An Analysis of Feeling (Vedanā)
Venerable Sayadaw Nandamālābhivaṃsa skilfully explained facts on feelings from various discourses in a carefully structured and coherent way, making it very comprehensive for readers.
This gift of Dhamma (Dhammadāna) is the translation of five Burmese (Myanmar) Dhamma talks given by Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa, Rector of the International Theravāda Buddhist Missionary University, Yangon, Myanmar on 7 to 11 January 2011.
In this book, different and various information related to feeling like the meaning of feeling, the cause of it, types of feeling such as 3, 5, 6, 18, 36 or 108 are explained in detail. The seven questions on feelings which were preached by the Buddha are also presented in this book. They are the cause of feeling, the cessation of feeling, the path leading to the cessation of feeling, the satisfaction and dissatisfaction aspect of feeling and escape from it.
When feeling arises it is always accompanied by anusaya or latent defilement. The different types of anusaya are also explained and the ways to abandon them are also clearly explained. Different types of samādhi, Samatha Yānika and Vipassanā Yānika, and also rūpa-kammaṭṭhāna and arūpa-kammaṭṭhāna are also mentioned. He also explained how to realise the truth by seeing the real nature of feeling and how to realise Nibbāna.
We are very grateful to Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa for sharing his knowledge in Tipiṭaka with us. For example, there are many flowers which have various colours and shapes. Yet, the garland maker gathers them, then neatly sorts and arranges them according to their colours and sizes. Thus, the garland looks beautiful, attractive and fragrant. So also, Sayadaw has made a research on feeling, by gathering various facts on feelings from various discourses and arranged them in a carefully structured and coherent way. His Dhamma talk is full of facts, comprehensive and attractive to the Dhamma listeners. We are sure this book will be useful to those who want to know how to practise the contemplation of feeling.