The Comparative Study of Ānāpānasati Meditation According to Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu and S.N. Goenga Approach

Abstract

An article entitled 'The Comparative Study of Anāpānasati
Meditation According to Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu and S.N. Goenka Approach' consists
of 4 objectives as: 1) to study principles of Anāpānasati meditation practice in
Theravada Buddhism 2) to investigate the Anāpānasati meditation practice in line
with Venerable Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu 3) to study the Anāpānasati meditation practice
of S.N. Goenka 4) to compare the Ānāpānasati meditation practice of Buddhadāsa
Bhikkhu and S.N. Goenka.
The research shows that Anāpānasati Meditation in Theravada Buddhism
appears in several places according to events, place and concern people. The
Anāpānasati is the one of the constant mindfulness meditation concerning on
breath in and breath out. The Anāpānasati Sutta was taught by the Buddha, it
consists totally 16 steps. In addition, the Buddha also described about the fruition of
Ānāpānasati that 'Monks, mindfulness of breathing in and out is of great fruit and of
great benefit when cultivated and made much of. When cultivated and made much f, mindfulness of breathing in and breathing out brings the Four of Applications
Mindfulness to fulfillment. When cultivated and made much of, the Four
Applications of Mindfulness bring the Seven Factors of Awakening to fulfillment.
When cultivated and made much of, the Seven Factors of Awakening bring
Knowledge and Freedom to fulfillment.
The research shows that Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu has his view point on
Dukkha (sufferings), that they arise from self attachment and the greatest demand of
human therefore, strive, struggle for the requirement. The path to eliminate those
defilements, it needs to develop the meditation. Venerable Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu
presents the meditation by using breathing in and out, as called the Anāpānasati.
He presented the Ānāpānasati Sutta in Tipitaka, which consists of 16 steps of
practice, for better understanding, he gave more expand on the details that the
Ānāpānasati practice is the ordering system from the rough to the most delicate; for
the ordinary people to the Arahanta - the Worthy One.
Regarding to S.N. Goenka's view point on Dukkha (suffering), they arise
from our wrong behavior that collect the strain more and more into subconscious
then become to latent dispositions in the subconscious. The path to eliminate
these latent dispositions is to develop the Vipassanā meditation by starting with
Anāpānasati practice for the primary peace of mind, then developing on Vedanā:
feeling. Over long time sit in meditation, one should observe Dukkha-vedanā or the
painful feeling as the Upekkhā-vedanā - neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling. One
should observe these feelings with equanimity and without any the volitional
formation. All feelings or Vedana, they are naturally accorded by the law of the
Three Characteristics - arising, existing and decaying. If one observes with equanimity
of every moment, then will be free from sufferings.
In case of the comparative study of Anāpānasati Meditation according
to Buddhasa Bhikkhu and S. N. Goenga approach, it was found some different
ideas of the path to eliminate of sufferings. Regarding to Venerable Buddhadāsa
Bhikkhu, he explained that the elimination of all attachments is the cessation of all
sufferings while S.N. Goenka said that one must follow the Noble Eightfold Path by
not to do any evil, to do good and to purify of mind. In case of the difference of
meditation technique, Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu presented that we should work with
non-selfish in daily life and develop the 16 steps of Anāpānasati meditation and non
attachment. While the S.N. Goenka meditation technique present that one should
follow the Eightfold Noble Path that consists of Sila (morality) Samadhi (Mental
discipline) and Pañña (Wisdom). If we do understand sufferings, then we can see everything as they are and treat everything without the attachment and we have no
more sufferings. In case of the similarity, both of them explain that all sufferings
physical and mental are caused by self attachment. And all attachments produce
desires which cause the never ending of Dukkha - sufferings. However, Buddhadāsa
Bhikkhu and S.N. Goenka taught the meditation as the same purpose, it is for the
sake of eliminating all Dukkha and achieving Nibbāna.