Page 27 - EH62

24 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

Before I give the excerpt of the Most Ven. Mahasi this reminds me of the energy (right effort) coupled
Sayadaw’s teachings on the above which can help us with thorough right mindfulness needed in order that
determine whether a religion is true or false, I would like the mind is kept as scrupulously clean as possible. One’s
to relate my recent experiences in pushing a faulty trolley mind should be moistened with thorough mindfulness
at a supermarket and the brushing off of fungus from a so that any patches of defilements that are “stuck” to the
stretch of my garden wall. mind can be removed bit-by-bit until it becomes clean
and pure again.
As it turned out, I had to push a faulty trolley in the
AEON supermarket in Subang Jaya recently. It was hard The friction on the wheels of the trolley and the
to control as the front wheels seemed to have a mind of brush on the wall can be likened to impediments
their own. Instead of going the direction I wanted, they or hindrances to one’s own practice of vipassanā,
seemed to veer off to another direction instead. This which must be noted continuously without letting up.
seemed to go on and on until I noticed that when my wife Although persistent effort is called for, one must take
held the front of the trolley its direction was stabilized care not to develop aversion to these hindrances. If one
and it went where I wanted it to go. Sure enough, when reacts with dosa (aversion), turn your attention to the
she let go of the trolley, it started to veer again. mind completely and not the object of the aversion.
Note for example, dislike, dislike … tension, tension,
This reminds me of how difficult it is to control one’s etc. You should not pay attention to the aversion if
own mind during meditation. The mind tends to be it fuels more aversion. Be aware of other prominent
restless and runs helter skelter. To ensure its pliancy, objects until you can regain your composure and are
we need to exert right effort, right mindfulness, and able to note calmly and easily without any drama
right concentration. Right effort means the effort to involved. Remember, you are noting the process and
avoid unwholesome states of mind that have not arisen not getting involved in the story. Like Ven. Jotinanda
and to dispel unwholesome states of mind that have has said, be like the fish that has come outside of
already arisen. It also means to arouse wholesome the aquarium watching the other fishes inside the
states of mind that have not arisen and to maintain aquarium. This is the mind watching itself and all
wholesome states of mind that have already arisen. mental concomitants (cetasikas) in a detached manner
The way to do this is applying right mindfulness without the idea of “I” and “mine” involved. In this way,
which is continuously noting without any break in- the idea of “my” pain or anger can be dispelled as one
between. Right concentration will develop when there experiences anattā (non-self). When this happens, one
is right mindfulness. In Vipassanā meditation, right experiences nāmarūpa pariccheda ñāṇa (analytical
concentration is momentary concentration (Khanika knowledge of mind and matter), which is the insight
samādhi) which “fixes” at the object moment-to- into the nature of nāma (name) and rūpa (form).
moment and is so powerful that one can be mindful of Name is one thing and form is another. Nāmarūpa
dukkha (suffering), anicca (impermanence) and anattā is also known as Mind and Matter. Apart from these
(non-self) of the objects being noted. This khanika two phenomena, there is nothing called “I” or “me”
samādhi is equal in strength to upacāra samādhi (access that exists. Processes exist naturally without any
concentration). intervention of a Deva or Brahmā god. EH

As for my experience of brushing off the fungus from my
garden wall, I had to apply water and use a hard brush.
I had to brush thoroughly and energetically, checking
now and then that even spots to be removed were not
left unbrushed. This was difficult as I could not achieve
100% success in getting an unblemished surface. Again,