The Theory and Practice of Chan Meditation, Lecture Four

Observing Feelings as Wind

【Key Point】: Mindfulness of feelings (vedanā-upassanā).

【Scriptural Basis】: Sutta 471 of the Saṃyuktāgama (Miscellaneous Discourses).

(01) Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was dwelling at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha.

(2a) At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikkhus: "Just as violent winds suddenly arise in the sky, blowing in from the four directions—there are dust-bearing winds and dustless winds, the Vaiśākhā winds and the Vyāvahārika winds, gentle winds and fierce winds, down to the winds that set the wind-wheel in motion—

(2b) so too, the winds of feeling within the body arise in many kinds: pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings; pleasant bodily feelings, painful bodily feelings, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant bodily feelings; pleasant mental feelings, painful mental feelings, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant mental feelings; pleasant feelings with sustenance, painful feelings with sustenance, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings with sustenance; pleasant feelings without sustenance, painful feelings without sustenance, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings without sustenance; pleasant feelings of attachment, painful feelings of attachment, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings of attachment; pleasant feelings of deliverance, painful feelings of deliverance, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings of deliverance."

(03) At that time, the World-Honored One uttered these verses:

Like violent winds in empty space, rising from every direction—east, west, north, south, and the four intermediate directions as well; dust-bearing and dustless, down to the winds that set the wind-wheel in motion—so too within this body do feelings arise in like manner.

Whether pleasant or painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant; with sustenance or without; attached or unattached: the diligent bhikkhu, with right knowledge unswayed, through wise discernment fully understands them all. Knowing all feelings, in this very life he exhausts every contaminant; when the body ends, he falls into no further state, but forever abides in parinirvāṇa.

(04) After the Buddha spoke this discourse, the bhikkhus, having heard what the Buddha said, received it with joy and put it into practice.

【Explanation of the Sutra's Meaning】

1. The Gate of Transformation

Furthermore, any feeling that, having arisen within its basis, becomes destroyed, scattered, and does not remain but quickly perishes and passes away—never flowing on for long in a similar succession—such a feeling should be contemplated as resembling a whirlwind.

2. The Gate of Distinctions

Moreover, the feelings themselves (pleasant feelings, painful feelings, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings), their bases (pleasant bodily feelings, painful bodily feelings, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant bodily feelings; pleasant mental feelings, painful mental feelings, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant mental feelings), and their classification as defiled or pure—these together should be understood as the distinctions among the various kinds of feelings.

Feelings with flavor (pleasant feelings with sustenance, painful feelings with sustenance, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings with sustenance) are the worldly feelings.

Feelings without flavor (pleasant feelings without sustenance, painful feelings without sustenance, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings without sustenance) are the supramundane feelings.

Feelings based on craving (pleasant feelings of attachment, painful feelings of attachment, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings of attachment) are the defiled feelings tied to the five delightful sense objects.

Feelings based on renunciation (pleasant feelings of deliverance, painful feelings of deliverance, and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feelings of deliverance) are all the good feelings—whether belonging to concentration or not—that arise together with renunciation and seclusion.

【Chan Meditation Commentary】

In the flowing process of dependent origination, the sequence runs: contact, feeling, craving, grasping, becoming. What follows feeling—craving, grasping, and becoming—is where afflictions like greed and hatred, along with the karma they generate, arise. So in meditation one must work at the very source: feeling itself. By staying aware that our feelings are impermanent and non-self, we can cut off the afflictions and karma that would otherwise follow.