PREFACE

Gotama Buddha pointed out and cleared the way of liberation from the rounds of birth.He taught the techniques of mental development to attain that liberation.Samatha, a practice of mind concentration, eliminates distractedness, establishes one-pointed and concentrated mind, and leads to tranquility.Vipassana, a meditative practice aiming for the highest form of mental development, offers insight into the true characteristics of phenomena and the attainment of liberating knowledge (magga-nana).

In Burma, many meditation centres offer various methods of mental development employing the techniques set forth in the Maha-Satipatthana Sutta, a discourse by the Buddha on these subjects.? On account of its proven efficacy and appropriateness to modern man, there is now growing interest in a technique which had been practised by the late Sunlun Gu-Kyaung Sayadaw, the Abbot of the Cave Monastery of Sunlun.? This technique was wrought by the Abbot in actual struggle to win the final fruits of vipassana practice.? It was found to be in conformity with the principles which are at the core of Buddhist vipassana practice.

Two characteristics of Sunlun are its employment of sensation as the object of meditation, and the intensity of practice.The adoption of sensation was never the result of a deliberate intellectual choice.? It arose naturally as an organic part of the actual practice.? But now it is possible to understand why sensation contributes towards the efficiency of the method.? Sensation lies at the intersection of mind and matter.? As such, it is the best object of meditation to help the yogi, the meditator, in establishing mindfulness of the body, of sensation, and of consciousness, namely kaya-nupassana, vedana-nupassana, and citta-nupassana.? It does so because it is at the root of all these stations.? It is the non-mnemonic element in perception and does not depend upon habit, memory and past experience.Therefore, it is closest to the requirement of vipassana which avoids the concepts which are the basis of habit, memory and mnemonic perception.?

Sunlun calls for intensity of practice.? It asks the meditator to generate the necessary zeal, ardour, energy and effort to break the bonds of attachment to the illusive sense of an “I”.It should be clearly understood that the four foundations of mindfulness cannot be established in a leisurely manner.This age, perhaps more than any other, demands unflinching effort on the part of the yogi who would wish to make significant progress in the practice of vipassana.

This book contains five pieces on the fundamental aspects of the Sunlun way of mindfulness.The first and last constitutes a translated sermon delivered in Rangoon (Yangon) by Sunlun Shin Vinaya, the presiding Abbot of Kaba-Aye Sunlun Monastery in Rangoon, Burma.The next two are by U Win Pe, and followed by the one by Dr. Ba Le.The book was last edited in 2000 by Dr. Thynn Thynn.All are disciples of Sunlun Shin Vinaya and the pieces were written and edited under his guidance.