01 Meditation Panel Preface.indd - United Nations Day of Vesak 2013

Buddhist Philosophy and
Meditation Practice
i. To go beyond this world through the Eightfold Path is lokuttar, 1
ii. Advantage resulting from Samaaship (Smaññaphalni) and Purication (nibbna)
are beyond this world. So it is called as Lokuttara. 2
Lokiya means mundane, worldl y, not only of this world but all experience and knowledge
of any world, any existence, and represents all that is conditioned. Lokuttara means supramundane,
beyond worldliness, and represents the unconditioned. The meaning of the word ‘supramundane’
is usually understood as being above the world. However, ‘above the world’ is often open to
interpretation, as in the meaning of something not quite ordinary, like excellent virtue and discipline.
For a better understanding of ‘supramundane’ it is better to look at the doctrines that are subsumed
under supramundane (lokuttara) state. 3 They are:
i. The four foundations of awareness or mindfulness (satipatthna),
ii. The four right efforts (padhna),
iii. The four roads to power (iddhi-pda),
iv. The ve spiritual faculties (indriya),
v. The ve spiritual powers (bala),
vi. The seven factors of enlightenment (bojjhaga),
vii. The Noble eight fold path (Ariyo aññhagiko maggo)
viii. The Four Paths (cattro ariyamagg),
ix. The Four Fruitions (cattri smaññaphalni),
x. Nibbna
• Four frames of reference (satipaññhna) 4
1. Contemplation of the body (kaynupassan)
2. Contemplation of feelings (vedannupassan)
3. Contemplation of consciousness (cittnupassan)
4. Contemplation of mental qualities (dhammnupassan)
1
Ariyamaggà lokaü uttarantãti lokuttarà, Pts, 166
2
Sàmaññaphalàni nibbànañca lokato uttiññàti lokuttarà. Ibid, 166
3
Cattro satipahn, cattro sammappadhn, cattro iddhipd, pañcindriyni, pañca balni, satta
bojjhag, ariyo ahagiko maggo, cattro ariyamagg, cattri ca smaññaphalni, nibbnañca – ime
dhamm lokuttar. Cattro satipahntidayo sattatisa bodhipakkhiyadhamm yathyoga
maggaphalasampayutt. Te bujjhanahena bodhti evaladdhanmassa ariyassa pakkhe bhavatt
bodhipakkhiy nma. Pakkhe bhavattti upakrabhve hitatt. Ibid, 166
4
cattro satipahn Tesu rammaesu okkantitv pakkhanditv upahnato upahna, satiyeva
upahna satipahna. Kyavedan cittadhammesu panassa asubhadukkhniccnattkragahaavasena
subhasukhaniccaattasaññpahna kiccasdhanavasena ca pavattito catudh bhedo hoti. Tasm cattro
satipahnti vuccati. Pts-a, 618
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