175: Retreat Dhamma Talk 70: The Three Characteristics of Non-Self

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Retreat series Dhamma Top number seventy seven zero. Today we are in the seventy days into the retreat. And every Dharma talk is built around the practice, mindfulness, insight practice. In a simple word, it's about observation. And sometimes called noting, recording. You observe as if you are recording. Note or observe the object that is obviously arising at the present moment with eagerness, alertness, wakefulness, and giving a great concern in this observation process, one must aim straight at the object that is arising at this moment to establish mental contact. And if this aiming and grabbing of the object of observation is done with right effort and precision, both mindfulness, sati and concentration, samadit will be established. And here we are talking about kanika samadhi, momentary concentration. When correct mindfulness and concentration are established, automatically the specific or unique characteristics of mind and matter will be known. So that's what we are doing: a process of observation. So let's reflect into this process and see what is happening. If you have a precise aim on the object of observation, the mind does not fall on any other object, but goes straight to the object which is in the scope of attention. At that moment, there is no sense pleasure. That's why there is no mental illness or madness due to sense pleasure. Pali word karmu mataka. There is no karmu mataka, craziness or madness with sense pleasure. And even if the attention that you are giving went straight and landed on the unpleasurable, unpleasant object. There will arise no thought of cruelty. What it means is there is no madness due to dosa version or Greek. In Pali there is no Dorsumatakat. In short, there is no chance for any kind of wrong perception on the object can arise at that moment. In other words, all perceptions are right perception, correct perception. In other words, you know exactly as it is. So repeat this process, observation process again and again. And if you can keep it again and again, one will be kept far away from the wrong view. Moho mataka. So if one applies with urgent effort, the mind will not be lazy. And it will hit the intended target straight on. And if there is no deficiency or excess in terms of effort, kilesa cannot arise. Or to push away the kilesa. That's how the relationship between effort and kilisa is. And if one applies the effort with great attention continuously on all objects that are rising at the present moment, mindfulness is established and it will block and stop kilesa, mental defilements. It will stop Kilesa coming into your field of attention or awareness. So that's why guarding is the function of mindfulness. It's like a guard keeping Khilesa not to enter. So when one firmly grabs the object, it envelops and it penetrates into the object. You must firmly grab the object. If not, it's a different scenario. If you can firmly grab the object, it envelops and it penetrates the object. And that state is called concentration. Samadhi. Having a firm grip and sink into the object of the present moment with right effort is called correct observation. I'll repeat again. Having a firm grip and sink into the object of the present moment with the right effort is right observation. That's what we are trying to do to get the right correct observation. And a series of such observation. If you can keep a continuous series of observation, one after the other, that observation will be endowed with vipassana jnana. To establish vipassana jnana, you must have that correct observation one after the other continuously in a sri for an extended period of time. Concentration that develops of that is arising together with vipassana jhana, will unfold the true nature of mind and matter. In other words, it's the will unfold a specific and individual or individual characteristics of mind and matter. It's totally different. This kind of pure knowing, direct knowing, has no confusion, has no doubt about what you know. Because it is you who knows directly at the present moment, having a direct contact, establishing a direct contact with the object under study or under observation. There is no intermediary process or no intermediary phenomena between first hand knowledge. And when you are observing, you must not look for an object or search or scan for an object purposely. You must not purposely look, search or scan for any object. Simply observe, but correctly, continuously, and constantly. That's all. Simply observe the most obvious object that is in your field of attention correctly, continuously, and constantly. This knowing or understanding of the true nature of mind and matter will be achieved during the period of meditation. While you are meditating, concurrently with the object, at that present moment, your understanding will arise concurrently along with the object. At that moment, while you are meditating, that's how it unfolds. And that is the fixed law. Ni Yama. This is a fixed law. You can take it to the bank. So let's see how we can apply this process in our daily lives. We are talking about like focused, intense meditation, sitting, formal, sitting, formal, walking. But let's see how we can apply in our daily lives. Some of you who have been listening to me long knows that in a daily life, I mentioned about setting up a program so that you can be quite deeply mindful. Like climbing the stair. Whenever you climb up or climb down a set of stairs, go into that very precise, intense, deep observation. And if you keep on doing that eventually after about a month, automatically the mind will switch onto that mode whenever you come to a set of stairs. So that's one. I've talked quite often, give advice. I won't go into detail. But today let us look into more common events that is happening in our lives all the time. Very common. Sitting and standing. Sitting and standing. That's a very common thing that happens in our life. We have been when we say sitting and standing, when you sit, eventually you have to stand. When you stand, eventually you will be sitting. So I will only approach from one point. When I say sitting, it also implies standing. We have been sitting countless number of times in our life without giving any concern or any attention to it. We sit every day, all the time, our whole life sitting. And we do it in such a way, it becomes a pattern that we are not even aware of this sitting process. We are sitting, but we are not aware of it. And so much so it becomes an auto mode. You see a chair clunked, you sit. Whenever a situation arises, you sit. Automatically, you don't even have the awareness of that process, sitting process. Maybe under a certain circumstances, when you're very tired, let's say you walk for about five miles, ten miles, you become very tired, or you are standing for a long time. You're very tired. And at that moment, when you're very tired, what happens is you are consciously, oh, I want to sit. In other words, you are aware that you want to sit because you're so tired, and then you slowly sink your buttocks down to sit, and actually you're aware of it. All the tiredness slowly release, release, release, and then you sit and say, Ha! Great! Because the condition forces you to be aware of wanting to sit and aware of everything that is happening while you are sitting. Maybe so that is once in a while it happens, not all the time, most of the time it's an auto mode. You just sit, you just stand let's reflect how we most commonly perceived while we are sitting. In other words, most common perceptions while we are sitting, but we have to reflect to know that that's why let's say I said let's reflect. And if you reflect, you will find out most of the time you're sitting and you are not even aware of that you're sitting. You might be sitting at the same time, you might be talking, you might be staring at something, you might be listening at something, all jumbled up. You are not aware of it. That's one perception, you are not aware. That itself is a perception, not aware is you're ignorant, not know. Or he said, sitting, I have sat before many, many times. That kind of perception can arise too if you reflect. And also, I'm sitting now. Right now I'm sitting. And also you keep on reflecting related to this sitting. I will be sitting in future. Those are the perceptions you get. Sitting is sitting, but you put it one in the past, and you one put in the future, you put one at the present. So there are three different perceptions. I have said many times before, I'm sitting now, I will still be sitting many times in the future. That's how the understanding of perception will arise. And all these sittings are done by me. I am sitting. All these sittings are sitting actions are done by me. But let's put it into the a different perspective, a different take. I exist before. I exit exist now, and I shall be an existent in the future. That's what it is. In the past you have existed. Right now, your present, you exist. And in future, you will still be existing. In a different take, the sitting before, now, and in future is exactly I exist, I exist, I exist. Basically, that is how you think, how you perceive. Actually, you are executing the process of solidifation of self. You're trying to make that self more solid, more solid, more solid. Identity becomes stronger, stronger. That's what it is, if you reflect. And you are sitting in an auto mode, and exactly that is what happening in terms of perception related to sitting when you're in auto mode. But in reality, in reality, sitting is not done by self. Sitting is not done by me. Sitting is not done by you, not done by self. It is a series of intentions to sit. A series of intentions to sit arise. And that is mind. Intention is the mind. And a series of movements to sit. And that is the body or rupa. Mind jaita. Body rupa. That's what's really happening. It is a process done by this mind and matter. It is a process of the mind and matter. Those two phenomena, mental phenomenon and physical phenomenon, exist only at the moment of sitting. Truly exist only at the moment of sitting. Not before sitting, not after sitting, only at that moment that mentality and physicality, Nama and Rupa, exist. So to know that process firsthand, one must observe at the present precise moment of sitting. Only while you are sitting you can observe and you will know. Other than that, there's no recall process, there's no replay process. You can't record it with the video weight and videotape and re-watch it. You can't. You must directly observe at that present moment of sitting. At that moment, if you are observing, you're observing first hand, and you must observe with precision, and you will become aware of your intention to sit, and you'll be aware of the movements in the sitting, the movements, heaviness, lightness, stiffness, pressure, pain, and so on. There's so many things. If you are really observing closely, all these will be unfold. In a series, one after the other. When you are skillful, become skillful, you will see one after the other. At the beginning, they are all jumbled up. You can't distinguish one from the other, but you have a sense. So with deeper practice, intention before many, many events, you will become known. Because when you are sitting, as an example, you want to sit, you are leaning. And then before that, after that you're bending. But you're aware that you're leaning. You're aware you want to bend, it's bending. Stiffness, heaviness, movements, one after the other with clarity and distinction will be known. But you have to be very skillful. As we are on the seventieth day, I think most of you are quite skillful now. And all these things are part and parcel of sitting. Sitting involves wanting to sit, a mental process. In Pali it's called the Namadham. Mental process, Namadham. And the movements and the associated physical qualities, mental process. Or sorry, material process. In Pali it is called Rubadama, material process. Mental process Namadham process rubadama. And you will see only these two. You can observe again and again and again. Try your best and whichever way you could observe the sitting process as many times as you want. Just observe that sitting process. You will only see these two phenomena, Namadhamma and Rumadham, mind and matter. You won't find any third party. You won't find any third party or third phenomenon or third whatever other than these two processes. Nama and Rupa, mind and matter. So the view or perception of sitting is done by me, the big me. That view or that perception, I sit, it's done by me. It's the wrong view. You will have or you will experience the right view. Only if you are correctly observing at the moment of sitting. That's the only time you have only one chance, no second chance. If not mindfully observing, you are automatically in the wrong view mode. If not observing, you are automatically in the wrong view mode. We call it diktone mataka in Pali, if you remember. Madness with wrong view. When the power of correct observation becomes stronger, the right understanding will automatically arise. And it will arise more frequently with higher frequency. Okay? Because each observation you are dealing with the wrong view or right view. But when your power of observation becomes stronger, when it comes to the bala or strong position, the frequency of having the right view become more and more and more. So your consistent effort will take you to a deeper understanding of the right view. Once you know, don't think that you have known everything. With time, with skill, with maturity, you know deeper and deeper and deeper. In-depth knowing of mind and matter, and their causal relationship. You come to know in depth, and you know their causal relationship. That is called abandonment of the wrong view of self or soul. When you know that, you have abandoned the wrong view of self or soul. Or in other words, it's the attainment of the right view. Samadhiti, the right view. You have attained that to the point of irreversibility. You will always have that. Regardless, whatever, whether you are observing or not observing, you are always, you will always have the right view. At that moment, when you have that irreversible right view, one become the first stream winner in Pali Sotapana. So let's see. Wanting to sit is the mind. And sitting is matter. There are only two detectable phenomena in this universe. We are not just even talking about you and me. In the whole universe, there are only two detectable, investigable phenomena. There is no third identifiable category, such as called jiwa, or spirit, or butterfly. Some people use the word butterfly to a soul or spirit or a soul or jiwa. It's some form of a life force. Eternal life force, jiwa. There's no such thing. And when you understand that this is the abandonment of Sakaya Diti. Sakya Diti. Sakaya Diti means the view of self or soul. You have abandoned the Sakaya Diti, the view of self or so. But if you haven't observed correctly and directly experienced these nature of mind and matter, or call it insight. Regardless how much you have read and how much you have known, you have an in-depth analytical, logical, rational understanding of the mind and matter. You said, I understand. You claim I understand. Of course, from theory, that is from theory, a second hand, one does not fully understand. In an unshakable manner, you might think you understand, but there might be always a spot, an obstacle, a bump, a situation, a condition come in, your understanding is shaken. So keep that in mind. A lot of people read, analyze, dark set, and they believe and they think they know there's no self or non-self. No self, but it is non-self. However, there's a momentary, momentary, or even a part-time acceptance of this right view, samadity. Even though you are walling, putujana, you are not a real noble person yet, but you can still have the right view, momentary basis or part-time basis. You can still have that. When one is in sync, whenever in sync with the perfect observation, you have the momentary right view. Automatically, you already have it. You are not thinking in terms of conceptual words. You are in the experience of non-self at that moment. But if you have a series, extended series of those kinds of perfect, correct observation, you are in the extended period, extended period with the wrong view. In other words, you are extended period of seeing Namati Rupa or experiencing Nama Rupa with along with the right view. That is a full, not full, but momentary and partial. But full, seamless and irreversible understanding of the right view can be achieved only when you cross over to the domain of the Ariya, noble person. You have to pass the threshold from the Putujana Ordinary Waldings into the Riya. Noble person domain. But if one lets the mind freely roam around, move around. It's all the time with you. You don't have to be thinking about it, reflecting about it automatically if you let your mind roam around freely, let it run wild. You are with attawada, with self or soul concept. Actually, there are sixty-two types of wrong view. You can find it in the scripture. It's written there. One of the sixty-two wrong views. So to know the three characteristics. Last Dhamma talk, we go detail into these three characteristics. To know the three characteristics of mind and matter. And the purpose of the Satipatthana vipassana is to erase or abandon wrong view of self or soul. And this self or soul concept or the view can be only eradicated with the path consciousness of a stream winner. Sadapana Mega Jita. Only with that you can eradicate it. That is why we need to precisely observe all actions, behaviors, manners, movements, and intentions and all full posture. You can't miss anything. And if you can observe that during those periods, no discursive thoughts or wandering mind can arise. It will be replaced by mindfulness and concentration. Sati and samadhi. All wandering thoughts, discussive thoughts are replaced by sati and samadhi. The more one can develop these two mental factors, sati and sabadit, the more you will see the true nature of mind and matter, or three characteristics of mind and matter. All these moments. All these moments are moments with these clear understanding or experiencing the three characteristics. All these moments are moments free with self-concept. You don't have to say there's no self, no soul. If you are experiencing, knowing the three characteristics in your observation, you are free of self-concept. Upon reaching the first tape of noble person, Satrapana or the stream winner. At that moment dato mataka madness with wrong view or mental illness of wrong view is totally cured. At that moment, dato mataka. Madness with wrong view is eliminated, cure, erase, abandon. And to reach to that state, you don't need to think, you don't need to reflect or imagine or analyze, dissect, figuring out, but simply observed correctly and precisely what is arising, whatever object is arising at the present moment in the mind or in the body. That's all that one needs to do. So the true yogi is observation. A true yogi is observation. Observation is true yogi. May you be able to observe precisely, correctly, continuously, and be able to unfold the three characteristics of mind and matter as soon as possible. Thank you very much.