Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw - Abhidhamma.com

or full of Impermanence. Even in a moment of walking, in a single step taken with the foot, there
are numerous changes of pictures which may be called Impermanence or death. It is also the same
with the rest of the movements. Now we must apply this to ourselves. The Impermanence and the
death of mental and material phenomena are to be found to the full in our bodies, our heads, and
in every part of the body. If we are able to discern clearly those functions of impermanence and
death which are always operating in our bodies, we shall acquire the Insight of the Destruction,
the breaking-up, falling-off, cessation, and changes of the various parts of the body in each
second, in each fraction of a second. That is to say, we will discern the changes of every part of
the body small and great, of head, of legs, of hands and so forth and so on. If this be thus
discerned, then it may be said that the exercise on the contemplation of impermanence is well
accomplished. And if the exercise on the contemplation of impermanence is well accomplished,
then that of the contemplation of Non-soul is also accomplished. If this is thus discerned, then it
may be said that the exercise on the contemplation of Impermanence is well accomplished. By the
word "accomplished," it is meant that the exercise has been properly worked out so as to continue
a permanent possession, during the whole term of life, but it is not meant that the knowledge of
the Path and of Fruition, has been attained. The attainment of the knowledge of the Path and
Fruition, however is quick or slow, according to opportunity or lack of opportunity, in the practice
of higher virtues. It is also very difficult correctly to become aware of the attainment of the Path
and of the Fruits. In fact, even the Ariyan who has attained the First Path hardly knows that he has
become an attainer of the Path-of-the-Stream. Why Because of the unfathomableness of the
latent period of the Defilements. Those Yogis or meditators who do not know the
unfathomableness of the latent period of the Defilements, sometimes think themselves to be
attainers of Path-of- the-Stream, while as yet, their erroneous views and perplexity are only
partially, but not completely, put away. If error and perplexity with all their latent states, are
eradicated by the Samuccheda-pahana, they would become the real attainers of the Path-of-the-
Stream. The meditators or practisers of Insight, however, for the whole term of life, must gladly
continue in the exercise on the contemplation of Impermanence until the exercise is systematically
worked out. Even the Arahants do not give up these exercises for the securing of tranquillity of
mind. If meditators practise these exercises for the whole term of life, their knowledge will be
developed till they passed beyond the Puthujjana-bhumi and arrive at the Ariya-bhumi either
before death or at the time of death, either in this life or in the life following, in which latter they
will be reborn as Devas.
Here the concise Vipassana-dipani, or the Outline of the Exercises of Insight for the Buddhists of
Europe, comes to a close. It was written in Mandalay, while I was sojourning in the Ratanasiri
Monastery, where the annual meeting of the Society for Propagating Buddhism in Foreign
countries took place; and it was finished on the 14th waxing of Taboung in the year 2458 B.E.,
corresponding to the 26th February, 1915 C. E.