Importance of Vedana
Vipassana Research Institute
The Pali term vedana, rendered in English as feeling or sensation, is derived
from the root 'vidvid', which means 'to experienceto experience'. When an object
comes in the range of a sense-organ, a simple contact is thereby established with
the mind, which experiences that object as sensation or vedana. Therefore, the
key to direct experience (paccanubhotipaccanubhoti), is vedana, since through
it we actually encounter and experience the world. As stated in the Pali texts-
Ya vedayati ti vedana, sa vedayita lakkhana, anubhavanarasa...1
That which feels the object is vedana, its characteristic is to experience, its
function is to realize the object...
It follows that in order to realize anything at the experiential level; one has
to work with vedana.
The Buddha described vedana in various ways. In the Bahu-Vedaniya Suttabahu-vedaniya
sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya2, he mentioned and analyzed several types of sensations
by groups-two types, three types, five, six... eighteen, up to one hundred and
eight varieties.3 However, when defining it more precisely, he spoke of vedana
as having both mental and physical aspects. Without mind, matter alone cannot
feel anything. It is the mind that feels, but what it feels has an inextricable
physical element-the sukha-vedana (pleasant sensations), dukkha-vedana (unpleasant
sensations) and adukkhamasukhavedana (neutral sensations).
For the actual practice taught by the Buddha, it is this physical aspect of vedana
which is of particular importance, since it is the most direct and tangible way
to experience the anicca (impermanence) of ourselves, and so to develop wisdom.
Anicca is a fact to be realized not by merely relating it intellectually to the
outside world. Rather, it must be experienced internally. We must experience ourselvesexperience
ourselves as we really are-each a transitory phenomenon, changing every moment.
This experience of aniccaexperience of anicca at the level of sensations results
in the gradual dissolution of attachment and egotism. Describing the importance
of the physical aspect of vedana for the realisation of nibbana (liberation),
the Buddha said-
Yathapi vata akaseyathapi vata akase, vayanti vividha puthu;
puratthima pacchima ca pi, uttara atha dakkhina.
Saraja araja ca pi, sita unha ca ekada;
adhimatta paritta ca, puthu vayanti maluta.
Tathevimasmim kayasmim, samuppajjanti vedana;
sukhadukkhasamuppatti, adukkhamasukha ca ya.
Yato ca bhikkhu atapi, sampajannam na rincati,
tato so vedana sabba, parijanati pandito.
So vedana parinnaya, ditthe dhamme anasavo,
kayassa bheda dhammattho sankham nopeti vedagu' ti. 4
Just as in the sky different windsas different winds in the sky blow from east
and west, from north and south, dust-laden or dustless, cold or hot, fierce gales
or gentle breezes- many winds blow. So also within the body arise sensations,
pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. When a meditator, striving ardently, does not
lose his constant thorough understanding of impermanence even for a moment, such
a wise person fully comprehends all sensations. Having thus comprehended sensations,
within this life he becomes freed of all defilements (and becomes an arahant or
vedagu). Such a person, who is vedagu (one who completely understands the sphere
of sensations), being established in Dhamma, after death attains the indescribable
state beyond the conditioned world because he knows sensations thoroughly (their
arising and passing away and also the state beyond sensation).
Again emphasizing the fact that the sensation manifests in the body, he said-
Seyyathapi, bhikkhave, agantukagaramagantukagaram, tattha puratthimaya pi disaya
agantva vasam kappenti, pacchimaya pi disaya agantva vasam kappenti, uttaraya
pi disaya... dakkhinaya pi disaya... khattiya pi... brahmana pi... vessa pi...
sudda pi... Evameva kho, bhikkhave, imasmim kayasmim vividha vedana uppajjanti.
Sukha pi vedana uppajjati, dukkha pi vedana uppajjati adukkhamasukha pi...Samisa
pi sukha.., samisa pi dukkha.., samisa pi adukkhamasukha... Niramisa pi sukha...
niramisa pi dukkha... niramisa pi adukkhamasukha vedana uppajjati. 5
Suppose, meditators, there is a public guest housepublic guest house. People come
there from the east, west, north and south. People who are Ksatriyas, Brahmins,
Vaishyas and Shudras. Similarly, meditators, various sensations arise in this
body-pleasant sensations, unpleasant sensations and neutral sensations arise;
pleasant sensations with attachment, unpleasant... neutral... arise; pleasant...
unpleasant... neutral sensations without attachment arise.
The above passage clearly describes the process of Vipassana, whereby through
observation of sensations in the body (kayasmim), a person can be fully liberated
from suffering. First, it describes different types of sensations (pleasant, unpleasant,
and neutral) which a meditator easily understands and experiences by practising
Vipassana. By constantly observing the sensations in the body, one experiences
the characteristic of arising and passing away. This objective unremitting observation
is sampajanna (constant thorough understanding of impermanence). According to
the Buddha, one who practises sampajanna is a wise personwise person, knowing
experientially how sensations arise and pass away within the body as a result
of the repeated contact of sense objects. This person knows that when one begins
to relish the pleasant sensations and abhorr the unpleasant sensations, misery
is generated and multiplies. Without sampajanna, one remains unaware of the deeper
unconscious level of the mind. It is in the darkness of ignorancedarkness of ignorance
that an unconscious reaction begins towards the sensations. This momentary liking
or disliking soon develops into craving or aversion, the reaction repeating and
intensifying innumerable times before it bursts forth into the conscious mind.
If importance is given only to what happens in the conscious mind, then because
of one's ignorance of the underlying reality, one becomes aware of it only after
the reaction has occurred repeatedly. One allows the spark of sensationspark of
sensation to ignite into a raging fire before trying to extinguish it, resulting
in unskilful physical and vocal actions. By practising sampajanna, one learns
to observe the sensations within the body objectively, permitting each spark to
burn itself out without starting a conflagration. By observing the physical aspect
of vedana, one becomes aware of the reality that the vedana that has arisen is
impermanent. With this understanding, one remains equanimous and prevents any
reaction from occurring. Constant observation of vedana in this manner by anicca-bodha
gives rise to detachment. With this attitude, one can prevent not only fresh reactions
of craving and aversion, but also eliminate the very habit of reactinghabit of
reacting, and thereby gradually come out of suffering by transcending all the
sensations and becoming what the Buddha calls a vedagu-
Sabbavedanasu vitaragovitarago, sabbam vedamaticca vedagu so.6
One who is completely detached from vedana, and has gone beyond the entire (field
of) vedana (to reach vedana-nirodha) is called vedagu.
Emphasising the arising of sensation in the body which results in the attainment
of nibbana, the Buddha said in the Patthana-
Kayikam sukham... phala-samapattiyaphala-samapattiya upanissaya paccayena paccayo.
Kayikam dukkham.. phala-samapattiya upanissaya paccayena paccayo. 7
Pleasant bodily sensation is the cause for the arising of pleasant sensation of
the body, unpleasant sensation of the body, and attainment of fruition (nibbana)
in relation to the strong dependent condition. Unpleasant bodily sensation is
the cause for the arising of pleasant sensation of the body, unpleasant sensation
of the body, and attainment of fruition (nibbana) in relation to the strong dependent
condition.
This shows that the Buddha gave foremost importance to sensation for the realisation
of the ultimate truth. As he himself said-
Ajjhattam ca bahiddha ca, vedanam nabhinandato;
evam satassa carato, vinnanam uparujjhati.8
By moving with full awareness, remaining detached from the sensations within and
without and observing them objectively, one reaches the cessation of consciousness.
Feeling the same pleasant or unpleasant sensations in the body, an ignorant personignorant
person reacts to them and multiplies his or her sankhara. In contrast, a Vipassana
meditator with the wisdom of sampajanna emerges from the old habit pattern and
becomes fully liberated. Thus our bodies bear witness to the truthwitness to the
truth. By observing sensations, we can advance from merely hearing about that
truth to experiencing it directly for ourselves. When we meet it face to facemeet
it face to face, we become transformed by the truth and faith arises in us, based
not on blind belief but on experience.
Notes: (All references VRI edition)
1. Dhammasangami Atthakatha, 1, Kamavacarakusalapadabhajaniyam
2. Majjhima Nikaya 2.88
3. Samyutta Nikaya 2.4.270
4. Ibid. 194, 2.4.260
5. Ibid. 195, 2.4.262
6. Suttanipata, 534
7. Patthana 1.1.423
8. Suttanipata 1.117