Application of Vipassana

in Daily Life
Mudita Buddhist Society
3 June 2009
By Bro Jason Ow

Taking Refuge in the Triple Gem

To the Buddha, we go for refuge

To the Dhamma, we go for refuge
To the Sangha, we go for refuge

Faith with Wisdom

vs
Blind Faith
Wisdom is like our eyes
Faith or Devotion is like our legs

How should we take refuge?

Imaya Dhammanudhamma
patipattiya
Buddham pujemi
Dhammam pujemi
Sangham pujemi

By walking on the path of Dhamma,

from the first step to the final goal,
thus I revere the Buddha,
thus I revere the Dhamma,
thus I revere the Sangha.

Do we really walk the path of

Dhamma?
The real refuge, the real protection, is the
Dhamma that you develop in yourself
Gratitude to Gotama the Buddha
for discovering and teaching the Dhamma
Gratitude to the Sangha who maintain the Dhamma in
its original purity through 25 Centuries until TODAY

What are the qualities of Dhamma?

Svakkhato Bhagavata Dhammo,

Sanditthiko,
Akaliko,
Ehi-Passiko,
Opanayiko,
Paccatam veditabbo vinnuhi ti

Clearly expounded is the teaching of the

Exalted One,
To be seen for oneself (own experience),
Giving result here and now,
Inviting One to come and see,
Leading straight to the goal,
Capable of being realized for oneself by any
intelligent person.

Buddhas Teaching

Sabba-papassa akaranam,
kusalassa upasampada,
sa-citta pariyodapanam.
Etam Buddhana-sasanam
Dhammapada,XIV.5(183)

Avoid evil,
Do good,
Purify your mind.
This is the teaching of the
Buddhas.

Dhamma - Art of Living

Many of time, we do not know

how to live happily
We created a lot of negative
energy and impurities in our
mind
We, not only, make ourselves
unhappy, but we also make
other people unhappy
This is not a proper way of life

We have to learn the Art of Living and

Dhamma will start rewarding us!

Vipassana is an Art of Living

This is of utmost important

If we cannot use it in daily life, then it
is no better than performing a ritual of
ceremony

Unwanted situations in life

Loses the
Start generating
balance of the mind
negativity

Becomes
Miserable

How are we not to generate negativity,

not to create tension?
How are we to remain peaceful and harmonious?

Some of the solutions given

One should divert ones attention elsewhere.

Running after sensual pleasures

Develop attachment

Some wise peoples advice:

Drink some water

Start counting 1,2,3,4,
Start reciting the name of a deity or saintly people

Enlightened Persons Advice

By diverting the attention, one

creates a layer of peace and
harmony at the conscious
level.
One has not eliminated the
negativity that has arisen
One has merely suppressed it.
Sooner or later, this sleeping
volcano of negativity will erupt
and overpower the mind

Real Solution

Dont run away from the

problem
Face it !
Observe whatever impurity
arises in the mind
By observing, we do not
suppress it , nor we give it a
free license to express it
Middle path

Mere Observation

When we starts to
observe it, the negativity
loses its strength and
passes away without
overpowering the mind.

Gradually all the

defilements are
eradicated and we
becomes free from misery

Not easy to observe

One does not know when it

has started and how it has
overpowered the mind
Too strong to observe
without reacting
Difficult to observe an
abstract defilement of mind
Abstract anger, fear or
passion
Drawn to the object of
anger

Discovery of the Buddha

Whenever a defilement arises in the mind, 2

things start happening at the Physical Level:

Respiration become abnormal

Biochemical reaction will start within the body
(Sensation)

Practical Solution

It is difficult to observe
abstract defilements in
the mind
With training, one can
soon learn to observe
respiration and
sensation
Mind and Matter are
related to each other
One allows it to arise
and pass away without
causing any harm

Gradual Practice

It takes time to master

this technique
Gradually one will find
that one can remain
balanced
Even if one reacts, the
reaction will not be so
intense or prolonged
Seek warning given by
respiration and sensation

Self Observation

Act as a shock
absorber between the
external stimulus and
ones response
The mind remains
balanced and one is
capable of taking
positive action
Helpful to oneself and
others

Purification of the mind

Eradicating defilements
Changing the habit pattern of
the mind
Old habit:

Craving for pleasant things

Hatred for unpleasant things

New habit:

Just observe, dont react

Pleasant or unpleasant things
are impermanent

From the time of birth

Trained always to look

outside
One never observes
oneself
One looks for the
cause of misery
outside
Always blaming others
for ones unhappiness

Partial view

One sees things from

only one angle
Distorted truth
Any decision made will
only be harmful to
oneself and others
One must view it from
more than one angle

Totality of the Truth

Practise of Vipassana

See things inside

One who has learned

to observe reality
within soon realizes
that he is completely
responsible for his
misery or happiness
Madness of finding
fault with others goes
away

What does one react to?

An image created by oneself,

not external reality
Ones image of that person is
colored by ones past
conditionings
It influence ones perception
of any new situation
But if one remains aware and
equanimous, one learns to
see reality as it is

Wisdom arises

Whenever someone
misbehaves, the
understanding arises
that this person is
suffering
One cannot react with
negativity
But will feel only love
and compassion for
the suffering person

Purpose of Dhamma

To practise the Art of Living

To eradicate mental impurities
To develop good qualities, for ones own good and
for the good of others

Two Qualities

Any person who progresses on the path of Dhamma

will have these 2 qualities:

A feeling of gratitude
Volition to serve others without expecting anything in return

These 2 qualities were notable in Siddhattha Gotama

3 Stages of Panna (Wisdom)

Bhavana-maya Panna
Develops within oneself,
at the experiential level

Cinta-maya Panna
Intellectual
understanding

Suta-maya Panna
Wisdom acquired by
hearing or reading the
words of others

Suta-maya Panna

Helpful in order to set

one in the proper
direction
Cannot liberate, only a
borrowed wisdom
One accepts it as true
because of:

Blind Faith
Fear going to hell
Greed going to heaven

Lead to the next stage

Cinta-maya Panna

Cinta-maya Panna

Rationally one examines whether it is logical, practical

or beneficial
Develops his intellectual knowledge
Can be dangerous

Inflate his ego

Far away from liberation

Lead to the next stage

Bhavana-maya Panna

Bhavana-maya Panna

Real wisdom
Received wisdom and
intellectual
understanding are
very useful and give
inspiration
Can liberate you
because it is own
wisdom, based on
own experience

Example of the 3 Stages of Panna

A doctor gives a
prescription for
medicine to a sick man
The man goes home,
and out of great faith in
his doctor, he recites
the prescription
everyday

This is Suta-maya Panna

Example of the 3 Stages of Panna

The man returns to

the doctor, and
demands and
receives an
explanation of the
prescription, how it
works
Argue with
neighbours

This is Cinta-maya Panna

Example of the 3 Stages of Panna

Finally, the man

takes the medicine;
only then is his
disease eradicated
The benefit comes
only from the 3rd
step

This is Bhavana-maya Panna

4 Major Segments of the Mind

Consciousness
(Vinnana)

Perception
(Sanna)

Sensation
(Vedana)

Reaction
(Sankhara)

Consciousness (Vinnana)

The 6 Sense Organs have

their consciousness

Eye Consciousness
Ear Consciousness
Nose Consciousness
Tongue Consciousness
Skin Consciousness
Mind Consciousness

The function of this part is

to cognize, simply to
know, without
differentiating

Perception (Sanna)

This part of the mind gives an evaluation of good or bad, according

to ones past experience
A sound has come, from past experience, one recognizes it

Words of praise Good

Words of abuse - Bad

Sensation (Vedana)

As soon as a sound comes, there is a sensation on the body

When the perception recognizes it and gives it a valuation, the sensation
becomes pleasant or unpleasant, in accordance with that valuation
Sensation arises on the body and are felt by the mind

Words of
Praise

Words of
Abuse

Pleasant
Sensation

Unpleasant
Sensation

Reaction (Sankhara)
Consciousness

This praise
is
wonderful! I
want more
Reaction

Words of
Praise

Perception

Pleasant
Sensation
Sensation

Reaction (Sankhara)
Consciousness

I cant bear
this abuse,
stop it !
Reaction

Words of
Abuse

Perception

Unpleasant
Sensation
Sensation

Reaction (Sankhara)

Here is the real seed

that gives fruit, the
action that will have
results: the mental
reaction
Every moment one

Keeps sowing this seed

Keeps reacting with
liking or disliking
Keeps craving or
aversion

It makes oneself
miserable

3 Types of Reaction (Sankhara)

Writing on Water

Writing on Sand

Carving on Rock

Sankhara

End of a Day 1 or 2 Sankhara

End of a Month 1 or 2 Sankhara
End of a Year 1 or 2 Sankhara
End of Life 1 or 2 Sankhara
The next life will begin with a mind of
the same nature, having the same
qualities of sweetness or bitterness
We create our own future, by our
actions

Vipassana

Teaches us the art of

dying: how to die
peacefully, harmoniously
Learning art of living
How to become the
master of the present
moment
How not to generate a
sankhara at this moment
How to live a happy life
here and now

2 aspects of the Technique

Awareness and
Equanimity
Awareness breaking the
barrier between the
conscious and
unconscious levels of the
mind
Equanimity does not
react, does not tie new
knots of craving, does not
create misery for oneself

Meditation

Most of the time we will react to

the sensations pain or
displeasure
But a few moments will come
when we remain equanimous,
despite severe pain
Such moments are very
powerful in changing the habit
pattern of the mind
Gradually we will reach the
stage in which we can smile at
any sensation, knowing it is
anicca

Self Reliance

We have to work
ourselves
No one else can
work for us
Buddha can only
show us the path
Keep walking, step
by step, towards our
own liberation

The longest journey begins with the

first step

May all beings be happy!

May all of you enjoy real
happiness.