Wise Attention: Yoniso Manasikara in Theravada Buddhism

Wise Attention: Yoniso Manasikara in Theravada Buddhism

 By Dr Ari Ubeysekara

Introduction

Buddhism consists of the teachings of Gautama Buddha who lived in Northern India during the sixth and fifth centuries BC. The word Buddha means the “Awakened One” or “Enlightened One.” The Buddha gained enlightenment and became a Samma Sambuddha by realizing the four Noble Truths (chathur ariya sacca) and Dependent Origination (paticca samuppada). It is said that Gautama Buddha came to realize the 12-link Dependent Origination by investigating the cause of ageing and death through wise attention. In the Maha Sakyamuni Gotama sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya (collection of the Buddha’s connected discourses), the Buddha has stated:

“Bhikkhus, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisattva (Enlightenment being), it occurred to me: “Alas, this world has fallen into trouble, in that it is born, ages, and dies, it passes away and is reborn, yet it does not understand the escape from this suffering led by aging-and-death. When will an escape be discerned from this suffering led by aging-and-death? Then, bhikkhus, it occurred to me: When what exists does aging-and-death come to be? By what is aging-and-death conditioned? Then, bhikkhus, through wise attention, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: When there is birth, aging-and-death comes to be; aging-and-death has birth as its condition”. In the same way, the Buddha traced back the chain of causation by way of origin as far as ignorance, and then traced forwards the chain of causation from the cessation of ignorance to the cessation of old age and death, the cessation of the entire mass of suffering.[1]

Dependent Origination

“Avijjapaccaya sankhara
Conditioned by ignorance arise mental formations

Sankharapaccaya vinnanam
Conditioned by mental formations arises consciousness

Vinnanapaccaya namarupam
Conditioned by consciousness arise mind and matter

Namarupapaccaya salayatanam
Conditioned by mind and matter arise six sense bases

Salayatanapaccaya phasso
Conditioned by six sense bases arise contact

Phassapaccaya vedana
Conditioned by contact arise feeling

Vedanapaccaya tanha
Conditioned by feeling arise craving

Tanhapaccaya upadanam
Conditioned by craving arise clinging

Upadanapaccaya bhavo
Conditioned by clinging arise becoming

Bhavapaccaya jati
Conditioned by becoming arise birth

Jatipaccaya jaramarana-soka-parideva-dukkha-domanassa-upayasa
Conditioned by birth arise ageing-death-sorrow-lamentation-pain-grief and despair”

Wise Attention (yoniso manasikara)

Wise attention can be described as thinking in terms of causal relationships, such as the consequences of one’s thoughts and actions, or exploration of the conditioned nature of phenomena which will lead to the development of insight or wisdom. It is an essential factor that will help a Buddhist disciple to progress through various stages of the Noble Eight-fold Path towards Nibbana – liberation from all suffering and the cycle of birth and death (samsara). In Buddhist literature it is also referred to as wise reflection, critical reflection, reasoned attention, wise consideration, systematic attention or analytical reflection among many other terms. The Pali word Yoniso means “to the womb,” “birthplace” or “origin” that is the essence or core of a particular matter. Manasikara means “to do/keep something in mind” or direct the attention. Through wise attention, one directs attention to the core or essence of a particular matter or phenomenon in order to acquire a deep understanding of its true nature. Through wise attention, one will see what is impermanent as impermanent, what is unsatisfactory as unsatisfactory, what is not self as not self and what is foul as foul.

In the ‘Yoniso Manasikara Sampada Sutta’ of the Samyutta Nikaya, the Buddha has likened wise attention to the dawn that marks the rising of the sun in the morning:

“Dawn, bhikhus, is the forerunner, the harbinger of sun-rise. Even so, bhikhus, for a monk this is the forerunner, the harbinger of the arising of the noble eight-fold path, that is, accomplishment in wise attention. Bhikhus, when a monk is accomplished in this wise attention, it is to be expected that he will cultivate the noble eight-fold path, develop the noble eight-fold path.”[2]

The eight factors of the Noble Eight-fold Path

1. Right View (samma-ditthi)
2. Right Intention (samma-sankappa)
3. Right Speech (samma-vaca)
4. Right Action (samma-kammanta)
5. Right Livelihood (samma-ajiva)
6. Right Effort (samma-vayama)
7. Right Mindfulness (samma-sati)
8. Right Concentration (samma-samadhi)

In the Buddha’s sayings (Itivuttaka), the Buddha has emphasized the importance of wise attention for someone in training on the path of liberation – i.e. someone who has attained at least the first Noble stage of Stream Enterer (sotapanna) but has not attained the final stage of Arahanthood.

“Monks, with regard to internal factors, I don’t envision any other single factor like appropriate attention as doing so much for a monk in training, who has not attained the heart’s goal but remains intent on the unsurpassed safety from bondage. A monk who attends appropriately abandons what is unskillful and develops what is skillfull.”[3]

With unwise attention (ayoniso manasikara), one does not direct attention to the core or essence of a matter or phenomenon in order to understand its true nature but, rather, directs attention away from them. As a result, one may regard what is impermanent as permanent, what is unsatisfactory as satisfactory, what is not self as self and what is foul as beautiful. These four wrong perceptions are known as the four perversions (vipallasa).

In the ‘Titthiya sutta’ of the Anguttara Nikaya (collection of Buddha’s numerical discourses), the Buddha described unwise attention as the cause of the three unwholesome roots of passion (lobha), aversion (dosa) and delusion (moha). Unwise attention to the theme of attraction will cause the arising of unarisen passion and the growth of arisen passion while unwise attention to the theme of irritation will cause the arising of unarisen aversion and the growth of arisen aversion. Unwise attention itself will cause the arising of un-arisen delusion and the growth of arisen delusion. In one who pays wise attention to the theme of unattractive, unarisen passion will not arise and arisen passion will be abandoned. In one who pays wise attention to goodwill as an awareness release, un-arisen aversion will not arise and arisen aversion will be abandoned. In one who pays wise attention, un-arisen delusion will not arise and arisen delusion will be abandoned.[4]

According to the ‘Ahara sutta’ of the Samyutta Nikaya, unwise attention (ayoniso manasikara) is the food for the arising of un-arisen mental hindrances (pancha nivarana) and for the growth and increase of mental hindrances once they have arisen. Mental hindrances act as obstacles to spiritual progress and will negatively affect the development of both tranquility and insight in the meditative practice. The five mental hindrances are:

1. Sensual desire (kamacchanda)
2. Ill will (vyapada)
3. Sloth and torpor (thina-midda)
4. Restlessness and remorse (uddaccha-kukkuchcha)
5. Sceptical doubt (vicikichcha)

On the other hand, wise attention (yoniso manasikara) is the food for the arising of the un-arisen seven factors of enlightenment or awakening (sapta bojjhanga) and for the growth and increase of the arisen factors of enlightenment. The seven factors of enlightenment are:

1. Mindfulness (sati)
2. Investigation of dhammas (dhamma vicaya)
3. Effort (viriya)
4. Rapture (piti)
5. Tranquility (passaddhi)
6. Concentration (samadhi)
7. Equanimity (upekha)[5]

While wise attention (yoniso manasikara) helps one progress through the path of liberation and escape from the cycle of birth and death, its opposite, unwise attention (ayoniso manasikara), keeps one bound to the cycle of birth and death. This has been very clearly stated by the Buddha in the ‘Discourse on All the Fermentations’ (Sabbasava sutta) of the Majjhima Nikaya (the collection of the Buddha’s middle length discourses). There are three fermentations or influxes (asava) that are the mental defilements that exist at the deepest level of the mind which prolong suffering and one’s existence in the cycle of birth and death:

1. The influx of sense desire (kamasava)
2. The influx of desire for existence (bhavasava)
3. The influx of ignorance (avijjasava)

Although only the above three influxes are mentioned in the Sabbasava Sutta, four influxes have been described elsewhere in Buddhist teaching, particularly in the Abhidhamma (Buddha’s Higher Teaching), namely:

1. The influx of sense desire (kamasava)
2. The influx of desire for existence (bhavasava)
3. The influx of wrong views (ditthasava)
4. The influx of ignorance (avijjasava)

In this discourse, the Buddha stated that:

“Monks, the ending of the fermentations is for one who knows and sees, I tell you, not for one who does not know and does not see. For one who knows what and sees what? Appropriate attention (yoniso manasikara) and inappropriate attention (ayoniso manasikara). When a monk attends inappropriately, unarisen fermentations arise, and arisen fermentations increase. When a monk attends appropriately, unarisen fermentations do not arise, and arisen fermentations are abandoned.”[6]

An untaught ordinary person does not know what is fit for attention and what is unfit for attention. Such things that are unfit for appropriate attention are issues connected with one’s identity and existence such as:

Was I in the past?
Was I not in the past?
What was I in the past?
How was I in the past?
Having been what, what was I in the past?
Shall I be in the future?
Shall I not be in the future?
What shall I be in the future?
How shall I be in the future?
Having been what, what shall I be in the future?
Am I?
Am I not?
What am I?
How am I?
Where has this being come from?
Where is it bound?

Unwise attention to these issues will lead to the development of one of six types of wrong views about self such as:

I have self
I have no self
I perceive self through self
I perceive non-self through self
I perceive self through non-self
Self of mine is constant, everlasting and eternal

As long as these wrong views about self are present, one is bound to continue to exist in the cycle of birth and death and is not free from birth, ageing, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress and despair.

A well-taught noble disciple knows what is fit for attention and what is unfit for attention. Things that are fit for appropriate attention are the Four Noble Truths, namely:

1. This is suffering (dukkha sacca)
2. This is the cause of suffering (samudaya sacca)
3. This is the cessation of suffering (nirodha sacca)
4. This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering (magga sacca)

Proper and wise attention to the Four Noble Truths will result in the development of Right View (samma ditthi) and attainment of the first noble stage of Stream Enterer (sotapanna). A Stream Enterer has abandoned the three fetters (samyojana) of personality view (sakkaya ditthi), sceptical doubt (vicikiccha) and clinging to mere rites and rituals (silabbata paramasa). One who has attained the noble stage of Stream Enterer is believed to attain Nibbana and liberation from the cycle of birth and death within a maximum of seven births.

The Buddha has described seven different methods of abandoning the unwholesome influxes that one is expected to practise through wise attention:

1. Influxes abandoned by seeing (dassana pahatabba)
2. Influxes abandoned by restraint (samvara pahatabba)
3. Influxes abandoned by reflective use (patisevana pahatabba)
4. Influxes abandoned by endurance (adhivasana pahatabba)
5. Influxes abandoned by avoidance (parivajjana pahatabba)
6. Influxes abandoned by removal (vinodana pahatabba)
7. Influxes abandoned by cultivation (bhavana pahatabba)

According to Buddhist teaching, one who cultivates diligently the Noble Eight-fold Path as described by Gautama Buddha will sooner or later attain full enlightenment or Nibbana through four well-defined progressive stages of spiritual development:

1. Stream Enterer (Sotapanna)
2. Once Returner (Sakadagami)
3. Non Returner (Anagami)
4. Arahat (Arahat)

Stream Enterer has attained the path and the fruit of the first stage of enlightenment and has thus become a Noble person (ariya) having previously been an ordinary worldling (puthujjana). One who aspires to follow the path to attain the stage of Stream Enterer is expected to observe certain wholesome practices including wise attention which plays an extremely important role:

1. Association with spiritual friends (kalyanamittha-sevana)
2. Listening to true Dhamma (saddhamma-savana)
3. Wise attention (yoniso-manasikara)
4. Living according to Dhamma (dhammanudhamma-patipada)

In the ‘Ghosa suttas’ of the Anguttara Nikaya, wise attention (yoniso manasikara) and listening to correct teaching from another person (parato ghosa) are stated as the two conditions necessary for the arising of Right View of the Noble Eight-fold Path.[7]

Of these two conditions, wise attention must be the only condition contributing to the development of wisdom in a Private Buddha (pacceka buddha) or a Samma Sambuddha as the condition of listening to the teaching from someone else does not apply to them.

The same suttas describe unwise attention (ayoniso manasikara) and listening to incorrect teaching from another person (parato ghosa) as the two conditions leading to the arising of Wrong View.

In the ‘Silavant sutta’ of the Samyutta Nikaya, Venerable Sariputta, one of the two chief disciples of Lord Buddha, has described how wise attention helps a virtuous monk to advance in spiritual development through the four Noble Stages of Stream Enterer (sotapanna), Once Returner (sakadagami), Non Returner (anagami) and Arahanthood. By paying wise attention and seeing the five clinging aggregates of form (rupa), feeling (vedana), perception (sanna), mental formation (sankhara) and consciousness (vinnana) as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness or not self, a virtuous monk would realize the Stream Entry. In a similar way, wise attention will help one progress from Stream Entry to Once Returner, from Once Returner to Non Returner and from Non Returner to Arahanthood. The same practice of wise attention by an Arahant will lead to a pleasant abiding in the here and now and to mindfulness and alertness.[8]

In the ‘Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta’ of the Majjhima Nikaya, the Buddha instructed Venerable Rahula, His seven-year-old son, to pay wise attention before, during and following any physical, verbal or mental action to note whether it is a wholesome or unwholesome action. Through wise attention, if one realizes that a particular physical, verbal or mental action is leading to self affliction, to the affliction of others or to both, and that it is an unskillful action with painful consequences and painful results, then one should not perform that action. If, on the other hand, through wise attention one realizes that a particular physical, verbal or mental action is not leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others or to both, and that it is a skillful action with pleasant consequences and pleasant results, then it is an appropriate action for one to perform.[9]

Thus, in Buddhist teaching, wise attention (yoniso manasikara) is a central and key factor of the path to liberation that helps the practitioner attain insight and wisdom. According to Buddhist texts, Gautama Buddha, as well as preceding Buddhas, had used wise attention in the enlightenment process in order to attain the realization of the Dependent Origination (paticca samuppada) and the four Noble Truths (chathur ariya sacca). Through wise attention, one is able to focus, analyse, comprehend and realize the true nature of all physical and mental phenomena – impermanence (anicca), unsatisfactoriness (dukkha) and absence of a self (anatta) – by directing attention to the essence or heart of the matter and by penetrating beyond the superficial appearance of conditioned phenomena.

Unwise attention (ayoniso manasikara) to agreeable or pleasant objects through the six senses of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind can give rise to the unwholesome factor of greed while unwise attention to unattractive or unpleasant objects received through the six sense doors can give rise to the unwholesome factor of aversion. Unwise attention itself can lead to delusion. On the other hand, wise attention will lead to the elimination of greed, aversion and delusion. It will also lead to elimination of the five mental hindrances and development of the seven factors of enlightenment. Wise attention will help one practise concentration and mindfulness practices in a balanced manner, to attain right view (samma ditthi) and to progress through the rest of the eight factors of the Noble Eight-fold Path towards Nibbana.

References

[1] Bodhi 1999, Maha Sakyamuni Gotama sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

[2] Bodhi 1999, Yoniso Manasikara Sampada sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

[3] Itivuttaka: “This was said by the Buddha”, a translation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff), Revised edition, 2013.

[4] Bhikkhu Bodhi 2012, Titthiya sutta, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha; Anguttara Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

[5] Bodhi 1999, Ahara sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

[6] Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, Sabbasava sutta, Translation of the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Wisdom Publications.

[7] Bhikkhu Bodhi 2012, Ghosa suttas, The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha; Anguttara Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

[8] Bodhi 1999, Silavant sutta, The Connected Discourses of the Buddha, A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya, Wisdom Publications.

[9] Bhikkhu Nanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi 1995, Ambalatthika-rahulovada sutta, Translation of the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, Wisdom Publications.

End.