ABSTRACT

                      This is a documentary research aiming to investigate the applications of the Abhinhapaccavekkhana for training the elderly people’s minds in 3 areas: (1) Abhinhapaccavekkhana guidelines in Theravada Buddhism, (2) Abhinhapaccavekkhana guidelines for training the elderly people’s minds, and (3) applications of Abhinhapaccavekkhana guidelines for training the elderly people’s minds. Results of the study showed the following:

                      Abhinhapaccavekkhana guidelines refer to habitual, repeated and continued reflections over 5 facts of life: old age, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, a law of Karma using, for examples, suitable wisdom and Threefold Learning or Traisikkha as framework, in order to realize and understand the facts of life leading to the mental detachments from material components and more heedful life.

                      Based on the applications of Abhinhapaccavekkhana guidelines for training the elderly people’s mind, the study indicated 1) 45% of the elderly people reflected on the fact of old age as a common fact of life, 35% as a natural fact, 30% as an obstacle to leading life, 25% as suffering, 5% as a change in behavior; 2) 50% of the elderly people reflected on the fact of sickness as a part of life, 40% as common psychological effects, 30% as suffering, 20% as mental, and 10% as obstacle to leading life; 3) 50% of the elderly people reflected on the fact of death as suffering, 35% as a common fact of life, 25% as losses, 15% as an immediate part of life, 5% as separation from loved ones; 4) 55% of the elderly people reflected on the fact of separation from loved ones as suffering, 40% as losses, 35% as merely separation, 20% as an immediate part of life, and 10% as a common fact of life; 5) 45% of the elderly people reflected on the law of Karma, good or bad, as one’s own Karma, 35% as refuge, 30% as results of one’s actions, as following wheels, and 10% as originator.

                      Notably, when applying the Apinhapaccavekkhana guidelines, one should always be mindful and conscious of what one is doing, for examples, following the practice of mindfulness during work hours or free time. When the mind is fixed and concentrated, one should reflect on these 5 natural facts of life: old age, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, and one’s own Karma, based on the guidelines of  Apinhapaccavekkhana, to deeply understand the nature of life and readjust or develop oneself for  better living conditions.