Vipassana

                          VIPASSANA I

I attended a Vipassana Meditation course from 20th March to 31st March at Sohna, Haryana. Vipassana Meditation develops an aware and equanimous mind. Awareness and equanimity are essential for liberation from misery. Respiration and sensation are two tools in the process. A large number of sensations come from the mind itself in the form of memories, experiences and also imaginations. The Present is lost sight of. Past and Future are causes of misery. Awareness, equanimity and living in the present pave way for peace and harmony  The techniques of Ana-Pan and Vipassana Meditation are worth learning. Attendance of  at least  one ten day course is recommended at any Vipassana Center.This was the fifth ten day course, attended by me. Brief notes on the course may be read in the blog below, given from 20 March to 31st March. A comprehensive note, covering Vipassana Courses attended by me from 2009 to 2012 may be seen in the link below. The notes have to be read in completeness for an overview of the Vipassana.

http://dns-reflections.blogspot.in/search?q=vipassana+course

                      VIPASSANA I

 10 DAY VIPASSANA COURSE AT SOHNA, HARYANA

04.03.09

Arrived Dhamma centre at 2 pm after a drive of over 70 kms from Vikas Puri. Registration for Vipassana Course at this centre is done at Hemkunt Tower (10th Story) Room No.1015, 98, Nehru Place, New Delhi-110019 Tel: 011-26452772. The main headquarters is at Vipassana International Academy, District Nashik, Igatpuri-422403 Maharashtra Tel: 02553-244076, 244086 email: info@giri.dhamma.org. The Sohna Centre is located at RAKHA GAON, BALLABGARH, SOHNA ROAD, GURGAON- Tel. No.0124-2013731.
Filled up the form. Deposited mobile phone & cash. Settled down in room M-30 in C block. M stands for Male block. There is a women block too, totally segregated. The Ashram is situated in an area of about 50 acres. It has separate male & female blocks of residential rooms with attached & common toilets. Filtered water is available. You can also get mineral water on payment. I forgot to bring torch light. I had to buy one, I also bought a soap. All other things are free including food and accommodation. The Ashram has limited accommodation. It has strict rules. There are quite a few participants from overseas (may be about 20) from USA, Russia, South Korea, Japan, Italy, France, Belgium etc. in the course.
At 6.15 pm we were given light refreshment consisting of Khichri, one banana, a glass of milk & tea. These were to be our dinner. At 7 pm we were informed of the rules & regulations of Ashram. At 8 pm we were put through meditation along with tape recorded briefing by Shri S. N. Goenka , the person behind the spread of Vipassana, an ancient Buddhist method of meditation. In this you start with watching your breath. The strength of the course is about 80: 50 men & 30 women. Retired to sleep at 9.30 pm.

05.03.09

We were in the meditation hall at 4.30 am and listened the taped recitation of Goenkaji in Pali of Buddha’s words till 6.30 am. He explained the same in Hindi & English After that we were given breakfast of daliya, milk, grapes & tea. Again we joined meditation in the Dhamma hall from 8 to 9 am. Goenkaji said in his taped discourse to follow the rules strictly, not to get disappointed if mind wandered, to try again & we would succeed. From 9 to 11 am we were instructed to practise meditation in the room, observe silence and even avoid eye contact with other participants. At 11 am we had lunch and thereafter rest up to 1 pm. From 1 to 5 pm we again had meditation in Dhamma Hall. 5 pm was the time for tea & snacks and thereafter we practised meditation from 6 to 9 pm. One could ask questions and seek clarifications from the teacher at11 am or 9 pm. Lights were put off at 9:30 pm. We retired to sleep to get up again at 4 am next.

06.03.09

Meditation from 4.30 to 6.30 am, 6.30 am breakfast. 8 to 9 am group meditation, 9 am to 11 am meditation in Dhamma Hall or in rooms. In between each spell meditation rest of 5 to 10 minutes is given. One old man could not bear of the rigors of the course and had to leave. In discourse on the previous day, Goenkaji had said that the first two days were difficult. Today is the second day. Again meditation started from 1 pm to 5 pm. After evening snacks the meditation started again at 6 pm. At 7 pm was a discourse by Shri Goenkaji. Thereafter the meditation continued from 8 to 9 pm. During meditation I found I was able to concentrate on the breath much more than yesterday. This process will continue for three and half days in all. After that Vipassana will be taught.
The mind very often flew to the memories of the past and wove dreams/happenings of the future. It had to be brought back to the breath. In his discourse on the second day of the course Goenkaji said that taming the mind was very difficult. But as a wild elephant can be tamed, mind can also be tamed. He further said that now we should start feeling sensation of some kind in the small area covering upper lip, nostrils, nose etc. We should pickup these sensations and leave the breath. If there are no sensations we should continue observing the breath. If no sensation in the area is experienced at all, we can hold breath for a minute and thereafter watch the area for any sensation. If there is still no sensation we should continue watching the breath. This exercise is for experiencing as to how matter interacts with mind and vice-versa.
In the third day’s discourse Goenkaji spoke about Pragya known as Panya in Pali. It has three parts: Panya from scriptures. Panya by Chintan/Tark and Bhavnamai Panya- which is experienced from interaction of mind with body, that is to say, every thing is changing and reaching its end. Every atom takes birth and gets destroyed at a speed which may be within a fraction of second. Due to high speed we do not notice the change, like the earth which is moving so fast that we feel as if it is stationary. Interaction of mind with body gives you the depth of knowledge. Retired to sleep at 9:45 pm.

07.03.09

I had lurking pain in the muscles of the right lower back region. It did not go right from 4.30 to 11 am. It distracted me and I could not concentrate well on the breath in the meditation. May be due to muscle pull. Today I will remove the cushion from the iron cot and let me see if things improve.
After 3 pm first lesson in Vipassana meditation was given. In this you have to see every part of the body starting from the head to feet instead of watching your breath. The three essentials for controlling the mind during the meditation were mentioned as follows:-

1. The eyes should remain closed.

2. Head, back and waist should be straight 

3. There should be no movement of any part of the body at last for an hour at a stretch. One has to take a sankalp (determination) for it.

After practicing Vipassana for sometime one sees that every part of body is pulsating. After the sensations are noticed, they should be seen with equanimity as they disappear after sometime. There are combustions and vibrations from each cell of our body every moment. There is no solidity in\them. This experience comes in due course. Every moment they are changing. The change is the law. Nothing is permanent. This body experience is gradually seen outside in the world also. As usual this very fact was further elaborated by Goenkaji in the fourth day of the course. Retired to sleep of 9.45 pm.

08.03.09./ 09.03.09

Today was quite chilly in the morning when I got up at 3.45 am. I practised Vipassana continuously without opening eyes with straight back, waist and neck for half an hour. With breaks of few minutes I continued the process sometime for 10 minutes or 15 minutes at a stretch till 6.30 am. Goenkaji recited from Buddhist texts in Pali which I understood little except some words occasionally. His words, Buddham Sharnam Gachchami, Dhammam Sharnam Gachchami and Sangham Sharnam Gachchami were clear and when he wished in Pali welfare to all at the end, we all said “Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu” in acceptance.

Today in the morning, idli, sambhar, coconut chatni, orange, milk and sprouted moong apart from tea were served. Here people take Haldi powder with milk. I have also started.

I could not fulfill Adhisthan of one hour sitting with straight waist, back and neck with closed eyes watching sensation in different parts of the body. At a stretch I could do it only for half an hour. Of course, I practised Vipassana for few hours with intermittent change of positions of feet etc. The goal of practicing Vipassana is to develop the faculty of shunning Rag & Dwesh which arise from body sensations received through five senses and mind. Buddha saw his past life in which he noticed that he had been running towards death from the time of his birth. This mad run could be stopped and one could achieve liberation if there was no reaction to sensations of body and mind as the same were ‘Anitya’, ‘Nashwar’ (impermanent) and caused misery.
Today we completed five days of the course. At the end of the day a video taped discourse of Goenkaji was played. Retired to sleep at 9.45 pm 

10.03.09

Today is the 6th day of our stay in the Ashram. Goenkaji said that if we can develop the faculty of non craving and non aversion, there is no formation of new Sanskar. In fact old Sanskars also keep on getting dissolved in the process. If there is no Trishna there is no Sanskar and one gets liberated, that is freedom from birth & death.
The same routine of meditation from 430 to 6.30 am, from 8 to 11 am, 1 pm to 5 pm, 6 pm to 9 pm continued. Goenkaji’s discourse took place from 7 pm and thereafter whatever time remained was spent on meditation.
Meditation is now an easy job and absorbing. It was arduous in the beginning and even boring.
Sources of sensation in the body are five senses and the mind.

The realization that all sensations are impermanent should help in keeping one’s balance of mind, equilibrium and awareness of true nature: Dhamma. Retired to sleep at 9:45 pm.
11.03.2009

Today was Holi. Nobody even took its name. There is complete Maun (Silence). At a break during the day, a Sadhak uttered words “Happy Holi” to a foreign and beautiful lady with attractive eyes, They shone like those of a cat in darkness of Dhamma Hall. She was at a distance of about 100 mtrs. She turned a deaf ear and did not answer. I also for the first time witnessed a young boy (18-19) and a man with false hair (look alike of Pravesh Jain) talking in disobedience to Maun prevailing in the Ashram. Today new participants were also sent to cells (a small room of the size of 5 ft x 4 ft) in Pagoda. I also went. It was a good experience for meditation in an enclosed small room with two cross ventilator round holes in the room. These rooms are in a row inside Pagoda, and quite a big number of them. The old Sadhaks were sent to these rooms quite often during the course. Women cells are segregated. Goenkaji’s recorded discourses are first in Hindi followed by English. The videotaped discourses in the evening from 7 pm are held in two separate meditation halls for this reason. Overseas Sadhaks and some Indians two join in English discourse. I also join in English discourse. But Hindi discourses are more elaborate and continue for 20 minutes more than those in English. I join the discourse in Hindi also after the English one is over.

In today’s discourse, Goenkaji said that the Sadhaks have 5 enemies and 5 friends in the path of Sadhna. The five enemies are: Rag, Dwesh, Drowsiness, agitated mind and doubt. The five friends are Shradha, effort,

Sheel, Samadhi (awareness) and Pragya. Retired to sleep at 9:45 pm.

12.03.09

While we are meditating the tractors carrying farm produce and sometimes human beings ply on roads in the western and northern sides of the Ashram. When they move it appears helicopters are hovering the sky. Similary another illusion is created in the morning when the women and men Sadhaks pull the chairs in the dinning hall for the breakfast, lunch and evening tea. It appears as if quite a few lions are roaring inside the dining room. The plastic chairs are very light and when pulled on mosaic floor all at a time an illusion of this kind is created.

The essence of Vipassana was explained by Goenkaji in his brief taped interventions before and at the end of meditation as also in his discourse today from 7 pm. He said that the most important element in Vipassana meditation was equanimity (Samta) despite pleasant and unpleasant sensations in the body. It develops an attitude of no aversion and no craving. These are two elements which cause misery in our life. The sensations in our body due to six senses (including mind) are due to our deep seated Sanskars. By observing them in meditation without craving and aversion we eradicate them and in the long run all our Sanskars get eradicated and we become liberated. Retired to sleep at 9:45 pm.

13.03.09

 As soon as your mind gets sharp enough, it will start experiencing billions of cells in the body pulsating and vibrating. I have experienced it in some areas today. It is the 9th day of the course. Dhammas’s edifice is laid on the foundation of five sheels: Truth, Non-violence, Non-Stealing, celibacy and no intoxicants. Its walls are Sammo Sankalpo, (right determinations), Adhisthan, Sammasati,, right awareness and Samma Samadhi:- continued awareness and its roof is Pragya: right knowledge from your own experience. You get your knowledge by observing your own different parts of body. You get gross (Sthul) and subtle sensations. At a time when your mind becomes sharp you experience subtle sensations all over body. This is not Vipassana. In fact it begins from here. You should neither have craving for pleasant sensations nor have aversion for unpleasant ones. You have to keep equilibrium, balance of mind. Once you are able to do that, no new Sanskar will be generated and your old Sanskars will start coming out one by one and evaporate to a stage when you will have no Sanskars in your unconscious mind and you will get liberated from birth and death. That is Mukti. The observation of sensation shows that nothing is permanent. It is changing every moment. In fact you feel that every cell of your body is exploding and vibrating and that you are nothing but vibrations. You experience this while you observe your own body in meditation. As is your body so is the universe outside. You experience this too.

Today we had Suzi ka salted Halwa without oil and little ghee, banana, glass of milk, some boiled and salted grams, tea in the breakfast. It was quite filling and light too.

“Bhang Gyan” gives you the experience that your body is just vibrations, that there is no solidity in it and that everything is changing at such a speed that you don’t come to know of it. Each cell of our body is changing at a fraction of 1, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, 00, of a second. As we cannot experience the speed at which the earth is moving on its keel, we do not feel the change in the cells.

According to Buddha the following virtues lead us to Mukti:-

(1) Niskraman (Renouncement)

(2) Sheel

(3) Veer (Effort)

(4) Bhavnamai Pragya (knowledge from one’s direct experience) 

(5) Satya

(6) Sahansheelta 

(7) Adhisthan (Determination)

(8) Upeksha (Samta-equilibrium) 

(9) Maitry (Friendship)

(10) Daan (Donating a part of our earning)

Retired to sleep at 9:45 pm

14.03.09

 Today is our 42nd Marriage anniversary. It is also the last day of stay in the Ashram. From 8am to 9 am friendship day is observed and a discourse on friendship is given by Goenkaji. After Vipassana Sadhna one practises ‘Mitta Sadhna’ for 5/10 minutes and sends out vibration of love, friendship, sympathy to all to relieve them of there miseries and give them peace, harmony and equilibrium. I could sit for one full hour from 4.30 to 5.30 am today without changing positions of leg. After that mind was wandering and I could not collect it and put back on meditation except occasionally for a minute or two.

The Veer, effort, has to continue. It appears as if it is due to my Sanskar of ‘Main aur Mera’. The mind wanders to persons, happenings and broods on them, plans and feels happy about it. But at the end of it, it always feels miserable, lost and sick. I think one of the ways to deal with it is to practice Mitta Sadhna, widening the area to cover all animate and inanimate beings. Seva is the only way to get rid of this tendency of mind and keep oneself ‘Jagruk, Shant and Sam’.

15.03.09

 From 4.30 to 6.30 am Goenkaji reviewed the ten day programme of the course. He particularly insisted on practising the Sadhna for one full year at least one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening and to join another course of ten days at least once every year. Depending upon availability of seats, one could join the 10 day Vipassana course after each three months, 10 day course starts on 1st & 3rd Wednesday of each month. At 6:30 am we had breakfast and allowed to leave.

 Returned Delhi 10 am.

Posted by DNSat 3:15 PM2 comments: Tuesday, May 11, 2010