(Paccavekkhaṇā): One Day Meditation Retreat at Ti-Ratana Puchong, Malaysia by Bhante Dr.G. Chandima (October 19, 2024)

What is Reflection?

Reflection is the ability to recognize and evaluate the intentions, outcomes, and drawbacks of our actions, speech, and thoughts before, during and after each activity.

Evameva kho, rāhula, paccavekkhitvā paccavekkhitvā kāyena kammaṁ kattabbaṁ, paccavekkhitvā paccavekkhitvā vācāya kammaṁ kattabbaṁ, paccavekkhitvā paccavekkhitvā manasā kammaṁ kattabbaṁ (Ambalaṭṭhikarāhulovādasutta MN 61)

Rāhula, bodily (kāya) kamma should be done with reflection, verbal (vacī) kamma should be done with reflection, mental kamma (mano) should be done with reflection.

Why is a lack of reflection an issue? 

It leads to an inability to recognize the true nature of the mental states associated with our actions, speech, and thoughts, a condition known as apaccavekkhaṇā (not discerning the inherent qualities of phenomena).

Importance of Reflection (Iṭṭhadhammasutta AN 10.73)

Here are ten roadblocks to the ten likable, desirable, and rare qualities in the world:

1. Wealth: Sloth and lack of initiative hinder the pursuit of wealth.

2. Beauty: A lack of adornment and decoration obstructs beauty.

3. Health: Unsuitable activities impede good health.

4. Ethical Conduct: Bad friendships undermine ethical behavior.

5. Spiritual Life: Lack of sense restraint obstructs spiritual growth.

6. Friendship: Dishonesty serves as a barrier to forming genuine friendships.

7. Learning: Failing to recite information hampers the learning process.

8. Wisdom: An unwillingness to listen and ask questions blocks the path to wisdom.

9. Good Qualities: Lack of commitment and regular reflection hinder the development of good qualities.

10. Heaven: Wrong practices prevent access to heavenly realms.

How to practice Reflection?

Action

Do not do

Does this action lead to my own pain (attabyābādhāya), the pain of others (parabyābādhāya), or the pain of both (ubhayabyābādhāya)? If it results in unwholesome actions (akusala) that bring suffering, then such action should never be done.

Do it

If you recognize that this action does not cause pain for yourself, others, or both, and instead leads to ethical happiness (through doing kusala) and positive results of ethical happiness, then that action should be done.

Speech

Do not do

Does this speech lead to my own pain (attabyābādhāya), the pain of others (parabyābādhāya), or the pain of both (ubhayabyābādhāya)? If it results in unwholesome speeches (akusala) that bring suffering, then such speech should never be done.

Do it

If you recognize that this speech does not cause pain for yourself, others, or both, and instead leads to ethical happiness (through doing kusala) and positive results of ethical happiness, then that speech should be done.

Thought

Does this thought lead to my own pain (attabyābādhāya), the pain of others (parabyābādhāya), or the pain of both (ubhayabyābādhāya)? If it results in unwholesome toughts (akusala) that bring suffering, then such thought should never be done.

Do it

If you recognize that this thought does not cause pain for yourself, others, or both, and instead leads to ethical happiness (through doing kusala) and positive results of ethical happiness, then that thought should be done.

Ripple Effect of Reflection

Rāhula, you should live in joy and gladness because of reflection, training day and night in skillful qualities.

rāhula, pītipāmojjena vihareyyāsi ahorattānusikkhī kusalesu dhammesu

The Difference and Connection Between Wise Attention (yoniso manasikāra) and Reflection (paccavekkhaṇā)

To understand any sensual pleasure, the first step is wise attention (yoniso manasikāra). This means that without wise attention, we cannot even identify the basic wholesome or unwholesome nature of any activity. Once we grasp the distinction between kusala and akusala through wise attention, we can reflect on how our actions may benefit ourselves and others. This process of reflection allows us to evaluate specific activities, helping us decide whether to continue or refrain from them. Thus, wise attention serves as a crucial foundation for reflection (paccavekkhaṇā)

Everything starts with Wise Attention (Dasuttarasutta DN 34)

Nine things rooted in wise attention. When you apply the wise attention, gladness springs up. When you’re glad, joy springs up. When the mind is full of  joy, the body becomes peaceful. When the body is peaceful, you feel ethical happiness. And when you’re happy ethically, the mind becomes concentrated. When your mind is concentrated, you truly know and see. When you truly know and see, you grow disillusioned. Being disillusioned, desire fades away. When desire fades away you’re freed.

Nava yonisomanasikāramūlakā dhammā, yonisomanasikaroto pāmojjaṁ jāyati, pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṁ vedeti, sukhino cittaṁ samādhiyati, samāhite citte yathābhūtaṁ jānāti passati, yathābhūtaṁ jānaṁ passaṁ nibbindati, nibbindaṁ virajjati, virāgā vimuccati. Ime nava dhammā bahukārā.