A STUDY OF THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE UNDERSTANDING IN THE FOUR MAHĀSATIPAȚȚHĀNA MEDITATION PRACTICE OF FOREIGN PRACTICIONER

Abstract

The thesis entitled 'A Study of The Knowledge and The Understanding in
the Four Mahāsatipatțhāna Meditation Practice of Foreign Practitioners' consists of 3
objectives as: 1) to study of the insight meditation practice in line with the Four
Foundation of Mindfulness as found in the Theravada Buddhist scripture, 2) to investigate the insight meditation practice in line with the Four Foundation
Mindfulness in Wat Rampoeng (Tapotaram), the International Insight Meditation Center.
and 3) to explore the knowledge and the understanding of practicing the Insight
Meditation in line with the Four Foundation of Mindfulness of foreign practitioners. The
research has been conducted from the documentary and field research methods. The
field data were collected by interviews and participant observations.
of
The result of the research can be concluded that Vipassanā-bhāvanā or
insight development based on the Satipatthāna the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is
regarded as the path to purification of one's mind and focus on the insight knowledge
of things to be fully understood. The foundations of mindfulness are divided into 4
categories and 13 subcategories viz., 1) Kāyānupassanāsatipatțhāna: contemplation of
the body consists of 6 subcategories, 2) Vedanānupassanāsatipațțhāna: contemplation
of feelings, 3) Cittānupassanāsatipatthāna: contemplation of mind and 4)
Dhammānupassanāsatipatthāna: contemplation of mind-objects. The Four Foundations
of Mindfulness are subdivided into 5 subcategory viz., Nīvaraõa: hindrances, Khandha:
aggregate, Āyatana: the Twelve Spheres, Bojjhaïga: enlightenment factors and Sacca:
truthfulness. The benefits obtainable here and now by practicing the four foundations
of mindfulness are supporting the physical and mental conditions - physically strong
and mentally relaxed. The benefits in the future are to eradicate the wrong view or
Upādāna: attachment and the highest benefit is to achieve the ultimate goal; Nibbāna.
Wat Rampoeng (Tapotaram) provides the Insight Meditation in line with the
Four Foundations of mindfulness by contemplating "rising-falling to practitioners; Thai
and foreigner throughout the year based on the Theravada Tipițaka. The procedures
and training methods for the Thais and foreigners are alike in all respects. The practical
method of Wat Rampoeng is begun by the Abhivāda Stipatthāna or to bow to the
ground with mindfulness to the Triple Gem followed by the Caňkama or walking
meditation. The Cankama is periodically divided into 6 steps of 'Left Go Thus and Right
Go Thus' and followed by the sitting meditation and the contemplation of subpostures by comprehending the word 'Rising and Falling'. For the sake of wisdom evelopment and able to understand the causality and conditionality, the practitioners
will be considered to increase the level of practice by the meditation master during
the meditation interview.
Regarding to the foreign practitioners, they have known and understood the
principle of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness at the satisfactory level (74 percent)
followed by the knowledge and understanding of the benefits in practicing meditation
(71 percent). The representative samples have mostly understood about the path of
practicing meditation and its benefit in present and in future. The samples had less
knowledge and understanding about the definition of the practice of each pattern. On
the topic of the knowledge and understanding of the highest benefit, it's consistent
with the recorded results of the participant observation. The results show that the
samples are intended to practices, respect for the temple's rules and practice
accordingly as they have trained.