Abstract
The thesis entitled ‘A Study of The Knowledge and The Understanding in the Four Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Meditation Practice of Foreign Practitioners’ consists of 3 objectives as: 1) to study of the insight meditation practice in line with the Four Foundation of Mindfulness as found in the Theravada Buddhist scripture, 2) to investigate the insight meditation practice in line with the Four Foundation of Mindfulness in Wat Rampoeng (Tapotaram), the International Insight Meditation Center and 3) to explore the knowledge and the understanding of practicing the Insight Meditation in line with the Four Foundation of Mindfulness of foreign practitioners. The research has been conducted from the documentary and field research methods. The field data were collected by interviews and participant observations.
The result of the research can be concluded that Vipassanā-bhāvanā or insight development based on the Satipaṭṭhāna the Four Foundations of Mindfulness is regarded as the path to purification of one’s mind and focus on the insight knowledge of things to be fully understood. The foundations of mindfulness are divided into 4 categories and 13 subcategories viz., 1) Kāyānupassanāsatipaṭṭhāna: contemplation of the body consists of 6 subcategories, 2) Vedanānupassanāsatipaṭṭhāna: contemplation of feelings, 3) Cittānupassanāsatipaṭṭhāna: contemplation of mind and 4) Dhammānupassanāsatipaṭṭhāna: contemplation of mind-objects. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are subdivided into 5 subcategory viz., Nīvaraõa: hindrances, Khandha: aggregate, Āyatana: the Twelve Spheres, Bojjhaïga: enlightenment factors and Sacca: truthfulness. The benefits obtainable here and now by practicing the four foundations of mindfulness are supporting the physical and mental conditions – physically strong and mentally relaxed. The benefits in the future are to eradicate the wrong view or Upādāna: attachment and the highest benefit is to achieve the ultimate goal; Nibbāna.
Wat Rampoeng (Tapotaram) provides the Insight Meditation in line with the Four Foundations of mindfulness by contemplating “rising-falling to practitioners; Thai and foreigner throughout the year based on the Theravada Tipiṭaka. The procedures and training methods for the Thais and foreigners are alike in all respects. The practical method of Wat Rampoeng is begun by the Abhivāda Stipaṭṭhāna or to bow to the ground with mindfulness to the Triple Gem followed by the Caṅkama or walking meditation. The Caṅkama is periodically divided into 6 steps of ‘Left Go Thus and Right Go Thus’ and followed by the sitting meditation and the contemplation of sub-postures by comprehending the word ‘Rising and Falling’. For the sake of wisdom development and able to understand the causality and conditionality, the practitioners will be considered to increase the level of practice by the meditation master during the meditation interview.
Regarding to the foreign practitioners, they have known and understood the principle of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness at the satisfactory level (74 percent) followed by the knowledge and understanding of the benefits in practicing meditation (71 percent). The representative samples have mostly understood about the path of practicing meditation and its benefit in present and in future. The samples had less knowledge and understanding about the definition of the practice of each pattern. On the topic of the knowledge and understanding of the highest benefit, it's consistent with the recorded results of the participant observation. The results show that the samples are intended to practices, respect for the temple’s rules and practice accordingly as they have trained.
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