Mental Therapy 

By Gamini Jayaweera –

The month of Vesak holds profound significance, marking the triple blessed day when, over 2,600 years ago, Lord Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment, and Passing away Occurred. Each year, Buddhists worldwide come together to celebrate this momentous occasion, paying heartfelt gratitude and homage to Lord Buddha for his timeless teachings and unparalleled contributions to humanity. This is an endeavour to share a drop of the most noble Dhamma, as uttered by Lord Buddha, for the benefit of all humanity.

Currently, many of us believe that we live in an “advanced age of science.” It is widely acknowledged that much of human thought and values are directed towards the pursuit of happiness. It seems correct to say that our education system serves as a vehicle for guiding the entire population towards achieving happiness and physical comfort through fields like Science, Engineering, Business Studies, Computer Technology, and Artificial Intelligence etc. However, after following this system for centuries, we must ask: have we truly eradicated human suffering and enhanced the quality of human happiness?

Despite living in what is often termed the “advanced age of science,” it seems we are also witnessing an age of conflicts and hostilities, hatred and violence, deceit and fraud, pain, sorrow, and dissatisfaction. These issues are prevalent at all levels of society and can be attributed to our collective greed, ill will, and delusion.

Human beings are increasingly behaving like robots, perhaps losing touch with the true art of living. Have we forgotten the importance of genuine human feelings, both for ourselves and others? If we do not experience and acknowledge our own emotions, it becomes challenging to feel love and loving kindness towards others. This emotional disconnect might explain the prevalence of suffering, violence, and mental illness in the modern world.

Our mind influences and affects our body. If we allow the mind to entertain unwholesome and harmful thoughts, it can cause disaster and may even lead to death. It is a well-known fact that focusing on positive thoughts with the right understanding can cure a sick body and have profound impacts. Aldous Huxley, a well-respected English writer, philosopher, and author of science fiction and other works, stated in his book “Ends and Means” (London, 1937): “The mind not only makes one sick but also cures. An optimistic patient has a better chance of recovery than one who is worried and unhappy.”

I am not a medical doctor, psychologist, or psychotherapist, so I cannot advise anyone on applying mental therapy to eradicate physical and mental suffering. However, more than 2600 years ago, the greatest “Physician” the world has ever known, Lord Buddha, stated that these illnesses are related to not understanding what is happening in our mind and body.

Buddha expressed this as “mano pubbangama,” meaning “Mind is the foremost,” in the opening verse of the Dhammapada. He referred to this as Sati, now popularly known as mindfulness. This indicates that the remedy for human suffering does not lie in indulging the senses but in looking inward at one’s own mind. Happiness and contentment are conditions of the mind.

In everyday life, we face unpleasant emotions that create our suffering, such as anger, disgust, fear, anxiety, sadness, boredom, loneliness, and feelings of guilt and jealousy. Everyone can relate to these emotions as they are universal experiences. These emotions cause suffering and create inner conflict. We must understand how meditation helps us work with these emotions to alleviate our suffering.

Through investigation, we can discover, learn, explore, and experiment with various problems. By exploring them, we realize that these problems are often created by us. This realization allows us to use wisdom to free ourselves from these issues. Consequently, we gain a clear understanding of what is happening in our body and mind, offering us the opportunity to implement changes or continue investigating and exploring the root causes of our problems.

We can use unpleasant experiences themselves as objects of meditation. It’s important to understand that meditation is not always about experiencing pleasant, positive feelings. Unpleasant experiences do not create problems for us unless we identify with them. The challenge lies in learning how to work with these unpleasant experiences, whether they are physical or mental pain. This skill is much more important than merely seeking pleasant experiences.

To delve deeper into this topic, I have selected a Gatha (Stanza) from the Dhammapada, specifically from Magga Vagga (The Way of Path), Verse 282. The English translation of the Gatha is:

“Verily, from Meditation arises Wisdom.

Without Meditation Wisdom Wanes.

Knowing this twofold path of Gain and Loss,

Let one so conduct oneself that Wisdom may increase.”

This Gatha underscores the significance of meditation in gaining Wisdom (Panna) to liberate ourselves from the cycle of samsara. In “The Heart of Buddhist Meditation,” by Ven. Nyanaponika Thero states that the Buddha’s message, as a doctrine of the mind, teaches us three things:

* Knowing the mind,

* Shaping the mind, and

* Freeing the mind.

Knowing the mind involves understanding how it operates. Without this knowledge, we are akin to machines. Once we understand the mind, we can shape it, developing mastery over it. If we fail to develop this mastery, we become slaves to our minds, allowing our thoughts and emotions to control us, resulting in increased suffering.

When you master shaping the mind, you can achieve a mind that is free. Therefore, the importance of meditation lies in learning to achieve a mind that is free, happy, peaceful, and filled with loving-kindness.

We do many things to keep our bodies healthy, but an interesting question arises: what do we do to keep our minds healthy? We must understand what makes our minds sick and unhealthy and recognize the symptoms of mental ailments. Meditation helps us learn about these issues and achieve a completely healthy mind.

The Buddha has stated that following the path to achieve Wisdom involves fulfilling the requirements of Seela (moral conduct) and Samadhi (concentration). Without meditation, we cannot achieve Wisdom.

Sati (mindfulness) is an integral part of meditation. It is not thinking; it does not involve thoughts or concepts. Mindfulness is non-judgmental observation, the ability to observe without criticism. It is present-time awareness, occurring in the here and now. To explain mindfulness, Ven. Henepola Gunaratana thero compares memory, mindfulness, and thinking:

* If you remember your grade 2 schoolteacher, that is memory.

* When you become aware that you are remembering your grade 2 schoolteacher, that is mindfulness.

* If you then conceptualize or develop the thought process and say to yourself, “Oh, I am remembering,” that is thinking.

Sati, or mindfulness, comprises four parts:

Contemplation of the Body (Kayanupassana)

Contemplation of Feelings (Vedananupassana)

Contemplation of the Mind (Cittanupassana)

Contemplation of Mental Objects (Dhammanupassana)

It is said that a human being lacking in this essential quality of mindfulness cannot achieve anything truly worthwhile.

Lord Buddha, on his deathbed, warned his disciples, saying: “Transient are all component things. Work out your deliverance with heedfulness!” This profound statement emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and awareness in one’s spiritual journey.

In the Dhammapada, there is a beautiful verse about heedfulness and heedlessness. Verse 21, which tells the story of Queen Magandhiya, states:

Heedfulness: the path to the Deathless

Heedlessness: the path to Death

The Heedful do not die.

The Headless are as if already dead.

A person cannot be heedful unless they are aware of their actions—whether mental, verbal, or physical—at every moment of their waking life. To distinguish good from bad and right from wrong, one must be fully awakened and mindful of their activities. It is through the light of mindfulness that we perceive the beauty or ugliness of our deeds. To avoid ill will and perform well in our day-to-day activities, we must develop the practice of mindfulness and vigilance consistently.

The importance of sati (mindfulness) in all our dealings is clearly stated by Lord Buddha in the following striking words:

“Mindfulness, O disciples, I declare, is essential in all things everywhere. It is like seasoning to any dish.”

Right mindfulness or complete awareness, in a way, is superior to knowledge. Without mindfulness, it is impossible to make the best use of one’s learning. Even those who are well-informed and intelligent can fail to see things in their proper perspective when they lack this crucial quality of mindfulness.

It is true that people of good standing sometimes speak and act thoughtlessly, without considering the consequences, and are subjected to severe and justified criticism. The person who delights in mindfulness and regards heedlessness with dread is not liable to fall away. They are in the vicinity of Nibbana (Dhp 32).

“The Bhikkhu who delights in vigilance and who looks with fear on negligence is not liable to fail; he is close to Nibbana.”

From this Gatha, we understand that no one can achieve Nibbana without mindfulness meditation.

Now, I am going to share a story related to this Gatha.

This is the story of Ven. Poṭhila Thero, a monk renowned for his profound knowledge of the Tripitaka, which he could recite from beginning to end and back again. Ven. Poṭhila was exceptionally learned, thoroughly versed in the scriptures and texts. His fame spread far and wide, earning him reverence from people everywhere, and he oversaw eighteen monasteries. Despite his vast knowledge, Ven. Poṭhila was one of the Buddha’s most conceited disciples. His deep understanding of the Dhamma (Tipitaka) and the large number of students following him made him proud.

Recognizing this flaw, the Buddha sought to guide Ven. Poṭhila back to the right path. Whenever Poṭhila came to pay his respects, the Buddha would address him as “Thutchcha Poṭhila,” meaning ‘Useless or Empty Poṭhila.’ These remarks made Poṭhila realize that the Buddha was highlighting his lack of meditation practice and his failure to achieve any of the maggās (paths) or levels of mental absorption.

Determined to change, Venerable Poṭhila left the Jetavana monastery without informing anyone and travelled to a distant monastery where thirty monks resided. He first approached the most senior monk and humbly requested to be his disciple. However, the elder monk, aiming to humble him, directed him to the next senior monk. This pattern continued until Poṭhila was finally sent to a seven-year-old arahant sāmanera.

The young sāmanera agreed to mentor Poṭhila only after ensuring his obedience. Under the sāmanera’s guidance, Venerable Poṭhila diligently focused his mind on understanding the true nature of the body, practicing meditation with great ardour and vigilance.

The young arahant then instructed Ven. Poṭhila to put on all his robes. Nearby was a muddy bog. When Ven. Poṭhila emerged in his new robe, the seven-year-old said, “Now, run into this muddy bog. If I don’t tell you to stop, don’t stop. If I don’t tell you to come out, don’t come out. Now, run!”

He didn’t tell Ven. Pothila to stop until he was completely covered in mud. Finally, he said, “You can stop now,” so he stopped. “Okay, come on up!” And so, he came out.

This clearly showed that Ven. Pothila had given up his pride and was ready to accept the teaching. If he hadn’t been ready to learn, he wouldn’t have run into the bog like that, being such a famous learned teacher. But he did it. The young 7-year-old, seeing this, knew that Ven. Pothila was sincerely determined to practice.

The 7-year-old Arahath taught Ven. Pothila how to observe the sense objects, to know the mind and the sense objects. He used the simile of a man catching an iguana that enters one of the six holes in a termite mound. How would you catch it? The man would have to seal off five of the six holes and leave just one open. Then, he would simply watch and wait, guarding that one hole. When the iguana comes out from that hole, the man can catch it. Likewise, when thoughts are coming in through the six sense doors, one must close five sense doors and guard the mind door to capture the thoughts and understand their deep meaning.

Meditation is like catching the iguana. We use sati (mindfulness) to note the breath. Sati, mindfulness, is the quality of recollection, as in asking yourself, “What am I doing?” Sampajañña is the clear awareness that “now I am doing such and such.” For example, we observe the in and out breathing with sati and sampajañña.

We must further train to know with vision and insight, ñānadassana, the power of the refined mind, so that it knows sound as simply sound. The sound arises and we simply note it. This is called truly knowing the arising of sense objects. If we develop mindfulness, clearly realizing the sound as sound, we realize that it arises according to conditions; it is not a being, an individual, a self, an “us” or “them.” It’s just sound.

Sense objects “wander into” the mind. For instance, there is a sound of a song from the radio. It enters through the ear and travels inwards to the mind, which acknowledges that it is the sound of a radio. That which acknowledges the sound is called “mind.”

At the end of the discourse, Ven. Poṭhila attained arahantship. This story illustrates an important lesson: just as a clay pot must be emptied before it can be refilled, our minds must be open and receptive to truly gain wisdom. As explained in the Gatha, attention to meditation (Bhavana Manasikaraya) is crucial for developing wisdom. Without attention to meditation, one loses this wisdom. It’s like arriving at a junction with two roads: one road is filled with knowledge but lacks meditation, leading to a loss of wisdom. The other road combines both knowledge and meditation, allowing us to cultivate wisdom that brings sharp, sensitive, and deep realization of the Four Noble Truths.

Through meditation, one must practice one-pointed concentration to understand Anicca (Impermanence), Dukkha (Suffering), and Anatta (Non-Self) as stated in Dhamma. This understanding is what we call wisdom.

As previously mentioned, there is a significant difference between knowledge and wisdom. One of the most essential qualities to develop is humility, which involves listening to and following advice. Ven. Poṭhila’s willingness to ask for help from a 7-year-old demonstrates his humility.

The quality of recollection arises from practice and cannot be learned from books. It’s important to be aware of the feelings that arise within us. Mindfulness (sati) works in conjunction with these feelings, helping us to recollect them. Sati is the recollection that “I will speak,” “I will go,” “I will sit,” and so on. Sampajañña, or clear comprehension, is the awareness of “now I am walking,” “now I am lying down,” “now I am experiencing such and such a mood.” It is said that with sati and sampajañña, we can know our minds in the present moment and understand how the mind reacts to sense impressions.

When we hear a sound, we should contemplate to realize that it is only a sound. We need to stop letting our minds run after these sense impressions through contemplation. By escaping from perceptions (Sanna) through contemplation, we should be able to develop true wisdom.

It states that to truly understand the impermanence of everything in the world, we must realize the nature of arising and passing away. Ordinary people often get carried away by their thoughts, much like deer running towards a mirage. This illusion, or “papanca,” (Conceptual Proliferation) can be a cause of mental health issues.

Meditators, however, stop and observe their thoughts, seeing through them. We begin by contemplating our thoughts and eventually realize their emptiness (sunnata). This insight helps us understand that there is no inherent “me,” “mine,” or “I” to cling to. If we hold on to the notions of “me,” “I,” and “mine” out of ignorance, we remain unaware of this truth. This realization cannot be taught but must be experienced through wise contemplation. As stated in Dhamma, it is through this process that we can let go of the Five Skandhas (aggregates).

As stated in the Dhammapada, those who are not aware, mindful, or awake are akin to the dead. Being like a dead person or a machine is essentially the same. With awareness, we can explore, investigate, and discover problems. Then, with wisdom, we can address these problems. In everyday life, we face issues like anger, anxiety, fear, sadness, and guilt, which cause us suffering. Just like a surgeon investigates, we can learn, explore, and experiment with these problems.

Lastly, I would like to share a Gatha from the Mangala Sutta, which illustrates the importance of knowing, shaping, and freeing the mind to create an unshaken mind, practicing Dhamma in accordance with Dhamma to eradicate suffering:

පුට්ඨස්ස ලොකධම්මේහි, චිත්තං යස්සන කම්පති

අසෝකංවිරජංඛේමං, ඒතං මංගල මුත්තමං.

“The mind that is not shaken, when touched by the vicissitudes of life,

sorrowless, stainless, and secure – this is the highest blessing.”

Reference:

The Heart of Buddhist Meditation by Ven. Nyanaponika Thero (1962)

Mindfulness in Plain English – Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (2002)

Phan Kanuwa Dhamma Desana – Ven. Katukurunde Gnananda Thero

සතිය පූජ්‍ය – උඩඊරියගම ධම්මජීව හිමි (2003)

ආනාපානා සූත්‍රය – පූජ්‍ය පානදුරේ චන්දරතන හිමි (2019)

ධම්මපද – පූජ්‍ය බඹරැන්දේ සිරි සීවලී හිමි (1954)

Introduction to Meditation by Godwin Samararatne (1997)

The Universal Teaching of the Buddha – A Dhamma talk given by Mr S.N. Goenka

The post Mental Therapy  appeared first on Colombo Telegraph.