure them, feel possessive

of them. But when they become free from passion, desire, love, thirst,

fever, & craving for those little sand castles, then they smash them,

scatter them, demolish them with their hands or feet and make them

unfit for play.

In the same way, Radha, you too should smash, scatter, & demolish form,

and make it unfit for play. Practice for the ending of craving for form.

You should smash, scatter, & demolish feeling, and make it unfit for play.

Practice for the ending of craving for feeling.

You should smash, scatter, & demolish perception, and make it unfit for

play. Practice for the ending of craving for perception.You should smash, scatter, & demolish fabrications, and make them unfit

for play. Practice for the ending of craving for fabrications.

PTS: S iii 189 CDB i 985

Source: Copyright 1999

Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

Access to Insight edition 1999

SN 23.2

Satta Sutta A BeingTranslated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu


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Introduction toPractical Insight MeditationInsight meditation is not doing something. Insight mediation means

not getting rid of the effects but erasing the origins of all stress or suffer-

ing (dukkha). Knowing something such as one permanet entity, ego-self,

soul, thinking, feeling, pain, pleasure..etc; or someone such as doer, I,

you, he, she, individual..etc; is not real or unnatural but just the deceitful

creations of ascribing minds in perceptual distortions (Avijja, Sankhara,

Tanha, Upadana and kamma or Samudaya sacca).

Ultimate reality we can believe or be mindful is that there are only

the natures of the deceitful creations of ascribing minds in perceptual

distortions or actions of wrong classifications upon the vanishing na-

ture in very high rate as I, you, he, she, something, mine, yours, myself,

yourself, one soul, a being, an individual, one life, ..etc, because of not

being able to believe or understand the nature of mental and physicalenergies processes renewing & vanishing at the rate of billions per sec-

ond.

Insight meditation means to be mindful or believe or accept con-

tinuously that the assumings of something such as pain , pleasure, being

seeing, hearing, smelling, thinking, ego, spirit, soul -etc. is not real ,but

just deceitful creations or illusory actions of ever-new ascribing minds in

wrong perceptions.

We must be remerbering, accepting, believing or being aware of

You should smash, scatter, & demolish consciousness and make it unfit

for play. Practice for the ending of craving for consciousness for the

ending of craving, Radha, is Unbinding.

Notes ; 1.Satta. 2.Visatta. 3.Satta. which is to be considered as a merely

conventional term that is unreal. 4. Lit.: dirt houses.

PART TWO


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not being someone such as I, you, mine, yours, myself, yourself etc. and ,

not being somewhere such as my country, your country, my ward, your

ward. my home.

That means erasing or abandoning of the assuming or ascribing or

identifying nature of minds in perceptual distortions as something, pain,

pleasure, good, bad, ego, soul, mine, yours, self, one entity, someone, I,

you, individual, somewhere, sometime.

We have assuming that something, the seeing, the hearing, the

smelling, the tasting, the touching, pain, pleasure, feeling, perception, ,

thinking or one entity-etc; is existing for a while such as one second, one

minute, one hour-etc. within the certain period of contact with eye and

visual objects, ear and sound, nose and odour, tongue and taste, body and

touchable things, minds and mental objects.

These assumings that one seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touch-

ing, sensing, pain, pleasure, feeling, perception, thinking, soul, ego-self,

one entity or something..etc; is existing for a while such as one second,

one minute or one hour..etc; is not real, but just illusions or creations of

ever-new deceiving minds. In reality, there is no I, you, mine, yours,

individual, entity, self-ego, something, someone, pain, pleasure, some-

time, somewhere but just impermanent or vanishing nature (annica), un-

satisfactory or stressful nature(dukka), and the nature of insubstantiality,

no-I, non-self, non-ego, non-soul, non-entity, no-inner core, not-something,

not-someone, not- somewhere..etc; (annata).

Buddha said, energies or atomic particles (rupa) is vanishing andrenewing at the rate of 50,000-60,000 millions within a very short instant

(the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat) and minds or

consciousnesses (nama) are vanishng and renewing at the rate of 1,000

billions in this instant.Because the speed of disappearing and renewing

ofthe energies and minds in same qualities, is very high, we are deceived

to be seemed they are lasting for a moment such as one second, one

minute, one hour, one day, one year..etc;

For one simile, a fire flame in a candle. We are being deceived to


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be seemed that one single flame is existing for one minute, one hour or

two hour above a wax rod. That is not true. In reality, a lot of new heat

energies or new flames are renewing, replacing at the positions of previ-

ous vanishing heat energies or flames consecutively, repeatedly and

immediately due to the wax fuel. So, it is not one single flame. One

single flame is not existing even for one second. It is not somehing or

one single flame but heat energies renewing and vanishing consecutively,

repeatedly and so rapidly within a milli-second or one thousandth sec-

ond.

You must decide or believe or remember or be mindful that the

knowings that breathings , pains, pleasures, feelings, sensations, hear-

ings, smellings, thinkings are lasting or permanent for a certain time, is

not real but just the deceitful creations of ascribing minds in perceptual

distortions.Our perceptions are unreal without practising real insight

meditation.

If you have ever learned or understood the relativity theory by

Albert Einstein who is regarded as the greastest scientist or human being

of 20th Century, you can easily understand your ascribing as pain, pain or

pleasure, pleasure is just a perceptual distortion.

If one having ever experienced or from very hot Sahara desert,

must stay in Kuala Lumpur, he wont take the temperature of Kuala Lumpur

in sunny days as hotness for him. But if one from Canada or USA must stay

in KL at sunny days, he will take that of these days in KL as hotness for

him.A normal man will jerk on the arm of a lady at the age of sixteen by

his fist in certain degree of intensity, she will take such a jerk as pain but

if he will in again jerk on the arm of a heavy weight boxer as in same

degree in intensity as that upon the girls arm, the boxer will not take it as

pain.

If you compare yourself with one native black African , you think

youre so handsome but you will assign youre not handsome in relative


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to the very popular Hollywood star such as Tom Cruise, Brad PittorAngelina

Jolie.

So also, in ascribing that time or distance is too long or short , Einstein

gave his friends one example; you will assign the five minutes of standing

on hot stove is too long but one hour of being or wining together a young

beautiful lady is too short. And then he said to his friends in humouring,

If you dont believe this relativity, you can test about it by standing on

the hot stove for five minutes but I will drink together with a beautiful

lady. Thats right!. Our minds is always taking or ascribing that the difficult

or painful period is too long but the pleasant or sweet period is too short

although these two periods are equal in amount.

The distance from Kuala Lumpur to Burma is very far for one who

has ever been travelling within his town if he has to travel this trip but

one who often travels to KL to USA, will take this distance is not very far if

he has to start this trip.

If one who always has the meal with too much hot chilli, must eat a

curry with chilli, his mind will not take it isnt too hot, but if one who has

ever been having the sweet curries, must eat this chilli curry, his mind

will assign it is too hot.

You can easily understand our ascribing is not real but just a

perceptual distortion or wrong arbitrary decision of past experiences if

you can be aware of your tongues senses on the tastes. For example,

you drink half of a cup of sweet coffee or milk at first and then you eat

the some amount of sugar or some sweets. And then, drink the left halfcup of this same coffee again. You will assign or take this coffee is not so

sweet in relative to the previous time. Our minds assign or take one same

quality (same degree of sweet intensity) as two different qualities (two

different degrees of sweet intensity) in two different time intervals.

These above are some practical similes to understand that our

thinking or ascribing or taking something, someone, somewhere,

sometime or good or bad or pain or pleasure or long or short or ugly

or beautiful or hot or cold or sweet or bitter is very far from ultimate


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reality, and in order to ascend the insight meditation level, these notings

or ascribings pain or pleasurelike that is not enough for right

understanding or wisdom or insight meditation to understand the

utimate reality of mental & physical energies natures.

In the insight level, it is most important to be able to leave or

abandon or erase them(takings sensations,pains,pleasures,something,

or someone are not real)in order to arise the passive detached observing

minds or equanimityor insightof all sensations. Really, our ascribings

or takings good or bad or pain or pleasure are not something but just

our perceptual distortions or creations (sankhara) of delution (avijja)

or delusive decisions or trick creations ofpast experienceor just arbitrary

taking far from reality with the wrong view of I, mine.

That means if you assign or identify a certain drgree of intensity in

temperature or tightness or situation as good or bad or moderate, the

arising natures such as temperature or tightness which is not as same as

your specified or assigned them as good or bad or moderate, will be

automatically decided or assigned by your habitual minds as craving or

averse one.Oh, these are not as same as my likings or my assignings as

good, so I dislike or want to push away them. And then your good or bad

reactions will genarate and the effects of these reactions with likes,

dislike and the idea of I will continue repeatedly and endlessly.

That means that there is no real the God, but the assigning or

assuming minds that there will or may be the God in somewhere.

We have ever seen that there is a mirage on dry hot highway roadon a very hot day. The mirage seems to be a small lake. If you have any

previous experience about the mirage, your eyes will deceive you to

misunderstand that there is a small lake on it. In reality, there is no real

small lake on a highway road on a very hot day, the creations of deceitful

minds in optical illusion beacuse of not-knowing the real nature of

atmospheric refraction by a layer of hotair distorts or inverts reflections

of distant objects.


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There is no real pain, but the ascribing or assuming minds that this

certain degree of tension or pressure is painful.

There is no real value, but the ascribing or assuming minds that how

much valueable this object is. For example, previous World Cup football

match, the ball missed in the penalty goal kicking by David Beckham was

bought at the more times larger than the original value of it. That means

he valued a normal ball as a very precious one by himself or his minds. In

reality, a normal ball kicked by one footballer is not a very precious one.

For the one who is losting his way in the big desert and trying to

survive for tomorrow will value the food or the way of escaping more

than a lot of money, diamonds, golds or jewels.

Ascribing mine, my blood, my kidney or my bone..etc; is unreal,

so we can give or donate our bloods or kidney to others or we can accept

them from others if necessary or matched.

That means our ascribings as something such as pain or pleasure,

assumings as good or bad, feelings lasting for a moment, and one single

mind wandering for a while, are not real. In ultimate reality Buddha said

that there is no something or thinking or ascribing lasting for a while, or

even for a split second but just the impermanet nature or vanishing nature

of mental and physical energies processes at the rate of billions per second

but we take wrongly that something, pain, pleasure, smelling, thinking,

or thought-etc; is lasting for a moment such as one second, one minute or

one hour-etc.

And then, how can we know the ultimate truth by insightmeditation? The utimate truth of endless, repeated, vanishing and

impermanent nature (dukkha sacca) is unknown due to the truth of the

actions of creations of ever-new illusory minds. (Avijja ,tanah, Upadana,

Kamma & Sankhara; Samudaya sacca)

But we can be mindful or remember or decide or believe the truth

that there is just the creations of illusory minds or ascribings good or bad

in perceptual distortions (i.e. The knowing of something, someone,


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sometime, somewhere is unnatural or unreal, but just the imitations,

illusions, or actions of creations in delusions:(Avijja & Sankhara)).

This above being mindful, remembering, deciding, taking or

believing this noble truth (samudaya sacca) can be called direct insight

meditation.

This insight meditation method is as same as watching the horror

film with believing or remembering or being mindful that the events in

the film is unreal, but just imitations or creations of trick by director with

the help of camera lens or computer animation program. By understanding,

remembering or believing this reality, the one who is seeing the film will

be no more fear or worries about these seeings or happenings before his/

her eyes. If one forget that the trick creations of director or the events he

is watching in the film are unreal, he will involve in his seeings in the film

and he will begin to fear, be terrible , worries about and attach about his

seeings and hearings.

In this method, while you meditate, if any pains or smellings or

hearings or sensations or thinkings arise, no need to note them as mental

saying as example; pain, pain or pleasure, pleasure or smelling,

smelling or hearing, hearing..etc; but you must remember or believe or

be aware of the truth that the knowings that something or someone or

individual such as - pain or pleasure or smelling or thinking or breathing or

rising or falling-etc; is lasting for a moment, are not real, but just actions

of creations of ever-new perceptions in unreal views.

While you are believing or accepting or being aware of this truth, ifany doubt or any worries or craving or likes or dislikes or thinkings arise,

abandon or erase this wrong by remembering or being aware of this truth

(samudaya sacca) that is the origin of the truth of sufferings or stress of

unsatisfactoriness (dukkha sacca). By practising like that, you can easily

stop the actions of creations of previous habitual minds with likes, dislike

and ascribing with the view of I, you, someone, mine, yours,

something, sometime, somewhere..etc;


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Practical Insight Meditation Method

Nature in this message means nature of nature , not the nature of

something or someone. The action of creation is also just action or creationonly , there is no creator and nothing which is created.

Our mind is not perfect and that is why it is always busy with endless

works. Natural mind is perfect by itself and needs no creation. By using

this method, mind can be free from all limits.

Nature has two opposite qualities.One is ever new impermanent

nature and the other is the permanent nature. But only the wisdom that

understands the impermanent nature can fully understand the permanent

nature also.

Nature is just nature by itself only, not something, not someone,

not sometime and not somewhere.

Mind creates something, someone, sometime, somewhere and

mind is always busy with them like mother is taking care of her children.

It is beause of attachment in creation, our mind cannot live without them.Knowing about something , someone, sometime, somewhere is

unnatural.

By following this meditation method , unnatural knowing will not

continue and the original impermanent nature will appear automatically.

This meditation practice will allow one to let go or to loose ones

limited mind and by doing so ,limitless natural mind will appear

automatically.

No one can be perfect by doing something. The real meditation

method is not doing something. It is not only stopping all actions of mind,

but also not to accept the idea of something (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body

, mind and so on ) as real. Meditation is not denying nor accepting whatever

happen, but to stop self-making or creating habit of mind.

Eye, ear, nose, tongue and body are minds friends. They work

together frequently. All works of mind ,concerning with something,

someone, sometime, and somewhere are extra works. The aim of


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meditation is trying to stop these extra works of mind, in this way the

original minds work will stay remained.

Something, someone, sometime and somewhere are not real ,just

illusions. Only the nature of nature is real.

Believing illusions as reality is the cause of all problems in ones

daily life. The purpose of meditation is trying to stop that misbelieving.

Accepting original reality as real is the right meditation method.

Meditation is making new causes continuously, in this way the habit

of making old cause will stop automatically.

Meditation is a mind clearance work. It is concerned only with mind,

not with our body and life.

Our mind is working all the time, and never takes any rest.

Every knowing is because of minds work.Without minds work,

there will be no knowing. Even the mind itself is just a creation.

Creation appears because of not knowing the real impermanent

nature and permanent nature. Nature is just nature and it is limitless.

Three steps of Practical Insight Meditation

The first step intends to destroy the attachment of all objects. It

needs continuous believing only in the action of creation. Forget about

everything except the action of creation.

The second step is removing the subject. Each action of believing

must be just an action only, without the subject (someone or something).

A lot of practices need to be done to be able to achieve this step.

The third and last step is to believe the truth that the action of

creation is not the other thing, present action of believing without subject

itself is just the action of creation only. A quick and gentle action of present

believing itself is just the action of creation only. But notice the fact that

while there is believing, there is no knowing of believing and while there

is knowing of believing, there is no action of believing. It only needs tobelieve (just action only) and do not need to know; like traffic lights

which make actions without knowing.


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This believing practise must be carried on continuously. This habit of

pratice must not end in the first step. It must end only in the last step.

Continuously practising the last step is the direct way for the original

pure mind to appear for a moment.

The ability to continue the original nature of mind for some minutes

can permanently destroy a part of attachement concerning our with

unnatural or wrong knowing.

Not To forget

- Overview, not normal onesided view.

- Dont live for one, live for all.

- Selfcontrol , not control to others.

- Do not be selfish or selfless but stop the idea of self.

- Our mind has limit. Losing your mind means freedom from all limits.

- Forget freedom of one and try to be free from one.

- Taking care of something, someone, sometime,and somewhere

is the cause of losing original mind power.

- If there is cause, there is effect. If there is no cause, there will be

no effect. Effect is only the shadow of cause.

- Hoping/Expecting or attachment to the effect will weaken the

process of making more causes.

- Accepting or occupying one means losing the remainings.

- Something, someone, sometime, somewhere has limit. Notsomething, not someone, not sometime, not somewhere has no limit.

- Beyond self is beyond everything, beyond everyone, beyond

everytime, beyond everywhere.

- Eternal truth has no limit.

- The seed or root of whatever happens is only established in our

mind. If we can lose our created mind, all the problems concerning with

something , someone, sometime and somewhere will also be solved

automatically.


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Contact Address to Sayadaw U Ottamsara

(a)45th Street Meditation Centre,

Yangon, Myanmar, Ph:951-298196

(b)Pagoda Hill Meditation Centre (Thanlyin)

Yangon, Myanmar, Ph : 01 724056, 09 5085212

Email: [email protected]

web: www.mtsm45.multiply.com

If you want this book and guided meditation instruction-CD ,

please contact to this e-mail; [email protected] or

Phone: 016 638 7439

- You wil l natura lly understand these words with I , but

understanding without I will be quite opposite with our present

understanding.

- Only with more practice, one can make clear of all doubts and

suspicions on this meditation method.

The only thing you need to be able to practise

real insight meditation is

the courage to fully give up

all the views of I, mine or

what you have learned previously

with the idea of I, mine.


31/31

This book is attached with Guided Meditation audio CD.

While turning on meditation CD, meditate according to his guided

instruction, or while youre meditating, turn on meditation CD,

until you has already understood this method well.

The guided Insight meditation instructions were taught to some

of his disciples in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

You can also download the guided meditation instruction talks of

U Ottamasara at the below web:

MeMeMeMeMere sufferings exist, no sufferer is found.re sufferings exist, no sufferer is found.re sufferings exist, no sufferer is found.re sufferings exist, no sufferer is found.re sufferings exist, no sufferer is found.

Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.Mere the actions(creations) are ..Mere the actions(creations) are ..Mere the actions(creations) are ..Mere the actions(creations) are ..Mere the actions(creations) are ..but no actor(creator) of the actions(creations) is there.but no actor(creator) of the actions(creations) is there.but no actor(creator) of the actions(creations) is there.but no actor(creator) of the actions(creations) is there.but no actor(creator) of the actions(creations) is there.NibbanaNibbanaNibbanaNibbanaNibbana exists, but not someone that enters it.exists, but not someone that enters it.exists, but not someone that enters it.exists, but not someone that enters it.exists, but not someone that enters it.The path is, but no someone who travels on it is seen.The path is, but no someone who travels on it is seen.The path is, but no someone who travels on it is seen.The path is, but no someone who travels on it is seen.The path is, but no someone who travels on it is seen.

~Buddha~The Path of Purification

MeMeMeMeMere sufferings exist, no sufferer is found.re sufferings exist, no sufferer is found.re sufferings exist, no sufferer is found.re sufferings exist, no sufferer is found.re sufferings exist, no sufferer is found.

Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.Mere the deeds are but no doer of the deed is there.Mere the actions(creations) are ..Mere the actions(creations) are ..Mere the actions(creations) are ..Mere the actions(creations) are ..Mere the actions(creations) are ..but no actor(creator) of the actions(creations) is there.but no actor(creator) of the actions(creations) is there.but no actor(creator) of the actions(creations) is there.but no actor(creator) of the actions(creations) is there.but no actor(creator) of the actions(creations) is there.NibbanaNibbanaNibbanaNibbanaNibbana exists, but not someone that enters it.exists, but not someone that enters it.exists, but not someone that enters it.exists, but not someone that enters it.exists, but not someone that enters it.The path is, but no someone who travels on it is seen.The path is, but no someone who travels on it is seen.The path is, but no someone who travels on it is seen.The path is, but no someone who travels on it is seen.The path is, but no someone who travels on it is seen.

~Buddha~The Path of Purification

This book is attached with Guided Meditation audio CD.

While turning on meditation CD, meditate according to his guided

instruction, or while youre meditating, turn on meditation CD,

until you has already understood this method well.

The guided Insight meditation instructions were taught to some

of his disciples in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

You can also download the guided meditation instruction talks of

U Ottamasara at the below web:

download whereisdhamma

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