(6.8) Theravada - The Practice Guide (Enlightenment)

[Niết Bàn Tầm]

THERAVADA

3. THE PRACTICE OF PARI-AJNA EKAGRATA

3.5. ENLIGHTENMENT

3.5.1. THE MIND PROCESS IN MEDITATION – A RECAP

▪ Through perseverance in practicing sammā samādhi, a cultivator enters the First Jhana and culminates his/her way to higher levels. The mind power gets stronger over time, and at the same time it becomes calmer and purer. Until when the mind could feel the presence of ego via Bhavanga vibrations, the cultivator attains the Third Jhana.
▪ Employing the techniques of changing kasinas, the cultivator is able to improve his/her concentration and absorption to reach the Fourth Jhana, where the mind can be controlled easily.
▪ At the Fourth Jhana stage, the cultivator uses the 'Tranquil' recitation to evoke the manas (deluded awareness or self-consciousness). Under the impact of the 'Tranquil' recitation in profound samādhi absorption, the ego is catapulted out of the body. When the cultivator could see the ego in the form of a human image, he/she lures it into a trap by applying the vipassanā meditation. Thinking of the Earth is to make the ego believe that it has reached the highest possible state of tranquillity. It is so tranquil that no one else on Earth could be more tranquil, i.e. it does not belong here.
▪ If the cultivator stops there and somehow truly believes that he/she has attained the ultimate spiritual emancipation, he/she could only realize sainthood with the ego as big as ever. However, if the cultivator persists and uses the Truth of sufferings, transitoriness, and non-egoism to redefine the manas and correct them. The corrected manas now become the purified seed consciousness (Ālayavijñāna), from which comes a mind of full enlightenment or a perfect all-reflecting Buddha wisdom. From now on, the cultivator will go into one of the two paths:
  (1) If the cultivator has previously accrued karma of heinous sins (e.g., killing his/her siblings to take their share of inherited wealth, or murdering his/her parents), he/she will not be able to pass his/her cultivation experience to any Human beings (note the capitalized 'H'). As a result, the cultivator will enter nirvana as a Pratyeka Buddha.
  (2) If, on the other hand, the cultivator has accumulated sufficient good karma, he/she will have ample opportunities to recount his/her cultivation experience and pass them to many other People. The cultivator is regarded as a Bodhisattva or a Path Guide. Then, nirvana is not the end result that he/she wishes but it is the methods to Liberation and their effectiveness that he/she will focus on. The cultivator now lives to fulfil his/her four (or six) vows that were stated during the cultivation of Nirodha Samāpatti.

Remember: While in meditation, if you suddenly see a left eye, falling flowers, crawling people, meditating people without sitting in lotus flowers, hear voices, feel a chest pain or compression, or smell some fragrance, stop immediately and perform self-protection rituals. Otherwise, you are subject to the influence of the invisible world.

3.5.2. ENLIGHTENMENT REQUIREMENTS

Since Buddhas of the ten directions do not accept any 'accidental' situation, no one could enter the Enlightenment state by chance. Therefore, Nirodha Samāpatti is only for those who satisfy the following conditions:
(1) A strong mental power of the Fourth Jhana or higher. The mental strength is proven through the successful cultivation of the five supernormal powers.
(2) A strong desire of spiritual liberation (mukti). Unless the cultivator nurtures this liberation desire, and with perseverance seeks ways to implement it, liberation will never be realized regardless of how long he/she follows Buddhism.
(3) Techniques to enter Nirodha Samāpatti must be learned by heart. Once you have mastered the techniques and used them well throughout the different levels of samādhi, you will not forget them. This is similar to swimming. Once a swimmer, you will never forget how to swim.
(4) A firm resolve to win the final battle with the breath, the ego in disguise.
(5) A strong self-belief: "They are just like me. If they could do that. So could I! It is the matter of methods and techniques. I am now well equipped with them. Focus and practice. No more talking."

3.5.3. ENLIGHTENMENT – STREAM ENTRY

Stream entry is often mentioned in a number of meditation texts. But only few know what it actually is and how it actually happens. Based on what the Master says this person is enlightened whereas that person is not? When will a cultivator likely be enlightened? In other words, when will the Master give the disciple a koan? What happens to the person undergoing enlightenment?

The following are experiences realized by those who have gone through enlightenment.
 
(1) When does a cultivator have ability to be enlightened?

After the cultivator has successfully reached the Second Jhana, he/she temporarily stops the kasina contemplation and thinks about either one of the two following questions:
+ Buddha nature is everywhere, but why I do not know that?
+ The nature of everything is oneness, but why I do not know that?

(2) What experiences does an enlightened person undergo?

After a while of following the practice steps in (1), suddenly the cultivator feels that he/she is dissolving or disappearing and that he/she is ubiquitous. Although the feeling occurs very short and lightly, its effect is very strong on the body so that the cultivator will feel dizzy for up to 24 hours. It should be made very clear that enlightenment will not happen during a meditation session. It occurs when the cultivator is in his/her daily business (i.e., while walking, standing, lying, or sitting).

When the cultivator is in the state of enlightenment, he/she will go through a so-called reset process! This means that the nerves, currently operating under the karmic order, will vibrate to instil the Truth which he/she only tastes within a 'blink of an eye' moment. The vibrations during the reset process causes dizziness for up to 24 hours. If there are no such vibrations and dizziness, there is no enlightenment. 

(3) Based on what the Master confirms if someone is enlightened or not?

Based on his supernormal powers, especially the divine eye, the Master can see in middle of cultivator's chest a shining yellow swastika of 10cm diameter. Immediately and without any slightest hesitation, the Master says: "You have been enlightened! But I have a duty to remind you that you are still far away from Buddhahood. This is the first stage of spiritual enlightenment.  In worldly terms, it is similar to the year 1 literacy certificate for a six year old child."

Tibu's experience is that the highest probability for a cultivator to attain the first stage of enlightenment is when he/she is at the Second Jhana, i.e., when the kasina appears but the cultivator finds it hard to keep; hence, is worried of losing it.

3.5.4. ENLIGHTENMENT – A SPECIAL ALTERNATE ROUTE

Above is Enlightenment that is attained by going step by step through all levels of samādhi. However, there is another way to Enlightenment that is shorter but very rare. When one is listening to Dharma discourses, he/she suddenly feels so deeply moved and absorbed that his/her mind stops all mental activities and becomes quiescent. If this quiescence is sustained for a while, this person could attain arhatship without having to go through all samādhi stages as described above.