Dhamma Letter No. 109
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Dhamma Letter No. 109
Satipatthana 33 : Kayanupassana 22: Maranasati (Death) meditation 죽음명상
Previously mentioned about death in Dhamma Letter no. 32. It will be helpful to understand more.
This maranasati (awareness of death) is a mindfulness meditation based on the nine meditations on death (Dhamma Letter no. 107, no. 108). Everything is uncertain in our lives, but the only certain truth is that everyone faces death. This is the fundamental reason that makes us terrified and afraid.
It is important not to reject death as a fear object, but to accept it as a fact. No matter how much you reject it, it is a clear fact that everyone will die, so it can only be overcome with great courage. I don't know when I'll die, but I'm sure I'll die too.
When you die, you take nothing with you. You can't take with you anything you've worked hard to build up, such as wealth, fame, or loved ones. I just go empty-handed as if I came into this world empty-handed.
When I die, I take only my karma with me.
Only the karma I built with this body and mind will remain as my assets.
Tendency of the mind and habits (only the mind of the karma that worked for wealth, pride, human relationships, etc.) remains.
How did you practice through this body and mind? Only the hard work and results remain.
Realize what you can do rightly and live your life meaningfully.
Be meaningful without wasting time.
I understand that not only myself but also others are in the same position as me, and I value relationships and treat them kindly.
Get out of your distracted mind and practice kamma changing meditation (vipassana, insight meditation).
You can do concentrated Samatha meditation to free yourself from distracted minds, and to change your karma, you change your habits through awareness (vipassana) at every moment. Therefore, we need to develop the power of the mind and become aware of the minute mind with Sati.
Keep your mind at ease, not resisting anything.
The moment you relax and notice, the delusion disappears.
Be aware and awake of everything you see, hear, touch, and arise in your daily life: It is more important to be aware of what is being noticed than to focus on the object. This is the only way to annihilate and change the karma.
It always awakens a good heart to practice: Dana (Giving), Keep the precepts (Morality)
As for the specific meditation, the 32 kinds of body part observation and the observation of the four major elements, which were discussed earlier, are applied and practiced repeatedly. (Dhamma letter no. 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106)
Getting to know yourself through life is meditation. Only when you are clearly aware of yourself can you be completely free from yourself.
The four themes of Satipatthana Meditation are observation of body, feeling, mind and dhamma so that mindfulness / awareness can always stay in one's own body and mind.
When Sati (Awareness) and Pañña (Wisdom) are there, defilements disappear.
May you cultivate your Sati continuously (Samma-Viriya)!
May you achieve the Samma-Sati through Satipatthāna (vipassana meditation)!
May all practice well and reach to Magga (道, the path of enlightenment) and Phala (果, the fruit of enlightenment)!
With Metta,
Ayyā Kosallā
Edited by Euna Bonovich
If you have any questions related to dhamma & meditation, please feel free to ask. You can reach Ayya Kosalla directly at Bhikkhuni.Kosalla@gmail.com.
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위빠사나명상의 마음관찰에 대한 논문을 한글 원본으로 읽고 싶으신 분은 클릭해서 다운로드 받을 수 있습니다. (네이버에 PDF 첨부)
The Korean Dhamma Letter is here 담마레터.
Buddha Sāsanaṁ Ciraṁ Tiṭṭhatu!
May the Buddha’s teachings last a long time!
Bhavatu Sabba Sotiṁ ca Maṅgalaṁ ca!!
May everyone be led on the path of peace and blessing!!
Sādhu Sādhu Sādhu !