Lesson Eleven: The Unlosable Treasure-Store (Part II) Sila and Bhavana

(bhcheah) #1
The ultimate aim of Vipassana meditation is to
develop penetrative mental powers so as to
understand the Three Characteristics of Life
(Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta) and to realize the Four
Noble Truths.*

The Metta Bhavana can be translated as the
Development of Universal Loving-kindness or
Unlimited Friendliness. This practice springs
from the understanding that man is not just a
rational being. If the self-transformation is to be
more than an intellectual fantasy, we must
work to transform our entire emotional nature.

Through this practice we gradually develop
feelings of warmth, friendliness, and wishing
well for ourselves (for charity begins at home),
for those who are close to us, and by degrees,
to everything that lives. This feeling is not
confined to people whom we like but when
Metta is fully developed, it is radiated towards
all, and it springs from our own emotional
fullness irrespective of external circumstances.

Many people in the modern world have poor
control over their moods and emotions. Instead,
their moods and emotions are controlled by
their pleasant or unpleasant experiences and
external conditions. At the same time, many
religions have advised their followers to have
love and good neighborliness, but these
exhortations have little effect. It is only through
the systematic practice of this meditation that it
is possible to transform one's feelings to turn
depression into joy, and hatred into love. We
develop the ability to be the masters of our
moods and emotions, and do not allow our
emotions to control us.

By concentrating on the flow of breath in the
body in Mindfulness of Breathing, gradually the
mind becomes peaceful and clear, integrated
and energized, making further progress possible.
By expanding the warm and positive emotion of

friendliness, or loving-kindness by the practice
of Metta Bhavana, we grow more open,
energetic and joyful. These two meditations,
the one primarily inwardgoing, reflective and
penetrative, the other outward going,
expansive, can be seen to complement and
reinforce each other. When we are emotionally
positive, con-centration becomes easier
similarly, when we are practiced in
concentration, emotional positivity is more
easily generated and more deeply felt.

4.Means to an End
Meditation should not be considered an end in
itself; it is simply the means, a unique and
powerful means, by which we can transform
ourselves from the negative to the positive,
from the lower to thehigher aspects of our
nature.

Meditation is not merely pleasant or relaxing
indeed it requires effort and application nor is it
just an avenue to curious or spectacular
experiences. It is the agent of a radical change
of ourvery being, leading ultimately to the
supreme realization of Enlightenment itself.

The Buddha's messageof culturing the mind
teaches three things: the mind is so near to us,
and yet is so unknown-therefore, know it; the
mind is so uncontrollable and stubborn, and yet
mayturn so pliant -therefore, shapeit; the
mind is in bondage all over, and yet may win
freedom here and now -therefore free it.

*Refer to Lesson 6


*PRECAUTIONS*
Seek the instruction from an experienced
meditation instructor if you wish to learn
meditation. If you are a self-taught meditator,
limit your practice to no more than 20-
minutes at each sitting, and check your theory
and method with an instructor whenever you
have the chance. This is very important as
prolonged practice of a wrong meditation
technique may bring harm to oneself.

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