Is Slowing Down Natural? and the Benefits of Satipatthana Vipassana Meditation

Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation involves a very deep and thorough investigation of dhammas or natural phenomena in order to uncover their true nature of impermanence, suffering, and non-self. To aid this investigation one very helpful attitude to have is what the Buddha called appamāda. This word appamāda has been variously translated as vigilance, diligence, heedfulness, earnestness, and even mindfulness. In truth this single quality of appamāda denotes all these qualities and others as well. One who possesses appamāda is a person who carries out the practise of the Dhamma respectfully, carefully, diligently, vigilantly, meticulously, earnestly, and, as with all wholesome practises, with mindfulness and proper-attention (yoniso manasikāra).

And so we find that in the practise of Satipaṭṭhāna Vipassanā meditation, meditators who possess this quality of appamāda are those who very respectfully, carefully, diligently, vigilantly, meticulously, earnestly, and with proper-attention, apply mindfulness and clarity of mind to the investigation of the dhammas moment after moment, continuously, and relentlessly. And in the Vipassanā meditation technique as taught by the late Ven. Mahāsi Sayādaw of Burma, in order to step up this quality of appamāda during the time of intensive meditation retreat, meditators are even encouraged to slow down all their physical movements so that they may be able to observe and investigate the dhammas or phenomena involved in the movements more carefully and meticulously.

However, this very sound instruction of the late Ven. Mahāsi Sayādaw has sometimes been met with criticism from some quarters, the criticism being that such deliberate slowing down of physical activities is not natural because this is not the way we normally go about our usual daily life outside of a meditation retreat.

Metta and the Transformative Power of Meditation

Mettā or loving-kindness is a positive mental state that appears as the genuine wish for the welfare of other beings. At its best its scope is universal, it's kind thoughts reach out to all beings, and is unbounded by any consideration of race, gender, religion, country, or any other artificial categories, including even the category that discriminate between human and non-human, which self-serving men have come up with to discriminate against their fellow beings.

Mettā as taught by the Buddha is expressed through mental thoughts as well as verbal and physical actions. It involves not only passive expression of friendliness to other beings but also active work of kindness, within one own means, to alleviate the suffering of one's fellow beings. In the case of the latter mettā works hand in hand with another positive mental quality, karuṇā or compassion, which is a close aide of mettā. Compassion is the movement (or quivering) in the mind at the sight of others' suffering. It is that which moves the heart to take action to alleviate that suffering.

But when it comes to the practice of mettā, Theravāda Buddhists have sometimes been criticized for being armchair (or meditation seat) practitioners.