In order that a meditator can make progress in his insight meditation, she must have five factors.
1. The first factor is Faith. A meditator must have a firm and strong faith in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sanghã, especially in the Dhamma which includes the technique of meditation he is practising.
2. The second factor is Health. She must be healthy both mentally and physically. If she suffers from headache, feels dizzy or has stomach trouble, gastric or any other illness, it does not necessarily mean she is not healthy. She is considered to be healthy to the extent that she can observe any mental or physical process. The food she takes must be digestible. If she suffers from indigestion, she will not be able to practise very well.
3. The third factor is Honesty. She must be honest and straightforward. This means she must not tell lies to her teacher or to her fellow meditators. Honesty is the best policy.
4. The fourth is Energy (vîriya): It is just not ordinary energy but unwavering, strong and firm energy (padhãna). A meditator must have this factor for her success in striving for emancipation. She should never let her vîriya or effort decrease, but should be perpetually improving or increasing it. When vîriya or padhãna is increasing, then mindfulness will become continuous, constant and uninterrupted. When this happens, concentration will become deep and strong. Insight will become sharp and penetrative, resulting in the clear comprehension of mental and physical processes in their true nature.
5. The fifth factor is Paññã or Wisdom. Though we use the word paññã, it does not refer to ordinary paññã or theoretical knowledge. It refers to the insight knowledge of the arising and passing away of nama and rupa (udayabbaya-ñaña). This is the fourth stage of insight knowledge.
The first stage is Namarupa-pariccheda-ñaña (knowledge of discerning mentality and physicality). The second stage is Paccaya-pariggaha-ñaña (knowledge of causality or knowledge of the Law of Cause and Effect). The third is knowledge of comprehension - sammasana-ñaña knowledge of comprehension is the knowledge that penetrates and comprehends all the three characteristics of mental and physcial processes, namely, anicca, dukkha and anattã. The fourth stage is Udayabbaya-ñaña, knowledge of arising and passing away of mental and physical phenomena.
So the Buddha said that paññã here refers to the fourth stage of insight knowledge that penetrates into the appearance and disappearance of mentality and physicality. A meditator is expected to possess this factor.
In the beginning of the practice a meditator may not possess this insight knowledge of arising and passing away. If, however, she strive with padhãna (strong and firm effort) to meditate on mental and physical processes she will gradually experience the first, the second and the third stages of insight knowledge one after another and attain the fourth stage of insight knowledge. When she has attained it, she is sure to make progress until she attains at least the lowest Path Knowledge, Sotãpatti-magga-ñaña. This is why the Buddha said a meditator must possess wisdom which realises the appearance and disappearance of mental and physical phenomena.
These are the five factors which a meditator must possess.
When a meditator has attained Sotãpatti-magga-ñaña, the first stage of enlightenment, she has uprooted both the concept of a soul or a self, personality or individuality (sakkãya-ditthi) and sceptical doubt (vicikicchã) about the Triple Gems.
When a meditator has attained Purification of Mind, her mind becomes sharp enough to penetrate into the true nature of mind-body processes. Then she realises the specific characteristics of mental and physical phenomena. This is the first stage of insight. It is at this insight knowledge that the wrong view of a self or soul, a person or being is partially removed. When she has attained the First Path Knowledge (sotãpatti-magga-ñaña) she completely uproots the wrong view of a self or soul, a person or being.
"May All Beings Be Well and Happy"
Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!
