About Meditation Practice

The system of meditation taught at Dhamma Earth monasteries is the same as taught in Pa-Auk Forest Monasteries by the Most Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw. The meditation course is based on the instructions by Lord Gotama Buddha as found in the Pāli Canon (Tipiṭaka) and its commentaries. The system comprises the threefold training of strict observance of precepts & morality (sīla), developing concentration (samādhi), as a basis for attaining wisdom (paññā). This is further subdivided into the seven stages of purification which provide a step-by-step formula for systematically purifying one’s body (physical actions), speech and mind of defilements in order to realize Nibbāna in this lifetime.
In brief, the meditation practice is to begin with Samatha (tranquility) meditation, which is to develop absorption concentration, also called jhāna. A yogi (meditator) is free to choose any of the forty Samatha subjects as taught by The Buddha. Most yogis develop jhāna with mindfulness-of-breathing (ānāpānassati). Having developed Samatha, the yogi may proceed to practice Vipassanā (insight) meditation. As an alternative, the yogi may omit the development of jhāna. They will be taught instead to develop the less powerful access concentration with the Samatha subject of Four-Elements meditation, prior to the practice of Vipassanā meditation. In either case, the concentration attained by the yogi produces the 'light of wisdom'.

Having completed the development of their Samatha meditation, the yogi is then taught to protect their practice with the Four Protective Meditations: Mettā (Loving Kindness),  Buddhānussati (Recollection of The Buddha),  Asubha (Repulsiveness of the Body), and Maranānussati (Recollection of Death).

Afterwards, the yogi will be taught to prepare the way for Vipassanā meditation, which is to use the ‘light of wisdom’ to discern ultimate materiality and mentality. The yogi will also be taught to discern the workings of Dependent Origination (paṭṭiccasamuppāda). This means they will discern a number of past and future lives, and to discern the causes for certain rebirths.

Only upon having discerned ultimate materiality and mentality and their causes (Dependent Origination), does the yogi have the necessary objects for Vipassanā meditation. The practice of Vipassanā meditation is to discern the three characteristics of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anatta) in ultimate materiality and mentality – of past, present, and future, internal and external, gross and subtle, inferior and superior, far and near.

In accordance with the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification), the yogi will be taught a series of detailed practices by which to develop and strengthen their Vipassanā knowledge of materiality and mentality of past, present and future. In this way, the yogi may progress through the different insight knowledges, preliminary to the attainment of Nibbāna.

Should the yogi attain Nibbāna, they will be taught how to discern which defilements have been destroyed, and which stage of enlightenment they have reached. With continued practice, the yogi may destroy all the taints, and be able to attain Arahantship, meaning they will have put a complete end to rebirth and suffering.

For further details of the teaching of meditation, please refer to the books: Knowing and Seeing (Fourth Revised Edition), by the Venerable Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw and Teaching & Training, a concise introduction to the Sayadaw’s teaching, compiled by his foreign disciple.

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