A required Presentation submission for meditation in 1st Year second Semester

Dear teacher! maechee ampai tansomboon, at the very beginning, I would like to thank all of you for giving me a chance to talk in front of all of you and present about kayagatasati bhavana.

          All the nations of the world have plan to develop their lands in various ways and have targets for development acquire wealth and strength So that the people of that land can live happily and prosperous. One can not just let it be! If this is so then the country has to have its own plan of development.

          In Buddha’s teaching, it is the same thing because the Buddha has laid down the method for development but it is a way of developing the individual’s life and directly emphasizes mind development. Fr when the mind is developed then the person is developed as well. Likewise, all types of development for welfare and happiness will be gained easily. Then the world will be peaceful and happy without war and civil disturbances. Humans will live like brothers. The more the mind is developed, the greater the happiness can be gained in the world.

So as I had presented about anapanasati bhavana in my last semester. I have to present about kayagatasati this time. This kayagatasati is simply translated as the contemplation of the body. My friends have already presented some of those and here now. As there are six chapters but only five members in the group, I am going to make a conclusion out of all.

Here with kayagatasati one contemplates the body as the body. It has six chapters namely:

1.     Mindfulness of breathing and insight.

2.     The four postures.

3.     Full awareness.

4.     Foulness on the bodily parts.

5.     Elements

6.     The nine charnel ground contemplations and foulness on bodily parts.

Firstly one fines a most suitable place for meditation. Then sits comfortably establishing the mindfulness in front of him and comfortably breathe in and out with full consciousness with the sense of breathing in and out experiencing the whole body. He abides contemplating the body as a body both internally and externally. One thinks that there is a body which is simply established in him to the extent necessary for bare knowledge and mindfulness in-depending but not wanting anything from the world.

Secondly one becomes aware of the postures, there are four postures for the meditation such as sitting, lying, standing and walking. Whether we sit or walk or stand or even lay down have to be conscious. If it is sitting then we have to make a mental note that I am sitting and we are standing we have to make a mental note on standing, if we are walking we have to a make a mental note we are walking and finally when we are lying we have to be aware that we are lying.

Thirdly one acts in full awareness in his every activities in short that means when someone performs the meditation practice, he has to proceed continuously without a break so that he does not lose the concentration so, for the continuing of has to be aware about his every activities. Suppose like he is tired of standing so he wants to change the posture so if he wants to change the posture. He has to have awareness while changing it (posture). If eating, make mental note that he is eating. If walking be aware that he is walking, when itching he becomes conscious, and in brief all his performances during his meditation practice.

Fourthly, one reviews the body from the soles of the feet and down from the top of the hair, bounded by skin as full of many kinds of impurities*. Fifthly one reviews the body however it is placed, however disposed as consisting of elements. Like there are earths elements, water elements, fire elements, and air elements. Sixthly one sees a corpse thrown as aside in a charnel ground, one day , two …….days dead, bloated, livid and oozing matter and thinks that this my body is also of the same nature. It is similar to all living beings in the world. So finally I want to say that this kayagatasati bhavana is to focus on body.

For a man in whom mindfulness immersed in the body is cultivated, developed, and pursued. These ten benefits can be expected.

Ten Benefits

1.    He conquers displeasure & delight, and displeasure; He remains victorious over any displeasure that has arisen.

2.    He conquers fear & dread. He remains victorious over any fear & dread that have arisen.

3.    He is resistant to cold, heat, hunger, thirst, the touch of gadflies & mosquitoes, wind & sun & creeping things; to abusive, hurtful language; he is the sort that can endure bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, sharp, stabbing, fierce, distasteful, disagreeable.

4.    He can attain at will, without trouble or difficulty.

5.    He wields manifold super normal powers.

6.    He hears -- by means of the divine ear-element.

7.    He knows the awareness of other beings.

8.    He recollects his manifold past lives.

9.    He sees -- by means of the divine eye.

10. Through the ending of the mental effluents.

   So when one gains these benefits then he has not problem to carry on his life happily here after. Finally I thank teacher and all of you for listening to me curiously.