The Dhammānupassanā from the Philology Viewpoint, and the Cause and Effect

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Philology Point

Dhammānupassanā is formed by Dhamma+anupassana. The word Dhamma comes from the root √dhar (to bear) and the suffix-ma. This Dhamma means all mental and physical phenomena, which bear or hold own intrinsic nature, such as phassa (contact) which has the nature to contact with object, and citta (consciousness) which has the nature to cognize the object.

Anu=again and again. Passana =√dis>pass+ana. The root √dis is to see. Therefore, anupassana means to see with the wisdom eye again and again. What does it suppose to see? The mind supposes to see the real nature of the mental and physical phenomena, or nāma and rūpa.

This Dhammānupassanā is the 4^th section in the four foundations of mindfulness. The earlier sections are 1) kāya-body; 2) vedanā –feeling; 3) citta-mind/consciousness. We can see the objects are getting more subtle. The kāya is coarse and easy to see, whereas the mind is more subtle. Lastly, the dhamma is subtlest as it involves hindrances, enlightenment factors etc, and it contains those objects which are not included in the earlier three sections.

Hence, another definition for Dhammānupassanā is the contemplation of the remaining objects from the body, feeling and mind.

Kāyanupassana Vedanānupassanā Cittānupassanā Dhammānupassanā

Body/material                                 Gross                rūpa Feeling                                                                     Arūpa/nāma Mind Remaining objects                          Subtle                rūpa+ nāma

The Dhammānupasana comprises of few sub-sections.

1)     Nīvaraṇa-hindrance

2)     Khandha-aggregate

3)     Ᾱyatana-base

4)     Bojjhaṅga-factors of enlightenment

5)     Sacca-truth

Cause and Effect

We can study the Dhammānupassanā in terms of the cause and effect.

Hindrances

Hindrances (1^st section) prevent us from seeing the khandha, āyatana, bojjhaṅga and sacca (2 to 4^th section). So, we must remove hindrances first. Hindrances can be roughly divided into three categories: greed (lobha), hatred/ aversion (dosa), delusion (moha).

1) Kāmacchanda is lobha
            2) Byāpāda is dosa
            3) Thina-middha- sloth and torpor. They arise in the prompted unwholesome mind, so they are in lobhamūlacitta and dosamūla citta (greed-rooted consciousness, hatred-rooted consciousness).
          4) Uddhacca-kukkucca  -restlessness and worry. Restlessness is associated with moha mind and kukkucca is associated with dosa mind.

5)Vicikicchā-doubt is associated with the moha mind.

In brief, these hindrances are related to lobha, dosa and moha minds which are 12 akusalacittas. That means the meditator should be able to reduce these defilements, and prevent the unwholesome mind to arise. The way to prevent unwholesome minds is to cultivate wholesome minds.

After eradicating hindrances, then one can see the mind-body (nāma-rūpa). In detail, nāma-rūpa can be contemplated as five aggregates, 12 bases, or 18 elements. Here, removing the hindrance (1^st section) is the cause, whereas the contemplation of the aggregates (second section), bases (third section) and elements are the effects.

Seven Factors of Enlightenment

After one can develop some mindfulness and concentration on the objects of mindfulness, then one needs to develop the factors of enlightenment (bojjhaṅga).

There are seven factors of enlightenment.

			Jhāna factors
1)     Sati  -mindfulness 2)     Dhammavicaya-investigation of the states          3)     Viriya –effort	Cause	Cause Effect  Cause             effect	Vitakka           cause
4)     Pīti  -joy 5)     Passaddhi -tranquility 6)     Samādhi -concentration 7)     Upekkhā –equanimity	Effect	Cause Effect Effect Effect	Pīti                  effect *cause Sukha Ekaggatā Upekkhā

In actual fact, one has to develop the mindfulness (sati), investigation on dhamma (dhammavicaya) and effort (viriya). The other four will follow as the effect. Thus, the first three are the causes, and the remaining four are the effects.

Then each factor can act as the cause and effect to others. The mindfulness (sati) is the cause, and dhammavicaya (investigation of the states) is the effect. Due to the dhammavicaya which penetratively contemplates the phenomena (states) and later realises them, one’s mind is more interested in making more effort. Due to mindfulness (sati), dhammavicaya and effort (viriya) as the cause, joy or pīti, the effect, will arise.

Due to strong pīti which is a jhāna factor, one will also develop the other jhāna factors like samādhi (ekaggatā) and upekkhā. Passaddhi is also the effect of pīti. Thus, pīti is the cause, passaddhi, samādhi and upekkhā are the effects.

Samatha and Vipassanā

          When one develops Samatha, there is also some development of the factors of enlightenment. Here, Dhammavicaya is vitakka. When one considers the characteristic of the mind and matter phenomena for a time, then there is vicāra (sustained application). Then one will get pīti, sukha and ekaggatā. Here, the passaddhi factor will cause sukha. Actually, sukha is a type of feeling, and it is a pleasant feeling. Sukha will cause samādhi (concentration) or one-pointedness of mind.[1]

1)             Sati  -mindfulness 2)     Dhammavicaya-investigation of the states          3)     Viriya –effort 4)     Pīti  -joy 5)     Passaddhi -tranquility 6)     Samādhi -concentration 7)     Upekkhā –equanimity

=sammādiṭṭhi = (anupassana) [2]

So also in Vipassanā, though there is only khaṇika-samādhi and it works with multiple objects, but a meditator can develop sati, dhammavicaya and viriya. These three factors will help one to develop pīti (joy), passaddhi (tranquility), khaṇika-samādhi (ekaggatā) and upekkhā (equanimity). Here, ekaggatā means one-pointedness of mind on the object that the meditator is observing now, though later he might change to other objects.

The conclusion verse explains the practice of Vipassanā

Iti ajjhattaṃ vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati, bahiddhā vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati, ajjhattabahiddhā vā dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati samudayadhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati, vayadhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati, samudayavayadhammānupassī vā dhammesu viharati ‘ atthi dhammā ’ ti vā panassa sati paccupaṭṭhitā hoti yāvadeva ñāṇamattāya paṭissatimattāya anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati. Evampi kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati pañcasu nīvaraṇesu.

Here samudayadhamma can refer to the arising states or the originating factors that cause arising of a dhamma. Vayadhamma can refer to the ceasing states or the dissolution factors that cause the cessation of a dhamma.

Here, the internal means the phenomena which are cognized as belong to one, such as the body, feeling and mind. The external dhamma means those which are cognized as not belonging to one. These internal and external dhammas should be contemplated on as the objects of meditation. Then one can see the arising and ceasing of them. The object is the cause and the realising of the arising and ceasing of them is the effect.  Seeing the arising and ceasing of phenomena will bring the knowledge of aniccānupassanā.

When the aniccānupassanā is strong, one will realise dukkha and anatta. Thus, this aniccānupassanā will bring the knowledge of dukkhānupassanā and anattānupassanā. That means one will realise non-self (anatta).

By doing so, one realises “atthi dhammā”- there are only phenomena, and there is no I, mine, or atta, attanīya. Thus, one develops ñāṇa (knowledge) and paṭissati (mindfulness). This is actually the development of factors of enlightenment (bojjhaṅga). Then when one sees the truth (sacca), one will not attach and cling (upādiyati) to the mind and matter. When one does not have any attachment, one will reach Nibbāna, which actually means nir-vāna (no-craving; away from – carving).

Sacca (Truth)

In the fifth section i.e. sacca, there are four truths and their ultimate realities are:

1)     Dukkha-sacca     – five aggregates

2)     Samudaya-sacca – craving  or lobha

3)     Nirodha-sacca     -Nibbāna

4)     Magga-sacca     – The Noble Eightfold Path

Thus, through the practice of Dhammānupassanā, one can realise the Sacca. Dukkha-sacca is fulfilled when one contemplates five aggregates or in other words, 12 bases (āyatana), 18 elements (dhātu), and then one sees them as suffering. One realises Nibbāna by eradicating the cause of suffering, that is craving. One develops the Noble Eightfold Path or sīla, samādhi and paññā. Sīla is fulfilled by observing five or 8 precepts and so on. Samādhi is fulfilled when one has right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration, whereas paññā is fulfilled by developing right view (sammādiṭṭhi) and right thought (sammāsaṅkappa).

Conclusion

The objects of meditation, i.e. the five aggregates, or 12 bases or 18 elements are important. When the objects are clearly seen, the contemplation will be strong and clear. Thus, the object is the cause, whereas the realization of dhamma (Bojjhaṅga, sacca) is the effect.

In this way, one realises in order to have a strong effect, one needs to have a strong cause. So, a meditator needs not to emphasize to get good joy (pīti), tranquility (passaddhi), concentration (samādhi) and equanimity (upekkhā) as all of these are the effects, the meditator should only focus on the causes in the factors of the enlightenment which are the mindfulness (sati), investigation of states (dhammavicaya) and effort (viriya).

So also, to realise Nibbāna, the meditators only need to understand dukkha-sacca or contemplate on five aggregates, 12 bases or 18 elements, eradicate samudaya sacca (lobha, craving) and develop magga-sacca (the Noble Eightfold Path).

Works cited:

Sayadaw Dr. Sunanda, Questions and Answers, (Malaysia, Buddhist Hermitage Lunas, 2009)

 Pāḷi-English Dictionary (  England, Pāli Text Society, 1960).

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[1] Passaddhibahulo samādhindriyaṃ paṭilabhatīti pubbabhāge passaddhibahulassa ‘‘passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vedeti, sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyatī’’ti  [Paṭisambhidāmagga-aṭṭhakatha-2,16]

[2] Commentary to Mahasatipatthana sutta (amoho dhammavicaya sammādiṭṭhi), ayaṃ vuccati anupassanā.