In conversation with ven. gunaratana -- Impressions by Dr. Jeffrey Po

JPO : Is there any special technique that you teach in your meditation retreats?

Ven : We use Vipassana which is taught by the Lord Buddha Gotama and which can be found in the various discourses. We use them to teach and use the Four Foundation of Mindfulness (satipatthana) and Mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati). Our techniques are drawn from them and also from other discourses (suttas). We start with anapanasati and then proceed with other practices that involve both tranquility meditation (samatha) and insight meditation (vipassana).Those two must always go hand in hand to complete the whole process of meditation. By doing so, the practitioner will complete the entirety of the Noble Eightfold Path.

JPO : It is said that the samatha type of meditation is pre-Buddhistic. Can you comment on this?

Pre-Buddhistic Meditation

Ven : Sure, even before His enlightenment and as Prince Siddhattha and a bodhisatta, He practiced this method. Even today, all meditation traditions possess some tranquility meditation. With this, one can gain concentration (samadhi). But what the Lord Buddha Gotama did was to incorporate this technique with His own experiences and then polished and refined the then tranquility type of meditation. He then added the insight meditation (vipassana) and developed the system into an integrated whole. There is a difference between tranquility meditation prior to the improvements made by Him and the tranquility meditation refined by Him. The former is known as "wrong concentration" and the improved version is the "right concentration". The difference is that the Noble Eightfold Path is absent in the "wrong concentration" It is not supported by the seven factors of the Noble Eightfold Path. With "wight concentration" this is supported and the eighth factor is therefore called "right concentration" (samma samadhi). The technique is therefore complete. The "right concentration" must be supported with right view; right understanding and so on, and especially right mindfulness.

Problems Faced By Beginners

JPO : Many beginner meditators complain of physiological (backaches, headaches, etc) or psychological problems (disorientation, personality shifts, sense of loneliness, etc). What will your advice be to them?

Ven : This means they have been practising the wrong type of meditation. If they get instructions from a really good reliable teacher and keep in touch with the teacher and express whatever change in experience they may face, then the teacher could be able to give them proper guidance to avoid those negative effects. For instance, headaches ?it is not something unusual. Through discussions and interviews, the teacher should be able to help and support the meditator. Secondly, sometimes people experience fear so the teacher needs to find out the reasons for such fear. Then, some people react in violent ways and so we have to find out the reason why. The teacher must be skilful to solve those problems. There are systems and methods to overcome those difficulties.

JPO : This situation is okay if the meditation teacher is around. But what happens if he is a visiting teacher or if a meditator merely visits another country to participate in a meditation programme?

Ven : It is not easy for any teacher to be with his students all the time. But there are modern methods of communication such as telephones, internet, emails and CDs. Responses may not be quick from the teacher as he may not be available all the time, but his assistants may be able to help handle the problems. Because of its immense benefits, meditation is becoming more and more popular today. Unfortunately, there is lack of qualified meditation teachers and those few who are available, are really very busy. But if you express your problems, you can be assured a reply will be sent.

JPO : Do you vary your teaching techniques according to your audience, for instance, to the Western as against the Eastern audiences?

Ven : Many people try to make the distinction, but really there is no difference. However, sometimes it is easier to discipline the Westerners. For instance, when silence is required during a retreat ?well, Easterners always like to talk while most Westerners will write whatever they want to express so as to maintain their silence. The Westerners are serious practitioners and will observe the rules. In general, we try to teach the concept of greed (lobha), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha) to all meditators and those concepts possess no geographical boundaries. In this respect, the Dhamma applies to all.

JPO : Do participants bring along with them their religious beliefs also?

Ven : I believe it is good for people to ask questions and have doubts. Our duty is to be patient and try to answer them according to the Dhamma. We don't discourage people from asking questions. The truth must finally come out.

JPO : Were there instances where meditators say, "Well, look here - I want to learn meditation only and don't want to listen to what the Buddha says?

Misunderstanding of Meditation

Ven : Sure, in fact some have requested only for vipassana and to exclude the Dhamma. Here, there is some misunderstanding of what vipassana is. You cannot study vipassana without dealing with the core teachings of the Buddha. Therefore, we don't use labels and words. We just explain the truth and soon they will realize the interconnectedness of all aspects of meditation. To those who are really fanatical and rigid ?they will eventually drop out. But if they want to persist, then we teach simple type of meditation and tell them that their meditation will not be successful and meaningful. You cannot divorce meditation from the Dhamma and there are many serious meditators who know this.

JPO : In your experience, what percentage of meditators participate in a meditation programme merely for "mental relaxation" and do not wish to proceed to the deeper aspects of the subject?

Ven : Well, a large portion simply wants to meditate for "relaxation" -- they want a quick and cheap fix to cope with their daily lives. There are many psychiatrists and psychologists who use meditation for such purpose ?as a method of relieving anxieties and tensions. Today, the word "meditation" has been misused and abused. It is now been misunderstood. There was one occasion when someone wanted to practice vipassana but do not wish to have anything to do with mindfulness! How can this be?

Buddha's Concept of Meditation

JPO : I would believe that during the time of the Lord Buddha Gotama, the word used for meditation was "bhavana" which, during that time, was taken to mean as a sort of mental culture. Can you comment please?

Ven : Yes, the Lord Buddha Gotama used that word in cultivating the mind in a spiritual field, not only just to relax but to slowly remove all psychic irritants and to purify the mind that eventually remove us from the causes of our sufferings and liberate us from the repetitions of birth and death. Lord Buddha Gotama's concept of meditation is to achieve this lofty goal of liberation and He used this term "bhavana" It is the method whereby the entire Noble Eightfold Path is achieved so that suffering can be removed. Through the practice of "bhavana" the meditator realized that suffering should be understood; cause of suffering should be abandoned; the path leading to the end of suffering should be practised and Nibbana should be realized. The Lord Buddha Gotama used the word "bhavana" in that sense ?not mental relaxation or alleviation of tensions and anxieties.

JPO : In meditation, it is said that one needs to develop one's intellectual capacities by understanding the Dhamma more and also to broaden one's experiential boundaries. Are there any sort of percentage requirements?

Ven : Actually, one third of the entire thing is theoretical understanding; one third is the practice and the final one third is the realization. Only then is meditation practice complete. You must understand what meditation is about first. Then you practise and finally the realization to the truth unfolds. It does not mean you must attend theoretical classes first though it would be helpful and there is no point to just practise in-out breathing without knowing the reasons why. The theory and practice should go together.

JPO : Thank you, Bhante.