Vipassana

02Mar07

I awoke suddenly to the sound of an echoing bell and lay slightly confused for a few seconds, we are in different accommodation every few days so i stared upwards at another unfamiliar ceiling and wondered where i might be, but it quickly came back to me. I made the decision just two days before to join Barry on the Vipassana (pronounced vip-ass-anna) course and for ten days was condemning my mind and body to solidarity. I pushed my mosquito net aside and threw on some pants, wrapped myself in my shawl and briskly walked into the cool night time air. The Dhamma hall was just a minute walk away, along a small pathway with recently layed trees and potted plants on both sides. I actually had a few minutes to wait, they ring the bell 20 minutes later and expect everyone to be in position on their cushions by then. We all took our assigned places and heard our Guru for the course, mr S. N. Goenka, who over a tape recording told us how to start with our breathing. The following words echoed in our minds every meditation session:”Start with a calm and quiet mind….” and then”Work diligently, diligently. Work patiently and persistently” and the 10+ hours a day sitting in silence began.

I will give an explanation first of what Vipassana actually is all about – is a very simple, logical technique which depends on direct experience and observation. It can be related to the three trainings taught by the Buddha as the basis of a spiritual path- adherence to a sīla (abstinence from killing, stealing, lying, sexual misconduct and intoxication), which is not an end in itself but a requirement for the second part, concentration of the mind (samādhi). With this concentrated mind, the third training, in the context of this technique (paññā), is detached observation of the reality of the mind and body from moment to moment.

The instructions are not esoteric or difficult but basically involve retraining the mind to avoid its innate conditioned response to most stimuli. Although Vipassana includes body awareness as part of the practice, it is not a “body scan” technique. The purpose is also not to release past trauma, but to bring full awareness of the mind, body and all sensations and be fully present. This practice is thought to develop a deep, experiential understanding of the impermanence of reality and also brings to the surface and dissolves deep-seated complexes and tensions. The technique fosters development of insight and needs to be continued as a way of life in order to having lasting effects.

To see through the mode of impermanence means to examine things as to whether they are permanent. To see through the mode of unsatisfactoriness means to examine things as to whether they are satisfactory or are imbued with suffering. To see through the mode of non-self means to examine the phenomena that are the objects of the meditation to see if they have a permanent, isolated, and enduring entity. In other words, to see through non-self relates to having a sense of non-doership and a sense of non-possessorship while examining things, this relates to material objects aswell as human beings. One thing i disagreed with the practice was the fact that we inherently love ourselves and no one else, being used in the context of “My” and “I”, ‘My sister, my mother” etc. It sounded contradictory to me as after liberation you generate love and compassion for everyone.

The first three days of the course are concentration on the breathing in a small area of the nose, this is to sharpen the mind which is needed for the actual Vipassana technique. For the remaining seven days we work with more effect to detect subtle sensations over each and every part of the body. Once we remain in observation and eqanimous to the sensations we can change the ‘habit pattern of the mind’ to observe the same way in life.

The Rules:

Noble Silence: All students must observe Noble Silence from the beginning of the course until the morning of the last full day. Noble Silence means silence of body, speech, and mind. Any form of communication with fellow student, whether by gestures, sign language, written notes, etc., is prohibited (this includes eye contact with anyone) Also…

• to abstain from killing any living creature;
• to abstain from stealing;
• to abstain from all sexual activity;
• to abstain from telling lies;
• to abstain from all intoxicants.
• to abstain from eating after midday;
• to abstain from sensual entertainment.
• to abstain from using high or luxurious beds.

Note that new students are permitted a bowl of fruit after midday and may sleep of normal beds

Also no reading, writing, music instruments or any type of stimulants. Just basic stuff is allowed in like clothes, wash gear and a sleeping bag.
The Timetable:

4:00 a.m.———————Morning wake-up bell

4:30-6:30 a.m.—————-Meditate in the hall or in your room

6:30-8:00 a.m.—————-Breakfast break

8:00-9:00 a.m.—————-Group meditation in the hall

9:00-11:00 a.m.—————Meditate in the hall or in your room

11:00-12:00 noon————–Lunch break

12noon-1:00 p.m.————–Rest and interviews with the teacher

1:00-2:30 p.m.—————-Meditate in the hall or in your room

2:30-3:30 p.m.—————-Group meditation in the hall

3:30-5:00 p.m.—————-Meditate in the hall or in your own room

5:00-6:00 p.m.—————-Tea break

6:00-7:00 p.m.—————-Group meditation in the hall

7:00-8:15 p.m.—————-Teacher’s Discourse in the hall

8:15-9:00 p.m.—————-Group meditation in the hall

9:00-9:30 p.m.—————-Question time in the hall

9:30 p.m.———————Retire to your own room–Lights out

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

I will give you a brief rundown of some things that happened during the days, but both myself and Barry would prefer to keep our personal experiences of the meditation to ourselves, I hope you can understand why we wish to keep much of our personal thoughts private.

The pain of sitting without support for my back was troubling me, i met the teacher at 12 noon and explained to him i was in pain and would like to sit against the wall or something. Even better then that- i was permitted a chair at the back. It was a few inches off the ground and i had sit cross legged the same way as before, but i had a back on the chair so my spine was saved. I really got to experience the meditation in it’s fullest on the second day, and the hours felt very very long. On day three Ja-Yeon left in the morning so i again went to the hall to talk to the teacher, hoping he would tell me what had happened. When he would only tell me she left for personal reasons and even though she left a note i couldn’t read it until the last day, i decided that was enough and i was going to leave also. But when I went to tel the teacher we had a long chat he persuaded me to stay. There was definatly something charismatic about the teacher, and he knew my feelings better then i knew them myself. On the forth day I again went to the Dhamma hall at noon an talked to the teacher about leaving -my reasons were the intense pains i was getting for sitting for so long- and explained about my back injury. He told me to bring the x-rays to him and he would have a look, but was determined to make me stay and complete the course. I was sceptical about his interest in the x-rays, i didn’t know if he was actually a doctor, maybe he was but i was loath to question him for fear of possibly insult him. I grinded my teeth and stayed.

I can’t remember what day it was, but during the middle of the course the i got the Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles theme tune stuck in my head! It was there for the rest of the course. Every day.

I remember day seven well, it was the best day i found for meditation so far. I really experienced so many sensations over my whole body, and also managed to complete “Aditthana” or “Sittings of Strong Determination”. During three of the one-hour group sittings every day you’re asked not to open your eyes, move your hands, or change your sitting position. This is what they say Buddha did for seven days under the Bo tree before attaining enlightenment. It was so difficult the first few times and i had to change at least twice in an hour (the pain was incredibly intense after the first half hour), but i completed it on the seventh day and left the hall with my legs hanging off!

For the last two days I longed for the end. The frustration was so strong, and day ten was a welcome relief. Being able to break noble silence was wonderful, and every word from every person i talked to felt so good.

It was an incredibly difficult experience, but also we felt rewarding in many aspects.

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