Wisdom Wide and Deep

by Shaila Catherine

  Cold: You may feel cold on the skin as sweat evaporates or feel the coolness of an inhalation in the nostrils. Discern cold in a specific location and then throughout the whole body. Scan the body from head to toe many times, discerning these first ten characteristics—pushing, hardness, roughness, heaviness, supporting, softness, smoothness, lightness, heat, cold—individually and together.

  Cohesion: The water element, known by its characteristics of flowing and cohesion, is not felt directly; rather it is inferred through the previous ten tangible qualities. Since cohesion is not a tangible quality, you must infer the characteristic through the associated impact of pushing, pressure, supporting, or hardness. Imagine the sense of cohesion by squeezing your forearm with your hand. It is the binding characteristic, the function of holding things together, that we distinguish in this contemplation. Once you have a sense of the characteristic of cohesion, discern it throughout the body, scanning for cohesion from head to toe. Then incorporate the previous characteristics.

  Flowing: Notice your saliva flowing inside your mouth; sense the movement of fluids circulating throughout your body—trickling of blood, oozing of pus, dripping of mucous, expelling of urine. Although flowing is not a tangible quality, you can infer the characteristic through the associated impact of pushing, pressure, or changing temperatures. Discern all aspects of the body where there is flowing, both subtle and gross.

  Discern all twelve characteristics together many times: Pushing, hardness, roughness, heaviness, supporting, softness, smoothness, lightness, heat, coldness, cohesion, flowing. Rapidly scan the body until you can complete two or three rounds within one minute. Then shift to discerning the same twelve characteristics, but in the traditional order: hardness, roughness, heaviness, softness, smoothness, lightness, flowing, cohesion, heat, cold, supporting, pushing.

  Although the detailed nature of this presentation may appear tedious or create the impression that this is a time-consuming process, do not worry. With a foundation of concentration, you’ll find this sequence can be learned quickly, and you’ll be well prepared to develop the meditation as an insight practice. The pace of incorporating each characteristic into the meditation varies depending upon the time available and the temperament of the meditator. In a brief approach, a meditator may quickly explore all twelve characteristics in just a few hours. For a more detailed training, a meditator might focus on just one or two characteristics per day, strengthening concentration and examining subtle nuances of matter through steady attention on the featured characteristics over a period of days or weeks of intensive practice.

  Contemplate these twelve characteristics of material elements in all postures—while walking, standing, sitting, showering, eating, and defecating—until you perceive them easily and clearly. Perceive the body as just a compendium of elements, or an interaction of functions and characteristics. There is nothing solid, lasting, or personal—no self can be found in the body.

  PHASE 2: FOLLOWING THE CLUES—SMOKE, GLASS, ICE, DIAMONDS, AND DOTS

  By discerning the characteristics as previously described, meditators prepare to begin the second phase of this practice: seeing the fundamental nature of matter. This phase of the four elements meditation depends upon a willingness to see with the mind, independent of sensation or feeling. Meditators do not literally see subatomic properties with the physical eye; the eyes remain closed during meditation, and the eye organ is inactive. However, these subtle material formations might appear in a virtual visual field. “Seeing” is a convenient term that refers to the “eye of wisdom” or the “eye of knowledge.”190 This approach to meditation represents a departure from methods of mindfulness meditation that rely upon the feeling of physical contact or sensory awareness practices, or ones that avoid every type of visualization. Meditators may need some time to adjust to this distinctive approach of discerning phenomena with the eye of wisdom. Although it required a period of transition in my own practice, I found that a skillful use of the mental (apparently visual) field opened great possibilities for deep concentration and for discerning things that simply cannot be felt, including both animate and inanimate material phenomena that lie outside our own bodies.

  Some meditators will quickly perceive the pure subtle characteristics of matter. Other meditators may experience a gradual transformation of perception through which matter appears in a variety of forms before finally resolving into a clear perception of the interdependent and fundamental functions characteristic of material phenomena. Perceptions can vary from meditator to meditator, but commonly, after some practice, the body may begin to appear smoky, then it may whiten, brighten, and clarify to produce a translucent block that resembles glass or ice, until it eventually breaks down into small particles that appear to twinkle like stars, sparkle like diamonds, or flicker like tiny blinking dots.

  The Buddha used the image of a gemstone to illustrate his instructions on reviewing the four elements of the body: “It is just as if there were a gem … pure, excellent, well cut into eight facets, clear, bright, unflawed, perfect in every respect, strung on a blue, yellow, red, white, or orange cord. A man with good eyesight, taking it in his hand and inspecting it, would describe it as such. In the same way, a monk with mind concentrated, purified, and cleansed … directs his mind toward knowing and seeing. And he knows: ‘This, my body, is material, made up of the four great elements.’”191 Through practice, each meditator will learn to identify and distinguish between ultimate materiality as the characteristics of matter (rūpas), and the subtle conceptual mass (rūpa kalāpas) that appears as a variety of perceptions, and confirm that perception with their teacher. Whatever you actually see—the smoky body, white body, transparent body, sparkles, diamonds, dots, or a raw intuition of the characteristics of matter themselves—it is a conglomeration of the twelve fundamental characteristics that you practiced observing in the first phase of this practice. This is neither a figment of your imagination nor a perceptual distortion resulting from concentration; it is a glimpse at the subtle workings of matter. Understanding what you are seeing and receiving proper instructions in the four elements meditation will enable you to use this remarkable vantage point to comprehend the nature of all things.

  MEDITATION INSTRUCTION 12.2

  Discerning Eight Nonopposing Characteristics

  A meditator cannot perceive contradictory characteristics in any single cluster (kalāpa) of elements. You may find:

  hardness or softness

  roughness or smoothness

  heaviness or lightness

  flowing

  cohesion

  heat or cold

  supporting

  pushing.

  Discern the eight nonopposing characteristics that appear in the body. Alternate between discerning these characteristics in the whole body and then in a single rūpa kalāpa or cluster of elemental functions. When you can easily discern the twelve characteristics as sets of eight nonopposing characteristics, then divide them into four categories: earth, water, fire, and wind. Recite earth, water, fire, and wind while observing gray, white, translucent, reflective, or dotted body material. Let the twelve characteristics become vividly clear before abbreviating the discernment to the categories of four elements. You may continue scanning from head to toe, or develop more stillness by viewing the body from the perspective of an outside observer peering down at your body from over your shoulder. Repeatedly discern all the characteristics—really try to see them. You are not repeating a mantra or chanting a series of words; you are directing your mind to perceive these elements in every material formation.

  Overcoming Potential Difficulties

  For some meditators, this practice is easy—the characteristics of matter are clear, easily discerned, and logically divided into four elements. To these meditators, the small groups of elements (rūpa kalāpas) appear quickly and vividly. Even if you have already seen rūpa kalāpas or experienced the body dissolving into discrete functions or bewildering arrays of dots, intensif
y concentration by repeatedly and rapidly discerning the elemental nature of matter. It is essential to recognize the subtle characteristics of matter and not be impressed by what might appear to be special or altered perceptions.

  1. Refresh your concentration. Discerning ultimate materiality does not require superpowers, but it does require strong concentration. Any time you feel tired during the four elements meditation, refresh your attention by enhancing your concentration. If you have a foundation in jhāna, you may renew your energy with quick dips into jhāna—even just a few minutes sequencing through the jhānas or resting for five or ten minutes in a single absorption can invigorate the attention, facilitate the task of subtle discernment, and brighten the light of wisdom. Without a foundation in jhāna you may refresh attention by focusing on the breath, mettā, or a calming practice of your choice. Intertwine rejuvenating rests in concentration-oriented practices, with this more active discerning technique until you succeed.

  2. Balance the elements. It is possible that some meditators may periodically experience an imbalance in the elements, such as a feeling of excessive heat or intense pressure in the body. You can correct imbalances of the elements by giving greater emphasis to discerning the opposite characteristic. If you feel very hot, emphasize coldness, rather than heat, as the characteristic of the fire element. If you feel heavy and inert, focus on the characteristic of lightness of the earth element. You can shift the emphasis of your attention to optimize balance, stability, and clarity.

  3. Ignore changing impressions. Stay focused on the characteristics of elements. If you notice a field of flickering light, vibrations, or swells, don’t let these impressions distract you. Perceptions of change can diminish concentration. Although matter is indeed changing, ignore its fluctuating nature at this time. At this stage it is important to focus exclusively on the salient aspects that characterize each specific element, without giving attention to the impermanence of matter.

  4. Explore the spaces. If your attention remains with the translucent body for a long time, that ice-like translucent block may not break apart effortlessly. If it lasts for more than forty minutes through successive meditation sessions, then strategically look for small holes or spaces in that translucent appearance of the body.192 Since matter is naturally discontinuous, as your attention to the material body becomes increasingly refined, you may notice the spaces that surround material units. The perception of space in the body is a traditional entry point for the discernment of the material elements.193

  If the meditation continues without much progress, you might gradually contemplate the relationship of space and matter by first considering the grosser occurrences such as the space in the mouth, ears, or nose. Second, consider the more subtle spaces between the flesh and bones, and between various organs, until finally you realize that it is the space element that divides the material groupings (rūpa kalāpas). Space delimits matter; any spaces you discover are ultimately the boundaries of rūpa kalāpas. Intentionally penetrate through the spaces to see the rūpa kalāpas that may appear like sparkling diamonds around the holes.

  Many meditators will discover that as their concentration increases, the body scan becomes more rapid and smooth, and the discernment of the characteristics becomes clear. The mind naturally becomes pure, lustrous, light, and supple. It is this clarity of the mind, not a conceptualized visualization, that will produce a genuine discernment of ultimate materiality.

  5. Overcome skeptical doubts. Maybe you have already seen rūpa kalāpas but disregarded their appearance, doubted that they were really elements of matter, or criticized them into oblivion. When I first received the instruction to observe the characteristics of material elements, I thought that it sounded farfetched, if not impossible, to “see” such ephemeral phenomena. When these formations became apparent during the meditations, I did not believe my own perception; I doubted their significance and waited many days before reporting the observations to my teacher. Doubt can manifest in subtle ways: rampant speculation, wistful hopes that avoid actual commitment, expectations of failure, blaming external distractions for our slow progress, rebelling by withdrawing interest, grasping concepts prior to authentic experience, or excessive testing, judging, and probing of the observation. Doubt can lead to endless speculations: What does all this mean? Are these practices the precursors of modern science? Do their findings conform to recent discoveries in the fields of physics, genetics, biology, and medicine? Is this a mere projection of creative imagination or a sneak preview for a new Star Trek movie? Comparing traditional methods with contemporary scientific processes may lead to doubt for people who are concerned with aspects that diverge from modern scientific methods and theories. On the other hand, speculative comparisons could spark excessive excitement, fascination, and blind faith for meditators who correlate recent advances in genetic research, neuroscience, or quantum physics to processes “seen” by ancient meditators.

  Do not think you are free and clear of hindrances if you have been able to enter jhāna. At any point in the practice, you may need to unravel subtle traces of hindrances. Meeting after meeting, Sayadaw would urge me: “please try harder, you must try, please try to see.” No benefit comes through giving up, and there is no substitute for determination. Through the four elements meditation we vividly discern real matter. This is neither a perceptual distortion nor a creative visualization. The mind’s potential is largely untapped, and we do not know the limits of what the mind can know and see. Enjoy the expansion of possibility that meditation offers.

  Try to trust what you see, even if it is just an ordinary, uninteresting, indistinguishable dot. Find a way to set aside your doubts and let the practice unfold. The four elements meditation serves an important function within the training of concentration and insight—whether or not the meditator’s observations correspond to Western scientific concepts. It produces astounding clarity of mind, it precisely defines the material objects that we contemplate in vipassanā practice, and it untangles clinging at an extraordinarily refined level. By directly perceiving only elements in the body—finding no being, no soul—you will have a powerful insight into the emptiness of beings.194 Develop the four elements meditation because it has its own purpose and reward.

  PHASE 3: TWENTY-EIGHT TYPES OF MATERIAL PHENOMENA

  Once you have discerned the four primary elements in rūpa kalāpas, you may proceed through a detailed examination of the constituent components, causes, functions, and interactions of each material grouping. This microscopic contemplation of matter reveals the elements common to all material phenomena and begins an odyssey of meticulous discernment that will reveal twenty-eight types of ultimate materiality (Table 12.2). These twenty-eight types of matter are divided into two primary categories: concrete or real materiality (nipphannarūpa) and nonconcrete or unreal materiality (anipphannarūpa). Concrete materialities are produced by kamma, mind, temperature, or nutriment; nonconcrete materialities arise as an attribute of concrete materiality.195 The eighteen elements classified as real or concrete rūpas are emphasized in this training because they will later serve as objects for vipassanā contemplation: earth, water, fire, and wind; the sensitivity of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body; color, sound, odor, and flavor; nutritive essence, life faculty, and heart-base materiality; and sex-determining material elements.196 The ten nonconcrete materialities—space, bodily intimation, verbal intimation, and the lightness, pliancy, wieldiness, growth, continuity, aging, and impermanence of concrete material—are examined in meditation instruction 12.4. The meditative practice presented in this chapter is designed to initiate a precise and direct perception of ultrasubtle materialities, not speculation or reflection on abstract ideas about matter.

  There are three basic types of rūpa kalāpas that form the materiality of our bodies:

  Octad kalāpas contain eight types of rūpa.

  Nonad kalāpas contain nine types of rūpa.

  Decad kalāpas contain ten types of rūpa.

&
nbsp; Rūpa kalāpas are traditionally identified according to the quantity and type of rūpas that they contain (see Table 12.3):

  Nutritive-essence octad kalāpas are inanimate materialities found throughout our bodies. They contain eight types of rūpas and are named after the eighth type of rūpa, nutritive essence.

  Life nonad kalāpas are animate materialities found throughout our bodies. They contain nine types of rūpas and are named after the ninth type of rūpa, the life faculty.

  There are eight types of decad kalāpas:

  Eye decad kalāpa, ear decad kalāpa, nose decad kalāpa, and tongue decad kalāpa are animate materialities that contain ten types of rūpas and are found in their respective sense organs. Each type is named after the tenth rūpa that is responsive to the sensory impact of color, sound, smell, or taste.

  Body decad kalāpas are animate materialities that are sensitive to the impact of touch, contain ten types of rūpas, and are found dispersed throughout the body.

  Heart decad kalāpas are found only in the heart base. They are animate, contain ten types of rūpas, and function to support consciousness.

  Sex-determining decad kalāpas are animate materialities with the sex-determining rūpa as the tenth factor. Women have female-sex-determining decad kalāpas and men have male-sex-determining decad kalāpas throughout their bodies.

  Rūpa kalāpas may also be classified according to their origins:

  Kamma-produced materiality

  Mind-produced materiality

  Temperature-produced materiality

  Nutriment-produced materiality.

  In the instructions that follow you will be guided through the meditative procedure to see and analyze the subtle materiality in your body. With a powerfully concentrated mind you can examine these subtle material formations to discern nuances in color, smell, and taste. Noticing variations in opacity, sharpness, and softness will assist you to identify the subtle presence of nutritive essence, life faculty, heart-base materiality, and sex-determining material elements. By carefully discerning variations between rūpa kalāpas, you will learn to distinguish and sort the eighteen types of real rūpas by kind. The accuracy of your discernment can be confirmed through repetition, by observing the manifestations and functions of matter in all parts of the body, and by verbally describing your perceptions to a qualified teacher.