Abstract:
This research paper contains 2 objectives: 1) to study the content and important Buddhist teaching found in Sonasutta, 2) to study the practice of Vipassana meditation in Sonasutta. All studying data had been taken from Theravada Buddhist scriptures and documents related, being summarized, analyzed, and compiled in descriptive type.
The results of the research revealed that Sonasutra is a discourse concerning with Sonatheras story. It read that Sona was a son of a millionaire in Rajagariha city. His feet were soft and light. Having listened to the dharma, he was very faithful, then decided to ordain as a Bhikkhu, bearing great effort for liberation so he exercised walking meditation all the time until the soles of his feet were bled causing him the severe pains. Knowing this, the Buddha taught about perseverance with a three-stringed harp, causing Sona to be determined to continue his effort until he became an Arahant. He was granted an Excellent Bhikkhu position of perseverance. There found three themes of the core Buddhist virtues found in Sonasutta; 1) effort, 2) 5 faculties, 3) 6 sensual bases, which support and energize Sonathera to continue insight practice until he attained the Arahant.
As for the insight practical principle found in Sonasutra, it was shown that 1) In advance insight practice, perseverance is necessarily required, if there is too much persistence, it will be distracted, in opposite if there is too much relentlessness, it will be idle, the constant diligence only will lead the practice for progress and success. 2) In Vipassana meditation practice, the five faculties are necessary as elements composing of faith, persistence, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom, the insight practitioner must adjust the five faculties to be equal, that is, faith and wisdom to be equal, persistence and concentration but only mindfulness should be followed and implied anywhere and everywhere, 3) in vipassana meditation, one should determine the six pairs of internal and external senses, namely the first pair of eye with visible objects, the second pair of ears and sound, third pair is nose and smells, fourth pair is tongue and taste, fifth pair is body and touch, sixth pair is mind and mental objects. When there is contact with the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind, practitioners must be aware of their rise and fall of six sensual organs that appear in present moment and do not be fascinated by any thought, then their insight practice will be in advance faster.