𝗩𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗮:𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴

The Path to Freedom from Craving — Vipassanā

Śrāvastī, the great metropolis and capital of the Kosala kingdom. In those days, the Blessed One was residing in Śrāvastī itself, at Anāthapiṇḍika’s Jetavana monastery. A large number of monks and nuns learned the practice of Vipassanā from the Blessed One. From time to time, discourses on the Dhamma were held. People from the city also came to listen to the nectar-like words of the Blessed One and benefited greatly.

One day, a young man named Abhaya from the city attended a Dhamma discourse. That day, the Blessed One explained how, through the practice of Vipassanā, a practitioner could become free from all mental defilements. As a householder, Abhaya was deeply troubled by the defilement of sensual desire. He longed to be freed from it, but despite trying many methods, he had not succeeded. In the words of the Blessed One, he perceived a glimmer of hope. Although this practice did not affirm his traditional philosophical beliefs, it appeared rational. Therefore, he resolved to practice this scientific method to attain freedom from desire.

He reflected that living amid the colorful and sensuous atmosphere of household life, attaining complete freedom from craving through Vipassanā might take a long time. Hence, he renounced home life, became a monk, began living in the Blessed One’s monastery, and practiced Vipassanā regularly. Through Vipassanā practice, he gained many benefits. His defilements were subdued. He felt that his sensual desire had also been eradicated. However, the latent defilements (anusaya-kleśa)—the residual impressions of craving—were still lying dormant in the depths of the mind in the bhavaṅga state; they had neither arisen nor been exhausted.

Monk Abhaya went daily into the city for alms. According to monastic discipline, he always kept his eyes lowered while receiving alms, returned to the monastery, took his meal, and devoted himself to meditation.

One day, while on alms round, he stood before a house, eyes lowered, receiving alms in his bowl. His gaze accidentally fell upon the henna-adorned, beautiful feet of the householder woman. Contrary to monastic restraint, his eyes suddenly lifted upward. Before him stood a youthful woman, a veritable embodiment of beauty. The monk stood transfixed, staring unblinkingly. Never before had he seen such beauty. Seeing this, the proud young woman smiled; her vanity in her beauty increased. Smiling and swaying coquettishly, she went back inside her house.

Monk Abhaya returned to the monastery. But neither did the food taste good, nor could his mind settle in meditation. Again and again, the alluring glance, the charming smile, and the captivating golden-bodied form of that woman appeared before his closed eyes. The monk was overwhelmed by sensual desire. His mind would not rest even for a moment in the field of meditation; instead, it rolled and tumbled only in the field of lust. The same glance, the same smile, the same form. The condition of the monk-practitioner became utterly pitiable. At times, he would regain a little awareness and feel deep remorse about his state. He knew that remorse could not free one from defilements. Yet what could he do?

Fortunately, the Blessed One’s words of Dhamma echoed in his ears:

“Rūpaṃ disvā sati muṭṭhā — seeing a form, mindfulness is lost; memory becomes impaired,

because ‘piyaṃ nimittaṃ manasikaroto’ — the mind begins to dwell upon a sign it considers pleasant.

In such a state, ‘sārattacitto vedeti’ — the mind does experience bodily sensations, but, taking them as pleasant, it becomes inflamed with craving,

and ‘tañ ca ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati’ — it remains immersed in them.

As a result, ‘tassa vaḍḍhanti āsavā’ — the influxes (āsavas) of such a person increase; the formations of becoming are strengthened,

such formations which ‘bhavamūlopagāmino’ — penetrate toward the root of becoming, the bhavaṅga, the unconscious level of mind, where they continue to be stored.”

These words struck Abhaya like a bolt of lightning. This sudden awakening of intense sensual desire became an extraordinary motivating incident for his liberation. He began to turn his memory and awareness from sati muṭṭhā (lost mindfulness) toward satipaṭṭhāna (established mindfulness). With great determination, he resumed Vipassanā with insight into things as they truly are (yathābhūta ñāṇa-dassana).

“At this moment, defilements of sensual desire have arisen in my mind, and because of them, sensations are arising in the body.”

He began to observe both with the attitude of a witness. Both were of impermanent nature. “Let me see how long they last.” He simply observed. He stopped trying to remove them and allowed Vipassanā to do its work.

Very soon, he was freed from the storm. Not only that—by continuing to work with sensations for some days, he eradicated all the deeply latent sensual defilements. He became liberated while living. Monk Abhaya became one among the arahants.

Reference: 

Jāge Pāvan Preraṇā

Vipassanā Viśodhana Vinyāsa