Devatanussatiに関する瞑想実践としての一考察

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Devatannusati (recollection of deities) is the last item of the six recollections; the others being recollection of the Enlightened One, recollection of the Dhamma, recollection of the Sangha, recollection of virtue, and recollection of generosity. In the practice of devatanussati, a meditator should recollect deities, their special qualities and one's own special qualities which are equal to those deities', making the deities stand as witnesses. The purpose of devatanussati is not to experience a mysterious union with deities but to acquire an adequate concentration for further insight meditation (vipassana) by suppressing existing mental defilements. The Buddha recommended six recollections for his noble disciples, because they are free from misrecognizing the god (a deity) as the Enlightened One (the Buddha). In both the recollection of the Enlightened One and the recollection of deities, meditators are requested to focus on very complicated objects such as the ten special qualities of the enlightened one and others. The reason of this complexity is to prevent meditators from indulging in an absorption and concentration which easily produces mystical union and mythical stories. When an unenlightened meditator experiences these mystical experiences, he/she may easily embark on creating a new religious system that is quite similar to the Buddha's teaching, mistaking one's revered god as the Buddha (or replacing the Buddha with one's respected god). In the recollection of deities, a meditator recollects three types of objects; deities, their special qualities and one's own special qualities. This alternation of objects leads the meditator to deepen his insight into the nature of duality; inside and outside or oneself and others. In this way, a meditator learns the limitation of duality and transcend co-dependent relationship with others including gods and deities. In Visuddhimagga, "a figure of the Enlightened One created by Mara" is mentioned from an old Sinhalese source. An elder monk in the story could use it skillfully so as to develop vipassana. But a meditator who is immature in vipassana may be trapped in this kind of mystical vision and start constructing pseudo buddhistic belief systems, by creating a new Buddha and Bodhisattas. It seems to me that the Buddha placed recollection of the Enlightened One and recollection of deities on the first and last of six recollections that are meant only for noble disciples, knowing the subtlety of this kind of religious contemplation.
2011-12-22

Devatanussatiに関する瞑想実践としての一考察

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