A STUDY OF VIPASSANA PRACTICE IN ACCHARASUTTA

Abstract

This article was a part of research paper entitled ‘A Study of Vipassana Practice in Accharasuta’ contained 2 objectives, to study the contents and teachings and insight practice in Accharāsutta. It was a qualitative research. The findings were that Accharāsutta deals with angles called as Accharā. The story reads that one Bhikkhu suddenly was dead while practicing walking meditation, and had entered into heaven but he was very upset to lose the Nibbana attainment. He then came to ask the Buddha how to escape from the pleasurable grove with angles’ sweet words and devils. The Buddha had given him the teaching dealing with a vehicle without its noise because it has Dhamma as a wheel, having shame as its hood, mindfulness as its barrier. If the driver has the right view and driving such a car, he will be near Nibbana. The main teachings found in Accharāsutta are efforts, shame, mindfulness, and the right view. Having listened to the teaching, the deity had attained Sotāpanna. The insight practice found in Accharāsutta contains 4 major teachings; 1) Viriya or the effort or endeavor referring to the great effort for insight practice which is middle path i.e. not too extreme tight or not slack, 2) Hiri or shame to all unwholesome acts which require for everyone for great benefits for living together happily, 3) Sati or mindfulness referring to four foundations of mindfulness, i.e. body, feeling, mind and mental object observing as they really are for the sake of insight development, 4) Sammādiṭṭhi or the right view, one among the noble eightfold path which functions as the leader of insight training and gathering the rest other Magga, such as Sammāsamadhi, etc. Those who accomplished all eightfold path will attain noble path, fruits, and Nibbana in the end.