S. N. Goenka states that his technique of vipassana, the observation with awareness and equanimity of the arising and passing away of vedana (which he translates and interprets as primarily physical sensations on the body), i.e., with the non-reaction of craving, aversion and ignorance ~ that this will attenuate and eventually eradicate all underlying defilements, what he refers to as conditioned sankhara, resulting in purification at the root level of the mind and eventually, total liberation/nibbana.
For his rationale, Goenka, through his Vipassana Research Institute, cites the Paṭhama Gelañña Sutta of the Samyutta Nikaya, or what is translated sometimes as the “The Infirmary,” “First Sickness” or “At the Sick Room” sutta. Below, I include Nyanaponika Thera’s and Sujata’s translation and the Pali version of this sutta.
My question is, does the Paṭhama Gelañña sutta support Goenka’s rationale and illustrate a process of eradicating underlying conditioned defilements associated with craving, aversion and ignorance through the dispassionate observation of the arising, abiding and passing away of vedana?
Although Goenka doesn’t actually describe it as burning off kamma, in his retreats to his students his recorded instruction mentions that “layers upon layers of stored, conditioned sankharas will be eradicated” by the equanimous observation of the impermanence of vedana.
Goenakji’s interpretation of vedana is emphasized as primarily physical sensations in his retreats and, with his practice, he links the experience of vedana with the eradication of sankhara and the purifying of old kamma.
Is this valid and supported by this sutta?
Paṭhama Gelañña Sutta
At the Sick Room
"In regard to both body and the pleasant feeling he dwells contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwells contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the underlying tendency to lust in regard to body and pleasant feeling vanishes.
"If a painful feeling arises in him, he knows: ‘Now a painful feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned. Conditioned by what? Even by this body it is conditioned. And this body, indeed, is impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen. But if this painful feeling that has arisen is conditioned by the body which is impermanent, compounded and dependently arisen, how could such a painful feeling be permanent?’
"In regard to both the body and the painful feeling he dwells contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwells contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the underlying tendency to resistance in regard to the body and painful feeling vanishes.
"If a neutral feeling arises in him, he knows: ‘Now a neutral feeling has arisen in me. It is conditioned, not unconditioned. Conditioned by what? Even by this body it is conditioned. And this body, indeed, is impermanent, compounded, dependently arisen. But if this neutral feeling that has arisen is conditioned by the body which is impermanent, compounded and dependently arisen, how could such a neutral feeling be permanent?’
"In regard to both the body and the neutral feeling he dwells contemplating impermanence, dwells contemplating evanescence, dwells contemplating detachment, dwells contemplating cessation, dwells contemplating relinquishment. And in him who thus dwells, the underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to body and neutral feeling vanishes.
~ Paṭhama Gelañña Sutta, SN 36.7, Trans. by Nyanaponika Thera
Pali: Paṭhamagelaññasutta: First Sickness Discourse
Ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā vesāliyaṃ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṃ.
Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṃ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena gilānasālā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Nisajja kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:
“Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṃ āgameyya. Ayaṃ vo amhākaṃ anusāsanī.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ; vedanāsu vedanānupassī viharati … pe … citte cittānupassī viharati … pe … dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ. Evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sato hoti.
Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno hoti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu abhikkante paṭikkante sampajānakārī hoti, ālokite vilokite sampajānakārī hoti, samiñjite pasārite sampajānakārī hoti, saṅghāṭipattacīvaradhāraṇe sampajānakārī hoti, asite pīte khāyite sāyite sampajānakārī hoti, uccārapassāvakamme sampajānakārī hoti, gate ṭhite nisinne sutte jāgarite bhāsite tuṇhībhāve sampajānakārī hoti. Evaṃ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajānakārī hoti.
Sato, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sampajāno kālaṃ āgameyya. Ayaṃ vo amhākaṃ anusāsanī.
Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṃ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati sukhā vedanā, so evaṃ pajānāti: ‘uppannā kho myāyaṃ sukhā vedanā. Sā ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca. Kiṃ paṭicca? Imameva kāyaṃ paṭicca. Ayaṃ kho pana kāyo anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno. Aniccaṃ kho pana saṅkhataṃ paṭiccasamuppannaṃ kāyaṃ paṭicca uppannā sukhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti.
So kāye ca sukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati. Tassa kāye ca sukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato, vayānupassino viharato, virāgānupassino viharato, nirodhānupassino viharato, paṭinissaggānupassino viharato, yo kāye ca sukhāya ca vedanāya rāgānusayo, so pahīyati.
Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṃ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati dukkhā vedanā. So evaṃ pajānāti: ‘uppannā kho myāyaṃ dukkhā vedanā. Sā ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca. Kiṃ paṭicca? Imameva kāyaṃ paṭicca. Ayaṃ kho pana kāyo anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno. Aniccaṃ kho pana saṅkhataṃ paṭiccasamuppannaṃ kāyaṃ paṭicca uppannā dukkhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti. So kāye ca dukkhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati. Tassa kāye ca dukkhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato … pe … paṭinissaggānupassino viharato, yo kāye ca dukkhāya ca vedanāya paṭighānusayo, so pahīyati.
Tassa ce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno evaṃ satassa sampajānassa appamattassa ātāpino pahitattassa viharato uppajjati adukkhamasukhā vedanā, so evaṃ pajānāti: ‘uppannā kho myāyaṃ adukkhamasukhā vedanā. Sā ca kho paṭicca, no appaṭicca. Kiṃ paṭicca? Imameva kāyaṃ paṭicca. Ayaṃ kho pana kāyo anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno. Aniccaṃ kho pana saṅkhataṃ paṭiccasamuppannaṃ kāyaṃ paṭicca uppannā adukkhamasukhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī’ti. So kāye ca adukkhamasukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassī viharati, vayānupassī viharati, virāgānupassī viharati, nirodhānupassī viharati, paṭinissaggānupassī viharati. Tassa kāye ca adukkhamasukhāya ca vedanāya aniccānupassino viharato … pe … paṭinissaggānupassino viharato, yo kāye ca adukkhamasukhāya ca vedanāya avijjānusayo, so pahīyati.
So sukhañce vedanaṃ vedayati, sā aniccāti pajānāti, anajjhositāti pajānāti, anabhinanditāti pajānāti; dukkhañce vedanaṃ vedayati … pe … adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṃ vedayati, sā aniccāti pajānāti, anajjhositāti pajānāti, anabhinanditāti pajānāti.
So sukhañce vedanaṃ vedayati, visaññutto naṃ vedayati; dukkhañce vedanaṃ vedayati, visaññutto naṃ vedayati; adukkhamasukhañce vedanaṃ vedayati, visaññutto naṃ vedayati.
So kāyapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti, jīvitapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. ‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṃ
jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānāti.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, telañca paṭicca vaṭṭiñca paṭicca telappadīpo jhāyeyya, tasseva telassa ca vaṭṭiyā ca pariyādānā anāhāro nibbāyeyya;
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kāyapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayamāno ‘kāyapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. Jīvitapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayamāno ‘jīvitapariyantikaṃ vedanaṃ vedayāmī’ti pajānāti. ‘Kāyassa bhedā uddhaṃ jīvitapariyādānā idheva sabbavedayitāni anabhinanditāni sītībhavissantī’ti pajānātī”ti.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.
Then in the late afternoon, the Buddha came out of retreat and went to the infirmary, where he sat down on the seat spread out, and addressed the mendicants:
[2] “Mendicants, a mendicant should await their time mindful and aware. This is my instruction to you.
[3] And how is a mendicant mindful? It’s when a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world. They meditate observing an aspect of feelings … They meditate observing an aspect of the mind … They meditate observing an aspect of principles—keen, aware, and mindful, rid of desire and aversion for the world. That’s how a mendicant is mindful.
[4] And how is a mendicant aware? It’s when a mendicant acts with situational awareness when going out and coming back; when looking ahead and aside; when bending and extending the limbs; when bearing the outer robe, bowl and robes; when eating, drinking, chewing, and tasting; when urinating and defecating; when walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking, and keeping silent. That’s how a mendicant acts with situational awareness. A mendicant should await their time mindful and aware. This is my instruction to you.
[5] While a mendicant is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if pleasant feelings arise, they understand: ‘A pleasant feeling has arisen in me. That’s dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on my own body. But this body is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated. So how could a pleasant feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on a body that is impermanent, conditioned, and dependently originated?’ They meditate observing impermanence, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in the body and pleasant feeling. As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency for greed for the body and pleasant feeling.
[6] While a mendicant is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if painful feelings arise, they understand: ‘A painful feeling has arisen in me. That’s dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on my own body. But this body is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated. So how could a painful feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on a body that is impermanent, conditioned, and dependently originated?’ They meditate observing impermanence, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in the body and painful feeling. As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency for repulsion towards the body and painful feeling.
[7] While a mendicant is meditating like this—mindful, aware, diligent, keen, and resolute—if neutral feelings arise, they understand: ‘A neutral feeling has arisen in me. That’s dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on my own body. But this body is impermanent, conditioned, dependently originated. So how could a neutral feeling be permanent, since it has arisen dependent on a body that is impermanent, conditioned, and dependently originated?’ They meditate observing impermanence, vanishing, dispassion, cessation, and letting go in the body and neutral feeling. As they do so, they give up the underlying tendency for ignorance towards the body and neutral feeling.
[8] If they feel a pleasant feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it. If they feel a painful feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it. If they feel a neutral feeling, they understand that it’s impermanent, that they’re not attached to it, and that they don’t take pleasure in it.
If they feel a pleasant feeling, they feel it detached. If they feel a painful feeling, they feel it detached. If they feel a neutral feeling, they feel it detached.
Feeling the end of the body approaching, they understand: ‘I feel the end of the body approaching.’ Feeling the end of life approaching, they understand: ‘I feel the end of life approaching.’ They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life has come to an end, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’
9 Suppose an oil lamp depended on oil and a wick to burn. As the oil and the wick are used up, it would be extinguished due to lack of fuel.
In the same way, feeling the end of the body approaching, a mendicant understands: ‘I feel the end of the body approaching.’ Feeling the end of life approaching, a mendicant understands: ‘I feel the end of life approaching.’ They understand: ‘When my body breaks up and my life is over, everything that’s felt, since I no longer take pleasure in it, will become cool right here.’”
