Dhamma Therapy for Human Illness Sayadaw U Jatila Mahasi Meditation Centre, Yangon, Myanmar, 1998

      Today, I am going to deliver a talk entitled "Dhamma therapy for human illness". Some of the human afflictions have been reported to get cured or relieved by administering the "Dhamma Therapy". This talk is given with the hope of elucidating the Dhamma Therapy for certain disorders.

      There are innumerable diseases afflicting this human work, It is said in the olden days that there are 96 major groups of diseases, out of which, 32 are phlegm-related diseases, 32 are bile-related diseases and 32 are related to wind element. Nowadays the modern scientific discoveries have added to the list the incalculable number of abominable diseases like AIDS, Malignant diseases etc.

      To combat such disorders, a correspondingly varied number of both scientific and indigenous medicaments are flourishing in the market. But, unfortunately no single product has been proved to be ideally effective in any affection. That is why the Lord Buddha has admonished thus: "Bhikkhus, Disciple sons and daughters, there is no medicine that is effective like Dhamma medicine. So take the Dhamma therapy by diligently practising it". Surely, the Dhamma medicine is curative not only of the physical ailments but also those disorders caused by mental defilements or kilesas. By practising the Satipatthana vipassana bhavana or insight meditation both the physical and mental sufferings can be eradicated.

      All human sufferings can be summarized as physical suffering and mental suffering. To be free from such sufferings, we should take Dhamma Therapy. Just for an example, when one is walking one should make heedful noting as left step, right step or lifting (of the foot), dropping (of the foot), or lifting, dropping. At the end of the walk note standing, standing. Then turning, turning etc. When sitting, one should make note of the rising and falling of the abdomen or all the phenomena occurring at the six sense doors as seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, sensations like aches and pains and also thoughts or the wandering mind. That briefly is the Dhamma Therapy.

      The Lord Buddha, on some occasions treated his disciples by administering the Dhamma Therapy. Once, the two Mahatheras, Venerable Mahakassapa and Venerable Moggallana fell ill and the Lord Buddha went to their bedside and recited the Bojjhanga Sutta - the seven factors of enlightenment. Mindfulness (Sati-sambojjhanga), investigation of the Law (Dhamma-vicaya), Energy (Viriya), Rapture (Piti), Tranquillity (Passaddhi), Concentration (Samadhi), Equanimity (Upekkha). Because they lead to enlightenment, therefore they are called factors of Enlightenment.

      While heedfully listening to the Lord Buddha's recitation of Bojjhanga Sutta, the two Mahatheras contemplated on all the physical and mental phenomenas invigorating all the seven factors of enlightenment (Bojjhanga), thereby enabling them to convalesce from their illnesses.

      In another time, the Lord Buddha himself was laid up in bed with some illness and the Venerable Cunda Thera was asked to recite the Bojjhanga Sutta. The Lord Buddha also completely recovered from that illness after mindfully listening and vitalizing all the seven factors of Enlightenment (Bojjhanga).

      Here, three reasons can be given for the cure of diseases by listening to the Bojjhanga Sutta:

     (1) The suffering due to illnesses is the resultant affect of past unwholesome deeds and that is replaced by the good deeds of listening to the Dhamma. The same mechanism as in re-establishing the continuous flow of the water in the suction pump supply pipe by expelling the entrapped blocking air by filling the pipe with some water from outside.

     (2) The Lord Buddha's Dhamma is well expounded in the beginning, in the middle and in the end. It has the noble virtue of immediate personal benefit for those who practise Dhamma. To cite as an example, we had one meditator by the name of U Thein Maung, who was given a life expectancy of one month for his disease by local physicians, but lived an extended years of life by practising Satipatthana Vipassana bhavana or insight meditation.

     (3) The meditator who earnestly practise the Satipatthana Vipassana bhavana or insight meditation incessantly for some time usually develop all or some of the seven factors of enlightenment ( Bojjahanga) for example, when a meditator is noting rising and falling of the abdomen in sitting meditation, whenever his mindfulness is present and undisturbed, at such a time he is developing the factor of enlightenment mindfulness or Sati Sambojihanga. While dwelling with mindfulness, he wisely investigates, examines and thinks over the law, clearly perceiving the physical object of rising and falling of the abdomen and the mental factor of noting mind, he is developing the factor of enlightenment " Investigation of the law or Dhammavicaya Sambojjhanga". Whenever his effort is firm and unshaken he is developing the factor of enlightenment "Energy" or Viriya Sambojjhanga. Then supersensuous rapture such as lightness of the body, vibration and coolness of the whole body etc. arises and he is developing the factor of enlightenment "Rapture" or Piti Sambojihanga. While enraptured in mind, his body and his mind become composed and calm. At such a time he is developing the factor of enlightenment "Tranquillity" or passaddhi sambojjhanga.

     Whenever his mind is calm and his body composed his noting mind becomes fixed and synchronized with the object to be noted. As such a time he is developing the factor of enlightenment "concentration" or Samadhi Sambojjhanga.

     Finally regardless of good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant whenever he contemplates with complete indifference on all the objects he is developing the factor of enlightenment "Equanimity" or Upekkha Sambojjhanga. The resultant peace and tranquillity of the mind in turn enhances the recuperation of physical disorders.

      We have relevant evidences of one Japanese lady meditator, whose long suffering low back pain resulting from car accident has been completely relieved after practising Satipatthana Vipassana bhavana or insight meditation. Another Korean Bhikkhu Venerable Amarayano gained total recovery from his chronic heart disease by practising Satipatthana Vipassana bhavana or insight meditation.

      So to conclude my dhamma talk I wish may you all meditators be free from all kinds of physical and mental disorders by diligent contemplation in accordance with Satipatthana Vipassana bhavana or insight meditation.

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