The Seven Bojjhangas ( Factors of Enlightenment )

Guard against unwholesome deeds,be restrained in bodily deeds;abandoning unwholesome deeds,practice wholesome deeds.

Kāyapakopaṃ rakkheyya,kāyena saṃvuto siyā;kāyaduccaritaṃ hitvā,kāyena sucaritaṃ care.

—Dhammapada 231

The Seven Bojjhaṅgas (Factors of Enlightenment)
S. N. Goenka

The bojjhaṅgas are the seven factors of enlightenment or qualities that have to be developed to reach the final goal of full liberation.

The first bojjhaṅga is sati, awareness. Without it, further steps on the path cannot be taken. Sati, objective observation of reality, is the most important factor because it must be continuously present every moment with every other factor.

Dhamma-vicaya is the second bojjhaṅga. The word caya or cayana means “to integrate.” Apparent truth creates much delusion and confusion. Vicaya or vicayana means to divide, dissect, disintegrate. Initially, dhamma-vicaya is intellectual. The body is analyzed as just four elements, with no “I” about it. The mind is just the four aggregates. The six sense doors, their respective objects, the contact and process of multiplication are observed. The intellectual clarity gained gives guidance to start the actual practice of Vipassana and study the truth at the actual level.

The third bojjhaṅga is viriya (effort) as in sammā-vāyāmo in the Noble Eightfold Path. Great effort is required, but the effort is not to react, to let things just happen. Even if you have been victorious in a thousand battles against a thousand warriors, this inner battle of non-reaction is more difficult because the old habit is to do something, to react. Another extreme is not to work, not to observe at all, and just let things happen. Let things happen, but also know the reality as it is. A balanced degree of effort is necessary: either too much, or none at all, doesn’t work. For example, some pressure is necessary to drill a hole in a precious gem, but too much pressure will break it. Vipassana is a middle path.

Viriya is to just observe, understanding the impermanent nature of arising and passing: practising without reaction. The liberation is done by Dhamma, by the law of nature.

As you keep practising, the fourth bojjhaṅga, pīti, develops and grows: a flow of pleasant sensations in the body. However, if you develop attachment to this free flow of subtle vibrations throughout the body, if you look for it and cling to it, it is no longer a bojjhaṅga. If the understanding of anicca (impermanence) remains—that this is still the field of mind and matter, of arising and passing—then the impurity goes away, and pīti develops and becomes a factor of enlightenment.

Then, the fifth bojjhaṅga is experienced: passaddhi, deep tranquillity and calmness. The mind becomes peaceful. Again there may be a false impression that this deep peace, never experienced before, is liberation.

Although difficult to grasp at this high stage, a subtle oscillation remains, and this sensation is called adukkhaṃasukhaṃ. In pīti, it was pleasant; now it is just peaceful, and the danger is that anicca is not experienced. Detachment from craving towards pleasant sensation or aversion towards unpleasant sensation is much easier than detachment from this feeling of peace. Be very attentive: with a very sharp mind, feel the subtle oscillation, check the six sense doors, and keep understanding that this experience is anicca.

The next enlightenment factor is samādhi—concentration or absorption. There were different types of samādhi before the Buddha became Buddha, as there are today. When eight jhānas are attained, there is a danger of feeling that the goal is attained, but this is only lokiya samādhi, which results in repeated rebirth in one plane of existence or another. Sammā-samādhi takes us out of all the planes and gives full liberation from the bondage of birth and death, and from every type of suffering. It is practised with sampajañña, the awareness of the mind-matter phenomenon and the realisation of its nature of arising and passing. The mind is concentrated on reality. Then it becomes lokuttara, beyond the planes. As the jhāna is attained, simultaneously the fruit of nibbāna is attained. With samādhi, one after the other, the meditator attains the fruit of sotāpanna, sakadāgāmī, anāgāmī, and arahant. Then samādhi becomes an enlightenment factor.

Upekkhā—equanimity is the seventh factor of enlightenment. Like sati, it must be present from the beginning to the end, at every step. Whatever other factor is worked on, awareness and equanimity must always be there.

A pure mind has all these factors. Impurities, as they are observed, come to the surface and get eradicated; but these enlightenment factors, as they are observed, one by one, come on the surface, develop, multiply and become totally fulfilled until the final goal of full enlightenment is thus reached.

When the enlightenment factor of sati is presentthe meditator understands, “Now sati is present in me.” When it not present, the meditator accepts this reality, “Now sati is not present in me.”

All the past accumulated enlightenment factor of sati now arises. Having repeatedly arisen,it is understood with wisdomand multiplies till it become complete—totally and fully attained.

Similarlytheenlightenment factors of dhamma-vicaya (analytical study of the truth), viriya (effort), pīti (rapture, while feeling pleasant sensation in the body), passaddhi (tranquillity), samādhi (concentration) and upekkhā (equanimity) are understood as simply being present or absent. The past bojjhaṅgas, which had not arisen earlier, repeatedly arise from the depth of the mind and are observed: they develop to fulfillment and, as a result, one reaches the final goal.  

Goenkaji’s Discourses on Television

UTV Action TV channel is telecasting Goenkaji’s discourses every Monday to Saturday, from 4.45 am to 5.45 am.

Dhamma Ketana, Kerala Vipassana Centre

Dhamma Ketana, the first Vipassana centre in Kerala, has been conducting ten-day courses since 2007. In all, it has conducted 30 ten-day and several 3-day, one-day and children courses so far. The present facilities include a meditation hall that can seat about 50 students. An old house on this land accommodates about 20 women. Two accommodation blocks provides dormitory accommodation for 35 men. An old cowshed has been converted to a kitchen and dining hall for 25 students at a time.

An average number of 35 students participate in each course. and about 55 students have taken part in some courses. The existing facilities are basic and insufficient to cater to the increasing number of students.

The Kerala Vipassana trust plans to build:

1. Residences for male assistant teacher and Dhamma servers (estimated cost: Rs. 400,000).

2. Dining hall for students, assistant teachers and residence for cook (estimated cost: Rs. 400,000).

Construction has started and will be completed by the end of June 2010. In the next phase, individual rooms and separate meditation hall for male students will be built.

Old students who wish to avail the opportunity of participating in this meritorious project can donate directly from any branch of State Bank of India to Kerala Vipassana Samiti SBI account no. 30052266795. (SBI Kollakadavu bank branch code is 12315, though not required for transfer of funds.)

(Please inform Dhamma Ketana with contacts details so that they can send a receipt for your donation. Tel: (0479) 235-1616

Email: info@ketana.dhamma.org

Website: www.ketana.dhamma.org)

For more details, contact: Mr. Raveendran, mobile: 098465-69891, Mr. John Jacob, 094951-08055.

Malayalam Tape and Publication Projects

The Malayalam publication, Pravachan Saransham, (translation of the Hindi book Pravachan Saransh) has been published by VRI (price: Rs.45). The second book, Dharmathinde Nirmala Dhara (translation of The Gracious Flow of Dhamma) is now under print and will be available shortly. Vipassana Newsletter in Malayalam is uploaded every month at: www.vri.dhamma.org/newsletters

Ten-day course material, one-day course material, talk to old students, Introduction to Vipassana and Group Sitting tapes have been recorded in Malayalam. Translation of Satipatthana, 20-day, 30-day and Teenagers’ course material into Malayalam is in progress.

Pali Workshop at Kolhapur

A seven-day Pali workshop has been arranged from 4 to 12 July 2010 for Hindi-speaking Vipassana meditators at Terapanth Bhavan, Jaysinghpur. Contact: Mr. Vasant Karade, Mobile: 95525-93315; Email: karadeecera@dataone.in

 

Workshop on Edicts of Emperor Ashoka

A seven-day workshop on Samrat Ashok ke Abhilekh (Edicts of Emperor Ashok) has been arranged at Jaipur from 8 to 16 August 2010 (11 am), including a visit to Bairath.

Venue: Kothari Farms (Marugandha), 2 kms off Jaipur-Ajmer Express Highway, On Bhankrota-Jaisinghpura Road, Bhankrota, Jaipur.

(The workshop is for Hindi-speaking Vipassana meditators from India and Nepal and is open to men and women.)

Registration: Mr. Anil Mehta, Mobile: 96104-01401, Email: paliworkshop@yahoo.co.in.

 

Pali Workshop at Bhuj

A ten-day Pali workshop has been arranged from 19 to 30 November 2010, only for English-speaking non-Indian Vipassana meditators.

Venue: Dhanvantari School, Pramukh Swami Char Rasta, Mundra Relocation Site, Bhuj 370 001, Kutch.

Contact: Dr. (Ms.) Shantuben Patel,

Mobile: [91] 98256-62156,

Tel: (02832) 291-366.

Email: paliworkshop@yahoo.co.in

or shantubenpatel@gmail.com 

AT Training Workshops in 2010

Schedule of AT workshops in 2010 is as follows:

North: Dhamma Sikhara, Dharamshala: 27-5 to 31-5

East: Dhamma Ganga, Kolkata: 26-7 to 30-7

Gujarat: Dhamma Divakara, Mehsana: 29-9 to 3-10

West: Dhamma Pala, Bhopal: 12-10 – 16-10

South: Dhamma Setu, Chennai: 27-10 to 31-10

Nepal: Dhamma Janani, Lumbini: 27-10 to 31-10

Assistant teachers are requested to contact the above centres for registration and more details. 

Workshops for Children’s Course Teachers

The following CCT workshops are scheduled in India in 2010:

Dhamma Kota, Rajkot: 28th May (1 pm) to 31st

May (5 pm)

Logicstat, Delhi: 27th to 31st May

Dhamma Thali, Jaipur: 11th to 14th June

Dhamma Ganga, Kolkata: 31st July to 3rd August

Children course teachers can contact the above centres for registration.

One-day course with Goenkaji on Guru Purnima

A one-day course has been arranged in the main dome of the Global Vipassana Pagoda on 25 July 2010, Sunday (Guru Purnima) from 11 am to 4 pm. Goenkaji will be present during this course. Registration for this course is compulsory. Mobile: 98928-55692, 98928-55945;

Tel: (022) 2845-1182, 2845-1170 (11 am to 5 pm).

Registration email: global.oneday@gmail.com

Online registration: www.vridhamma.org

One-Year Diploma: Teaching of the Buddha,
Vipassana Theory and Practice (2010–2011)

(Joint collaboration of VRI, Igatpuri and Department of Philosophy, University of Mumbai)

Syllabus: It covers theoretical and practical aspects: Introduction to Pali, Pali literature, related art and architecture, life and teaching of the Buddha, principles and technique of Vipassana, practical application of Vipassana in health, education, social development, etc. and other topics.

Venue: Department of Philosophy, Jnaneshwar Bhavan, University of Mumbai, Vidya Nagari Campus, Kalina, Santacruz (E), Mumbai 400 098

Application Forms: available from 1 to 15 July 2010 at Philosophy Dept (11.30 am to 3 pm, weekdays.)

Course Duration: 17 July 2010 to 31 March 2011

Timings: Every Saturday, from 3 pm to 6 pm

Eligibility: Old SSC or New HSC (12th Std.).

Requirement: Only those who will do a ten-day Vipassana course during the Diwali vacation are eligible for the examination.

Medium of Instruction: English

Contact: Dept. of Philosophy (022) 2652-7337;

Ms. Yojana Bhagat: (0251) 252-1107, 98217-71604; Mrs. Sharda Sanghvi: 92234-62805;

Vidya: 97699-89870. 

IN MEMORIAM

Mr. Sureshchandra Kathane, Vipassana Teacher, passed away peacefully on 28 April 2010 in Mumbai. He conducted many courses throughout India and served Dhamma Ketu, the Vipassana centre in Chhattisgarh, since its inception. Mr. Kathane had been suffering from eye cancer since many years and endured this illness with great equanimity.

Mr Jaya Ram Ranjitkar, Senior Assistant Teacher from Nepal, passed away peacefully early morning on 28 April 2010. He was 68 and had been suffering from liver related illness for quite some time. He had devoted all his time after retirement to Vipassana and had conducted many courses in Nepal. His family is also involved in Dhamma service.

May they be happy, peaceful and liberated!

Bāhara bāhara bhaṭakate, dukhiyā rahe jahāna;

Antaramana meṅ khoja lī, sukha kī khāna khajāna.

Always straying outward, the world remains miserable;

By searching the depths of the mind,

you tap the treasure-lode of happiness.

Hośa jage jaba dharama kā, hove dūra pramāda;

Svadarśana karate hue, cakhe mukti kā svāda.

When the clarity of Dhamma arises, delusion is dispelled;

Observing yourself,you taste the savor of liberation.

 

With much mettā,

A Vipassana meditator

Tṛṣṇā jaḍa se khoda kara, anāsakta bana jāṅya;.Bhava bandhana se chuṭana kā, yahī eka upāya.Dig out craving by the roots and become detached;This is the only way to break the bonds of becoming.Bhogata bhogata bhogate,bandhana bandhate jāṅya;Dekhata dekhata dekhate, bandhana khulate jāṅya.Rolling, rolling in pleasure and pain, we keep tying knots;Observing, observing, observing, we open all the knots.

With best compliments