Abstract
This research paper aims at 2 objectives;1) to study of the principle of 5 powers in Theravada Buddhist scriptures,2) to study the principle of 5 powers for Vipassana meditation practice based on Four Foundations of Mindfulness.The research data had been collected from original sources of Theravada Buddhist texts and concerned documents, then compiled in descriptive style, finally examined by experts.
The research findings were that Pala or power means force,energy,strengthening the mind for insight practice.In deep meaning,it refers to unmovable powers which destroy all unwholesomeness and leading to realization.These five Pala or powers compose of;1) Saddhāpala or Power of confidence,2) Viriyapala or powers of efforts,3) Satipala or powers of mindfulness,4) Samādhipala or power of concentration, and 5) Paññāpala or power of wisdom.These powers cause the mental strength and firmly settlement in wholesomeness to mind generating an endless effort to reinforce the insight practitioners to achieve the realization.They are grouped in 37 Qualities Contributing to Enlightenment;4 Foundations of Mindfulness,5 Great Efforts,5 Faculties,4 Powers,7 Factors of Enlightenment and 8 Noble Paths.These virtues will be completed by practical skills of each person.
To apply these 5 powers for practice of Vipassana meditation based on the four foundations in the Buddhist scriptures consist of mindfulness of body contemplation, mindfulness of feeling contemplation, mindfulness of mentality contemplation and mindfulness of mental objects contemplation.In insight practical aspects,Saddhāpala will generate unmovable confidence in no-confidence,Viriyapala generates endless effort in no-effort,Satipala generates unmovable mindfulness in heedlessness,Samādhipala encourages unmovable peace in all distractions,Paññāpala generates unmovable wisdom in ignorance. 5 powers and 5 faculties are similar by topic but different in contents, faculty indicates to dominance while power signifies immovability of insight meditation.The significance is that these 5 powers will support and strengthen the mind as the base and accumulated qualities of mind in observing all states of mentality.With perfect powers,practitioners’ mind becomes calmful,firmly concentrated and realizing everything as they really are through three common characteristics and finally leading to the higher state of insight called as Vipassanāpaññā,eventually entering into noble path,fruits and Nibbana liberating from all influxes or defilements.
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