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DEDICATIONI dedicate this booklet ana humbly pay

respect to -Those who have liberated themselves,Those who are still working for liberation,And those who are about to attain libera tionfrom all suffering,

* * *As well as those who were my parents, myteachers, my relatives and friends in many,many, past lives.

* * *Ialso pay my humble respect to -

my parents, my teachers, my relatives andfriends of this present life.

* * *"May they enjoy peace of mind and theybefore from all suffering".-- MgHla Paw

Namo Tassa Bhagavato ArahatoSamma Sambuddhassa

INTRODUCTION

This writer somehow came into contact with andarrived at the Maha Bodhi Vipassana MeditationCentre, Mandalay, on the Full Moon Day ofDazaungmon, 1337 Myanmar Era (13-11-75). It wasnot to practise meditation, but as fate would have it, totake refuge at the centre while doing odd jobs for thecommunity there. Thus I had a chance to learn aboutmeditation and actually participate in the Vipassanapractices as carried out at the centre.

After I had discovered the value and benefit ofVipassana meditation through my own personalexperienc, I explained it to my relatives and friends asbest as I could and encouraged them to try it out forthemselves. In trying to do this I had different kinds ofexperiences, and came across different kinds of people

.::. in different situations.(1) Some people have no idea whatsoever of what

meditation is all about.(2) Some people can't spare the time to practise

meditation at fixed hours although they areinterested in meditation practice.

(3) Some people go in for meditation and find timeto practise it, but they don't do it the right way.

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(4) Some people have a prejudice against religiouspractices and, therefore, they keep clear ofmeditation practice.Thus I have discovered four kinds of people

through experience. .I do believe that the first type of people WIll

definitely practise meditation if they can only beconvinced of the true worth and value of insightmeditation.

Ialso believe that the second type of people whofor various reasons cannot find time for meditation,will take up meditation practice once they realize theworth of meditation and the actual time it requires.

It is also my belief that the third type of peoplewill definitely find the right path once they discoverthe right method and accurate procedure in medita-tion.

The fourth type of people will still be far re-moved from meditation practice unless they acquire aclear understanding and arrive at the. right view ofthings.

This treatise j~ the result of such experience andbelief and is the combination of my personal findings

, °

from my own meditation practice and my theoreticalknowledge from books.

This is the easiest, clearest, and shortest way to

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insight meditation for (1) those who are indifferent,thinking that meditation practice is difficult becausethey are not familiar with it, (2) those who say theycan't spare the time because they are occupied withworldly matters such as social obligations and busi-ness matters, and (3) those who are unhappy and wishto seek escape from the tribulations of life.

Since this meditation guide is meant for 'thedeliverance from suffering' of all intelligent peoplewho breathe in and breathe out, it tries to avoidprejudices as much as possible in crderto be free fromracial or religious distinctions.

As every meditator will benefit from insightmeditation, differences in race, religion or personalbeliefs should not be an obstacle to the practice ofinsight meditation. Anyone with proper understand-ing regardless of age, race or religion, can practise thisform of meditation. It is hoped that you will go in forit and benefit from it. But Imust frankly admit that thismedita tion techniq ue has been adopted from the teach-ings of Theravada Buddhism.

As you will experience and see for yourself thebeneficial results when you actually practise medita-tion, I don't wish to say much except that you willdefinitely be rewarded with

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(1) Tranquillity (calm and quiet state of mind)(2) Retentive Memory (ability to remember things

better)(3) Complete Relaxation (being free from anxiety

and weariness - a peaceful state of mind)(4) Endurance (ability to endure or bear pain, hard-

ship, etc.)(5) Clear Thinking (thinking good thoughts clearly)(6) Ability to Make Right Decisions(7) Perception of Concepts (clear and correct under-

standing of ideas)Even a short duration of time, such as an hour, a

minute or a second, is very precious. This treatise orbooklet tells you how you could make the best use ofyourprecious time in a very practical way. -

We should know how to use useful things.Oh friend! Usejust FIVE MINUTES out of your

precious day in a practical way.A CALL TO ACTIONJust five minutes-It's of short duration.If you can concentrate your mind,The seed f contemplationWill clearly reveal its' worth.A tiny banyan seedMakes a big banyan tree;A small act of meditationCan be a powerful deed.

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Section 1

THE -FIRST STEPMake a firm decision to practise meditation for

just five minutes. You may find yourself in one of thefollowing situations when you make this decision.(1) You may be walking on the road.(2) You may be seated at your office table, at your

writing desk, on a bench, on a train, in a car, ona plane or on a boat.

(3) You may be on your feet while"getting a jobdone.

(4) You may be reclining quietly or relaxing onyour bed or couch.Whatever the situation you are in, you should

prepare yourself to meditate for only five minutes.Note the time using your watch or the clock nearby.Somuch the better if there is an electric clock that showsminutes and seconds accurately. Next think of thosewho have attained liberation from all suffering. Ad-mire their bliss and inner peace. Consider how theymust have practised meditation in order to reach theirhappy state which is free from all suffering. Be eagerto attain a similar state of mind. After that, recite inasoft whisper or mentally the following.

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* 1pay my respect to those personages who havebeen liberated from all suffering.

* 1 pay my respect to those practices that bringabout the end of all suffering.

* 1 pay my respect to those persons who arecapable of showing the way leading to the end ofall suffering. Buddhists may recite the prayer:'Namo Buddhassa, Namo Dhamassa, NamoSanghassa. 'Meanwhile, consider yourself as being pure and

stainless in body, speech and mind. Next, repeat threetimes 'I am pure in body, speech and mind'. Doingthese two things will take you about one minute. Withpractice you will be able to -do these two thingstogether in just half a a minute or sixty seconds. Theseare the preliminary things you have to do before youstart your meditation practice.

Section 2

Basic Meditation PracticeTo begin your meditation, concentrate on the in-

coming and out-going breaths as they flow in ~r out ofthe nostrils. Be fully aware of your breath as It flowsin and out gently brushing the flesh at the tip of yournostrils. When you become aware of the breath flow-ing in say to yourself mentally '1 know'. Similarly,when you breathe out, be aware of it and mark it with'I know'. Thus you will be repeating '1 know', 'Iknow', 'I know' as you keep on breathing normally. Ifyou time your breathing rate by means of an accurateelectric clock, you will find that it takes three secondsto breathe in and then breathe out "once" at normalspeed, that is, 'one and a half second' for each in-breath or out-breath. Thus in the period of 4minutesor240 seconds that is left, you will be marking 'I know'80 times for in-breath and 80 times for out-breath.

At first you might not be able to do all thisexactly in 4 minutes because you have to do severalthings all at once at the same time, fixing your mind onyour breathing, repeating mentally '1know', '1know',and looking at the clock. Moreover,you are very eagerto be perfect. Don't worry too much about that; it's

LINES TO REMEMBERThe first thing you must doTo be free from suffering,Pay respect where it's due -Trusting and believing.Consider yourself being pureIn thought, word and deed.

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quite natural that you will find it a bit difficult at first.Gradually,with constant practice and after manyrepetitions you will be able to do all this precisely in5 minutes.

You are perfectly successful in your 5-minutemeditation practice if you meditate in this way for just5 minutes, once a day. If this goes on day after day,without a break for twelve days,at the end of thatperiod you will have meditated for exactly 'one hour'.Soon you will come to know for yourself the effective-ness of this form of meditation. After some time, whileyou are meditating you will definitely experiencepeace of mind, calmness and a cheerful disposition.You may practise your meditation quietly and withease in any of these' four postures - walking,standing, sitting or lying down. If you are clearabout the instructions, you can begin yourmeditation practice soon after reading this. With dailypractice the result will become more effective andnoticeable.

In order to notice the in-coming or out-goingbreath, deep concentration and diligence are espe-cially needed. Try and meditate with a calm and quietmind. Control your emotions or your feelings of de-light due to excessive confidence. Don't be too eageror excited. You will be able to visualize the gentlebrushing of the air as it enters or leaves the nostrilssomewhat like the gentle breeze from outside touching

your body. As the out-going- breath comes fromwithin your body it will be somewhat warm. If yournatural breath is not very noticeable, breathe a littleharder. Place your finger, or palm, or back of yourhand close to your nostrils and observe. You willclearly feel the touch of the out-going air. When thebreathing in and the breathing out are clearly noticed,relax your strong breathing and gradually return tonormal breathing.

While meditating, don't let any thought aboutthe past or the future enter your mind. Just be aware ofthe in-coming or out-going breath and mark eachbreath with 'I know'. As you close your eyes lightlyand meditate, you may have visions of bright lights,different kinds of pictures, scenes, signs, shapes andfigures. But don't take notice of them. Guard yourselfagainst such visions. They will appear and disppear.Don't be carried away by them. Just go on concentrat-ing on your breath. When you can feel or notice thebrush of the passing air as you breathe in and breatheout, then you have successfully completed the basicstage of meditation.

LINES TO REMEMBERThe thing to rememberIn the basic stageIs to observe the passing air,Obvious and clear

14At the nostrils' tips.As you breathe in and out,Be fully awareWith constant care,Just for five minutes.

Section 3Higher Meditation (First Stage)

If you can observe and note the in-coming andout-going breath effectively whenever you meditate,after you have practised meditation for twelve days,then you can switch over to higher meditation.

Before you change over to this method, first ofall, you have one more thing to do. To clear yourconscience and to establish perfect peace, there mustbe 'asking for forgiveness' and 'forgiving'. You mayhave offended some people at some time or at someunknown time in the past, by thought, word or action.In the same way, people may have offended you bythought, word or action. Therefore, there should beforgiveness for offences on both sides. You seekforgiveness and you forgive. In this way, you areclearing your moral debts and purifying your mind formeditation. To do this, recite the following silently oraloud.

'I humbly ask for forgiveness from those I haveoffended by thought, word or action, knowingly orunknowingly, at some time or at some time unknown

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to me. I also forgive those who have offended me inthe same way'.

After that, firmly believing that this meditationcan free you from all suffering, recite the followingthree times.

'I shall soon be free from all suffering'. Now youare ready to start your higher meditation.

I.n b~sic meditation, you meditated on yourbr~athmg m and breathing out, marking each breathWIth 'I know'. Now you just switch over to' imperma-nent' to mark your brea ths. In other words, you replace'~kno,:' with' impermanent'. Meditate-in this way forfive ?IlOutes. If you can do this whenever you can findthe tlll~e, ~ou have successfully completed your firststage of higher meditation. While meditating in this~ay, you must realize the fact that everything isimpermanent, everything is passing away, everythingISchangmg, and everything is subject to decay.. During the period of constant practice of this

hlg~er me?it~tio~ (first stage) with understanding,while meditating 10 periods of just five minutes or forlonger pe~iods (depending on the time available), dayafter day 10 unbroken succession; for those who areg~f~edwith special abilities, special wisdom, specialdiligence, or inborn talents, the nature of the natural~nd impermanent process of 'becoming' and 'break-mg down' can be perceived both internally within thebody as well as in the form of external sensations.

16But only an exceptional individual, perhaps one

in a hundred, one in a thousand, one in ten thousand orone in a hundred thousand-only an individual assistedby karmic forces from previous lives - canreally perceive, come to know and understand thisphenomenon.

Although one may not attain insight perceptionwhilepractising this meditation, present karmic forces .may endow one with faith, confidence, mindfulnessand concentration strong enough to enable one toattain insight perception. Those with determinationand a strong power of concentration can also gain thisinsighteasily and definitely.

LINES TO REMEMBERTo advance a step higherIn your meditation practice,Plead for forgiveness and forgive;Seek freedom from all suffering.Then, from 'I know', you switch overTo 'impermanent' when you meditate,To mark your in and out breathing.

Section 4Higher Meditation (Second Stage)

To perceive the true nature of your physicalbody, you can practise Higher Meditation (Second

17Stage). Before you practise this higher meditation,there are essential things you need to understandroughly. According to the view of those who haveovercome suffering and attained perfect bliss,· theworld we live in, has two kinds of truth, namely,(1) The truth of non-reality, being just recognition

and naming (the. truth of no real existence),and

(2) The truth of true reality (the truth of realexistence)

-I. Conventional Truth or the Truth of

Non- Existence

'The truth of non-existence' means naming andrecognizing particular places or regions, periods orages, races or nationalities according to certaindifferences by all humanity all over the world frombirth till death. Such names used in speech and re-corded by means of symbols, letters and words inwriting - accepted, recognized and used by everyone- are actually non-existent. These non-existing reali-ties are not permanent things. They are just whatpeople imagine to be true. They do not remain fixedforever. They may change from time to time. They arejust names given and used by intelligent people merely(or communication among men. This is non-existentreality or Conventional Truth.

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2. Ultimate Truth or Actual RealityUltimate Truth cannot be perceived by the natu-

ral sense of sight. Ultimate truth consists of basicrealities which can 'only be perceived by the delicatemind and through deep contemplation. Such realitiesnever change or get distorted or move away from theirusual course in any way but remain the same for any-one, any creature, everyone and every creature at alltimes. They remain fixed and constant without everchanging in any way. This is something that can beperceived or experienced by anyone regardless of sex,race, religion or nationality in any place or region atany time as it really exists in nature. Although peoplewho have perceived this ultimate truth may expresstheir observations and experiences differently in dif-ferent languages and expressions, what they haveperceived or experienced remains the same for every-one. Only such elements of consciousness are thebasic realities in this world. Only when you perceivethese realities you see the real truth. This right view ofreality or truth should be experienced by means of theunusual mind or unusual consciousness and deepcontemplation.

That ultimate truth can roughly be divided intothree parts.(1) The concept of impermanence (matter)(2) The concept of consciousness (mind)(3) The concept of the cessation of all things,

consciousness. and impermanence (mind andmatter), (inner peace).

I. Matter - Matter is distinguished by its componentsor elements. These components are the basic elementswhich characterize matter or material. They are roughlyof four kinds.

(1) Pathavl (Solidity) - Anything that is resistant,hard, soft, fine or delicate to touch is solidity (Pathavi),This is Earth element. The characteristics of soliditysuch as hardness, softness or fineness can be felt andrecognized by the sense of touch when handl ing things.

(2) Apo (Cohesion) - Anything that flows or stickstogether has cohesion or fluidity. This is Water ele-ment. Fluidity (ability to flow, as gases and liquids do)cannot be clearly recognized by the sense of touch orby handling. Only by observing and feeling the fluid-ity, flow and cohesion of the elements can we recog-nize and understand this water element.

(3) Tejo (Heat) - Anything that heats up or burns isTejo or Fire element. It can be felt and recognized bythe sense of touch in the sensation of heat, cold orwarmth when touched or handled.

(4) Vayo (Motion) - Anything that moves about,supports, resists or whirls is Vayo or Air element. Thisclement is characterized by its buoyancy or liveliness.We can feel and recognize its characteristics such asmotion, rush, jumpiness and vibration.

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Of these four elements, with the exception ofApo (Cohesion), the remaining three can be clearlyrecognized and observed within one's physical body.

II. Mental PhenomenonThe consciousness-element (the mental phe-

nomenon) is of two kinds.

(1) Mind -Mind or consciousness is the perceptionof all sense impressions received through the senseorgans.

(2) Cetasika - Cetasika refers to the different fac-tors that accompany consciousness according to senseimpressions.

Nama (Mind), strictly speaking, applies toconsciousness (Vinnana), Feeling (Vedand), Percep-tion (Sanrla) and Volitional Energies (Sankhdra}. Allthese together with Rupa (Matter) make up thephysical and mental phenomena of existence which inreality is a continuum of Mind and Matter co-existing.

III.Nibbanic Peace Within - This unique experience,which is free from the changeable nature of matter andmind, and which puts an end to it, is the ceasing of allsuffering. Matter and mind are intermixed with suf-fering whereas 'nibbanic peace within' is totally free

21from suffering. This Peace Within may be experi-:enced through concentration for brief moments in thepresence of mind and matter. Only in the total abse~ceof mind and matter and at the cessation of all suffenngcan one enter this nibbanic bliss once and for all.

It is necessary to have a clear idea of these threethings - matter, mental phenomenon and nibbanicpeace within.

In higher meditation (first stage), you markedyour in-coming/out-going breath as 'imperm~ne~t'.Now in the second stage, you must give up meditatingon the in-coming and out-going breath. You mustcompletely stop marking your breaths with 'I know~or'impermanent'. Instead, switch over the concentrationyou acquired while meditating on your breath, to thetop centre of your head, or to the middle of your chest,or to some place where the pulse beat is clearlynoticed. Fixing your concentration on one of thesethree areas which can easily be observed, mentallyrepeat 'phyit-pyet' ('becoming - vanishing'). As youmeditate in this way, do not think of the parts of thebody in conventional terms such as head, hip, body,hand, leg, flesh and blood, bone, nerve, stomach,intestine, kidney, heart, gall bladder, etc because theyare just conventional truths or unrealities.. You must only select and observe the naturalcharacteristics of the basic elements of the ultimaterealities mentioned earlier. You must meditate on the

22salient features of Pathavi (solidity), Tejo (heat) andVayo (motion). Stiffness, tightness, aches and painsare the natural manifestations of Pathavi (the elementof solidity). Heat, cold, chilling, warming up, burningsensations are the natural manifestations of Tejo (theheat element). Characteristics such as movements,motion, agitations, swellings, vibrations, etc aremanifestations of Va yo ( motion). Itching is one of thenatural manifestations of Va yo and perpiration is anatural manifestation of Apo (Cohesion). You canonly observe the outward manifestation of Apo. Youcannot meditate on the Apo element within your body.You should only contemplate the obvious manifesta-tion on your body while mentally repeating 'phyit-pyet' ('becoming - breaking down' or 'appearing -disappearing'). When you experience something, beaware of that sensation and concentrate. Don't let itslip your mind. Observe the workings of the elements ethoroughly. Next stretch your awareness widely to allparts of the body. Extend your concentration to coveryour entire body, from top to bottom, from bottom to -top. The top centre of the head, the chest, and the areaof pulsation are indications of parts of the body.Concentrate onl; )ll the workings of the elements.Depending on your concentration and calmness ofmind, you will clearly recognize the natural workingsof the elements in the physical structure of the body asa whole-throbbing, vibrating, jerking and ceaselessly

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breaking down. You will also feel your entire bodygetting heated up, cooling down or warming up. Youwill realize that your whole physical structure isnothing but a mass of elements, a ball of components,a lump of material substance, a body of solidity.

If you are aware of this, if you realize this, if youhave discovered this, or if you have experienced this,then you have been successful in your higher medita-tion (second stage). If your mental repetition of 'phyit-pyet' in your meditation, coincides with the destruc-tion and disintegration of the basic elements withinyour body, then you have been successful in yourhigher meditation (second stage).

At this stage, it is necessary to distinguishbetween the two terms 'impermanence' and 'phyit-pyet'. 'Impermanence' implies that things and objectsare all the time changing, moving, stirring, breakingdown, and getting destroyed.

'Phyit-pyet' is a phrase made up of 'phyit'which means 'becoming, forming or coming intoexistence', 'pyet' meaning' breaking down or gettingdestroyed'. 'Becoming' is one thing and 'getting de-stroyed' is another thing. They are different.

'Impermanence' is a term that combines the twoprocesses 'becoming' and 'destruction'. 'Phyit-pyet'reveals the two component processes' of 'imperma-nence'.

Therefore, one must meditate in order to be fully

24 25aware of the behaviour of the basic elements as theydisintegrate or disappear, 'becoming' at the start and'disintegrating' in the end. 'Becoming this instant,breaking up the next moment, - this 'phyit-pyet'process must be clearly observed while you meditate.

You must be able to distinguish between con-templating upon the out-breathing/in-breathing proc-ess and meditating on the 'phyit-pyet' process of thebasic elements.

If your mind is not at rest due to weak concen-tration you will not be able to recongnize the naturalbehaviour and characteristics of the basic elementsclearly. At such a time, to regain full concentration,you must go back and contemplate upon the in - and-out breaths at the nostrils. This will restore tranquillityof the mind for better concentration.

The awareness of the becoming and destructionprocesses of the elements is the realization of true

eality or the ultimate truth. You will become fullyaware of the real mind and matter processes of be eo m-ng and disintegrating within your body, precisely ashey truly are, depending on your period of meditationnd your force of concentration.

The true rp 'ity of the appearance and disap-arance of the vibrating manifestations of matter isrceived by the true reality of the existence of mind

or awareness. Matter is the thing that is perceived andmind is the entity that perceives. A substance is cut

with a knife. The substance is that which is cut andtheknife is the thing that cuts. As both the material that iscut and the knife that cuts are subject to the law ofimpermanence, both are mere impermanent entitiessubject to 'phyit-pyet'. In the same way, the mattethat is perceived and the mind that perceives are bothmere impermanent entities subject te the swiftlychanging process of 'phyit-pyet' .This analytic per-ception of the true nature of the basic elements ob-jectively and truthfully is the insight acquired by themeditators of higher meditation.

LINES TO REMEMBERGo up another step higher;Of the two-true reality and non-reality,Concentrate precisely on the formerFix your' mind on head's top centre,Or choose the mid-chest area.Be aware of the obvious beats or movementWhile marking them with 'phyit-pyets'.

26 27ticking of the clock, chirping of crickets, etc.

, First of all, mark the sound that stands out fromamong these various sounds. If you concentrate on thisparticular sound the other sounds will fade away. Youmay also pick out and fix your awareness on the song,music or tune you may hear over a loudspeaker or acassette if that is loud and overpowering. Repeat"phyit-pyet' ('arising' and 'passing away') mentally~s you observe the song or music. (At this moment, itis not at all necessary to observe your in-and-outbreaths or the behaviour of the basic elements withinyour body).

Depending on your concentration, observationand tranquillity of mind, you will perceive thatparticular sound entering your ears in pieces, one afteranother, jn succession. You will perceve gaps or cutsbetween the pieces. You will notice the song, musicor tune disintegrating as broken pieces hop orjump outone after another. You will become aware of the factthat as these bits of sound appear in an unbrokensuccession one after another, from second to second,or from moment to moment, they instantly disintegrateand disappear.

Thus sound is also impermanent, meaninglessand subject to destruction. You will realize that theprocess of 'phyit-pyet' also applies to the soundelement.

In the same way, it can be seen that sensations

Section 5Higher Meditation (Third Stage)

If you can concentrate and perceive the naturalmanifestations of becoming and disintegrating in yourbody, you must go on to concentrate and perceive thesensations (sight, sound, smell, taste, contact) fromoutside. Just as you marked the inner sensations youperceived with 'phyit-pyet', you must also learn tomark the sensations from outside with 'phyit-pyet'.

In this meditation practice, you must first haveas your focus of attention the sensatior that is mostdistinguished from among those perceived by the fivesenses, namely, those of sight, sound, smell, taste andcontact. Except when you are fast asleep, you are inconstant contact with the sound element which is oneof the oustanding sensations that you receive fromoutside. Even if you keep your eyes shut you still hearthe sound.

If you keep the sound element as the focus ofattention, you must close your eyes and shut out thesensation of sight. This is to have a better concentra-tionon the sound. Thus you will be concentrating onlyonthe sound element. You may hear different kinds ofsounds from outside, such as chatting of people,twittering of birds, barking of dogs, passing of cars, the

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arising from sight: smell, taste and contact are alsoimpermanent and subject to 'phyit-pyet'. You canalso discover that what seems to be common matter,object,thing, people or creatures are actually elementsvibrating, bouncing, disintegrating, shifting, moving,whirling and changing according to the law of 'phyit-pyet'.

You will need special care in observing thematter 'smell'. Although smells differ from one an-other from being fragrant, pleasant, pleasing to beingfoul, pungent, putrid and revolting, they are delicateand may fade away as you fix your mindfulness onany of them. You will need grea t care in order toperceive the 'phyit-pyet' process in the smell element.

You can be mindful of the obvious 'taste' onlywhile you are eating or drinking. You will have to bespecially careful when observing taste (matter) or thelittle taste element on your soft and delicate tongue.You already know the nature of the various tasteelements such as those in food or drink -sweet, sour,hot, salty, acrid, bitter, tasty, etc. Great care must betaken in trying to perceive the appearance and passingawayof-those taste elements. They are things that canbe clearly perceived in proportion to your power ofconcentration.

When meditating on 'contact' matter, you maystart with the touch of the brushing air from outsideincluding the touch of the clot~es you are wearing.

29You should meditate also to be able to become mindfulof the arising and vanishing .process in the actualsensations of heat, cold, warmth, stiffness, tendernessarising from physical contacts between individuals. Ifyou practise concentra tion on the various outer sensa-tions one after another in this way, you will be able tomeditate effectively.

At this stage, whenever you medita te, from timeto time, you will perceive all sensations arising fromwhat you see, what you hear, what you smell, whatyou eat and the sensations from physical contactsbreaking down into bits and pieces, into heaps andmasses in a disorderly manner. Depending on yoursharpness of concentration, you will perceive both theinner and outer processes of the mind and matterelements - at times distinctly, at times not so distinctly,now in slow motion, again in rapid succession, in allforms and manners.

As you advance in your meditation practice andbecome skilful in concentrating effectively on the truer ality concerning the basic natural processes of theelements within your body as well as those comingfrom outside, you will be able to analyse and acquirea true understanding of your present life condition, theworld or environment you live in, your relationshipsand dealings .as well as their causes and effectsincluding both the good and the bad.

Thus you will perceive and understand'suffering'

30and the true nature of suffering. After that you willcertainly discover for yourself the right meditatioripractice that leads to the end of suffering.

LI ES TO REMEMBERAfter mastering inner contemplationMove on to outer concentration.Meditate with sharp awarenessThe elem ents of sight and sound,Smell, taste and contact all roundOnce again, mark your contemplationWith' phyit- pyet' or 'arise - break down'.

CO CLUSIOParting Remarks

Among the stages of meditation dealt with inthis treatise, only the basic meditation and the firststaze of higher meditation have the prescribed time::. . .limit in terms of minutes. Time allotment IS not giveninthe other stages of higher meditation ..This is to urge vthe meditator in the early stages to start his meditation .•practice ith awareness of time limit and- value oftime. After completing those preliminary stages ofpractice with interest, it is no longer neces~ar~ to havetimeallotments in the higher stages of meduanoo. Youcan now use your own discretion.You have got intothe swing of things in meditation practice.

You should read he instructions given in this

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book step by step in order to understand them clearlyand then make an effort to practise meditation to gainpractical experience and insight into true reality. Inthese instructions the observance of basic morality(moral precepts for behaviour) based on the purity ofmind, speech and action during the period of medita-tion, was not mentioned.

Interest and confidence in the meditation ,maintaining an honest heart and mind, having a bodyand mind healthy enough for meditation, will contrib-ute toward promoting this meditation practice andgaining insight. In these instructions, you were in-structed to meditate only on the inner physical bodyand the sensations received from outsi t. You werenot asked to be mindful of the shapes and shadows,lights and colours and the different forms and imaze::.that may appear in your mental vision depending onyour strength of concentration and tranq uillity of mind.Such mental images or symbolic manifestations aremerely temporary visions resulting from tranquillityof mind and leanings or attachments of the distant past.They are not actual or lasting objects te be observed.So it is not necessary for you to observe or perceivethese objects of vision. If these visions become toodistinct and overpowering due to your intense concen-tration and tranquillity of mind, observe them with the

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awareness of 'phyit-pyet' or 'impermanence'. De-pending on your power of observation you will findthese visions disintegrating and tumbling down topsyturvy.

As this meditation practice begins by observingthe natural behaviour and characteristics of the promi-nent and tangible elements, and then moving on to theobservation ofthe entire physical body as an entity, thenature and characteristics of the mind have not beenclearly described. If the nature of matter can be ob-served effectively the nature of mind will also beobserved and understood through personal experi-ence. Actually, this is just the beginning of the medi-tation practice (for inner peace and happiness) whichaims at freedom from suffering and pain. After youhave successfully completed the different stages ofyour meditation practice,you will come to perceive thetruemeditation practice for inner peace and happiness.By practising this meditation just for five minuteseach day, you can honourably acquire the pricelesstreasure of inner peace and happiness which is the endof all suffering as well as true insight and wisdom.Ifyou wish to learn more about meditation practice,clearly and in greater detail,after you have practisedthe meditation methods described here, you may goon to study the meditation practices described in'Theravada Pitaka'.

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You will gladly come to realize that you haveperceived and understood the basic principles of thevarious meditation practices through your own per-sonal experiences (both physical and mental).

May you acquire right meditation practice, rightknowledge and right view.

May you actually attain happiness and tranquil-lity of mind which is free from all suffering, and trueinsight even in this present life.

LINES TO REMEMBERIf parting words I must impartI wish you would immediately startPractising meditation with determination;Note with keen observationThe 'arising' and 'passing' of elements;Impermanent are mind and matterImpermanent things both inner and outer,Ceaselessly forming, changing, decayingYour body is nothing but sufferingSo work now for total liberation.

Mg Hla Paw (Mahabodhi)"MEDITATE NOW FOR IMMEDIATE PEACE OF MIND."

Tran ated from yanmar byVen. Candobhasa M.A (Instructor in English)Abbot Training hool, (Mandalay Division),

MANDALAY,MYANMAR.