Samatha and Vipasyana

There are two types of meditation in Buddhism. One is samatha meditation, the other is vipassana. The purpose of samatha meditation is to attain higher concentration of the mind. We call this jhana or appana.

Appana and Jhana
Jhana means the state of mind which is fixed to the object. It is translated by Pali scholars as fixedness of mind. Appana is another word for jhana. Here appana means absorption. When the mind is totally absorbed into the object, that state of mind is called appana. It has the same sense as jhana. When the mind is completely absorbed into the object, it does not go out. It cannot be distracted by anything. As long as the mind is absorbed into the object ( of concentration ) it is free from all kinds of hindrances such as sensual desire, anger, hatred and aversion, sloth and torpor, worries, restlesness, remorse and sceptical doubt.

Benefits of Concentration
The deeply concentrated mind is free from all kinds of mental hindrances. The meditator lives peacefully and happily as long as the mind is concentrated on the object of meditatiion. That is the result of samatha meditation.

Samatha here means concentration. So it can be translated as tranquility or calm because when the mind is concentrated on a single object, it becomes tranquil, serene and calm. So samatha can be translated as calmness meditation, tranquility meditation, serenity meditation or concentration meditation.

Samatha Meditator cannot Destroy the Defilements
But a meditator who practices samatha and attains this state of the concentrated mind cannot realise bodily and mental processes in their true nature. Because the Samatha meditator is not able to realise the appearance and disappearance of mental and physical phenomena, he cannot destroy any of the defilements.

The purpose of samatha meditation is to attain deep concentration and live happily and peacefully. This is so as long as the mind is concentrated well on the object of meditation. But without realisation of the three characteristics of existence or three characteristics of the body/mind process, no one can destroy any of the mental defilements of lust greed, desire, craving, hatred, anger, aversion and so on.

When one is not able to destroy these mental defilements, he will not be free from all kinds of suffering. He is still on the ocean of suffering. Only when he has realised anicca, dukkha and anatta or impermanence, suffering, no soul, no self, the nature of body/mind process, will he be able to exterminate all the defilements and live happily and peacefully.

Vipassana Meditation Preceded by Samatha
When a samatha meditator has attained deep concentration of mind, he should switch his noting mind to vipassana meditation. Any mental process or physical process will be observed with the concentration attained through samatha meditation. Such meditation is known as vipassana meditation preceded by samatha meditation.

Samatha meditation alone cannot destroy any of the defilements even though there is deep concentration. We have to practice vipassana.

Sometimes, when we find it difficult to concentrate the mind by means of vipassana meditation, we have to use samatha for some time so that we can concentrate our mind well on the object of meditation.

Having attained deep concentration of the mind, we return to vipassana and observe whatever arises in body and mind as it really occurs.

The purpose of vipassana meditation is to attain nibbana or liberation through realisation of the mind/body process and their true nature. That is why we have to practice vipassana meditation.

Vipassana may be preceded by samatha meditation or we can practice pure vipassana meditation. If we have enough time, say a year or more, we can start with samatha meditation to attain higher concentration of the mind. After that we should practice vipassana based on that powerfuly concentrated mind.

But now we have only ten days. Ten days is a very short time for a meditator to be successful, to achieve his goal. So we cannot practice samatha meditation first. We have to go straight to vipassana meditation.

The Four Protections - A Preparatory Practice
When we practice vipassana meditation or samatha meditation, the “ Visuddhimagga “, a meditation manual written by the ven. Buddhagosa mahathera, mentions the four protections as a peparatory stage to meditation. These are :

Recollection of the nine chief attributes of the Buddha ( buddhanosti in Pali ) 
Development of loving kindness ( metta bhavana ) 
Reflection upon the loathsome nature of our body 
Recollection of death

(1) The Nine Attributes of Buddha
The nine attributes of the Buddha are :

araham: enlightened, free from all defilements 
samasambuddho: perfectly self enlightened 
vijjacarana sampano: perfect in knowledge and conduct 
sugato: one who speaks well, is enlightened 
lokavidu: knower of all realms 
anuttaropurisadhamasarathi: tamer of men 
sata devamanusanam: teacher of gods and men 
buddho: the Enlightened One 
bhagava: worthy of exaltation 
You need not recollect all nine of them but use one of these nine as the object of protection meditation. For instance, when you use the attribute araham as the object of meditation, you have to reflect upon the meaning of the word araham. It means the buddha who has destroyed all mental defilements and is worthy of honour.

to be continued.

Diwali or Deepavali.

Diwali is celebrated in India the land of Festivals. The Festival of Lights is the most Gorgeous festival celebrated all over the country. or where ever Indians dwell.
Diwali is derived from Deepavali meaning a cluster of lights. This festival is marked by illumination in every home. It is also know for the crackers or fireworks which go on practically all through the night. Early next morning before Sun rise, every member takes a holy bath and wears new clothes. this is a ritual symbolising good over evil. there after they visit friends and relatives and gifts are exchanged and sweets consumed with gaiety and exchange of good tidings.
This celebration reminds and marks the joyous celebration of the death of the titan of Hell. Narakasura at the hands of Lord Krsna. Narkasura the son of the earth, was all powerful. He became an intolerable menace to the Gods sages and all men of piety. he plundered earth and heavens, he had carried away 16,000  fair daughters of the Gods and had imprisoned them in his Harem. The Gods led by Indra approached Lord Krsna and supplicated the Lord to destroy the demon. Krsna readily agreed. He fought a fierce battle. After destroying thousands of demons Krsna slew  Narakasura. Thereafter he rescued the imprisoned damsels and at their earnest prayers took them as his wives.
Symbolically this festival too like all others festivals and rituals explains the deeper meaning attached to the festivities. It is the inner personality of man and his deliverance from his ego and ignorance to the attainment of the supreme nature of God realisation. Here the darkness of the night represents man's total ignorance of his self and his godhood. In the darkness resides the desire ridden ego which destroys peace and brings about sorrow and misery in the bosom of man. the 16,000 damsels represents the desire that arise in an egoistic man, this desire dwells in the darkness the ignorance controlled by the ego. all the desires cannot find fulfilment in this limited world. they remain frustrated. Man is driven to a state of sorrow and suffering by his own negative tendencies. to pull himself out of this miserable state man has to employ his positive tendencies and direct his attention to the higher Self. every man has within him both positive and negative tendencies. they are represented by gods and demons.the gods approach to krsna indicates the positive tendencies reaching out to the self seeking to understand it. this naturally destroys the negative tendencies getting destroyed one by one represented by the fire crackers. this goes on all through the time the ego lasts all through the night. With the rising of the sun all darkness is dispelled all ignorance removed all desires destroyed. Narakasura killed. Man gets transformed. the bath at before dawn indicating the battle won new clothes signify the newly acquired godhood. the transformation brings about joy and celebration, bliss represented by eating sweets and merry making. meeting with friends and relatives symbolising the vision of Divinity in one and all alike.

Navagraha.

Character.
Surya, the Sun is strong, splendid, bold, regal, warlike, victorious and energetic;
Chandra, the moon is inconstant, amorous, charming, imaginative, poetical, artistic;
Mangal, the Mars is a politician, a soldier, crafty and ruse, unscrupulous, unmerciful, tyrannical;
Budha, the mercury is speculative, scientific, skilful, mercantile, eloquent, clever at all intellectual pursuits;
Brhaspati, the Jupiter is religious, learned, a philosopher, a yogin, master of occult sciences, wise, statesmanlike, fortunate, successful, invincible, noble in mind and disposition;
Shukra, the venus is self willed, lustful, a master of statecraft, a poet, thinker, philosopher;
Shani, the saturn is cruel, vindictive, gloomy, immoral, criminal, unruly, destructive;
Rahu, is violent, headstrong, frank, furious, and rapacious;
Ketu is select, meditative, unsocial, a silent doer of strong and selfish actions;

Each planet has a strong and powerful influence on the man if it shares in the governance of the horoscope

Sarasvati.

1. Sarasvati, Full of Plentitude.
pavaka nah sarasvati
vajebhih vajinivati
yajnam vashtu dhiyavasuh.
May the purifying Sarasvati,
with plentiful types of plentitudes and
Rich in the substance made by the thoughts, desire our yajna.
2.Awakener of Right thoughts.
chodayitri sunrtanam
chetanti sumatinam
yajnam dadhe sarasvati.
She is the impeller of auspicious truths and
the awakener of all happy thoughts
May that Sarasvati uphold the yajna.
3.Vast flood of Truth.
maho arnah sarasvati
prachetayati ketuna
dhiyo vishva virajati.
sarasvati awakens the great flood (of Truth)
by the perception of revelation (in the consciousness)
She illumines entirely all the thoughts.
4.Guardian of Thoughts.
pra no devi sarasvati
vajebhir vajinivati
dhinam avitri avatu.
May the Goddess Sarasvati
full of plentitude, with the steeds of force (life force) of plenty,
the guardian (avitri) of thoughts, protect us.

srirangam

The origin.

The sanctuary (Vimana) rose out of the Ocean through the grace of the penance of Brahma. Who worshipped it and appointed the Sun god Surya to attend to the daily worship of Sri Ranganatha. Ikshvaku descended from the sun and shifted the sanctuary to his capital Ayodhya. Sri Rama the incarnation of Vishnu in the Ikshvaku dynasty presented the precious sanctuary to Vibhishana who had come to attend the coronation of Sri Rama at Ayodhya.  Vibhishana returned to Lanka carrying the sanctuary with him. On the way being weary he laid down the sanctuary at the valley of Kavery and rested. He was not able to lift the sanctuary when he decided to leave again. He became agitated and worried. The King Chola Dharmavaram who reigned over that region consoled him, he built a temple with enclosures round the sanctuary.  This being a region of valley the river kavery flooded the region burying the temple under sand. Eventually the forest grew and covered the land under which the temple lay buried. A descendent of the King Dharmavarma resting under a tree in the above forest heard a parrot sitting on one of the branches recite a verse (Kavery viraja …………….Pranavartha prakashaka.) which meant River kaveri is the same as the River Viraja in Vaikunta. The Srirangam temple is Vaikunta itself, the lord of Arangam, who is none other than Vasudeva, God’s eternal abode is here perceptibly. The vimana is in the form of the Pranava (OM) its four towers are like the four Vedas and Sri Rangasayee is expounding the import of the pranava.

The king in whose dream Vishnu appeared, reverentially cleared the sand dunes and discovered the Vimana underneath. He renovated the old temple and re-installed the Lord in all His glory. He constructed a kili mantapam (a colonnade) near the Perumal Sannidhi. The King there after came to be known as Kili cholan. He then built around the rediscovered sanctuary a temple with streets enclosures and flower gardens. He also improved the banks of both branches of the river enclosing the island of Srirangam. In Ahananuru one of the early sangam works in Tamil there is a mention of this temple with a reference to Arangam and Panguni festival of that temple. This work belongs to around the fourth century. Also in a later work Silappadikaram there is a mention of the temple. The Ramayana, the Padma purana and Matsya purana mention this temple of Lord Ranganatha giving a description of the lord. Prappannamrutham has numerous references to the temple. The Lakshmi Kavyam of the fifteenth century  describes the celestial wedding of Uraiyur Valli with Lord Ranganatha and also describes the Adi Brahmotsavam festival.  Works like Maduravijayam and Saluvabhyudayam refer to the Muslim occupation and subsequent restoration of the temple by Vijayanagar rulers. This is how ancient this temple is. All the Alwazrs have sung in praise of the Lord Ranganatha. Thondaradipodi  alwar lived here for a long time. Sri Ramanuja also lived here for a long time there are record evidence of the detailed instructions given by him regarding the manner in which the festivals (utsavams) are to be celebrated and the manner in which the different rituals are to be performed. He also classified thoroughly the manner of administration of the temple and their duties. These rules are being followed even today and if a doubt arises as to some details the instructions of are taken as authoritative. This is also the place where three famous women devotees of the Lord attained salvation and merged with the Lord himself. The first was Sultani a Mohamedan princess, daughter of a Delhi Badsha. She was known as Thulukka Nachiar. The second was Chola Kulavalli, daughter of a Chola King Dharma Varma, she is known as Woraiyur Nachiar. The third is the daughter of the Chera king Kulasekara, known as Chera Kulavalli. This is also the temple where Manavala Mamuni repeated Tiruvaimozhi for the benefit of Lord Ranganatha Himself. It is believed that the Lord and his Divine consort were part of the august assembly for the whole year and listened to these discourses. At the end of which he assumed the form of a young boy and uttered the following verse which is repeated even today both at the commencement and at the end of the recitals of divya Prabhandham;

“Sri Sailesa/ Rangesha, Dayapathram dhi bakthyathi gunarnavam

Yathindra pravanam Vande Ramyajamataram munim”

{three perumal temples which are remembered and reputed for the embellishment of their processional idols. 1.The Varadaraja Swami temple at Kanchi is famous for the beauty of the umbrella (Kodai Azhagu) 2. The Thirunarayanapuram (Melkote) is known for the beauty of the diamond Crown (Mudi Azhagu) while the Srirangam is known for the captivating and enthralling gait (Nadai Azhagu) of the utsava murthy.

There are 21 towers in the temple. Each one of them is a masterpiece, full of ornamental  images.

More details from related posts all having Srirangam as header.

Punyaha Vachanam. Pavamana Sukta.

Punyaha means an auspicious day/ time / saying. Punyaha Vachanam is the recitation done before beginning any religious rite both in houses and temples.
Pavamana is a popular epithet for Soma, the Lord of Delight. according to Vedic sages every activity generates Soma, the delight. Pavamana means that which flows and that which purifies. all the mantras of mandala 9 of Rig Veda are dedicated to Soma.
hiranya - varnah shuchayah pavaka
yasu jatah kashyapo yasu indrah
agnim ya garbham dadhire virupah
ta na apah sham syona bhavantu  1.
golden of colour, pure, purifying,
in these waters was born Kashyapa, in these was born Indra,
they have conceived Agni in them as a child of varied forms;
may these waters be blissful and felicitous to us.
Kashyapa refers to Prajapati the originator of beings, Prajapati is a designation not a particular person or being. 
yasam raja varuno yati madhye
satya anrte avapashyan jananam
madhushchuah shuchayo yah pavakah
ta na apah sham syona bhavantu 2
In their midst Varuna travels,
gazing on the truth and falsehood of men,
they the waters are dripping honey; they are pure, purifying;
may these waters be blissful and felicitous to us.
yasam deva divi krnvanti bhaksham
ya antarikshe bahudha bhavanti
yh prthivim payasa undanti shukrah
ta na apah sham syona bhavantu 3

shivena ma chakshusha pashyata apah
shivaya tanuva ua sprshata tvacham me
sarvan agnin apsushad huve
vo mayi varcho balam ojo ni dhatta 4


pavamanasa suvarjanah
pavitrena vicharshanih
yah pota sa punatu ma 5


punantu ma devajanah
punantu manavo dhiya
punantu vishva ayavah 6


jatavedah pavitravat
pavitrena punahi ma
shukrena deva didyat
agni krtva kratum ranu  7


yatte pavitram archishi
agne vitatam antara
brahma tena punimahe  8


ubhabhayam deva savitah
pavitrena savena cha
idam brahma punimahe   9


vaishvadevi punati devyagat
yasyai bahvih tanuvo vitaprshthah
taya madantah sadhamadyeshu
vayam syama patayo rayinam   10


vaishvanaro rashmibhir ma punatu
vatah pranena ishiro mayobhuh
dyavaprthivi payasa payobhih
rtavari yajniye ma punitam   11


brhadbhih savitah savitah trbhih
varshishthair deva manmabhih
agne dakshaih punahi ma   12


yena deva apunata
yenapo divyam kashah
tena diyena brahmana
idam brahma punimahe   13


yah pavamanir adhyeti
rshibhih sambhrtam rasam
sarvam sa putam ashnati svaditam
matarishvana  14


pavamanir yo adhyeti
rshibhir sambhrtam rasam
tasmai sarasvati duhe
kshiram sarpir madhudakam  15


pavamanih svasti ayanih
sudugha hi payasvatih
rshibhih sambhrto rasah
brahmaneshu amrtam hitam  16


pavamanir dishantu nah
imam lokam atho amum
kaman samardhayantu nah
devir devaih samabhrtah  17

pavamanih svasti ayanih
sudugha hi ghrtash chutah
rshibhih sambhrto rasah
brahmaneshu amrtam hitam  18


yena devah pavitrena
atmanam punate sada
tena sahara dharena
pavamanayah punantu ma   19


prajapatyam pavitram
shatodyamam hiranmayam
tena brahmavido vayam
putam brahma punimahe  20

indrah suniti saha ma punatu
somah svastya
varunah samichya
yamo raja pramrnabhih punatu ma
jataveda ma urjayantya punatu   21.























to be continued.

Shri Suktam

1.Lakshmi.
hiranyavarnam harinim
suvarna rajatasrajam
chandram hiranmayim lakshmim
jatavedo mama vaha
O knower of all things born, bring here to me
Lakshmi, the goddess of Beauty and Fortune, abundant in the golden light, who is delight,
who is resplendent like gold and is the spouse of Hari (Vishnu)
she wears garlands (Sraja) of flowers which are golden coloured or white.
2. Golden Light. tam ma a vaha jatavedo
lakshmim anapagaminim
yasyam hiranyam vindeyam
gam ashvam purushan aham
O Agni Jataveda,(the knower of all things born)bring me
the Goddess Lakshmi who never strays (from me)
May I obtain from her the golden Light of the Truth,
the rays of knowledge (Gam) the steeds of life energies (ashva) and the successors. 
3.Goddess of Beauty
ashvapurvam rathamadhyam
hstinada prabhodinim
shriyam devim upahvaye
shrir ma devi jushatam.
I invoke the presence of the Goddess of Beauty (Shri)
who is in the middle of a chariot with the steeds of life energy in front;
She is awakened by the sounds or call of those who are full of skill (hasti) (or by the call of elephants)
May the goddess of wealth take delight in me.
4. Smiles Benevolently
kam so smitam hiranya prakaram
ardram jvalantim trptam tarpayantim
padmesthitam padma varnam
tamihopa hvaye shriyam.
I invoke here the presence of the goddess Shri
who is the absolute (kam) who smiles benevolently and who is the form of golden light,
who is compassionate, who beams brightly, who is content (trptam) but satisfies the devotees (tarpayantim).
She is seated on the lotus and has the hue of the lotus.
5. May all bad qualities perish
chandram prabhasam
yashasa jvalantim shriyam loke
devajushtam udaram
tam padma nemim sharanam pra padye
alakshmir me nashyatam
tvam vrnomi
She is delightful with her effulgence
and brightly renowned in the world of riches and felicities (shriyam)
she is generous and is beloved of the gods;
I take refuge in her who has lotus in her hands
I seek her as my refuge.
May all the qualities perish in me which hinder the presence of beauty and harmony.
6. Dispel the Ignorance
adityavarne tapaso adhi jato
vanaspatis tava vrksho atha bilvah
tasya phalani tapasa nudantu
maya antara yashcha bahya alakshmih.
O Sun splendoured one, out of your tapas, sprang forth
the bilva tree that is the king of delight.
It was then by your grace that its fruits (attained celebrity)
May the veil of ignorance (maya) within and the bad qualities outside be dispelled.
7. Potent words and ecstasy.
upaitu mam devasakha
kirtishcha manina saha
pradurbhuto asmi rashtre asmin
kirtim vrddhim dadatu me.
May the friends of the Gods approach me
along with the (Potent) words and the ecstasy (to give them to me)
Born am I into this kingdom;
may he grant me progress and the capacity to laud you.
8. Absence of Plentitude.
kshut pipasa malam jyeshtham
alakshmim nashayami aham
abhutim asamrddhim cha
sarvan nirnuda me grhat.
In the shape of impurities of hunger and thirst, which manifested earlier (to Lakshmi)
May I drive away the misfortune
all the things (or forces) which cause all ill happenings and the absence of plentitude (asamrddhim)
9. Nourishes all.
gandha dvaram duradharsham
nityapushtam karishinim
ishvarim sarvabhutanam
tam iha upa hvaye shriyam.
whose grace enters us through all the subtledoors and is unassailable.
She nourishes (all beings) for ever with her abundance.
she is the ruler of all creatures.
I invoke here the presence of the Goddess shri
10.Aspiration and Truthful Speech.
manasah kamam akutim 
vachah satyam ashimahi
pashunam rupam annasya
mayi shrih shrayatam yashah.
The power of mind and the aspiration(akuthi)
(By your grace) may I obtain the truthful speech,
may I have the abundance of food (anna) and the forms (rupam) of varieties of knowledge (Pashunam){see}
May the glory (as your devotee) and the riches and felicities settle in me( shrayatam)
11. Mother of Lotuses.
kardamena praja bhuta
mayi sam bhava kardama
shriyam vasaya me kule
mataram padmamalinim.
(The goddess) had you for son.
O Kardama reside in me.
In my abode, establish the goddess of riches,
the mother, who wears a garland of lotuses.
12. waters
apah sravantu snigdhani
chiklita vasa me grhe
ni cha devim mataram shriyam
vasays me kule.
May the waters produce amiable effects (snigdhani)
O Chiklita (come and) dwell in my abode.
and make thy mother, the goddess of prosperity,
abide in my household.
13. Moist with compassion.
ardram pushkarinim pushtim
pingalam padma malinim
chandram hiranmayim lakshmim
jatavedo mama vaha.
Who is moist with compassion, attended by elephants and nourishes the entire world.
She is golden coloured and wears a garland of lotus flowers 
She is bedecked with the golden lustre and she is delight herself,
O Agni Jataveda, bring Lakshmi to me.
14. Shining like the Sun.
ardram yahkarinim yashtim'
suvarnam hemamalinim
suryam hiranmayim lakshmim
jatavedo mama vaha.
she is compassionate and holds the staff of Dharma (yashtim)
she is radiant wearing the garlands and necklaces of gold.
Lakshmi, shining like the Sun with the golden lustres.
O Agni Jataveda, bring to me.
15. Lakshmi who strays not.
tam ma a vaha jatavedo
lakshmim anapagaminim
yasyam hiranyam prabhutam
gavo dasyo vindeyam purushan aham.
O Agni, Jataveda, bring to me
Lakshmi who strays not from me.
and the abundant (Prabhutam) wealth of gold.
On her arrival by her grace may I obtain the cattle, maids the men-folk(like children, companions)