Material & Mental

Before we can learn Vipassana Meditation we first need to understand that of Material and Mental phenomena as the two sole elements existing in a living being, and to experience them as their true nature.

Material can’t know or understand the object

Mental understands or knows the object

To further explain

When we see an object, let’s say a tree, our usual understanding is that the eye sees the tree, but in actual fact both the tree and the eye are the Material form and can never know or understand itself. The mind or consciousness is the knower of the object and therefore is the mental form. So when we See there is actually two material and one mental phenomenon existing.

As material and mental phenomenon occur through our six sense doors it is our jobs as monks or meditators to clearly distinguish or identify that which is mental and that which is material.

Hearing

On hearing there is a sound (material)

The ear that hears the sound (material)

And the consciousness that knows the sound (mental)

The meditator should note hearing, hearing, hearing

The first should be realised as sound hearing (material) (the noise)

The second should be realised as hearing sound (material) (the ear)

The third should be noted as knowing the sound (mental) (the consciousness)

Awareness

To practice Vipassana Meditation correctly the practitioner should be constantly watching, observing, that which enters through the six sense doors (hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, touch, and consciousness) and identify the characteristics of Mental and Material within them, realisation will come as each is impermanent, forever changing, and from this ever changing conditions, suffering is realised and the true identity of Non Self or the egoless.

Only by practicing Vipassana meditation in this way and with a strong level of Samadhi Meditation, the real facts of life (impermanence, suffering and Non self) become a realisation.

Kind regards

Dhamma Tapasa