Video Meditation Course -

Meditation in Theory and Practice

Contents
● Lecture 01: What is Meditation? Why Meditate? (glimpses of the history of meditation)
(the introduction to the history of meditation, the attainments of the Buddha, the nature of
the mind, and the Four Noble Truths)
● Lecture 02: The Foundations of Meditation: The Right Attitude and Ethics

● Lecture 03: The Drive: The Right Effort and Energy Management

● Lecture 04: Mindfulness and Meditation Postures

● Lecture 05: Mindfulness in Daily Activities (four kinds of clear comprehension, eating
meditation)
● Lecture 06: The Seven Suitables and the Ten Impediments

● Lecture 07: Observing and Dealing with the Five Hindrances

● Lecture 08: Loving-Kindness Meditation

● Lecture 09: Compassion, Mutual Joy, and Equanimity

● Lecture 10: The Four Bases of Success and the Five Controlling Faculties.

● Lecture 11: Concentrating on vs. Observing Parts of the Body and its Four Elements (32
parts of body, 4 elements, ajjhatta/bahiddhā)
● Lecture 12: Concentrating on and Observing the Breath

● Lecture 13: Meditation on Death

● Lecture 14: Concentrating on vs. Observing the Impermanence of the Mortal Frame

● Lecture 15: Meditation on Generosity, Virtue, Deities, and Peace

● Lecture 16: Meditation on the Qualities of Triple Gem

● Lecture 17: Kasiṇas – Meditation Objects of Color and Elements

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● Lecture 18: The Attainments in Concentration Practice (five kinds of joy, five factors of
jhāna, higher jhānas and the related controversy, psychic powers, and immaterial states)
● Lecture 19: Observing the Sixteen Mental States

● Lecture 20: Observing the Five Aggregates

● Lecture 21: Observing the Seven Enlightenment Factors

● Lecture 22: The Progress of Insight

● Lecture 23: What is Enlightenment? (famous Arahants)

● Lecture 24: Attending a Meditation Retreat (how to survive in a foreign environment)

● Lecture 25: Meditation in the Daily Life

The 62 Meditation Practices and the Lectures Where They Are Explained

40 Samatha Meditation Objects 22 Vipassanā Meditation Techniques

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01. Earth Kasiṇa 17 21. Buddha 01. Observing the Breath 12
6
1
02. Water Kasiṇa 17 22. Dhamma 02. Mindfulness in Postures 04
6
1
03. Fire Kasiṇa 17 23. Saṅgha 03. Mindfulness in Daily Activities 05
6
1
04. Wind Kasiṇa 17 24. Morality/Virtue 04. Observing the 32 Parts of the Body 11
5
1 05. Observing the Four Elements of the
05. Blue Kasiṇa 17 25. Generosity 11
5 Body
06. Yellow 1 06. Contemplating a Freshly Discarded
17 26. Deities 14
Kasiṇa 5 Corpse
1 07. Contemplating a Corpse Eaten by
07. Red Kasiṇa 17 27. Peace 14
5 Animals
1 08. Contemplating a Skeleton with Flesh
08. White Kasiṇa 17 28. Death 14
3 and Blood
1 09. Contemplating a Fleshless Skeleton
09. Light Kasiṇa 17 29. Body-Parts 14
1 with Blood and Sinews
1 10. Contemplating a Skeleton Detached
10. Space Kasiṇa 17 30. Breathing 14
2 from Flesh and Blood, with Sinews
0 11. Contemplating Randomly Connected
11. The Bloated 14 31. Loving-Kindness 14
8 Scattered Bones
12. The Livid 14 32. Compassion 0 12. Contemplating Whitened Bones 14
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0
13. The Festering 14 33. Mutual Joy 13. Contemplating Piled up Bones 14
9
0 14. Contemplating Rotted, Powdered
14. The Cut-Up 14 34. Equanimity 14
9 Bones
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15. The Gnawed 14 35. Boundless Space 15. Observing Feelings (basic) 20
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36. Boundless 1 16. Observing Feelings (and mental
16. The Scattered 14 20
Consciousness 8 defilements)
17. The Hacked 1
14 37. Nothingness 17. Observing the 16 Mental States 19
and Scattered 8
38. Neither Perception 1
18. The Bleeding 14 18. Observing the Five Hindrances 06
nor Non-Perception 8
19. The Worm- 39. Repulsiveness in 0
14 19. Observing the Five Aggregates 20
Infested Nutriments 5
40. Four Elements (in 1
20. The Skeleton 14 20. Observing Consciousness 20
the body) 1
21. Observing the Seven Factors of
21
Enlightenment
22. Contemplating the Four Noble Truths 23

Lecture 1: What is Meditation? Why Meditate?

(glimpses of the history of meditation)
"Meditation is the development, practice, and improvement of skillful mental states."
What is your state of mind when your boss finds fault with you? What do you think
about when your parents or partner say you spend too much time online? How do you accept
the circumstances which have put your relationship at stake, or when you miss an airplane or
bus? If you don't always feel comfortable, peaceful, and loving, then this course is for you.*
In the twenty-five lectures of this course, we will examine the key elements of the
statement: 1"Meditation is the development, practice, and improvement of skillful mental
states." In this lecture, I would like to introduce you, briefly, to the history and true purpose of
meditation.#

1 Only after I have finished saying the "statement" the first sentence of the lecture will slowly slide in the screen from the bottom.
Then, as I say "meditation" the word "meditation" in the sentence will glow. When I say "development" the word "development" will
glow. The same in the other four words.

" Meditation is the development, practice, and improvement of skillful mental states."
"Bhāveti kusale dhamme āsevati vaḍḍheti etāyāti bhāvanā."

(Abhidhammatthavibhāvinīṭīkā 5 §65, Myanmar p. 176)

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My name is monk Saraṇa, and I will guide you through this meditation course. I have
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been studying, practicing, and teaching meditation in Sri Lanka and Myanmar for over a
decade. I have been publishing articles and essays on 4the practice of meditation, Buddhist
philosophy, monastic discipline, Buddhist scriptures, and the Pāḷi language. Presently, 5I am a
meditation teacher at the Sakhangyi Tawya Meditation Center. We have decided to make this
meditation course to share the 6Burmese understanding of meditation practices with the
general public and to clarify difficult points in the meditation practice. The explanations I will
be giving to you come from my understanding and experience, and you are most welcome to
examine them and see if they bring you any benefit. I believe meditation practice will support
the well-being of your mind and body.*
"Meditation" is an English term that dates back to the 14 th century. 7According to the
Oxford English Dictionary, it means "continuous thought or musing upon one subject or series
of subjects; a serious and sustained reflection or mental contemplation; a private devotional
exercise which consists in the continuous application of the mind to the contemplation of
some religious truth, mystery, or object of reverence." For the Buddhists of Myanmar, the

2 "monk Sarana" will pop up from the bottom of the screen. (This introduction paragraph was written on recommendation. I have
followed the style of the first lecture in the course "Philosopher's Toolkit", where a similar introduction also appears at a certain
point of time (not in the very beginning of the lecture).
3 A photo of me studying will cover the upper left corner of the screen (when I say "studying"), then also a photo of me meditating
will cover upper right corner of the screen (when I say "practicing"), and when I say "and teaching meditation in Sri Lanka and
Myanmar" the two leaflets for my Dhamma talks – one in Sinhalese and one in Myanmar will cover the left and right quarters of the
screen.
4 This list is also following the style of the "Philosopher's toolkit" course. The topics, as I say them, will appear in a bulleted list on
the left half of the screen, with a colored background. (The screen with me will shrink to fit only the right half of the screen, so that
the left half of the screen can be used for the bulleted list.)
5 A video of me teaching my students in Sakhangyi Tawya (no sound from the video).
6 This text will appear in a larger font, centered at the bottom of the screen. It will stay there several seconds, then gradually (very
slowly) vanishing (by increasing transparency), finally disappearing completely.
7 The screen will be covered by a colorful background. In the top-right corner will be visible the picture of Oxford English Dictionary
CD-Rom cover. As I read, the text will appear on the screen with highlighted portions which I will read:
● "The action, or an act, of meditating; continuous thought or musing upon one subject or series of subjects; serious and
sustained reflection or mental contemplation.
● †b.1.b Thought or mental contemplation of something. Obs.

● spec. in religious use: That kind of private devotional exercise which consists in the continuous application of the mind to
the contemplation of some religious truth, mystery, or object of reverence, in order that the soul may increase in love of
God and holiness of life.
● Used for: The theme of one's meditation.

● A discourse, written or spoken, in which a subject (usually religious) is treated in a meditative manner, or which is designed
to guide the reader or hearer in meditation.
Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0.0.3), Oxford University Press 2009
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practice of meditation involves not only rational thinking, but one's open investigation of the
truth [trūth] of the reality created by the physical body and the processes [prāsesiz] of the
mind. In meditation, we let go of all our presumptions, we abandon all beliefs, all dogmas, and
try to remain open to things as they really are. In this sense, we are rigorous scientists keen on
discovering the truth behind 8our sufferings, our cravings, our misunderstandings, and
opening ourselves to the possibilities of 9genuine happiness, unconditional love, boundless
patience, and the purity of our intentions.#
10
"Well," you might ask, "isn't that the work of psychologists and medical doctors?"
Actually, although some meditation practices involve learning the basics of anatomy and
mental constitution, the purposes of meditation are different. In my understanding, 11the
purpose of psychology is to understand the characteristics and abnormalities of the mind, and
provide solutions to any discomforts and diseases that afflict it. 12In medicine, the purpose is to
understand the characteristics and abnormalities of the body, and provide cures for any
diseases or injuries that afflict it.
Psychology and medicine start with the assumption that an ordinary human being is
healthy and does not suffer, and that bodily and mental suffering are abnormal.*
Meditation, in contrast, was developed in response to the suffering of ordinary human
beings, who are predestined [PRĪdestind] to experience sickness, old age and death. It is the
ultimate cure for suffering. Psychology and medicine can provide solutions for certain
afflictions but because they do not question the intrinsic nature of existence itself, their
solutions can only be superficial in resolving the fundamental challenge of existence.

8 Whatever is marked as "bold" inside this text will be appearing (sliding) in the screen from right side or left side, typed on a
colored background. These particular words (our suffering, our cravings, our misunderstandings) will appear in red/orange/brown
randomly (in different places over the screen), collecting on the screen. They will slowly disappear after they are all pronounced.
9 These words will also appear randomly over the screen, one after another, staying on the screen. The first three will stay a few
seconds visible and then disappear together with the last. They will be best in blue color.
10 The question will appear in a cloud at the upper right corner in the screen, together with the tip coming from the screen. (Well,
isn't that the work of psychologists and medical doctors?)
11 A painting of a psychologist. At the bottom of the painting there will slide in a single-colored, long rectangle of two lines height
with the text:
"… the goals of the science of psychology are to describe, understand, predict, and control behavior."
- Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior, D. Coon, J. O. Mitterer, 2008, p.15.
12 A painting of a medical doctor. At the bottom of the painting there will slide in a single-colored, long rectangle of two lines
height with the text:
"The goal of medical research is to improve health, and the purpose is to learn how systems in human body work, why we get sick,
and how to get back to health and stay fit.;…"
- MedicalBiostatistics.com – The Basics of Medical Research, A Indrayan, 2013, p.1.
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Meditation, then, is to research the intrinsic nature of one's own life, and examines the
root of human suffering. It thereby helps the practitioner find a reliable solution in the form of
mental purification.
Psychologists have discovered that meditation can bring about a temporary solution to
negative mental states. For example, meditation was observed as leading to 14reduced
anxiety, reduced stress, fewer depressive episodes, improved pain management, increased
well-being, increased compassion, enhanced creativity, and improved communication.
Meditation can also alleviate [əLĪvieit] 15mental pain, grief, disturbing memories, self-pity,
suicidal [sūisaidl] thoughts, forgetfulness, fear, anxiety, worry, and anger. Some people
practice meditation merely to increase their performance in their everyday life, which is fine,
but the true purpose of meditation, as described earlier, may be missed. Undesirable states of
mind disappear as a by-product of working towards the real goal of meditation. Meditation
has a neutralizing effect on the individual's negative mental states, benefiting everyone and
the society as a whole. Another result of meditation is the replacement of negative mental
states with positive ones, such as 16peace, happiness, satisfaction, love, mutual [MYŪčuəl]
joy, forgiveness, patience, understanding, courage, energy, and foresightedness, to name a
few. We should not, however, seek out those positive qualities just to temporarily relieve our
unpleasant states. Instead, our goal should be to generate positive qualities of mind to the
extent that we can arouse them within a split second for our own benefit, as well as for those
around us.#
When we talk about meditation, we talk about a process of mental training, of inner
development, directed towards acquiring wisdom. In the teachings of the Buddha [Bud(h)a],
the meditator par excellence [PĀR Eksellāns], we can learn about a large variety of meditation
practices, each of which is tailored to different persons of different temperaments, social
13 A painting of a meditator.
14 These words will again appear on the screen one after another, randomly, in white glowing color, collecting altogether around
me, and disappearing a few seconds after they are pronounced. They will appear with the author of the research paper where this is
elaborated. (The reference info will appear under each of the terms.) Here is the list of the terms and how they will appear:
reduced anxiety (e.g., Hofmann et al., 2010)
reduced stress (e.g., Chiesa & Semeti, 2009)
fewer depressive episodes (e.g., Teasdale et al., 2000)
improved pain management (e.g. Grossman et al., 2007)
increased well-being (e.g., Carmody et al., 2008)
increased compassion (e.g., Condon et al., 2013)
enhanced creativity (e.g., Ostatin et al., 2011)
improved communication (e.g., Amutio-Kareaga et al., 2017)
15 These words will again appear on the screen one after another, randomly, in white glowing color, collecting altogether around
me, and disappearing a few seconds after they are pronounced.
16 These will appear on the screen in white or yellow color, again collecting all over the screen, and disappearing when all were
pronounced.
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positions, environments, and attitudes. Although all of us share the characteristics of a
constantly changing physical body and mind, we each differ in so many ways. Due to these
differences, our meditation practices will develop in different ways. Thus, there are a variety of
meditation practices suitable for everyone.*
The earliest tangible evidence of meditation practice was found in the northeastern area
of the Indian peninsula. 17Sir John Hubert Marshall, the Director General of the Archaeological
Survey of India discovered it in the beginning of 20th century. It is a terracotta seal 18from
around the second millennium BCE, in what today is known as the "Indus [indəs] Valley
Civilization." The 19seal depicts a figure of an ascetic [aSEtic], sitting in a meditative posture,
with closed eyes and hands resting on his knees. He wears a horn as a headdress and is
surrounded by animals. Some believe that this figure depicts a prototype of the 20Hindu God,
Shiva, because his head is pictured with three faces. Others believe he was the Lord of
Creation, Prajāpati, because he is surrounded by animals. For the followers of Jainism, he is
considered to be Vruṣabha Nātha, or Lord Bull, the forerunner of their religion.
21
Another archaeological find from the Indus Valley Civilization archaeological site is the
so-called "Priest King", a small statue of a seated man, whose eyes are directed towards the
tip of his nose. For some, this is clear evidence of the practice of ānāpānassati, or meditation
on breathing.
In this course, we will be talking about the meditation methods 22described in the
ancient texts of Theravāda Buddhism. The scriptures are written in Pāḷi language, and are
believed to be the direct teachings of Gotama Buddha [Bud(h)a], the great truth-finder,
teacher, and meditation master [MÆstr] who most likely lived in the sixth century BCE.

17 A photo of Sir John Hubert Marshall, with the caption -

Sir John Hubert Marshall
the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India
18 Indus Valley Civilization archeological photo.
19 Show the picture/photo of Vruṣabha Nātha seal over whole the screen.
20 Resize the picture of the seal to cover only the left side of the screen and cover (slide in) the right side of the screen the picture
of the Hindu God Shiva as depicted today. The audience will thus see the seal on the left side and the Hindu God Shiva on the right
side of the screen.
21 Photo of the "Priest King" statue.
22 Photo of all Tipitaka books.
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According to the Theravāda Buddhist scriptures, before Siddhattha Gotama attained
Buddhahood [Budd(h)ahud], he was a royal prince. One day, during his early childhood, he was
seated under a tree and left alone by his caretakers for a while. Spontaneously, the idea of
meditation arose in his mind; he crossed his legs and directed his mind to his breath. 24In doing
so, he stilled all mental defilements, attaining the first level of meditative absorption. The
purity of that act was such that even his father King Suddhodana, upon seeing it, bowed down
to show respect to his young son.
Years later the prince recognized the true nature of human life, namely the inevitability
[iNƏvitability] of old age, sickness, and death. Terrified by the idea that a similar fate would
befall even him – the pampered, privileged prince of a powerful king – 25he left the palace life
at the age of twenty-nine, cutting his hair and donning an ascetic's robes. He hoped that as an
ascetic, he could discover how to become liberated from those perils of human life. He knew
that the mental defilements, which cause humans to continuously roll [rowl] in suffering, are
caused by craving. One's next birth is also directly caused by craving. Without craving, he
believed, he could achieve freedom from rebirth, and thus from all suffering.#
From stories in the 26Ariyapariyesanā Sutta, Mahāsaccaka Sutta, Bodhirājakumāra
Sutta, Saṅgārava Sutta and others, we learn that the now-ascetic Gotama 27first trained in
developing one-pointed concentration, as instructed by the great ascetics Āḷāra Kālāma and
Udaka Rāmaputta. He attained deep stages of concentration; however, he realized that those
attainments did not fulfill the purpose of his renunciation. While they provided him with a
powerful meditative peace and extraordinary experiences, they did not purify his mind from

23 The camera will zoom into the photo of the Tipitaka books, more and more, and then blend into the cartoon of the Bodhisatta.
Then a video/cartoon will start. There a prince-fashioned boy (in the Burmese way) is sitting under a tree, just now abandoned by
well-clothed gentlemen and left alone. The child will cross his legs into the lotus posture and observe his breath for a while. At a
later stage a father-like gentleman in king's dress will come and bow down in front of the child. At the bottom part of the screen
there will be a caption giving the reference: Majjhima Nikāya – 36. Mahāsaccaka Suttaṃ , 85. Bodhirājakumāra Sutta, 100.
Saṅgārava Sutta. (The reference will appear only for 5 seconds, then it disappears.
24 Only for the period of me saying "In doing so, he stilled all mental defilements" a simple pop-up text from the bottom left corner
– Majjhima Nikāya - 151. Devadaha Sutta .
25 A Burmese traditional picture of the Bodhisatta, prince, under the light of stars, cutting off his long hair. A caption will appear
under the picture - Thae Byu Monastery (new Mahabodhi Myaing Monastery), near Kalay Town, Sagaing Division, Myanmar.
26 These will appear on the screen sliding in from bottom up, in lines, as a bulleted list:
● Ariyapariyesanā Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya 26)

● Mahāsaccaka Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya 36)

● Bodhirājakumāra Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya 85)

● Saṅgārava Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya 100)

27 A painting of the Bodhisatta learning at one of the two teachers, Āḷāra Kālāma/Udaka Rāmaputta.
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all mental defilements, some of which still lingered in the stream of his consciousness. So, he
left those teachers, and decided to find the truth by himself. 28The Buddha-to-be [Bud(h)a-to-
be] then engaged in ascetic practices for several years, which caused him a lot of pain and
didn't lead to any progress in his undertaking.
The ascetic Gotama then renounced the extreme of ascetic practices in the way he had
renounced the palace pleasures before, the extreme of sensual pleasures. This was the
beginning of the so-called "Middle Path" (majjhima paṭipadā), which soon led him to the
attainment of Buddhahood [Bud(h)ahud], freedom from all mental defilement.
29
Then in the region of Uruveḷa, near the bank of the river Nerañjarā, he sat down under
a pipal tree, later known as the Bodhi Tree and 30concentrated on his breath. Concentrating
on the breath with a genuinely purified mind, the ascetic Gotama gradually attained deeper
and deeper stages of concentration, furthering the attainment of absorption which he had
attained during his early childhood.
Those stages of concentration – the jhānas, or meditative absorptions – were fairly
common practice in the Buddha's [Bud(h)a's] time and are even possibly attained by Hindu
ascetics today. These meditative absorptions consist of intense, deep concentration on a single
object, such as one's breath. When in such a deep, absorbed state it is not possible to observe
the reality of one's body and mind, since during that state one can only be concentrated on
the object of concentration. So, the Buddha-to-be [Bud(h)a-to-be] exited those deep levels of
concentration, and with his mental acuity enhanced by those attainments of concentration, he
successfully applied his mind 31to understanding the reality of the inner world.*
The Buddhist scriptures describe a succession of supernatural attainments which the
Buddha-to-be [Bud(h)a-to-be] attained during that time. 32First, he was able to recollect a
myriad of his own previous lives in minute detail. Then he was able to know the births and

28 Traditional picture of the Bodhisatta practicing ascetic practices. Caption: Thae Byu Monastery (new Mahabodhi Myaing
Monastery), near Kalay Town, Sagaing Division, Myanmar.
29 A painting of the Bodhisatta under the Bodhi tree.
30 A pop-up from bottom left – Majjhima Nikāya Aṭṭhakathā - 4. Bhayabherava Suttavaṇṇanā
31 A pop-up text from the bottom on a colorful background-bar: In Saṃyutta Nikāya's Loka Sutta the Buddha explained that all of
our "world" comprises the six consciousnesses - seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, bodily contact, and thinking.
32 At this point the lower/upper part of the screen will be covered by a background for text, and the three Knowledges will be
"typed" (i.e. appearing letter by letter) over the background as I say them. They will be coming all of the three gradually, and stay
there visible as I describe them:
.

1. Recollection of numerous previous lives

2. Knowledge of the births and deaths of other living beings
3. Realization of the Four Noble Truths
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deaths of other living beings, as they were born and died with different dispositions and in
different circumstances according to their accumulated skillful and unskillful deeds. Finally, the
Buddha [Bud(h)a] attained the goal of his renunciation: He understood the Four Noble Truths.
He freed His mind from all mental defilements, and thus became the Sammā Sambuddha, the
Rightly and Fully Enlightened One.#
It sounds interesting to talk about psychic powers attained by the Buddha [Bud(h)a] at
this point. One might suppose that all three of the supernatural attainments the Buddha
[Bud(h)a] achieved, as He sat under the Bodhi tree, would each be equal in value to the other.
However, the Buddha [Bud(h)a] did not give importance to the attainment of remembering
one's own births and deaths, or the vision of other beings' rebirth. Why? Because neither of
them brings about the cessation of all mental defilements, which is the only focus of the
Buddha's [Bud(h)a's] teachings.
Whether you believe in past lives or not, or in rebirth or not, the Buddha's [Bud(h)a's]
Teachings of the Four Noble Truths are straightforward and accessible for everyone. Let's look
at the Four Noble Truths in more detail.*
The Buddha [Bud(h)a] teaches the inescapability of 33"suffering" in the world. What is
suffering? Suffering is the nature of birth, old age, sickness, and death. But also, we
experience separation from what we want and being bound to what we don't want, as well
as grief, despair, lamentation, impermanence, and failure. These things are the reality of this
world, so we ought to examine them.
After all, if we disregard them, it doesn't mean they will cease to be. 34For example,
when somebody develops the symptoms of a sickness, they may disregard it and continue to
33 At this point the screen will be covered by a nice background with Bodhi leaves or a large Bodhi leaf. All of the Four Noble Truths
will appear inside the green leaf, possibly in white. While saying the word "suffering", the first Noble Truths will be glowing by a
suitable color.

The Four Noble Truths

● The Truth of Suffering (birth, old age, sickness, and death)

● The Truth of Origin (the origin of suffering, i.e. suffering is caused by craving)

● The Truth of Cessation (the cessation of suffering through the cessation of craving)

● The Truth of the Path (the Eightfold Noble Path)

34 Four paintings: (a) coughing, only head is shown, (b) a person in a hospital, (c) medicine on table ( https://goo.gl/images/eQTKe7
) , (d) happy, smiling face
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enjoy their life for a while, but the sickness will get worse, and eventually it will not be that
easy to disregard it; in fact, it may even be too late! Now what if that person decides, instead,
to seek a cure for their sickness? Well, if they are healed, they avoid the suffering caused by
the full-blown disease. They may live longer, they may be happier, and more satisfied.
Similarly with meditation, we observe the suffering to see whether there is a possibility of
solving the present problem, or improving and protecting the desirable situation, in order for
us to free ourselves from hatred and greed, and decrease our needs. We therefore naturally
live a happier, more satisfied, and more peaceful life and become more able to generate true
love and compassion for all beings. In this way, we become an inspiring friend to the people
around us.#
So, recognizing the inevitability [iNƏvitability] of human suffering is the 35first Noble
Truth. The second Noble Truth is the 36"origin of suffering" - that this suffering is caused by
craving. One might well ask, 37"Wait, how is human suffering caused by craving? Isn't it caused
by the government, or my boss, or my environment, or an illness, or my classmates at school,
or my peers on the job, or by an Internet social network?" No. The Buddha [Bud(h)a]
discovered that the root of our suffering is something else entirely.*
When we want to solve a difficult problem, it is wise to eliminate its roots. And the
Buddha [Bud(h)a] looked at the problem of suffering at its roots. What He found was that,
fundamentally, suffering is the result of attachment to one's self. He realized that whenever
there is sensual desire, ill-will, laziness, worry, or doubt, the mind is attached to an object of
one's senses, one's views, or one's ego and sense of self. Whenever the mind is attached,
there arises suffering because everything is in a state of flux.
If we carefully observe the mind, we can see that it is constantly changing. If we
carefully observe the body, we can see that it is constantly changing. If we carefully observe
other living beings, we can see that they are constantly changing. If we carefully observe the
environment around us, we can see that it, too, is constantly changing.#
It seems unwise to believe that constantly changing mind and body will always stay in
synchronicity with other changing living beings and the changing environment. If our body,
mind, sense objects, other people, and the environment are all inevitably subject to change,

35 Now the list of the Four Noble Truths will appear on the screen with the first Noble Truth glowing.
36 At this point the first Noble Truth stops to glow and the second of the Four Noble Truths starts to glow.
37 The question will appear in a cloud at the upper right corner in the screen, together with the tip coming from the screen. ("Wait,
how is human suffering caused by craving? Isn't it caused by") and the text in the clound will stay there. Under the text, (the cloud
will extend for this) will appear always one picture, according to what I say. The picture change into another picture, one by one, as I
say them: the government, an angry boss, unhealthy environment, painful knee, classmates at school, peers in the job, logos of
Internet social network (FB, Instagram, Snapchat).
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then there is bound to be disappointment sooner or later. Ultimately, any attachment is just
an illusion. It may work for a while, we may be able to temporarily direct the mind in
accordance with the flux of the body and of the environment, but it would not be prudent to
rely on the idea that whatever we want, we will get, that whatever we expect will happen, or
even if it does, that it will stay that way. So, if the mind perceives reality correctly, it may flow
in harmony... for a time, at least. But more often, there is disharmony. Moreover, at a deeper
level, we realize there is actually no unchanging self that could attach to anything, anyway.
38
Say you want to participate in a meritorious action. That’s good; we should try to do
good things. But it may not be successful. And how many times have you tried to do
something good, but ended up sad or angry because things didn't work out the way you
wanted? The wisdom we should develop is that whatever we try may turn out well, but it also
may not. If we become attached to the prospect of a good outcome, we will very likely end up
disappointed. Because of the constant changing inside and outside of us, we can never be
sure. If wisdom is present, the mind stays peaceful regardless of the outcome.*
When we observe the mind at its deepest level, we can see it is changing, literally, at
every moment. 39According to certain Commentaries of the Pāḷi scriptures, there are billions of
such moments in the snap of a finger. When you see any object, hear any sound, if you smell,
taste, feel through your body, or cognize by the mind – it all consists of split-second
moments, arising and then ceasing to exist, followed by a new, fleeting moment of
consciousness. In this way, our senses allow us moment-to-moment experience, constantly
changing in accordance with every single 'contact' between the senses themselves and their
respective objects.
40
Take this floor, for example. It may seem that the image provided to you by your eyes
as well as the floor – the object of your vision – are not changing. But if that were true – that
neither your vision nor the object are changing - then you would not see an ant coming in, you

38 A photo of Burmese satudithar.

39 Insert a sliding reference box from the bottom of the screen. A line by line will slide inside the screen from the bottom, and every
time the new reference's first line appears the first line of the previous reference (the one most up) will disappear. It will contain:
Mūlapaṇṇāsa-Ṭīkā – Mahāsīhanādasuttavaṇṇanā - Saṃsārasuddhiādivaṇṇanā - §161: "Accharāsaṅghāṭamatte khaṇe aneka-
koṭisahassa-cittapavattisambhavato."
Sāratthadīpanī-Ṭīkā – §39: "Buddhānaṃ pana desanāvāro aññesaṃ na paññāyateva accharāsaṅghātamatte khaṇe
anekakoṭisahassacittappavattisambhavato."
Dhammasaṅgaṇī-Ṭīkā - Kāmāvacarakusalapadabhājanīyavaṇṇanā: "Kiñca bhiyyo accharāsaṅghātakkhaṇena anekakoṭisaṅkhāya
cittuppattiyā pavattanato …"
40 At this point a video of a yogi's view can start, where just the (clean) floor will come into focus and stay there as a photo. (There
will be a caption at the top, saying "No Change") After me saying "In reality..." the photograph would shrink into half, so it will cover
the left half of the screen. From the right side will come a video of the same floor space, five seconds without change, and then with
an ant coming through, and later zooming at any point in the floor. (The caption above this right half of the screen – above the video
of the ant and zooming – will be "Changing".)
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would not see if somebody turns off the light, you would not be able to focus your sight
wherever you want. In reality, the seeing consciousness constantly arises and ceases, being
substituted by a succession of new single moments of seeing, in order for the mind to perceive
the change or focus on whatever we choose.
Because of the nature of the mind, it can always learn something new and is not stuck at
a single moment. The practice of meditation leads us to observe the fact that the mind is
changing, that the environment is changing, and the hopeless situation where, in the ultimate
sense, there is nobody who would be attached, and nothing to attach to.#
There are so many benefits of meditation, such as those that I have mentioned
previously. In fact, just the ability to accept reality as it is will keep you peaceful. Maybe that is
one of the main reasons why an ardent meditator can stay peaceful in all situations.
41
"But is that necessary?" you may ask. "Is it necessary for me to stay peaceful all the
42
time?" Well, didn't you ever get angry or sad, and that anger or sadness merely added to the
problem, and therefore your suffering? Didn't you feel that those negative mental states
ultimately were just counterproductive, that nothing of value was gained and they robbed you
of the time you could have used to help or support someone? Or even yourself? In this way,
peace of mind is more helpful and more skillful than being sad or angry.
If you become sad or angry, you increase the likelihood that those around you will also
become sad or angry. 43On the other hand, if you are peaceful and happy, you inspire others to
also be peaceful and happy. For this, it is necessary to train the mind patiently, purify it, and
gain the insight that the mind and body are impermanent, as well as the environment around
you.
With this wisdom, it is possible to let go of things. To the degree you let go, to that
degree your mind is freed. When attachment, and craving are just a little weakened, the mind
is a little freer and then a little happier. When the mind is free, it can deal with challenging
issues more successfully, more efficiently, in a more balanced and detached way.*
We have been talking about the first two of the 44Four Noble Truths, namely the Truth
of "Suffering", and the "Origin of suffering", which is craving. Now let's look a little at the next
45
Noble Truth. The Truth of Cessation informs a correct understanding of the first two Noble
41 In corner-cloud: "But is that necessary? Is it necessary for me to stay peaceful all the time?"
42 A pencil drawing of an angry person.
43 A painting of a peaceful person.
44 The list of Four Noble Truths again appears on the screen, with both of the first two Noble Truths glowing at the same time.
Then the next two Noble Truths will glow at the same time, but in a different color.
45 This is the time when the third Noble Truth will glow (the first two Noble Truths don't glow anymore while the third glows.)
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Truths. Human beings are naturally predisposed to see problems and their solutions in the
external world, not inside themselves. The thorough realization of the fact that the solutions
to ending suffering all lie inside oneself – that ending one's craving brings about the cessation
of suffering – requires a lot of meditation practice. Such a practice not only brings about a
deeper knowledge, but also the complete cessation of the defilement of craving, and hence
the suffering it causes. Do you think you have no craving at all? Just observing whether you
still have any craving is already one of the meditation practices.#
The Buddha's [Bud(h)a's] teaching goes even deeper. He found that the cause of craving
is ignorance, or avijjā (using the Pāḷi term). And what does He mean by ignorance, by avijjā? If
one does not understand the truth of impermanence, there will arise craving, along with the
concepts of "I want," "I will," "I can." These concepts are fine if they are coupled with wisdom,
but if they are combined with craving, they lead to suffering, both for you and those around
you. So, one thinks, speaks and acts in unskillful ways out of ignorance about the truth of
craving. Then, where does it lead us?*
In meditation, we work to get liberated from craving and thus find the right way to end
human suffering. The practice to achieve that noble goal is the fourth Noble Truth, 46the
“Truth of the Path," the Eightfold Noble Path. 47The Eightfold Noble Path is the essence of
Buddhist meditation practices, and the Buddhist meditation practices – in terms of observing
reality as it is – are the very essence of the Eightfold Noble Path. That is what this course is
about.#
In the next lecture, I will explore the foundation of all meditation practices in Theravāda
Buddhism, namely "Right Attitude" and "ethical behavior." We will look at worldly right
attitude and Right Attitude which surpasses the worldly, the supramundane Right Attitude. We
will then examine whether they support peace and harmony in our life, and thereby create
conditions for successful meditation practice.48

46 The Four Noble Truths again appear on the screen, and now only the last of the four will be glowing.
47 This statement will appear at the bottom of the screen in whole, slowly sliding into the focus, and then disappearing when it is
completely read.
48 Mention in the credits at the end of the video – The information that the Bodhisatta was just one month old when he first
decided to meditate as he was under a tree, during a ploughing festival, is mentioned in Kyi Thay Lay Htut Sayadaw's
"Jinatthapakāsanī", Seik-Ku Cho Cho Sape, Yangon, 2011; p.11; written in Myanmar language.
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