Practical Insight Meditation教程.pdfVIP

Practical Insight Meditation Venerable Mahāsī Sayādaw Practical Insight Meditation Author’s Preface It is a uism to say that nobody likes suffering and everybody seeks happiness. In this world of ours, human beings are making all possible efforts for prevention and alleviation of suffering, and enjoyment of happi- ness. Nevertheless, their efforts are mainly directed towards physical well- being by material means. Happiness is, aer all, conditioned by aitudes of mind, and yet only a few persons give real thought to mental development, fewer still practice mind aining in earnest. To illusate this point, aention may be drawn to the commonplace habits of cleaning and tidying up one’s body, the endless pursuits of food, clothing, and shelter, and the emendous technological progress achieved for raising the material standard of living, for improving the means of ansport and communications, and for prevention and cure of diseases and ailments. All these efforts are, in the main, concerned with the care and nourishment of the body. It must be recognized that they are essential. However, these human efforts and achievements cannot possibly bring about the alleviation or eradication of suffering associated with old age and disease, domestic infelici and economic oubles, in short, with non-satis- faction of wants and desires. Sufferings of this nature are not overcome by material means; they can be overcome only by mind aining and mental development. Then, it becomes clear that the right way must be sought for aining, stabilizing and puriing the mind. This way is found in the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sua, a well-known discourse of the Buddha, delivered well over 2,500 years ago. The Buddha declared thus: “This is the so