..續本文上一頁ical senses or the mind, all of which are found within the framework of the body. To experience truth directly one must explore the world within the framework of the body, giving no importance to external objects. One must be equally careful to avoid all imaginary and artificially created objects, however attractive they might be, however they might conform to one”s traditional beliefs. Instead the meditator must be as impartial as a research scientist, accepting and observing objectively whatever truth he experiences at this moment within himself. If one works in this way, all the mysteries of nature will unfold, all the laws of the universe will become clear. The meditator will understand how misery arises and multiplies, and will be able to see how to get rid of misery. With this wisdom he will naturally be able to uproot the causes of suffering, that is, the mental defilements.

　　All this process will take place by experiencing directly truth within, by feeling the truth through observing bodily sensations. In the quest for truth, the meditator observes unpleasant sensations objectively. As he does so automatically he pides, dissects, disintegrates, and analyzes the unpleasant sensations until he experiences for himself their nature of impermanence, of arising and passing away. By doing so he uproots the accumulated conditionings of aversion from the mind. In a similar process of penetration he realizes the fleeting nature of pleasant sensations, and so uproots the accumulated conditionings of craving. And by experiencing the transitory nature of neutral sensations he uproots the accumulated conditionings of ignorance. All other mental defilements are based on these three: craving, aversion, and ignorance. When these three are removed, all are uprooted, and hence all sufferings that arise because of these defilements are ended. This happens because the meditator investigates the truth of body and mind, penetrating from apparent to subtler levels until he realizes the truth of impermanence.

　　With this realization he purifies the mind and becomes capable of experiencing the ultimate truth beyond mind and matter, beyond the world of arising and passing away. After experiencing the ultimate truth beyond the conditioned world, one becomes truly established in wisdom, the wisdom of detachment. No situation will be able to overwhelm the meditator. Whatever he encounters in life—wanted or unwanted, pleasant or unpleasant—the mind will keep its balance. Thus by practicing Vipassana one walks on the path leading out of misery. As much as the mind is freed from defilements, that much is one liberated from suffering, and to that extent one enjoys real happiness. Come, oh meditators! Let us leave all imaginations and artificial creations. With the help of sensations arising naturally within ourselves, let us explore and experience truth within, to eradicate all mental defilements and to attain the goal of real happiness, real peace.

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