Our universe is around 13.8 billion years old.

It began with a big bang and

ever since, we have found ourselves in this very long process of evolution.
There are theories that one day our universe will end in a big collapse. All
matter will fall into one point again followed by another big bang for the next
universe. Science cannot prove what happened before our universe and what
will happen after it.
However, there is strong evidence in the Teaching of the Buddha. After the
Buddha gained Enlightenment he made the bold statement that he knew all
knowable things. He also said that he is free of opinion because he has seen
that everything is simply coming and going. Nothing lasts forever.
According to the Buddha, we are born again and again throughout many
universes, innumerable times. We have been born as humans for so many
times that we have shed more tears, on the occasions of the loss of our loved
ones and upon our own many deaths, than there is water in the big ocean.
That is a great suffering indeed.
The hope to be born in heaven is no solution either, as we have been there
many times as well. Although life in heaven and the Brahma world is
satisfying and long, it does not last forever. Inevitably birth takes place in the
lower realms again. The lower, dissatisfying and frightening realms are the
human world, the animal kingdom and multiple hells. This endless string of
birth goes on forever; our suffering will not stop until we find an exit.
The ultimate goal of the Buddha-to-be was to find an exit out of this endless
line of rebirth, this Samsara. On the night of his Enlightenment the Buddha
went through all four stages of Buddhist Sanctity, the last being Arahatship.
An Arahat has fully attained Nibbana, the end of all suffering caused by birth
and the old age, disease and death that follows. Such a truly holy person is
the only being in the world that will not be born again.
The total cessation of all dissatisfaction and suffering can only be achieved
through the profound contemplation of existence. For this reason,
the Buddha laid out clear and systematic training about mindfulness
meditation. This is the observation of all physical and mental phenomena
that take place in the body at every moment. Time with this practice results
in strengthened concentration. When this effort is continual, experiential
insight into body and mind will follow. Then experience of nibbanic bliss is
possible.

This meditation method is called Vipassana and is still practiced during

retreats. An intensive Vipassana retreat can change your life.
During an intensive Vipassana meditation retreat, participants practice an
hour of walking meditation immediately followed by an hour of sitting
meditation seven times a day. All together, 14 hours of formal walking and
sitting meditation are practiced in a focused, concentrated manner.
Distractions of the mind, such as superfluous gazing, talking, socializing,
reading, and writing must be avoided throughout the entire retreat. The
remaining hours of the day are spent likewise, focusing and concentrating by
slowing down daily activities and practicing mindfulness in every moment.
Sleeping is reduced to 56 hours in the beginning and later in the retreat, 4
hours of rest will be enough for most meditators.

Mindfulness and effort

Mindfulness is a normal function of the mind and used, for example, when
crossing a street carefully or driving a car. However, to build up the capacity
for concentration during a retreat, special or extraordinary mindfulness is
needed. This can be achieved through applying effort in every moment of the
practice. With mindfulness and effort, the mind can remain focused on an
object of meditation for a sustained period of time without slipping off the
meditation object and giving rise to thought. This type of effort is achieved
through repeated resolution and the activation of willpower by applying
ardent energy and constantly positioning the mind towards the meditation
object. Being consistently mindful is against our habits. We are accustomed
to letting our mind freely wander. It is because of this that the meditation
instructions given by meditation teachers address this subject again and
again.
If you have strong mindfulness, the mind becomes concurrent with the
meditation object. Your stream of consciousness will be free from hindrances
like thoughts of sensual pleasures or thoughts of harming others, free from
all likes and dislikes. Then, you will not be moved by your cravings or
worries. Instead there will be only peace of mind.

Concentration

As a meditator practices mindfulness with unremitting effort, concentration

blossoms. The mind becomes calm and collected. The sitting becomes
painless and effortless. Moments of happiness arise. At times, the mind will
be filled with tremendous energy. Physical and mental processes can be
observed clearly and according to their nature. Wisdom or extraordinary
knowledge will be revealed to the meditator.

Wisdom
Psycho-physical phenomena occur at every moment within our body.
Through strong concentration they can be seen and understood according to
their true nature. The old gives place to the new in a rapid manner. It is
similar to electrons with extremely short existences. They appear and vanish
within an instant. Then the next electron appears and vanishes likewise and
so on. If concentration is strong, such rapid processes of appearance and
disappearance can be experienced by a meditator. A meditators highest goal
is to see the dissolution of all phenomena. Everything is in a flux. Nothing is
permanent. Mind and Matter means that there is only the meditating mind
and the object of meditation. There is no person or individual involved.

Observing the Rising and Falling

As breathing takes place, the abdomen rises. The observation of this Rising
movement should be clear and focused for a meditator, directed towards the
Rising with aim and effort. By following the Rising movement in a soft and
uninterrupted manner without any distraction of the mind, a meditator
observes the entire Rising movement from the smallest beginning through
the middle and to the end.
Then the Falling movement of the abdomen occurs as breathing out begins.
This is observed by a meditator with the same focused manner as the Rising
movement.
The mind should be concurrent with the Rising and Falling movements and
occupy a meditators constant attention.
The repeated observation of the Rising and Falling movements becomes the
main object of sitting meditation.

Sitting Meditation
One should sit comfortably with crossed legs and an upright upper body. A
crooked posture leads to unnecessary pains from friction in the spinal disks.
For meditators with back or knee problems, sitting on a bench or a chair
without leaning on the backrest works as well.
Again, the main object of meditation is the Rising and Falling movements of
the abdomen. There are many things to experience upon closer inspection
and dutiful concentration. Your observations during the focused
consideration of the Rising and the Falling are critical and should be reported
first at interview. Such observations could include tension, stiffness in the
Rising and releasing tension, release of stiffness, warmth, relaxation,
vibrations, and a variety of movements in the Falling.
However much the main object is focused on, sooner or later the mind will
wander into thoughts about the future or the past. It will hardly ever stay in
the present. In this case, a meditator should shift attention to these thoughts
as a new meditation object, label it as Thinking, thinking a few times and
deliberately return to the Rising and Falling. This will prevent a meditator
from getting attached to the content of thoughts. During sitting meditation,
the greatest of ideas may arise, yet they are simply mental objects coming
and going, impermanent like a soap bubble. Please do not get carried away
by the content of your thoughts. If you are not careful with the wandering
mind, a whole train of thoughts may arise and you will find yourself, for 10
minutes, 15 minutes, inattentive to the Rising and Falling and other
sensations arising in the body. This kind of daydreaming will simply delay
progress i.e. make fast progress impossible.
While observing the Rising and Falling, pain in the body may become
predominant. This pain is simply taken as a meditation object and labeled
Pain, pain. The pains nature, intensity, duration, and location are observed
patiently. As concentration becomes stronger, a meditator will be able to
observe the nature of a pain or an itch. A meditator will be able to observe
increasing or decreasing intensities, changes from stabbing pains to
pulsating pain and so forth. In such cases, the meditator should stay with the
pain until it fades away, slowly or quickly, and then return to observations of
the Rising and Falling. Such episodes should be carefully and clearly reported
to those teaching the meditation.

If the mind is bored or too scattered to stay on the Rising and Falling,
meditation teachers may introduce observation of touching points on the
body.

Walking Meditation
Walking meditation is the process of slowly walking up and down the same
distance in a focused, concentrated manner, with your eyes cast down, not
looking around, and not paying attention to others.
An hour of walking meditation should be split up into three parts, each 20
minutes. The first 20 minutes are spent walking slowly and directing the
mind to each foot, mentally labeling left when the left foot moves, and
right when the right foot moves. The second 20 minutes are spent
observing the whole Lifting movement of the foot and attaching the mental
label Lifting, lifting. Then the Placing movement of the foot is observed and
given the mental label Placing, placing. The third 20 minutes are spent
observing the Lifting, Forward, and Placing movements and labeling them as
necessary: Lifting, lifting, Forward, forward, and Placing, placing.
At the end of a walking meditation, a meditator should perform the actions of
Lifting, Forward, and Placing very slowly, hardly moving, and observing the
action closely. A meditator will eventually be able to experience, for example,
pulling or pushing sensations, as if the foot is being pulled or pushed by
invisible forces. This suggests that good concentration has arisen during
walking meditation. Walking meditation is immediately followed by sitting.
The movement of sitting down is likewise very slow and mindful, performed
without allowing distractions to enter the mind. In performing this sitting
down movement, sensations such as heaviness can occur. All occurrences
should be recounted to the meditation teachers at interview. These
occurrences are typically unobserved by a beginner. As such, meditation
practice must be mindful, careful, and repeated.

Being mindful of the six senses

Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and thinking are our six senses.
During a meditation retreat, we must become aware of them and pay close
attention to them. When they occur, we should note them, that is, observe
them in a focused manner and give a brief and soft mental label such as

Seeing, seeing, Hearing, hearing, Smelling, smelling, Tasting, tasting,

Touching, touching or Thinking, thinking. For the beginner, it is not
possible to observe everything happening at the doors of our six senses. For
this reason, during Sitting meditation, a meditator is instructed to observe
the Rising and Falling movement of the abdomen, which is always evident. If
however, in spite of efforts to stay focused on the Rising and Falling, the
mind wanders off into thinking, this should be labeled as Thinking, thinking
or Wandering, wandering once or twice. Then, the meditator returns to
observing the Rising and Falling. If there is a noise, it is noted as Hearing,
hearing. Then a meditator returns to observing the Rising and Falling.
Likewise, with an itch, stiffness, pain, heat, and more. During everyday
activities, meditators should be aware of, for example, touching the door
knob while slowly opening a door and label this as Touching, touching. Or,
during meals, chewing, tasting, and swallowing should be observed and
labeled Chewing, tasting, swallowing.
Because we are usually unaware of such occurrences, our ego may suggest
to us: I am hearing or I am seeing or I am moving and so forth.
Actually, no such ego exists. This is only a continuous and successive
occurrence of these acts of consciousness. There is only the intention to
move as mental phenomena and the resulting movement as physical
phenomena.

Modern Life
Within a western lifestyle, there might be hazards or risks. A lack of
mindfulness and careless immoral conduct will inevitably lead to feelings
such as depression, frustration, anxiety, and so forth. These are the results of
poor actions, deeds, words, and thoughts and are experienced clearly by
many as dissatisfactory. Taking part in a meditation retreat may provide
prevention or cure by reinforcing mindfulness, good concentration, and
extraordinary knowledge of the physical and mental processes within the
body. Careless or immoral conduct will be reduced as the practice of a
responsible lifestyle without harm to yourself or others is an integral and
basic part of this meditation method. A happy life is the result of such a good
practice. One will not be blamed by society and when death arrives, there
will be no remorse.

The importance of mental training for sustained success in life cannot be

overstressed. Employers now understand that wellness is vital to the
productivity of their staff. Mental training and meditation are mainstream.

Samsara and Nibbana

The samsaric wheel of rebirth is the endless continuation of these mental
and physical phenomena. As long as there is birth there is disease, old age,
death, and the dissatisfaction of a whole life to follow. The only end is an end
to this process rebirth. This is called Nibbana. Arahatship is the realization of
Nibbana. After this there is no more dissatisfaction or suffering. Nibbana is
the highest bliss. One could say that there is eternal happiness, but no being
that would experience it. Therefore it is said that Nibbana is deep. However,
one does not need to become an Arahat to be safe. The first touches of
Nibbana can be experienced by meditators within a short period of time. This
is a transformational experience which changes the mind forever. From this
moment on, an awareness of good and bad action is so concrete that the bad
actions which lead to lower and painful existences simply cannot be
performed. Instead, mindfulness and concentration in such a person become
very strong. Wisdom and happiness are bound to grow. A good existence as
human or heavenly being and finally Arahtship is guaranteed for such a
person. This person is called a Stream Winner or Sotapanna in Pali, the
scriptural language. A Vipassana Retreat directly leads to this noble
achievement. It does not need to take long. For some, it only takes the
participation in a Vipassana Retreat for 4 weeks.

In This Very Life

In This Very Life is the title of a fundamental book regarding Vipassana
Meditation by Sayadaw U Pandita. It is the complete and comprehensive
guide to the progressive stages of Buddhist Meditation and is available on
Amazon.
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