Different Aspects of Mindfulness

by Dhammasami | 2000 | 11,593 words

A Collection of Talks on Mindfulness Meditation...

Chapter 4 - Training The Mind Through Mindfulness

VIPASSANA MEDITATION is a mental training (Sikkha). The mind is the most precious asset we possess as human beings. We can think and reflect with the mind, which is not the case at all for animals. Animals cannot reflect and understand as we do. They cannot reason as to right and wrong. They have little choice in their life. A tiger has to hunt and kill for survival. A cat may have to kill a mouse just to fill his stomach. Their minds cannot be developed in reflection and understanding. The human mind is, however, capable of doing many things. It can trigger one to kill or not to kill, to love or to hate and to make peace or war. We can control our emotions or be carried away by them. A huge range of choice is open to us and we have freedom to choose as we deem it right.

Mind cannot be definitely defined unless defilement has been removed. It is ever complex and so changeable.

The mind loses its power when being attacked with negative elements such as anger, aversion, envy agitation, frustration, disappointment, depression, wrong attitude, fear, worry and anxiety. One of these paves way for the other to come and weaken the mind. They are the enemies of the mind. So long as the mind remains bombarded day by day by these enemies, it will underachieve. The mind has to be freed from such disturbing defilement to enable it to realise its great potential.

We may liken various kinds of defilement to obstacles that hinder the growth of a rose. By removing all the defilement that attack, weaken, destroy and change the nature of the mind, and thereby the personality of an individual, we are helping the mind to grow strong, work efficiently and achieve all its potential. We do not grow the rose but remove the obstacles to enable it to grow by itself.

Vipassana meditation is mental training on the Middle Path, which removes all obstacles to the healthy and active mind so that it can accomplish its highest potential.

Mind leads the world, the Buddha said. I take this to mean that we can lead our own life in its true sense as we all possess a mind. However, while being carried away by anger, disappointment and anxiety, how can we say we are leading our life? Actually, we are being led by those destructive elements. The physical and mental consequences of these harmful forces dominating our mind are obvious. A trained mind is the source of happiness and the untrained one of misery.

We want to be happy and joyful every day. Yet, without mastering our mind, this potential of life is hard to achieve. Vipassana meditation is designed to remove all the destructive forces (kilesa) from our mind once and for all and to help us to become self sufficient and self supporting. However, there is no miracle in Vipassana practice. Sometimes the road is hard and slow, sometimes quick and smooth. Everything depends on the individual.

Mindfulness is the basic as well as the leading factor. We have to acquire it through patience and determination. It is so essential, that one cannot start Vipassana meditation without mindfulness. Once it is acquired, mindfulness may be used for useful reflection and understanding. With mindfulness, we train our mind to open to the present moments, to the conditions arising here and now. Inhalation and exhalation are taking place here and now. Thoughts and sensations we are conscious of belong to the present. Breathing arrests the mind so fond of something else, and helps it settle on the present moment. This is a mental training through Vipassana meditation.

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