Yatra in India - Day 7: Gonda to Agra

Friday 27th January, 2012: (Tour Day 7)
After arriving at Gonda train station, it was another long 65 km bus trip to Shravasti. Here I saw:

* the Jetvana Vihara (where the Buddha gave most of his discourses and spent 24 rainy seasons in residence) within Jeta’s Grove

* Pakki Kuti (a stupa commemorating Angulimala)

* the Anand Bodhi tree (an offspring of the Bodhgaya one) and

* Sehat Mahet

Following lunch, we visited the local Vipassanâ centre run by Buddhist nuns from Thailand. They were very strict - no photos inside, a very long barefoot walk to the main building, washing the feet on arrival, etc.). However, they had a beautiful meditation hall and I was able to sit for about twenty minutes in peace.
We then spent two hours returning by bus to the train for dinner and a sleep ahead of the 450 km trip overnight to Agra.

Samatha vs Vipassana: Is There Any Need for a Fight?

Bodhipaksa Dharmacari originally shared this post: on Google+ today.
It is a short video by the Australian monk, Ven. Sujato, discussing his impressions of what is happening today in the world of Buddhist meditation, with some unhealthy rivalries emerging, not necessarily to the benefit of aspirants. 


His video may be see here:

As Bhikkhu Sujato asserts, we need to get over pushing one meditation practice, particularly vipassana, as if other practices, namely samatha, have no benefit or validity. The Buddha did not support such exclusivity. He is right that such aspects of modern practice have developed for political and territorial reasons, rather than mental developmental ones. If we spent more time and energy on meditating and less on arguing about it, we'd be much better off.

Two Strands in Meditation Practice

By concentrating on a single object, samatha meditation aims at developing calmness, serenity and tranquillity. Other forms, usually called vipassanâ meditation, aim at gaining insight into the nature of existence. All of these developments result from a balanced meditation practice, since tranquil concentration is indispensable to the penetrative understanding of “the impermanency, unsatisfactoriness and impersonality of all material and mental phenomena of existence” (by Ven. Nyanatiloka).

The mental states (jhânas) which arise from samatha meditation offer a joyful path to the meditator. The initial technique will involve mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati) which builds greater calm and serenity. Then we move to cultivating the brahmaviharas (sublime abiding) of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity using a series of inter-related techniques which are also part of the samatha grouping.

Seen as uniquely Buddhist, vipassanâ gives one the ability, through one’s own efforts, to see that all things are impermanent (anicca), basically unsatisfactory (dukkha) and not-Self (anatta). This insight means we no longer need to rely on others or scriptures, but know for ourselves. Two techniques will be explored. The first is clearly seeing the arising and ceasing of feelings through bodily observation, and the other is bringing the same clarity and mindfulness to all phenomena of which we become aware.

The Pali Canon notes “when one practices samatha followed by vipassanâ, the path arises”. This means that it is valuable to work with both approaches, as the Buddha’s own example shows.

Finally, one should not let meditation work end on the cushion. The benefits of the practice should flow into our lives and relationships. Our actions will become more informed by kindness, respect and compassion, and our daily activities will become more balanced and appropriate to the reality of our situation.