10 days @ VIPASSNA.......THE GOLDEN 10 DAYS

HELLO ALL,


          I am writing my experience about my  vipassna course just after coming from there as the golden experience is still fresh. Although it was the second time I visited there but the concept this time was clearer. so people whatever I am writing here is my own and pure experience. before sharing it I also want to tell you what is vippasana. so people this article will be too long. have patience and read it because it will be of your concern and you may find out the solution of your confused and tensed mind.

now first of all we should know 

What is vipassana ?

vipassana is a meditation technique discovered by Gautam Buddha 25 centuries ago. For one thing we are lucky that the technique is discovered in India but for another thing we are unlucky that India has lost the purity of the technique.but thanks to the country myanmar which maintained its purity and Ashoka the great who after 300 years of the death of gautam buddha spread the technique in nieghbouring countries and the technique still exist. but still people are not aware about it or have some misunderstandings. as lot many impure meditation technique are existing which makes the people suspicious.

What Vipassana is not:

It is not a rite or ritual based on blind faith.It is neither an intellectual nor a philosophical entertainment.It is not a rest cure, a holiday, or an opportunity for socializing.It is not an escape from the trials and tribulations of everyday life.

What Vipassana is:

It is a technique that will eradicate suffering.It is a method of mental purification which allows one to face life's tensions and problems in a calm, balanced way.It is an art of living that one can use to make positive contributions to society.

Vipassana is  a pali word where Passana means to see and vipassana means to see what is real. The technique is to observe what is real? as because reality is not same for every natural being. it is different for everyone, So reality cannot be defined by anyone for you. Reality for you can be taught by you yourself only. Reality is different for each time. An example reality can be different in two different. In a single sentence reality is impermanent.

WHY KNOW THE REALITY?

A very good question. what is the importance of knowing the reality? when you are not aware  of reality you are in dark or some expectations arises.  the two evils will arise craving and aversion. and now you may have got the answer that if reality doesn't matched with expectations, either it may give either joy or grief, you react it and again it may lead to further  cravings and aversion. and this is how the life of a human beings walks on vicious circular path. which will never let you to be enlightened.enlightenment is one of the end goal of human path but cannot achieve it if the vicious circle goes on. This vicious circle can be stopped only when all your sufferings got ended and again this is impossible if you continue reacting your cravings and aversion. and now how can it be stopped? the final answer: to observe the reality within oneself.

It is a practical approach of knowing the reality

        Well this is not what told by the technique.As you can know it by reading any religious books. whether it can be srimad bhagwad gita, quran, bible, gurugranth saheb. but books don't talk about how to get aware of the reality. Religious books can't train you practically.So here is the solution of the practical approach. VIPASSANA MEDITATION tells you how to work practically.

     

Why vipassana technique?

See this is the point where many people doubt. there are many techniques to get enlightened, but why only vipassana. every religion trains you for meditation but religion creates dependency on any object or person. and this leads to many rites and rituals. for example the word OM is of the purest sound and can be used as a meditation tool but now it  has taken a religious form. A mosque or a church is the best place for meditation because there is a peace for meditation. but now certain rites and rituals have been emerged out.

What do we learn in vipassana?

the technique used our body as a tool to meditate. here 3 techniques you will learn i.e.

1. Aana Pana---to improve concentration this will be great helpful in vipassana

2 Vipassana--to observe the reality in our body from head to feet, to feel the subtle to subtlest sensations in our body coming in, going out every moment.

3  Mangal maitri-- spreading love and kindness

now you may be thinking YE MEDITATION AUR VIPASSANA DUKHIYARE AUR TRAST LOGO KE LIYE HOGA MERE LIYE NAHI........(meditation and vipassana is for poor and unsuccessfull people but not for me)

to make you clear you cannot root out your worries, anger, fear, doubts through watching movies, visiting parties,playing games,reading books etc. Only thing you can do is to skip them for some time. they are best ways to take away your attention from them.

        vipassana makes you to enjoy real peace real harmony within oneself. vipassana if under deep practice can make you fully enlightened.

so this is what I have to tell about the technique for further doubts visit dhamma.org which will explain you more about it. The story starts on 15th november 2012 when I decided to attend 2nd time 10-day vipassana course. the first one was just introductory course.but this time I wanted to perform very well. I prepared myself to get ready for the course commenced on 17th november 2012 with one of my friend Manpreet Singh(his first course), whom I have not convinced and not even told what is it all about? all he wanted to do is to take noble silence for 10 days which is one of the most challenging technique.

Day 00

           I departured from home at 3;30 with Manpreet's bike to vipassana centre which is almost 15 km from bhopal city. there were around 40-45 student including some foreigners. We had registrations took out all our religious dhagas, tabeez gave all our important belongings like mobile, diaries,purse etc. we cannot have contact with outside world. we were given separate residential quarters consisting of one room and a washroom. balties, mirror, hot & cold water, a bed, mosquito net, and many living amenities were provided to us. My mind has already started working on the technique from day 0 for that I didn't interact with anyone there as it may disturb the loneliness. we had supper of namkeen khichdi in the evening. I had it after bath. After that we have to attend the meeting where we have to accept the 8 sheelas. They were:

1. to abstain from killing any being;
2. to abstain from stealing;
3. to abstain from all sexual activity;
4. to abstain from telling lies;
5. to abstain from all intoxicants.
6. to abstain from eating after midday;
7. to abstain from sensual entertainment and bodily decorations
8. to abstain from using high or luxurious beds.

sila means moral conduct which helps in samadhi i.e. concentration of mind and this will help in panna means purifying the;mind.

so now you may have seen the challenges. but the biggest challenge is to remain silent and stay away from outside world for 9 days. it means whatever the good or bad news in the outside world. you can't have any connection. That was the biggest challenge when you can't have contact even with your family.

at 7:15 PM....We have now been alloted our seats at dhamma hall. a group hall for meditation. here I have to sit on the same seat for complete 10 days. I got seat and the teacher S.N GOENKA (through tape recorder) started teaching the first lesson of aana paana after taking deeksha from the students. we remain seated there till 8:30 pm. after I went back to residential quarter

the timetable I maintained for 9 days were like this

DAY 01 I was eager to work on the technique. day 01 was great. We had to focus on our breathe for the whole day. I tried to concentrate even at the time of having lunch or taking rest. I was also very careful about the 8 silas. timetable was maintained strictly. DAY 02 I was very happy that I cleared the first day with good efforts.second day was focussed on the same process of aana pana where we have to feel the touch of the breathe while breathing. biggest challenge there was to control thoughts. I tried my best to control them but after 5-6 minutes when I was fully busy in my thought, realized Oh! I am here to work for observing my breathe. Teacher was also reminding us not to feel disappointed when the situation arises. I did so. DAY 03 last two days were quiet great. I gave my 100% efforts. but now situation is getting more challenging on 3rd day. today we were told to observe the sensations on the triangular part of our nose. ie nose area and the area below nostrils and above the upper lips. the situation of mind getting away from target area was remained the challenging task along with this our legs and back portions were paining badly. because of in same position sitting DAY 04 The days are getting tougher than the previous days. for the first half day we focussed the shorter area of our nose. we have to observe the area of moustache now. mind was getting sharper and observing subtler sensations. on the second half we started learning the technique of vipaassana. here we have to observe the sensations throughout the body from head to feet. I was very excited i have now reached the face of learnign how to purify the mind. DAY 05 we worked on the same technique for the whole day which we learned on day 04. by this day I have observed many co student. I feel motivate with those who are working sincerely and feel confident by those who were tired. some of the people have also started communicating by giving smiles or whispering something. I avoided breaking the discipline as I don't wanted to waste my 10 days by breaking sila. DAY 06 On 6th day we worked on moving our attention from head to feet as well as from feet to head. I found certain difficulty in feeling sensations but by giving some 1 or 2 minutes attention on the part I  started feeling sensations. The daily discourse in the evening were of great help DAY 07 By 7th day I found there was a free flow of sensation in my body.during adhittan the 1 hour session. where we were not allowed to move our body was highly challenging. anyhow I was able to sit there for well. there was not continuous  free flow  every time. I experience it whenever my concentration was at par. DAY 08 This was difficult and less productive than the previous days. I was doubting whether I was feeling free flow or not? I may started taking the day very lightly. as i was very tired. and some thoughts have gone very deep. our mind in the period has a great concentration power. If went somewhere may result in poor performance.so happened to me. whole day went on with outside thoughts. I tried to return back to my concerned subject. somehow I managed but the day has gone. I was late. DAY 09 I tried not to feel disappointed by last days problem. today was the last day to work well.I don't want to miss the opportunity. I tried my best. I was able to feel freeflow inside and outside my body. it happened many times. finally the day was over. only a day was left. but will have few meditating hours. The day ended happily. I was also thinking about my next day. missing family and outside world was natural. but still I feel satisfied with the last days work. DAY 10 I was excited for this finally noble silence will get ended. we had same daily routine till 8 am. now after  successfully learning the vipassana technique, there was one more technique to learn "mangal maitri" the technique of spreading love and kindness. it was again a wonderful technique. the positive vibrations were flowing throughout the dhamma hall. now the time comes when we ended our noble silence after mangal maitri. It was at 10:15 am. I ended my noble silence with wishing "sabka mangal ho" to fellow students. they also replied me back. everyone was happy and enjoying the moment. we shared each others experience. I purchased 3 books also written by goenka ji. we got back all our belongings. I was feeling little aberrant from my own voice. as the tongue has started working after 9 days. we had meditation only on adhittan period. Teacher on discourse told us about the way of using meditation in practical life.  DAY 11 we had dhyan for 1 hour in the morning from 4:30 to5:30. listen to disocourse telling us the importance using the technique daily. these 10 days were futile if it is not applied in daily life. so better understand we come here to make it our daily life. its not like we can gain everything in these days only.  so that is what my experience. there is nothing to tell more. but in the end I will say. life is not the path of only success or only failure. it is both we should know how to manage both of these. and thatcan be achieved only through understanding the reality. may god bless you all.............mangal ho!