Vipassana means to see clearly, to see things as they are in reality and not as our mind perceives it to be or wishes to see it. So that brings up certain questions; (a) what is this reality that we don’t see, (b) what is the problem with the mind and (c) do we see with our mind or do we see with our eyes?
Firstly the body is an extension of our thought; it represents our thought in physical form. It is also the instrument for our thoughts for converting ideas into reality. Whatever is in the thoughts is therefore simultaneously registered or connected in the body. For instance some very ordinary examples would be, while sitting beside the driver of a car we inadvertently press the brake paddle if the car is very near to touching another. We start tapping our feet or swinging our hands while listening to good music. Some people get a headache or pain in some part of the body when certain disturbing thoughts come up. This directory of stored information in the body which is related to feelings, emotions, desires and dislikes is what we refer to as conscience mind. When the feeling is strong it gets registered in the sub conscience mind and operates on auto that is without any prompt or effort.
Second, it is the mind which feels the pain and pleasure and not the body. This is contrary to our normal understanding where we always link the body to feelings of physical pain and pleasure. For example when we sleep in a poor or wrong posture we always realize the body pain after we get up when we are awake. Of course the pain or pleasure is always at the level of the body, but the body does not feel it unless the mind acknowledges it.
Third, all such feelings of pain and pleasure gets registered because of our response to an external stimulus. From the six sense doors when an event enters or contacts the mind, it responds. When a friend wave’s hello and the eyes see it, then the mind responds with a friendly wave back. After many such instances the body simply waves back even if the mind is busy in some other thought. Then it becomes a sub conscious reaction. For example we can wave to a friend and talk animatedly on the mobile phone at the same time. The hand has to wave back because the feeling and reaction pattern is registered in that part of the body.
Fourth, all such reaction patterns, which are also called the feelings of pain or pleasure at the level of the body, which are also called vedana (in Pali ) or simply sensation in English, are momentary. They only arise to give reminder intimation and then collapses by itself as a natural process. The sensation urges a reaction, and that reaction becomes a habit. Whether one reacts or does not react to the sensation, in a while it dies down.
Fifth, the reason why the sensations die down is because the body which seems solid is only a collection of wave lets. The body matter is made up of innumerable tiny or nano particles which arise from the food that we eat and gets extinguished because of the actions we perform. That’s why we have to eat again and again. Those parts of the body which we use more often become strong in the form of muscles because there are more such nano particles accumulated or pressed at that place.
Sixth, the reaction patterns can be of pain, pleasure or neutral. The sum total of all such reaction pattern is called our ego. These reaction patterns are based on either love or fear. Love can be selfish or selfless, it could be for aggrandizing the self mind or someone else’s, it could be to protect, perpetuate, reciprocate, respect, honour and many more such kind of emotional thoughts. Likewise fear can be linked to preserve, survive, project, maintain, accumulate and such kind of emotional thoughts. We may laugh or cry, get angry or bless, shout or whisper, shake a hand or give a punch, lecture or serve, run or stand, abuse or protect, lust or refrain; all such physical reactions are based on thoughts of love or fear. That is who we are, that is what our ego stands for.
Vipassana is to realize this reality by observing the sensations on the body very closely. The objective is to understand that our reaction to external stimulus has been the cause of our misery and we can remove all misery from our life if we accept all external stimulus without any reaction of craving (like/want) or aversion (dislike/avoid). All reactions either of craving or aversion signifies a Trishna (a non satiable desire) and always culminates into misery sooner or later. We observe that the same sensation do not arise everytime since they come up depending upon the condition of the mind at that moment of time. By just observing the sensations and not reacting to them, we can change the habit pattern of the mind. When the reaction pattern change, the old sensations obviously do not arise anymore.
By regular, consistent and persistent practice of Vipassana we can observe the entire range of sensations or reaction patterns of our mind. We can break all of them down. That will curtail and minimize our ego, bring us to the level of “stitapragya” that is immersed in wisdom at all times, which is the aim of every Hindu. I say Hindu because no other way of life in any other part of the world ever considered this. We begin to live in the present moment and don’t get bothered by the past or future. We begin to only entertain thoughts of selfless love and eradicate every thought of fear. We happily accept whatever situation life places us.
By continuing the practice of Vipassana, we can break down the wholesome body completely and observe the wave lets. That is the stage which is called as beyond mind and matter, the stage of Nirvana.
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