2.3: Mindfulness (d): The Contemplation of Mental Objects (Dhamma)

[Full title: 2.3—The Four Foundations of Mindfulness (d): The Contemplation of Mental Objects (Dhamma)]

Dhamma is one Pāli word that is most difficult to translate or that cannot be translated adequately. This word means different things in different contexts. You cannot translate the word “dhamma” with just one English word. If you do, you will be wrong. Here, dhamma simply means the objects that are mental hindrances, the five aggregates, the twelve bases, the seven Factors of Enlightenment and Four Noble Truths. They are called dhamma in this discourse. So, we cannot translate this word. Mostly it is translated as “mind object” or “mental object,” but each of these translations is not satisfactory. Therefore it is better to keep the word “dhamma” untranslated to avoid confusion.

If we translate it as “mind object” and we take it to mean “mind as object,” then some objects are not mind. If we translate it as “mental object,” then everything is object of mind. Body is also object of mind. Since we cannot get a satisfactory and adequate translation, it is better to leave it untranslated.

Dwelling on dhamma objects: if you concentrate on anger, then you are doing contemplation on the dhamma. Here dhamma does not mean the teachings or discourse or other things. If you see something and you are mindful of seeing, then you are doing dhamma object contemplation. So, the dhamma object contemplation is very wide and includes mental hindrances, aggregates, bases, Factors of Enlightenment and the Four Noble Truths.

a. The Contemplation on the Five Hindrances

And how does a monk remain focused on mental qualities in and of themselves? There is the case where a monk remains focused on mental qualities in and of themselves with reference to the five hindrances. And how does a monk remain focused on mental qualities in and of themselves with reference to the five hindrances? There is the case where, there being sensual desire present within; a monk discerns that ‘There is sensual desire present within me.’ Or, there being no sensual desire present within, he discerns that ‘There is no sensual desire present within me’ He discerns how there is the arising of unarisen sensual desire. And he discerns how there is the abandoning of sensual desire once it has arisen. And he discerns how there is no further appearance in the future of sensual desire that has been abandoned (the same formula is repeated for the remaining hindrances: ill will, sloth and drowsiness, restlessness and anxiety, and uncertainty). ^[1]

The above quotation shows that according to this form of meditation, you may study, think, and deliberate on the Five Hindrances, (Nīvarana), namely:

1. Lustful desires (kāmacchanda),
2. I-will, hatred or anger (vyāpāda),
3. Torpor and languor (thina-middha),
4. Restlessness and worry (uddhacca-kukkucca),
5. Sceptical doubts (vicikicchā).^[2]

These five are considered as hindrances to any kind of clear understanding, as a matter of fact, to any kind of progress. When one is over-powered by them and when one does not know how to get rid of them, then one cannot understand right and wrong, or good and bad.

b. The Contemplation of the Five Aggregates

The five aggregates of grasping are matter or form, feelings, perception, volitional activities and consciousness. What are they? They are the things you experience all the time. You do not have to go anywhere else to find them. They are in you. When you see, they are there in the seeing. When you hear, they are there in the hearing. When you smell, taste, touch, or think, they are there in the smelling, tasting, touching or thinking.

The mental and material qualities inside beings are aggregates of grasping. They may be grasped with delight by craving in which case it is called “grasping of the sense objects”–or they may be grasped wrongly by wrong views–in which case it is called “grasping through wrong views.” You have to meditate on them and see them as they really are. If you don’t, you will grasp them with craving and wrong views. Once you see them as they are, you no longer grasp them. In this way you develop insight.

Regarding the meditation of the five aggregates, here are a few excerpts from the suttas:

Material shape, monks, is impermanent. What is impermanent, that is suffering. What is suffering, that is not the self. What is not self, that is not mine, that am I not, this is not myself. As it really comes to be, one should discern it thus by right wisdom. ^[3]

You must meditate so that you will realize this impermanent, suffering, not-self material form is really impermanent, dreadfully suffering, and without a self or ego. You should meditate likewise on feelings, perception, activities, and consciousness. What is the use of looking upon these aggregates as impermanent, suffering and not-self?

And how does he remain focused on mental qualities in and of themselves with reference to the five aggregates for clinging/sustenance? There is the case where a monk [discerns]: ‘such is form, such its origination, such its disappearance. Such is feeling.... Such is perception.... Such are fabrications.... Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.’ In this way he remains focused internally on the mental qualities in and of themselves or focused externally...unsustained by anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on mental qualities in and of themselves with reference to the five aggregates for clinging/sustenance.^[4]

And Lord Buddha said:

“So seeing all these things, the instructed disciple of the Aryans disregards material shape, disregards feeling.”^[5]

¹⁴² Saṃyutta-Nikāya III. p. 68.

He who realizes the impermanent, suffering, not-self nature of the five aggregates is wearied of material form as he is of feelings, perception, activities and consciousness. “By disregarding he is passionless.” That is to say, he has reached the Ariyan Path. “Through passionlessness, he is freed.” Once he has reached the Ariyan path of passionlessness, he has arrived at the four fruitions of freedom from the defilements, too.

c. The Contemplation on the Seven Factors of Enlightenment

One may also ‘meditate’ on the Seven Factors of Enlightenment (Bojjhanga). Enlightenment is the sevenfold perfection beginning with mindfulness by which he awakes from the sleep of the defilements and penetrates the Truth. In the Satipatthāna-sutta, Lord Buddha declared: Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental qualities in and of themselves with reference to the seven factors of awakening. And how does he remain focused on mental qualities in and of themselves with reference to the seven factors of awakening? There is the case where, there being mindfulness as a factor of awakening present within, he discerns that ‘Mindfulness as a factor of awakening is present within me.’ Or, there being no mindfulness as a factor of awakening present within, he discerns that ‘Mindfulness as a factor of awakening is not present within me.’ He discerns how there is the arising of unarisen mindfulness as a factor of awakening. And he discerns how there is the culmination of the development of mindfulness as a factor of awakening once it has arisen. (The same formula is repeated for the remaining factors of awakening: analysis of qualities, persistence, rapture, serenity, concentration, and equanimity). ^[6]

The Seven Factors of Enlightenment (Bojjhanga)

1. Mindfulness (sati), i.e., to be aware and mindful in all activities and movements both physical and mental, as we discussed above.

2. Investigation and research into the various problems of doctrine (dhamma-vicaya). Included here are all our religious, ethical and philosophical studies, reading, researches, discussions, conversation, even attending lectures relating to such doctrinal subjects.

3. Energy (viriya), to work with determination till the end.

4. Joy (piti), the quality quite contrary to the pessimistic, gloomy or melancholic attitude of mind.

5. Relaxation (passaddhi) of both body and mind. One should not be stiff physically or mentally.

6. Concentration (samādhi), as discussed above.

7. Equanimity (upekkhā), i.e., to be able to face life in all its vicissitudes with calm of mind, tranquillity, without disturbance.

To cultivate these qualities the most essential thing is a genuine wish, will, or inclination. Many other material and spiritual conditions conductive to the development of each quality are described in the texts.

d. The Contemplation on the Four Noble Truths

The Buddha taught:

Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental qualities in and of themselves with reference to the Four Noble Truths. And how does he remain focused on mental qualities in and of themselves with reference to the four noble truths? There is the case where he discerns, as it is actually present, that ‘This is stress.... This is the origination of stress.... This is the cessation of stress.... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress. ^[7]

The above quotation shows that:

-The Bhikkhu understands “this is suffering” (Dukkha) according to reality. He understands all things in the three planes of becoming/existence (Kāma, Rūpa, Arūpa Lokas) as dukkha, according to nature.

-He understands the nature of previous craving that produces suffering.

-He understands the cessation of both suffering and its origin as Nibbāna.

-He understands the Noble Path leading to the cessation of suffering and the realization of Nibbāna, Bliss.

Seeing how each object, even while being noticed, comes to destruction and disappearance, the meditator comprehends it as impermanent in the sense of undergoing destruction. He further comprehends it as suffering (painful) in the sense of breaking up after each arising. Having seen how various painful feelings arise in continuous succession;that, if one painful feeling ceases, another arises, and when that has ceased, again another arises, having seen that, he comprehends the respective objects just as a conglomeration of suffering. Further he comprehends the object as consisting of mere impersonal phenomena without a master, in the sense of not arising of (or by) themselves, but arising subject to conditions and then breaking up.

This comprehension of an object noticed, as being impermanent, painful and without a self (impersonal), through knowing its nature of impermanency, etc., by means of simply noticing, without reflecting and reasoning, is called ‘Knowledge by Comprehension through Direct Experience.’

Having thus seen the three characteristics once or several times, by direct experience, the meditator, by inference from the direct experience of those objects noticed, comprehends all bodily and mental processes of past, present and future and the whole world, by coming to the conclusion: “They too, are in the same way, impermanent, painful and without a self.” This is called ‘Knowledge of Comprehension by Inference.’

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Majjihima-Nikāya I. p. 77-8, q.v. DALAI B. K., For a Detail Analysis on Dharma in General, Dharma Studies, Centre of advanced Study in Sanskrit, University of Pune, 2008.

[2]:

W. Rahula. What the Buddha Taught, London: Gordon Fraser Gallery Ltd., London and Bedford, 1959, p. 74.

[3]:

Saṃyutta-Nikāya II. p. 19.

[4]:

M.I. pp. 78-9.

[5]:

Saṃyutta-Nikāya III. p. 68.

[6]:

Majjihima-Nikāya I. pp. 80-81.

[7]:

Majjihima-Nikāya I. p. 81.