..续本文上一页se vibrations act as a barrier and prevent one from going to the depth of the mind.
Suppose one has to search for oil fields under the ocean-bed. During the monsoon, the search has to be stopped because it is not possible to do this work of searching in the depth of the ocean when there are high tidal waves. When the monsoon is over and the rain has stopped, the high tidal waves subside. Now it is possible to search for oil fields even though the tidal waves have not completely ceased. Similarly, there are waves of defilements in the mind. But when one breaks any sīla whether one kills or steals or takes intoxicants or tells lies or commits sexual misconduct there are such high tidal waves of impurities created on the surface part of the mind that one cannot go to the depth. If one has to work at the depth of the mind, a situation has to be created where even though there are waves of defilements, they do not multiply and cause such high tidal waves of impurities in the mind.
The entire atmosphere of the meditation centre is helpful in achieving this. The rules, the discipline, the timetable must be followed strictly. If one works with discipline, one gets the benefits. People come to a meditation centre not to enjoy a picnic or a ten-day holiday from the responsibilities of life, but to meditate, to remove the defilements in the mind by practising extremely serious meditation. One has to work very seriously and continuously. Therefore, after understanding, accepting and following the rules, one begins to work earnestly.
What work does one do
The work starts by learning the technique of concentrating the mind. To concentrate the mind, one has to take the help of some object of concentration. There are many objects with the help of which one can practise to concentrate the mind. The Buddha, who discovered Vipassana, gave us an object that always remains with us. This object of concentration is with us from birth and continues until the moment of death. Our own breath keeps coming in, keeps going out, from the time of our birth and until the time of our death. Whether one is asleep or awake, sitting or standing, walking or travelling or eating or drinking, in every state, the breath is coming in, the breath is going out. This breath becomes our object of concentration. Natural, normal breath, as it comes in, as it goes out. One only has to observe it, and do nothing else. There is no need to do any exercise of the breath or to control the breath. Nothing artificial, only observation of the natural breath, as it is. If it is deep, one is aware it is deep; if it is shallow, one is aware it is shallow. If it passes through the left nostril, one is aware it is passing through the left nostril. If it passes through the right nostril, one is aware it is passing through the right nostril. If it is passing through both nostrils, one is aware it is passing from both nostrils.
Our only work is to observe, to be aware; that is all. This is not an exercise of controlling and regulating respiration. It is not prānāyāma at all. Prānāyāma has its own benefits but it is a totally different technique. It has nothing to do with Vipassana. In Vipassana, one just objectively observes, as it is, whatever truth about oneself is being revealed moment-by-moment. The technique is of pure observation; it is not an exercise of the breath. The breath comes naturally. Keeping the attention at the entrance of the nostrils, inside the nostrils, up to the inner passages of the nostrils, one observes the incoming and outgoing breath. The breath is coming in; the breath is going out. It is coming in, it is going out. One is not controlling it in any way. There is no need to make any change in it. If it is passing through the left nostril, there is no need to ma…
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