By now, you should be familiar with the kāyānupassanā meditation or contemplation of the body within the four establishments of mindfulness as taught by the Buddha. In this chapter, we will learn “vedanānupassanā” or the contemplation of feelings within the four establishments of mindfulness as taught by the Buddha.

The Buddha describes the term “vedanā” as a feeling, which could be either painful or pleasurable or a feeling that is neither painful nor pleasurable. This feeling arises due to contact, which is a result of the six sense bases, which are eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Feeling arises when any of these sense bases are stimulated. Thus, pain, pleasure, and neutral feelings are all associated with these six sense bases. Contact is defined as a union of three factors: an internal sense base, the object external to it, and the consciousness. For example, when there is a sound we hear it because we have the ear, the sound exists itself, and the consciousness. Contact is the union of these three factors: the internal sense base, which is the ear, the external object, which is the sound, and the consciousness. We have to be aware that contact exists as long as those three conditions exist together. When the contact is pleasant, the feeling is pleasant. When the contact is unpleasant, the feeling is unpleasant. When the contact is neutral, the feeling is neutral. In Satipatṭhāna sutta, the Buddha divided these feelings into two further categories, “sāmisa vedanā – worldly feelings” and “nirāmisa vedanā – spiritual feelings”. Some people practice noticing aches in the body during meditation and reflect on them. But the Buddha hasn’t given such instruction. The Buddha teaches, “Sāmisaṁ vā sukhaṁ vedanaṁ vediyamāno sāmisaṁ sukhaṁ vediyāmīti pajānāti,” when one feels a worldly pleasant feeling he knows that he feels a worldly pleasant feeling. Sāmisa vedanā are feelings that arise through reacting to sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile sensations, which can be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. Nirāmisa vedanā are feelings that arise apart from sense pleasures. Nirāmisa vedanā too can be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.

Let us say that when we are performing a meditation, that meditation does not get cultivated in us as we expected. Then, we feel a suffering/sadness. That suffering did not form based on the five sense pleasures. It is a feeling that formed based on something nirāmisa[spirituality]. Such feeling is called nirāmisa feeling. The feeling we took as an example is a disagreeable nirāmisa feeling.

Let us say that your mind concentrates when you are performing the meditation. Then, you feel a pleasure that is an agreeable nirāmisa feeling. Next, you will have times at which you perform mental advertences that do not have agreeable feelings. Let us say that there is a meditation objective that neither agreeable nor disagreeable feelings are formed in you. That feeling is called a neutral nirāmisa feeling.

The Buddha described feeling in the simile of the air bubble in the water. When a rain drop falls into a river it creates an air bubble. As soon as another rain drop falls near the bubble, it bursts and a new air bubble is created. Likewise, when a particular contact exists, a feeling exists, and the moment a new contact arises a new feeling arises. Vedanānupassanā is the contemplation of feeling. Knowing with mindfulness whether each feeling is pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral based on sense pleasures or whether each feeling is pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral result of nirāmisa vedanā.

The Buddha advised us to focus our mindfulness on feeling. One should be mindful about feeling when he focuses on it. That is, he should be aware of whether it is a pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feeling formed based on the five sense pleasures (sāmisa vedanā). He contemplates the feeling by his wisdom and establishing his mindfulness on it.

Then, he will realize that this unpleasant feeling he feels is based on the five sense pleasures. When he feels a pleasant feeling, he realizes that this pleasant feeling he feels is based on the five sense pleasures. Likewise, when he feels a neutral feeling, he realizes that it is based on the five sense pleasures. He establishes his mindfulness on sāmisa feelings in this manner.

Next, it is the nirāmisa feeling. When a person who meditates could not cultivate the meditation and concentration, he could feel a sense of sadness (an unpleasant feeling). Then, he should understand that he is feeling an unpleasant nirāmisa feeling. When he continues his meditation, he feels pleasure. Then, he should understand that he is feeling a pleasant nirāmisa feeling. When he further cultivates his meditation, he starts to feel neutral feelings that are not pleasant or unpleasant. He realizes it as neutral nirāmisa feeling.

When cultivating this mindfulness of feelings, the meditator becomes proficient at understanding that others too have these nine feelings and he realizes that this has the same nature within all beings. When he meditates this way, he sees with mindfulness that feeling changes when contact changes. The Buddha taught “Tinnaṁ saṁgati phasso,” contact is the coming together of three things: the union of the eye, the form, and the eye consciousness is eye-contact. The union of the ear, the sound, and ear consciousness is the ear-contact. The union of the nose, the smell, and the nose consciousness is nose-contact. The union of the tongue, the taste, and the tongue consciousness is tongue-contact. The union of the body, the tactile sensations, and the body consciousness is the body-contact. The union of the mind, the mind-object, and mind consciousness is mind contact.

We need to understand the mind is one thing, the mind-object is another, and mind consciousness is yet another. These three together make up the mind contact. To understand this, when a mind object arises the mind knows this. This knowing is the mind consciousness. The mind and the mind-objects or thoughts are not one and the same. We can see this because let us say the mind remembers something. When we remember this, the mind consciousness will know that thing. The mind can choose to retain or replace that thing. We can do that only because, the mind and the mind object are two different entities.

When the meditator contemplates in this manner he realizes “Samudaya dhammānupassī vā vedanāsu viharati, vaya dhammānupassī vā vedanāsu viharati,” [when contact exists, feeling exists. When contact changes, feeling changes and when contact ceases, feeling ceases ]. When we meditate on vedanānupassanā, we realize that these occurrences have no controller, they are non-self. They are the result of conditions that are in place and that when the conditions no longer exist the result is eliminated. This is a natural order, which the meditator understands. Thinking of this feeling as me, thinking I am the feeling, thinking I own this feeling or thinking that this feeling owns me, the meditator will realize that thinking is faulty and correct himself. He avoids identifying with feeling as me, mine, and under my control. This contemplation helps him to improve his mindfulness and wisdom further. He is heading towards the realization of life. That is how vedanānupassanā becomes complete in him.

According to contemplations of feeling sections in Satipathāna sutta, it is very clear that contemplation of feeling means not reflecting on aches of the body, but being mindful of worldly and spiritual feelings.

Contemplation on Feelings Meditation

Worldly pleasant feeling that arose based on sense pleasures in the past arose due to contact and ceased when the contact ceased. Therefore, it was impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Worldly pleasant feeling that arose based on sense pleasures in the past was not me, not mine, not myself.

Worldly pleasant feeling that has arisen based on sense pleasures in the present has arisen due to contact and cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Worldly pleasant feeling that has arisen based on sense pleasures in the present is not me, not mine, not myself.

Worldly pleasant feeling that will arise based on sense pleasures in the future will arise due to contact and will cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Worldly pleasant feeling that will arise based on sense pleasures in the future is not me, not mine, not myself.

Worldly unpleasant feeling that arose based on sense pleasures in the past arose due to contact and ceased when the contact ceased. Therefore, it was impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Worldly unpleasant feeling that arose based on sense pleasures in the past was not me, not mine, not myself.

Worldly unpleasant feeling that has arisen based on sense pleasures in the present has arisen due to contact and cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Worldly unpleasant feeling that has arisen based on sense pleasures in the present is not me, not mine, not myself.

Worldly unpleasant feeling that will arise based on sense pleasures in the future will arise due to contact and will cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Worldly pleasant feeling that will arise based on sense pleasures in the future is not me, not mine, not myself.

Worldly neutral feeling that arose based on sense pleasures in the past arose due to contact and ceased when the contact ceased. Therefore, it was impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Worldly neutral feeling that arose based on sense pleasures in the past was not me, not mine, not myself.

Worldly neutral feeling that has arisen based on sense pleasures in the present has arisen due to contact and cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Worldly neutral feeling that has arisen based on sense pleasures in the present is not me, not mine, not myself.

Worldly neutral feeling that will arise based on sense pleasures in the future will arise due to contact and will cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Worldly neutral feeling that will arise based on sense pleasures in the future is not me, not mine, not myself.

Spiritual pleasant feeling in the past arose due to contact and ceased when the contact ceased. Therefore, it was impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Spiritual pleasant feeling that arose was not me, not mine, not myself.

Spiritual pleasant feeling that has arisen in the present has arisen due to contact and cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Spiritual pleasant feeling that has arisen in the present is not me, not mine, not myself.

Spiritual pleasant feeling that will arise in the future will arise due to contact and will cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Spiritual pleasant feelings that will arise in the future is not me, not mine, not myself.

Spiritual unpleasant feeling that arose in the past arose due to contact and ceased when the contact ceased. Therefore, it was impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Spiritual unpleasant feeling that arose in the past was not me, not mine, not myself.

Spiritual unpleasant feeling that has arisen in the present has arisen due to contact and cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Spiritual unpleasant feeling that has arisen in the present is not me, not mine, not myself.

Spiritual unpleasant feeling that will arise in the future will arise due to contact and will cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Spiritual unpleasant feeling that will arise in the future is not me, not mine, not myself.

Spiritual neutral feeling that arose in the past arose due to contact and ceased when the contact ceased. Therefore, it was impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Spiritual neutral feeling that arose in the past was not me, not mine, not myself.

Spiritual neutral feeling that has arisen in the present has arisen due to contact and cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Spiritual neutral feeling that has arisen in the present is not me, not mine, not myself.

Spiritual neutral feeling that will arise in the future will arise due to contact and will cease when the contact ceases. Therefore, it is impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. Spiritual neutral feeling that will arise in the future is not me, not mine, not myself.

All unpleasant feelings that arise due to causes are impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. All unpleasant feelings that arise due to causes are not me, not mine, not myself.

All pleasant feelings that arise due to causes are impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. All pleasant feelings that arise due to causes are not me, not mine, not myself.

All neutral feelings that arise due to causes are impermanent, impermanent, impermanent. All neutral feelings that arise due to causes are not me, not mine, not myself.