Dhamma Letter No. 135

Satipatthana 52: Cittānupassanā (Observation of mind) 마음관찰 6: Q&A 31 Who is fit to practice Cittānupassanā?

Q: What kind of meditator is suitable for practicing Cittānupassanā?

A: Anyone can do it. However, it is difficult for beginners or practitioners who prefer samatha (concentration or immersion meditation) practice to target the mind directly. Even beginners who have introspected themselves well through their religion or philosophy can easily practice Cittānupassanā.

If Cittānupassanā makes mistakes alone without the guidance of a teacher, personal problems such as thinking too much or having a headache as a side effect may occur. The purpose is to remove the defilement through observation, but rather, it is said that you may get more defilements and lose the way of practice because you are immersed in thoughts that come to mind.

Those who find it difficult to directly see the mind as an object are advised to first observe the movement or feeling of the body. But anyone can start right away. For those who find it difficult to observe the mind due to distraction, it is recommended to settle the mind first through concentration meditation, which is generally practiced.

At first, I recommend just observing what they are thinking.

Don't get caught up in stories about angry or strong thoughts. The first step is to know objectively what you are thinking.

The Buddha said that nothing passes as fast as you think. It could even be said to be moving faster than the speed of light. Therefore, it is recommended that beginners write down the thoughts that occur to them in a notebook as if they were writing in a journal. You'll probably be surprised by things you haven't noticed before. It is important for you to know what is going on inside as if you were looking through a microscope. This will reveal the root of all afflictions. You can see why Buddhism mentions impermanence and selflessness as the characteristics of ascetic practice. It helps to observe and understand the root source from which karmic birth arises.

Knowing the difference between the self you want, wanting to become, the actual self, and cultivating them so that they eventually appear as one, is the practice. It will take a lot of time. If you can't finish it in this life, it will lead to the next life. The enlightened ones say that an Arahant is one when the outside and the inside are one in body, mind, and action. Therefore, you can have brightness without falling into any suffering or dissatisfaction any longer.

I hope that everyone diligently introspects and cultivates themselves to be happy now and in the future.

To be continued…

May you cultivate your Sati continuously (Samma-Viriya)!

May you achieve the Samma-Diṭṭhi (Right View) 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,

Bhikkuni Kosalla Vipassini
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. 

법에 대한 질문이 있으신 분은 위의 이메일 주소로 질문을 남겨주세요.

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!