Dharma-Lotus en de Satipatthāna sutta
The Buddha taught how to achieve and maintain balance for 40 years and explained it in sutras (suttas). The Satipatthana sutta is possibly the most comprehensive sutta there is. Everything in there resonates with what Dharma-Lotus does. Put another way: Ask us from Dharma-Lotus what we do and why we do it and we will refer to the Satipatthãna sutta.
The Satipatthãna sutta clearly formulates and explains why a person suffers and what a person can do to get out of this suffering. At Dharma-Lotus we work with this vision, it starts with this vision and it ends with this vision. We do not offer Tantra for a better sex life, but because you can achieve and remain in balance through Tantra. We do not offer yoga or slow jogging as exercise, but because it allows you to achieve and maintain balance. Completely as it is described in the Satipatthãna sutta without us making anything up.
The Satipatthãna sutta is a very powerful and very clear text that describes the entire process of man. At Dharma-Lotus we facilitate, so that you can get started yourself. This can be done with meditation, mindfulness, tantra, yoga, massage and slow jogging.
The original Satipatthana sutta you can read here and in the pali canon: (Majjhima-Nikãya 10). We have edited it in which the repetitions (chorus) have been removed and the sutta has been written down descriptively. The italicized parts are our own texts in which we describe why a certain part of the sutta has inspired us.
Satipatthãna sutta (an edited version)
The Satipatthãna sutta (“4 Forms of Cultivating Attention”) is a direct path to coming out of suffering, finding a right attitude to life and achieving enlightenment. These 4 shapes are:
- observe the physical body attentively
- observe the feelings carefully
- observe the mind attentively
- carefully observe the mental factors
Let's take a closer look at each of these:attentively observing the physical body
Find a place where you are alone and sit in a comfortable meditation position. Now concentrate on your breathing without changing it; observe the inhalation as you inhale and observe the exhalation as you exhale. If your breathing is fast, observe that it is fast, if it is slow, observe that it is slow. Don't send him or count him. Observe the breathing as it is.
Be mindful when you are not in a meditation position. Observe what you do: when you walk, observe that you are walking. When you sit, observe that you are sitting. However you use your body, observe it and do so neutrally, or notice when something makes sense to you. Both when you are alone but also when you are in contact with others. Try to be mindful always and everywhere during every action of the body, no matter how big or how small.
If you attentively observe the physical body in this neutral manner, you will gradually recognize some properties that are a universal law (Dharma):
- notice that everything comes into being at some point
- notice that everything changes again at some point
Some exercises in the sutra
Sit in a meditation position and observe the physical body in relation to the elements: in the body you can recognize the elements Earth (teeth, bones), Water (blood, urine), Fire (digestion) and Air (in the body cavities).
Sit in a meditation position and observe the physical body from bottom to top and back. Observe the outside with skin, hair, nails and teeth. Observe the inside with muscles, tendons, bones, bone marrow, organs, intestines, feces, bile, mucus, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, sebum, saliva, snot, joint oil and urine.
Sit in a meditation position and contemplate what your body will look like 1 day after death, 2 days and 3 days after death. The body that you have so cared for and cherished. See this body decay and be absorbed by the earth.
Dharma-Lotus vision:
Be attentive and neutral in your actions. So don't multitask; If you do several actions at the same time you cannot be attentive, because your attention cannot be divided. Do things at a leisurely pace, there is no rush. Only then can you observe what is happening in the body. Slow jogging and Kum-nye yoga are very nice examples of this. But even when you undergo a massage you can clearly observe which processes are taking place in the physical body.
Be neutral. Do the action because it is important, not out of habit or conditioning. Don't be afraid of being looked at strangely if you do the action and don't be afraid if you don't do the action.
attentively observing feelings
Just as you can observe the physical body neutrally, you can also observe your feelings neutrally. In terms of feelings there are 3 flavors:
- pleasant feelings
- unpleasant feelings
- feelings that are neither pleasant nor unpleasant
Also observe whether it is a physical feeling or a non-physical feeling. Observe it and do this neutrally, both when you are alone and when you are in contact with others.
Dharma-Lotus vision:
Don't run away and don't chase. Don't do something to avoid a feeling, but observe the feeling. Don't take an action just to experience a feeling, why the desire for that feeling? Realize what is a physical feeling and a non-physical feeling. This is exactly why we offer Tantra massages. With us you cannot run away from an unpleasant feeling because the Kum-nye Tantra pushes you right into it with your nose. Although you will certainly experience them, do not think that you can request nice and pleasant feelings from us on order. That's not how the Kum-nye works. Feelings come and go. Wanting to hold on to them, avoid them or arouse them brings unrest.attentively observing the mind
The mind is one of the 6 senses. The other 5 senses (eyes, ears, tongue, nose and touch) can only perceive in the Now and only what is really there. The mind can recall things from our memories and can create fantasies. Even if these are unreal. This does not make observing the mind any easier and requires sharp concentration, neutrality and observation skills.
- know when the ghost is tapping into your memory
- know when the mind creates a fantasy
- know when the mind is scattered
- know when the mind is angry or filled with hatred or jealousy
- know when the mind is moving in one direction
Observe the mind and do this neutrally. Both when you are alone but also when you are in contact with others.
Dharma-Lotus vision:
There are many techniques and views in which the mind is either highly developed or seen as a hindrance. The mind is extremely important in only a limited number of tasks. We are inclined, however, to give the mind many more tasks in which it is unimportant; for example, we want to find something about everything. It is therefore important to learn to sharpen the mind and focus on what is important. This requires strong concentration and the ability to be neutral. This aspect is reflected in everything we do. Also, or especially, in tantra this is of the utmost importance.attentively observing the mental factors (Dharmas)
When observing the physical body we have already come into direct contact with the universal laws, also called the Dharmas. The Dharmas are the laws or truths to which everything in our body and the universe responds. There are 3 basic Dharmas:
- everything has a origin and changes again
- nothing stands alone, everything has a certain connection with other things
- therefore there is nothing that has an independent and individual character
If you fully understand these truths, both in your mind (Sutta-Maya-Pañña), in your experiences (Cinta-Maya-Pañña) and deep in your toes (Bhãvana-Maya-Pañña) then suffering will not bother you you have and are enlightened. However, there are obstacles (mental factors) that ensure that there is suffering. This comes from ignorance (the opposite of Dharma). The 3 big ignorances are:
- things are permanent, I want this to last and not change
- this is separate from that, this has no cause and has no effect
- I am me and you are you, it remains that way and does not change
Dharma-Lotus vision:
This is a very difficult one, because here we have to learn to distinguish between what we believe/find important/our truth and the universal truths (Dharmas). And sometimes they are miles apart and sometimes it is difficult to recognize that we were wrong for years. Everything we offer is aimed at this. Mainly Mindfulness, but also meditation.If we want to observe the mental factors neutrally, you will encounter some obstacles on your path. These are called the 5 obstacles:
the 5 obstacles
There are 5 obstacles that keep us stuck in our desires and desires and therefore cannot experience the Dharma. These obstacles are:
- desire
- anger
- lethargy
- worrying and grinding
- doubt
If you are in one of these hurdles, know that you are there. Don't fight it, don't push it away, don't ignore it, don't camouflage it, don't put a positive sauce on it, but don't exaggerate it either. Observe as it presents itself, observe how you experience it, observe what it does to you.
Dharma-Lotus vision:
This makes it easy again. The basis of every nuisance we experience is always one of these 5. Yet we tend to include everything and everyone as a possible cause of our nuisance and can therefore no longer see the trees for the forests. But if you really take the trouble to investigate this list of 5, you will realize that it is correct and that the cause of our discomfort always originates within ourselves. Please note; this has nothing to do with guilt or no guilt but with cause and effect. Just because the cause is within you does not mean that you are to blame.The 5 levels of appropriation
The 5 levels of appropriation are the 5 Khandas, or the 5 sources of nourishment for the ego. As long as these continue to exist and work together, we remain in our ego and thus in our ignorance and we cannot experience the Dharma. These 5 sections are:
- rüpa: matter or physical form
- vedanã: sensation
- sañña: cognition
- sankhara: conditioning/motivations
- viññana: perceptual awareness
Know what your physical body is and what it is not. If you experience something physical, know that it is physical. When you experience a sensation, know that it is a sensation. Experience that it arises and passes away, experience that it is connected with other elements, know that it has a cause and an effect.
Dharma-Lotus vision:
The body consists of 5 major processes that are separate but also strongly influence each other. As a whole they give the impression of individual character; an I. That's why it's so important to observe each part separately. Much of what we offer relates to this research. This is not possible in an afternoon and that is why we offer multi-day retreats at our own retreat center Ekãyano in France where you can do this research in peace.
The 6 senses
What is the difference between sound and hearing, between image and seeing? We quickly say: “that's a bad sound”, while the sound is just the sound and after hearing it we have made an interpretation (viññana: perceptual awareness) of it: Bad sound. But the senses only perceive what presents itself:
- the eye perceives visible forms
- the ears perceive audible sounds
- the nose perceives observable odors
- the tongue perceives flavors
- the sense of touch perceives touch
- the mind perceives the objects of the mind
With each sense, know that when a sense makes an observation, it is a bond. When your ears hear something, know that you are hearing sound and know that your cognition is connecting with both the sound and the origin of the sound. Once we have a conditioning there will be an interpretation of the sound we perceive. So know when you connect, know when you don't connect.
Dharma-Lotus vision:
Why do we so often place the cause outside ourselves? Precisely for this reason. The shape is not ugly, but our interpretation of what the eye perceives makes it ugly. But what we perceive, no matter how, is always neutral. And that is why we can never place the cause outside ourselves. In fact, everything we offer is aimed at this, but the Tantra par excellence. With Tantra you are with 2 people and the interaction and the different sensations can be interpreted very quickly. But what do you experience within Tantra if you really only perceive neutrally?The 7 factors of awakening
When we look at ourselves it is possible to see the dharma. However, this dharma can be overshadowed by the 5 hindrances, the 5 levels of appropriation and the 6 senses. Once we have understood the operation and process of this, we can experience the peace of observing the dharma ourselves. And as soon as you start to perceive the dharma at the levels of Sutta-Maya-Pañña, Cinta-Maya-Pañña and Bhãvana-Maya-Pañña, we awaken. This awakening has 7 different successive factors:
- mindfulness
- commitment and energy
- exploring the sensations
- joy
- concentration
- balance
- equanimity
If there is no mindfulness or commitment, know that it is not there. If it is there, know that it is there. So be honest with yourself. If you lack concentration in your meditation, work on your concentration. Do you not experience balance? Then this sutta is very important for you.
Dharma-Lotus vision:
Everyone goes through the same processes and everyone follows the same path, but everyone does it in a different way. These are the 7 landmarks you will encounter along the way. That is useful for us as teachers. In addition, they can also be a huge distraction and become a pitfall because we start to cherish them. It can create a new desire for a 'higher self' and create the illusion that you are 'already there'.The 4 noble truths
In addition to the 3 universal laws, there are other Dharmas such as the 4 noble truths. You will increasingly recognize this in all areas in daily life.
- 1st Noble Truth: Dhukka - life consists of suffering
- 2nd Noble Truth: Samudaya - all suffering has an origin
- 3rd Noble Truth: Nirodha - the origin of suffering always lies with you
- 4th Noble Truth: Magga - there is a way to stop this suffering (the 8-fold path)
Recognize these 4 noble truths within yourself, within yourself. But also with others, in them.
Dharma-Lotus vision:
The 4 noble truths are at the same time a test (what you can accept and what you cannot), a guideline and an instrument. Each truth has its own character, techniques and practices. Our guidance is always in small groups so that we can work one-on-one and offer what suits you at the moment. The path is the same for everyone, but not everyone is on the same part of the path, and not everyone experiences the path in the same way. We offer tailor-made solutions and therefore work in small groups.the 8-fold path
This is the way to get rid of suffering. Through this attitude to life you can break free from the sources of suffering and become enlightened. At the end of this sutta, Gautama the Buddha indicates how long the entire process towards enlightenment takes and indicates that this can be 7 years, but also 7 days or a lifetime. At the same time he says that it is unimportant, that things need their time without knowing how long.
Dharma-Lotus vision:
Do not view becoming enlightened as a goal, it is merely a side effect. Don't focus on getting better, healthier, more aware or on spiritual growth. Don't think in terms like: 'this is going to take a long time'. Experience your balance, find balance and stay balanced. At our Ekãyano retreat center we do exactly this; giving the person the opportunity to have all the time for his process. Every person is different, everyone experiences the process differently and therefore our guidance is different for each person. We therefore always work in small groups with an individual approach.Sources
We have used 4 different Dutch translations of the Satipatthãna sutta, namely:
- Bhikkhu Analayo
- Jan de Breet and Rob Janssen
- Frits Koster
- Dhammajoti
