..续本文上一页 vedana khandha (feeling aggregate) of nama, rather, it is the vedana khandhavedana khandha of nama. Rupa (matter) in itself cannot experience sensations arising on it. For the meditation of liberation from misery, bodily sensations are important. This does not mean that mental feeling (somanassa and domanassa) is to be ignored; it continues simultaneously.

　　The tradition in which I drank the nectar of benevolent Dhamma that liberates one from all misery is called the tradition of Ledi Sayadaw,tradition of Ledi Sayadaw which is actually the tradition of the Buddha. This tradition gives all importance to the sensations that one feels on the body. When I took my first course at the feet of Sayagyi U Ba Khin, I was extremely attracted to this unique aspect of meditation. My first Vipassana course showed me that mere intellectual knowledge of the impermanent nature of mind and matter phenomenon can purify only the intellect to some extent. It does not change us at the depth of the mind where we remain slaves of our behaviour patterns and keep on reacting in utter ignorance.

　　I benefited so much from this technique of meditation that I started reading the words of the Buddha in accordance with my teacher”s advice. I was also curious to find out why India lost this noble teaching. I had been told from childhood that the Buddha incorporated good points from our tradition in his teaching and then added delusion to it, and had not discovered anything new. My experience turned out to be contrary to this belief. I found the Buddha”s teaching to be very beneficial. This led to a further exploration to find the truth about these statements. Reading the words of the Buddha (Tipitaka) gave me so much joy! How wrong my earlier information turned out to be! It showed how the Buddha”s emphasis was on actual experience of the truth. How could a teaching so firmly grounded in reality lead to delusions

　　 I could detect no trace of falsehood on this path. The words bhavito bahulikatobhavito bahulikato-know with your own experience and thus gain and multiply knowledge occurs many times in Tipitaka. The Buddha said again and again, "jana, passa"-know thyself, with your own experience. The actual experience of the truth, as it is, ensures that there are no illusions or delusions, no imagination or any blind beliefs on this path. The words of the Buddha also confirmed my experience that the physical, bodily sensations are of utmost importance to the art of liberation from all suffering.

　　While describing dukkha it is said, "Katamanca, bhikkhave, dukkham

　　 Yam kho, bhikkhave, kayikam dukkham kayikam asatam kayasamphassajam dukkham asatam vedayitam, idam vuccati, bhikkhave, dukkham."3

　　"What now, O monks, is pain

　　 If there is, O monks, any kind of bodily pain, any kind of bodily unpleasantness or any kind of painful or unpleasant feeling as a result of bodily contact-this, O monks, is called pain."

　　And while describing domanassadomanassa it is said, "Katamanca, bhikkhave, domanassam

　　 Yam kho, bhikkhave, cetasikam dukkham cetasikam asatam manosamphassajam dukkham asatam vedayitam, idam vuccati, bhikkhave, domanassam."4

　　"What now, O monks, is grief

　　 If there is, O monks, any kind of mental pain, any kind of mental unpleasantness or any kind of painful or unpleasant feeling as a result of mental contact-this, O monks, is called grief."

　　This again makes it clear that when the Buddha describes dukkha vedana, he is talking about bodily sensations.

　　The Buddha says in the Satipatthana Sutta: Atapi sampajano satima.

　　Atapi and satima are simple to understand but I had to search for the meaning of sampajano. I found that it was clearly defined: SampajannaSampajanna is continuous clear comprehension and thorough understanding of the impermanent nature of the physi…

《Why Vedana and What is Vedana

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