THE PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS AND PURIFICATION

THE PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS AND PURIFICATION

1. Mindfulness

  “Mindful of the yogis of the past

  And remembering their ways of life,

  Even though today be but the after-time

  One may attain the Peace perennial.”

• Theragatha, verse 947 (1)

    As taught by the supreme yogi and the first Buddha in recorded history two    and a half millennia ago, complete spiritual liberation and perfect enlightenment can be attained through both moral and mental disciplines and mind culture (bhavana)/cultivation of wisdom.

  The way to self-perfection and self-realization is through the diligent and mindful practice of the Noble Eightfold Path, which leads to the complete cessation of ignorance and craving, and to the ultimate attainment of the omniscience of Buddhahood. The very ultimate level of the human moral/mental/spiritual evolution.

  While moral training in the Noble Eightfold Path entails right speech, right action and right livelihood, mental culture is developed through right effort, right mindfulness (samma sati) and right meditative-concentration (samma samadhi). Wisdom will be acquired through right understanding and right thoughts. And the end-result is the total elimination of ignorance-rooted suffering, in the clear light of the pure mind of omniscient wisdom.

  The antithesis of ignorance is knowledge, which in Buddhism is synonymous with right or correct understanding (samma ditthi), penetrative insight (vipassana), and all-seeing and all-knowing wisdom (panna/prajna).

  “Knowledge (amoha) always results from the removal of ignorance (moha) from the evolution current (jivitindriya) of the mind, but the forces of ignorance are so deeply rooted in the evolution current of the mind of all beings that its removal is a very difficult task.

  “The evolution current of our mind is heavily clouded by the defilements of ignorance and, the one force which can remove them is the force of knowledge.

  “When counteracting the forces of ignorance, however, the forces of knowledge have a very difficult path to travel. Difficult obstacles such as deep-rooted convention, prejudice, habit, mental debility, and physical ill-health, often prove so insurmountable that progress of knowledge is severely affected,” Theravada scholar C. P. Ranasinghe writes. (2)

  “Correct consciousness, or mindfulness (samma sati), is the easiest method to overcome these obstacles...

  “Correct consciousness, in fact, is knowledge and no obstacles can remain when confronted with it. It can pierce through to the truths of our conventions; it can effectively remove our traits of prejudice; it can bring relief from our evil habits whilst improving the good ones, and it can make us strong both of mind and body.

  “Correct consciousness is a preventive against all the evils of our mind and body, and it also provides us with the most glaring signal (a bright beckoning light) by following which we can achieve both present happiness, and future higher life...”

  As explained by Venerable Henepola Gunaratana, the practice of Mindfulness has three fundamental activities: “(1) Mindfulness reminds us of what we are supposed to be doing; (2) it sees things as they really are; and (3) it sees the deep nature of all phenomena...” (3)

  

  The Sri Lanka-born scholar-monk teaches:

  “You reach Mindfulness by being ever more mindful...” (4)

  Training in mindfulness disciplines the mind to avoid such hindrances and negatives as greed, lust, hatred, aversion, and jealousy: “We choose to avoid these hindrances, not because they are evil in the normal sense of the word, but because they are compulsive; because they take the mind over and capture the attention completely; because they keep going round and round in tight little circles of thought; and because they seal us off from living reality...” (5)

  “Mindfulness is the specific antidote for hindrances. It is both the cure and the preventive measure.

  “Fully developed Mindfulness is a state of non-attachment and utter absence of clinging to anything in the world. If we can maintain this state, no other means or device is needed to keep ourselves free of obstructions, to achieve liberation from our human weaknesses.

  “Mindfulness is non-superficial awareness. It sees things deeply, down below the level of concepts and opinions. This sort of deep observation leads to total certainty, a complete absence of confusion (and perplexity). It manifests itself primarily as a constant and unwavering attention which never flags and never turns away.

  “This pure and unstained investigative awareness not only holds mental hindrances at bay, it lays bare their very mechanism and destroys them.

  “Mindfulness neutralizes defilements in the mind. The result is a mind which remains unstained and invulnerable, completely unaffected by the ups and downs of life.” (6)

  Venerable Gunaratana stresses: “Mindfulness makes possible the growth of wisdom and compassion. Without Mindfulness they cannot develop to full maturity...” (7)

2. Mindfulness and Concentration

        “Concentration could be defined as that faculty of the mind which focuses single-mindedly on one object without interruption. It must be emphasized that true concentration is a wholesome one-pointedness of mind. That is, the state is free from greed, hatred and delusion,” Venerable Gunaratana explains. (8)

        “Concentration is the lens. It produces the burning intensity necessary to see into the deeper reaches of the mind. Mindfulness selects the object that the lens will focus on and looks through the lens to see what is there... (9)

        “If mindfulness is not there to look into the lens and see what has been uncovered, then it is all for nothing. Only mindfulness brings wisdom...” (10)

        In Mahayana Pure Land Buddhism, the consistent and continuous practice of mindfulness of the Buddha Amitabha is to uncover the Buddha-nature of omniscient wisdom, which is inherent and intrinsic in the heart and mind of every human being.

       To further quote Venerable Gunaratana:

       “Mindfulness directs the power of concentration. Mindfulness is the manager of the operation. Concentration furnishes the power by which mindfulness can penetrate into the deepest level of mind. Their cooperation results in insight and understanding...” (11)

        And to quote Venerable Piyadassi Thera, another distinguished Sri Lanka-born monk, scholar and teacher: “Right mindfulness is instrumental not only in bringing concentrative calm (samatha bhavana), but in promoting right understanding and right living...” (12)

       To quote the Buddha: “Calm and insight (samatha-vipassana). These two things should be developed for the abandonment, extinction and cessation of lust, hate and delusion...” (13)

3. Purification and Self-Realisation

“The mind, in its contents, is a mixture of impressions of defilements and

purity.

           “Deposits of these impressions are present in varying proportions and they affect the mind in two different ways. The presence of impressions of defilements blur the light of the mind; the impressions of purity increase the light with additional brightness and lustre.

          “Both kinds of impressions, defiling and pure, exist in the minds of all beings. In the normal human being, the defiling impressions present in his mind blur all the life waves in his mind so much that the entire brightness and light of the mind lie hidden behind them.

         “It is usual in all units of mind (all sentient beings) for defilements to come atop purity, and, because of this reason, such impressions of purity as exist in the human mind are concealed in the core of the mind (which is intrinsically pure), the shades of defilement covering them.

         “The shades of defilement obstruct the activity of the pure mind, and the operation of the waves of reflection pushes the defilements aside temporarily. The core of the mind springs to the surface for a while,” C. P. Ranasinghe explains, so very clearly. (14)

          He then explains further, with as much clarity:

          “Impressions of reflection of purity on entering and mixing with the forces of the evolution current, cause an advantageous variation by increasing the strength of the evolution current which, in turn, increases the strength of the forces of the mind as a whole.

         “The impressions of purity add to the forces of the evolution current fresh forces of health, cleanliness, refreshment, and brightness.

         “Our mind as a whole becomes more powerful to the extent to which fresh impressions of purity enter the evolution current of our mind...” (15)

              As explained by Ranasinghe, there are 39 different inner currents remaining dormant in the human mind – 25 currents of purity and 14 currents of defilement with greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and ignorance (moha) as the most important and powerful. With ignorance as the prime root factor/force, the 14 mental factors of defilement are backed by indecision (vicikiccha).

              With faith/confidence (saddha) and mindfulness (sati) at the very heart and head, the 25 mental factors and currents of purity are also led by benevolence (alobha)/compassion (karuna) and loving charity (adosa)/loving-kindness (metta), and backed and supported by knowledge – the key positive mental factor of illumination.

              On purifying the mind and intercepting defilements with purity, Ranasinghe writes:

               “The method of removing the defilements of greed, hatred, and ignorance is to intercept them with the charges of purity of benevolence, loving sympathy, and knowledge.

               “Benevolence removes the defilements of greed; loving sympathy removes the defilements of hatred; and knowledge removes the defilements of ignorance.

               “Greed and hatred are the by-products of ignorance, and benevolence and loving sympathy are the by-products of knowledge.

                “The struggle between defilement and purity, therefore, culminates lastly into a struggle between ignorance and knowledge...” (16)

                Ranasinghe concludes:

                “At the point when the last binding force of ignorance is breached, there occurs in the evolution current of the mind the greatest achievement ever: the evolution current will be completely cleansed of all forces of defilement. The state of full enlightenment (arahat) will be achieved.

               “When the last binding force of defilement is broken by ever increasing charges of more and more purity, the mind becomes so charged with purity and, therefore, so powerful, that all the last traits of defilement in the evolution current is completely burnt in the power of purity...

                 “The unit of mind with its evolution current cleansed in this way would gather the maximum charge of purity, and, if we succeed in achieving such a state of mind, we can remain in that state throughout the infinity of time...

                 “That serene state of life, is the supreme state of existence. It is the peaceful plateau at the summit of life from which no one falls again to the vicissitudes (and sufferings) that life has below. It is the state of Nibbana, the everlasting blossom, the flower of life and mind.” (17)

                 Achieving Nibbana/Nirvana and Buddhahood is truly Self-Realization.

4. The Pure Land Practice of

Mindfulness of Amitabha Buddha:

NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA

        “The simplest way to practice Pure Land is by chanting Amituofo, which is Amitabha Buddha (of Infinite Light and Infinite Life) in Chinese. It does not matter whether we chant in Chinese or any other language as long as we do it properly.

        “When we chant, the sound of Amituofo arises in our minds. And as we utter Amituofo, our minds concentrate on and embrace that sound. While chanting, do so sincerely and continuously.

        “As one keeps chanting and the mind focuses on the sound of Amituofo, errant thoughts are replaced with pure thoughts. In this way, we also create less negative karma.

        “After Amitabha has been in our mind continuously for a long time, our true nature – our Buddha-nature – will gradually be uncovered,” writes Venerable Shi Wuling, an American Buddhist nun, teacher and writer of the Pure Land School of Mahayana, and a leading disciple of Venerable Master Chin Kung. (18)

          “Amitabha Buddha is the wise and compassionate teacher who understands everything, and who is always thinking of us, lifetime after lifetime after lifetime.

          “We are the students who are trying to learn and to practice.

          “Just as a good teacher listens to the calls for help from a student  looking for the right answers, if we have unwavering belief, vow to be reborn in the Pure Land, and sincerely practice, Amitabha  will respond. All we have to do is chant His Name mindfully.

          “When we chant to the point of single-mindedness with the sole thought of Amituofo, we successfully form a connection with Him – in fact, we become one with Him. In that instant we are in the Pure Land – far to the west and deep within us.

          “As we breathe our last breath in this world, if we can form this connection, form this oneness with Amituofo, we will attain our next rebirth in the Western Pure Land (of Ultimate Bliss) and leave suffering behind.

          “And once there, we will have all the time we need to continue our practice and learning, for we will be in the company of Amitabha Buddha and all the bodhisattvas (enlightened beings). They will help us learn all the ways to wisely and compassionately help other beings...”

          All beings in Amitabha’s Pure Land are blessed with an infinite lifespan to continue their spiritual cultivation until they ultimately attain the supreme bliss of Nirvana and the omniscient wisdom of Buddhahood.

          NAMO AMITABHA BUDDHA

Notes.

1. As quoted in Thera Piyadassi, THE BUDDHA’S ANCIENT PATH, first published by Rider & Company in UK 1964, and reprinted for free distribution by the Penang Buddhist Association March 2002,p. 76
2. C.P. Ranasinghe,The Buddha’s EXPLANATION of The Universe, first published May 1957, pp. 172-173

Ranasinghe’s lucid rendering of the Abhidhamma (the Buddha’s Higher Teaching on philosophy, psychology, etc) is based on Sariputta’s report on the Buddha’s teaching on the incidence of life and the universe, in a three-month series of daily lectures over 2,500 years ago.

3. Ven H. Gunaratana Mahathera, Mindfulness in Plain English, p. 147
4. Ibid., p. 151
5. Ibid., pp. 152-153
6. Ibid., pp. 153-154
7. Ibid., p. 152
8. Ibid., p. 156

The Buddha teaches that concentration is “unification of mind” in Majjhima-nikaya sutta 44.

9. Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English, p. 156
10. Ibid., p. 157
11. Ibid., p. 161
12. Piyadassi, THE BUDDHA’S ANCIENT PATH, p. 187
13. Anguttara-nikaya volume 1 page 100
14. Ranasinghe, The Buddha’s EXPLANATION, pp. 111-112
15. Ibid., p. 156
16. Ibid., p. 179
17. Ibid., pp. 180-181

“Contemplating as they really are

The rise and fall of aggregates (of beings)

I rose up with mind free (of taints).

Completed is the Buddha-word.” -- Theri-gatha verse 96

18. Shi Wuling, IN ONE LIFETIME: PURE LAND BUDDHISM, first published by Amitabha Publications, Chicago, 2006, and reprinted for free distribution by Hong Kong Buddhist Education Foundation, pp. 6-7

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