ME26

Buddhist Psychotherapy

ME26  08-04-2011 (4:00 to 5:00)

(Class Notes Only)

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Literature on the 'Four Nutrients (Nutriments) ', 'food', is used in the concrete sense as material food and as such it belongs to derived corporeality.In the figurative sense, as 'foundation' or condition, it is one of the twenty four conditions (paccaya) and is used to denote four kinds of nutrient, which are material and mental:
     1. Kabalinkārāhāra (material food),
     2. Phassāhāra (‘sensorial and mental’ impression),
     3. Mano-sañcetanāhāra (mental volition),
     4. Viññānāhāra (consciousness).
Material food feeds the eightfold corporeality having nutrient essence as its eight factor (i.e. the solid, liquid, heat, motion, colour, odour, the taste and nutrient essence; rūpakalāpa). Sensorial and mental impression is a condition for the three kinds of feeling (agreeable, disagreeable and indifferent).Mental volition (karma) feeds rebirth; paticcasamuppāda.

Consciousness feeds mind and corporeality (nāma - rūpa) at the moment of conception". Rupa matter- form, material body (physical phenomenon), shape, corporeality. The basic meaning of this word is "appearance" or "form." It is used, however, in a number of different contexts, taking on different shades of meaning in each. In lists of the objects of the senses, it is given as the object of the sense of sight. As one of the khandhā, it refers to physical phenomena or sensations. This is also the meaning it carries when opposed to nāma, or mental phenomena.

Material; Apart from citta and cetasika which are realities, there is another reality. Rupa are always influenced by one or more of four causes namely kamma, citta, utu, and ahara. Rupa are always changing as citta and cetasika, they are relatively slower than nama dhamma. Rupa can never know anything. But rupa serve various functions in connection with nama dhamma citta and cetasika. In terms of their intrinsic character, there are twenty eight separate paramattha rupa.

We are guilty of all four of the Nutrients stated. These are explained as being necessary for existence but all are traps of cravings and desire. The Kabalinkārāhāra is translated as ordinary material food, if we will be wanting the one which we feel tastes. The Phassāhāra is contact with the outside world. This is inescapable and influential at the same time, “Every bit of our stream of consciousness is taken over by society and the reaction they have to we, which is easily recognized as selfish and greedy behaviour. 

Viññānāhāra is simple consciousness of what is around us. From my understanding, what is around us, is temptation, evil. Manosañcetanāhāra, the mental violation, the thoughts that creep into our mind about anything and everything. These are the thoughts, that are never our understanding of the Second Noble Truth has greatly increased, and I feel that this is an experience all go through. The entire concept of desire is inescapable in our day and time, and that is something that we as spiritual beings have to deal with.

According to the ‘Dhammapada’; while residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse, with reference to King Pasenadi of Kosala. One day the King went to the monastery to pay homage to the Buddha soon after having a heavy meal. The King was in the habit of taking one-quarter basketful cooked rice and meat curry. While he was in the presence of the Buddha, the King felt so drowsy that he kept on nodding and could hardly keep himself awake. Then he said to the Buddha, “Venerable sir! I have been in great discomfort since I have taken my meal.” To him the Buddha replied “Yes, O king! Gluttons do suffer in this manner.”

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
     "Middhī ỵadā hoti mahagghaso ca, niddāyitā samparivattasāyī.
      mahāvarāhova nivāpapuṭṭho, punappunaṁ gabbhamupeti mando."(325)
“The stupid one, who is lazy, gluttonous , and drowsy, who just wallows like a well-fed pig, is subject to repeated rebirths.”
It is more tasty, more clear and drives the point home very strongly. The middha means very drowsy; middhī yadā hoti mahāggaso ca - one feels very sleepy, having eaten a great deal of food; niddāyitā samparivattasāyī - sleeping, tossing in bed, turning in the bed, back and forth; mahā varāho va nivāpa puṭṭho - like a very big pig in the mud, punappunaṃ gabbha mupeti mando - a fool will go back and forth in life and gabbhaṃ upeti mean comes to life, comes to birth, again and again. So, one who eats a lot until his belly is full, of course, after that feels very sleepy, and keeps sleeping, tossing, turning back and forth in the bed, twisting because his belly is so full, and falls asleep, and loves to sleep. And that is another mental bewilderment called wilderness in the mind.

"After hearing the discourse the King, having understood the message, gradually the amount of food he took. As a result, he become much more active and alert and therefore also happy.

In the paccavekkhanā Buddha said, “Patisankhā yonīso piñdapātaṁ patisevāmī- Considering it thoughtfully, I use alms food; Neva davāya na madāya na mandanāya na vibhῡsanāya- Not playfully, nor for intoxication, nor for putting on bulk, nor for beautification;

Yāva deva imassa kāyassa thītīyā yāpanāya vihiṁsuparatiyā brahmacariyānuggahāya - but simply for the survival and continuance of this body, for ending its afflictions, for the support of the holy life; Itī purañca vedanam patihankhāmi navañca vedanam na uppadessāmi- thus I will destroy old feelings of hunger and not create new feelings from overeating- Yatrā ca me bhavissati anavajjatā ca phāsu-viharo cāti- I will maintain myself, be blameless and live in comfort.”

by Ashin Indaka (Kyone Pyaw)

ME26

Buddhist Psychotherapy

ME26  01-04-2011       (4:00 to 5:00)

(Class Notes Only)

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The Buddhism accepts the necessity of the wealth and the man cannot live without any wealth. The primary thing of living being is food. All living beings depend on food (Sabbhe sattā ahara thitikā). The poverty is considered as a suffering that we avoided (Daliddiyaṁ bhikkhave dukkhaṁ).

The Buddha taught a practical method to help mankind escape from the bonds of suffering (The Eightfold Noble Path). He's theme was the same: sīla (morality), samādhi control of the mind (samatha), and pañña (purification of the mind by wisdom). The Silas build concentration (Samadhi) easily, then insight knowledge arises seeing Rūpa (corporeality or nature of bodies) and Nāma (mind or mentality) as they really are. It should be known that the meditator can discern Rūpa.“In the Theravada Abhidhamma, rūpa is analyzed into 28 states as far as the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha is concerned.”

Buddhism always points out the way to remove suffering. Man with poverty gives raise more difficulties to live long. According to Buddhism, if a man afflicted with poverty, he is led to do unrighteous things such as killing(pāṇatipāta), stealing(adinnādāna), struggling, and fighting and so on. The unwholesome (akusala) actions are mentioned in the sutta as follows:

Physical (body) is Killing living beings , stealing others things and unlawful engagement in sensual pleasures, Verbal is Lying, slandering, using rough words and gossiping. These are related to the physical, verbal and mental behavior of people.

Cakkavattisisihanada Sutta says, “When the wealth is not produced, the poverty may be developed; when the poverty developed, the stealing may be developed; when stealing developed, the production of weapon may be developed; when the producing of weapon developed, the fighting and killing may be developed”. The Buddhism always advised not to engage in bad activities. Therefore the richness of the wealth is necessary to prevent those activities.

We might have an expanded self-representation, but we certainly do not through such experiences wholly abandon the process of identification with self-representation; nor do we lose a metaphysical self, which from the Buddhist perspective we do not have to begin with.

Furthermore, ego functions that constitute the empirical or psychologically functioning self are not lost. Let’s for the moment accept that pride (māna), the sense, “the eye(cakkhu), the ear(sota), the nose(ghāṇa), the tongue(jivhā) and the body(kāya),” that I am higher, lower, or simply, “am” is a mental function that is sometimes present and sometimes absent from our consciousness(viññnāṇa).

The states may be instances when the mental function of māna is not operative; it is temporarily dispelled (tadanga-pahāna). We continue to struggle in the west to move beyond earlier models that pathologized non-ordinary states. Our inquiry would be more productive if we focused on discriminating clearly how spiritual states may retain ordinary functions yet complement these functions with other qualities.

The next form has to do with the meditative absorptions, that is, states of concentration during which the sense of self (māna) is absent, technically indentified as abandoned through suppression (vikkhambana-pahāna){pahana is discussion ‘pa + hana’}, The last form is insight realization. There actually are a variety states here: states in the higher stages of insight, states related to path and fruition consciousness, and those following full realization.

In particular, during and succeeding full enlightenment, identification with a particular sense of self (māna) would be given up through eradication (samuccheda-pahāna) leaving the practitioner free of such identification. Once meditators have embarked on practice and become familiar with the orientation of Buddhist inquiry, they may from time to time have variety meditative experiences in and out of meditation that will reflect ever-deepening realization, cognitive and affective, and culminate in dis-identification with the core sense of self. However, opens a valuable window when he points out that even in traditional psychotherapy, there are unintended and unnoticed moments of freedom from selfrepresentation.

This dissolution makes it possible for distorted images of oneself to change when they emerge in consciousness. The practitioner can be effectively harnessed to a task that Buddhism shares with other spiritual traditions, that of reducing identification with and attachment to our self-representations.

Particularly if she or he is in dialogue, or engaged in verbal self-reflection in the company of someone who can mirror, hold, or indentify spiritual states such as spaciousness, clarity or presence.

by Ashin Indaka (Kyone Pyaw)

ME26

Buddhist Psychotherapy

ME26  24-03-2011    (4:00 to 5:00)

(Class Notes Only)

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What is Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is an interactive process between a person and a qualified mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, etc,). Seeking help for mental, emotional, spiritual or relationship issues can be difficult, you want to be sure you have the right "mental health professional" to oversee you care, so you can take control of any dilemmas in your life.

Buddhist psychotherapy has to be a science of mind which also studies the specific Buddhist approaches to mind. Therefore it has to hold good against all the criteria of science, such as methodological reliability of procedures, consistency of theoretical statements, etc. The Buddhist psychology became very fashionable towards the end of the twentieth century.

Buddhist psychology in an inclusive way us to view the various specifically Buddhist practices of preaching, teaching and counseling from a psychotherapeutic standpoint. Buddhist psychological knowledge under the following headings:
1. Adhisīlasikkhā - control of performance serves as a starting point for all procedures;
2. Adhicittasikkhā - purification of mind by means of meditation removes the defilements
    of greed and hate, which otherwise distort consciousness and invalidate knowledge.
3. Adhipaññasikkhā- transcendence through wisdom aims at an individually experienced
    realization of happiness and peace.
Buddha's Dhamma includes ethics; it cannot be regarded as some philosophical system. We continuous practice of the Dhamma. The practice of the Buddha's Dhamma is most comprehensively defined through the paradigm of the Four Noble Truths, (this Noble Eightfold Path.) The Buddha’s first sermon on setting the Wheel of the Dhamma (the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta), is on the ground of avoidance of two extremes of Sassatavada and Ucchedavada. The Buddha explained the Dhamma in the following words;
     1. Dukkha-ariyasaccā -This is suffering,
     2. Samudaya-ariyasaccā- This is the origin of suffering, is attachment,
     3. Nirodha-ariyasaccā - This is the cessation of suffering, is attainable,
     4. Magga-ariyasaccā -This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

The Buddha showed the newly discovered path to emancipation, "Ariya atthangikamagga" the Noble Eightfold Path or "Majjhima patipadā" the Middle Path. This avoids the two extremes of sensual indulgence and self-mortification. Middle Path is defined in the same sermon as "without entering into either extreme" (Ubho ante anupagamma.) These Eightfold Path as follows;
     1. Right Understanding (Sammā dithi)
     2. Right Thought (Sammā sankappa)
     3. Right Speech (Sammā vācā)
     4. Right Action (Sammā kammanta)
     5. Right Livelihood (Sammā ājīva)
     6. Right Effort (Sammā vāyama)
     7. Right Mindfulness (Sammā sati)
     8. Right Corcentration (Sammā samādhi)
The early Buddhist discourses referred to the mutual opposition between the two Sassatavāda (eternalism) and Ucchedavāda (annihilationism) views. Sassatvāda emphasizes the duality between the soul and the body. Deliverance of the soul, its perpetuation in a state of eternal bliss, thus requires the mortification of the flesh, represented in the Buddhist texts as Attakilamathānuyoga (self-mortification) which led to variety of ascetic practices during the time of the Buddha.

Ucchedavāda (Materialism) believes that 'man is a pure product of the earth awaiting annihilation at death. His aim in this temporary life thus cannot be the rejection of sense - pleasures in the pursuit of a higher spiritual ideal which is described in the Buddhist tents as Kāmasukhalikānuyoga (sensual gratification). Thus, these two represent the practical aspects of the two theories of Sassatavāda and Ucchedavāda.

According to the Dhammacakkapavattana Sutta, Right understanding (sammā dithi) of the First Noble Truth (effect) leads to the eradication (pahātabba) of craving. The Second Noble Truth (cause) thus deals with the mental attitude of the ordinary man towards the external objects of sense. The Third Noble Truth (effect) is that there may be a complete cessation of suffering possible, which is Nibbāna, the ultimate good of Buddhists.

This Nibbāna is to be comprehended (Sacchikātabba) by the mental eye by renouncing all attachment to the external world. This First Truth of suffering which depends on this so called being and various aspects of life, is to be carefully perceived, analyzed and examined (pariññeyya). This Third Noble Truth has to be realized by developing (bhāvetabba) the Noble Eight fold Path (ariya atthangika magga). This unique path is the only straight way to Nibbāna.

by Ashin Indaka (Kyone Pyaw)

ME26

Buddhist Psychotherapy

ME26  19-03-2011      (4:00 to 5:00)

(Class Notes Only)

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The Vipassanā(Pañña) meditation research into the application of Vipassana in daily life. The Enlightened One wandered from place to place, teaching the Dhamma in villages and towns out of infinite love and compassion. The Buddha taught a practical method to help mankind escape from the bonds of suffering: the Eightfold Noble Path (Ekāyano ayaṃmaggo).

He's theme was the same: sīla (morality), samādhi control of the mind (samatha), and pañña (purification of the mind by wisdom). He declared: Dhamma is universal. Dhamma is the law of nature. He taught that every person must discover for himself what is conducive to his own good and welfare, and the good and welfare of others. He gave to humanity its first charter of freedom, gave the possibility of a way out. The door to freedom opened. To practice insight meditation in accordance with the four foundations of mindfulness is the only way to purify the mind of practitioners. It leads them to the cessation of suffering and the attainment of Nibbana. Practitioners must first purify their Silas. The Silas build concentration (Samadhi) easily, then insight knowledge arises seeing Rūpa (corporeality or nature of bodies) and Nāma (mind or mentality) as they really are. It should be known that the meditator can discern Rūpa and has entered Rupapariccheda- ñana.

In the early teaching of the Buddha, the empirical word is analyzed, as clearly stated in the Khandhavagga Samyutta, is based on the truths of :
          rūpa (physical phenomenon),
          vedanā (feeling),
          saññā (perception),
          saṅkhāra (mental fashionings)
          viññāna (consciousness).
These five groups of existence, life’s basic factors. While rūpa refers to the physical reality and the other four groups refer to the mental reality. While the meditator is being mindful of his hand, his foot stretching or bending, his body dropping to sit down or supporting his body to stand up, these features of movement arise from many small combined movements. Buddhist morality distinguishes healthy, right and moral actions from those that are unhealthy, wrong and immoral action. In the Pali canon, we find many moral concepts which play an important role in the moral life of a Buddhist even today.

The terms Kusala (wholesome) and puñña (merit) are the most important of these. These Kusala actions lead to nirvāṇa, Akusala (unwholesome) actions make one deviate from the path of liberation. The Buddha once said that one becomes endowed with right vision (sammā diṭṭhi) through the knowledge of both wholesome and unwholesome actions and their roots. He recommends the wiping out of akusala through kusala ones, since such eradication brings happiness.

Buddhism recommendes the five precepts (pañca sila) for lay Buddhists and other morally higher precepts for monks, all these moral virtues, in one way or another. The five precepts, for example are common to many religious traditions.Since Buddhism recognizes the worth of all living beings, Buddhist precepts include all livings beings withing their scope.

When one practices the meditation on living kindness (mettā), one has to develop loving kindness to all beings (sabbē sattā bhavantu sukhitattā). In the Metta Sutta of the Suttanipāta this universal loving kindness is highlighted as follows: may all beings be happy and secure; may their minds be contented etc,. Let one’s thoughts of boundless love pervade trained in sīla, one is in a good position to train one’s mind (citta).

The second stage is samādhi (concentration) which includes three components: right effort (sammā vāyāma). Right mindfulness (sammāsati) and right concentration (sammā samādhi).These three elements train one’s mind to a state of samādhi. The third stage of the gradual path is wisdom (pañña) which includes right view (sammā diṭtṭhi) and right thoughts (sammā saṃkappa). Wisdom enables one to see reality as it is (yathābhūta). Wisdom arises only in a concentrated mind (samādhi citta). Thus, through a gradual process of training (anupubbasikkhā), working out (anupubbakiriyā), and practice (anupubbapaṭipadā), the spiritual seeker reaches moral perfection. On one occasion, the Buddha explains how morality leads one to nirvāṇa.

In this case the the spiritual path in this world and the ultimate goal are interconnected and interrelated within the process of leading the spiritual seeker to moral perfection. It is important to examine the way Buddhism explains the relatioship between moral actions and the nature of the internal mental process. Early Buddhism offers a causal and psychologycal analysis both of the external behavior of the individual and of his or her internal dispositions.

Buddhism views immoral actions such as stealing (adinnādāna), killing (pāṇātipāta), lying (musāvāda),etc., the unwholesome (akusala) actions are mentioned in the sutta as follows: Physical (body) is Killing living beings , stealing others things and unlawful engagement in sensual pleasures, Verbal is Lying, slandering, using rough words and gossiping, and Mental is Greediness, malevolence and holding wrong views. These are related to the physical, verbal and mental behavior of people.

Anusayas which can be eliminated through wisdom, exist until one attains enlightement, Through wisdom. At the time of enlightenment one achieves internal purification and intergration of one’s internal dispositions with physical actions. The relationship between morality and wisdom is another important aspect of Budhism. The Buddha points out that morality and wisdom are interrelated and mutually activate each other.

 by Ashin Indaka (Kyone Pyaw)

ME26

Buddhist Psychotherapy

ME26  11-03-2011       (4:00 to 5:00)

(Class Notes Only)

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Specific Characteristics of Buddhist Psychotherapy- (i) Wide concept of humanity- seven abodes of consciousness, (ii) Clear and direct ethical path leading to a specific aim (nibbāna), (iii) Mundane benefits such as health, happiness and Social harmony are also taken into consideration along the path leading to nibbāna, (iv) Predominance of consciousness in human personality, (v) Instead of controlling external factors for mental health developing the mentality of people to face with challenges, and (vi) Ultimate mental health cannot be achieved without eradicating greed, hatred and delusion. So the real mental health means the attainment of nibbāna. Then, Fundamentals of Buddhist Psychotherapy- (i) Greed, hatred, delusion, (ii) Five groups of grasping, (iii) Morality, concentration, wisdom, (iv) Four Noble Truths, (v) Tadańga, Vikkhambhana, Samuucheda pahāna, (vi) Four kinds of food, (vii) Kamma, and (viii) Sabbāsavasutta. (hand-out)

In the Mahānidāna sutta, it gives an extended treatment of the teachings of dependent coarising (Paṭiccasamuppāda) and not-self (anaṭṭa) in an outlined context of how these teachings function in practice. The first part of the discourse takes the factors of dependent co-arising in sequence from effect to cause, tracing them down to the mutual dependency of name-and-form on the one hand, and consciousness on the other. In connection with this point, it is worth noting that the word "great" in the title of the discourse may have a double meaning: modifying the word "discourse".

The second part of the discourse, taking up the teaching of not-self, shows how dependent co-arising gives focus to this Buddha's teaching in practice. The following section is Seven Stations of Consciousness “Satta viññāṇaṭṭhiti”, there are these seven stations of consciousness and two spheres “Satta viññāṇaṭṭhitiyo, dve āyatanāni”. "There are beings with diversity of body and diversity of perception, such as human beings, some Devas, and some beings in the lower realms. This is the first station of consciousness.

"There are beings with diversity of body and singularity of perception, such as the devas of the Brahma hosts generated by the first (jhāna) and some beings in the four realms of deprivation. This is the second station of consciousness. "There are beings with singularity of body and diversity of perception, such as the Radiant Devas. This is the third station of consciousness. "There are beings with singularity of body and singularity of perception, such as the Beautifully Lustrous Devas. This is the fourth station of consciousness. "There are beings who, with the complete transcending of perceptions of (physical) form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not heeding perceptions of diversity, (perceiving), 'Infinite space,' arrive at the dimension of the infinitude of space. This is the fifth station of consciousness.

"There are beings that, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space, (perceiving), 'Infinite consciousness,' arrive at the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. This is the sixth station of consciousness. "There are beings that, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, (perceiving), 'There is nothing,' arrive at the dimension of nothingness. This is the seventh station of consciousness.

"The dimension of non-percipient beings and, second the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception” “Asaññasattāyatanaṃ nevasaññānāsaññāyatanameva dutiyaṃ.” These are the two spheres. The best way to overcome the problems is to develop morality, concentration and wisdom. With the aid of Sīla, Samādhi and Pañña, mental problems can be eliminated. In fact, such rejects are called temporary rejection ‘Tadańga’, timely rejection ‘Vikkhambhana’ and completely rejection ‘Samuccheda pahāna’. By explaining the nature of the world through Four Noble Truths, one can remove mental disease to some extent. What’s more, to attain a happy and healthy way of living, Ahara is considered as an important factor. There are four kinds of Food according to Buddhism. Mental food is more important than material foods. This is a kind of mental support. It is evident that just as material food is important, so also, mental food is essential on the way to happiness. 

This is why they are considered as vital factors of the fundamentals. Then, cause and effect theory of Kamma is also considered as a basic aspect in Buddhist psychotherapy. If one were suffered from the bad kammic action, one would not be cured. To cure that problem is to develop one’s good kamma by doing what is good. And kamma can be used as a tool to console one when in bad condition. Because of Kamma, people are different from one another not only in social status but also in education standards and so on. In the commentary on Sabbāsavasutta, it is said that Dassana and Bhāvanā are very important factors.

Through understanding and meditation, we can overcome all kinds of problems. On taking care of a patient, it is also necessary to apply behavioral therapy. It can be seen in the story of Padācārī. Then, Sila, Smadhi and Panna together with other things mentioned above, can be used as a tool of Buddhist psychotherapy. They must be used according to suitable situation. In fact, these three cannot be separated from one another. They are interrelated. In conclusion, by practicing and developing all of them methodically, one can escape from mental problems, and finally these fundamentals will lead one to the attainment of real happiness, Nibbāna.

by Ashin Indaka (Kyone Pyaw)