Walking Meditation – Bhikkhu K. Ñāṇananda

A Guide to Walking Meditation – Bhikkhu K. Ñāṇananda

Once when the Buddha was dwelling at Suṁsumāragira in Bhagga territory, Venerable Mahā Moggallāna was meditating in the village called Kalalavālamutta in the Magadha country. He was drowsing in his meditation seat when the Buddha saw him with his divine eye since he was invigilating him from a distance. Then the Buddha approached him through his psychic powers and as if catching him napping, said:

“Aren’t you drowsing Moggallāna. Aren’t you drowsing Moggallāna!” Venerable Moggallāna admitted to his weakness and the Buddha gave a systematic course of treatment to it as if administering 7 ‘waking pills’ – the peerless ‘physician – cum surgeon’ that he is:

1.   If that is so, Moggallāna, whatever perception you had when drowsiness overcame you, that perception you should not attend to. That perception you should not make much of.
2.  If that drowsiness does not leave you even when you are dwelling this way, then Moggallāna you should think about, reason out and mentally ponder over the Dhamma as you have heard and learnt.
3.  If that drowsiness does not leave you even when you are dwelling in this manner, then Moggallāna, you should recite at length the Dhamma as you have heard and learnt.
4.  If that drowsiness still persists even when you are dwelling this way, then Moggallāna, you should pull both your ear lobes and go on rubbing your limbs with the palm.
5. If that drowsiness does not leave you even when you are dwelling like this, then Moggallāna, you should get up from the seat, rub water over the eyes and look around in the directions and look up at the stars in the sky.
6. If that drowsiness does not leave you even when you are dwelling like this, then Moggallāna, you should attend to the perception of light. Determine the perception of day: ‘Just as day, so is night. Just as night, so is day.’ Thus with a clear unshrouded mind develop a luminous mind.
7. If that drowsiness does not leave you even when you are dwelling this way, then Moggallāna, determine the pacing up and down (caṅkamana) being conscious of ‘the behind’ and ‘the before’ (pacchā-pure-saññī)  with sense faculties turned inwards and with mind unstrained.  

If that drowsiness is not abandoned even as you are dwelling this way, then Moggallāna, you assume the lion’s sleep lying to the right side, placing one foot on the other, mindful and fully aware, attending to the perception of waking up. And on waking up, Moggallāna, you should get up quickly with the idea: ‘I will not
dwell giving way to the ease of lying down, the ease of contact and ease of drowsiness.’

Thus should you, Moggallāna, train yourself.”

This exhortation makes it clear that the meditator should try to maintain the seated posture which is more restful and take to the walking posture (caṅkamana) only as the last resort in one’s course of training for overcoming drowsiness. One should not uncritically interpret the onset of drowsiness as an invitation
to the promenade. Owing to the necessity of a fixed timetable, in some meditation centres, the routine of one hour sitting and one hour walking is recommended. It is true that it affords a certain amount of training to the beginner. But if even a beginner builds up some concentration (samādhi) towards the end of the period for sitting, it is not advisable to make it compulsory for him to break that samādhi and go to the caṅkamana. 

However….   read more

Extracted from WALK TO NIBBĀNA book  written by  Bhikkhu K. Ñāṇananda (page 2-4)