The Buddha explained the path to enlightenment in nana (the knowledge of Insight) in relationship to what will happen to the practitioners who practise samatha and vipassana. There are sixteen stages of the knowledge of insight. What happens at each stage shows that insight is progressing. It is helpful to say that nana is the result of our spiritual progress from the primary stage up to the final stage (nibbana). Below are details about nana:1. Nama-rupa paricheda-nana: knowledge of the distinction between mentality and materiality.
This is the primarily sign for enlightenment. Practitioners clearly see the distinctions made about physical experience (rupa) and the quality of the knowing of the physical experience (nama) become apparent. The physical experience is the contact between internal sense fields and external sense fields.
Take ‘sound’ as an example. The ears make contact with the sound like when you hear a song. In the form of ‘hearing a song’ it may become sound as just sound or sound as knowing of sound. The others are similar to this.
2. Paccaya pariggaha nana: knowledge of conditionality
At this stage practitioners can see how one experience conditions another one. They can see the cause of the experience and its effect. It may be that mind (nama) conditions body (rupa); body conditions mind; mind conditions mind; and body conditions body. Also, practitioners can see the actual moment of experience and its middle, but they cannot yet see its end. The actual moment of experience comes from attention or volition.
3. Sammasana nana: knowledge of mastery
At this stage practitioners now see clearly the beginning (arising), middle (manifesting) and end (cessation) of the experience through the five senses. They also have more insight into unsatisfactoriness and non-self.
4. Udayabbaya nana: knowledge of rising and passing away
This stage is central to the practise. Practitioners enter into the purification of knowing and see what is and what is not the path. The arising and passing away of experience is very clear. They can notice everything easily, and it seems that the meditation is going on by itself. They understand more clearly the importance of just seeing experience as experience, not getting struck by ego or attaching a judgment on to it. Practitioners have experienced faith, rapture and bliss.
5. Bhanga nana: knowledge of dissolution.
At this stage, practitioners see only the passing away of phenomena. There are two signs of this stage. Firstly, practitioners seem like they can no longer focus on anything. Their attention keeps sliding off whatever they try to look at. Or, they cannot focus on anything. It is nothing at all. Lastly, the sense of the body disappears. There is only the act of experience or knowing the act of sound. There is no ‘body’.
6. Bhaya nana: knowledge of fear
In the appearance of everything that is examined, the mind begins to realise: there is nothing beneath this parade of changes and there is no foundation. The result is existential anxiety. At this stage of the practise, practitioners’ insight into anatta, non-self, usually takes the form of a sense of loss of control. The realization is that ‘I am not in control of my life’. Some practitioners may very much be afraid of what they see, even if it is only a water jug or a bedpost. There are no feelings of happiness, pleasure, or enjoyment, and they cry when they think of their friends and relatives.
7. Adinava nana: knowledge of contemplation on disadvantages
Here, practitioners realize there is no rest, no security in anything. They are wondering why they are in some comfortable job making a comfortable, secure living. But they know there is escape. Also, practitioners can be aware of nothing but the rising, continuing and passing away of nama and rupa. They also become aware of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and the non-self of nama and rupa. However, and irritable feelings remain and are experienced.
8. Nibbida nana: knowledge of contemplation
The practitioners views all objects as tiresome and ugly. They are absent of joy and are bored as though they have been separated from what they love. They may not wish to speak to or meet anybody; or they may feel lonely, sad and apathetic. They become bored relizing that all things are subject to change. Therefore, they set off together with a strong inclination to search for nibbana.
9. Muncitu kamyata nana: knowledge of the desire for liberation
At this stage of the practice, the practitioners experience a strong desire for liberation or may give up meditation. One of reasons is they experience a great deal of physical pain and restlessness. They may be unable to hold any posture of the body for any period of time. They itch all over the body r feel as if they have been bitten and climbed on by ants or small insects.
10. Patisankha nana: knowledge of reflective contemplation
At this stage, the practitioners may feel they have lost the ability to concentrate as if they lost all insight about having gone through this before. They may feel drowsy, heavy as stone, feel heat throughout the body, or feel uncomfortable.
11. Sankharupekkha nana: knowledge of equanimity regarding formations
At this stage, all forms of pain either disappear or are minimised. The practitioners feel neither happiness nor sadness, frightened nor gladness, only indifferent. They find they can practise for long periods of time, and need little sleep. The meditation seems to be carrying on by itself. As a result, practitioners may forget the time that has been spent during practise.
12. Anuloma nana: knowledge of adaptation
The special knowledge appears with the realization that physical and mental phenomena which occur at the six sense-doors momentarily are impermanent, suffering and non-self. The knowledge that arises at the last moment is "Anuloma-nana" (Knowledge of adaptation) which consists of three 'javanas' (impulse moments): 'parikamma' (preparation), 'upacara' (approach) and 'Anuloma' (adaptation). Anuloma nana transforms the mind so it becomes qualified to enter the threshold of Nibbana.
13. Gotrabhu nana: knowledge of connection
Gotrabhu nana is the knowledge that is between the worldly state and supramundane state. Practitioners cast off nama and rupa. Their awareness grasps nibbana as its object.
14. Magga nana: knowledge of the path
In this nana, some defilements have been broken off. Practitioners are clear and have complete knowledge of the path that is necessary to reach nibbana through deep wisdom. This stage is supramundane. One becomes a noble one according to the defilements (kilesas) or fetters (samyoja) that have been eradicated. There are four types of noble ones: sotabana , sakadagami , anagami and arahant .
15. Phala nana: knowledge of fruition
This nana occurs a moment after magga nana. Magga nana is the cause and phala nana is the result. Whenever some defilements are eradicated, the fruition happens. This means practitioners become a noble one at this stage.
16. Paccavekkhana nana: knowledge of review
At this stage, practitioners review the path and the fruition that has been attained. Nibbana has been known and experienced. Also, practitioners continue followed the path if there are some defilements which remain. From now on the work of eradicating defilement is going on by itself automatically until there is no defilement left in the mind.
The four next chapters will talk about the Thai Theravada meditation techniques that are well-know and popularly practised in Thailand. One thing that is important for the practitioners who desire to get results is how much is one dedicating oneself to the specific technique. Even if the techniques that will be introduced are the best, they are in vain if the practitioners do not dedicate themselves to practising seriously. I would like to suggest to new practitioners that they should choose one of the meditation techniques for their own practice. The way to find the best one is to try to practise them all for some period of time. Then, you can evaluate them by yourself. Which one of them that you practised felt right for you? Choose it and practise it more and more in your daily life and throughout your life until you attain the highest goal. Do not go to another technique and come back to the same one again. It shows you as and encourages you to be an uncertain person. Your practice will be in vain and you never get a result at all. However, I am aware that these five meditation techniques are like a house with many doors. No matter what door we come through, once we are in, we will see not only each other, but also the same thing inside. Choose the most practical way, the one that is best suited to you and is your opportunity to enter the house.
The Path to Enlightenment - Luang Phu Mun
Translated by: Ven. Thanissaro
