1.3.4. Dhammānupassanā–Contemplation Of The Dhamma

[Full title: The four foundations of mindfulness (cattaro satipaṭṭhāna)—(4): Dhammānupassanā–Contemplation of the Dhamma]

Most translators render the term dhammas in the present contextas ‘mental objects', referring to whatever becomes an object of the mind, in contradistinction to the objects of the five other senses. In regard to satipaṭṭhāna, however, this rendering appears strange. As contemplation of the mind has already received a detailed treatment in the third satipaṭṭhāna, why then should the ‘objects' of the mind be mentioned as a separate satipaṭṭhāna? Moreover, if the term dhammas were to refer to ‘objects of the mind', then the other three satipaṭṭhāna should also be included here, since they too can become objects of the mind. On the other hand, the fourth satipaṭṭhāna also includes contemplating the six senses together with their respective objects, so that in this case to be contemplating ‘dhammas’ is not confined to the objects of mind as the sixth sense only. In fact, the dhammas listed here, such as the hindrances and the aggregates etc., do not naturally evoke the classification ‘mental objects'.^[1]

What this satipaṭṭhāna actually represents are specific mental factors (such as the five hindrances and the seven factors of enlightenment), and analyses of experience into specific categories (such as the five aggregates, the six sense-spheres, and the four noble truths). These mental factors and categories constitute central aspects of the Buddha's way of teaching.^[2] These classificatory schemes are not in themselves the objects of meditation, but rather constitute ‘frameworks' or ‘points of reference' to be applied during contemplation. During actual practice one is to look at whatever is experienced in terms of these dhammas.^[3] Thus the dhammas mentioned in this satipaṭṭhāna are not ‘mental objects', but rather are applied to whatever becomes an object of the mind or of any other sense-door during contemplation.

The contemplation of the dhammas is constituted of the five sets of contemplation practice: (1) contemplation of the five hindrances together with the causes of their arising and disappearance; (2) contemplation of the five aggregates; (3) contemplation of the six bases together with the fetters dependent on the bases as well as the causes for their arising and disappearance; (4) contemplation of the seven enlightenment factors; and (5) contemplation of the four noble truths. Among these five contemplations, the first and fourth are concerned with specific sets of mental qualities, while the other three are concerned with both mental and physical phenomena. Thus, while the Pāli term dhamma could assume various meanings, in the context of the fourth satipaṭṭḥāna, it should be understood as referring to these five sets of mental and physical phenomena.^[4]

It is noteworthy that the objects to be contemplated in the contemplation of dhammas, to wit, “aggregate” (khandha), “base” (āyatana), “truth” (sacca), “cause” (nid-āna), and the “path” (magga) as represented by the seven enlighten-ment factors, happen to constitute the fundamental doctrinal topics of the Saṃyutta Nikāya.^[5] This implies that the practice of the contempla-tion of dhammas is centrally important in the sense that it is the source of the Buddha’s fundamental doctrines.

1. The Contemplation of the Five Hindrances

The first contemplation in the fourth satipaṭṭḥāna practice is concerned with a set of unwholesome mental qualities, i.e. the five hindrances.

The instructions given in the sutta are as follows:

Here, when sensual desire manifests internally in him, a bhikkhu knows, “There is sensual desire in me”; or when sensual desire does not manifest internally in him, he knows, “There is no sensual desire in me”; and he also knows how there comes to be the arising of unarisen sensual desire, and how there comes to be the abandoning of arisen sensual desire, and how there come to be the future non-arising of abandoned sensual desire. (The same are the cases of ill will, sloth-and-torpor, restlessness-and-remorse, and doubt.)^[6]

The five hindrances in fact include the seven unwholesome mental qualities. These mental qualities prevent the mind from being rightly concentrated^[7] and from developing knowledge and wisdom, and thus they hinder one’s progress in the path to nibbāna.^[8] In many suttas, the hindrances are depicted as opposed to the seven enlightenment factors.^[9] According to the Pāli commentaries, some of these hindran-ces assail not only ordinary persons but also trainees (sekha) who have been trained very well in the teachings of the Buddha and experienced nibbāna.^[10] Therefore, to learn how to deal with these unwholesome mental qualities is extremely important for Buddhists who aspire to Arahantship.

The instruction given in the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta on dealing with these mental hindrances is to be aware of whatever is happening in the mind at the present moment: simply knowing their presence when they manifest in the mind and their absence when they disappear. This simple awareness is indeed an ingenious method by which one turns mental hindrances, which are ethically bad, into useful meditation objects. As soon as these hindrances are transformed into meditation objects and recognized mindfully as they really are, these mental states tend to stop automatically and cease to disturb the mind, even when meditators engaged in such satipaṭṭhāna practice have no desire to change or remove these hindrances.^[11] When the hindrances are stubborn and the practice of satipaṭṭhāna is not yet mature, these hindrances might not stop immediately but continue to linger in mind even though they have been observed repeatedly with mindfulness. Thus, the Papañcasūdanī commentary lists methods other than this bare awareness for meditators to eradicate, at least temporarily, those strong mental hindrances.^[12]

With the progress of practice, meditators might come to realize why unarisen mental hindrances come to arise, why arisen mental hindrances come to be abandoned, and why they will never arise in the future. This shows that the “conditionality” (idappaccayatā) concerning the five hindrances is also perceived by meditators who are devoted to the satipaṭṭhāna practice. According to the description in the Visuddhimagga of the progress of insight knowledge, the law of “independent origination” (paṭiccasamuppāda) is investigated for the first time when meditators attain the second stage of insight knowledge, the “knowledge of grasping conditions”, which takes place only after the individual characteristics of the five aggregates are seen and before their universal characteristics manifest.^[13]

2. The Contemplation of the Five Aggregates

The meditative objects prescribed in the second practice of the contemplation of dhammas are the five aggregates. The instructions for the contemplation of the five aggregates are as follows: Here a bhikkhu knows: such is material form, such its arising, such its passing away; such is feeling, such its arising, such its passing away; such is perception, such is its arising, such its passing away; such are volitional formations, such are their arising, such their passing away; such is consciousness, such is its arising, such its passing away.^[14]

The five aggregates constitute the first noble truth dukkhasacca.^[15] As Bhikkhu Bodhi points out, the topic of five aggregates is “the primary scheme of categories the Buddha draws upon to analyses sentient existence”.^[16] This contemplation of the five aggregates in fact includes all mental and physical phenomena into the scope of meditation objects for the satipaṭṭhāna practice. Thus, the objects of the contemplation of the five aggregates encompass all the meditation objects given in the previous three satipaṭṭhāna practices, i.e. body, mind, and feeling, as well as most other meditation objects given in the fourth satipaṭṭhāna.

From the instructions, meditators practicing the contemplation of the five aggregates will realize at first the individual characteristic (sabhāvalakkhaṇa) of the five aggregates,^[17] and then come to realize their nature of arising and passing away, that is, the so-called “conditioned characteristics” (saṅkhatalakkhaṇa).^[18] Seeing the condit-ioned characteristics, meditators also come to see the characteristics of impermanence, suffering, and non-self in the five aggregates.^[19] It should be noted that no specific objects such as the in-and-out breath, the four postures, or the mind with lust, are mentioned in the instruct-tions. This suggests that whatever mental or physical phenomenon falls into the category of the five aggregates can be used as a meditation object for the contemplation of the five aggregates, even if that phenomenon is not mentioned explicitly in the instructions of other satipaṭṭhāna practices. The fact that numerous suttas indicate that the contemplation of the five aggregates leads to the attainment of the final realization may be taken to imply that the contemplation of all five kinds of aggregates in a single session of sitting or walking meditation is probably a greatly efficacious and promising method to practice satipaṭṭhāna meditation. Because in a single session of sitting or walking meditation, either physical (rūpa) or mental phenomena (vedanā, saññā, saṅkhara, viññāṇa) become prominent, it seems evident that in order to maintain uninterrupted mindfulness, the best strategy is to contemplate whatever phenomenon becomes prominent at the present moment.^[20] Therefore, the broad range of meditation objects for the contemplation of the five aggregates necessarily makes it easier for meditators to develop uninterrupted mindfulness and sustained concentration.

3. The Contemplation of the Sense-Bases

The next practice of contemplation of dhamma is the contemplation of the external and internal bases together with the mental fetters arising dependent on them. The instructions given in the sutta are as follows:

Here, a bhikkhu knows the eye, he knows forms, and he knows the fetters that arise dependent on both; also, he knows the arising of the unarisen fetter, the abandoning of the arisen fetter, and the future non-arising of the abandoned fetter. He knows the ear, he knows sounds, and he knows the fetter that arises dependent on both; also … He knows the nose, he knows odors … He knows the tongue, he knows flavors … He knows the body, he knows tangibles … He knows the mind, he knows mindobjects.^[21]

In this satipaṭṭhāna practice, meditators are required to be continuously mindful of whatever is taking place in the six sense doors when there is contact between the internal sense faculties and external sense objects. Like the contemplation of the mind, this practice helps meditators to understand the unwholesome mental states—called fetters (saṃyojana) in this context—as they really are, as well as the causes for their arising and abandonment.^[22] Such a practice of contemplation can be said to be a practice of “sense restraint” (indriyasaṃvara) in the form of insight meditation. Some suttas in the Saḷāyatana Saṃyutta depict how craving and other unwholesome mental states do not arise in people who practise sense restraint, but to those who indulges in grasping general signs (nimitta) or detailed features (anuvyañjana) of sensory objects without practising sense restraint when external sensory objects meet with their corresponding sense faculties.^[23] The Indriyabhāvanā Sutta^[24] also points out that sense restraint does not amount to avoiding all experiences of seeing, hearing and touching etc.,^[25] but requires meditators not to follow the apparent features of sense objects which might arouse greed or aversion.^[26]

Although this “sense restraint” is usually situated after the “clear comprehension” in the path of gradual training and so appears to be merely a preparation for other more formal meditation practice,^[27] it can be practiced in the form of insight meditation, as described above, and thus it would lead meditators to advanced stages of insight knowledge. To illustrate, the sixth sutta of Bojjhaṅgasaṃyutta^[28] depicts the practice of “sense restraint” (indriyasaṃvara) in an unordinary way and makes it different from the usual descriptions of sense restraint. It is said therein that a person contacted by whatever sense objects, agreeable or disagreeable, can with sense restraint keep his body and mind steady, internally well-composed, and well-liberated. The Mahāniddesa takes such “sense restraint” to refer to the “six factors of equanimity” (chaḷaṅgupekkhā), which normally are ascribed to Arahants alone in the Pāli commentaries.^[29] Even though it is not suitable to interpret sense restraint in Saṃyutta Nikāya^[30] as the “six factors of equanimity” possessed by arahants, it should not be regarded as an insignificant preparation for other meditation subjects.

The explanation of the “supreme development of the faculties” (anuttarā indriyabhāvanā) given in the Indriyabhāvanā Sutta^[31] can be taken as an example that illustrates how a meditator practicing insight meditation can stay mindful of whatever phenomena is happening at the six sense doors in order to develop insight knowledge. It is said that when contacted by sense objects, physical or mental, a bhikkhu knows that like or dislike arises in his mind, and knows that like and dislike are all conditioned, dependently arisen. When he knows thus, equanimity is established and the like and dislike disappears.^[32] By means of a simile of the drops of water that quickly vaporize at the moment of falling onto an iron plate heated for a whole day, the text shows that the arisen fetters, which are represented by likes and dislikes, come to be abandoned as soon as the power of mindfulness intercedes.^[33] Saṃyutta Nikāya^[34] reveals the power of mindfulness in protecting the mind against the fetters that arise while dependent on the contact with external sense objects and internal sense faculties. There, the Buddha taught Ven. Mālukyaputta to know whatever sense data manifested in the six sense doors as it really is:

Here, Mālukyaputta, regarding things that are seen, heard, sensed, and cognized by you: in the seen there will be only the seen; in the heard there will be only the heard; in the sensed there will be only the sensed; in the cognized there will be only the cognized.^[35]

According to the verses in the same Sutta,^[36] the meaning of the instruction given by the Buddha is that when sense data meets with sense faculties one should be firmly mindful (paṭissato) so that one is not be inflamed by lust for the six sense objects and is able to experience the sense objects with a dispassionate attitude. On the contrary, if one experiences the sense objects with muddled mindfulness, then covetousness and annoyance will grow due to the unwise attention to these sense objects.

4. The Contemplation of the Enlightenment Factors

The fourth practice of the contemplation of the dhammas consists of an awareness of the seven enlightenment factors, which refer to the seven wholesome mental qualities that lead to enlightenments.^[37]

The instructions for contemplating the enlightenment factors are as follows:

Here, when the enlightenment factor of mindfulness manifests in him, a bhikkhu knows, “There is the enlightenment factor of mindfulness in me”. Or when the mindfulness enlightenment factor does not manifest in him, he knows, “There is no enlightenment factor of mindfulness in me”. He also knows how there comes to be the arising of the unarisen enlightenment factor of mindfulness, and how the arisen enlightenment factor of mindfulness comes to fulfillment by development. (Similarly with) the enlightenment factor of investigation-of-dhamma… the enlightenment factor of energy…the enlightenment factor of rapture…the enlightenment factor of tranquility…the enlightenment factor of concentration…the enlightenment factor of equanimity.^[38]

Like the contemplation of the five hindrances, the contemplation of the seven enlightenment factors start with keeping bare awareness of the presence and absence of those seven wholesome mental qualities. After the practice progresses, meditators will discover the causes responsible for the absence, occurrence and perfection of each of these seven enlightenment factors.^[39]

Although meditators devoted to the contemplation of the enlightenment factors do not adopt any measures other than simple awareness of the present moment in order to arouse and maintain the factors, simply being aware of them is sufficient to strengthen them. This is in fact suggested by Saṃyutta Nikāya,^[40] where the cultivation of the four satipaṭṭhānas is made in order to fulfill the seven enlightenment factors, whose development further leads to true knowledge and liberation (vijjāvimutti).^[41] How the practice of satipaṭṭhāna fulfills the seven enlightenment factors is illustrated in detail in Saṃyutta Nikāya:^[42] the practice of any of the four satipaṭṭhānas arouses the enlightenment factor of mindfulness, which brings out naturally the remaining six factors in sequence.^[43] In other words, the remaining six enlightenment factors come to grow and increase along with the development of mindfulness.

The fact that the seven enlightenment factors are closely related to insight meditation is documented in Saṃyutta Nikāya,^[44] according to which, the Udāyi announced that he had obtained the path leading to Arahantship, that is, the seven enlightenment factors, after having contemplated “the surge and decline” (ukkujjāvakujja) of the five aggregates subject to clinging. The fact that the “enlightenment factor of concentration” is developed through satipaṭṭhāna insight meditation is worthy of special attention.^[45] According to Saṃyutta Nikāya,^[46] the enlightenment factor of concentration (derived from insight meditation) is of two types: one with vicāra and vitakka (i.e. the first jhāna) and the other without (i.e. the second, third, and fourth jhāna). Taken together, Saṃyutta Nikāya^[47] support my argument that the scheme of the four jhānas might have been applied in the Nikāyas not only to the concentration obtained through serenity meditation but also to the concentration obtained through insight meditation

According to Saṃ-yutta Nikāya,^[48] except for the enlightenment factor of mindfulness, whose development is beneficial at any time and on all occasions, the remaining six enlightenment factors should be developed in a timely, not untimely manner depending on whether one’s mind is sluggish or excited. It is proper to develop the factors of tranquility (passaddhi), concentration (samādhi) and equanimity (upekkhā) when one’s mind becomes excited, not sluggish; and it is equally proper to develop the factors of investigatin of dhamma (dhammavicaya), energy (viriya) and rapture (pīti) when one’s mind becomes sluggish, not excited.^[49] This suggests that besides from being the ground from which the remaining six factors grow, the enlightenment factor of mindfulness also functions as a supervisor to keep the remaining factors under surveillance.

5. The Contemplation of the Four Noble Truths

The last practice of the fourth satipaṭṭhāna is the contemplation of the four noble truths, which is also a form of insight meditation.

The instructions for it are the following:

Here, a bhikkhu knows as it really is, “This is dukkha”; he knows as it really is, “This is the origin of dukkha”; he knows as it really is, “This is the cessation of dukkha”; he knows as it really is, “This is the way leading to the cessation of dukkha”.^[50]

The four noble truths are usually taken to be the most fundamental doctrine taught by the Buddha; the realization of these truths is said to be the ultimate goal for the Buddha’s disciples.^[51] The Buddha is called the “perfectly enlightened one” (sammāsambuddha) simply because he has been awakened to these noble truths.^[52] Nevertheless, the journey to penetrate the four noble truths is not easy but full of challenges, and thus requires a lot of effort from meditators.^[53] The fundamental form of dukkhas uffering, or unsatisfactoriness from which aging, illness, death etc. manifests are the “five aggregates subject to clinging” according toSaṃyutta Nikāya,^[54] or the “six internal bases” according to Saṃyutta Nikāya.^[55] This explanation indeed makes the contemplation of dukkha almost equivalent to the second and third practices of the contemplation of dhammas. All in principle aim to know the mental and physical phenomena as they really are. The second noble truth, the origin of dukkha is identified with “craving” (taṇhā); the cessation of craving constitutes the third truth, “cessation of suffering”; and the way leading to its cessation is the “noble eightfold path”.^[56]

The time when one penetrates the four noble truths for the first time is usually taken by the suttas to be the time of realizing streamentry.^[57] Understood in this way, successful contemplation of the four noble truths becomes impossible for meditators who are still worldlings (puthujjana). To resolve this problem, Mahasi Sayadaw suggests that while the contemplation of the first noble truth is done by personal observation, the contemplation of the last two noble truths “is accomplished simply by hearing that the two truths are wonderful and arousing desire to know and attain them”.^[58] However, the contemplation of all four noble truths will becomes possible for ordinary worldlings if the interpretation of the Visuddhimagga^[59] is followed, such that the four noble truths become first apparent when one develops the knowledge of rising and passing away (udayabbaya-ñāṇa). Mahasi Sayadaw, probably using this interpretation provided by the Visuddhimagga, gives a practical explanation in accordance with the Dhammacakkappavattana sutta^[60] on how insight meditators contemplate the four noble truths at every occurrence of insight observation.^[61] Nevertheless, the contents of the third and fourth noble truths when realized by worlding meditators are probably more superficial than those realized by noble ones (ariya) such as stream-enterers.

There are four functions^[62] connected with the four noble truths. At the moment of penetrating the truths, path knowledge is said to exercise four functions simultaneously. With regard to the first noble truth, its function is to understand it as a fact clearly and completely (pariññeyya). The function of the second noble truth is to eliminate the cause of suffering (pahātabba). The function of the Third noble truth is to realize nibbāna (sacchikātabba). The function of the fourth noble truth is to develop and to practice the noble eightfold path (bhāvetabba).^[63] Path knowledge exercises these four functions at a single moment. Just as a lamp performs four functions simultaneously–burning the wick, dispelling darkness, making light appear, and using oil–so path knowledge penetrates suffering with full understanding, the origin of suffering with abandoning, the path with developing, and the cessation of suffering with realizing.

Meditators who comprehend their own truths, the truths of others, and both their own and others’ truth are said to contemplate on the truths internally, externally, and both internally and externally. Although it is suggested you contemplate on the four truths, you contemplate only on the first and the second truth. The third and the fourth truth cannot be contemplated because they are not the object of vipassanā and are not seen or attained with regard to wordings (putthujjana). Meditators, who comprehend the four noble truths in this way, will not be attached to anything by way of craving and wrong view and will not cling to anything in this world of aggregates. Thus meditators dwell contemplating the Dhamma in the Dhammas.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

MA II, p. 234

[2]:

Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi, tr. Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, p. 1193

[3]:

MN I, p. 60; SN V, p. 184

[4]:

Different sources on the practice of satipaṭṭhāna meditation contain variations in the items of contemplation

[5]:

SN, trs, Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 33–34

[6]:

MN I, p. 60

[7]:

SN V, p. 92

[8]:

SN V, p. 96; AN III, p. 63; SN V, p. 97

[9]:

SN V, p. 63–140

[10]:

Vism, p.685; MA I, p. 282

[11]:

SN IV, p. 190; MN I, p. 453; MN III, p. 300

[12]:

MA I, p. 281–286

[13]:

Vism, p. 598

[14]:

MN I, p. 61

[15]:

SN V, 56:13.

[16]:

The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, tr. Bhikkhu Bodhi, p. 839

[17]:

SN, 22:56, 57; Vism, p. 443

[18]:

AN I, p. 152; SN 22:37, p. 38

[19]:

Netti, p. 27

[20]:

Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Sīlānanda, p. 119

[21]:

MN I, p. 61

[22]:

SN V, p. 61

[23]:

SN IV, p. 77, 104

[24]:

MN I, p. 152

[25]:

MN III, p. 298

[26]:

Vism, p. 20–22

[27]:

MN I, p. 180

[28]:

SN 46:6/V, p. 74

[29]:

Vism, p. 160; Paṭis-A I, p. 187; Dhs-A, p. 172

[30]:

SN, 46:6

[31]:

MN I, p. 152

[32]:

MA II, p. 107

[33]:

MN I, p. 453–454.

[34]:

SN III, 36:95

[35]:

SN IV, p. 73

[36]:

SN IV, p. 73-75

[37]:

SN V, p. 72, 83

[38]:

MN I, p. 61–62

[39]:

Four Foundations of Mindfulness, U Sīlānanda, p. 124–139

[40]:

SN, 46:6

[41]:

SN V, p. 73; AN 5, p. 116

[42]:

SN 54:13/V, p. 331

[43]:

SN, 46:3

[44]:

SN 46:30

[45]:

Vism, p. 130–135; SN 46:38/V, p. 95–96

[46]:

SN I46:52/V, p. 111

[47]:

SN V, 46:30

[48]:

SN V, 46:53

[49]:

Vibh, p. 229

[50]:

MN I, p. 62

[51]:

SN, 56:3; SN, 56:4

[52]:

SN, 56:23; SN, 56:24

[53]:

SN, 56:34; SN, 56:45

[54]:

SN V, p. 425

[55]:

SN V, p. 426

[56]:

SN V, p. 421

[57]:

Bhikkhu Bodhi, Connected Discourse of Buddha, p. 1521

[58]:

Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Sīlānanda, p. 166

[59]:

Vism, p. 631–632

[60]:

SN V, 56:11

[61]:

Mahasi Sayadaw, Practical Insight Meditation, BPS, Kandy, Sri Lanka, p. 204–206

[62]:

DN II, p. 22

[63]:

MN II, p. 22