Abstract:
This thematic paper had two objectives; 1) to study contents and essential teaching found in Ajjhattānattasutta, 2) to study insight meditation development in Ajjhattānattasutta. It was a documentary research by taking primary source from Theravada Buddhist texts; Tipitaka, its commentaries and sub-commentaries as well as concerned documents. The collected data was analyzed, compiled, approved by advisor then re-corrected and composed in descriptive style as supervisor suggested.
From study, it found that Ajjhattānattasutta contains main teachings; 1) 6 internal sense-fields or Ajjhatāyatana, namely, the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind. They are all inner senses supported by outer sense organs, i.e. visible objects, sound, ordo, taste, tangible objects, mind-objects, 2) Non-self teaching, which is one of the three common characteristics; impermanence, suffering and non-self. In this discourse, the Buddha taught Bhikkhus to cultivate Insight meditation through observing the six internal sense-fields until their mind entering into Insight knowledge by realizing the non-self as that is not mine, I am not such, that is not myself, gaining knowledge through void liberation. Finally, his audiences entered Noble path and Nibbana.
For insight development found in Ajjhattānattasutta, it visualized the way that the Buddha persuaded Bhikkhus to follow insight meditation. At first, one must investigate his mindfulness and awareness observing the absolute state of 6 internal sense-fields namely, eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind which were happening while contacting with outer sensual organs at present moment classified as Dhammānupassanāsatipaṭṭhāna named as Nāmarūpaparichedañāṇa, Then the Buddha persuaded to focus on non-self which was one in Three Common Characteristics as that is not mine, I am not such, that is not my self, classified in Sammasanañāṇa. From that knowledge, the mind entered into true insight knowledge seeing rise and falls of internal sense-fields, that is Udayabbayañāṇa, then detaching from such conditions classified as Nibbidāñāṇa along with the words of the Buddha. Having detached, one renounces from pleasures and lust entering Muñcitukamyatāñāṇa, having renounced from all pleasures, his mind has liberated called as Maggañāṇa and Phalañāṇa. Having liberated, one realized that he had completely liberated, knowing that his birth ended, noble life had completed, his works is completed, no other works to be done again. At this state, audiences had attained final insight knowledge called as Paccavekkhaṇañāṇa.