The Three Seclusions and the Process of Inconstancy (Seeing Is Believing)

Those who wish to realize the Dhamma must follow what is now being explained. One may say, “I have come here for the Dhamma,” but in order to attain the Dhamma, one must practice and cultivate the five spiritual powers (balāni). These are: confidence, persistence, mindfulness, concentration, and discernment.

The power of confidence must be strong (saddhā-bala). Ordinary effort is insufficient; therefore, one must also cultivate the power of persistence (viriya-bala). The power of mindfulness enables continuous contemplation without lapses, even in fine details. The power of concentration (samādhi-bala) must exceed the others, and the power of discernment (paññā-bala) must be capable of deep and analytical contemplation.

By practicing with full persistence, these powers develop naturally. This is why the Buddha taught them. Without this training, yogis tend to practice in easy and relaxed ways that do not lead to realization.

One must have the courage to quarrel with craving (taṇhā), which behaves like a tailor—constantly stitching and making connections, foremost in relationships. For example, when the leg aches, craving in the heart makes connection with you. This is your legs, how can it be better if you don’t adjust it? Only you’ll suffer! So, you have to lift your legs. If one follows the wishes of craving, one will never attain the Dhamma, but only the truth of suffering (dukkha-sacca).

The three seclusions succeed only when one has the courage to confront and abandon taṇhā.

The Three Kinds of Seclusion

There are three processes that bring calmness and peace:

1. Bodily Seclusion (kāya-viveka)

During sitting meditation, the yogi must abandon making bodily adjustments.

2. Mental Seclusion (citta-viveka)

The yogi must calm the mind.

3. Seclusion from Acquisitions (upadhi-viveka)

When both mind and body are calmed, the yogi is able to realize the cessation of mind and body—Nibbāna.

The yogi must abandon attachment to the khandhas connected with sensual pleasures. In relation to this point, there are two types of persons:

those holding the eternalist view (sassata-diṭṭhi), and those holding the annihilationist view (uccheda-diṭṭhi).

A person holding the eternalist view (sassata-diṭṭhi) does not dare to commit unwholesome actions that lead to painful existences. Such a person is content with human and celestial pleasures and has no desire for Nibbāna.

A person holding the annihilationist view (uccheda-diṭṭhi), if required to act, does not care about the future results of existence. If such a person turns toward the Dhamma, he may even give up his life for the practice leading to Nibbāna. In this situation, he has no clinging to other things. Therefore, even people of very poor moral background can realize the Dhamma.

(In the following Sayadaw talks on the causes of non-realization). It is emphasized that without giving up sensual pleasures and without a teacher to guide the practice, realization cannot be attained. This may lead one onto the wrong path. Practicing in a relaxed manner—without persistent effort and without sufficient strength in practice—does not lead to realization.

When a person grows old, both mind and body weaken, and the practice becomes difficult to sustain. If one is unable to overcome these limitations, one may have to abandon the practice, especially when the aging body can no longer follow it. With old age, sickness inevitably arises. Therefore, one must practice diligently while still capable. However, many people become complacent as death approaches.

Mogok Sayadaw urged his disciples to practice quickly; otherwise, sickness and death would overtake them.

Those who are strongly attached to wrong views, and who cannot abandon or change those views, cannot realize the Dhamma. Only at the stage of arahantship it is completely right. Even a stream-enterer is not right yet because he could only abandon eight inversions out of twelve. As long as defilements (kilesa) remain, complete rightness has not yet been achieved. Still will follow behind defilements. (OR The mind will still arise in accordance with defilements. It will become completely right only when all defilements come to an end.

Practical Advice Given by the Sayadaw

The Sayadaw offers the following practical guidance:

1. Making a Determination before a Buddha Image

In front of a Buddha image, one should offer one’s khandhas to the Buddha and make a firm determination (adhiṭṭhāna) regarding a specific time frame for sitting practice—for example, one hour or two hours. Later, the duration can be increased gradually: one hour and fifteen minutes, one hour and thirty minutes, and so on.

Sayadawji also gave the same advice previously. There is nothing impossible if one practices properly and gradually increases one’s effort in the practice.

The yogi must restrain the sense faculties. Do not move when mosquitoes bite. When the weather is hot, simply endure it; when it is cold, endure it in the same way. The yogi must have this kind of courage; otherwise, success is not possible. One must also have perfect determination. Whatever the reason may be, one must decide: “I will not move. I will watch and observe in order to know the nature of the Dhamma.”

If one has this kind of spirit, there will be peace and calmness with regard to the body. Otherwise, there will be constant changes of posture, by scratching when the body with itches, etc. Sayadawji compared this type of yogi to a bull with a bad habit—it never stands still.

The Buddha taught: “Khantī paramaṃ tapo titikkhā”—patient endurance is the highest austerity. Therefore, during sitting meditation, patient endurance brings great benefit. A yogi can succeed if he has the courage to struggle with craving (taṇhā).

2. Calming the Mind

One must also calm the mind, not allowing other mental states to enter, maintaining only a single state of mind. The mind must continuously discern the perishing of phenomena.

There are two ways to do this: samatha and vipassanā. If the mind does not calm down, even if one practices for an entire lifetime, realization will not occur.

Note: In the Wings of Awakening (bodhi-pakkhiyā-dhammā), there are seven sets:

Among these, energy (viriya) is mentioned nine times; mindfulness (sati) eight times; and wisdom (paññā) and concentration (samādhi) five times each. This shows the great importance of sati and viriya in purifying the mind and leading to samādhi and paññā.

For further study, I would like to refer readers to Bodhi-pakkhiya Dīpanī by Ledi Sayadaw. It is a very useful book for practice.

Samatha and Vipassanā Approaches

In the samatha approach, the mind must contemplate closely a single object. The mind must become stable with the in-breath and out-breath. The yogi must begin with this approach when impermanence (anicca) is not yet clearly seen.

In the vipassanā approach, one contemplates in order to discern the vanishing characteristic of the in-breath and out-breath. Contemplation is done by paying careful attention to the breath, allowing it to become the primary object.

When the mind gradually becomes calm, the whole body reveals its nature: itching, pain, warmth, coolness, movement, sound, smell, and so forth.

The yogi also comes to know the changes of the knowing mind. He discovers the rising and falling of phenomena as they show their nature. Before this stage, the yogi has to follow the in-breath and out-breath and contemplate their characteristics. Now, because of strong samādhi, the discernment of rising and falling is shown directly by phenomena themselves. Impermanence (anicca) becomes more prominent in the aggregates (khandha), without expectation or deliberate effort; it happens naturally under the yogi’s knowing.

Eventually, the entire body becomes filled with impermanence, and the perception of a solid khandha-body disappears. Its intrinsic nature becomes clear to the yogi. Impermanence appears very rapidly through objects, in great numbers. With repeated discernment of impermanence, the mind becomes weary and disenchanted.

At this stage, the five spiritual faculties become strong and mature into powers (bala). To have impermanence (anicca) and the path (magga) fit together is not easy; one must practice very diligently to reach this level.

How to Know Whether Anicca and Magga Are Fitting Together

How do we know whether impermanence and the path are properly aligned? One must examine the mind: does it stay close to the khandha and contemplate it, or not? If the mind still wanders here and there, it is not yet correct.

Previously, careful and deliberate contemplation was required. Now, there is no need for excessive concern or deliberate attention. Impermanence reveals itself automatically; it shows itself by its own nature. There is no need to force attention onto objects. When impermanence and the path are properly aligned, the yogi knows this directly for himself, and the mind becomes calm.

At that time, if thoughts of external objects still arise—such as robes and alms bowls for a monk, or family members, possessions, and other concerns for a layperson—and these can still be clearly thought about and perceived, then the mind has not yet fully fitted into impermanence.

When impermanence and the path are fully aligned, the mind cannot engage with external objects. Thoughts vanish moment by moment in brief flashes. If one tries to force the mind to think at this stage, what happens is similar to being struck by an electric shock: a very painful feeling arises.

Because of much seeing of impermanence (anicca), defilements become thinner and thinner, changing from heat to coolness. If the mind returns back to defilements (kilesa), heat and a painful feeling appear in the body. I myself experienced this before and did not know what was happening. Later, I searched for it in the commentary on the Majjhima Nikāya in Pāli and found the explanation.

If you pour boiling water into a very cold glass, it cracks instantly, because the glass cannot withstand extreme heat when it is too cold. In the same way, when the mind returns to defilements, painful feeling arises. After that, yogis do not dare to think further. “Enough is enough.” They remain with coolness and stop all thinking.

Note: It is very important for every human being to understand well the power of the mind—wholesome (skillful) and unwholesome (unskillful)—and the law of kamma. If not, we create many problems and much suffering for ourselves, for others, and for nature.

The blood in the heart becomes light and bright after impermanence and the path fit together for one or two hours. The eyes become clear, and painful feeling disappears from the aggregates (khandha). The body becomes light, and gladness and happiness arise. At that period, the ten corruptions of insight arise, and yogis may experience them and mistakenly take them to be Nibbāna dhammas.

Teachers should remind students about these experiences. Yogis must experience them in practice; otherwise, it is not yet right. The mind (ñāṇa) becomes sharp and gains the light element. With clear blood, brightness appears. The yogi must return this ñāṇa to the khandha process.

Previously, the yogi discerned coarse and middling phenomena. Now, with the light element, refined phenomena are discerned. Therefore, the yogi must make it clear and continue the practice; it does not take long when the practice fits this process. However, it is also difficult for it to arise because of the hindrances.

If the practice fits into this process, it will succeed. With much discernment, the mind becomes wearisome. At last, impermanence comes to an end (cessation), and path and fruition knowledges arise.

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• Content of Seeing Is Believing-- Dhamma Talks by Sayadaw U Nyanabhasa
• Content of Publications of Bhikkhu Uttamo

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