Sunday Meditation Group
November 3
-"Factors for Awakening"
-if we develop the steps for mindfulness of breathing, we'll develop in the seven factors for awakening. these seven factors enable us to meet our experience skillfully, understand our experience, stay close to the heart, and let go of the burdens on the heart. it's important, as the Buddha teaches, to develop these factors in meditation and to maintain them in all our postures. these qualities will enable us to endure the difficulties in life and, also, know the happiness that this life offers. It's essential then, to incline to these factors for awakening in all our postures as we go through our days & nights.
-some things to to remember with regard to practice with the "factors for awakening"....
1-mindfulness of breathing leads to the development of the factors for awakening....
2-the seven factors for awakening are qualities that we develop so that we might know the fruits of the path .....
-we develop these qualites in meditation and maintain them in daily life.....
-we learn to incline to and utilize these factors in all postures.....
3-the factors for awakening are mindfulness, analysis of qualities, persistence, rapture, tranquility, concentration, equanimity; we seek to cultivate these factors in all postures.....
-how we cultivate the factors in all postures....
-mindfulness....
-keeping the breath and body in mind in all postures....
-natural meditation
-analysis of qualities.....
-discerning how the breath and body is ... what it feels like....
-cultivating an easeful breath and a pleasant abiding in the body....
-persistence....
-staying with it, making an ongoing effort to practice mindfulness & analysis of qualities....
-out of compassion....
-rapture.....
-maintaining an easeful breath and a pleasant abiding in all postures.....
-tranquility....
-maintaining calmness....
-the state in which the mind is still, silent, tranquil.....
-concentration.....
-maintaining a good home for the mind....
-the ability to stay with the breath & body.....
-we don't get pulled away.....
-inner strength....
-equanimity.....
-maintaining our abiility to keep the mind on the breath/body ... and stay even tempered ... regardless of the circumstances....
-when our experience is challenging....
-when experience is agreeable/disagreeable....
-we have a 'mind like the earth;.....
4-if we can cultivate these factors in all postures, we can stay close to the heart....
-when there is equanimity, space, we are able to discern the burdens on the heart...
-we bring awareness to these afflictions...
-when there is space we stay close to the heart.....
-we are able to turn to love ... to chose love.....
-we are able to meet the moment ... and meet our experience, whatever it is ... with love....
-we are able to know the happiness that lies beyond conditioned experience....
-the happiness of the heart.....
-reading.....
-"A Home for the Mind' (from The Skill of Living....)
-"Factors for Awakening"
-if we develop the steps for mindfulness of breathing, we'll develop in the seven factors for awakening. these seven factors enable us to meet our experience skillfully, understand our experience, stay close to the heart, and let go of the burdens on the heart. it's important, as the Buddha teaches, to develop these factors in meditation and to maintain them in all our postures. these qualities will enable us to endure the difficulties in life and, also, know the happiness that this life offers. It's essential then, to incline to these factors for awakening in all our postures as we go through our days & nights.
-some things to to remember with regard to practice with the "factors for awakening"....
1-mindfulness of breathing leads to the development of the factors for awakening....
2-the seven factors for awakening are qualities that we develop so that we might know the fruits of the path .....
-we develop these qualites in meditation and maintain them in daily life.....
-we learn to incline to and utilize these factors in all postures.....
3-the factors for awakening are mindfulness, analysis of qualities, persistence, rapture, tranquility, concentration, equanimity; we seek to cultivate these factors in all postures.....
-how we cultivate the factors in all postures....
-mindfulness....
-keeping the breath and body in mind in all postures....
-natural meditation
-analysis of qualities.....
-discerning how the breath and body is ... what it feels like....
-cultivating an easeful breath and a pleasant abiding in the body....
-persistence....
-staying with it, making an ongoing effort to practice mindfulness & analysis of qualities....
-out of compassion....
-rapture.....
-maintaining an easeful breath and a pleasant abiding in all postures.....
-tranquility....
-maintaining calmness....
-the state in which the mind is still, silent, tranquil.....
-concentration.....
-maintaining a good home for the mind....
-the ability to stay with the breath & body.....
-we don't get pulled away.....
-inner strength....
-equanimity.....
-maintaining our abiility to keep the mind on the breath/body ... and stay even tempered ... regardless of the circumstances....
-when our experience is challenging....
-when experience is agreeable/disagreeable....
-we have a 'mind like the earth;.....
4-if we can cultivate these factors in all postures, we can stay close to the heart....
-when there is equanimity, space, we are able to discern the burdens on the heart...
-we bring awareness to these afflictions...
-when there is space we stay close to the heart.....
-we are able to turn to love ... to chose love.....
-we are able to meet the moment ... and meet our experience, whatever it is ... with love....
-we are able to know the happiness that lies beyond conditioned experience....
-the happiness of the heart.....
-reading.....
-"A Home for the Mind' (from The Skill of Living....)
a_home_for_the_mind_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
-"Keeping the Breath in Mind [Introduction]" (Ajaan Lee)
The Seven Factors for Awakening
"And how are the four frames of reference developed & pursued so as to bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination?
"[1] On whatever occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world, on that occasion his mindfulness is steady & without lapse. When his mindfulness is steady & without lapse, then mindfulness as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[2] Remaining mindful in this way, he examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment. When he remains mindful in this way, examining, analyzing, & coming to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, then analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[3] In one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, persistence is aroused unflaggingly. When persistence is aroused unflaggingly in one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, then persistence as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[4] In one whose persistence is aroused, a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises. When a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises in one whose persistence is aroused, then rapture as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[5] For one enraptured at heart, the body grows calm and the mind grows calm. When the body & mind of a monk enraptured at heart grow calm, then serenity as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[6] For one who is at ease — his body calmed — the mind becomes concentrated. When the mind of one who is at ease — his body calmed — becomes concentrated, then concentration as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[7] He carefully watches the mind thus concentrated with equanimity. When he carefully watches the mind thus concentrated with equanimity, equanimity as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
(MN 118)
"Rahula, develop the meditation in tune with earth. For when you are developing the meditation in tune with earth, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind. Just as when people throw what is clean or unclean on the earth — feces, urine, saliva, pus, or blood — the earth is not horrified, humiliated, or disgusted by it; in the same way, when you are developing the meditation in tune with earth, agreeable & disagreeable sensory impressions that have arisen will not stay in charge of your mind."
(MN 62)
“Are you looking for me?
I am in the next seat.
My shoulder is against yours.
you will not find me in the stupas,
not in Indian shrine rooms,
nor in synagogues,
nor in cathedrals:
not in masses,
nor kirtans,
not in legs winding around your own neck,
nor in eating nothing but vegetables.
When you really look for me,
you will see me instantly --
you will find me in the tiniest house of time.
Kabir says: Student, tell me, what is God?
He is the breath inside the breath.”
-Kabir
November Daylong Retreat
with Peter Doobinin
Saturday, November 16
PS 3, Hudson & Grove Streets, NYC
10am – 5pm
fee by donation
Teacher Support
Donations to support the teacher, Peter Doobinin, can be made via PayPal by using the address: [email protected]
(If using PayPal, this is the preferred method; please use the "personal/family & friends" function.)
Donations can also be made through Zelle using the email address: [email protected]
Information about making a donation using a credit card or by check are found on the Support page.
Thanks for your generosity!
October 27
-"Bringing Insight to the Meditation"
-in meditation, when the mind wanders into thinking, we simply bring the mind back to the breath. with compassion. when we find ourselves getting stuck in a particular pattern of thought, we may want to 'bring insight' to the sticky thinking. we may do this by 'questioning' the thinking. for instance, asking a very simple question such as 'is this useful?". in bringing insight, asking these sorts of questions, we're engaging in an act of compassion. the questions are rooted in compassion. it's important to learn to bring insight to thinking in meditation. concentration, the Buddha tells us, will not develop if we don't apply these sorts of insight strategies. in asking questions, we learn to ask, but not answer; we allow understanding to develop in the heart. this strategy of bringing insight is one we can practice, of course, in all postures.
-some things to to remember with regard to "bringing insight to the meditation"....
1-when we become stuck in certain patterns of thinking, we bring insight....
-we question the thinking.....
-we ask questions such as: "Is it useful....?" ... or "is it in my best interests....?"
2-to develop concentration/jhana, we must learn to bring insight to the meditation .....
-the Buddha tells us, there is no jhana without discernment.....
-it is not enough, in meditation, to simply keep bringing the attention back to the breath when we are pursuing thinking....
-when thoughts are 'sticky' we need to 'do something".....
-we take proactive measures....
3-in bringing insight to thinking we are acting out of compassion.....
-the questions, such as "is it useful?" are rooted in compassion....
-we learn to ask the questions with compassion....
-we understand in asking the questions that we are asking, essentially, whether our actions, in thinking in this way, are in support of our wish to be free from suffering, our wish for happiness of heart.....
4-in questioning thinking, we ask the questions, but don't answer....
-the questions are not to be answered intellectually...
-we ask a question such as "is it useful...?" so that we can connect to the truth in the heart...
-we allow the heart to understand.....
-it is the understanding, and compassion, in the heart that frees us from habitual patterns of thinking.....
5-in bringing insight to thinking in meditation, we are aligning ourselves with our sense of purpose....
-we are reminding ourselves of our wish to be free from suffering .. our wish for happiness of heart.....
-we are reminding ourselves of our goodness....
-we are taking care of the heart....
-we are taking care of ourselves......
-reading.....
-"Taking Care of Yourself' (from The Skill of Living....)
-"Bringing Insight to the Meditation"
-in meditation, when the mind wanders into thinking, we simply bring the mind back to the breath. with compassion. when we find ourselves getting stuck in a particular pattern of thought, we may want to 'bring insight' to the sticky thinking. we may do this by 'questioning' the thinking. for instance, asking a very simple question such as 'is this useful?". in bringing insight, asking these sorts of questions, we're engaging in an act of compassion. the questions are rooted in compassion. it's important to learn to bring insight to thinking in meditation. concentration, the Buddha tells us, will not develop if we don't apply these sorts of insight strategies. in asking questions, we learn to ask, but not answer; we allow understanding to develop in the heart. this strategy of bringing insight is one we can practice, of course, in all postures.
-some things to to remember with regard to "bringing insight to the meditation"....
1-when we become stuck in certain patterns of thinking, we bring insight....
-we question the thinking.....
-we ask questions such as: "Is it useful....?" ... or "is it in my best interests....?"
2-to develop concentration/jhana, we must learn to bring insight to the meditation .....
-the Buddha tells us, there is no jhana without discernment.....
-it is not enough, in meditation, to simply keep bringing the attention back to the breath when we are pursuing thinking....
-when thoughts are 'sticky' we need to 'do something".....
-we take proactive measures....
3-in bringing insight to thinking we are acting out of compassion.....
-the questions, such as "is it useful?" are rooted in compassion....
-we learn to ask the questions with compassion....
-we understand in asking the questions that we are asking, essentially, whether our actions, in thinking in this way, are in support of our wish to be free from suffering, our wish for happiness of heart.....
4-in questioning thinking, we ask the questions, but don't answer....
-the questions are not to be answered intellectually...
-we ask a question such as "is it useful...?" so that we can connect to the truth in the heart...
-we allow the heart to understand.....
-it is the understanding, and compassion, in the heart that frees us from habitual patterns of thinking.....
5-in bringing insight to thinking in meditation, we are aligning ourselves with our sense of purpose....
-we are reminding ourselves of our wish to be free from suffering .. our wish for happiness of heart.....
-we are reminding ourselves of our goodness....
-we are taking care of the heart....
-we are taking care of ourselves......
-reading.....
-"Taking Care of Yourself' (from The Skill of Living....)
skill_of_living_taking_care_of_yourself_pdf.pdf |
Practice jhana, monk,
and don't be heedless.
Don't take your mind roaming
in sensual strands.
Don't swallow — heedless --
the ball of iron aflame.
Don't burn & complain: 'This is pain.'
There's no jhana
for one with no discernment,
no
discernment
for one with no jhana.
But one with both jhana
&
discernment:
he's on the verge
of Unbinding.
A monk with his mind at peace,
going into an empty dwelling,
clearly seeing the Dhamma aright:
his delight is more
than human.
However it is,
however it is he touches
the arising-&-passing of aggregates:
he gains rapture & joy:
that, for those who know it,
is deathless,
the Deathless.
(Dhp 25)
November Daylong Retreat
with Peter Doobinin
Saturday, November 16
PS 3, Hudson & Grove Streets, NYC
10am – 5pm
fee by donation
Teacher Support
Donations to support the teacher, Peter Doobinin, can be made via PayPal by using the address: [email protected]
(If using PayPal, this is the preferred method; please use the "personal/family & friends" function.)
Donations can also be made through Zelle using the email address: [email protected]
Information about making a donation using a credit card or by check are found on the Support page.
Thanks for your generosity!
October 20
-"Staying in Tune"
-the Buddha often describes dharma practice as a process of staying in tune. oftentimes, of course,we're not in tune. when we're not in tune, there is a quality of dis-ease in the body. being out of tune is a result of clinging. it is a result of dukkha, the state in which the heart is afflicted. as dharma students, we pay attention and notice when we're out of tune. and, in turn, we bring awareness to our clinging. often, this entails being aware of an emotion(s) that we're clinging to. the pratice of awareness, included in the acronym ABC, is a good practice for us to follow. in bringing awareness to our experience of clinging, we simply observe the experience. in doing so, there is space. we learn to know this quality of space, what it is like, what it feels like. we learn to incline to the quality of space/awareness. we come to understand that this quality of space is free from suffering. and it is always there, in all the circumstances of our live.
-some things to to remember with regard to "staying in tune"....
1-to stay in tune, we notice when we are out of tune....
-we see, by being mindful of the body, that there is a quality of dis-ease.....
-this quality of dis-ease, being out of tune, is a result of cllinging ... often, clingnig to a particular emotional state....
2-when we see that we're out of tune, we bring awareness to the experience of clinging/emotion .....
-ABC.....
A-we're aware of the experience ....
B-we center ourselves in the breath.....
C-we cultivate the heart quality of compassion..
3-in bringing awareness to experience, we simply observe the experience of clinging/emotion......
-as a felt sense in the body....
-without adding on analysis, judgment, etc.....
4-we learn to know the quality of space....
-the quality of space that is there when we simply observe...
-we learn to know what this quality of space is like...
-we learn to know, in turn, what it is like when there is an alleviation of clinging...
5-we learn to incline to this quality of space....
-awareness itself.....
-we come to understand that this quality of space/awareness is free ... and it is always there...
-we know it in all circumstances....
-reading.....
-"Right at Awareness" (Ajaan Fuang)
Learn how to develop this skill — and it really is an important skill — this willingness to give up on your normal inner conversations and try something really new. It requires some imagination to try it. And it requires a lot of mindfulness and a lot of alertness to stay there because we're so good at creating little worlds right away, letting these things bubble up and flow out. The problem is they keep bubbling up and flowing out until they overwhelm you in a flood. The word asava, or outflows, effluents, fermentations: The list for these — sensuality, becoming, views, and ignorance — is the same as the list for the ogha, or floods, when the things that bubble out are allowed to drown the mind. Learn how to keep your head above water. Learn how to keep these fermentations in check.
If you're going to create something in the mind, then create this sense of stillness, this sense of centeredness, this sense of expansive awareness. Work at this, because what you're doing is taking those raw materials, taking your tendencies to create things, and turning them in the right direction. You're bringing those tendencies in line with the Dhamma, with the Dhamma that points outward. It says, "Look! Freedom lies in this direction."
You've tried lots of other things; why don't you really give this a serious try?
(Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
Another small but significant aspect to mention is that sometimes we mistake awareness or knowing, as understood from the Buddhist perspective, to mean a sort of mental agility. The quality of stream-entry is not dependent on being able to articulate or even to think clearly. This is an important principle. It is not dependent on clarity of thought. You don’t have to remember your lines. True insight can be established without a dependence on memory, conceptual thought or language. True insight is rather a quality of vision, a quality of attitude, and attitude is not a concept. It is a way of seeing, a way of being. It is an awakened knowing, awareness itself, rather than knowing about things.
(Ajahn Amaro)
-"Staying in Tune"
-the Buddha often describes dharma practice as a process of staying in tune. oftentimes, of course,we're not in tune. when we're not in tune, there is a quality of dis-ease in the body. being out of tune is a result of clinging. it is a result of dukkha, the state in which the heart is afflicted. as dharma students, we pay attention and notice when we're out of tune. and, in turn, we bring awareness to our clinging. often, this entails being aware of an emotion(s) that we're clinging to. the pratice of awareness, included in the acronym ABC, is a good practice for us to follow. in bringing awareness to our experience of clinging, we simply observe the experience. in doing so, there is space. we learn to know this quality of space, what it is like, what it feels like. we learn to incline to the quality of space/awareness. we come to understand that this quality of space is free from suffering. and it is always there, in all the circumstances of our live.
-some things to to remember with regard to "staying in tune"....
1-to stay in tune, we notice when we are out of tune....
-we see, by being mindful of the body, that there is a quality of dis-ease.....
-this quality of dis-ease, being out of tune, is a result of cllinging ... often, clingnig to a particular emotional state....
2-when we see that we're out of tune, we bring awareness to the experience of clinging/emotion .....
-ABC.....
A-we're aware of the experience ....
B-we center ourselves in the breath.....
C-we cultivate the heart quality of compassion..
3-in bringing awareness to experience, we simply observe the experience of clinging/emotion......
-as a felt sense in the body....
-without adding on analysis, judgment, etc.....
4-we learn to know the quality of space....
-the quality of space that is there when we simply observe...
-we learn to know what this quality of space is like...
-we learn to know, in turn, what it is like when there is an alleviation of clinging...
5-we learn to incline to this quality of space....
-awareness itself.....
-we come to understand that this quality of space/awareness is free ... and it is always there...
-we know it in all circumstances....
-reading.....
-"Right at Awareness" (Ajaan Fuang)
Learn how to develop this skill — and it really is an important skill — this willingness to give up on your normal inner conversations and try something really new. It requires some imagination to try it. And it requires a lot of mindfulness and a lot of alertness to stay there because we're so good at creating little worlds right away, letting these things bubble up and flow out. The problem is they keep bubbling up and flowing out until they overwhelm you in a flood. The word asava, or outflows, effluents, fermentations: The list for these — sensuality, becoming, views, and ignorance — is the same as the list for the ogha, or floods, when the things that bubble out are allowed to drown the mind. Learn how to keep your head above water. Learn how to keep these fermentations in check.
If you're going to create something in the mind, then create this sense of stillness, this sense of centeredness, this sense of expansive awareness. Work at this, because what you're doing is taking those raw materials, taking your tendencies to create things, and turning them in the right direction. You're bringing those tendencies in line with the Dhamma, with the Dhamma that points outward. It says, "Look! Freedom lies in this direction."
You've tried lots of other things; why don't you really give this a serious try?
(Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
Another small but significant aspect to mention is that sometimes we mistake awareness or knowing, as understood from the Buddhist perspective, to mean a sort of mental agility. The quality of stream-entry is not dependent on being able to articulate or even to think clearly. This is an important principle. It is not dependent on clarity of thought. You don’t have to remember your lines. True insight can be established without a dependence on memory, conceptual thought or language. True insight is rather a quality of vision, a quality of attitude, and attitude is not a concept. It is a way of seeing, a way of being. It is an awakened knowing, awareness itself, rather than knowing about things.
(Ajahn Amaro)
October 13
-"The Blessing of Life"
-we learn, in practicing the dharma, to be present with ease and with a sublime attitude. an essential element of having a sublime attitude is to have an attitude of appreciation. in this effort, as dharma students, we seek to remember the blessing of live. we cultivate appreication for life. the preciousness of life. we remember that we are blessed to be here, in this life. we remember the blessing of life itself. futhermore, in reflecting on the blessing of life, we come to know, in this life, the goodness of life. we know the joy of life itself.
-some things to keep in mind in our efforts to remember "the blessing of life"....
1-in dharma practice we learn to be present; but it is not enough just to be present....
-we learn to be present, with ease, sukkha.....
-we learn to be present with a sublime attitude....
-metta....
-compassion....
-appreciation
2-it is elemental to our practice to cultivate appreciation.....
-we reflect on the 'four categories of blessings'.....
-the blessing of our goodness ....
-the blessing of the goodness of others.....
-the blessing of the dharma...
-the blessing of life.....
3-we learn to cultivate appreciation for life......
-the preciousness of life....
-understanding that life is rare ... brief ... affords us an opportunity for happiness of heart.....
-we reflect on the blessing is it to be here ... in this life....
-we reflect on the blessing of life itself....
4-it is important to put effort into the reflection on the blessing of life due to the other voices that we often hear....
-the voices that offer a negative, critical view of life...
-external voices.....
-voices of others...
-media/technology...
-internal voices....
-our thinking imbued with negativity, complaint....
-doubt....
5-recognizing the blessing of life, we know joy.....
-we learn, by cultivating the reflection on the blessing of life, to recognise the blessing of life.....
-the blessing it is to be here ... the blessing of life itself....
-we come to know, in the heart, the goodness of this life....
-we know joy.....
-reading.....
Staying at Savatthi. Then the Blessed One, picking up a little bit of dust with the tip of his fingernail, said to the monks, "What do you think, monks? Which is greater: the little bit of dust I have picked up with the tip of my fingernail, or the great earth?"
"The great earth is far greater, lord. The little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail is next to nothing. It doesn't even count. It's no comparison. It's not even a fraction, this little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail, when compared with the great earth.
"In the same way, monks, few are the beings reborn among human beings. Far more are those reborn elsewhere. Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will live heedfully.' That's how you should train yourselves."
(SN 20.2)
Staying at Savatthi. "Monks, suppose there were four strong archers — well-trained, practiced, & drilled — standing in the four directions, and a man were to come along saying, 'I will catch & bring down the arrows let fly by these four strong archers — well-trained, practiced, & drilled — before they have fallen to the ground.' What do you think? Would that be enough to call him a swift man, endowed with the foremost speed?"
"Even if he were to catch & bring down the arrows let fly by one archer — well-trained, practiced, & drilled — before they fell to the ground, lord, that would be enough to call him a swift man, endowed with the foremost speed, to say nothing of four such archers."
"Faster than the speed of that man, monks, is the speed of the sun & moon. Faster than the speed of that man, faster than the speed of the sun & moon, is the speed of the devas who rush ahead of the sun & moon. Faster than the speed of that man, faster than the speed of the sun & moon, faster than the speed of the devas who rush ahead of the sun & moon, the force of one's life span comes to an end. Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will live heedfully.' That's how you should train yourselves."
(SN 20.6)
"He keeps pervading the first direction — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with appreciation. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with appreciation: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will."
(AN 3.65)
"Furthermore, there is the case where a monk might say, 'Although appreciation has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken by me as my awareness-release, still resentment keeps overpowering my mind.' He should be told, 'Don't say that. You shouldn't speak in that way. Don't misrepresent the Blessed One, for it's not right to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One wouldn't say that. It's impossible, there is no way that — when appreciation has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken as an awareness-release — resentment would still keep overpowering the mind. That possibility doesn't exist, for this is the escape from resentment: appreciation as an awareness-release.'"
(AN 6.13)
Teacher Support
Donations to support the teacher, Peter Doobinin, can be made via PayPal by using the address: [email protected]
(If using PayPal, this is the preferred method; please use the "personal/family & friends" function.)
Donations can also be made through Zelle using the email address: [email protected]
Information about making a donation using a credit card or by check are found on the Support page.
Thanks for your generosity!
-"The Blessing of Life"
-we learn, in practicing the dharma, to be present with ease and with a sublime attitude. an essential element of having a sublime attitude is to have an attitude of appreciation. in this effort, as dharma students, we seek to remember the blessing of live. we cultivate appreication for life. the preciousness of life. we remember that we are blessed to be here, in this life. we remember the blessing of life itself. futhermore, in reflecting on the blessing of life, we come to know, in this life, the goodness of life. we know the joy of life itself.
-some things to keep in mind in our efforts to remember "the blessing of life"....
1-in dharma practice we learn to be present; but it is not enough just to be present....
-we learn to be present, with ease, sukkha.....
-we learn to be present with a sublime attitude....
-metta....
-compassion....
-appreciation
2-it is elemental to our practice to cultivate appreciation.....
-we reflect on the 'four categories of blessings'.....
-the blessing of our goodness ....
-the blessing of the goodness of others.....
-the blessing of the dharma...
-the blessing of life.....
3-we learn to cultivate appreciation for life......
-the preciousness of life....
-understanding that life is rare ... brief ... affords us an opportunity for happiness of heart.....
-we reflect on the blessing is it to be here ... in this life....
-we reflect on the blessing of life itself....
4-it is important to put effort into the reflection on the blessing of life due to the other voices that we often hear....
-the voices that offer a negative, critical view of life...
-external voices.....
-voices of others...
-media/technology...
-internal voices....
-our thinking imbued with negativity, complaint....
-doubt....
5-recognizing the blessing of life, we know joy.....
-we learn, by cultivating the reflection on the blessing of life, to recognise the blessing of life.....
-the blessing it is to be here ... the blessing of life itself....
-we come to know, in the heart, the goodness of this life....
-we know joy.....
-reading.....
Staying at Savatthi. Then the Blessed One, picking up a little bit of dust with the tip of his fingernail, said to the monks, "What do you think, monks? Which is greater: the little bit of dust I have picked up with the tip of my fingernail, or the great earth?"
"The great earth is far greater, lord. The little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail is next to nothing. It doesn't even count. It's no comparison. It's not even a fraction, this little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail, when compared with the great earth.
"In the same way, monks, few are the beings reborn among human beings. Far more are those reborn elsewhere. Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will live heedfully.' That's how you should train yourselves."
(SN 20.2)
Staying at Savatthi. "Monks, suppose there were four strong archers — well-trained, practiced, & drilled — standing in the four directions, and a man were to come along saying, 'I will catch & bring down the arrows let fly by these four strong archers — well-trained, practiced, & drilled — before they have fallen to the ground.' What do you think? Would that be enough to call him a swift man, endowed with the foremost speed?"
"Even if he were to catch & bring down the arrows let fly by one archer — well-trained, practiced, & drilled — before they fell to the ground, lord, that would be enough to call him a swift man, endowed with the foremost speed, to say nothing of four such archers."
"Faster than the speed of that man, monks, is the speed of the sun & moon. Faster than the speed of that man, faster than the speed of the sun & moon, is the speed of the devas who rush ahead of the sun & moon. Faster than the speed of that man, faster than the speed of the sun & moon, faster than the speed of the devas who rush ahead of the sun & moon, the force of one's life span comes to an end. Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will live heedfully.' That's how you should train yourselves."
(SN 20.6)
"He keeps pervading the first direction — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with appreciation. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with appreciation: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will."
(AN 3.65)
"Furthermore, there is the case where a monk might say, 'Although appreciation has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken by me as my awareness-release, still resentment keeps overpowering my mind.' He should be told, 'Don't say that. You shouldn't speak in that way. Don't misrepresent the Blessed One, for it's not right to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One wouldn't say that. It's impossible, there is no way that — when appreciation has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken as an awareness-release — resentment would still keep overpowering the mind. That possibility doesn't exist, for this is the escape from resentment: appreciation as an awareness-release.'"
(AN 6.13)
Teacher Support
Donations to support the teacher, Peter Doobinin, can be made via PayPal by using the address: [email protected]
(If using PayPal, this is the preferred method; please use the "personal/family & friends" function.)
Donations can also be made through Zelle using the email address: [email protected]
Information about making a donation using a credit card or by check are found on the Support page.
Thanks for your generosity!
October 6
-"The Other Side of Despair"
-as dharma students we're asked to acknowledge basic truths about life. including the inalienable fact that illness, aging, death & separation is inherent to life. we're asked to understand that much of 'the way things are' in the human realm is unpleasant, difficult, not the way we'd like it to be. and, at the same time, we learn to see that, despite the difficulty in life, there is a potential for happiness. the potential for happiness is always there. we can find this happiness inside ourselves, regardless of the circumstances of our lives. as dharma students we learn to see our despair about the way things are; and the way in which we'd like things to be different. we're asked to develop acceptance. when there is acceptance/equanimity we're able to know the happiness that is inside.. the happiness of heart.
-some things to keep in mind in our efforts to come to "the other side of despair"....
1-as human beings we are subject to illness, aging, death, & separation....
-we must reflect often as the Buddha suggests, on these basic truths.....
-we must learn to reflect on the inherent difficulty in life....
-the difficulty of the 'conditioned realm'....
2-as dharma students, we learn to see our despair in regard to the 'way things are' in this life.....
-we bring wise attention to our despair..
-we bring wise attention to the ways in which we want things to be different ....
-our desire and aversion.....
-the ways in which we suffering over being 'separated from what is pleasing, and joined with what's displeasing'....
3-we learn to see our lack of acceptance......
4-we learn to cultivate acceptance.....
-acceptance is a function of equanimity...
-we cultivate acceptance/equanimity by...
-seeing when there is non-acceptance...
-acknowledging the 'difficulty' in things....
-remembering that this 'difficulty' is inherent in life....
-it is the way it is....
-inclining, using fabrication, to acceptance....
5-although there is difficulty in life, including aging, illness, death, separation, there is also the potential for happiness.....
-when there is acceptance/equanimity, we can know this happiness.....
-we find this happiness inside us, in the heart....
-this happiness is always there (akaliko)....
-it is something we can know in a felt way (sanditthiko)...
-our practice, as dharma students, leads us to this happiness....
-our practice leads us to the heart....
-to action informed by the heart....
-reading.....
-"A Mind Like the Earth" (from The Skill of Living)
-"The Other Side of Despair"
-as dharma students we're asked to acknowledge basic truths about life. including the inalienable fact that illness, aging, death & separation is inherent to life. we're asked to understand that much of 'the way things are' in the human realm is unpleasant, difficult, not the way we'd like it to be. and, at the same time, we learn to see that, despite the difficulty in life, there is a potential for happiness. the potential for happiness is always there. we can find this happiness inside ourselves, regardless of the circumstances of our lives. as dharma students we learn to see our despair about the way things are; and the way in which we'd like things to be different. we're asked to develop acceptance. when there is acceptance/equanimity we're able to know the happiness that is inside.. the happiness of heart.
-some things to keep in mind in our efforts to come to "the other side of despair"....
1-as human beings we are subject to illness, aging, death, & separation....
-we must reflect often as the Buddha suggests, on these basic truths.....
-we must learn to reflect on the inherent difficulty in life....
-the difficulty of the 'conditioned realm'....
2-as dharma students, we learn to see our despair in regard to the 'way things are' in this life.....
-we bring wise attention to our despair..
-we bring wise attention to the ways in which we want things to be different ....
-our desire and aversion.....
-the ways in which we suffering over being 'separated from what is pleasing, and joined with what's displeasing'....
3-we learn to see our lack of acceptance......
4-we learn to cultivate acceptance.....
-acceptance is a function of equanimity...
-we cultivate acceptance/equanimity by...
-seeing when there is non-acceptance...
-acknowledging the 'difficulty' in things....
-remembering that this 'difficulty' is inherent in life....
-it is the way it is....
-inclining, using fabrication, to acceptance....
5-although there is difficulty in life, including aging, illness, death, separation, there is also the potential for happiness.....
-when there is acceptance/equanimity, we can know this happiness.....
-we find this happiness inside us, in the heart....
-this happiness is always there (akaliko)....
-it is something we can know in a felt way (sanditthiko)...
-our practice, as dharma students, leads us to this happiness....
-our practice leads us to the heart....
-to action informed by the heart....
-reading.....
-"A Mind Like the Earth" (from The Skill of Living)
mind_like_earth_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
-"Subjects for Contemplation" (AN 5.57)
Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection (Chant)
Jaraa-dhammomhi jaram anatiito.
I am subject to aging. Aging is unavoidable.
Byaadhi-dhammomhi byaadhim anatiito.
I am subject to illness. Illness is unavoidable.
Marana-dhammomhi maranam anatiito.
I am subject to death. Death is unavoidable.
Sabbehi me piyehi manaapehi naanaa-bhaavo vinaa-bhaavo.
I will grow different, separate from all that is dear & appealing to me.
Kammassakomhi kamma-daayaado kamma-yoni kamma-bandhu kamma-patisarano.
I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and live dependent on my actions.
Yam kammam karissaami kalyaanam vaa paapakam vaa tassa daayaado bhavissaami.
Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.
Evam amhehi abhinham paccavekkhitabbam.
We should often reflect on this.
Serenity Prayer
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference"
Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection (Chant)
Jaraa-dhammomhi jaram anatiito.
I am subject to aging. Aging is unavoidable.
Byaadhi-dhammomhi byaadhim anatiito.
I am subject to illness. Illness is unavoidable.
Marana-dhammomhi maranam anatiito.
I am subject to death. Death is unavoidable.
Sabbehi me piyehi manaapehi naanaa-bhaavo vinaa-bhaavo.
I will grow different, separate from all that is dear & appealing to me.
Kammassakomhi kamma-daayaado kamma-yoni kamma-bandhu kamma-patisarano.
I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and live dependent on my actions.
Yam kammam karissaami kalyaanam vaa paapakam vaa tassa daayaado bhavissaami.
Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.
Evam amhehi abhinham paccavekkhitabbam.
We should often reflect on this.
Serenity Prayer
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference"
September 29
-"Reliable Happiness"
-when we look for happiness in sense pleasures we invariably meet with distress. these sense experience cause the nervous system to become dysregulated. these experiences of the world are not reliable, can't bring a lasting happiness. as dharma students, we're asked to to look and see that the things of the world are unreliable. we're asked, in turn, to look for the happiness within. the happiness of concentration. and, ultimately, the happiness of the heart. this is a true happiness and the greatest happiness that is available to us i this life. as followers of the Buddha's path, we turn to this happiness. we rely on this happiness of heart.
-some things to keep in mind in coming to understand a "reliable happiness"....
1-the sense experiences that derive from technological sources conduce to agitation, dis-ease....
-when we look for happiness in these technologies, we're apt to experience a state of disregulation.....
2-as dharma students, we learn to see the drawbacks in external sense experience.....
-we're heedful ... we bring wise attention to our experience...
-in doing so we look to see ....
-our relationship to sense experience is bringing about agitation.....
-we're looking for happiness in things that can't bring a reliable happiness....
-we're looking for happiness in things outside ourselves....
3-the things of the world can't bring a true happiness......
-as the Buddha tells us, the world is swept away....
4-the happiness of the dharma.....
-the happiness of the dharma is found inside us...
-in the bliss of concentration....
-in the freeing of the heart through concentration and insight...
-in thethe heart that is no longer afflicted....
5-the happiness of the heart is a reliable happiness.....
-the happiness of the heart is a reliatble happiness ... a true happiness ... it is always there.....
-it is said to be the greatest happiness....
-our task, as dharma students, is to know this happiness....
-we turn to this happiness....
-reading.....
-"Seeing the Drawbacks of Feeding on Sense Pleasure" (from The Skill of Living)
-"Reliable Happiness"
-when we look for happiness in sense pleasures we invariably meet with distress. these sense experience cause the nervous system to become dysregulated. these experiences of the world are not reliable, can't bring a lasting happiness. as dharma students, we're asked to to look and see that the things of the world are unreliable. we're asked, in turn, to look for the happiness within. the happiness of concentration. and, ultimately, the happiness of the heart. this is a true happiness and the greatest happiness that is available to us i this life. as followers of the Buddha's path, we turn to this happiness. we rely on this happiness of heart.
-some things to keep in mind in coming to understand a "reliable happiness"....
1-the sense experiences that derive from technological sources conduce to agitation, dis-ease....
-when we look for happiness in these technologies, we're apt to experience a state of disregulation.....
2-as dharma students, we learn to see the drawbacks in external sense experience.....
-we're heedful ... we bring wise attention to our experience...
-in doing so we look to see ....
-our relationship to sense experience is bringing about agitation.....
-we're looking for happiness in things that can't bring a reliable happiness....
-we're looking for happiness in things outside ourselves....
3-the things of the world can't bring a true happiness......
-as the Buddha tells us, the world is swept away....
4-the happiness of the dharma.....
-the happiness of the dharma is found inside us...
-in the bliss of concentration....
-in the freeing of the heart through concentration and insight...
-in thethe heart that is no longer afflicted....
5-the happiness of the heart is a reliable happiness.....
-the happiness of the heart is a reliatble happiness ... a true happiness ... it is always there.....
-it is said to be the greatest happiness....
-our task, as dharma students, is to know this happiness....
-we turn to this happiness....
-reading.....
-"Seeing the Drawbacks of Feeding on Sense Pleasure" (from The Skill of Living)
skill_of_living_drawbacks_sense_pleasure.pdf |
"Great king, there are four Dhamma summaries stated by the Blessed One who knows & sees, worthy & rightly self-awakened. Having known & seen & heard them, I went forth from the home life into homelessness. Which four?
"'The world is swept away. It does not endure': This is the first Dhamma summary stated by the Blessed One who knows & sees, worthy & rightly self-awakened. Having known & seen & heard it, I went forth from the home life into homelessness.
"'The world is without shelter, without protector': This is the second Dhamma summary...
"'The world is without ownership. One has to pass on, leaving everything behind': This is the third Dhamma summary...
"'The world is insufficient, insatiable, a slave to craving': This is the fourth Dhamma summary...
"These, great king, are the four Dhamma summaries stated by the Blessed One who knows & sees, worthy & rightly self-awakened. Having known & seen & heard them, I went forth from the home life into homelessness."
(MN 82)
"'The world is swept away. It does not endure': This is the first Dhamma summary stated by the Blessed One who knows & sees, worthy & rightly self-awakened. Having known & seen & heard it, I went forth from the home life into homelessness.
"'The world is without shelter, without protector': This is the second Dhamma summary...
"'The world is without ownership. One has to pass on, leaving everything behind': This is the third Dhamma summary...
"'The world is insufficient, insatiable, a slave to craving': This is the fourth Dhamma summary...
"These, great king, are the four Dhamma summaries stated by the Blessed One who knows & sees, worthy & rightly self-awakened. Having known & seen & heard them, I went forth from the home life into homelessness."
(MN 82)
September 22
-"Words of Compassion"
-all that we are, the Buddha teaches, begins with our thoughts. for this reason, the words we use, in thinking, are very important. through the use of these words we shape our lives. as dharma students we seek to engender words that are expressions of lovingkindness and compassion. words that lead to compassion express our wish to be free from suffering. which is to say, they express our wish for the heart to be unafflicted. in our lives, in cultivating compassion we remind ourselves that the heart is afflicted and that, in turn, we have a wish for it to be free of its afflictions. in cultivating compassion for others, we remind ourselves, similarly, of our wish that the heart of the other is free of its burdens.
-some things to keep in mind in learning to cultivate "words of compassion"....
1-all that we are arises with our thoughts....
-the words we use, in cultivating thought, will determine what our lives are like.....
-for this reason, it is important to learn to think in the most skillful manner....
2-words of compassion.....
-words that are conducive to compassion include...
-words (thoughts) that recognize that the heart is afflicted....
-words that express our wish for the heart to be free of its afflictions.....
3-skillful intention in meditation......
-in meditation, we learn to cultivate skillful intention, reminding ourselves that we practice so that the heart may be free of its afflictions....
4-compassion.....
-compassion is a sublime abiding ... a quality of the heart....
-we don't 'create' compassion ... it is in the heart....
-compassion is how the heart responds when there is dukkha...
-specficially, when the heart is afflicted....
5-cultivating compassion in all postures.....
-when there is suffering/dukkha ... we seek to cultivate compassion.....
-we recognize that there is dukkha: the heart is burdened....
-we remind ourselves of our wish for the heart to be free of its burdens.....
-in cultivating compassion for others....
-we recognize that the heart of the other is afflicted....
-we remind ourselves of our wish for the other, the their heart be free of its burdens....
6-action informed by compassion.....
-in our lives we seek to choose action that is informed by compassion....
-action in support of the wish for the heart to be free of its burdens....
-in taking action, we cultivate a sublime attitude of compassion....
-an attitude informed by the wish for the heart to be free of its burdens.....
-reading.....
-"Life Isn't Just Suffering" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
-"Words of Compassion"
-all that we are, the Buddha teaches, begins with our thoughts. for this reason, the words we use, in thinking, are very important. through the use of these words we shape our lives. as dharma students we seek to engender words that are expressions of lovingkindness and compassion. words that lead to compassion express our wish to be free from suffering. which is to say, they express our wish for the heart to be unafflicted. in our lives, in cultivating compassion we remind ourselves that the heart is afflicted and that, in turn, we have a wish for it to be free of its afflictions. in cultivating compassion for others, we remind ourselves, similarly, of our wish that the heart of the other is free of its burdens.
-some things to keep in mind in learning to cultivate "words of compassion"....
1-all that we are arises with our thoughts....
-the words we use, in cultivating thought, will determine what our lives are like.....
-for this reason, it is important to learn to think in the most skillful manner....
2-words of compassion.....
-words that are conducive to compassion include...
-words (thoughts) that recognize that the heart is afflicted....
-words that express our wish for the heart to be free of its afflictions.....
3-skillful intention in meditation......
-in meditation, we learn to cultivate skillful intention, reminding ourselves that we practice so that the heart may be free of its afflictions....
4-compassion.....
-compassion is a sublime abiding ... a quality of the heart....
-we don't 'create' compassion ... it is in the heart....
-compassion is how the heart responds when there is dukkha...
-specficially, when the heart is afflicted....
5-cultivating compassion in all postures.....
-when there is suffering/dukkha ... we seek to cultivate compassion.....
-we recognize that there is dukkha: the heart is burdened....
-we remind ourselves of our wish for the heart to be free of its burdens.....
-in cultivating compassion for others....
-we recognize that the heart of the other is afflicted....
-we remind ourselves of our wish for the other, the their heart be free of its burdens....
6-action informed by compassion.....
-in our lives we seek to choose action that is informed by compassion....
-action in support of the wish for the heart to be free of its burdens....
-in taking action, we cultivate a sublime attitude of compassion....
-an attitude informed by the wish for the heart to be free of its burdens.....
-reading.....
-"Life Isn't Just Suffering" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
September 15
-"Compassion for Thinking"
-it is essential, in making the path, to be mindful of our thinking. this mindfulness is practiced in all postures. as we go through our days, we're heedful, we see when we're caught in thought, we practice discernement, seeing the drawbacks in the thinking. it is especially important to be heedful of our habitual narratives. our thinking, stories, narratives are an expression of dukkha. in being heedful of thinking, we observe thinking and we discern that there is dukkha. the heart is blocked. this thinking, engendered over a lifetime, is indicative of a lifetime of dukkha. seeing dukkha, the heart responds with compassion. as dharma students, we cultivate compassion for our thinking, our habitual narratives. it is through compassion that we are healed of this thinking.
-some things to keep in mind in learning to cultivate the"compassion for thinking"....
1-mindfulness of thinking....
-it is important that we practice mindfulness of thinking.....
-this mindfulnes is pivotal in the development of the path....
-in being mindful of thinking we practice heedfulness.....
-we see the thinking....
-we practice discernment, we see the drawbacks in the thinking....
2-heedfulness of thinking.....
-in being heedful of thinking, it's important to be heedful of the times when we are caught in thinking...
-when we are caught in stories, narratives....
-we are heedful in 'real time' ... we see the thinking when we are engaged in it....
3-ABC......
-we can apply the acronym ABC in being heedful of thinking & habitual narratives....
A-awareness....
-we bring awareness to the thinking....
-we observe....
-there is space.....
-we see that there is dukkha....
-the heart is afflicted....
B-breath....
-we maintain ease, space....
C-compassion....
-we cultivate compassion for the thinking....
4-compassion.....
-compassion is a sublime abiding ... a quality of the heart....
-we don't 'create' compassion ... it is in the heart....
-compassion is how the heart responds when there is dukkha...
-specficially, when the heart is afflicted....
5-cultivating compassion.....
-we cultivate compassion by seeing dukkha....
-when we are caught in narratives, we see that the heart is afflicted....
-thinking/habitual narratives are the manifestation of dukkha....
-our thinking/narratives are conditioned ... they are a manifestation of a lifetime of dukkha....
-seeing thinking....
-there is space....
-we allow our innate wisdom to understand....
-we develop the 'skillful perception' of dukkha....
-we refrain from thinking about the thinking ... judging ... analyzing ... trying to get rid of the thinking....
-we incline to the heart ... to the sublime abiding of compassion.....
-reading.....
-"Two Sorts of Thinking" (from The Skill of Living).....
-"Compassion for Thinking"
-it is essential, in making the path, to be mindful of our thinking. this mindfulness is practiced in all postures. as we go through our days, we're heedful, we see when we're caught in thought, we practice discernement, seeing the drawbacks in the thinking. it is especially important to be heedful of our habitual narratives. our thinking, stories, narratives are an expression of dukkha. in being heedful of thinking, we observe thinking and we discern that there is dukkha. the heart is blocked. this thinking, engendered over a lifetime, is indicative of a lifetime of dukkha. seeing dukkha, the heart responds with compassion. as dharma students, we cultivate compassion for our thinking, our habitual narratives. it is through compassion that we are healed of this thinking.
-some things to keep in mind in learning to cultivate the"compassion for thinking"....
1-mindfulness of thinking....
-it is important that we practice mindfulness of thinking.....
-this mindfulnes is pivotal in the development of the path....
-in being mindful of thinking we practice heedfulness.....
-we see the thinking....
-we practice discernment, we see the drawbacks in the thinking....
2-heedfulness of thinking.....
-in being heedful of thinking, it's important to be heedful of the times when we are caught in thinking...
-when we are caught in stories, narratives....
-we are heedful in 'real time' ... we see the thinking when we are engaged in it....
3-ABC......
-we can apply the acronym ABC in being heedful of thinking & habitual narratives....
A-awareness....
-we bring awareness to the thinking....
-we observe....
-there is space.....
-we see that there is dukkha....
-the heart is afflicted....
B-breath....
-we maintain ease, space....
C-compassion....
-we cultivate compassion for the thinking....
4-compassion.....
-compassion is a sublime abiding ... a quality of the heart....
-we don't 'create' compassion ... it is in the heart....
-compassion is how the heart responds when there is dukkha...
-specficially, when the heart is afflicted....
5-cultivating compassion.....
-we cultivate compassion by seeing dukkha....
-when we are caught in narratives, we see that the heart is afflicted....
-thinking/habitual narratives are the manifestation of dukkha....
-our thinking/narratives are conditioned ... they are a manifestation of a lifetime of dukkha....
-seeing thinking....
-there is space....
-we allow our innate wisdom to understand....
-we develop the 'skillful perception' of dukkha....
-we refrain from thinking about the thinking ... judging ... analyzing ... trying to get rid of the thinking....
-we incline to the heart ... to the sublime abiding of compassion.....
-reading.....
-"Two Sorts of Thinking" (from The Skill of Living).....
two_sorts_of_thinking_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
-"Two Sorts of Thinking Sutta" (MN 19)
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said: "From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating & wandering on. What do you think, monks: Which is greater, the tears you have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — or the water in the four great oceans?"
"As we understand the Dhamma taught to us by the Blessed One, this is the greater: the tears we have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — not the water in the four great oceans."
"Excellent, monks. Excellent. It is excellent that you thus understand the Dhamma taught by me.
"This is the greater: the tears you have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — not the water in the four great oceans.
"Long have you (repeatedly) experienced the death of a mother. The tears you have shed over the death of a mother while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — are greater than the water in the four great oceans.
"Long have you (repeatedly) experienced the death of a father... the death of a brother... the death of a sister... the death of a son... the death of a daughter... loss with regard to relatives... loss with regard to wealth... loss with regard to disease. The tears you have shed over loss with regard to disease while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — are greater than the water in the four great oceans.
"Why is that? From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating & wandering on. Long have you thus experienced stress, experienced pain, experienced loss, swelling the cemeteries — enough to become disenchanted with all fabricated things, enough to become dispassionate, enough to be released."
(SN 15.3)
September 8
-"Stages of Concentration"
-the heart of the path, the Buddha, said, is concentration. in following the path, concentration develops, over time. we engage, in developing in concentration, in a process. we can say that this process includes three stages: effort, pleasure, love. we seek to cultivate these qualities at all times in our practice; however it is important to understand that the stages are developmental there is a cause & effect relationship between them. If we make skillful effort, pleasure will develop, the development of pleasure will lead us closer to the heart, to love. when practice is informed by love, concentration fully develops.
-some things to keep in mind in learning to develop the"stages of concentration"....
-the three stages of concentration are....
1-effort....
-we make and effort to develop mindfulness of breathing.....
-we practice the steps of breath meditation....
-we develop in "directed thought & evaluation".....
-we make an effort to maintain mindfulness of breath & body in all postures....
-in making effort we seek to make skillful effort.....
-we make the "right" amount of effort....
-we make effort that is informed by the skillful qualities of metta & compassion....
-when effort is skillful, ease develops....
2-pleasure.....
-when the breath is easeful ... and when we have a pleasant abiding in the body ... we're able to develop a higher level of concentration....
-accordingly, in our practice, we develop an easeful breath and a pleasant abiding....
-we develop full body awareness....
-we develop the qualities of jhana.....
-ease....
-pleasure.....
-we seek to maintain the qualities of ease & pleasure in all postures....
-the more we're able to keep the mind on the breath & body ... the closer we are to the heart....
3-love......
-concentration develops to its highest level when our practice is informed by the heart ... by wisdom & love....
-we stay present, with the breath & body, out of love....
-in our practice, we cultivate appropriate attention (wise reflection)....
-in meditation, when thoughts arise, we recognize that the thoughts are taking us away from the heart....
-out of love, we stay with the breath/body....
-reading.....
-"Skillful Effort" (from The Skill of Living.....
-"Stages of Concentration"
-the heart of the path, the Buddha, said, is concentration. in following the path, concentration develops, over time. we engage, in developing in concentration, in a process. we can say that this process includes three stages: effort, pleasure, love. we seek to cultivate these qualities at all times in our practice; however it is important to understand that the stages are developmental there is a cause & effect relationship between them. If we make skillful effort, pleasure will develop, the development of pleasure will lead us closer to the heart, to love. when practice is informed by love, concentration fully develops.
-some things to keep in mind in learning to develop the"stages of concentration"....
-the three stages of concentration are....
1-effort....
-we make and effort to develop mindfulness of breathing.....
-we practice the steps of breath meditation....
-we develop in "directed thought & evaluation".....
-we make an effort to maintain mindfulness of breath & body in all postures....
-in making effort we seek to make skillful effort.....
-we make the "right" amount of effort....
-we make effort that is informed by the skillful qualities of metta & compassion....
-when effort is skillful, ease develops....
2-pleasure.....
-when the breath is easeful ... and when we have a pleasant abiding in the body ... we're able to develop a higher level of concentration....
-accordingly, in our practice, we develop an easeful breath and a pleasant abiding....
-we develop full body awareness....
-we develop the qualities of jhana.....
-ease....
-pleasure.....
-we seek to maintain the qualities of ease & pleasure in all postures....
-the more we're able to keep the mind on the breath & body ... the closer we are to the heart....
3-love......
-concentration develops to its highest level when our practice is informed by the heart ... by wisdom & love....
-we stay present, with the breath & body, out of love....
-in our practice, we cultivate appropriate attention (wise reflection)....
-in meditation, when thoughts arise, we recognize that the thoughts are taking us away from the heart....
-out of love, we stay with the breath/body....
-reading.....
-"Skillful Effort" (from The Skill of Living.....
skill_of_living_skillful_effort_pdf.pdf |
"I thought: 'I recall once, when my father the Sakyan was working, and I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree, then — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities — I entered & remained in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. Could that be the path to Awakening?' Then, following on that memory, came the realization: 'That is the path to Awakening.' I thought: 'So why am I afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful mental qualities?' I thought: 'I am no longer afraid of that pleasure that has nothing to do with sensuality, nothing to do with unskillful mental qualities, but it is not easy to achieve that pleasure with a body so extremely emaciated. Suppose I were to take some solid food: some rice & porridge.' So I took some solid food: some rice & porridge. Now five monks had been attending on me, thinking, 'If Gotama, our contemplative, achieves some higher state, he will tell us.' But when they saw me taking some solid food — some rice & porridge — they were disgusted and left me, thinking, 'Gotama the contemplative is living luxuriously. He has abandoned his exertion and is backsliding into abundance.'
"So when I had taken solid food and regained strength, then — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, I entered & remained in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, I entered & remained in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain. With the fading of rapture I remained in equanimity, mindful & alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure. I entered & remained in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain. With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — I entered & remained in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. But the pleasant feeling that arose in this way did not invade my mind or remain."
(MN36)
August 25
-"The Way of the Heart"
-the Buddha was known as a "spiritual doctor." the path he taught, the dharma, is a spiritual path. we learn, as dharma students, to find a spiritual cure. this cure entails developing the heart so that it will let go of the causes of our spiritual disease. we must learn, then, to develop the heart. the practice of mindfulness of breathing, including the cultivation of full body awareness, is essential to this practice. when the heart is developed, we're able to abandon the causes of our spiritual disease. and we're able to cultivate our way forward. as dharma students, we follow a spiritual path, a path informed by the heart, by the wisdom and love we find in the heart. this path is a path of happiness.
-some things to keep in mind in learning to follow "the way of the heart"....
-the cure for the "spiritual disease" of dukkha is letting go of clinging.....
-the Buddha called our spiritual disease "dukkha"…. it is a condition in which the heart is afflicted due to our clinging .....
-letting go of clinging is not accomplished through an extertion of will, through intellect, or through psychological analysis....
-the cure for our spiritual disease is spiritual....
-it is the heart that let's go....
-the development of whole body awareness is essential to the development of the heart....
-we develop whole body awareness in breath meditation.....
-in walking meditation....
-in natural meditation.....
-the heart is what let's go ... and the heart leads us forward toward a greater happiness in life.....
-the heart shows us the way to happiness ... the actions we need to take....
-this is discernment....
-the heart empowers us to take these actions ....
-this is love.....
-we develop te resolve to follow the way of the heart......
-in making decisions about what course to take in our lives, we learn to "ask the heart" ... and let the wisdom in the heart guide us....
-we cultivate right resolve....
-the resolve to move forward in life with the heart ... with love....
-in cultivating resolve, asking questions is useful....
-questions such as, "how can I move forward in my life with love & compassion....?"
-as dharma students, we learn to live in these questions.....
-reading.....
-"Bathed in the Breath" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
-"Skillful Action" (from The Skill of Living.....
skill_of_living_skillful_action_pdf.pdf |
They awaken,
always wide awake:
Gotama's disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the body.
(Dhp 299)
Insight Meditation Daylong Retreat
in English
with Peter Doobinin
Sunday, 1 September
Lotos Vihara
Neue Blumenstraße 5, Berlin
10;00 – 16:00
no fee
For more information about this Berlin Dharma retreat click here.
August 18
-"A Spiritual Cure"
-the Buddha was known as a "spiritual doctor." as human beings, he said, we're afflicted with a spiritual dis-ease. this he called dukkha. it is a "disease of the heart." dukkha is caused, not by the objects we hold on to, but rather by our holding on. the cure, then for this spiritual disease, is to not hold on. this process of letting go, accordingly, is achieved by spiritual means. it's the heart that let's go. to develop the ability to let go, we must develop the heart. and, in turn, we must learn to develop in our resolve to let go.
-some things to keep in mind in learning to practice the task of letting go, to develop "a spiritual cure"....
-we have a spiritual disease.....
-the Buddha called our spiritual disease "dukkha"….
-it is a disease of the heart....
-it is a condition in which the heart is afflicted....
-the cause of this spiritual disease is clinging....
-the heart is afflicted due to our clinging .....
-the degree to which we cling to experiences of body & mind.....
-the objects of body & mind, including emotions, are not what afflict the heart ... it is our clinging to these objects....
-the cure for the disease of dukkha is to let go of clinging.....
-letting go of clinging requires a spiritual solution....
-we don't let go through will ... through intellectual effort ... through analyis of dukkha/clinging....
-"we" dpn't let go....
-the heart is what let's go.....
-only the heart can let go....
-we must develop the heart ... so that we're able, accordingly, to let go....
-we develop the heart through....
-generosity....
-ethical conduct....
-meditation/concentration.....
-we develop the resolve to let go....
-we develop the resolve to allow the heart to let go.....
-to let go out of love....
-we often come upon fear as we develop the resolve to let go ... but the qualities of the heart transcend this fear.....
-reading.....
-"The Healing Power of the Precepts" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of stress.' Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This noble truth of stress is to be comprehended.' Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before:' This noble truth of stress has been comprehended.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the origination of stress'... 'This noble truth of the origination of stress is to be abandoned' ... 'This noble truth of the origination of stress has been abandoned.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the cessation of stress'... 'This noble truth of the cessation of stress is to be directly experienced'... 'This noble truth of the cessation of stress has been directly experienced.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress'... 'This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress is to be developed'... 'This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress has been developed.'
(SN 5.28)
So you shouldn't underestimate the power of goodness. As long as you've got the time and the opportunity, then whenever you notice the chance to do goodness of which you're capable, you should hurry up and make the effort, trying to develop that goodness as soon as you can. If death were to come right now, what would you have left? Nothing. All you could do is wrap up the trail mix you've put aside — in other words, the goodness you've done in the past. When you remember it, that goodness will nourish your spirit, helping you reach one of the good destinations in the heavenly worlds. If you've developed your mind in strong concentration, you'll be able to gain release from the range of worldliness and take your heart to the transcendent.
So those of us who haven't yet developed the goodness we've hoped for: Don't underestimate what you've got. Regard what you've done as your wealth. This wealth of yours is what will prevent your life from falling into low places. As long as you stay in this world, you can depend on the good you've done to determine the course of your life. If you leave this world, your goodness will follow you like a shadow at all times.
(Ajaan Lee))
-"A Spiritual Cure"
-the Buddha was known as a "spiritual doctor." as human beings, he said, we're afflicted with a spiritual dis-ease. this he called dukkha. it is a "disease of the heart." dukkha is caused, not by the objects we hold on to, but rather by our holding on. the cure, then for this spiritual disease, is to not hold on. this process of letting go, accordingly, is achieved by spiritual means. it's the heart that let's go. to develop the ability to let go, we must develop the heart. and, in turn, we must learn to develop in our resolve to let go.
-some things to keep in mind in learning to practice the task of letting go, to develop "a spiritual cure"....
-we have a spiritual disease.....
-the Buddha called our spiritual disease "dukkha"….
-it is a disease of the heart....
-it is a condition in which the heart is afflicted....
-the cause of this spiritual disease is clinging....
-the heart is afflicted due to our clinging .....
-the degree to which we cling to experiences of body & mind.....
-the objects of body & mind, including emotions, are not what afflict the heart ... it is our clinging to these objects....
-the cure for the disease of dukkha is to let go of clinging.....
-letting go of clinging requires a spiritual solution....
-we don't let go through will ... through intellectual effort ... through analyis of dukkha/clinging....
-"we" dpn't let go....
-the heart is what let's go.....
-only the heart can let go....
-we must develop the heart ... so that we're able, accordingly, to let go....
-we develop the heart through....
-generosity....
-ethical conduct....
-meditation/concentration.....
-we develop the resolve to let go....
-we develop the resolve to allow the heart to let go.....
-to let go out of love....
-we often come upon fear as we develop the resolve to let go ... but the qualities of the heart transcend this fear.....
-reading.....
-"The Healing Power of the Precepts" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of stress.' Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This noble truth of stress is to be comprehended.' Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before:' This noble truth of stress has been comprehended.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the origination of stress'... 'This noble truth of the origination of stress is to be abandoned' ... 'This noble truth of the origination of stress has been abandoned.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the cessation of stress'... 'This noble truth of the cessation of stress is to be directly experienced'... 'This noble truth of the cessation of stress has been directly experienced.'
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: 'This is the noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress'... 'This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress is to be developed'... 'This noble truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress has been developed.'
(SN 5.28)
So you shouldn't underestimate the power of goodness. As long as you've got the time and the opportunity, then whenever you notice the chance to do goodness of which you're capable, you should hurry up and make the effort, trying to develop that goodness as soon as you can. If death were to come right now, what would you have left? Nothing. All you could do is wrap up the trail mix you've put aside — in other words, the goodness you've done in the past. When you remember it, that goodness will nourish your spirit, helping you reach one of the good destinations in the heavenly worlds. If you've developed your mind in strong concentration, you'll be able to gain release from the range of worldliness and take your heart to the transcendent.
So those of us who haven't yet developed the goodness we've hoped for: Don't underestimate what you've got. Regard what you've done as your wealth. This wealth of yours is what will prevent your life from falling into low places. As long as you stay in this world, you can depend on the good you've done to determine the course of your life. If you leave this world, your goodness will follow you like a shadow at all times.
(Ajaan Lee))
August 11
-"The Joyful Truth of Life"
-as human beings, we are born with a basic goodness. purity of heart. dharma, which is inside. as we grow up and older, we lose sight of our goodness. we turn to the ways of the world. dharma practice is a coming home to our goodness, to the heart, to the dharma inside. the journey begins with developing our good qualities and practicing meditation. meditation bring us in, to the heart. and as we go forward in this life, we're able more and more to remember the goodness inside, the purity of heart. and we're joyful, knowing the most imortant truth of this life."
-some things to keep in mind in learning to know"the joyful truth of life"....
-purity of heart.....
-we have a goodness that is within….
-the heart....
-the dharma inside....
-as dharma students, we're learing to develop purity of heart.....
-the ways of the world take us from the goodness within us....
-as we grow up and older, we cling ... and we lose connection to the heart .....
-our clinging is seen in.....
-our preoccupation with sense pleasure....
-our attachment to views and opinions.....
-our attachment to social conventions.....
-our holding on to self identity views.....
-instead of the heart, we spend our time involved with.....
-our likes and dislikes....
-our thinking....
-our stories.....
-meditation is a coming home to the purity of heart.....
-in meditation, we are learning to let go of everything ... but our present moment experience....
-breath....
-body....
-heart.....
-in describing the process of being mindful of breath/body, the Buddha shows us how we enter into emptiness....
“In this way he remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or externally on the body in & of itself, or both internally & externally on the body in & of itself. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to the body, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to the body, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with regard to the body. Or his mindfulness that ‘There is a body’ is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by [not clinging to] anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself."
(MN 10)
-our goodness is everpresent....
-when we let go of our thinking, our stories, our clinging ... what's left is our goodness....
-the heart....
-the heart is everpresent ... it is true.....
-life is inherently joyful....
-we know joy ... when we know our goodness, the truth the heart, the dharma inside.....
-the goodness that is always there....
-joy then, as Thoreau noted, is the condition of life.....
-reading.....
-"Purity of Heart" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
Then Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "It is said that the world is empty, the world is empty, lord. In what respect is it said that the world is empty?"
"Insofar as it is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self: Thus it is said, Ananda, that the world is empty. And what is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self? The eye is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Forms... Eye-consciousness... Eye-contact is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self.
"The ear is empty...
"The nose is empty...
"The tongue is empty...
"The body is empty...
"The intellect is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Ideas... Intellect-consciousness... Intellect-contact is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Thus it is said that the world is empty."
(SN 35.85))
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning;
At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall
And the children in the apple-tree
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half-heard, in the stillness
Between two waves of the sea.
Quick now, here, now, always–
A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything)
And all shall be well and
All manner of thing shall be well
-TS Eliot (Four Quartets/Little Gidding)
Teacher Support
Donations to support the teacher, Peter Doobinin, can be made via PayPal by using the address: [email protected]
(If using PayPal, this is the preferred method; please use the "personal/family & friends" function.)
Donations can also be made through Zelle using the email address: [email protected]
Information about making a donation using a credit card or by check are found on the Support page.
Thanks for your generosity!
-"The Joyful Truth of Life"
-as human beings, we are born with a basic goodness. purity of heart. dharma, which is inside. as we grow up and older, we lose sight of our goodness. we turn to the ways of the world. dharma practice is a coming home to our goodness, to the heart, to the dharma inside. the journey begins with developing our good qualities and practicing meditation. meditation bring us in, to the heart. and as we go forward in this life, we're able more and more to remember the goodness inside, the purity of heart. and we're joyful, knowing the most imortant truth of this life."
-some things to keep in mind in learning to know"the joyful truth of life"....
-purity of heart.....
-we have a goodness that is within….
-the heart....
-the dharma inside....
-as dharma students, we're learing to develop purity of heart.....
-the ways of the world take us from the goodness within us....
-as we grow up and older, we cling ... and we lose connection to the heart .....
-our clinging is seen in.....
-our preoccupation with sense pleasure....
-our attachment to views and opinions.....
-our attachment to social conventions.....
-our holding on to self identity views.....
-instead of the heart, we spend our time involved with.....
-our likes and dislikes....
-our thinking....
-our stories.....
-meditation is a coming home to the purity of heart.....
-in meditation, we are learning to let go of everything ... but our present moment experience....
-breath....
-body....
-heart.....
-in describing the process of being mindful of breath/body, the Buddha shows us how we enter into emptiness....
“In this way he remains focused internally on the body in & of itself, or externally on the body in & of itself, or both internally & externally on the body in & of itself. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to the body, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to the body, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with regard to the body. Or his mindfulness that ‘There is a body’ is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by [not clinging to] anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself."
(MN 10)
-our goodness is everpresent....
-when we let go of our thinking, our stories, our clinging ... what's left is our goodness....
-the heart....
-the heart is everpresent ... it is true.....
-life is inherently joyful....
-we know joy ... when we know our goodness, the truth the heart, the dharma inside.....
-the goodness that is always there....
-joy then, as Thoreau noted, is the condition of life.....
-reading.....
-"Purity of Heart" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
Then Ven. Ananda went to the Blessed One and on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "It is said that the world is empty, the world is empty, lord. In what respect is it said that the world is empty?"
"Insofar as it is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self: Thus it is said, Ananda, that the world is empty. And what is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self? The eye is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Forms... Eye-consciousness... Eye-contact is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self.
"The ear is empty...
"The nose is empty...
"The tongue is empty...
"The body is empty...
"The intellect is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Ideas... Intellect-consciousness... Intellect-contact is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self. Thus it is said that the world is empty."
(SN 35.85))
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning;
At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall
And the children in the apple-tree
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half-heard, in the stillness
Between two waves of the sea.
Quick now, here, now, always–
A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything)
And all shall be well and
All manner of thing shall be well
-TS Eliot (Four Quartets/Little Gidding)
Teacher Support
Donations to support the teacher, Peter Doobinin, can be made via PayPal by using the address: [email protected]
(If using PayPal, this is the preferred method; please use the "personal/family & friends" function.)
Donations can also be made through Zelle using the email address: [email protected]
Information about making a donation using a credit card or by check are found on the Support page.
Thanks for your generosity!
August 4
-"Skillful Words & Skillful Thoughts"
-as dharma students, we learn to practice skillful speech. our words are important. our speech determines our ablity to move along the path. skillful or right speech is one of the steps in the noble eightfold path. as we learn to practice right speech, to be "well-spoken," we're more and more able to think skillfully. the practice of speaking skillful words enables us to engender skillful thoughts. indeed, our task is to engender skillful thoughts. thoughts that are sublime. thoughts that are imbued with lovingkindness for ourselves and others and the world at large. thoughts that are imbued with compassion, appreciation, and equanimity.
-some things to keep in mind in developing "skillful words & skillful thoughts"....
-it's important to mindful of our thinking.....
-as the Buddha teaches, with our thoughts we make the world….
-the nature of our thinking will detemine whether we suffer or know happiness....
-heart practices, like lovingkindness meditation, support our ablitiy to think skillfully.....
-in lovingkindness meditation we are training the mind.....
-we are training ourselves to change the way that we think.....
-we are training ourselves to think thoughts of lovingkindness ... for others ... for ourselves....
-skillful speech leads to skillful thinking.....
-as the Thai Ajaans tells us, if we can't train the mouth, it will be hard to train the mind...
-in speaking we learn to speak skillfully, with metta & compassion & appreciation & equanimity....
-we say what is true, what is useful, that which is imbued with the sublime qualities of the heart, that which is said in an agreeable manner, and we speak in a timely fashion....
-importantly, we learn to shift away from speech that is informed by negativity ... toward speech that is positive, uplifting, endearing....
-experience, strength & hope....
-a very good guideline, particularly in talking about our experience ... is to speak about our experience (in a simple way), our strength, and our hope....
-skillful thinking....
-it is important to learn to cultivate skillful thinking.....
-skillful thinking includes thinking imbued with the sublime qualities....
-lovingkindness....
-compassion....
-appreciation....
-equanimity.....
-as with our speech, we want to learn to cultivate thinking, in regard to other and ourselves, that is positivie, uplifting, encouraging, endearing, and hopeful.....
-reading.....
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Savatthi at Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he addressed the monks, "Monks!"
"Yes, lord," the monks replied.
The Blessed One said: "Monks, speech endowed with four characteristics is well-spoken, not poorly spoken — faultless & not to be faulted by the wise. Which four? There is the case where a monk says only what it well-spoken, not what is poorly spoken; only what is just, not what is unjust; only what is endearing, not what is unendearing; only what is true, not what is false. Speech endowed with these four characteristics is well-spoken, not poorly spoken — faultless & not to be faulted by the wise."
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said this, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:
The calm say that what is well-spoken is best;
second, that one should say
what is just, not unjust;
third, what's endearing, not unendearing;
fourth, what is true, not false.
Then Ven. Vangisa, rising from his seat, arranging his robe over one shoulder, faced the Blessed One with his hands palm-to-palm in front of his heart and said, "An inspiration has come to me, Blessed One! An inspiration has come to me, One Well-Gone!"
"Let the inspiration come to you, Vangisa," the Blessed One said.
Then Ven. Vangisa praised the Blessed One to his face with these attractive verses:
Speak only the speech
that neither torments self
nor does harm to others.
That speech is truly well spoken.
Speak only endearing speech,
speech that is welcomed.
Speech when it brings no evil
to others
is pleasant.
Truth, indeed, is deathless speech:
This is an ancient principle.
The goal and the Dhamma
— so say the calm --
are firmly established on truth.
The speech the Awakened One speaks,
for attaining Unbinding,
rest,
for making an end
to the mass of stress:
That is the speech unexcelled.
(Sn 3.3)
"There are these ten topics of [proper] conversation. Which ten? Talk on modesty, on contentment, on seclusion, on non-entanglement, on arousing persistence, on virtue, on concentration, on discernment, on release, and on the knowledge & vision of release. These are the ten topics of conversation. If you were to engage repeatedly in these ten topics of conversation, you would outshine even the sun & moon, so mighty, so powerful — to say nothing of the wanderers of other sects."
(AN 10.69)
[1] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial (or: not connected with the goal), unendearing & disagreeable to others, he does not say them.
[2] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, unendearing & disagreeable to others, he does not say them.
[3] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, but unendearing & disagreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them.
[4] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be unfactual, untrue, unbeneficial, but endearing & agreeable to others, he does not say them.
[5] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, unbeneficial, but endearing & agreeable to others, he does not say them.
[6] "In the case of words that the Tathagata knows to be factual, true, beneficial, and endearing & agreeable to others, he has a sense of the proper time for saying them. Why is that? Because the Tathagata has sympathy for living beings."
(MN 58)
Teacher Support
Donations to support the teacher, Peter Doobinin, can be made via PayPal by using the address: [email protected]
(If using PayPal, this is the preferred method; please use the "personal/family & friends" function.)
Donations can also be made through Zelle using the email address: [email protected]
Information about making a donation using a credit card or by check are found on the Support page.
Thanks for your generosity!
July 28
-"Lovingkindness: Commitment to Love"
-lovingkindness…..
-lovingkindness, or metta, is the baseline quality of the heart....
-lovingkindness is expressed in our wish to be happy....
-and the wish we have for others, that they be happy....
-lovingkindness is one of the primary intentions that informs skillful action.....
-acting skillfully, we act out of lovingkindness....
-for ourselves...
-for others....
-metta meditation.....
-in metta meditation….
-we are remembering, and connecting to, our wish to be happy.....
-to have happiness of heart…..
-true happiness....
-happiness.....
-the happiness of heart that we come to know when we practice the dharma includes the qualities of.....
-contentment....
-internal pleasure.....
-self acceptance....
-self love.....
-ease.....
-peace.....
-true happiness is a reliable happiness ... a happiness is always there, and it's a happpiness that we can know.....
-love.....
-love, or lovingkindness, is an action....
-love is the form of action that brings us to the heart ... to happiness of heart.....
-as the Buddha came to understand....
-our ability to know happiness depends us our actions....
-our abiity to know true happiness depends on actions informed by love....
-love is the action we take in support of happiness of heart.....
-for all beings.....
-for ourselves....
-for others.....
-commitment to love....
-some basic principles that guide our commitment to love ... to action in support of true happiness.....
1- every action has an effect....
-every action we take has consequences ... for ourselves ... for the beings in our lives ... for all beings.....
2-simple actions ... are important ... and have profound consequences.....
-our simple, day to day, moment to moment actions are important....
-as per the three forms of action....
-our deeds....
-our speech....
-our thinking.....
3- wise reflection (appropriate attention) enables us to act with love....
-we're heedful ... we pay attention to our actions....
-we question our actions .... we ask if our actions are in support of the heart ... of the wish for happiness....
-reflecting wisely, we cultivate actions informed by love....
-templates for love....
-our deeds....
-deeds that comprise action that lead to happpiness are....
-generosity....
-virtue (non-harming).....
-mental training....
-our speech.....
-we seek to abandon speech that is informed by unskillful mental qualities: desire & aversion.....
-we seek, in turn, to cultvate speech that is informed by love....
-speech that is in support of the others' wish for happiness of heart....
-our thinking.....
-we abandon thinking imubed with aversion & desire.....
-we abandon thinking that is causing the heart to be afflicted.....
-we culitvate thoughts imbued with love ... thoughts that support the wish we have for alll beings, for true happiness....
-reflection: what is our resolve to take action that leads to true happiness....?
-reflection: what is our commitment to love.....?
-reflection: what actions do we need to abandon in support of moving toward a greater happiness....?
-reflection: what actions can we cultivate that are an expression of love, and conduce to happiness of heart.....?
-reading.....
-"Taking Care of Yourself" (from The Skill of Living)
-"Lovingkindness: Commitment to Love"
-lovingkindness…..
-lovingkindness, or metta, is the baseline quality of the heart....
-lovingkindness is expressed in our wish to be happy....
-and the wish we have for others, that they be happy....
-lovingkindness is one of the primary intentions that informs skillful action.....
-acting skillfully, we act out of lovingkindness....
-for ourselves...
-for others....
-metta meditation.....
-in metta meditation….
-we are remembering, and connecting to, our wish to be happy.....
-to have happiness of heart…..
-true happiness....
-happiness.....
-the happiness of heart that we come to know when we practice the dharma includes the qualities of.....
-contentment....
-internal pleasure.....
-self acceptance....
-self love.....
-ease.....
-peace.....
-true happiness is a reliable happiness ... a happiness is always there, and it's a happpiness that we can know.....
-love.....
-love, or lovingkindness, is an action....
-love is the form of action that brings us to the heart ... to happiness of heart.....
-as the Buddha came to understand....
-our ability to know happiness depends us our actions....
-our abiity to know true happiness depends on actions informed by love....
-love is the action we take in support of happiness of heart.....
-for all beings.....
-for ourselves....
-for others.....
-commitment to love....
-some basic principles that guide our commitment to love ... to action in support of true happiness.....
1- every action has an effect....
-every action we take has consequences ... for ourselves ... for the beings in our lives ... for all beings.....
2-simple actions ... are important ... and have profound consequences.....
-our simple, day to day, moment to moment actions are important....
-as per the three forms of action....
-our deeds....
-our speech....
-our thinking.....
3- wise reflection (appropriate attention) enables us to act with love....
-we're heedful ... we pay attention to our actions....
-we question our actions .... we ask if our actions are in support of the heart ... of the wish for happiness....
-reflecting wisely, we cultivate actions informed by love....
-templates for love....
-our deeds....
-deeds that comprise action that lead to happpiness are....
-generosity....
-virtue (non-harming).....
-mental training....
-our speech.....
-we seek to abandon speech that is informed by unskillful mental qualities: desire & aversion.....
-we seek, in turn, to cultvate speech that is informed by love....
-speech that is in support of the others' wish for happiness of heart....
-our thinking.....
-we abandon thinking imubed with aversion & desire.....
-we abandon thinking that is causing the heart to be afflicted.....
-we culitvate thoughts imbued with love ... thoughts that support the wish we have for alll beings, for true happiness....
-reflection: what is our resolve to take action that leads to true happiness....?
-reflection: what is our commitment to love.....?
-reflection: what actions do we need to abandon in support of moving toward a greater happiness....?
-reflection: what actions can we cultivate that are an expression of love, and conduce to happiness of heart.....?
-reading.....
-"Taking Care of Yourself" (from The Skill of Living)
skill_of_living_taking_care_of_yourself_pdf.pdf |
-"The Economy of Gifts" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
Poetry is the gai science. The trait and test of the poet is that he builds, adds and affirms. The critic destroys: the poet says nothing but what helps somebody; let others be distracted with cares, he is exempt. All their pleasures are tinged with pain. All his pains are edged with pleasure. The gladness he imparts he shares. As one of the old Minnesinger sung,--
"Oft have I heard, and now believe it true,
Whom man delights in, God delights in too."
Poetry is the consolidation of mortal men. They live cabined, cribbed, confined in a narrow and trivial lot,--in wants, pains, anxieties and superstitions, in profligate politics, in personal animosities, in mean employments,--and victims of these; and the nobler powers untried, unknown. A poet comes who lifts the veil; gives them glimpses of the laws of the universe; shows them the circumstance as illusion; shows that Nature is only a language to express the laws, which are grand and beautiful;-and lets them, by his songs, into some of the realities.
-Emerson (from "Poetry & Imagination")
A Ritual to Read to Each Other (William Stafford)
If you don't know the kind of person I am
and I don't know the kind of person you are
a pattern that others made may prevail in the world
and following the wrong god home we may miss our star.
For there is many a small betrayal in the mind,
a shrug that lets the fragile sequence break
sending with shouts the horrible errors of childhood
storming out to play through the broken dike.
And as elephants parade holding each elephant's tail,
but if one wanders the circus won't find the park,
I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty
to know what occurs but not recognize the fact.
And so I appeal to a voice, to something shadowy,
a remote important region in all who talk:
though we could fool each other, we should consider--
lest the parade of our mutual life get lost in the dark.
For it is important that awake people be awake,
or a breaking line may discourage them back to sleep;
the signals we give — yes or no, or maybe --
should be clear: the darkness around us is deep.
July 21
-"Lovingkindness: Greater Happiness"
-lovingkindness…..
-lovingkindness, or metta, is the baseline quality of the heart....
-lovingkindness is expressed in our wish to be happy....
-and the wish we have for others, that they be happy....
-lovingkindness is one of the primary intentions that informs skillful action.....
-acting skillfully, we act out of lovingkindness....
-for ourselves...
-for others....
-in cultivating metta….
-we are remembering, and connecting to, our wish to be happy.....
-to have happiness of heart…..
-true happiness....
-the wish for true happiness is in the heart ... but it may not be in the head.....
-which is to say, our thinking, much of the time, may be informed by a wish for the "happiness of the world".....
-reflection: what do we wish for ourselves ... and others....?
-as dharma students, if we truthful, we may see that our thinking ... and our actions ... may be informed by a desire for the "happiness fo the world".....
-we may we that what we wish for is....
-the acquisition of sense pleasure/sense experience.....
-are we engaged in pursuing certain forms of sense experience/pleasure ….?
-what are the consequences.....?
-for our views & opinions. to be heard and adopted by others....
-to be "right".....
-to "win" the battle of views and opinions.....
- to conform to social conventions.....
-to adhere to the status quo....
-to "fit in"....
- to attain a certain self-image.....
-to want status & praise....
-to be regarded highly.....
-for others to like us.....
-as the Buddha teaches, these ways of looking for happiness bring a certain happiness....
-but ultimately looking for happiness in these things leads to clinging ... to aversion & desire ... to pain/dukkha....
-because these things can't bring a reliable, lasting happiness, when we look for happiness in them, we cause the heart to be burdened....
-we suffer....
-as dharma student, we are seeking to abandon these ways of looking for happiness....
-we have a wish for a greater happiness.....
-as the Buddha teaches, we seek to trade this lesser happiness for a greater happiness....
If, by forsaking
a limited ease,
he would see
an abundance of ease,
the enlightened man
would forsake
the limited ease
for the sake
of the abundant.
(Dhp XXI)
-greater happiness…..
-reflection: what is a greater happiness....?
-as dharma students, following the Buddha's own example, we learn to ask this question.....
-in the end, of course, this is a question that we have to learn to answer for ourselves....
-in the "Happy" sutta (see below) the Buddha guides us in our efforts to know what comprises a greater happiness.....
-the effort to know a greater happiness, the Buddha indicates, includes....
-contentment.....
-we are content with what we have....
-we are content with having basic requisites for living (food/clothing/shelter/etc)....
-we find pleasure in the qualities of concentration/jhana....
-this is a pleasure that we know internally....
-we are not forced to compete with others in order to know this pleasure....
-in seeking this pleasure we cause no harm.....
-abandoning views & opinions.....
-we abandon the need to be right.....
-we abandon our arguments with others....
-we abandon anger & hostility.....
-we abandon divisiveness....
-abandoning social conventions.....
-we abandon the need to conform....
-abandoning self-identity view.....
-we abandon the need to build self image....
-to "be somebody"....
-to have status/praise.....
-to be liked....
-the happiness that we come to know when we develop the conditions described above includes.....
-contentment....
-internal pleasure.....
-self acceptance....
-self love.....
-ease.....
-peace.....
-reflection: is this our wish, to know this greater happiness.....?
-reflection: do we make an effort to understand and develop this wish....?
-reflection: can we develop this wish.....?
-reading.....
Sukhavaga: Happy
How very happily we live,
free from hostility
among those who are hostile.
Among hostile people,
free from hostility we dwell.
How very happily we live,
free from misery
among those who are miserable.
Among miserable people,
free from misery we dwell.
How very happily we live,
free from busyness
among those who are busy.
Among busy people,
free from busyness we dwell.
How very happily we live,
we who have nothing.
We will feed on rapture
like the Radiant gods.
Winning gives birth to hostility.
Losing, one lies down in pain.
The calmed lie down with ease,
having set
winning & losing
aside.
There's no fire like passion,
no loss like anger,
no pain like the aggregates,
no ease other than peace.
Hunger: the foremost illness.
Fabrications: the foremost pain.
For one knowing this truth
as it actually is,
Unbinding
is the foremost ease.
Freedom from illness: the foremost good fortune.
Contentment: the foremost wealth.
Trust: the foremost kinship.
Unbinding: the foremost ease.
Drinking the nourishment,
the flavor,
of seclusion & calm,
one is freed from evil, devoid
of distress,
refreshed with the nourishment
of rapture in the Dhamma.
It's good to see Noble Ones.
Happy their company — always.
Through not seeing fools
constantly, constantly
one would be happy.
For, living with a fool,
one grieves a long time.
Painful is communion with fools,
as with an enemy --
always.
Happy is communion
with the enlightened,
as with a gathering of kin.
So:
the enlightened man --
discerning, learned,
enduring, dutiful, noble,
intelligent, a man of integrity:
follow him
— one of this sort --
as the moon, the path
of the zodiac stars.
(Dhp XV)
July 14
-"Lovingkindness: Becoming Wholehearted"
-lovingkindness…..
-lovingkindness is the baseline quality of the heart....
-lovingkindness is expressed in our wish to be happy....
-and the wish we have for others, that they be happy....
-lovingkindness is one of the primary intentions that informs skillful action.....
-acting skillfully, we act out of lovingkindness....
-for ourselves...
-for others....
-we act in support of our wish to be happy....
-our wish for others....
-abandon & cultivate.....
-as dharma students, we learn to abandon actions that are not an expression of the heart.....
-we learn to cultivate actions that are an expression of the heart....
-lovingkindness (metta) meditation…..
-in lovingkindness meditation, we seek to cultivate the heart quality of metta….
-the practice, making the connection to the heart and our wish to be happy, supports us in our efforts to develop skillful intentin and, in turn, take action that is in support of the heart.....
-wholehearted action…..
-as dharma students we learn to abandon what we're doing that's taking us away from the heart.....
-we learn to ask:
-"is what we're doing an expression of love....?"
-"or, conversely, is what we're doing taking us away from the heart....?"
-as the Buddha teaches, we learn to recognize when we are taking actions that are taking us away from the heart....
-actions that are, instead, an expression of clinging....
-actions that cause a burden on the heart: dukkha.....
-four kinds of action that are an expression of clinging…..
-in our practice we seek to be mindful when our actions are driven these forms of clinging....
1-pursuing sense experience.....
-are we engaged in pursuing certain forms of sense experience/pleasure ….?
-what are the consequences.....?
2-grasping on to views & opinions.....
-are we holding on to views & opinions ... about ourselves ... about others ... about the world.....?
-what are the consequences.....?
3-attachment to social conventions.....
-are we preoccupied with a desire to "fit in" ... or an aversion to not "fitting in"....?
-what are the consequences.....?
4-attachment to self-identity views.....
-are we holding on to certain theories about ourselvess ... what we were like in the past ... what we are like now ... what we'll be like in the future....?
-are we involved in wanting praise & status....?
-what are the consequences.....?
-our task ... is to see when we are preoccupied with these ways of acting.....
-these ways of clinging.....
-in real time.....
-to discern our actions....
-to discern our thinking/narratives....
-to question our actions/thinking.....
-what are the consequences....?
-clinging…..
-all clinging is rooted in desire & aversion....
-wanting & not wanting....
-liking & disliking.....
-in abandoning what we are doing that is taking us away from the heart ... we seek to abandon clinging.....
-we abandon clinging by....
a)-seeing when we are engaged in clinging.....
-to this end, questions we can ask are:
-"are we engaged in thinking/narratives that are informed by desire & aversion....?
-"are we holding on to emotions that are imbued with desire & aversion....?
b) recogninzing when we are engaged in clinging, we question what we're doing....
-"what are the consequences.....?"
-wisdom.....
-wisdom is developed, into the drawbacks of clinging, into the consequences of taking the four kinds of action described above....
-when we see our actions in real time.....
-when we look at our actions ... our desire & aversion ... objectively.....
-in a non-reactive way....
-in a non-emotinal way....
-with equanimity.....
-when we are truthful about what we are doing.....
-we are truthful with ourselves, about ourselves.....
-compassion.....
-when we are able to look at our desire & aversion ... our preoccupation with the four kinds of action ... in real time ... objectivley ... truthfully....
-then the heart responds with compassion......
-by developing this compassion that comes when we clearly see our desire & aversion ... our actions that are an expression of clinging ... we open the heart in the places where it is closed.......
-reading.....
-"The Key of Compassion" (from The Skill of Living)
-"Lovingkindness: Becoming Wholehearted"
-lovingkindness…..
-lovingkindness is the baseline quality of the heart....
-lovingkindness is expressed in our wish to be happy....
-and the wish we have for others, that they be happy....
-lovingkindness is one of the primary intentions that informs skillful action.....
-acting skillfully, we act out of lovingkindness....
-for ourselves...
-for others....
-we act in support of our wish to be happy....
-our wish for others....
-abandon & cultivate.....
-as dharma students, we learn to abandon actions that are not an expression of the heart.....
-we learn to cultivate actions that are an expression of the heart....
-lovingkindness (metta) meditation…..
-in lovingkindness meditation, we seek to cultivate the heart quality of metta….
-the practice, making the connection to the heart and our wish to be happy, supports us in our efforts to develop skillful intentin and, in turn, take action that is in support of the heart.....
-wholehearted action…..
-as dharma students we learn to abandon what we're doing that's taking us away from the heart.....
-we learn to ask:
-"is what we're doing an expression of love....?"
-"or, conversely, is what we're doing taking us away from the heart....?"
-as the Buddha teaches, we learn to recognize when we are taking actions that are taking us away from the heart....
-actions that are, instead, an expression of clinging....
-actions that cause a burden on the heart: dukkha.....
-four kinds of action that are an expression of clinging…..
-in our practice we seek to be mindful when our actions are driven these forms of clinging....
1-pursuing sense experience.....
-are we engaged in pursuing certain forms of sense experience/pleasure ….?
-what are the consequences.....?
2-grasping on to views & opinions.....
-are we holding on to views & opinions ... about ourselves ... about others ... about the world.....?
-what are the consequences.....?
3-attachment to social conventions.....
-are we preoccupied with a desire to "fit in" ... or an aversion to not "fitting in"....?
-what are the consequences.....?
4-attachment to self-identity views.....
-are we holding on to certain theories about ourselvess ... what we were like in the past ... what we are like now ... what we'll be like in the future....?
-are we involved in wanting praise & status....?
-what are the consequences.....?
-our task ... is to see when we are preoccupied with these ways of acting.....
-these ways of clinging.....
-in real time.....
-to discern our actions....
-to discern our thinking/narratives....
-to question our actions/thinking.....
-what are the consequences....?
-clinging…..
-all clinging is rooted in desire & aversion....
-wanting & not wanting....
-liking & disliking.....
-in abandoning what we are doing that is taking us away from the heart ... we seek to abandon clinging.....
-we abandon clinging by....
a)-seeing when we are engaged in clinging.....
-to this end, questions we can ask are:
-"are we engaged in thinking/narratives that are informed by desire & aversion....?
-"are we holding on to emotions that are imbued with desire & aversion....?
b) recogninzing when we are engaged in clinging, we question what we're doing....
-"what are the consequences.....?"
-wisdom.....
-wisdom is developed, into the drawbacks of clinging, into the consequences of taking the four kinds of action described above....
-when we see our actions in real time.....
-when we look at our actions ... our desire & aversion ... objectively.....
-in a non-reactive way....
-in a non-emotinal way....
-with equanimity.....
-when we are truthful about what we are doing.....
-we are truthful with ourselves, about ourselves.....
-compassion.....
-when we are able to look at our desire & aversion ... our preoccupation with the four kinds of action ... in real time ... objectivley ... truthfully....
-then the heart responds with compassion......
-by developing this compassion that comes when we clearly see our desire & aversion ... our actions that are an expression of clinging ... we open the heart in the places where it is closed.......
-reading.....
-"The Key of Compassion" (from The Skill of Living)
key_of_compassion_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rajagaha, at the Bamboo Grove, the Squirrels' Feeding Ground.
At that time Ven. Rahula was staying at the Mango Stone. Then the Blessed One, arising from his seclusion in the late afternoon, went to where Ven. Rahula was staying at the Mango Stone. Ven. Rahula saw him coming from afar and, on seeing him, set out a seat & water for washing the feet. The Blessed One sat down on the seat set out and, having sat down, washed his feet. Ven. Rahula, bowing down to the Blessed One, sat to one side.
Then the Blessed One, having left a little bit of water in the water dipper, said to Ven. Rahula, "Rahula, do you see this little bit of left-over water remaining in the water dipper?"
"Yes, sir."
"That's how little of a contemplative there is in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie."
Having tossed away the little bit of left-over water, the Blessed One said to Ven. Rahula, "Rahula, do you see how this little bit of left-over water is tossed away?"
"Yes, sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a contemplative in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie is tossed away just like that."
Having turned the water dipper upside down, the Blessed One said to Ven. Rahula, "Rahula, do you see how this water dipper is turned upside down?"
"Yes, sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a contemplative in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie is turned upside down just like that."
Having turned the water dipper right-side up, the Blessed One said to Ven. Rahula, "Rahula, do you see how empty & hollow this water dipper is?"
"Yes, sir."
"Rahula, whatever there is of a contemplative in anyone who feels no shame at telling a deliberate lie is empty & hollow just like that.
"Rahula, it's like a royal elephant: immense, pedigreed, accustomed to battles, its tusks like chariot poles. Having gone into battle, it uses its forefeet & hindfeet, its forequarters & hindquarters, its head & ears & tusks & tail, but keeps protecting its trunk. The elephant trainer notices that and thinks, 'This royal elephant has not given up its life to the king.' But when the royal elephant... having gone into battle, uses its forefeet & hindfeet, its forequarters & hindquarters, its head & ears & tusks & tail & his trunk, the trainer notices that and thinks, 'This royal elephant has given up its life to the king. There is nothing it will not do.'
"In the same way, Rahula, when anyone feels no shame in telling a deliberate lie, there is no evil, I tell you, he will not do. Thus, Rahula, you should train yourself, 'I will not tell a deliberate lie even in jest.'
"What do you think, Rahula: What is a mirror for?"
"For reflection, sir."
"In the same way, Rahula, bodily actions, verbal actions, & mental actions are to be done with repeated reflection.”
(MN 61)
July 7
-"Lovingkindness: Your Wish to Be Happy"
-lovingkindness…..
-lovingkindness is the baseline quality of the heart....
-lovingkindness is expressed in our wish to be happy....
-and the wish we have for others, that they be happy....
-in using the word happiness, we're referring to the Buddha's happiness....
-the happiness inside....
-the happiness of the heart....
-the happiness of the heart that is free from its burdens.....
-not the happiness of the world, the happiness that comes from pleasure, gain, status, praise....
-lovingkindness is one of the primary intentions that informs skillful action.....
-acting skillfully, we act out of lovingkindness....
-for ourselves...
-for others....
-we act in support of our wish to be happy....
-our wish for others....
-lovingkindness (metta) meditation…..
-in lovingkindness meditation, we seek to connect to the heart quality of metta….
-we seek to connect, specifically, to our wish to be happy….
-and our wish for others – all beings – that they be happy….
-there are two steps to the practice:
1-fabrication….
2-felt sense…..
-fabrication…..
-fabrication, essentially, is thinking.....
-we use fabrication to reflect on our wish to be happy (and our wish for others)…..
-we use thinking … or visual images…..
-the technical term is “internal verbal fabrication”…..
-we remind ourselves of our wish to be happy (and our wish for others)….
-modes of fabrication…..
-organic or general fabrication…..
-using words/phrases/sentences that help to remind you of your wish to be happy…..
-visualization…..
-reflecting on our wish to be happy we may want to use a visualization…..
-classically, we visualize a time when we experienced true happiness...
-typically, we choose a time when we were a child....
-in reflecting, we remember that we've experienced true happiness ... and, in turn, we remember our wish to know this true happiness now....
-phrases…..
-we can also use “metta” phrases to help us connect to the wish to be happy…..
-some examples of phrases:
-“may I be happy of heart…”
-“may I be safe and protected….”
-“may I be healthy and strong….”
-“may I live with ease….”
-“may I take care of myself happily….”
-felt sense….
-the use of fabrication leads to the arising of a felt sense in the heart center….
-a felt sense of our wish to be happy (and our wish for others)…..
-if/when the felt sense arises, we focus on the felt quality…..
-categories of beings…..
-in metta meditation, we reflect on our good wishes, for happiness, for six categories of beings:
-ourselves….
-benefactors….
-dear friends….
-neutral beings….
-difficult beings….
-all beings…..
-reflections.....
-reflect: what is my resolve to know my wish to be happy....?
-practice suggestions.....
-practice: practice formal metta meditation, every day, for at least five minutes.....
-as described above....
-reading.....
-"Metta Meditation" (from The Skill of Living)
metta_meditation_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness" — then you should enter & remain in them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
"Now, Kalamas, one who is a disciple of the noble ones — thus devoid of greed, devoid of ill will, undeluded, alert, & resolute — keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with good will. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will."
(AN 3.65)
-listening......
-"Remembering Our Wish to Be Happy"
June 30
-"Basic Skills: Skillful Intention"
-basic skill #5.....
-duirng the month of june we are looking at basic skills in insight meditation....
-basic skill #5 is....
-skillful intention....
-heedfulness…..
-we establish the breath/body in sitting meditation....
-we practice walking meditation, as a bridge to being mindful of breath/body in all postures.....
-we maintain breath/body in natural meditation….
-we ‘put to good use’ our mindfulness of breath/body in natural meditation by practicing heedfulness....
-we ‘put to good use’ our concentration by practicing heedfulness....
-in practicing heedfulness….
-we are mindful of our actions....
-we look to see whether our actions are skillful or unskillful....
-law of karma….
-the law of karma indicates....
-our happiness in this life depends on our actions.....
-actions lead to consequences….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-unskillful actions lead to suffering….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-unskillful actions are informed by unskillful intention….
-intention imbued with aversion….
-intention imbued with desire…..
-skillful actions lead to true happiness….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-skillful actions are informed by skillful intention….
-intention imbued with compassion….
-intention imbued with lovingkindness…..
-we learn to change our karma … and shape our lives … by practicing heedfulness and thereby changing our actions….
-by abandoning action informed by unskillful intention….
-by taking action informed by skillful intention…..
-skillful intention .....
-through developing skillful intention we cultivate skillful action....
-we shape our lives through developing skillful intention.....
-here are the “five steps for developing skillful intention/action”……
-five step process for developing skillful intention…..
1-seeing what the mind is like….
-before we take action, we look at the quality of the mind….
-what is the quality of our intention….?
-is our mind/intention imbued with unskillful qualities…?
-aversion
-desire
-delusion
-is our mind/intention imbued wth skillful qualities…?
-lovingkindness
-compassion
-if the intention is unskillful … we seek to abandon the unskillful intention….
-if the intention is not skillful and we can’t abandon it, we may have to consider not taking the action….
2- setting skillful intention….
-before we act, we set a skillful intention….
-skillful intention is imbued with lovingkindness/compassion….
-compassion is the wish we have, for ourselves and others, to be free from suffering.....
-for the heart to be free of its burdens....
-lovingkindness (metta) is the wish we have, for ourselves and others, for true happiness....
-happiness of heart....
-the process for setting skillful intention includes….
a) fabrication….
-stating the intention, internally….
-this is known as 'internal verbal fabrication'.....
-for example, I am going to speak out of compassion/with compassion….
b) felt sense…..
-touching in to a felt sense of the heart….
-the felt quality of lovingkindness/compassion….
-factors that support skillful fabrication and the arising of felt sense…..
-as the Buddha explains, we should use fabrication … but we should be careful about using too much fabrication….
-we keep it simple….
-we try to find the “right” amount of fabrication….
-if we use too much, we may become lost in thought….
-when using fabrication, have an understanding of what the words mean….
-the subtext.....
-when using fabrication, we find a sincere inner voice….
-pay attention to the tone of the inner voice…..
3- acting….
-as we act, we continue to monitor the quality of our intention….
-if the quality of mind has veered off into an unskillful state … we re-set the intention….
4-seeing the benefits…..
-after we act skillfully, we pay attention to the benefits that derive from having taken skillful action….
-short term benefits
-long term benefits
5-taking joy…..
-after we act with a skillful intention, we take joy….
-we acknowledge the truth of our goodness….
-what & how…..
-in cultivating skillful intention/action, we cultivate the what and the how.....
-what we are doing......
-we discern what actions we can take that are an expression of compassion/lovingkindness....
-how we are doing what we're doing….
-we see to it that, we're acting with compassion/lovingkindness….
-for example....
-we may choose to engage in the action of meditation because we discern that this action is an expression of love for ourselves.....
-but we also need to see it that we are engaging in this action of meditation with a 'skillful atttitude".....
-that our action is informed by compassion/metta….
-we cultivate this attitude, and thereby take the action of meditation, by fabricating skillful intention.....
-reading....
-"The Instructions to Rahula" (MN 61)
-"Skillful Giving" from The Skill of Living.....
-"Basic Skills: Skillful Intention"
-basic skill #5.....
-duirng the month of june we are looking at basic skills in insight meditation....
-basic skill #5 is....
-skillful intention....
-heedfulness…..
-we establish the breath/body in sitting meditation....
-we practice walking meditation, as a bridge to being mindful of breath/body in all postures.....
-we maintain breath/body in natural meditation….
-we ‘put to good use’ our mindfulness of breath/body in natural meditation by practicing heedfulness....
-we ‘put to good use’ our concentration by practicing heedfulness....
-in practicing heedfulness….
-we are mindful of our actions....
-we look to see whether our actions are skillful or unskillful....
-law of karma….
-the law of karma indicates....
-our happiness in this life depends on our actions.....
-actions lead to consequences….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-unskillful actions lead to suffering….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-unskillful actions are informed by unskillful intention….
-intention imbued with aversion….
-intention imbued with desire…..
-skillful actions lead to true happiness….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-skillful actions are informed by skillful intention….
-intention imbued with compassion….
-intention imbued with lovingkindness…..
-we learn to change our karma … and shape our lives … by practicing heedfulness and thereby changing our actions….
-by abandoning action informed by unskillful intention….
-by taking action informed by skillful intention…..
-skillful intention .....
-through developing skillful intention we cultivate skillful action....
-we shape our lives through developing skillful intention.....
-here are the “five steps for developing skillful intention/action”……
-five step process for developing skillful intention…..
1-seeing what the mind is like….
-before we take action, we look at the quality of the mind….
-what is the quality of our intention….?
-is our mind/intention imbued with unskillful qualities…?
-aversion
-desire
-delusion
-is our mind/intention imbued wth skillful qualities…?
-lovingkindness
-compassion
-if the intention is unskillful … we seek to abandon the unskillful intention….
-if the intention is not skillful and we can’t abandon it, we may have to consider not taking the action….
2- setting skillful intention….
-before we act, we set a skillful intention….
-skillful intention is imbued with lovingkindness/compassion….
-compassion is the wish we have, for ourselves and others, to be free from suffering.....
-for the heart to be free of its burdens....
-lovingkindness (metta) is the wish we have, for ourselves and others, for true happiness....
-happiness of heart....
-the process for setting skillful intention includes….
a) fabrication….
-stating the intention, internally….
-this is known as 'internal verbal fabrication'.....
-for example, I am going to speak out of compassion/with compassion….
b) felt sense…..
-touching in to a felt sense of the heart….
-the felt quality of lovingkindness/compassion….
-factors that support skillful fabrication and the arising of felt sense…..
-as the Buddha explains, we should use fabrication … but we should be careful about using too much fabrication….
-we keep it simple….
-we try to find the “right” amount of fabrication….
-if we use too much, we may become lost in thought….
-when using fabrication, have an understanding of what the words mean….
-the subtext.....
-when using fabrication, we find a sincere inner voice….
-pay attention to the tone of the inner voice…..
3- acting….
-as we act, we continue to monitor the quality of our intention….
-if the quality of mind has veered off into an unskillful state … we re-set the intention….
4-seeing the benefits…..
-after we act skillfully, we pay attention to the benefits that derive from having taken skillful action….
-short term benefits
-long term benefits
5-taking joy…..
-after we act with a skillful intention, we take joy….
-we acknowledge the truth of our goodness….
-what & how…..
-in cultivating skillful intention/action, we cultivate the what and the how.....
-what we are doing......
-we discern what actions we can take that are an expression of compassion/lovingkindness....
-how we are doing what we're doing….
-we see to it that, we're acting with compassion/lovingkindness….
-for example....
-we may choose to engage in the action of meditation because we discern that this action is an expression of love for ourselves.....
-but we also need to see it that we are engaging in this action of meditation with a 'skillful atttitude".....
-that our action is informed by compassion/metta….
-we cultivate this attitude, and thereby take the action of meditation, by fabricating skillful intention.....
-reading....
-"The Instructions to Rahula" (MN 61)
-"Skillful Giving" from The Skill of Living.....
skillful_giving_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
-"The Road to Nirvana is Paved with Skillful Intentions" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
-"Getting the Message" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
"Abandon what is unskillful, monks. It is possible to abandon what is unskillful. If it were not possible to abandon what is unskillful, I would not say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' But because it is possible to abandon what is unskillful, I say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' If this abandoning of what is unskillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' But because this abandoning of what is unskillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.'
"Develop what is skillful, monks. It is possible to develop what is skillful. If it were not possible to develop what is skillful, I would not say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' But because it is possible to develop what is skillful, I say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' If this development of what is skillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' But because this development of what is skillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.'"
(AN 2.19)
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with a pure mind
And happiness will follow you
As your shadow, unshakable.
"Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed me."
Live with such thoughts and you live in hate.
"Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed me."
Abandon such thoughts, and live in love.
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.
You too shall pass away.
Knowing this,
how can you quarrel?
How easily the wind overturns a frail tree.
Seek happiness in the senses,
Indulge in food and sleep,
And you too will be uprooted.
The wind cannot overturn a mountain.
Temptation cannot touch the man
Who is awake, strong and humble,
Who masters himself and minds the dharma.
If a man's thoughts are muddy,
If he is reckless and full of deceit,
How can he wear the yellow robe?
Whoever is master of his own nature,
Bright, clear and true,
He may indeed wear the yellow robe.
Mistaking the false for the true,
And the true for the false,
You overlook the heart
And fill yourself with desire.
See the false as false,
The true as true.
Look into your heart.
Follow your nature.
An unreflecting mind is a poor roof.
Passion, like the rain, floods the house.
But if the roof is strong, there is shelter.
Whoever follows impure thoughts
Suffers in this world and the next.
In both worlds he suffers
And how greatly
When he sees the wrong he has done.
But whoever follows the dharma Is joyful here and joyful there.
In both worlds he rejoices
And how greatly
When he sees the good he has done.
For great is the harvest in this world,
And greater still in the next.
However many holy words you read,
However many you speak,
What good will they do you If you do not act upon them?
Are you a shepherd
Who counts another man's sheep,
Never sharing the way?
Read as few words as you like,
And speak fewer.
But act upon the dharma.
Give up the old ways –
Passion, enmity, folly.
Know the truth and find peace.
Share the way.
(Dhammapada 1)
June 23
-"Basic Skills: Heedfulness"
-basic skill #4.....
-duirng the month of june we are looking at basic skills in insight meditation....
-basic skill #4 is....
-heedfulness....
-heedfulness…..
-we establish the breath/body in sitting meditation....
-we practice walking meditation, as a bridge to being mindful of breath/body in all postures.....
-we maintain breath/body in natural meditation….
-we ‘put to good use’ our mindfulness of breath/body in natural meditation by practicing heedfulness....
-we ‘put to good use’ our concentration by practicing heedfulness....
-in practicing heedfulness….
-we are mindful of our actions....
-we look to see whether our actions are skillful or unskillful....
-law of karma….
-the law of karma indicates....
-our happiness in this life depends on our actions.....
-actions lead to consequences….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-unskillful actions lead to suffering….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-unskillful actions are informed by unskillful intention….
-intention imbued with aversion….
-intention imbued with desire…..
-skillful actions lead to true happiness….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-skillful actions are informed by skillful intention….
-intention imbued with compassion….
-intention imbued with lovingkindness…..
-we learn to change our karma … and shape our lives … by practicing heedfulness and thereby changing our actions….
-by abandoning action informed by unskillful intention….
-by taking action informed by skillful intention…..
-the practice of heedfulness includes.....
-during the course of the day …
a) being grounded in the breath (practicing natural meditation)....
b) being mindful of our actions....
-three forms of action:
-physical (our deeds)....
-verbal (our speech)....
-mental (our thinking)....
c) discerning whether our actions are unskillful or skillful.....
-unskillful action ... leads to suffering/dukkha....
-it is informed by unskillful intention … intention imbued with desire/aversion ...
-skillful action ... leads to the end of suffering/happiness of heart...
-it is informed by skillful intention … intention imbued with lovingkindness/compassion ....
d) abandoning unskillful action….
e) cultivating skillful action….
-in practicing heedfulness….
-we take the role of the observer....
-we observe our actions with objectivity....
-in having objectivity, we are not judging ourselves or our actions....
-we are simply noticing whether our actions are causing suffering ... or not causing suffering....
-as we develop in heedfulness we develop in sensitivity
-as we practice we become more sensitive to intention/action that is leading to suffering....
-we notice when we are out of tune.....
-we gradually become more able to pick up subtle dissonance of unskillful intention....
-truthfulness
-it is imperative that we are truthful about our actions....
-if don't develop in truthfulness, we will not be able to purify our actions....
-we practice heedfulness in line with the Buddha's instructions to Rahula....
-being heedful before we are about to act....
-being heedful while we are acting....
-being heedful after we've acted....
-after we’ve acted…..
-one of the most important aspects of developing heedfulness is paying attention to our actions, after we've acted....
-after we've acted......
-if we’ve acted unskillfully....
-we make it a learning experience….
-we see the drawbacks in taking unskillful action….
-we see that unskillful action brings about suffering….
-to ourselves, to others….
-we see that unskillful action leads to suffering in the short term & long term….
-it is especially important to begin to develop the understanding that unskillful action has long term consequences….
-in seeing the drawbacks in our unskillfu actions, we look objectively at our experience
-abandoning judgment, etc….
-we cultivate acceptance…..
-as we consider our unskillful action we vow to do better, to be more skillful in the future...
-we cultivate compassion....
-if we've acted skillfully....
-we see the benefits....
-we recognize that our skillful actions lead to true happiness….
-in the short term & long term….
-we take joy....
-the prescription.....
-practice: make an effort to practice heedfulness every day.....
-develop a resolve to practice heedfulness.....
-reading....
-"The Instructions to Rahula" (MN 61)
-"Heedfulness" from The Skill of Living.....
-"Basic Skills: Heedfulness"
-basic skill #4.....
-duirng the month of june we are looking at basic skills in insight meditation....
-basic skill #4 is....
-heedfulness....
-heedfulness…..
-we establish the breath/body in sitting meditation....
-we practice walking meditation, as a bridge to being mindful of breath/body in all postures.....
-we maintain breath/body in natural meditation….
-we ‘put to good use’ our mindfulness of breath/body in natural meditation by practicing heedfulness....
-we ‘put to good use’ our concentration by practicing heedfulness....
-in practicing heedfulness….
-we are mindful of our actions....
-we look to see whether our actions are skillful or unskillful....
-law of karma….
-the law of karma indicates....
-our happiness in this life depends on our actions.....
-actions lead to consequences….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-unskillful actions lead to suffering….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-unskillful actions are informed by unskillful intention….
-intention imbued with aversion….
-intention imbued with desire…..
-skillful actions lead to true happiness….
-in the short term….
-in the long term….
-skillful actions are informed by skillful intention….
-intention imbued with compassion….
-intention imbued with lovingkindness…..
-we learn to change our karma … and shape our lives … by practicing heedfulness and thereby changing our actions….
-by abandoning action informed by unskillful intention….
-by taking action informed by skillful intention…..
-the practice of heedfulness includes.....
-during the course of the day …
a) being grounded in the breath (practicing natural meditation)....
b) being mindful of our actions....
-three forms of action:
-physical (our deeds)....
-verbal (our speech)....
-mental (our thinking)....
c) discerning whether our actions are unskillful or skillful.....
-unskillful action ... leads to suffering/dukkha....
-it is informed by unskillful intention … intention imbued with desire/aversion ...
-skillful action ... leads to the end of suffering/happiness of heart...
-it is informed by skillful intention … intention imbued with lovingkindness/compassion ....
d) abandoning unskillful action….
e) cultivating skillful action….
-in practicing heedfulness….
-we take the role of the observer....
-we observe our actions with objectivity....
-in having objectivity, we are not judging ourselves or our actions....
-we are simply noticing whether our actions are causing suffering ... or not causing suffering....
-as we develop in heedfulness we develop in sensitivity
-as we practice we become more sensitive to intention/action that is leading to suffering....
-we notice when we are out of tune.....
-we gradually become more able to pick up subtle dissonance of unskillful intention....
-truthfulness
-it is imperative that we are truthful about our actions....
-if don't develop in truthfulness, we will not be able to purify our actions....
-we practice heedfulness in line with the Buddha's instructions to Rahula....
-being heedful before we are about to act....
-being heedful while we are acting....
-being heedful after we've acted....
-after we’ve acted…..
-one of the most important aspects of developing heedfulness is paying attention to our actions, after we've acted....
-after we've acted......
-if we’ve acted unskillfully....
-we make it a learning experience….
-we see the drawbacks in taking unskillful action….
-we see that unskillful action brings about suffering….
-to ourselves, to others….
-we see that unskillful action leads to suffering in the short term & long term….
-it is especially important to begin to develop the understanding that unskillful action has long term consequences….
-in seeing the drawbacks in our unskillfu actions, we look objectively at our experience
-abandoning judgment, etc….
-we cultivate acceptance…..
-as we consider our unskillful action we vow to do better, to be more skillful in the future...
-we cultivate compassion....
-if we've acted skillfully....
-we see the benefits....
-we recognize that our skillful actions lead to true happiness….
-in the short term & long term….
-we take joy....
-the prescription.....
-practice: make an effort to practice heedfulness every day.....
-develop a resolve to practice heedfulness.....
-reading....
-"The Instructions to Rahula" (MN 61)
-"Heedfulness" from The Skill of Living.....
heedfulness_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
At Savatthi. As he was sitting to one side, King Pasenadi Kosala said to the Blessed One: "Is there, lord, any one quality that keeps both kinds of benefit secure — benefits in this life & benefits in lives to come?"
"There is one quality, great king, that keeps both kinds of benefit secure — benefits in this life & benefits in lives to come."
"But what, lord, is that one quality...?"
"Heedfulness, great king. Just as the footprints of all living beings with legs can be encompassed by the footprint of the elephant, and the elephant's footprint is declared to be supreme among them in terms of its great size; in the same way, heedfulness is the one quality that keeps both kinds of benefit secure — benefits in this life & benefits in lives to come."
That is what the Blessed One said. Having said that, the One Well-Gone, the Teacher, said further:
For one who desires
long life, health,
beauty, heaven, & noble birth,
— lavish delights, one after another --
the wise praise heedfulness
in performing deeds of merit.
When heedful, wise,
you achieve both kinds of benefit:
benefits in this life,
& benefits in lives to come.
By breaking through to your benefit,
you're called enlightened,
wise.
(SN 3.17)
Heedfulness: the path to the Deathless.
Heedlessness: the path to death.
The heedful do not die.
The heedless are as if
already dead.
Knowing this as a true distinction,
those wise in heedfulness
rejoice in heedfulness,
enjoying the range of the noble ones.
The enlightened, constantly
absorbed in jhana,
persevering,
firm in their effort:
they touch Unbinding,
the unexcelled rest
from the yoke.
Those with initiative,
mindful,
clean in action,
acting with due consideration,
heedful, restrained,
living the Dhamma:
their glory
grows.
Through initiative, heedfulness,
restraint, & self-control,
the wise would make
an island
no flood
can submerge.
They're addicted to heedlessness
— dullards, fools --
while one who is wise
cherishes heedfulness
as his highest wealth.
Don't give way to heedlessness
or to intimacy
with sensual delight --
for a heedful person,
absorbed in jhana,
attains an abundance of ease.
When the wise person drives out
heedlessness
with heedfulness,
having climbed the high tower
of discernment,
sorrow-free,
he observes the sorrowing crowd --
as the enlightened man,
having scaled
a summit,
the fools on the ground below.
Heedful among the heedless,
wakeful among those asleep,
just as a fast horse advances,
leaving the weak behind:
so the wise.
Through heedfulness, Indra won
to lordship over the gods.
Heedfulness is praised,
heedlessness censured --
always.
The monk delighting in heedfulness,
seeing danger in heedlessness,
advances like a fire,
burning fetters
great & small.
The monk delighting in heedfulness,
seeing danger in heedlessness
— incapable of falling back --
stands right on the verge
of Unbinding.
(Dhp II)
June 16
-"Basic Skills: Natural Meditation"
-basic skill #3.....
-duirng the month of june we are looking at basic skills in insight meditation....
-basic skill #3 is....
-natural meditatoin....
-natural meditation.....
-in practicing natural meditation, we are making an effort to maintain mindfulness of breath & body in all our postures...
-in the "natural" daily-life setting....
-as we establish mindfulness of breath in sitting meditation, and practice walking meditation, then we’re able to begin to develop natural meditation....
-we begin to learn to make a wholehearted effort to integrate mindfulness of breathing into our daily life....
-the basic elements include....
-establish the intention/resolve.....
-the resolve is: to be mindful of the breath in the context of our daily life, in all postures, in all activities…
-to the best of our ability…..
-mindfulness of the breath....
-directing our attention to the breath, the in and out breath....
-being mindful of the breath
-using directed thought … as in sitting meditation and walking meditation…..
-being alert....
-seeing when we are no longer with the breath/body.....
-seeing when we've become involved in external sense experience and thought worlds....
-being ardent....
-staying with it.....
-having determination.....
-in natural meditation, it is suggested to feel the breath in the lower part of the body, somewhere in the abdomen or chest area.....
-it is helpful to have "your spot" ... a place in the body where you usually feel the breath ... this spot becomes a place you know, a place you're accustomed to being ... you're eventually able to feel the breath at the this spot rather automatically....
-our objective is to practice mindfulness of the breath in all situations, in all postures, during all activities, at all times, during the course of the day....
-we realize, of course, that we will not be perfect in this practice ... we are developing this skill and this development will occur over time, with practice and skillful effort....
-at first the practice may seem awkward....
-we will need to develop the ability to have the foreground/background relationship with the actions we are taking and the mindfulness of the breath....
-when we are not with the breath, we can make it a learning experience, by beginning to see the drawbacks in this not paying attention....
-what is it like when we are not mindful of the breath?
-right attitude.....
-understanding that developing "natural meditation" is a gradual process....
-refraining from judging ourselves…..
-refraining from doubt…..
-having patience…..
-having determination….
-staying present.....
-in practice natural meditation, we are making an effort to stay present.....
-when we are in the present moment, our mind is on the body....
-the breath centers us in the body.....
-as the Buddha explains, when we are not present, we are involved in....
-external sense experience....
-thought worlds.....
-in the sutta about the "hawk & the quail" (see below), the Buddha describes the drawbacks of not staying in our "proper territory"....
-the "proper terrritory" for the dharma student is the body.....
-when we go outside our proper territory, we're bound to suffer.....
-having a center.....
-in developing natural meditation, we are learning to maintain a center, in the breath, in all postures.....
-when we're able to maintain a center....
-there is an element of "space" between us and experience.....
-the experience of the world....
-the experience of the senses, including mental sense impressions, such as emotions....
-we maintain tranquility & composure, regardless of our experience....
-there is equanimity....
-we are not pushed or pulled by our experience.....
-the Buddha describes this benefit of maintaining a center in the sutta (see below) in which he explains that "Mara does not gain an entry" when we're able to maintain mindfulness of the body.....
"Now, in whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is developed, is pursued, Mara gains no entry, Mara gains no foothold." (MN 10)
-when we have a center, we're able to meet life skillfully.....
-including all the difficulties of life....
-we're able to meet life with heedfulness....
-with wisdom & love.....
-we're able, no matter our circumstances, to remain close to the heart.....
-the prescription.....
-practice: make an effort to practice natural meditation every day.....
-develop a resolve to practice natural meditation.....
-keep the breath & body in mind in all postures (as described above)
-reading....
-"Natural Meditation" from The Skill of Living.....
-"Basic Skills: Natural Meditation"
-basic skill #3.....
-duirng the month of june we are looking at basic skills in insight meditation....
-basic skill #3 is....
-natural meditatoin....
-natural meditation.....
-in practicing natural meditation, we are making an effort to maintain mindfulness of breath & body in all our postures...
-in the "natural" daily-life setting....
-as we establish mindfulness of breath in sitting meditation, and practice walking meditation, then we’re able to begin to develop natural meditation....
-we begin to learn to make a wholehearted effort to integrate mindfulness of breathing into our daily life....
-the basic elements include....
-establish the intention/resolve.....
-the resolve is: to be mindful of the breath in the context of our daily life, in all postures, in all activities…
-to the best of our ability…..
-mindfulness of the breath....
-directing our attention to the breath, the in and out breath....
-being mindful of the breath
-using directed thought … as in sitting meditation and walking meditation…..
-being alert....
-seeing when we are no longer with the breath/body.....
-seeing when we've become involved in external sense experience and thought worlds....
-being ardent....
-staying with it.....
-having determination.....
-in natural meditation, it is suggested to feel the breath in the lower part of the body, somewhere in the abdomen or chest area.....
-it is helpful to have "your spot" ... a place in the body where you usually feel the breath ... this spot becomes a place you know, a place you're accustomed to being ... you're eventually able to feel the breath at the this spot rather automatically....
-our objective is to practice mindfulness of the breath in all situations, in all postures, during all activities, at all times, during the course of the day....
-we realize, of course, that we will not be perfect in this practice ... we are developing this skill and this development will occur over time, with practice and skillful effort....
-at first the practice may seem awkward....
-we will need to develop the ability to have the foreground/background relationship with the actions we are taking and the mindfulness of the breath....
-when we are not with the breath, we can make it a learning experience, by beginning to see the drawbacks in this not paying attention....
-what is it like when we are not mindful of the breath?
-right attitude.....
-understanding that developing "natural meditation" is a gradual process....
-refraining from judging ourselves…..
-refraining from doubt…..
-having patience…..
-having determination….
-staying present.....
-in practice natural meditation, we are making an effort to stay present.....
-when we are in the present moment, our mind is on the body....
-the breath centers us in the body.....
-as the Buddha explains, when we are not present, we are involved in....
-external sense experience....
-thought worlds.....
-in the sutta about the "hawk & the quail" (see below), the Buddha describes the drawbacks of not staying in our "proper territory"....
-the "proper terrritory" for the dharma student is the body.....
-when we go outside our proper territory, we're bound to suffer.....
-having a center.....
-in developing natural meditation, we are learning to maintain a center, in the breath, in all postures.....
-when we're able to maintain a center....
-there is an element of "space" between us and experience.....
-the experience of the world....
-the experience of the senses, including mental sense impressions, such as emotions....
-we maintain tranquility & composure, regardless of our experience....
-there is equanimity....
-we are not pushed or pulled by our experience.....
-the Buddha describes this benefit of maintaining a center in the sutta (see below) in which he explains that "Mara does not gain an entry" when we're able to maintain mindfulness of the body.....
"Now, in whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is developed, is pursued, Mara gains no entry, Mara gains no foothold." (MN 10)
-when we have a center, we're able to meet life skillfully.....
-including all the difficulties of life....
-we're able to meet life with heedfulness....
-with wisdom & love.....
-we're able, no matter our circumstances, to remain close to the heart.....
-the prescription.....
-practice: make an effort to practice natural meditation every day.....
-develop a resolve to practice natural meditation.....
-keep the breath & body in mind in all postures (as described above)
-reading....
-"Natural Meditation" from The Skill of Living.....
skill_of_living_natural_meditation_pdf.pdf |
Ajaan Fuang once said you have to be crazy about the meditation in order to be really good at it. In the course of the day, whatever spare minute you can find to keep your mind on the breath, you want your mind to head there, again and again. It's almost as if you were addicted to it. They say that when alcoholics go into a house, one of the first things they pick up on is where the alcohol is kept. They're very conscious of that. Their minds incline in that direction, so that without even thinking they can detect the signs. Well, you want to be a breath-a-holic. Wherever there's breath, you want your mind to head there. Of course, you find that it's everywhere if you're really interested, if you really want to pursue it.
(Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
"And how is mindfulness immersed in the body developed, how is it pursued, so as to be of great fruit & great benefit?
"There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.
"Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.' And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body.
"Furthermore, when walking, the monk discerns, 'I am walking.' When standing, he discerns, 'I am standing.' When sitting, he discerns, 'I am sitting.' When lying down, he discerns, 'I am lying down.' Or however his body is disposed, that is how he discerns it. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body.
"Furthermore, when going forward & returning, he makes himself fully alert; when looking toward & looking away... when bending & extending his limbs... when carrying his outer cloak, his upper robe & his bowl... when eating, drinking, chewing, & savoring... when urinating & defecating... when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, & remaining silent, he makes himself fully alert. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body."
(MN 119)
"Monks, whoever develops & pursues mindfulness immersed in the body encompasses whatever skillful qualities are on the side of clear knowing. Just as whoever pervades the great ocean with his awareness encompasses whatever rivulets flow down into the ocean, in the same way, whoever develops & pursues mindfulness immersed in the body encompasses whatever skillful qualities are on the side of clear knowing.
"In whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is not developed, not pursued, Mara gains entry, Mara gains a foothold.
"Suppose that a man were to throw a heavy stone ball into a pile of wet clay. What do you think, monks — would the heavy stone ball gain entry into the pile of wet clay?"
"Yes, lord."
"In the same way, in whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is not developed, not pursued, Mara gains entry, Mara gains a foothold.
"Now, suppose that there were a dry, sapless piece of timber, and a man were to come along with an upper fire-stick, thinking, 'I'll light a fire. I'll produce heat.' What do you think — would he be able to light a fire and produce heat by rubbing the upper fire-stick in the dry, sapless piece of timber?"
"Yes, lord."
"In the same way, in whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is not developed, not pursued, Mara gains entry, Mara gains a foothold.
"Now, suppose that there were an empty, hollow water-pot set on a stand, and a man were to come along carrying a load of water. What do you think — would he get a place to put his water?"
"Yes, lord."
"In the same way, in whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is not developed, not pursued, Mara gains entry, Mara gains a foothold.
"Now, in whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is developed, is pursued, Mara gains no entry, Mara gains no foothold. Suppose that a man were to throw a ball of string against a door panel made entirely of heartwood. What do you think — would that light ball of string gain entry into that door panel made entirely of heartwood?"
"No, lord."
"In the same way, in whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is developed, is pursued, Mara gains no entry, Mara gains no foothold.
"Now, suppose that there were a wet, sappy piece of timber, and a man were to come along with an upper fire-stick, thinking, 'I'll light a fire. I'll produce heat.' What do you think — would he be able to light a fire and produce heat by rubbing the upper fire-stick in the wet, sappy piece of timber?"
"No, lord."
"In the same way, in whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is developed, is pursued, Mara gains no entry, Mara gains no foothold.
"Now, suppose that there were a water-pot set on a stand, full of water up to the brim so that crows could drink out of it, and a man were to come along carrying a load of water. What do you think — would he get a place to put his water?"
"No, lord."
"In the same way, in whomever mindfulness immersed in the body is developed, is pursued, Mara gains no entry, Mara gains no foothold.
(MN 119)
"Once a hawk suddenly swooped down on a quail and seized it. Then the quail, as it was being carried off by the hawk, lamented, 'O, just my bad luck and lack of merit that I was wandering out of my proper range and into the territory of others! If only I had kept to my proper range today, to my own ancestral territory, this hawk would have been no match for me in battle.'
"'But what is your proper range?' the hawk asked. 'What is your own ancestral territory?'
"'A newly plowed field with clumps of earth all turned up.'
"So the hawk, without bragging about its own strength, without mentioning its own strength, let go of the quail. 'Go, quail, but even when you have gone there you won't escape me.'
"Then the quail, having gone to a newly plowed field with clumps of earth all turned up and climbing up on top of a large clump of earth, stood taunting the hawk, 'Now come and get me, you hawk! Now come and get me, you hawk!'
"So the hawk, without bragging about its own strength, without mentioning its own strength, folded its two wings and suddenly swooped down toward the quail. When the quail knew, 'The hawk is coming at me full speed,' it slipped behind the clump of earth, and right there the hawk shattered its own breast.
"This is what happens to anyone who wanders into what is not his proper range and is the territory of others.
"For this reason, you should not wander into what is not your proper range and is the territory of others. In one who wanders into what is not his proper range and is the territory of others, Mara gains an opening, Mara gains a foothold. And what, for a monk, is not his proper range and is the territory of others? The five strands of sensuality. Which five? Forms cognizable by the eye — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Sounds cognizable by the ear... Aromas cognizable by the nose... Flavors cognizable by the tongue... Tactile sensations cognizable by the body — agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. These, for a monk, are not his proper range and are the territory of others.
"Wander, monks, in what is your proper range, your own ancestral territory. In one who wanders in what is his proper range, his own ancestral territory, Mara gains no opening, Mara gains no foothold. And what, for a monk, is his proper range, his own ancestral territory? The four frames of reference. Which four? There is the case where a monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings in & of themselves... mind in & of itself... mental qualities in & of themselves — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. This, for a monk, is his proper range, his own ancestral territory."
(SN 47.6)
June 9
-"Basic Skills: Walking Meditation"
-basic skill #2.....
-duirng the month of june we are looking at basic skills in insight meditation....
-basic skill #2 is....
-walking meditatoin....
-walking meditation.....
-in walking mediation, we are engaging in a "formal" training practice...
-we find a quiet, non-distracted environment in which to develop the skill....
-walking meditation is an integral element of mindfulness practice....
-in mindfulness of breathing practice....
-we establish the breath in sitting meditation.....
-we maintain the breath in all postures....
-we put the breath to good use.....
-in walking meditation we are learning to "maintain" the breath & body ... to be mindful in “all postures”…..
-walking meditation supports our efforts to maintain concentration and present moment awareness in the course of our daily lives….
-it is suggested that we practice formal walking meditation practice every day....
-for at least a few minutes....
-the practice, sometimes known as "back & forth walking," includes....
-walking back and forth ... 15-20 steps (or whatever works in your space)....
-being mindful of the breath....
-using directed thought....
-putting/keeping the mind on the breath somewhere in the lower part of the body (belly/chest/etc)....
-finding an easeful breath....
-being mindful of the body....
-finding an easefulness in the body....
-being alert....
-being ardent....
-mindful, alert & ardent.....
-in walking meditation, we are....
-mindful.....
-mindful of breath....
-we keep the mind on the body....
-mindful of body....
-we keep the mind on the body....
-alert.....
-we're aware of how the body feels.....
-dis-ese in the body....in tghe movement of the body....
-ease in the body.....in the movement of the body....
-we ask: "can i find ease ... easefulness ... rhythm in walking....?"
-ardent.....
-we stay with it....
-we don't give in to thinking.....sense experience.....
-sati-sampajanna.....
-mindfulness & alertness....
-in walking meditation, we are mindful of walking.... and we are alert to how it feels.....
-we seek to walk in an easeful manner....
-we are alert to "mental dissonance".....
-thinking.....
-emotions that may arise.....
-if there is a quality of dissonance, perhaps an emotional quality, that arises....
-we can pause the walking....
-we can bring awareness to the emotional quality.....
-ABC.....
-coming in to tune.....
-in walking meditation, we are learning to "come in to tune"....
-we are "tuning" ourselves....
-the body, in movement, is in tune ... in rhythm.....
-we are connected to patterns of ease, rhythm, the dharma inside....
-when we are in tune, there is a quality of "just walking".....
-the prescription.....
-practice walking meditation every day.....
-for at least a couple minutes.....
-reading....
-"Walking Meditation" from Skillful Pleasure.....
-"Basic Skills: Walking Meditation"
-basic skill #2.....
-duirng the month of june we are looking at basic skills in insight meditation....
-basic skill #2 is....
-walking meditatoin....
-walking meditation.....
-in walking mediation, we are engaging in a "formal" training practice...
-we find a quiet, non-distracted environment in which to develop the skill....
-walking meditation is an integral element of mindfulness practice....
-in mindfulness of breathing practice....
-we establish the breath in sitting meditation.....
-we maintain the breath in all postures....
-we put the breath to good use.....
-in walking meditation we are learning to "maintain" the breath & body ... to be mindful in “all postures”…..
-walking meditation supports our efforts to maintain concentration and present moment awareness in the course of our daily lives….
-it is suggested that we practice formal walking meditation practice every day....
-for at least a few minutes....
-the practice, sometimes known as "back & forth walking," includes....
-walking back and forth ... 15-20 steps (or whatever works in your space)....
-being mindful of the breath....
-using directed thought....
-putting/keeping the mind on the breath somewhere in the lower part of the body (belly/chest/etc)....
-finding an easeful breath....
-being mindful of the body....
-finding an easefulness in the body....
-being alert....
-being ardent....
-mindful, alert & ardent.....
-in walking meditation, we are....
-mindful.....
-mindful of breath....
-we keep the mind on the body....
-mindful of body....
-we keep the mind on the body....
-alert.....
-we're aware of how the body feels.....
-dis-ese in the body....in tghe movement of the body....
-ease in the body.....in the movement of the body....
-we ask: "can i find ease ... easefulness ... rhythm in walking....?"
-ardent.....
-we stay with it....
-we don't give in to thinking.....sense experience.....
-sati-sampajanna.....
-mindfulness & alertness....
-in walking meditation, we are mindful of walking.... and we are alert to how it feels.....
-we seek to walk in an easeful manner....
-we are alert to "mental dissonance".....
-thinking.....
-emotions that may arise.....
-if there is a quality of dissonance, perhaps an emotional quality, that arises....
-we can pause the walking....
-we can bring awareness to the emotional quality.....
-ABC.....
-coming in to tune.....
-in walking meditation, we are learning to "come in to tune"....
-we are "tuning" ourselves....
-the body, in movement, is in tune ... in rhythm.....
-we are connected to patterns of ease, rhythm, the dharma inside....
-when we are in tune, there is a quality of "just walking".....
-the prescription.....
-practice walking meditation every day.....
-for at least a couple minutes.....
-reading....
-"Walking Meditation" from Skillful Pleasure.....
breath_meditation_walking_meditation.pdf |
-"Beyond Likes & Dislikes" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
"Then, Bāhiya, you should train yourself thus: In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how you should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then, Bāhiya, there is no you in connection with that. When there is no you in connection with that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of stress."
(Ud 1.10)
These are the five rewards for one who practices walking meditation. Which five?
He can endure traveling by foot; he can endure exertion; he becomes free from disease; whatever he has eaten & drunk, chewed & savored, becomes well-digested; the concentration he wins while doing walking meditation lasts for a long time.
These are the five rewards for one who practices walking meditation.
(AN 5.29)
June 2
-"Basic Skills: Mindfulness of Breathing"
-basic skill #1.....
-duirng the month of june we are looking at basic skills in insight meditation....
-basic skill #1 is....
-mindfulness of breathing....
-mindfulness of breathing.....
-in developing mindfulness of breathing we are engaging in mental training (bhava)...
-we find a quiet, non-distracted environment in which to develop the skill....
-the skill of mindfulness of breathing includes two essential components....
-skillful attitude.....
-steps of breath meditation.....
-skillful attitude….
-the three key elements of cultivating skillful attitude include.....
1-seeing what the mind/attitude is.....
2-brightening the mind....
3-cultivating skillful intention.....
-intention informed by compassion.....
-intention informed by metta (lovingkindness).....
-steps of breath meditation....
-the four basic steps of breath meditation include.....
1-step one: putting & keeping the mind on the breath.....
2-step two: evaluatiing & cultivating an easeful breath.....
3-step three: developing full body awareness & cultivating an easeful, pleasurable abiding in the body....
4-step four: maintaining mindfulness of the breath.....
-jhana qualities.....
-in practicing mindfulness of breathing, we are seeking to develop the qualities of jhana (the Buddha's concentration).....
1-singleness of mind....
2-ease....
3-pleasure....
4-equanimity.....
-in doing so we are developing strong concentration.....
-concentration that is maintainable in all postures......
-concentration that conduces to heedfulness....
-concentration that conduces to insight....
-the practice of mindfulness of breathing brings us closer to the heart....
-to our innate wisdom.....
-to the sublime abidings.....
-to happiness of heart.....
-the prescription.....
-practice mindfulness of breathing every day.....
-have a daily practice....
-practice mindfulness of breathing, in an effort to strengthen practice, in retreat settings....
-daylong retreats....
-longer, residential retreats.....
-reading....
-mindfulness of breathing/complete set of notes on the four steps....
breath_meditation_steps_june_24.pdf |
-"Mindfulness of Breathing" (MN 118)
"Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhana, monks. Don't be heedless. Don't later fall into regret. This is our message to you."
(MN 19)
"Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, brings the four frames of reference to their culmination. The four frames of reference, when developed & pursued, bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination. The seven factors for awakening, when developed & pursued, bring clear knowing & release to their culmination."
(MN 118)
"There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal.
"Just as if a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice would pour bath powder into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again and again with water, so that his ball of bath powder — saturated, moisture-laden, permeated within and without — would nevertheless not drip; even so, the monk permeates, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born of withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal..."
(AN 5.28)
The body is like a tree: No tree is entirely perfect. At any one time it'll have new leaves and old leaves, green leaves and yellow, fresh leaves and dry. The dry leaves will fall away first, while those that are fresh will slowly dry out and fall away later. Some of the branches are long, some thick, and some small. The fruits aren't evenly distributed. The human body isn't really much different from this. Pleasure and pain aren't evenly distributed. The parts that ache and those that are comfortable are randomly mixed. You can't rely on it. So do your best to keep the comfortable parts comfortable. Don't worry about the parts that you can't make comfortable.
It's like going into a house where the floorboards are beginning to rot: If you want to sit down, don't choose a rotten spot. Choose a spot where the boards are still sound. In other words, the heart needn't concern itself with things that can't be controlled.
Or you can compare the body to a mango: If a mango has a rotten or a wormy spot, take a knife and cut it out. Eat just the good part remaining. If you're foolish enough to eat the wormy part, you're in for trouble. Your body is the same, and not just the body — the mind, too, doesn't always go as you'd like it to. Sometimes it's in a good mood, sometimes it's not. This is where you have to use as much thought and evaluation as possible.
Directed thought and evaluation are like doing a job. The job here is concentration: centering the mind in stillness. Focus the mind on a single object and then use your mindfulness and alertness to examine and reflect on it. If you use a meager amount of thought and evaluation, your concentration will give meager results. If you do a crude job, you'll get crude results. If you do a fine job, you'll get fine results. Crude results aren't worth much. Fine results are of high quality and are useful in all sorts of ways — like atomic radiation, which is so fine that it can penetrate even mountains. Crude things are of low quality and hard to use. Sometimes you can soak them in water all day long and they still don't soften up. But as for fine things, all they need is a little dampness in the air and they dissolve.
So it is with the quality of your concentration. If your thinking and evaluation are subtle, thorough, and circumspect, your "concentration work" will result in more and more stillness of mind. If your thinking and evaluation are slipshod and crude, you won't get much stillness. Your body will ache, and you'll feel restless and irritable. Once the mind can become very still, though, the body will be comfortable and at ease. Your heart will feel open and clear. Pains will disappear. The elements of the body will feel normal: The warmth in your body will be just right, neither too hot nor too cold. As soon as your work is finished, it'll result in the highest form of happiness and ease: nibbana — Liberation. But as long as you still have work to do, your heart won't get its full measure of peace. Wherever you go, there will always be something nagging at the back of your mind. Once your work is done, though, you can be carefree wherever you go.
If you haven't finished your job, it's because (1) you haven't set your mind on it and (2) you haven't actually done the work. You've shirked your duties and played truant. But if you really set your mind on doing the job, there's no doubt but that you'll finish it.
(Ajaan Lee)
June Daylong Retreat
Saturday, June 8
PS 3, Hudson & Grove Streets, NYC
10am – 5pm
fee by donation
May 26
-"Commitment to a Daily Meditation Practice"
-daily practice.....
-having a daily meditation practice is a foundational element of the path of the dharma student....
-we make an effort to practice meditation every day...
-we "show up"....
-in showing up for our meditation practice ... we are show up for....
-ourselves.....
-all beings.....
-having a daily meditation practice asks that we are developed in the skillful quality of determination….
-we stay with it, over time.....
-when we veer off ... we come back.....
-in cultivating determination, it's essential to remember that the path develop gradually.....
-as the Buddha explains....
"Just as the ocean has a gradual shelf, a gradual slope, a gradual inclination, with a sudden drop-off only after a long stretch; in the same way this Dhamma & Vinaya has a gradual training, a gradual performance, a gradual practice, with a penetration to gnosis only after a long stretch. The fact that this Dhamma & Vinaya has a gradual training, a gradual performance, a gradual practice, with a penetration to gnosis only after a long stretch."
(Ud. 5.5)
-key elements.....
-key elements in developing a daily practice include
1-intention.....
-we develop a resolve to practice on a daily basis.....
-our resolve is informed with metta....
-our resolve is informed with compassion....
-in every period of meditation, we make an effort to be in tune with our resolve....
-to practice with metta and compassion.....
2-brightness....
-we seek to practice with a bright mind....
3-ease & pleasure.....
-we learn to cultivate the qualities of ease & pleasure in our meditation....
-effort….
-in making skillful effort......
-we make the "right" amount of effort.....
-not too much, not too little....
-we seek to practice wholeheartedly.....
-with metta & compassion......
-in making effort....
-we follow the steps for breath meditation....
-we develop in effort by.....
-acknowledging the benefits of our practice......
-taking joy in our effort.....
-reflections.....
-in supporting the development of our daily meditation practice, we can make these important reflections.....
-"what is my commitment to daily meditation practice.....?"
-"what is getting in the way of my resolve to practice....?"
-"how can I strengthen my resolve to practice....?"
-practice suggestion/homework.....
-every day, practice formal breath meditation....
-reading.....
-"Genuine Practice, Genuine Knowing" (Ajaan Lee)
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. Then a certain devata, in the far extreme of the night, her extreme radiance lighting up the entirety of Jeta's Grove, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to him, she stood to one side. As she was standing there, she said to him, "Tell me, dear sir, how you crossed over the flood."
"I crossed over the flood without pushing forward, without staying in place."
"But how, dear sir, did you cross over the flood without pushing forward, without staying in place?"
"When I pushed forward, I was whirled about. When I stayed in place, I sank. And so I crossed over the flood without pushing forward, without staying in place."
(SN 1.1)
The important factors for anyone practicing to gain release from all stress and suffering are persistence and endurance, for every kind of goodness has to have obstacles blocking the way, always ready to destroy it. Even when the Buddha himself was putting his effort into the practice, the armies of Mara were right on his heels, pestering him all the time, trying to keep him from attaining his goal. Still, he never wavered, never got discouraged, never abandoned his efforts. He took his perfection of truthfulness and used it to drive away the forces of Mara until they were utterly defeated. He was willing to put his life on the line in order to do battle with the forces of Mara, his heart solid, unflinching, and brave. This was why he was eventually able to attain a glorious victory, realizing the unexcelled right self-awakening, becoming our Buddha. This is an important example that he as our “father” set for his descendants to see and to take to heart.
So when we’re intent on training our minds to be good, there are bound to be obstacles—the forces of Mara—just as in the case of the Buddha, but we simply have to slash our way through them, using our powers of endurance and the full extent of our abilities to fight them off. It’s only normal that when we have something good, there are going to be other people who want what we’ve got, in the same way that sweet fruit tends to have worms and insects trying to eat it. A person walking along the road empty-handed doesn’t attract anyone’s attention, but if we’re carrying something of value, there are sure to be others who will want what we’ve got, and will even try to steal it from us. If we’re carrying food in our hand, dogs or cats will try to snatch it. But if we don’t have any food in our hand, they won’t pounce on us.
It’s the same way when we practice. When we do good, we have to contend with obstacles if we want to succeed. We have to make our hearts hard and solid like diamond or rock, which don’t burn when you try to set them on fire. Even when they get smashed, the pieces maintain their hardness as diamond and rock. The Buddha made his heart so hard and solid that when his body was cremated, parts of it didn’t burn and still remain as relics for us to admire even today. This was through the power of his purity and truthfulness.
So we should set our minds on purifying our bodies and minds until they become so truly elemental that fire won’t burn them, just like the Buddha’s relics. Even if we can’t get them to be that hard, at least we should make them like tamarind seeds in their casing: even if insects bore through the casing and eat all the flesh of the tamarind fruit, they can’t do anything to the seeds, which maintain their hardness as always.
(Ajaan Lee)
-"Determination" (from The Skill of Living")
determination_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
Work. Keep digging your well.
Don’t think about getting off from work.
Water is there somewhere.
Submit to a daily practice.
Your loyalty to that
Is a ring on the door.
Keep knocking, and the joy inside
Will eventually open a window
And look out to see who’s there.
(Rumi)
May 19
-"The Power of Gratitude"
-gratitude.....
-gratitude is a skillful emotion/mind state....
-we cultivate gratitude by reflecting our blessings....
-the blessing of our goodness (generosity, virtue, skillful effort)....
-the blessing of other beings....
-the blessing of the dharma....
-the blessing of life.....
-the cultivation of gratitude ... leads to the sublime abiding of appreciative joy….
-the cultivation of gratitude/appreciative joy is an essential component of the path.....
-it is integral to the journey to awakening.....
"And when the mind is headed straight, the disciple of the noble ones gains a sense of the goal, gains a sense of the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. In one who is joyful, rapture arises. In one who is rapturous, the body grows calm. One whose body is calmed experiences ease. In one at ease, the mind becomes concentrated."
(AN 11.13)
-the process for the cultivation of gratitude & appreciative joy includes.....
1-reflection on our blessings.....
-using fabrication.....
2-cultivation of gratitude....
-seeing if we can have a felt sense of the emotion of gratitude....
3-cultivation of appreciative joy.....
-seeing if we can have a felt sense of the heart abiding of appreciative joy.....
-the blessing of life….
-in the reflection of the blessing of life......
-we remind ourselves of the precioiusness of life.....
-we remind ourselves of the profound potential that the human realm offers.....
-the goodness in life......
-the potential of the human heart....
-wisdom....
-love.....
-the potential for awakening......
-the power of gratitude.....
-the cultivation of gratitude puts us in a good position -a position of strength- in which to meet the difficulty in life.....
-the external diffculty (in the world).....
-the internal difficulty (illness/aging/death/separation).....
-gratitude is an essential facet of integrity….
-the person developed in gratitude is a peson of integrity….
-we honor the gifts we've been given ... we make the most of those gifts….
-we suport others in their efforts to know the joy of life.....
-gratitude brings brightness to the heart.....
-gratitude empowers the heart….
-to shine with wisdom....
-to shine with love.....
-gratitude is an element of inner strength…..
-with gratitude developed, we function at our optimal level….
-factors that support the cultivation gratitude & appreciative joy.....
-nature...
-association with persons of integrity....
-persons who embody and express gratitude....
-heedfulness....
-being heedful of states of mind that are imbued with negativity/cynicism/aversion/resentment....
-abandoning those states.…
-cultivating states of gratitude.....
-skillful reflection on our blessings.....
-practice suggestion/homework.....
-every day, at least one time, reflect on the blessing of life....
-reading.....
"Monks, suppose that this great earth were totally covered with water, and a man were to toss a yoke with a single hole there. A wind from the east would push it west, a wind from the west would push it east. A wind from the north would push it south, a wind from the south would push it north. And suppose a blind sea-turtle were there. It would come to the surface once every one hundred years. Now what do you think: would that blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole?"
"It would be a sheer coincidence, lord, that the blind sea-turtle, coming to the surface once every one hundred years, would stick his neck into the yoke with a single hole."
"It's likewise a sheer coincidence that one obtains the human state. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, arises in the world. It's likewise a sheer coincidence that a doctrine & discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world. Now, this human state has been obtained. A Tathagata, worthy & rightly self-awakened, has arisen in the world. A doctrine & discipline expounded by a Tathagata appears in the world.
"Therefore your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'"
(SN 56.48)
Staying at Savatthi. Then the Blessed One, picking up a little bit of dust with the tip of his fingernail, said to the monks, "What do you think, monks? Which is greater: the little bit of dust I have picked up with the tip of my fingernail, or the great earth?"
"The great earth is far greater, lord. The little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail is next to nothing. It doesn't even count. It's no comparison. It's not even a fraction, this little bit of dust the Blessed One has picked up with the tip of his fingernail, when compared with the great earth.
"In the same way, monks, few are the beings reborn among human beings. Far more are those reborn elsewhere. Thus you should train yourselves: 'We will live heedfully.' That's how you should train yourselves."
(SN 20.2)
The Blessed One said, "Now what is the level of a person of no integrity? A person of no integrity is ungrateful & unthankful. This ingratitude, this lack of thankfulness, is advocated by rude people. It is entirely on the level of people of no integrity. A person of integrity is grateful & thankful. This gratitude, this thankfulness, is advocated by civil people. It is entirely on the level of people of integrity."
(AN 2.31)
Delight in heedfulness.
Watch over your own mind.
Lift yourself up
from the hard-going way,
like a tusker sunk in the mud.
If you gain a mature companion --
a fellow traveler, right-living, enlightened --
overcoming all dangers
go with him, gratified,
mindful.
If you don't gain a mature companion --
a fellow traveler, right-living, enlightened --
go alone
like a king renouncing his kingdom,
like the elephant in the Matanga wilds,
his herd.
Going alone is better,
there's no companionship with a fool.
Go alone,
doing no evil, at peace,
like the elephant in the Matanga wilds.
A blessing: friends when the need arises.
A blessing: contentment with whatever there is.
Merit at the ending of life is a blessing.
A blessing: the abandoning of all suffering
& stress.
A blessing in the world: reverence to your mother.
A blessing: reverence to your father as well.
A blessing in the world: reverence to a contemplative.
A blessing: reverence for a brahman, too.
A blessing into old age is virtue.
A blessing: conviction established.
A blessing: discernment attained.
The non-doing of evil things is
a blessing.
(Dhp 23)
May 12
-"Gratitude"
-developing skillful intention/action.....
-through the practice of heedfulness, we learn to change habitual patterns of mind.....
-in paying attention to our actions, we abandon unskillful intention ... and cultivate skillful intention....
-the steps of the process include:
1-seeing what the mind is like….
-before we take action, we look at the quality of the mind….
-what is the quality of our intention….?
-is our mind/intention imbued with unskillful qualities…?
-aversion...
-desire....
-is our mind/intention imbued wth skillful qualities…?
-lovingkindness....
-compassion....
-if the intention is unskillful … we seek to abandon the unskillful intention….
-if the intention is not skillful and we can’t abandon it, we may have to consider not taking the action….
2- setting skillful intention….
-before we act, we set a skillful intention….
-skillful intention is imbued with lovingkindness/compassion….
-the process for setting skillful intention includes….
a) fabrication….
-stating the intention, internally….
-for example, I am going to give out of compassion….
b) felt sense…..
-connecting to a felt sense of the heart….
-the felt quality of lovingkindness/compassion….
3- acting….
-as we act, we continue to monitor the quality of our intention/action….
-if our intention has veered off into an unskillful state … we re-set the intention….
4-seeing the benefits…..
-after we act skillfully, we pay attention to the benefits that derive from having taken skillful action….
-short term benefits
-long term benefits
5-taking joy…..
-after we act skillfully, we take joy in our skillful actions….
-we acknowledge our skillful action … the truth of our goodness….
-we connect to a feeling of gratitude….
-we connect to the heart quality of appreciative joy…..
-cultivating gratitude & appreciative joy.....
-the recognition of our blessings .... leads to gratitude ... which leads to the sublime abiding of appreciative joy....
-the process for cultivating joy includes....
1-reflecting on our blessings
-the four categories of blessings include....
a)-our goodness....
-including our good qualities…
-classically, our goodness is expressed in the three forms of merit:
- generosity
-ethical conduct (following the five precepts)
-meditation (the effort we make to train the mind)
b)-the goodness of others…..
c)-the dharma….
d)-the preciousness of life……
2-cultivaing gratitude......
-the feeling of gratitude.....
3-cultivating appreciative joy.....
-the sublime abiding.....
-gratitude for parents…..
-as the Buddha teaches, one of the most important aspects of cultivating gratitude is to cultivate gratitude for our parents.....
-beginning with, gratitude for having given us the gift of life….
-including, all that they've done for us in an effort to help us develop our goodness.....
-practice suggestion/homework.....
-in our meditation, begin with reflecting, in brightening the mind, on the blessing of our mother, the gift of life that she gave to us....
-reading.....
-"The Lessons of Gratitude" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
-"Taking Joy" from The Skill of Living....
-"Gratitude"
-developing skillful intention/action.....
-through the practice of heedfulness, we learn to change habitual patterns of mind.....
-in paying attention to our actions, we abandon unskillful intention ... and cultivate skillful intention....
-the steps of the process include:
1-seeing what the mind is like….
-before we take action, we look at the quality of the mind….
-what is the quality of our intention….?
-is our mind/intention imbued with unskillful qualities…?
-aversion...
-desire....
-is our mind/intention imbued wth skillful qualities…?
-lovingkindness....
-compassion....
-if the intention is unskillful … we seek to abandon the unskillful intention….
-if the intention is not skillful and we can’t abandon it, we may have to consider not taking the action….
2- setting skillful intention….
-before we act, we set a skillful intention….
-skillful intention is imbued with lovingkindness/compassion….
-the process for setting skillful intention includes….
a) fabrication….
-stating the intention, internally….
-for example, I am going to give out of compassion….
b) felt sense…..
-connecting to a felt sense of the heart….
-the felt quality of lovingkindness/compassion….
3- acting….
-as we act, we continue to monitor the quality of our intention/action….
-if our intention has veered off into an unskillful state … we re-set the intention….
4-seeing the benefits…..
-after we act skillfully, we pay attention to the benefits that derive from having taken skillful action….
-short term benefits
-long term benefits
5-taking joy…..
-after we act skillfully, we take joy in our skillful actions….
-we acknowledge our skillful action … the truth of our goodness….
-we connect to a feeling of gratitude….
-we connect to the heart quality of appreciative joy…..
-cultivating gratitude & appreciative joy.....
-the recognition of our blessings .... leads to gratitude ... which leads to the sublime abiding of appreciative joy....
-the process for cultivating joy includes....
1-reflecting on our blessings
-the four categories of blessings include....
a)-our goodness....
-including our good qualities…
-classically, our goodness is expressed in the three forms of merit:
- generosity
-ethical conduct (following the five precepts)
-meditation (the effort we make to train the mind)
b)-the goodness of others…..
c)-the dharma….
d)-the preciousness of life……
2-cultivaing gratitude......
-the feeling of gratitude.....
3-cultivating appreciative joy.....
-the sublime abiding.....
-gratitude for parents…..
-as the Buddha teaches, one of the most important aspects of cultivating gratitude is to cultivate gratitude for our parents.....
-beginning with, gratitude for having given us the gift of life….
-including, all that they've done for us in an effort to help us develop our goodness.....
-practice suggestion/homework.....
-in our meditation, begin with reflecting, in brightening the mind, on the blessing of our mother, the gift of life that she gave to us....
-reading.....
-"The Lessons of Gratitude" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
-"Taking Joy" from The Skill of Living....
skill_of_living_taking_joy.pdf |
"I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother & father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate & urinate right there [on your shoulders], you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. If you were to establish your mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. Why is that? Mother & father do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world. But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes them in conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother & father, settles & establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother & father, settles & establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays & repays one's mother & father."
(AN 2.31)
(AN 2.31)
May 5
-"ABC"
-developing a skillful attitude in meditation.....
-preparing the mind.....
-there are three essential components to preparing the mind for developing mindfulness of breathing....
1-seeing what the mind is like…
2-setting skillful intention….
3-brightening the mind….
-seeing what mind is like....
-we look to see what attitude we are bringing to the meditation....
-we look to see if there are unskillful mental factors in the mind with regard to the meditation....
-seeing if you are approaching the meditation with an unskillful attitude....
-some form of….
-aversion
-unskillful desire
-delusion
-we put to the side any unskillful intention....
-setting skillful intention
-we set a skillful intention at the beginning of every period of sitting meditation...
-the two components of skillful intention:
a) content
-what we are going to do....
-to practice mindfulness of breathing, to cultivate the steps of breath meditation...
-to put aside all worldly concerns ... all thoughts of past and future....
b) quality
-the attitude with which we are going to practice....
-compassion....
-lovingkindness....
-compassion is expressed in the wish we have to be free from suffering … the wish we have that all living beings find freedom from suffering….
-lovingkindness is expressed in the wish we have to be happy … the wish for happiness that we have for all beings…
-the two steps to setting intention are....
1-internal verbal fabrication
-verbalizing the intention, using thinking....
-for example, “I am going to be mindful of the breath out of compassion for myself… out of lovingkindness for myself…”
2-felt sense
-connecting to the intention in a felt way ... connecting to the felt heart quality of lovingkindness/compassion.....
-brightening the mind
-in brightening the mind, we connect to the truth of our goodness ... and the goodness in the world around us....
-the three steps for brightening the mind include:
1-reflecting on your blessings
-the four categories of blessings include....
a)-your goodness....
-including your good qualities…
-classically, our goodness is expressed in the three forms of merit:
- generosity
-ethical conduct (following the five precepts)
-meditation (the effort we make to train the mind)
b)-the goodness of others…..
c)-the dharma….
d)-the preciousness of life……
2-connecting to gratitude
3-connecting to the heart quality of appreciative joy (brightness)
-during the meditation…..
-as we practice mindfulness of breathing, we seek to stay in tune with our skillful intention throughout the meditation….
-at intervals we remind ourselves of our skillful intention….
-we notice that we’ve veered away from our skillful intention.....
-when we've taken up an unskillful intention.....
-when our attitude has shifted.....
-we bring awareness to the unskillful quality of mind.....
-we put the mind on the breath......
-we cultivate compassion, in the light of our unskillful atttitude....
-we reset the intention…..
-ABC.....
-in the course of our days, we're heedful.....
-we notice when our attitude is unskillful, afflicted with some form of aversion/desire.....
-when we're afflicted by some unskillful mental state/emotion.....
-when we're caught in some habitual pattern of mind.....
-we bring awareness to the mental state/emotion......
-we practice this simple form of awareness: "ABC".....
-A: Awareness….
-we bring awareness to the mind stat/emotion….
-with space/equanimity….
-we simply observe the mind state/emotion.....
-not thinking about it....
-we are aware of the emotion as a felt sense in the body….
-we're aware of what it feels like......
-'it feels like this"
-B: Breath….
-after a few seconds, we center our attention on the breath….
-we maintain space/equanimity.....
-C: Compassion….
-we look into the heart, cultivate compassion….
-Compassion.......
-after bringing awareness of a mind state/emotion that we are struggling with, if there is space/equanimity.....
-we are able to connect to the heart....
-we are able to "look into" the heart.....
-looking into the heart, we look to see the quality of compassion.....
-compassion is the heart's response to dukkha/pain.....
-when there is space/equanimity ... compassion is right there.....
-if there is not space/equanimity ... then it is difficult to connect to the quality of compassion.....
-in connecting to compassion.....
-we are looking to know it on a felt level.....
-we are looking to have a felt sense of compassion....
-listening.....
-"The Practice of Awareness"
-reading.....
-"Preparing the Mind" from Skillful Pleasure....
-"ABC"
-developing a skillful attitude in meditation.....
-preparing the mind.....
-there are three essential components to preparing the mind for developing mindfulness of breathing....
1-seeing what the mind is like…
2-setting skillful intention….
3-brightening the mind….
-seeing what mind is like....
-we look to see what attitude we are bringing to the meditation....
-we look to see if there are unskillful mental factors in the mind with regard to the meditation....
-seeing if you are approaching the meditation with an unskillful attitude....
-some form of….
-aversion
-unskillful desire
-delusion
-we put to the side any unskillful intention....
-setting skillful intention
-we set a skillful intention at the beginning of every period of sitting meditation...
-the two components of skillful intention:
a) content
-what we are going to do....
-to practice mindfulness of breathing, to cultivate the steps of breath meditation...
-to put aside all worldly concerns ... all thoughts of past and future....
b) quality
-the attitude with which we are going to practice....
-compassion....
-lovingkindness....
-compassion is expressed in the wish we have to be free from suffering … the wish we have that all living beings find freedom from suffering….
-lovingkindness is expressed in the wish we have to be happy … the wish for happiness that we have for all beings…
-the two steps to setting intention are....
1-internal verbal fabrication
-verbalizing the intention, using thinking....
-for example, “I am going to be mindful of the breath out of compassion for myself… out of lovingkindness for myself…”
2-felt sense
-connecting to the intention in a felt way ... connecting to the felt heart quality of lovingkindness/compassion.....
-brightening the mind
-in brightening the mind, we connect to the truth of our goodness ... and the goodness in the world around us....
-the three steps for brightening the mind include:
1-reflecting on your blessings
-the four categories of blessings include....
a)-your goodness....
-including your good qualities…
-classically, our goodness is expressed in the three forms of merit:
- generosity
-ethical conduct (following the five precepts)
-meditation (the effort we make to train the mind)
b)-the goodness of others…..
c)-the dharma….
d)-the preciousness of life……
2-connecting to gratitude
3-connecting to the heart quality of appreciative joy (brightness)
-during the meditation…..
-as we practice mindfulness of breathing, we seek to stay in tune with our skillful intention throughout the meditation….
-at intervals we remind ourselves of our skillful intention….
-we notice that we’ve veered away from our skillful intention.....
-when we've taken up an unskillful intention.....
-when our attitude has shifted.....
-we bring awareness to the unskillful quality of mind.....
-we put the mind on the breath......
-we cultivate compassion, in the light of our unskillful atttitude....
-we reset the intention…..
-ABC.....
-in the course of our days, we're heedful.....
-we notice when our attitude is unskillful, afflicted with some form of aversion/desire.....
-when we're afflicted by some unskillful mental state/emotion.....
-when we're caught in some habitual pattern of mind.....
-we bring awareness to the mental state/emotion......
-we practice this simple form of awareness: "ABC".....
-A: Awareness….
-we bring awareness to the mind stat/emotion….
-with space/equanimity….
-we simply observe the mind state/emotion.....
-not thinking about it....
-we are aware of the emotion as a felt sense in the body….
-we're aware of what it feels like......
-'it feels like this"
-B: Breath….
-after a few seconds, we center our attention on the breath….
-we maintain space/equanimity.....
-C: Compassion….
-we look into the heart, cultivate compassion….
-Compassion.......
-after bringing awareness of a mind state/emotion that we are struggling with, if there is space/equanimity.....
-we are able to connect to the heart....
-we are able to "look into" the heart.....
-looking into the heart, we look to see the quality of compassion.....
-compassion is the heart's response to dukkha/pain.....
-when there is space/equanimity ... compassion is right there.....
-if there is not space/equanimity ... then it is difficult to connect to the quality of compassion.....
-in connecting to compassion.....
-we are looking to know it on a felt level.....
-we are looking to have a felt sense of compassion....
-listening.....
-"The Practice of Awareness"
-reading.....
-"Preparing the Mind" from Skillful Pleasure....
breath_meditation_preparing_the_mind.pdf |
May Daylong Retreat
Saturday, May 11
PS 3, Hudson & Grove Streets, NYC
10am – 5pm
fee by donation
April 28
-"Moving Forward: Generosity & Equanimity"
-generosity .....
-in the Buddha's teaching, he begain with generosity.....
-when we practice generosity, it brings us closer to the heart....
-when we're suffering/struggling, practicing generosity is a way out of our pain.....
-when we're suffering, we're invariably caught in thought worlds....
-we're most often fixated on thinking concerning with our selves, our problems....
-we're preoccupied with self.....
-in practicing generosity we ease the preoccupation with ourselves.....
-when there's freedom from the burden of self, there's.....
-ease....
-peace....
-we're closer to the heart.....
-the dharma, in accord with the Buddha's own story, is a path of generosity.....
-transition.....
-in periods of change, transition, we seek to live in the questions.....
-asking, how can I move forward with love....?
-asking, what is the most compassionate path forward....?
-in moving forward in our lives, as dharma students, we seek to make a path that includes generosity....
-we learn to ask: how can I help....?
-we learn to ask, what do I have to give....?
-equanimity.....
-as dharma students, we learn to meet periods of transition with equanimity.....
-equanimity is the skillful response to change....
-we keep our composure....
-we remain in balance....
-we remain even-minded.....
-as dharma students, we cultivate the quality of equanimity...
-as a factor of concentration......
-through breath meditation, we develop the ability to keep the mind on the breath, in the body.....
-we develop the ability to maintain ease, calm
-as a factor of the heart......
-the quality of wisdom; the understanding that change is elemental to life....
-the quality of acceptance.....
-the quality of inner strength.....
-as dharma students, when there is change, we learn to incline to the quality of equanimity.....
-it is important that, in times of transition, we learn to incline to equanimity, steadiness of mind, composure.....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: every day, reflect on the question: how can I move forward in my life, with love & generosity....
-reading.....
-"Skillful Giving" from The Skill of Living....
-"Moving Forward: Generosity & Equanimity"
-generosity .....
-in the Buddha's teaching, he begain with generosity.....
-when we practice generosity, it brings us closer to the heart....
-when we're suffering/struggling, practicing generosity is a way out of our pain.....
-when we're suffering, we're invariably caught in thought worlds....
-we're most often fixated on thinking concerning with our selves, our problems....
-we're preoccupied with self.....
-in practicing generosity we ease the preoccupation with ourselves.....
-when there's freedom from the burden of self, there's.....
-ease....
-peace....
-we're closer to the heart.....
-the dharma, in accord with the Buddha's own story, is a path of generosity.....
-transition.....
-in periods of change, transition, we seek to live in the questions.....
-asking, how can I move forward with love....?
-asking, what is the most compassionate path forward....?
-in moving forward in our lives, as dharma students, we seek to make a path that includes generosity....
-we learn to ask: how can I help....?
-we learn to ask, what do I have to give....?
-equanimity.....
-as dharma students, we learn to meet periods of transition with equanimity.....
-equanimity is the skillful response to change....
-we keep our composure....
-we remain in balance....
-we remain even-minded.....
-as dharma students, we cultivate the quality of equanimity...
-as a factor of concentration......
-through breath meditation, we develop the ability to keep the mind on the breath, in the body.....
-we develop the ability to maintain ease, calm
-as a factor of the heart......
-the quality of wisdom; the understanding that change is elemental to life....
-the quality of acceptance.....
-the quality of inner strength.....
-as dharma students, when there is change, we learn to incline to the quality of equanimity.....
-it is important that, in times of transition, we learn to incline to equanimity, steadiness of mind, composure.....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: every day, reflect on the question: how can I move forward in my life, with love & generosity....
-reading.....
-"Skillful Giving" from The Skill of Living....
skillful_giving_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
- "Generosity First" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
"If beings knew, as I know, the results of giving & sharing, they would not eat without having given, nor would the stain of miserliness overcome their minds. Even if it were their last bite, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared, if there were someone to receive their gift. But because beings do not know, as I know, the results of giving & sharing, they eat without having given. The stain of miserliness overcomes their minds."
(Iti 26)
So when the world is on fire
with aging and death,
one should salvage [one's wealth] by giving:
what's given is well salvaged.
What's given bears fruit as pleasure.
What isn't given does not:
thieves take it away, or kings;
it gets burnt by fire or lost.
(SN 1.41)
"Without abandoning these five qualities, one is incapable of entering & remaining in the first jhana. Which five? Stinginess as to one's monastery [lodgings], stinginess as to one's family [of supporters], stinginess as to one's gains, stinginess as to one's status, and stinginess as to the Dhamma. Without abandoning these five qualities, one is incapable of entering & remaining in the first jhana.
"With the abandoning of these five qualities, one is capable of entering & remaining in the first jhana. Which five? Stinginess as to one's monastery [lodgings]... one's family [of supporters]... one's gains... one's status, and stinginess as to the Dhamma. With the abandoning of these five qualities, one is capable of entering & remaining in the first jhana."
(AN 5.264)
April 21
-"Rhythm of Life"
-rhythm of life .....
-we practice the dharma ... to know the dharma.....
-so that we might come into tune ... into rhythm ... with the dharma....
-so that we might have ease of being.....
-so that we might come closer to the heart....
-so that we might come into rhythm with that which transcends conditioned things....
-the timeless and profound rhythm of life.....
-breath meditation.....
-breath meditation is a practice for coming into tune....
-the basic steps, taught by the Buddha, if we practice in accord with what the Buddha taught, bring us into tune
-the basic steps....
-step one: keeping the mind on the breath
-in this step, we are establishing mindfulness of the breathing….
-mindfulness means to put the mind on ... and to keep the mind on....
-in this case we put the mind on the breath (the felt experience of the breath)....
-at one point, one place….
-at a spot where the breath feels good….
-we put the mind on the breath by....
-by using internal verbal fabrication (essentially, thinking) to direct our awareness to the breath....
-this process is specifically referred to in the teachings as: directed thought…
-we tell ourselves to "be mindful of the breath"....
-using whatever words work for us....
-or using visual images….
-step two: cultivating an easeful breath…..
-step two has two parts....
-2a - evaluating....
-2b -cultivating....
(a) evaluating
-we see what the breath is like ... the quality of the breath....
-we pay attention to the breath at one point....
-to all the parts of the breath .... the beginning, middle, end of the in-breath ... space between in-breath and out-breath ... the beginning, middle, end of the out-breath .... space between out-breath and next in-breath....
-we notice where there's dis-ease in the breath ... where there's tightness/tension in the breath ... .... where there's discomfort in the breath ... and....
-we notice where there's where there's ease in the breath ... comfort in the breath....
-as the meditation goes on, there may be more ease in the breath … we notice this….
b) cultivating the easeful breath
-as we continue to be mindful of the quality of the breath ... gradually the dis-ease in the breath will begin to diminish ... there will gradually be more ease in the breath....
-as we begin to see more ease in the breath....
-we put our attention on the ease in the breath....
-we cultivate the ease by putting the mind on it, focusing on it….
-we may notice, for instance, that a certain part of the breath is becoming more easeful … we focus our attention there, and we allow that easeful quality to flow into the other parts of the breath….
-we allow this quality of ease to unfold, permeate the breath...
-as we cultivate the easeful breath we may begin to notice that a certain kind of breath is more easeful....
-there are basically four kinds of breath....
-long in, long out
-short in, short out
-short in, long out
-long in, short out
- step three: cultivating an easeful, pleasurable abiding in the body…..
--it is said the breath conditions the body ... as the breath becomes more easeful, more pleasant, these qualities begin to spread into the body....
-we begin to feel the "breath energy" moving in the body.....
-as we are cultivating the ease in the breath ... we notice the body in the background ... we notice how the breath conditions the body.....
-the quality of breath energy in the body.....
-as the breath energy in the body become more prominent ... we are ready to move to step three....
-the step includes.....
-expanding our mindfulness to include the entire body.....
-essentially we're being mindful of (a) the breath and (b) the body
-this is known as having an "enlarged awareness"
-as we expand the attention to the body we may be aware of....
-a general sense of the body
-certain parts of the body
-as we're aware of the full body we may notice areas of difficulty, pain ... at this point, we want to put those experiences to the side....
-we want to focus on the ease in the body.....
-cultivating the ease in the body....
-we put our attention specifically on the quality of ease, the breath energy in the body....
-we allow the breath energy to spread out.....
-then we move our awareness in to parts of the body where we may not have awareness ... we let the ease spread into these parts of the body....
-eventually we can allow the awareness/ease to spread into parts of the body where there is dis-ease....
-there are various ways of cultivating the spreading of the breath energy....
a) paying attention to parts of the body, where there is ease ... and then allowing the ease to spread from those parts of the body....
b) using scanning strategies, to enhance the spreading of the breath energy....
c) full body breathing, it's as if the whole body is breathing ... we can even note "whole body breathing in, whole body breathing out"....
-in this step we being to become aware of the quality of rapture (piti) in the body ... this is a pleasant energy....
-we notice the quality of pleasure (sukkha)....
-step four: maintaining mindfulness of the breath at one point….
-we stay with step three ... full body awareness ... for awhile .... and then shift back to mindfulness of the breath at one point.....
-we go back to the one pointed focus on the breath……
-at this stage, we may find that the breath may be quite easeful....
-we may find we don't need to put as much effort into directed thought and evaluation....
-as we stay with one point ... we can notice the body in the background....
-we may notice how the breath "feeds" the body with easeful energy.....
-the Buddha compares the breath to a spring at the bottom of a lake, filling the lake with cool fresh water.....
-at this point in the meditation, we are simply “maintaining” mindfulness of the breath….
-we might think of it as “resting” the mind on the breath…..
-as the mind rests on the breath, we may notice a quality of stillness, tranquility…..
.
-walking meditation…..
-walking meditation is an integral element of the breath meditation practice....
-in walking meditation we are learning to be mindful in “all postures”…..
-walking meditation supports our efforts to maintain concentration and present moment awareness in the course of our daily lives….
-by practicing walking meditation, we train ourselves to be in tune in all postures....
-it is suggested that we practice formal walking meditation practice every day....
-for at least a few minutes....
-the practice includes....
-walking back and forth ... 15-20 steps (or whatever works in your space)....
-walking in a natural fashion.....
-walking ... and finding the right pace ... the speed at which we can be present and in tune.....
-walking ... and finding a rhythm....
-being mindful of the breath....
-using directed thought....
-putting/keeping the mind on the breath somewhere in the lower part of the body (belly/chest/etc)....
-seeing if we can call up an easeful breath.....
-being mindful of the body.....
-seeing if we can call up the qualites of ease and internal pleasure.....
-in being mindful of the body ... we may be aware of the whole body....
-or we may be aware of certain areas of the body,,,,,
-in particular, areas where there is an easeful, pleasurable energy.....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: every day, practice formal walking meditation....
-for at least a few minutes.....
-as described above.....
-reading.....
-"Walking Meditation" from Skillful Pleasure.....
-"Rhythm of Life"
-rhythm of life .....
-we practice the dharma ... to know the dharma.....
-so that we might come into tune ... into rhythm ... with the dharma....
-so that we might have ease of being.....
-so that we might come closer to the heart....
-so that we might come into rhythm with that which transcends conditioned things....
-the timeless and profound rhythm of life.....
-breath meditation.....
-breath meditation is a practice for coming into tune....
-the basic steps, taught by the Buddha, if we practice in accord with what the Buddha taught, bring us into tune
-the basic steps....
-step one: keeping the mind on the breath
-in this step, we are establishing mindfulness of the breathing….
-mindfulness means to put the mind on ... and to keep the mind on....
-in this case we put the mind on the breath (the felt experience of the breath)....
-at one point, one place….
-at a spot where the breath feels good….
-we put the mind on the breath by....
-by using internal verbal fabrication (essentially, thinking) to direct our awareness to the breath....
-this process is specifically referred to in the teachings as: directed thought…
-we tell ourselves to "be mindful of the breath"....
-using whatever words work for us....
-or using visual images….
-step two: cultivating an easeful breath…..
-step two has two parts....
-2a - evaluating....
-2b -cultivating....
(a) evaluating
-we see what the breath is like ... the quality of the breath....
-we pay attention to the breath at one point....
-to all the parts of the breath .... the beginning, middle, end of the in-breath ... space between in-breath and out-breath ... the beginning, middle, end of the out-breath .... space between out-breath and next in-breath....
-we notice where there's dis-ease in the breath ... where there's tightness/tension in the breath ... .... where there's discomfort in the breath ... and....
-we notice where there's where there's ease in the breath ... comfort in the breath....
-as the meditation goes on, there may be more ease in the breath … we notice this….
b) cultivating the easeful breath
-as we continue to be mindful of the quality of the breath ... gradually the dis-ease in the breath will begin to diminish ... there will gradually be more ease in the breath....
-as we begin to see more ease in the breath....
-we put our attention on the ease in the breath....
-we cultivate the ease by putting the mind on it, focusing on it….
-we may notice, for instance, that a certain part of the breath is becoming more easeful … we focus our attention there, and we allow that easeful quality to flow into the other parts of the breath….
-we allow this quality of ease to unfold, permeate the breath...
-as we cultivate the easeful breath we may begin to notice that a certain kind of breath is more easeful....
-there are basically four kinds of breath....
-long in, long out
-short in, short out
-short in, long out
-long in, short out
- step three: cultivating an easeful, pleasurable abiding in the body…..
--it is said the breath conditions the body ... as the breath becomes more easeful, more pleasant, these qualities begin to spread into the body....
-we begin to feel the "breath energy" moving in the body.....
-as we are cultivating the ease in the breath ... we notice the body in the background ... we notice how the breath conditions the body.....
-the quality of breath energy in the body.....
-as the breath energy in the body become more prominent ... we are ready to move to step three....
-the step includes.....
-expanding our mindfulness to include the entire body.....
-essentially we're being mindful of (a) the breath and (b) the body
-this is known as having an "enlarged awareness"
-as we expand the attention to the body we may be aware of....
-a general sense of the body
-certain parts of the body
-as we're aware of the full body we may notice areas of difficulty, pain ... at this point, we want to put those experiences to the side....
-we want to focus on the ease in the body.....
-cultivating the ease in the body....
-we put our attention specifically on the quality of ease, the breath energy in the body....
-we allow the breath energy to spread out.....
-then we move our awareness in to parts of the body where we may not have awareness ... we let the ease spread into these parts of the body....
-eventually we can allow the awareness/ease to spread into parts of the body where there is dis-ease....
-there are various ways of cultivating the spreading of the breath energy....
a) paying attention to parts of the body, where there is ease ... and then allowing the ease to spread from those parts of the body....
b) using scanning strategies, to enhance the spreading of the breath energy....
c) full body breathing, it's as if the whole body is breathing ... we can even note "whole body breathing in, whole body breathing out"....
-in this step we being to become aware of the quality of rapture (piti) in the body ... this is a pleasant energy....
-we notice the quality of pleasure (sukkha)....
-step four: maintaining mindfulness of the breath at one point….
-we stay with step three ... full body awareness ... for awhile .... and then shift back to mindfulness of the breath at one point.....
-we go back to the one pointed focus on the breath……
-at this stage, we may find that the breath may be quite easeful....
-we may find we don't need to put as much effort into directed thought and evaluation....
-as we stay with one point ... we can notice the body in the background....
-we may notice how the breath "feeds" the body with easeful energy.....
-the Buddha compares the breath to a spring at the bottom of a lake, filling the lake with cool fresh water.....
-at this point in the meditation, we are simply “maintaining” mindfulness of the breath….
-we might think of it as “resting” the mind on the breath…..
-as the mind rests on the breath, we may notice a quality of stillness, tranquility…..
.
-walking meditation…..
-walking meditation is an integral element of the breath meditation practice....
-in walking meditation we are learning to be mindful in “all postures”…..
-walking meditation supports our efforts to maintain concentration and present moment awareness in the course of our daily lives….
-by practicing walking meditation, we train ourselves to be in tune in all postures....
-it is suggested that we practice formal walking meditation practice every day....
-for at least a few minutes....
-the practice includes....
-walking back and forth ... 15-20 steps (or whatever works in your space)....
-walking in a natural fashion.....
-walking ... and finding the right pace ... the speed at which we can be present and in tune.....
-walking ... and finding a rhythm....
-being mindful of the breath....
-using directed thought....
-putting/keeping the mind on the breath somewhere in the lower part of the body (belly/chest/etc)....
-seeing if we can call up an easeful breath.....
-being mindful of the body.....
-seeing if we can call up the qualites of ease and internal pleasure.....
-in being mindful of the body ... we may be aware of the whole body....
-or we may be aware of certain areas of the body,,,,,
-in particular, areas where there is an easeful, pleasurable energy.....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: every day, practice formal walking meditation....
-for at least a few minutes.....
-as described above.....
-reading.....
-"Walking Meditation" from Skillful Pleasure.....
breath_meditation_walking_meditation.pdf |
I have said that the soul is not more than the body,
And I have said that the body is not more than the soul,
And nothing, not God, is greater to one than one’s self is,
And whoever walks a furlong without sympathy walks to his own funeral drest in his shroud,
And I or you pocketless of a dime may purchase the pick of the earth,
And to glance with an eye or show a bean in its pod confounds the learning of all times,
And there is no trade or employment but the young man following it may become a hero,
And there is no object so soft but it makes a hub for the wheel’d universe,
And I say to any man or woman, Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.
And I say to mankind, Be not curious about God,
For I who am curious about each am not curious about God,
(No array of terms can say how much I am at peace about God and about death.)
I hear and behold God in every object, yet understand God not in the least,
Nor do I understand who there can be more wonderful than myself.
Why should I wish to see God better than this day?
I see something of God each hour of the twenty-four, and each moment then,
In the faces of men and women I see God, and in my own face in the glass,
I find letters from God dropt in the street, and every one is sign’d by God’s name,
And I leave them where they are, for I know that wheresoe’er I go,
Others will punctually come for ever and ever.
(Walt Whitman/"Song of Myself" #48)
April 7
-"Touching In to the Heart"
-as dharma students we are resolved to taking care of the heart .....
-taking care of the heart is metta ... the expresssion of love.....
-in the Metta Sutta (Sn 1.8) the Buddha describes how we should take care of the heart: the way a mother would take care of her child ...
"As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings."
(Sn 1.8)
-as the Buddha teaches, we take care of the heart by....
1-abandoning that which is causing the heart to be afflicted, burdened...
2-cultivating the heart...
-cultivating the heart.....
-metta meditation....
-metta meditation is a formal meditation practice in which we cultivate the heart....
-specifically, the sublime abiding of metta/lovingkindness....
-lovingkindness is the baseline quality of the heart....
-when the heart is open, it shines with lovingkindness
-lovingkindness is expressed in our wish to be happy....
-and the wish we have for others, that they be happy....
-in using the word happiness, we're referring to the Buddha's happiness....
-the happiness inside....
-the happiness of the heart....
-the happiness of the heart that is free from its burdens.....
-not the happiness of the world, the happiness that comes from pleasure, gain, status, praise....
-in metta meditation, we seek to connect to the heart quality of metta….
-we seek to connect, specifically, to our wish to be happy….
-and our wish for others – all beings – that they be happy….
-there are two steps to the practice:
1-fabrication….
2-felt sense…..
-fabrication…..
-fabrication, essentially, is thinking.....
-we use fabrication to reflect on our wish to be happy (and our wish for others)…..
-we use thinking … or visual images…..
-the technical term is “internal verbal fabrication”…..
-we remind ourselves of our wish to be happy (and our wish for others)….
-modes of fabrication…..
-organic or general fabrication…..
-using words/phrases/sentences that help to remind you of your wish to be happy…..
-here, we are finding our own words....
-visualization…..
-reflecting on our wish to be happy we may want to use a visualization…..
-classically, we visualize a time when we experienced true happiness...
-typically, we choose a time when we were a child....
-phrases…..
-we can also use “metta” phrases to help us connect to the wish to be happy…..
-some examples of phrases:
-“may I be happy of heart…”
-“may I be safe and protected….”
-“may I be healthy and strong….”
-“may I live with ease….”
-“may I take care of myself happily….”
-felt sense….
-the use of fabrication leads to the arising of a felt sense in the heart center….
-a felt sense of our wish to be happy (and our wish for others)…..
-if/when the felt sense arises, we focus on the felt quality…..
-categories of beings…..
-in metta meditation, we reflect on our good wishes, for happiness, for six categories of beings:
-ourselves….
-benefactors….
-dear friends….
-neutral beings….
-difficult beings….
-all beings…..
-cultivating the heart in all postures: touching in to the heart....
-it is essential, in cultivating the heart, that we learn to do so in all postures, as we go through our days & nights....
-in the "natural meditation" context, the practice is mostly one of touching in to the heart....
-two basic modes in which we touch into the heart in all postures include:
1- general reflection....
2- cultivating skillful intention.....
-general reflection....
-in all postures, we remember our wish to be happy ... and the wish for all beings....
-at different moments, we remember, recollect the wish for happiness of heart....
-the process includes....
-fabrication.....
-we remind ourselves, uising fabrication, of the wish to be happy of heart....
-for ourselves...
-for all beings....
-as the Buddha teaches, we use just a few words ... we keep it simple....
-we find our own words.....
-felt sense....
-we touch in to the heart ... to a felt sense....
-in doing so, we may not feel anything ... but we incline to the heart center....
-skillful intention....
-as we go through our days, in all postures, when taking action, we cultivate skillful intention.....
-the process for cultivating skillful intention in all postures includes....
1-seeing what the mind is like….
-before we take action we look at the quality of the mind….
-what is the quality of our intention….?
-is our mind/intention imbued with unskillful qualities…?
-aversion....
-desire....
-is our mind/intention imbued wth skillful qualities…?
-lovingkindness....
-compassion....
-if the intention is unskillful … we seek to abandon the unskillful intention….
-if the intention is not skillful and we can’t abandon it, we may have to consider not taking the action….
2- setting skillful intention….
-before we act, we set a skillful intention….
-skillful intention is imbued with lovingkindness/compassion….
-the process for setting skillful intention includes….
a) fabrication….
-stating the intention, internally…
b) felt sense…..
-touching in to a felt sense of the heart….
3- acting….
-as we act, we continue to monitor the quality of our intention/action….
-if our intention has veered off into an unskillful state … we re-set the intention….
4-seeing the benefits…..
-after we act skillfully, we pay attention to the benefits that derive from having taken skillful action….
-short term benefits
-long term benefits
5-taking Joy…..
-after we act skillfully, we take joy in our skillful actions….
-we acknowledge our skillful action … the truth of our goodness….
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: every day, at least once, touch into the heart by practicing the general reflection, as described above....
-reading.....
-"Metta Meditation" from The Skill of Living.....
-"Touching In to the Heart"
-as dharma students we are resolved to taking care of the heart .....
-taking care of the heart is metta ... the expresssion of love.....
-in the Metta Sutta (Sn 1.8) the Buddha describes how we should take care of the heart: the way a mother would take care of her child ...
"As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings."
(Sn 1.8)
-as the Buddha teaches, we take care of the heart by....
1-abandoning that which is causing the heart to be afflicted, burdened...
2-cultivating the heart...
-cultivating the heart.....
-metta meditation....
-metta meditation is a formal meditation practice in which we cultivate the heart....
-specifically, the sublime abiding of metta/lovingkindness....
-lovingkindness is the baseline quality of the heart....
-when the heart is open, it shines with lovingkindness
-lovingkindness is expressed in our wish to be happy....
-and the wish we have for others, that they be happy....
-in using the word happiness, we're referring to the Buddha's happiness....
-the happiness inside....
-the happiness of the heart....
-the happiness of the heart that is free from its burdens.....
-not the happiness of the world, the happiness that comes from pleasure, gain, status, praise....
-in metta meditation, we seek to connect to the heart quality of metta….
-we seek to connect, specifically, to our wish to be happy….
-and our wish for others – all beings – that they be happy….
-there are two steps to the practice:
1-fabrication….
2-felt sense…..
-fabrication…..
-fabrication, essentially, is thinking.....
-we use fabrication to reflect on our wish to be happy (and our wish for others)…..
-we use thinking … or visual images…..
-the technical term is “internal verbal fabrication”…..
-we remind ourselves of our wish to be happy (and our wish for others)….
-modes of fabrication…..
-organic or general fabrication…..
-using words/phrases/sentences that help to remind you of your wish to be happy…..
-here, we are finding our own words....
-visualization…..
-reflecting on our wish to be happy we may want to use a visualization…..
-classically, we visualize a time when we experienced true happiness...
-typically, we choose a time when we were a child....
-phrases…..
-we can also use “metta” phrases to help us connect to the wish to be happy…..
-some examples of phrases:
-“may I be happy of heart…”
-“may I be safe and protected….”
-“may I be healthy and strong….”
-“may I live with ease….”
-“may I take care of myself happily….”
-felt sense….
-the use of fabrication leads to the arising of a felt sense in the heart center….
-a felt sense of our wish to be happy (and our wish for others)…..
-if/when the felt sense arises, we focus on the felt quality…..
-categories of beings…..
-in metta meditation, we reflect on our good wishes, for happiness, for six categories of beings:
-ourselves….
-benefactors….
-dear friends….
-neutral beings….
-difficult beings….
-all beings…..
-cultivating the heart in all postures: touching in to the heart....
-it is essential, in cultivating the heart, that we learn to do so in all postures, as we go through our days & nights....
-in the "natural meditation" context, the practice is mostly one of touching in to the heart....
-two basic modes in which we touch into the heart in all postures include:
1- general reflection....
2- cultivating skillful intention.....
-general reflection....
-in all postures, we remember our wish to be happy ... and the wish for all beings....
-at different moments, we remember, recollect the wish for happiness of heart....
-the process includes....
-fabrication.....
-we remind ourselves, uising fabrication, of the wish to be happy of heart....
-for ourselves...
-for all beings....
-as the Buddha teaches, we use just a few words ... we keep it simple....
-we find our own words.....
-felt sense....
-we touch in to the heart ... to a felt sense....
-in doing so, we may not feel anything ... but we incline to the heart center....
-skillful intention....
-as we go through our days, in all postures, when taking action, we cultivate skillful intention.....
-the process for cultivating skillful intention in all postures includes....
1-seeing what the mind is like….
-before we take action we look at the quality of the mind….
-what is the quality of our intention….?
-is our mind/intention imbued with unskillful qualities…?
-aversion....
-desire....
-is our mind/intention imbued wth skillful qualities…?
-lovingkindness....
-compassion....
-if the intention is unskillful … we seek to abandon the unskillful intention….
-if the intention is not skillful and we can’t abandon it, we may have to consider not taking the action….
2- setting skillful intention….
-before we act, we set a skillful intention….
-skillful intention is imbued with lovingkindness/compassion….
-the process for setting skillful intention includes….
a) fabrication….
-stating the intention, internally…
b) felt sense…..
-touching in to a felt sense of the heart….
3- acting….
-as we act, we continue to monitor the quality of our intention/action….
-if our intention has veered off into an unskillful state … we re-set the intention….
4-seeing the benefits…..
-after we act skillfully, we pay attention to the benefits that derive from having taken skillful action….
-short term benefits
-long term benefits
5-taking Joy…..
-after we act skillfully, we take joy in our skillful actions….
-we acknowledge our skillful action … the truth of our goodness….
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: every day, at least once, touch into the heart by practicing the general reflection, as described above....
-reading.....
-"Metta Meditation" from The Skill of Living.....
metta_meditation_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
Bhikkhus, whatever kinds of worldly merit there are, all are not worth one sixteenth part of the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness; in shining and beaming and radiance the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness far excels them.
Just as whatever light there is of stars, all is not worth one sixteenth part of the moon's; in shining and beaming and radiance the moon's light far excels it; and just as in the last month of the Rains, in the Autumn when the heavens are clear, the sun as it climbs the heavens drives all darkness from the sky with its shining and beaming and radiance; and just as, when night is turning to dawn, the morning star is shining and beaming and radiating; so too, whatever kinds of worldly merit there are, all are not worth one sixteenth part of the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness; in shining and beaming and radiance the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness far excels them.
(Iti 27)
Bhikkhus, when the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being, made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, then eleven blessings can be expected. What are the eleven?
A man sleeps in comfort; he wakes in comfort; he dreams no evil dreams; he is dear to human beings; he is dear to non-human beings; the gods guard him; no fire or poison or weapon harms him; his mind can be quickly concentrated; the expression of his face is serene; he dies without falling into confusion; and, even if he fails to penetrate any further, he will pass on to the world of High Divinity, to the Brahma world.
(AN 11.16)
Here, friends, a bhikkhu might say: "When the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made much of by me, used as my vehicle, used as my foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will nevertheless still invades my heart and remains." He should be told: "Not so. Let the worthy one not say so. Let him not misrepresent the Blessed One. It is not good to misrepresent the Blessed One. The Blessed One would not express it thus." Friends, it is impossible, it cannot happen, that when the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness is maintained in being and made much of, used as one's vehicle, used as one's foundation, established, consolidated, and properly managed, ill-will can invade the heart and remain; for this, that is to say, the heart-deliverance of loving-kindness, is the escape from ill-will.
(DN 33)
March 31
-"Taking Care of the Heart"
-as dharma students we are resolved to taking care of the heart .....
-taking care of the heart is metta ... the expresssion of love.....
-in the Metta Sutta (Sn 1.8) the Buddha describes how we should take care of the heart: the way a mother would take care of her child ...
"As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings."
(Sn 1.8)
-how we take care of the heart.....
-as the Buddha explains, the two main elements in taking care of the heart include....
1-association with admirable friends...
2-appropriate attention...
-association with admirable friends.....
-we associate with beings who take care of their hearts ... and who care about our hearts....
-in relationship....
-in relationship our task, in relating to others with metta, is to care about the hearts of others....
-to help others as they make the effort to take care of their hearts.....
--association with wise/compassionate beings.....
-beings who teach us/model how to have endurance....
-beings who support us/care for us when we meet difficulty.....
-appropriate attention.....
-in developing the skill of appropriate attention, we practice wise reflection....
-we look at what we're doing and we ask: am I taking care of the heart....?
-actions....
-in practicing appropriate attention, we're heedful of our actions....
-looking at our actions we ask....
-are my actions in support of the heart....?
-am I taking care of the heart....?
-are my actions bringing affliction to the heart....?
-thinking....
-in practicing appropriate attention, we're heedful of our mental actions/our thinking....
-looking at our thinking, we ask....
-is my thinking in support of the heart...?
-in thinking this way, am I taking care of the heart....?
-is my thinking bringing affliction to the heart....?
-four noble truths....
-in practicing appropriate attention, we're mindful of dukkha ... the state in which the heart is afflicted.....
-we're mindful of what we're doing ... how we're clinging; how we're holding on to the forms of desire & aversion....
-in comprehending dukkha, we're seeing that we're not taking care of the heart....
-we're causing afflction to the heart.....
-in comprehending dukkha, in being mindful of the state of the heart, we ask....
-is the heart afflicted....?
-why is the heart afflcted....? what am I doing that is bringing about afflction to the heart...?
-am clinging....? am I holding on to desire/aversion....?
-am I taking care of the heart ... or causing afflction....?
-what do I need to do to take care of the heart....?
-what do I need to do to alleviate the afflcted heart....?
-what do I need to do to know happiness of the heart....?
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: reflect, at least once every day, asking:
-how is the heart....?
-am I taking care of the heart...?
-reading.....
-"Skillful Action" from The Skill of Living.....
-"Taking Care of the Heart"
-as dharma students we are resolved to taking care of the heart .....
-taking care of the heart is metta ... the expresssion of love.....
-in the Metta Sutta (Sn 1.8) the Buddha describes how we should take care of the heart: the way a mother would take care of her child ...
"As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings."
(Sn 1.8)
-how we take care of the heart.....
-as the Buddha explains, the two main elements in taking care of the heart include....
1-association with admirable friends...
2-appropriate attention...
-association with admirable friends.....
-we associate with beings who take care of their hearts ... and who care about our hearts....
-in relationship....
-in relationship our task, in relating to others with metta, is to care about the hearts of others....
-to help others as they make the effort to take care of their hearts.....
--association with wise/compassionate beings.....
-beings who teach us/model how to have endurance....
-beings who support us/care for us when we meet difficulty.....
-appropriate attention.....
-in developing the skill of appropriate attention, we practice wise reflection....
-we look at what we're doing and we ask: am I taking care of the heart....?
-actions....
-in practicing appropriate attention, we're heedful of our actions....
-looking at our actions we ask....
-are my actions in support of the heart....?
-am I taking care of the heart....?
-are my actions bringing affliction to the heart....?
-thinking....
-in practicing appropriate attention, we're heedful of our mental actions/our thinking....
-looking at our thinking, we ask....
-is my thinking in support of the heart...?
-in thinking this way, am I taking care of the heart....?
-is my thinking bringing affliction to the heart....?
-four noble truths....
-in practicing appropriate attention, we're mindful of dukkha ... the state in which the heart is afflicted.....
-we're mindful of what we're doing ... how we're clinging; how we're holding on to the forms of desire & aversion....
-in comprehending dukkha, we're seeing that we're not taking care of the heart....
-we're causing afflction to the heart.....
-in comprehending dukkha, in being mindful of the state of the heart, we ask....
-is the heart afflicted....?
-why is the heart afflcted....? what am I doing that is bringing about afflction to the heart...?
-am clinging....? am I holding on to desire/aversion....?
-am I taking care of the heart ... or causing afflction....?
-what do I need to do to take care of the heart....?
-what do I need to do to alleviate the afflcted heart....?
-what do I need to do to know happiness of the heart....?
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: reflect, at least once every day, asking:
-how is the heart....?
-am I taking care of the heart...?
-reading.....
-"Skillful Action" from The Skill of Living.....
skill_of_living_skillful_action_pdf.pdf |
Karaniya Metta Sutta (Sn 1.8)
This is to be done by one skilled in aims
who wants to break through to the state of peace:
Be capable, upright, & straightforward,
easy to instruct, gentle, & not conceited,
content & easy to support,
with few duties, living lightly,
with peaceful faculties, masterful,
modest, & no greed for supporters.
Do not do the slightest thing
that the wise would later censure.
Think: Happy, at rest,
may all beings be happy at heart.
Whatever beings there may be,
weak or strong, without exception,
long, large,
middling, short,
subtle, blatant,
seen & unseen,
near & far,
born & seeking birth:
May all beings be happy at heart.
Let no one deceive another
or despise anyone anywhere,
or through anger or irritation
wish for another to suffer.
As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings.
With good will for the entire cosmos,
cultivate a limitless heart:
Above, below, & all around,
unobstructed, without enmity or hate.
Whether standing, walking,
sitting, or lying down,
as long as one is alert,
one should be resolved on this mindfulness.
This is called a sublime abiding
here & now.
Not taken with views,
but virtuous & consummate in vision,
having subdued desire for sensual pleasures,
one never again
will lie in the womb.
The Road is Your Footsteps (Antonio Machado)
Wanderer, the road is your
footsteps, nothing else; wanderer, there is no path,
you lay down a path in walking.
In walking, you lay down a path
and when turning around
you see the road you’ll
never step on again.
Wanderer, path there is none,
only tracks on the ocean foam.
March 24
-"Endurance"
-the path.....
-the path of the dharma is a spiritual path.....
-it is a path in which we seek to grow spiritually.....
-a basic element of a spiritual path includes developing the capacity to endure difficulty ...
-we have this capacity....
-as dharma students, we are developing it.....
-enduring difficulty.....
-as the Buddha teaches, there is difficulty, disagreeable experience in life....
-including the experience of aging, illness, death, & separation...
-as we go through life, we inevitably meet difficulty....
-blatant & subtle.....
-our habitual ways of meeting difficulty are often unskillful......
-we rebel against difficulty....
-we engage in aversion, disliking....
-we become preoccupied with the difficult experiences we encounter....
-as a result, we suffering/we experience dukkha/our hearts become afflicted....
-as dharma students, we learn to meet difficulty skillfully....
-in the face of difficulty/disaagreeable experience, we cultivate endurance....
-skillful endurance....
-endurance.....
-when we are developed in endurance, we are able to have a skillful relationship to difficult experience....
-the path....
-we develop many skills and skillful habits, in following the path, that enable us to have endurance in the face of difficulty....
-including.....
--association with wise/compassionate beings.....
-beings who teach us/model how to have endurance....
-beings who support us/care for us when we meet difficulty.....
--the cultivation of parami....
-we develop in skillful qualities such as generosity and virtue…
-in developing parami, we connect to joy ... in our goodness and in the world....this joy/brightness in the mind supports us in the face of difficulty.....
--the development of concentration/jhana.....
-we learn to have a pleasant abiding ... that we're able to keep the mind in, even when experience is difficult/disagreeable.....
--we develop in the quality of equanimity...
-non-reactivity.....
-spaciousness....
--wisdom....
-we learn to develop wisdom, by practicing wise reflection.....
-wise reflection.....
-the practice of wise reflection, in the face of difficulty/disagreeable experience, includes.....
--taking a step back.....
-equanimity enables us to take a step back, and, with space, acknowledge that our experience is disagreeable....
--recognizing that experience is disagreeable....
-we reflect, acknowledging that our experience is disagreeable....
--bringing insight....
-we reflect, reminding ourselves that disagreeable experience in a part of life....
-it is unavoidable....
-it is "the way things are".....
-in reflecting, we remember that this is the way it is for all beings....
-all beings experience difficulty/disagreeable experience.....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during the course of the day, when you meet a disagreeble experience, practice wise reflection ....
-as described above....
-try to reflect in this way at least once every day.....
-reading.....
-"A Mind Like the Earth" from The Skill of Living.....
-"Endurance"
-the path.....
-the path of the dharma is a spiritual path.....
-it is a path in which we seek to grow spiritually.....
-a basic element of a spiritual path includes developing the capacity to endure difficulty ...
-we have this capacity....
-as dharma students, we are developing it.....
-enduring difficulty.....
-as the Buddha teaches, there is difficulty, disagreeable experience in life....
-including the experience of aging, illness, death, & separation...
-as we go through life, we inevitably meet difficulty....
-blatant & subtle.....
-our habitual ways of meeting difficulty are often unskillful......
-we rebel against difficulty....
-we engage in aversion, disliking....
-we become preoccupied with the difficult experiences we encounter....
-as a result, we suffering/we experience dukkha/our hearts become afflicted....
-as dharma students, we learn to meet difficulty skillfully....
-in the face of difficulty/disaagreeable experience, we cultivate endurance....
-skillful endurance....
-endurance.....
-when we are developed in endurance, we are able to have a skillful relationship to difficult experience....
-the path....
-we develop many skills and skillful habits, in following the path, that enable us to have endurance in the face of difficulty....
-including.....
--association with wise/compassionate beings.....
-beings who teach us/model how to have endurance....
-beings who support us/care for us when we meet difficulty.....
--the cultivation of parami....
-we develop in skillful qualities such as generosity and virtue…
-in developing parami, we connect to joy ... in our goodness and in the world....this joy/brightness in the mind supports us in the face of difficulty.....
--the development of concentration/jhana.....
-we learn to have a pleasant abiding ... that we're able to keep the mind in, even when experience is difficult/disagreeable.....
--we develop in the quality of equanimity...
-non-reactivity.....
-spaciousness....
--wisdom....
-we learn to develop wisdom, by practicing wise reflection.....
-wise reflection.....
-the practice of wise reflection, in the face of difficulty/disagreeable experience, includes.....
--taking a step back.....
-equanimity enables us to take a step back, and, with space, acknowledge that our experience is disagreeable....
--recognizing that experience is disagreeable....
-we reflect, acknowledging that our experience is disagreeable....
--bringing insight....
-we reflect, reminding ourselves that disagreeable experience in a part of life....
-it is unavoidable....
-it is "the way things are".....
-in reflecting, we remember that this is the way it is for all beings....
-all beings experience difficulty/disagreeable experience.....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during the course of the day, when you meet a disagreeble experience, practice wise reflection ....
-as described above....
-try to reflect in this way at least once every day.....
-reading.....
-"A Mind Like the Earth" from The Skill of Living.....
mind_like_earth_skill_of_living_pdf.pdf |
"There are these five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained. Which five?
"'I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.' This is the first fact that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.
"'I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness.' ...
"'I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death.' ...
"'I will grow different, separate from all that is dear and appealing to me.' ...
"'I am the owner of my actions,[1] heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.' ...
"These are the five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.
************************************************
"Now, a disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one subject to aging, who has not gone beyond aging. To the extent that there are beings — past and future, passing away and re-arising — all beings are subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.' When he/she often reflects on this, the [factors of the] path take birth. He/she sticks with that path, develops it, cultivates it. As he/she sticks with that path, develops it and cultivates it, the fetters are abandoned, the obsessions destroyed.
"Further, a disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one subject to illness, who has not gone beyond illness.'... 'I am not the only one subject to death, who has not gone beyond death.'... 'I am not the only one who will grow different, separate from all that is dear and appealing to me.'...
"A disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one who is owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator; who — whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir. To the extent that there are beings — past and future, passing away and re-arising — all beings are the owner of their actions, heir to their actions, born of their actions, related through their actions, and have their actions as their arbitrator. Whatever they do, for good or for evil, to that will they fall heir.' When he/she often reflects on this, the [factors of the] path take birth. He/she sticks with that path, develops it, cultivates it. As he/she sticks with that path, develops it and cultivates it, the fetters are abandoned, the obsessions destroyed."
(AN 5.57)
"'It's through adversity that a person's endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning': Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said?
"There is the case where a person, suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, does not reflect: 'That's how it is when living together in the world. That's how it is when gaining a personal identity When there is living in the world, when there is the gaining of a personal identity ("self-state"), these eight worldly conditions spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions: gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, & pain.' Suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, he sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught. And then there is the case where a person, suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, reflects: 'That's how it is when living together in the world. That's how it is when gaining a personal identity. When there is living in the world, when there is the gaining of a personal identity, these eight worldly conditions spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions: gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, & pain.' Suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, he does not sorrow, grieve, or lament, does not beat his breast or become distraught.
"'It's through adversity that a person's endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning': Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said."
(AN 4.192)
The Labyrinth of Life (Margaret Walker)
I have come through the maze and the mystery of living
to this miraculous place of meaning
finding all things less than vanity
all values overlaid and blessed with truth and love and peace
having a small child’s hand to touch
a kiss to give across a wide abyss
and knowing magic of reconcilliation and hope;
To a place blessed with smiling
Shining beyond the brightness of noonday
and I lift my voice above a rising wind
to say I care
because I now declare
this place called Farish Street in sacred memory
to be one slice of life
one wheel of fortune a-turning in the wind
and as I go
a traveller through this labyrinth
I taste the bitter-sweet waters of Mara
and I look to the glory of the morning of all life.
AMEN. I say AMEN.
"'I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.' This is the first fact that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.
"'I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness.' ...
"'I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death.' ...
"'I will grow different, separate from all that is dear and appealing to me.' ...
"'I am the owner of my actions,[1] heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.' ...
"These are the five facts that one should reflect on often, whether one is a woman or a man, lay or ordained.
************************************************
"Now, a disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one subject to aging, who has not gone beyond aging. To the extent that there are beings — past and future, passing away and re-arising — all beings are subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.' When he/she often reflects on this, the [factors of the] path take birth. He/she sticks with that path, develops it, cultivates it. As he/she sticks with that path, develops it and cultivates it, the fetters are abandoned, the obsessions destroyed.
"Further, a disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one subject to illness, who has not gone beyond illness.'... 'I am not the only one subject to death, who has not gone beyond death.'... 'I am not the only one who will grow different, separate from all that is dear and appealing to me.'...
"A disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one who is owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator; who — whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir. To the extent that there are beings — past and future, passing away and re-arising — all beings are the owner of their actions, heir to their actions, born of their actions, related through their actions, and have their actions as their arbitrator. Whatever they do, for good or for evil, to that will they fall heir.' When he/she often reflects on this, the [factors of the] path take birth. He/she sticks with that path, develops it, cultivates it. As he/she sticks with that path, develops it and cultivates it, the fetters are abandoned, the obsessions destroyed."
(AN 5.57)
"'It's through adversity that a person's endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning': Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said?
"There is the case where a person, suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, does not reflect: 'That's how it is when living together in the world. That's how it is when gaining a personal identity When there is living in the world, when there is the gaining of a personal identity ("self-state"), these eight worldly conditions spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions: gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, & pain.' Suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, he sorrows, grieves, & laments, beats his breast, becomes distraught. And then there is the case where a person, suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, reflects: 'That's how it is when living together in the world. That's how it is when gaining a personal identity. When there is living in the world, when there is the gaining of a personal identity, these eight worldly conditions spin after the world, and the world spins after these eight worldly conditions: gain, loss, status, disgrace, censure, praise, pleasure, & pain.' Suffering loss of relatives, loss of wealth, or loss through disease, he does not sorrow, grieve, or lament, does not beat his breast or become distraught.
"'It's through adversity that a person's endurance may be known, and then only after a long period, not a short period; by one who is attentive, not by one who is inattentive; by one who is discerning, not by one who is not discerning': Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said."
(AN 4.192)
The Labyrinth of Life (Margaret Walker)
I have come through the maze and the mystery of living
to this miraculous place of meaning
finding all things less than vanity
all values overlaid and blessed with truth and love and peace
having a small child’s hand to touch
a kiss to give across a wide abyss
and knowing magic of reconcilliation and hope;
To a place blessed with smiling
Shining beyond the brightness of noonday
and I lift my voice above a rising wind
to say I care
because I now declare
this place called Farish Street in sacred memory
to be one slice of life
one wheel of fortune a-turning in the wind
and as I go
a traveller through this labyrinth
I taste the bitter-sweet waters of Mara
and I look to the glory of the morning of all life.
AMEN. I say AMEN.
March 17
-"Singleness of Mind"
-suffering & the end of suffering.....
-the Buddha said he taught 'suffering & the end of suffering'.....
-he often described the manifestation of suffering as the 'effluents'.....
-the effluents, or fermentation, are the outflow from the mind of thinking, particularly thinking that is afflictive, that takes us from the present moment....
-he often described the end of suffering as 'the ending of the effluents'.....
-ending the effluents.....
-we end the effluents by....
-developing the path, including the qualities of concentration....
-being mindfjul of suffering/dukkha...
-allowing wisdom to develop in the heart....
-our tendency may be to attempt to 'end the effluents' through thinking about our suffering ... trying to think our way out of suffering....
-but mostly we're simply using the untrained mind to 'fix' the untrained mind....
-as the teaching say, it's like trying to clean a dirty cloth with another dirty cloth....
-training the mind....
-to end suffering, we must train the mind....
-we must develop concentration....
-singleness of mind.....
-singleness of mind (singleness of preoccupation) is one of the essential qualities of concentration/jhana....
-singleness of mind is the ability to put the mind on a single object ... in meditation, the breath ... and to keep the mind there....
-we develop singleness of mind by following the steps for mindfulness of breathing.....
-step one is critical in developing singleness of mind....
-step one.....
-in the first step of breath meditation, we make an effort to put the mind on the breath ... and keep the mind on the breath....
-we use "directed thought" to keep the mind on the breath....
-we remind ourselves to keep the mind on the breath....
-we remind ourselves, in doing so, to stay in the present moment.....
-we remind ourselves to "be here".....
-in this step, we put the mind on the breath by....
-by using internal verbal fabrication (essentially, thinking) to direct our awareness to the breath....
-this process is specifically referred to in the teachings as: directed thought…
-we tell ourselves to "be mindful of the breath"....
-using whatever words or phrases or sentences work for us....
-or using visual images….
-key elements of step one and developing singleness of mind.....
1-put the mind in a good place.....
-feel the breath somewhere where the breath feels good....
2-be mindful of the breath "in & of itself"....
-put aside all other experience (sounds, sensations, etc).....
3-be proactive in using directed thought....
-keep reminding yourself, to the degree that it's necessary, to stay on the breath.....
4-practice with intent: see to it that your effort is informed by compassion/lovingkindness.....
-remember that you're staying with the breath, out of compassion/lovingkindness.....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: in your daily meditation, be mindful of the degree to which you're developed in singleness of mind....
-reading.....
1. The first jhana has five factors. (a) Directed thought (vitakka): Think of the breath until you can keep it in mind without getting distracted. (b) Singleness of preoccupation (ekaggatarammana): Keep the mind with the breath. Don't let it stray after other concepts or preoccupations. Watch over your thoughts so that they deal only with the breath to the point where the breath becomes comfortable. (The mind becomes one, at rest with the breath.) (c) Evaluation (vicara): Gain a sense of how to let this comfortable breath sensation spread and connect with the other breath sensations in the body. Let these breath sensations spread until they're interconnected all over the body. Once the body has been soothed by the breath, feelings of pain will grow calm. The body will be filled with good breath energy. (The mind is focused exclusively on issues connected with the breath.)
These three qualities must be brought together to bear on the same stream of breathing for the first jhana to arise. This stream of breathing can then take you all the way to the fourth jhana.
Directed thought, singleness of preoccupation, and evaluation act as the causes. When the causes are fully ripe, results will appear — (d) rapture (piti), a compelling sense of fullness and refreshment for body and mind, going straight to the heart, independent of all else; (e) pleasure (sukha), physical ease arising from the body's being still and unperturbed (kaya-passaddhi); mental contentment arising from the mind's being at ease on its own, undistracted, unperturbed, serene, and exultant (citta-passaddhi).
Rapture and pleasure are the results. The factors of the first jhana thus come down simply to two sorts: causes and results.
As rapture and pleasure grow stronger, the breath becomes more subtle. The longer you stay focused and absorbed, the more powerful the results become. This enables you to set directed thought and evaluation (the preliminary ground-clearing) aside, and — relying completely on a single factor, singleness of preoccupation — you enter the second jhana (magga-citta, phala-citta).
-Ajaan Lee (from "Jhana" in Keeping the Breath in Mind)
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, "I tell you, monks: It is for one who knows & sees that there is the ending of the effluents. For one who knows what & sees what is there the ending of the effluents? 'Such is form, such its origination, such its passing away. Such is feeling... Such is perception... Such are fabrications... Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its passing away.' It is for one who knows & sees in this way that there is the ending of the effluents.
"Even though this wish may occur to a monk who dwells without devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From lack of developing, it should be said. Lack of developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.
"Suppose a hen has eight, ten, or twelve eggs: If she doesn't cover them rightly, warm them rightly, or incubate them rightly, then even though this wish may occur to her — 'O that my chicks might break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely!' — still it is not possible that the chicks will break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely. Why is that? Because the hen has not covered them rightly, warmed them rightly, or incubated them rightly. In the same way, even though this wish may occur to a monk who dwells without devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From lack of developing, it should be said. Lack of developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.
"Even though this wish may not occur to a monk who dwells devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From developing, it should be said. Developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.
"Suppose a hen has eight, ten, or twelve eggs that she covers rightly, warms rightly, & incubates rightly: Even though this wish may not occur to her — 'O that my chicks might break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely!' — still it is possible that the chicks will break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely. Why is that? Because the hen has covered them, warmed them, & incubated them rightly. In the same way, even though this wish may not occur to a monk who dwells devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From developing, it should be said. Developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.
"Just as when a carpenter or carpenter's apprentice sees the marks of his fingers or thumb on the handle of his adze but does not know, 'Today my adze handle wore down this much, or yesterday it wore down that much, or the day before yesterday it wore down this much,' still he knows it is worn through when it is worn through. In the same way, when a monk dwells devoting himself to development, he does not know, 'Today my effluents wore down this much, or yesterday they wore down that much, or the day before yesterday they wore down this much,' still he knows they are worn through when they are worn through.
"Just as when an ocean-going ship, rigged with masts & stays, after six months on the water, is left on shore for the winter: Its stays, weathered by the heat & wind, moistened by the clouds of the rainy season, easily wither & rot away. In the same way, when a monk dwells devoting himself to development, his fetters easily wither & rot away."
("The Ship"/SN 22.101)
"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations (effluents). I discerned, as it had come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are fermentations... This is the origination of fermentations... This is the cessation of fermentations... This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.' My heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, was released from the fermentation of sensuality, released from the fermentation of becoming, released from the fermentation of ignorance. With release, there was the knowledge, 'Released.' I discerned that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'
"This was the third knowledge I attained in the third watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute."
(MN 19)
-"Singleness of Mind"
-suffering & the end of suffering.....
-the Buddha said he taught 'suffering & the end of suffering'.....
-he often described the manifestation of suffering as the 'effluents'.....
-the effluents, or fermentation, are the outflow from the mind of thinking, particularly thinking that is afflictive, that takes us from the present moment....
-he often described the end of suffering as 'the ending of the effluents'.....
-ending the effluents.....
-we end the effluents by....
-developing the path, including the qualities of concentration....
-being mindfjul of suffering/dukkha...
-allowing wisdom to develop in the heart....
-our tendency may be to attempt to 'end the effluents' through thinking about our suffering ... trying to think our way out of suffering....
-but mostly we're simply using the untrained mind to 'fix' the untrained mind....
-as the teaching say, it's like trying to clean a dirty cloth with another dirty cloth....
-training the mind....
-to end suffering, we must train the mind....
-we must develop concentration....
-singleness of mind.....
-singleness of mind (singleness of preoccupation) is one of the essential qualities of concentration/jhana....
-singleness of mind is the ability to put the mind on a single object ... in meditation, the breath ... and to keep the mind there....
-we develop singleness of mind by following the steps for mindfulness of breathing.....
-step one is critical in developing singleness of mind....
-step one.....
-in the first step of breath meditation, we make an effort to put the mind on the breath ... and keep the mind on the breath....
-we use "directed thought" to keep the mind on the breath....
-we remind ourselves to keep the mind on the breath....
-we remind ourselves, in doing so, to stay in the present moment.....
-we remind ourselves to "be here".....
-in this step, we put the mind on the breath by....
-by using internal verbal fabrication (essentially, thinking) to direct our awareness to the breath....
-this process is specifically referred to in the teachings as: directed thought…
-we tell ourselves to "be mindful of the breath"....
-using whatever words or phrases or sentences work for us....
-or using visual images….
-key elements of step one and developing singleness of mind.....
1-put the mind in a good place.....
-feel the breath somewhere where the breath feels good....
2-be mindful of the breath "in & of itself"....
-put aside all other experience (sounds, sensations, etc).....
3-be proactive in using directed thought....
-keep reminding yourself, to the degree that it's necessary, to stay on the breath.....
4-practice with intent: see to it that your effort is informed by compassion/lovingkindness.....
-remember that you're staying with the breath, out of compassion/lovingkindness.....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: in your daily meditation, be mindful of the degree to which you're developed in singleness of mind....
-reading.....
1. The first jhana has five factors. (a) Directed thought (vitakka): Think of the breath until you can keep it in mind without getting distracted. (b) Singleness of preoccupation (ekaggatarammana): Keep the mind with the breath. Don't let it stray after other concepts or preoccupations. Watch over your thoughts so that they deal only with the breath to the point where the breath becomes comfortable. (The mind becomes one, at rest with the breath.) (c) Evaluation (vicara): Gain a sense of how to let this comfortable breath sensation spread and connect with the other breath sensations in the body. Let these breath sensations spread until they're interconnected all over the body. Once the body has been soothed by the breath, feelings of pain will grow calm. The body will be filled with good breath energy. (The mind is focused exclusively on issues connected with the breath.)
These three qualities must be brought together to bear on the same stream of breathing for the first jhana to arise. This stream of breathing can then take you all the way to the fourth jhana.
Directed thought, singleness of preoccupation, and evaluation act as the causes. When the causes are fully ripe, results will appear — (d) rapture (piti), a compelling sense of fullness and refreshment for body and mind, going straight to the heart, independent of all else; (e) pleasure (sukha), physical ease arising from the body's being still and unperturbed (kaya-passaddhi); mental contentment arising from the mind's being at ease on its own, undistracted, unperturbed, serene, and exultant (citta-passaddhi).
Rapture and pleasure are the results. The factors of the first jhana thus come down simply to two sorts: causes and results.
As rapture and pleasure grow stronger, the breath becomes more subtle. The longer you stay focused and absorbed, the more powerful the results become. This enables you to set directed thought and evaluation (the preliminary ground-clearing) aside, and — relying completely on a single factor, singleness of preoccupation — you enter the second jhana (magga-citta, phala-citta).
-Ajaan Lee (from "Jhana" in Keeping the Breath in Mind)
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said, "I tell you, monks: It is for one who knows & sees that there is the ending of the effluents. For one who knows what & sees what is there the ending of the effluents? 'Such is form, such its origination, such its passing away. Such is feeling... Such is perception... Such are fabrications... Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its passing away.' It is for one who knows & sees in this way that there is the ending of the effluents.
"Even though this wish may occur to a monk who dwells without devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From lack of developing, it should be said. Lack of developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.
"Suppose a hen has eight, ten, or twelve eggs: If she doesn't cover them rightly, warm them rightly, or incubate them rightly, then even though this wish may occur to her — 'O that my chicks might break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely!' — still it is not possible that the chicks will break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely. Why is that? Because the hen has not covered them rightly, warmed them rightly, or incubated them rightly. In the same way, even though this wish may occur to a monk who dwells without devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From lack of developing, it should be said. Lack of developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.
"Even though this wish may not occur to a monk who dwells devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From developing, it should be said. Developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.
"Suppose a hen has eight, ten, or twelve eggs that she covers rightly, warms rightly, & incubates rightly: Even though this wish may not occur to her — 'O that my chicks might break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely!' — still it is possible that the chicks will break through the egg shells with their spiked claws or beaks and hatch out safely. Why is that? Because the hen has covered them, warmed them, & incubated them rightly. In the same way, even though this wish may not occur to a monk who dwells devoting himself to development — 'O that my mind might be released from effluents through lack of clinging!' — still his mind is released from the effluents through lack of clinging. Why is that? From developing, it should be said. Developing what? The four frames of reference, the four right exertions, the four bases of power, the five faculties, the five strengths, the seven factors for Awakening, the noble eightfold path.
"Just as when a carpenter or carpenter's apprentice sees the marks of his fingers or thumb on the handle of his adze but does not know, 'Today my adze handle wore down this much, or yesterday it wore down that much, or the day before yesterday it wore down this much,' still he knows it is worn through when it is worn through. In the same way, when a monk dwells devoting himself to development, he does not know, 'Today my effluents wore down this much, or yesterday they wore down that much, or the day before yesterday they wore down this much,' still he knows they are worn through when they are worn through.
"Just as when an ocean-going ship, rigged with masts & stays, after six months on the water, is left on shore for the winter: Its stays, weathered by the heat & wind, moistened by the clouds of the rainy season, easily wither & rot away. In the same way, when a monk dwells devoting himself to development, his fetters easily wither & rot away."
("The Ship"/SN 22.101)
"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations (effluents). I discerned, as it had come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are fermentations... This is the origination of fermentations... This is the cessation of fermentations... This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.' My heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, was released from the fermentation of sensuality, released from the fermentation of becoming, released from the fermentation of ignorance. With release, there was the knowledge, 'Released.' I discerned that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'
"This was the third knowledge I attained in the third watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute."
(MN 19)
March 10
-"Being Here for Life"
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear."
(Thoreau/Walden)
-step one.....
-in the first step of breath meditation, we make an effort to put the mind on the breath ... and keep the mind on the breath....
-we use "directed thought" to keep the mind on the breath....
-we remind ourselves to keep the mind on the breath....
-we remind ourselves, in doing so, to stay in the present moment.....
-we remind ourselves to "be here".....
-the basic elements of step one:.....
-breath meditation: step one: putting the mind on the breath
-in this step, we are establishing mindfulness of the breathing….
-mindfulness means to put the mind on ... and to keep the mind on....
-in this case we put the mind on the breath (the felt experience of the breath)....
-we put our attention on the breath at one point, one place….
-we put our attention on the breath where the breath feels good….
- it is important to be mindful of the breath where the breath feels good....
-for this reason, we should learn to be able to feel the breath at different places....
-so that if the place we typically feel the breath at doesn't feel good, we can use another place....
-here we are being mindful of the in-breath and the out-breath....
-in this step, we put the mind on the breath by....
-by using internal verbal fabrication (essentially, thinking) to direct our awareness to the breath....
-this process is specifically referred to in the teachings as: directed thought…
-we tell ourselves to "be mindful of the breath"....
-using whatever words or phrases or sentences work for us....
-or using visual images….
-at the beginning of the meditation/getting purchase on the breath…..
-at the start of meditation it is often a good idea to use mental noting in an effort to get purchase on the breath….
-mental noting….
-using some form of fabrication to keep focus on each breath…
-for instance, saying “in” with the inbreath … “out” with the outbreath….
-or saying, “mind” with the inbreath ... “full” with the outbreath….
-or, as the Thai Ajaans suggest … "Bhu … dho"…
-during the meditation….
-once we establish mindfulness of the breath, we can let go of mental noting …
-we keep the mind on the breath during the meditation by continuing to use internal verbal fabrication to direct our awareness to the breath....
-we keep telling ourselves to be mindful of the breath...
-we use whatever words helps us stay with the breath.....
-we remind ourselves to be present....
-this is a proactive approach....
-alertness....
-in practicing mindfulness of breathing it is essential that the mind is alert....
-alertness is clarity of awareness.....
-the alert quality in the mind is aware of what is happening….
-are we staying with the breath…?
-is the mind wandering…?
-as we meditate, we check to see that the mind is alert....
-we cultivate alertness in the mind by inclining to alertness....
-when mindfulness and alertness are developed, breath meditation flourishes.....
-ardency….
-in breath meditation, we practice “mindfulness, alertness & ardency”….
-in practicing ardency, we stay with it, we make an effort throughout the meditation to keep the mind on the breath….
-we continue to use directed thought….
-we continue to stay alert….
-in practicing ardency, we don’t “give in” to thinking….
-understanding that what we’re doing is important, that we’ll benefit greatly if we stay with the breath, we don’t allow ourselves to chase after thinking…..
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: in your daily meditation, in practicing step one, see about increasing your effort in using directed thought....
-reading.....
-"Where I Lived, and What I Lived For" (Thoreau/from Walden)
-"Step One" from The Skill of Living....
-"Being Here for Life"
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear."
(Thoreau/Walden)
-step one.....
-in the first step of breath meditation, we make an effort to put the mind on the breath ... and keep the mind on the breath....
-we use "directed thought" to keep the mind on the breath....
-we remind ourselves to keep the mind on the breath....
-we remind ourselves, in doing so, to stay in the present moment.....
-we remind ourselves to "be here".....
-the basic elements of step one:.....
-breath meditation: step one: putting the mind on the breath
-in this step, we are establishing mindfulness of the breathing….
-mindfulness means to put the mind on ... and to keep the mind on....
-in this case we put the mind on the breath (the felt experience of the breath)....
-we put our attention on the breath at one point, one place….
-we put our attention on the breath where the breath feels good….
- it is important to be mindful of the breath where the breath feels good....
-for this reason, we should learn to be able to feel the breath at different places....
-so that if the place we typically feel the breath at doesn't feel good, we can use another place....
-here we are being mindful of the in-breath and the out-breath....
-in this step, we put the mind on the breath by....
-by using internal verbal fabrication (essentially, thinking) to direct our awareness to the breath....
-this process is specifically referred to in the teachings as: directed thought…
-we tell ourselves to "be mindful of the breath"....
-using whatever words or phrases or sentences work for us....
-or using visual images….
-at the beginning of the meditation/getting purchase on the breath…..
-at the start of meditation it is often a good idea to use mental noting in an effort to get purchase on the breath….
-mental noting….
-using some form of fabrication to keep focus on each breath…
-for instance, saying “in” with the inbreath … “out” with the outbreath….
-or saying, “mind” with the inbreath ... “full” with the outbreath….
-or, as the Thai Ajaans suggest … "Bhu … dho"…
-during the meditation….
-once we establish mindfulness of the breath, we can let go of mental noting …
-we keep the mind on the breath during the meditation by continuing to use internal verbal fabrication to direct our awareness to the breath....
-we keep telling ourselves to be mindful of the breath...
-we use whatever words helps us stay with the breath.....
-we remind ourselves to be present....
-this is a proactive approach....
-alertness....
-in practicing mindfulness of breathing it is essential that the mind is alert....
-alertness is clarity of awareness.....
-the alert quality in the mind is aware of what is happening….
-are we staying with the breath…?
-is the mind wandering…?
-as we meditate, we check to see that the mind is alert....
-we cultivate alertness in the mind by inclining to alertness....
-when mindfulness and alertness are developed, breath meditation flourishes.....
-ardency….
-in breath meditation, we practice “mindfulness, alertness & ardency”….
-in practicing ardency, we stay with it, we make an effort throughout the meditation to keep the mind on the breath….
-we continue to use directed thought….
-we continue to stay alert….
-in practicing ardency, we don’t “give in” to thinking….
-understanding that what we’re doing is important, that we’ll benefit greatly if we stay with the breath, we don’t allow ourselves to chase after thinking…..
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: in your daily meditation, in practicing step one, see about increasing your effort in using directed thought....
-reading.....
-"Where I Lived, and What I Lived For" (Thoreau/from Walden)
-"Step One" from The Skill of Living....
step_one_reading.pdf |
When Death Comes (Mary Oliver)
When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn;
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse
to buy me, and snaps the purse shut;
when death comes
like the measle-pox
when death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,
I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?
And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,
and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,
and each name a comfortable music in the mouth,
tending, as all music does, toward silence,
and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.
When it's over, I want to say all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.
I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.
March 3
-"State of Grace"
-mindfulness of breathing.....
-through the practice of mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati), as taught by the Buddha, we develop concentration....
-specifically the kind of concentration known as jhana....
-as dharma students, we seek to develop the qualities of jhana.....
-singleness of mind....
-ease....
-pleasure....
-tranquility....
-equanimity.....
-heightened mind.....
-in cultivating the qualities of jhana, we develop the heightened mind ...
-mind that is able to observe.....
-with space.....
-with calmness....
-with the quality of vipassana (clear-seeing)....
-when we are established in the heightened mind, the breath is a vantage point from which we can observe our experience....
-when we are established in the heightened mind, we can observe our experience in the service of developing insight.....
-we are able to attend to the duties of the four noble truths
-four noble truths....
-with a heightened mind, we are able to practice in accord with the four noble truths....
-we are able to comprehend dukkha....
-we comprehend dukkha: the burdens on the heart....
-we comprehend clinging....
-we comprehend the impermanent/not-self nature of the object we are clinging to....
-the comprehension of dukkha ... leads to the abandonment of clinging....
-we are able to comprehend the cessation of clinging.....
-this is the duty of the third noble truth: to recognize the cessation of clinging....
-the state in which there is a cessation of clinging is the awakened state....
-the deathless state....
-nibbana....
-state of grace:.....
-we can think of this state of cessation as the state of grace....
-as dharma students, we learn to recognize grace....
-that there is a state of grace....
-gradually, as we develop concentration and the heightened mind.....
- we see more clearly this state of grace....
-akaliko....
-the state of grace is akaliko: everpresent....
-it is always there.....
-but we are cut off from seeing it ... by our preoccupations ... our clinging ... our desire & aversion ... liking & disliking....
-we are cut off from seeing grace by our preoccupation with.....
-sense pleasure....
-views and opionions....
-social conventions....
-self image/identity.....
-as we develop the heightened mind ... as we, in turn, lessen our precoccupation with that which we're clinging to.....
-we're more able to recognize the grace that is always there....
-the dhamma inside....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: every day, at least once, incline to knowing the state of grace....
-reading.....
-"At the Door of the Cage" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
It's not easy, but the results are more than you can imagine, better than you can imagine. Up to now you've been living in imaginary worlds, and look at where they've gotten you: not all that far. But if you learn to step outside them, you find that things are much wider open than you could have imagined. Even after just the first stages, when the mind settles down into states of concentration, you find that whatever presents itself as an object of discussion or elaboration of the mind, you can just say, "No, no, no, not interested." You can shoot it down, shoot it down, zap it out of your range of awareness. This yields a great sense of spaciousness. Even on just this level you begin to realize about this process we've been following for so long: "Maybe the Buddha's right; maybe there is a way out."
Every now and then we chant about having respect for concentration. Learn how to have respect for that quiet spot in the mind, the spot that's not creating any interesting ideas, not creating any interesting conversation. It's just a very quiet, still spot in the mind that hasn't yet settled down anywhere. Allow it to settle down on the breath, and just stay right there. Catch it if it seems to be moving off in any other direction. Bring it back. Learn how to freeze the mind at that spot. In other words, as soon as it seems to move to pick up something, just stop it, stop it, stop it, and then allow it to relax in that stopped position, and stay there. The mind may complain, "Well, there's nothing interesting going on here; this is pretty dumb." Okay, just let it complain, but don't listen to it. After a while, as you train yourself to grow comfortable with this quiet spot, you won't need to freeze yourself there. You find it natural simply to plug into it, for it's a good place to be.
Learn how to develop this skill — and it really is an important skill — this willingness to give up on your normal inner conversations and try something really new. It requires some imagination to try it. And it requires a lot of mindfulness and a lot of alertness to stay there because we're so good at creating little worlds right away, letting these things bubble up and flow out. The problem is they keep bubbling up and flowing out until they overwhelm you in a flood. The word asava, or outflows, effluents, fermentations: The list for these — sensuality, becoming, views, and ignorance — is the same as the list for the ogha, or floods, when the things that bubble out are allowed to drown the mind. Learn how to keep your head above water. Learn how to keep these fermentations in check.
If you're going to create something in the mind, then create this sense of stillness, this sense of centeredness, this sense of expansive awareness. Work at this, because what you're doing is taking those raw materials, taking your tendencies to create things, and turning them in the right direction. You're bringing those tendencies in line with the Dhamma, with the Dhamma that points outward. It says, "Look! Freedom lies in this direction."
You've tried lots of other things; why don't you really give this a serious try?
(Thanissaro Bhikkhu; Meditations 2)
Where water, earth,
fire, & wind
have no footing:
There the stars don't shine,
the sun isn't visible.
There the moon doesn't appear.
There darkness is not found.
And when a sage,
a brahman through sagacity,
has realized [this] for himself,
then from form & formless,
from bliss & pain,
he is freed.
(Ud. 1.10)
Sr. Patacara:
Washing my feet, I noticed
the
water.
And in watching it flow from high
to
low,
my heart was composed
like a fine thoroughbred steed.
Then taking a lamp, I entered the hut,
checked the bedding,
sat down on the bed.
And taking a pin, I pulled out the wick:
Like the flame's unbinding
was the liberation
of awareness.
(Thig. 5.10)
-"State of Grace"
-mindfulness of breathing.....
-through the practice of mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati), as taught by the Buddha, we develop concentration....
-specifically the kind of concentration known as jhana....
-as dharma students, we seek to develop the qualities of jhana.....
-singleness of mind....
-ease....
-pleasure....
-tranquility....
-equanimity.....
-heightened mind.....
-in cultivating the qualities of jhana, we develop the heightened mind ...
-mind that is able to observe.....
-with space.....
-with calmness....
-with the quality of vipassana (clear-seeing)....
-when we are established in the heightened mind, the breath is a vantage point from which we can observe our experience....
-when we are established in the heightened mind, we can observe our experience in the service of developing insight.....
-we are able to attend to the duties of the four noble truths
-four noble truths....
-with a heightened mind, we are able to practice in accord with the four noble truths....
-we are able to comprehend dukkha....
-we comprehend dukkha: the burdens on the heart....
-we comprehend clinging....
-we comprehend the impermanent/not-self nature of the object we are clinging to....
-the comprehension of dukkha ... leads to the abandonment of clinging....
-we are able to comprehend the cessation of clinging.....
-this is the duty of the third noble truth: to recognize the cessation of clinging....
-the state in which there is a cessation of clinging is the awakened state....
-the deathless state....
-nibbana....
-state of grace:.....
-we can think of this state of cessation as the state of grace....
-as dharma students, we learn to recognize grace....
-that there is a state of grace....
-gradually, as we develop concentration and the heightened mind.....
- we see more clearly this state of grace....
-akaliko....
-the state of grace is akaliko: everpresent....
-it is always there.....
-but we are cut off from seeing it ... by our preoccupations ... our clinging ... our desire & aversion ... liking & disliking....
-we are cut off from seeing grace by our preoccupation with.....
-sense pleasure....
-views and opionions....
-social conventions....
-self image/identity.....
-as we develop the heightened mind ... as we, in turn, lessen our precoccupation with that which we're clinging to.....
-we're more able to recognize the grace that is always there....
-the dhamma inside....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: every day, at least once, incline to knowing the state of grace....
-reading.....
-"At the Door of the Cage" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
It's not easy, but the results are more than you can imagine, better than you can imagine. Up to now you've been living in imaginary worlds, and look at where they've gotten you: not all that far. But if you learn to step outside them, you find that things are much wider open than you could have imagined. Even after just the first stages, when the mind settles down into states of concentration, you find that whatever presents itself as an object of discussion or elaboration of the mind, you can just say, "No, no, no, not interested." You can shoot it down, shoot it down, zap it out of your range of awareness. This yields a great sense of spaciousness. Even on just this level you begin to realize about this process we've been following for so long: "Maybe the Buddha's right; maybe there is a way out."
Every now and then we chant about having respect for concentration. Learn how to have respect for that quiet spot in the mind, the spot that's not creating any interesting ideas, not creating any interesting conversation. It's just a very quiet, still spot in the mind that hasn't yet settled down anywhere. Allow it to settle down on the breath, and just stay right there. Catch it if it seems to be moving off in any other direction. Bring it back. Learn how to freeze the mind at that spot. In other words, as soon as it seems to move to pick up something, just stop it, stop it, stop it, and then allow it to relax in that stopped position, and stay there. The mind may complain, "Well, there's nothing interesting going on here; this is pretty dumb." Okay, just let it complain, but don't listen to it. After a while, as you train yourself to grow comfortable with this quiet spot, you won't need to freeze yourself there. You find it natural simply to plug into it, for it's a good place to be.
Learn how to develop this skill — and it really is an important skill — this willingness to give up on your normal inner conversations and try something really new. It requires some imagination to try it. And it requires a lot of mindfulness and a lot of alertness to stay there because we're so good at creating little worlds right away, letting these things bubble up and flow out. The problem is they keep bubbling up and flowing out until they overwhelm you in a flood. The word asava, or outflows, effluents, fermentations: The list for these — sensuality, becoming, views, and ignorance — is the same as the list for the ogha, or floods, when the things that bubble out are allowed to drown the mind. Learn how to keep your head above water. Learn how to keep these fermentations in check.
If you're going to create something in the mind, then create this sense of stillness, this sense of centeredness, this sense of expansive awareness. Work at this, because what you're doing is taking those raw materials, taking your tendencies to create things, and turning them in the right direction. You're bringing those tendencies in line with the Dhamma, with the Dhamma that points outward. It says, "Look! Freedom lies in this direction."
You've tried lots of other things; why don't you really give this a serious try?
(Thanissaro Bhikkhu; Meditations 2)
Where water, earth,
fire, & wind
have no footing:
There the stars don't shine,
the sun isn't visible.
There the moon doesn't appear.
There darkness is not found.
And when a sage,
a brahman through sagacity,
has realized [this] for himself,
then from form & formless,
from bliss & pain,
he is freed.
(Ud. 1.10)
Sr. Patacara:
Washing my feet, I noticed
the
water.
And in watching it flow from high
to
low,
my heart was composed
like a fine thoroughbred steed.
Then taking a lamp, I entered the hut,
checked the bedding,
sat down on the bed.
And taking a pin, I pulled out the wick:
Like the flame's unbinding
was the liberation
of awareness.
(Thig. 5.10)
February 25
-"Commitment to the Heightend Mind"
-main points of the dhamma.....
-the Buddha, in the "Ovada Patimokkha," spoke about certain basic principles that dhamma students should follow ...
-as Ajaan Lee explains....
These guidelines, which apply to all of us, fall under six headings:
anupavado not disparaging
anupaghato not injuring (not hating others)
patimokkhe ca samvaro restraint in line with the Patimokkha (practicing in line with the precepts)
mattaññuta ca bhattasmim moderation in food (and in all sense pleasures)
pantañca sayanasanam dwelling in seclusion
adhicitte ca ayogo: .commitment to the heightened mind
(Ajaan Lee/"Dhamma for Everyonne")
-heightened mind.....
-as dharma students, we seek to develop the heightened mind ...
-the mind developed in the jhana qualities (rapture/pleasure/tranquility/equanimity)....
-mind that, established in equanimity, is able to observe.....
-with space.....
-with calmness....
-with the quality of vipassana (clear-seeing)....
-we develop the heightened mind through the practice of mindfulness of breathing....
-when we are established in the heightened mind, the breath is a vantage point from which we can observe our experience....
-when we are established in the heightened mind, we can observe our experience in the service of developing insight.....
-insight.....
-established in the heightened mind we are able to develop insight on the two levels: mundane & transcendent....
-mundane insight is the insight we develop in the course of our days, in practicing heedfulness of our actions.....
-transendent insight is the insight we develop by attending to the duties of the four noble truths.....
-heedfulness...
-with a heightened mind, we are able to practice heedfulness...
-we are able to pay attention to our actions....
-we are able to discern whether actions are unskillful (imbued with desire/aversion) ... or whether they are skillful (imbued with compassion/lovingkindness)....
-four noble truths....
-with a heightened mind, we are able to practice in accord with the four noble truths....
-we are able to comprehend dukkha....
-with a heightened mind we have vipassana.... clear seeing....
-we comprehend the burdens on the heart....
-we comprehend clinging....
-we comprehend the impermanent/not-self nature of the object we are clinging to....
-we comprehend the five clinging-aggregates....
-we comprehend the cessation of clinging ... the quality of nibbana.....
-reflection: what is our commitment to the heightened mind....?
-for dhamma students, this is an important reflection....
-are we commited to developing the heightend mind....?
-are we complacent in our practice.....?
-do we understand the importance of developing the heightened mind....?
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: explore, in meditation, and in all postures, what it means to have a heightened mind ....
-reading.....
-"Dhamma for Everyone" (Ajaan Lee)
"There are these three trainings. Which three? The training in heightened virtue, the training in heightened mind, the training in heightened discernment.
"And what is the training in heightened virtue? There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Pāṭimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest fault. This is called the training in heightened virtue.
"And what is the training in heightened mind? There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful [mental] qualities — enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is called the training in heightened mind.
"And what is the training in heightened discernment? There is the case where a monk discerns as it actually is that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.' This is called the training in heightened discernment.
"These are the three trainings."
(AN 3.88)
"Unflagging persistence was aroused in me, and unmuddled mindfulness established. My body was calm & unaroused, my mind concentrated & single. Quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, I entered & remained in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, I entered & remained in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture I remained in equanimity, mindful & alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure. I entered & remained in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — I entered & remained in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.
"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of recollecting my past lives. I recollected my manifold past lives, i.e., one birth, two... five, ten... fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand, many eons of cosmic contraction, many eons of cosmic expansion, many eons of cosmic contraction & expansion: 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus I remembered my manifold past lives in their modes & details.
"This was the first knowledge I attained in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute.
"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the passing away & reappearance of beings. I saw — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — beings passing away & re-appearing, and I discerned how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: 'These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech & mind, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, & mind, who did not revile the Noble Ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.' Thus — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — I saw beings passing away & re-appearing, and I discerned how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma.
"This was the second knowledge I attained in the second watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute.
"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations. I discerned, as it had come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are fermentations... This is the origination of fermentations... This is the cessation of fermentations... This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.' My heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, was released from the fermentation of sensuality, released from the fermentation of becoming, released from the fermentation of ignorance. With release, there was the knowledge, 'Released.' I discerned that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'
"This was the third knowledge I attained in the third watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute."
(MN 19)
-"Commitment to the Heightend Mind"
-main points of the dhamma.....
-the Buddha, in the "Ovada Patimokkha," spoke about certain basic principles that dhamma students should follow ...
-as Ajaan Lee explains....
These guidelines, which apply to all of us, fall under six headings:
anupavado not disparaging
anupaghato not injuring (not hating others)
patimokkhe ca samvaro restraint in line with the Patimokkha (practicing in line with the precepts)
mattaññuta ca bhattasmim moderation in food (and in all sense pleasures)
pantañca sayanasanam dwelling in seclusion
adhicitte ca ayogo: .commitment to the heightened mind
(Ajaan Lee/"Dhamma for Everyonne")
-heightened mind.....
-as dharma students, we seek to develop the heightened mind ...
-the mind developed in the jhana qualities (rapture/pleasure/tranquility/equanimity)....
-mind that, established in equanimity, is able to observe.....
-with space.....
-with calmness....
-with the quality of vipassana (clear-seeing)....
-we develop the heightened mind through the practice of mindfulness of breathing....
-when we are established in the heightened mind, the breath is a vantage point from which we can observe our experience....
-when we are established in the heightened mind, we can observe our experience in the service of developing insight.....
-insight.....
-established in the heightened mind we are able to develop insight on the two levels: mundane & transcendent....
-mundane insight is the insight we develop in the course of our days, in practicing heedfulness of our actions.....
-transendent insight is the insight we develop by attending to the duties of the four noble truths.....
-heedfulness...
-with a heightened mind, we are able to practice heedfulness...
-we are able to pay attention to our actions....
-we are able to discern whether actions are unskillful (imbued with desire/aversion) ... or whether they are skillful (imbued with compassion/lovingkindness)....
-four noble truths....
-with a heightened mind, we are able to practice in accord with the four noble truths....
-we are able to comprehend dukkha....
-with a heightened mind we have vipassana.... clear seeing....
-we comprehend the burdens on the heart....
-we comprehend clinging....
-we comprehend the impermanent/not-self nature of the object we are clinging to....
-we comprehend the five clinging-aggregates....
-we comprehend the cessation of clinging ... the quality of nibbana.....
-reflection: what is our commitment to the heightened mind....?
-for dhamma students, this is an important reflection....
-are we commited to developing the heightend mind....?
-are we complacent in our practice.....?
-do we understand the importance of developing the heightened mind....?
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: explore, in meditation, and in all postures, what it means to have a heightened mind ....
-reading.....
-"Dhamma for Everyone" (Ajaan Lee)
"There are these three trainings. Which three? The training in heightened virtue, the training in heightened mind, the training in heightened discernment.
"And what is the training in heightened virtue? There is the case where a monk is virtuous. He dwells restrained in accordance with the Pāṭimokkha, consummate in his behavior & sphere of activity. He trains himself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest fault. This is called the training in heightened virtue.
"And what is the training in heightened mind? There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful [mental] qualities — enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is called the training in heightened mind.
"And what is the training in heightened discernment? There is the case where a monk discerns as it actually is that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.' This is called the training in heightened discernment.
"These are the three trainings."
(AN 3.88)
"Unflagging persistence was aroused in me, and unmuddled mindfulness established. My body was calm & unaroused, my mind concentrated & single. Quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, I entered & remained in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, I entered & remained in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. With the fading of rapture I remained in equanimity, mindful & alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure. I entered & remained in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — I entered & remained in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.
"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of recollecting my past lives. I recollected my manifold past lives, i.e., one birth, two... five, ten... fifty, a hundred, a thousand, a hundred thousand, many eons of cosmic contraction, many eons of cosmic expansion, many eons of cosmic contraction & expansion: 'There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.' Thus I remembered my manifold past lives in their modes & details.
"This was the first knowledge I attained in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute.
"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the passing away & reappearance of beings. I saw — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — beings passing away & re-appearing, and I discerned how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: 'These beings — who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech & mind, who reviled the Noble Ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the plane of deprivation, the bad destination, the lower realms, in hell. But these beings — who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, & mind, who did not revile the Noble Ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views — with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in the good destinations, in the heavenly world.' Thus — by means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the human — I saw beings passing away & re-appearing, and I discerned how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma.
"This was the second knowledge I attained in the second watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute.
"When the mind was thus concentrated, purified, bright, unblemished, rid of defilement, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, I directed it to the knowledge of the ending of the mental fermentations. I discerned, as it had come to be, that 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the way leading to the cessation of stress... These are fermentations... This is the origination of fermentations... This is the cessation of fermentations... This is the way leading to the cessation of fermentations.' My heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, was released from the fermentation of sensuality, released from the fermentation of becoming, released from the fermentation of ignorance. With release, there was the knowledge, 'Released.' I discerned that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'
"This was the third knowledge I attained in the third watch of the night. Ignorance was destroyed; knowledge arose; darkness was destroyed; light arose — as happens in one who is heedful, ardent, & resolute."
(MN 19)
February 18
-"The Goodness of the Silence"
-seclusion.....
-as a dharma student, following the Buddha's path, we seek to take time for renunciatin & seclusion ...
-a daily meditation is an opportunity for seclusion....
-retreats offer deeper opportunities of for seclusion....
-in general, we seek to moderate our involvement with "the world' and "worldly things'....
-in seeking withdrawl from 'the world' ... we seek to limit our intake of the 'noise' of the world....
-the noise of sense experience such as media & technology....
-the noise of views & opinions....
-the noise of other beings....
-the noise we make in speaking.....
-seclusion provides for conditions that are conducive for awakening....
-for knowing the dhamma....
-for practicing the four noble truths....
-for being in tune with the heart....
-inner silence.....
-as dharma students, we develop in inner silence ...
-the practice of meditation enables us to develop in inner silence....
-inner silence is tranquility, calm, serenity, stillness.....
-tranquliity.....
-the practice of breath meditation, following the steps for mindfulness of breathing, leads to the development of tranquility....
-tranquility is the state in which the mind is less afflicted by unskillful thinking...
-we are less afflicted with 'greed & distress with reference to the world'...
-we are less afflicted with thoughts of our worldly lives (jobs/relationships/apartments)....
-we are less afflicted by views & opinions....
-when there is tranquility, the mind is still, calm ... there is a quality of silence in the mind....
-as the description of the states of meditation indicate, when concentration is develop, we put aside unskillful thinking....
And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered.
(MN 119)
-knowing silence......
-our practice is to develop tranquility/silence ... and to incline to sience ... to know silence....
-we learn to develop the perception of silence....
-in meditation....
-in all postures....
-silence is a quality that is everpresent.....
-it is always there....
-our task is to know it.....
-knowing the goodness of the silence.....
-we seek, in knowing silence, to know the blessing of silence....
-we learn, as we develop the perception of silence, in all postures, to recogize the goodness of silence....
-we learn to see that, in the silence, we are closer to the heart.....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, every day, during the course of the day, at least once, pause and develop the perception of silence ....
-reading.....
-"Dhamma for Everyone" (Ajaan Lee)
"There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.
"Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.' And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body.
"Furthermore, when walking, the monk discerns, 'I am walking.' When standing, he discerns, 'I am standing.' When sitting, he discerns, 'I am sitting.' When lying down, he discerns, 'I am lying down.' Or however his body is disposed, that is how he discerns it. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body.
"Furthermore, when going forward & returning, he makes himself fully alert; when looking toward & looking away... when bending & extending his limbs... when carrying his outer cloak, his upper robe & his bowl... when eating, drinking, chewing, & savoring... when urinating & defecating... when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, & remaining silent, he makes himself fully alert. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body."
(MN 119)
Keeping Quiet (Pablo Neruda)
Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still
for once on the face of the earth,
let's not speak in any language;
let's stop for a second,
and not move our arms so much.
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines;
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would not look at his hurt hands.
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victories with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about...
If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with
death.
Now I'll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.
-"The Goodness of the Silence"
-seclusion.....
-as a dharma student, following the Buddha's path, we seek to take time for renunciatin & seclusion ...
-a daily meditation is an opportunity for seclusion....
-retreats offer deeper opportunities of for seclusion....
-in general, we seek to moderate our involvement with "the world' and "worldly things'....
-in seeking withdrawl from 'the world' ... we seek to limit our intake of the 'noise' of the world....
-the noise of sense experience such as media & technology....
-the noise of views & opinions....
-the noise of other beings....
-the noise we make in speaking.....
-seclusion provides for conditions that are conducive for awakening....
-for knowing the dhamma....
-for practicing the four noble truths....
-for being in tune with the heart....
-inner silence.....
-as dharma students, we develop in inner silence ...
-the practice of meditation enables us to develop in inner silence....
-inner silence is tranquility, calm, serenity, stillness.....
-tranquliity.....
-the practice of breath meditation, following the steps for mindfulness of breathing, leads to the development of tranquility....
-tranquility is the state in which the mind is less afflicted by unskillful thinking...
-we are less afflicted with 'greed & distress with reference to the world'...
-we are less afflicted with thoughts of our worldly lives (jobs/relationships/apartments)....
-we are less afflicted by views & opinions....
-when there is tranquility, the mind is still, calm ... there is a quality of silence in the mind....
-as the description of the states of meditation indicate, when concentration is develop, we put aside unskillful thinking....
And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered.
(MN 119)
-knowing silence......
-our practice is to develop tranquility/silence ... and to incline to sience ... to know silence....
-we learn to develop the perception of silence....
-in meditation....
-in all postures....
-silence is a quality that is everpresent.....
-it is always there....
-our task is to know it.....
-knowing the goodness of the silence.....
-we seek, in knowing silence, to know the blessing of silence....
-we learn, as we develop the perception of silence, in all postures, to recogize the goodness of silence....
-we learn to see that, in the silence, we are closer to the heart.....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, every day, during the course of the day, at least once, pause and develop the perception of silence ....
-reading.....
-"Dhamma for Everyone" (Ajaan Lee)
"There is the case where a monk — having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building — sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding his body erect and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes in; mindful he breathes out.
"Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.' And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body.
"Furthermore, when walking, the monk discerns, 'I am walking.' When standing, he discerns, 'I am standing.' When sitting, he discerns, 'I am sitting.' When lying down, he discerns, 'I am lying down.' Or however his body is disposed, that is how he discerns it. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body.
"Furthermore, when going forward & returning, he makes himself fully alert; when looking toward & looking away... when bending & extending his limbs... when carrying his outer cloak, his upper robe & his bowl... when eating, drinking, chewing, & savoring... when urinating & defecating... when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, & remaining silent, he makes himself fully alert. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, any memories & resolves related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers & settles inwardly, grows unified & centered. This is how a monk develops mindfulness immersed in the body."
(MN 119)
Keeping Quiet (Pablo Neruda)
Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still
for once on the face of the earth,
let's not speak in any language;
let's stop for a second,
and not move our arms so much.
It would be an exotic moment
without rush, without engines;
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would not look at his hurt hands.
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
victories with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
What I want should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about...
If we were not so single-minded
about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could do nothing,
perhaps a huge silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with
death.
Now I'll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.
February 11
-"Concentration That Leads to Insight"
-concentration & insight.....
-in following the Buddha's path, we are developing concentration ...
-concentration is the heart of the path....
-the concentration we are learning to developed ... the concentration that leads to insight ... is known as jhana....
-if we are able to develop this concentration, insight will follow.... insight that leads to the freeing of the heart of its burdens ... insight that leads to happiness of heart....
-three key elements to developing concentration that leads to insight.....
1- developing mindfulness of the full body.....
2-developing an easeful, pleasureable abiding in the body....
3-maintaining mindfulness of the body & an easeful, pleasurable abiding in the body in all postures.....
-we develop these elements in practicing breath meditation ... following the basic steps ...
-we establish full body awareness & an easeful, pleaurable abiding in breath meditation....
-we maintiain these qualities in all postures (natural meditation).....
-walking meditation.....
-the practice of walking meditation helps us to develop the ability to maintain mindfulness of the body in all postures....
-it provides a bridge between formal sititng meditation and being mindful of the body in all postures (natural meditation)....
-the practice of walking meditation includes....
-walking back and forth ... 15-20 steps (or whatever works in your space)....
-it the Thai style, we walk easefully, naturally....
-we find a pace that allows us to be most present....
-being mindful of the breath......
-using directed thought....
-putting/keeping the mind on the breath somewhere in the lower part of the body (belly/chest/etc)....
-being alert....
-being ardent....
-as we practice, we can "call up" an easeful breath....
-being mindful of the body.....
-we can practice, in walking meditation, being mindful of the full body....
-as we practice, we can "call up" the easeful, pleasurable abiding in the body....
-reflection: what is my resolve to develop full body awarness in breath meditation....?
-reflection: what is my resolve to develop an easeful, pleasurable abiding in breath meditation practice....?
-reflection: do I make an effort to maintain mindfulness of the body ... .and a pleasant abiding ... in all postures....?
-reflection: what is my practice of walking meditation....?
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, practice walking meditation every day....
-for at least a few minutes....
-notice the benefits in terms of your ability to maintain mindfulness of the body in the course of the day.....
-reading.....
-"Walking Meditation" from Skillful Pleasure....
-"Concentration That Leads to Insight"
-concentration & insight.....
-in following the Buddha's path, we are developing concentration ...
-concentration is the heart of the path....
-the concentration we are learning to developed ... the concentration that leads to insight ... is known as jhana....
-if we are able to develop this concentration, insight will follow.... insight that leads to the freeing of the heart of its burdens ... insight that leads to happiness of heart....
-three key elements to developing concentration that leads to insight.....
1- developing mindfulness of the full body.....
2-developing an easeful, pleasureable abiding in the body....
3-maintaining mindfulness of the body & an easeful, pleasurable abiding in the body in all postures.....
-we develop these elements in practicing breath meditation ... following the basic steps ...
-we establish full body awareness & an easeful, pleaurable abiding in breath meditation....
-we maintiain these qualities in all postures (natural meditation).....
-walking meditation.....
-the practice of walking meditation helps us to develop the ability to maintain mindfulness of the body in all postures....
-it provides a bridge between formal sititng meditation and being mindful of the body in all postures (natural meditation)....
-the practice of walking meditation includes....
-walking back and forth ... 15-20 steps (or whatever works in your space)....
-it the Thai style, we walk easefully, naturally....
-we find a pace that allows us to be most present....
-being mindful of the breath......
-using directed thought....
-putting/keeping the mind on the breath somewhere in the lower part of the body (belly/chest/etc)....
-being alert....
-being ardent....
-as we practice, we can "call up" an easeful breath....
-being mindful of the body.....
-we can practice, in walking meditation, being mindful of the full body....
-as we practice, we can "call up" the easeful, pleasurable abiding in the body....
-reflection: what is my resolve to develop full body awarness in breath meditation....?
-reflection: what is my resolve to develop an easeful, pleasurable abiding in breath meditation practice....?
-reflection: do I make an effort to maintain mindfulness of the body ... .and a pleasant abiding ... in all postures....?
-reflection: what is my practice of walking meditation....?
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, practice walking meditation every day....
-for at least a few minutes....
-notice the benefits in terms of your ability to maintain mindfulness of the body in the course of the day.....
-reading.....
-"Walking Meditation" from Skillful Pleasure....
breath_meditation_walking_meditation.pdf |
"Walking Meditation" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
Simply talking a lot
doesn't maintain the Dhamma.
Whoever
— although he's heard next to nothing --
sees Dhamma through his body,
is not heedless of Dhamma:
he's one who maintains the Dhamma.
(Dhp 259)
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama's disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the body.
(Dhp 299)
“Whoever pervades the great ocean with his awareness encompasses whatever rivulets flow down into the ocean. In the same way, whoever develops & pursues mindfulness immersed in the body encompasses whatever skillful qualities are on the side of clear knowing.”
“When one thing is practiced & pursued, the body is calmed, the mind is calmed, thinking & evaluating are stilled, and all qualities on the side of clear knowing go to the culmination of their development. Which one thing? Mindfulness immersed in the body.”
“When one thing is practiced & pursued, ignorance is abandoned, clear knowing arises, the conceit ‘I am’ is abandoned, latent tendencies are uprooted, fetters are abandoned. Which one thing? Mindfulness immersed in the body.”
“Those who do not taste mindfulness of the body do not taste the Deathless. Those who taste mindfulness of the body taste the Deathless.”
“Those who are heedless of mindfulness of the body are heedless of the Deathless.”
“Those who comprehend mindfulness of the body comprehend the Deathless.”
(AN 1.225)
Simply talking a lot
doesn't maintain the Dhamma.
Whoever
— although he's heard next to nothing --
sees Dhamma through his body,
is not heedless of Dhamma:
he's one who maintains the Dhamma.
(Dhp 259)
They awaken, always wide awake:
Gotama's disciples
whose mindfulness, both day & night,
is constantly immersed
in the body.
(Dhp 299)
“Whoever pervades the great ocean with his awareness encompasses whatever rivulets flow down into the ocean. In the same way, whoever develops & pursues mindfulness immersed in the body encompasses whatever skillful qualities are on the side of clear knowing.”
“When one thing is practiced & pursued, the body is calmed, the mind is calmed, thinking & evaluating are stilled, and all qualities on the side of clear knowing go to the culmination of their development. Which one thing? Mindfulness immersed in the body.”
“When one thing is practiced & pursued, ignorance is abandoned, clear knowing arises, the conceit ‘I am’ is abandoned, latent tendencies are uprooted, fetters are abandoned. Which one thing? Mindfulness immersed in the body.”
“Those who do not taste mindfulness of the body do not taste the Deathless. Those who taste mindfulness of the body taste the Deathless.”
“Those who are heedless of mindfulness of the body are heedless of the Deathless.”
“Those who comprehend mindfulness of the body comprehend the Deathless.”
(AN 1.225)
February 4
-"Insight is Sensitivity"
"Mind begins at the level of feeling." (Antonio Damasio)
-most favorable state.....
-as the Buddha came to understand, the state in which we're most able to know the greatest happiness -the happiness of the heart- is the state in which the body is pervaded with ease & pleasure.....
-this is the bodily state that we seek to develop in practice mindfulness of breathing....
-it is the state the Buddha describes in his depiction of the qualites of concentration/jhana:
(First Jhana)
"There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal.”
(AN 5.28)
-the neuroscientist Antonio Damasio calls this the state of homeostatis.....
-it is a condition in which the nervous system is in a state regulation....
-as Damasio tells us, in a state of homeostasis, we are able to function effectively ... and we are able to thrive....
Homeostasis refers to the fundamental set of operations at the core of life, from the earliest and long-vanished point of its beginning in early biochemistry to the present. Homeostasis is the powerful, unthought, unspoken imperative, whose discharge implies, for every living organism, small or large, nothing less than enduring and prevailing. The part of the homeostatic imperative that concerns “enduring” is transparent: it produces survival and is taken for granted without any specific reference or reverence whenever the evolution of any organism or species is considered. The part of homeostasis that concerns “prevailing” is more subtle and rarely acknowledged. It ensures that life is regulated within a range that is not just compatible with survival but also conducive to flourishing, to a projection of life into the future of an organism or a species.
(Antonio Damasio from "The Strange Order of Things")
-disregulation....
-generally, we're in a disregulated state….
-the central nervous system is out of balance, out of harmony, in a state of dis-ease.....
-in following the Buddha's path, which leads to the most favorable state, the state in which we're able to awaken, we bring the body into a state of regulation by practicing mindfulness of breathing.....
-mindfulness of breathing…
-in the first step of mindfulness of breathing, we use directed thought to bring the attention to the breath....
-in the second step, we practice evaluation to cultivate an easeful breath.....
-in this step we begin to bring ourselves into a regulated state.....
-the breath that's easeful ... conditions ease in the body....
-in the third step, we cultivate allow the easeful "breath energy" to spread to the body....
-as the Buddha describes, we cultivate an easeful, pleasurable abiding....
-breath meditation: step two: cultivating an easeful breath…..
-the practice of step two is pivotal in cultivating an easeful abiding and bringing the body into a state of regulation ... a state in which we'll be able to know the happiness of heart....
-there are essentially two parts to step two….
-2a: evaluating the breath….
-2b: cultivating the easeful breath…..
-2a: evaluating the breath….
-we evaluate the breath: we observe the breath….
-we pay close attention to the full in-breath and out-breath….
-we observe the quality of the breath….
-we notice dis-ease in the breath …
-in this stage in the meditation we are developing discernment/analysis of qualities…..
-we are developing in sensitivity….
-as Thanissaro Bhikkhu notes, “insight is sensitivity”…..
-it is said that if we can develop our understanding of the breath … we can develop our understanding of the mind….
-if we can discern the quality of the breath; if we can discern dis-ease & ease … we can comprehend suffering & the end of suffering….
-dis-ease….
-the breath is a mirror of the mind…..
-if there is dis-ease in the mind … we can see this in the breath….
-seeing the dis-ease in the breath….
-since there is almost always dis-ease in the mind, there is almost always dis-ease in the breath, when we begin a period of meditation....
-as dharma students, we learn to discern the dis-ease in the breath…..
-seeing dis-ease.....
-we are developing sensitivity to the breath....
-to how the breath feels.....
-to see dis-ease in the breath … and to discern the quality of the breath in general …
-requires a mind that is settled….
-requires an alleviation of the hindrances….
-requires alertness…..
-requires resolve/intent….
-requires effort … persistence….
-intent & attention…..
-the development of step two asks that we have….
-intent….
-resolve to practice this step … to develop this ability to discern the quality of the breath….
-attention….
-paying full and close attention to the breath….
--2b: cultivating the easeful breath…..
-as the mind settles, as the hindrances abate … and as we discern dis-ease in the breath….
-the breath becomes more easeful….
-we discern the ease in the breath….
-cultivating the ease….
-as the ease in the breath become more noticeable, we cultivate the ease….
-we cultivate the ease by focusing on it…..
-we allow the easeful quality to pervade the breath…..
-four kinds of breath….
-as Ajaan Lee says, in any period of meditation, the most easeful breath might be….
-long in, short out….
-short in, long out….
-long in, long out….
-short in, short out….
-in any meditation, as we discern the ease in the breath, we may notice that one of these kinds of breath is the most easeful….
-seeing this, we allow ourselves to breath in this way…..
-we allow this easeful kind of breath to develop…..
-breath conditions body…..
-one of the most important cause & effect relationships in the path is: the breath conditions the body….
-when the breath is informed by dis-ease … it conditions dis-ease in the body…..
-when the breath is informed by ease … it conditions ease in the body….
-to develop the jhana qualities, which include ease & pleasure that pervades the body (see description)…..
-we have to develop the breath….
-it is important to develop an understanding of this cause & effect relationship….
-to this end, in meditation, we learn to pay close attention to this cause & effect relationship….
-reflection: what is my resolve, in my meditation, to practice step two....?
-reflection: do I understand the importance of developing step two, learning to practice evaluation of the breath....?
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, in each sitting, make an effort to practice step two....
-reading.....
-"The Most Favorable State" from Skillful Pleasure....
-"Insight is Sensitivity"
"Mind begins at the level of feeling." (Antonio Damasio)
-most favorable state.....
-as the Buddha came to understand, the state in which we're most able to know the greatest happiness -the happiness of the heart- is the state in which the body is pervaded with ease & pleasure.....
-this is the bodily state that we seek to develop in practice mindfulness of breathing....
-it is the state the Buddha describes in his depiction of the qualites of concentration/jhana:
(First Jhana)
"There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal.”
(AN 5.28)
-the neuroscientist Antonio Damasio calls this the state of homeostatis.....
-it is a condition in which the nervous system is in a state regulation....
-as Damasio tells us, in a state of homeostasis, we are able to function effectively ... and we are able to thrive....
Homeostasis refers to the fundamental set of operations at the core of life, from the earliest and long-vanished point of its beginning in early biochemistry to the present. Homeostasis is the powerful, unthought, unspoken imperative, whose discharge implies, for every living organism, small or large, nothing less than enduring and prevailing. The part of the homeostatic imperative that concerns “enduring” is transparent: it produces survival and is taken for granted without any specific reference or reverence whenever the evolution of any organism or species is considered. The part of homeostasis that concerns “prevailing” is more subtle and rarely acknowledged. It ensures that life is regulated within a range that is not just compatible with survival but also conducive to flourishing, to a projection of life into the future of an organism or a species.
(Antonio Damasio from "The Strange Order of Things")
-disregulation....
-generally, we're in a disregulated state….
-the central nervous system is out of balance, out of harmony, in a state of dis-ease.....
-in following the Buddha's path, which leads to the most favorable state, the state in which we're able to awaken, we bring the body into a state of regulation by practicing mindfulness of breathing.....
-mindfulness of breathing…
-in the first step of mindfulness of breathing, we use directed thought to bring the attention to the breath....
-in the second step, we practice evaluation to cultivate an easeful breath.....
-in this step we begin to bring ourselves into a regulated state.....
-the breath that's easeful ... conditions ease in the body....
-in the third step, we cultivate allow the easeful "breath energy" to spread to the body....
-as the Buddha describes, we cultivate an easeful, pleasurable abiding....
-breath meditation: step two: cultivating an easeful breath…..
-the practice of step two is pivotal in cultivating an easeful abiding and bringing the body into a state of regulation ... a state in which we'll be able to know the happiness of heart....
-there are essentially two parts to step two….
-2a: evaluating the breath….
-2b: cultivating the easeful breath…..
-2a: evaluating the breath….
-we evaluate the breath: we observe the breath….
-we pay close attention to the full in-breath and out-breath….
-we observe the quality of the breath….
-we notice dis-ease in the breath …
-in this stage in the meditation we are developing discernment/analysis of qualities…..
-we are developing in sensitivity….
-as Thanissaro Bhikkhu notes, “insight is sensitivity”…..
-it is said that if we can develop our understanding of the breath … we can develop our understanding of the mind….
-if we can discern the quality of the breath; if we can discern dis-ease & ease … we can comprehend suffering & the end of suffering….
-dis-ease….
-the breath is a mirror of the mind…..
-if there is dis-ease in the mind … we can see this in the breath….
-seeing the dis-ease in the breath….
-since there is almost always dis-ease in the mind, there is almost always dis-ease in the breath, when we begin a period of meditation....
-as dharma students, we learn to discern the dis-ease in the breath…..
-seeing dis-ease.....
-we are developing sensitivity to the breath....
-to how the breath feels.....
-to see dis-ease in the breath … and to discern the quality of the breath in general …
-requires a mind that is settled….
-requires an alleviation of the hindrances….
-requires alertness…..
-requires resolve/intent….
-requires effort … persistence….
-intent & attention…..
-the development of step two asks that we have….
-intent….
-resolve to practice this step … to develop this ability to discern the quality of the breath….
-attention….
-paying full and close attention to the breath….
--2b: cultivating the easeful breath…..
-as the mind settles, as the hindrances abate … and as we discern dis-ease in the breath….
-the breath becomes more easeful….
-we discern the ease in the breath….
-cultivating the ease….
-as the ease in the breath become more noticeable, we cultivate the ease….
-we cultivate the ease by focusing on it…..
-we allow the easeful quality to pervade the breath…..
-four kinds of breath….
-as Ajaan Lee says, in any period of meditation, the most easeful breath might be….
-long in, short out….
-short in, long out….
-long in, long out….
-short in, short out….
-in any meditation, as we discern the ease in the breath, we may notice that one of these kinds of breath is the most easeful….
-seeing this, we allow ourselves to breath in this way…..
-we allow this easeful kind of breath to develop…..
-breath conditions body…..
-one of the most important cause & effect relationships in the path is: the breath conditions the body….
-when the breath is informed by dis-ease … it conditions dis-ease in the body…..
-when the breath is informed by ease … it conditions ease in the body….
-to develop the jhana qualities, which include ease & pleasure that pervades the body (see description)…..
-we have to develop the breath….
-it is important to develop an understanding of this cause & effect relationship….
-to this end, in meditation, we learn to pay close attention to this cause & effect relationship….
-reflection: what is my resolve, in my meditation, to practice step two....?
-reflection: do I understand the importance of developing step two, learning to practice evaluation of the breath....?
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, in each sitting, make an effort to practice step two....
-reading.....
-"The Most Favorable State" from Skillful Pleasure....
skillful_pleasure_the_most_favorable_state.pdf |
-“Sensitivity All the Time” (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
"Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, brings the four frames of reference to their culmination. The four frames of reference, when developed & pursued, bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination. The seven factors for awakening, when developed & pursued, bring clear knowing & release to their culmination."
(MN 118)
A mind intent only on issues related to the breath, not pulling any other objects in to interfere, until the breath is refined, giving rise to fixed absorption and then liberating insight right there: This is Right Concentration.
To think of the breath is termed vitakka, directed thought. To adjust the breath and let it spread is called vicara, evaluation. When all aspects of the breath flow freely throughout the body, you feel full and refreshed in body and mind: This is piti, rapture. When body and mind are both at rest, you feel serene and at ease: This is sukha, pleasure. And once you feel pleasure, the mind is bound to stay snug with a single preoccupation and not go straying after any others: This is ekaggatarammana, singleness of preoccupation. These five factors form the beginning stage of Right Concentration.
(Ajaan Lee)
The body is like a tree: No tree is entirely perfect. At any one time it'll have new leaves and old leaves, green leaves and yellow, fresh leaves and dry. The dry leaves will fall away first, while those that are fresh will slowly dry out and fall away later. Some of the branches are long, some thick, and some small. The fruits aren't evenly distributed. The human body isn't really much different from this. Pleasure and pain aren't evenly distributed. The parts that ache and those that are comfortable are randomly mixed. You can't rely on it. So do your best to keep the comfortable parts comfortable. Don't worry about the parts that you can't make comfortable.
It's like going into a house where the floorboards are beginning to rot: If you want to sit down, don't choose a rotten spot. Choose a spot where the boards are still sound. In other words, the heart needn't concern itself with things that can't be controlled.
Or you can compare the body to a mango: If a mango has a rotten or a wormy spot, take a knife and cut it out. Eat just the good part remaining. If you're foolish enough to eat the wormy part, you're in for trouble. Your body is the same, and not just the body — the mind, too, doesn't always go as you'd like it to. Sometimes it's in a good mood, sometimes it's not. This is where you have to use as much thought and evaluation as possible.
Directed thought and evaluation are like doing a job. The job here is concentration: centering the mind in stillness. Focus the mind on a single object and then use your mindfulness and alertness to examine and reflect on it. If you use a meager amount of thought and evaluation, your concentration will give meager results. If you do a crude job, you'll get crude results. If you do a fine job, you'll get fine results. Crude results aren't worth much. Fine results are of high quality and are useful in all sorts of ways — like atomic radiation, which is so fine that it can penetrate even mountains. Crude things are of low quality and hard to use. Sometimes you can soak them in water all day long and they still don't soften up. But as for fine things, all they need is a little dampness in the air and they dissolve.
So it is with the quality of your concentration. If your thinking and evaluation are subtle, thorough, and circumspect, your "concentration work" will result in more and more stillness of mind. If your thinking and evaluation are slipshod and crude, you won't get much stillness. Your body will ache, and you'll feel restless and irritable. Once the mind can become very still, though, the body will be comfortable and at ease. Your heart will feel open and clear. Pains will disappear. The elements of the body will feel normal: The warmth in your body will be just right, neither too hot nor too cold. As soon as your work is finished, it'll result in the highest form of happiness and ease: nibbana — Liberation. But as long as you still have work to do, your heart won't get its full measure of peace. Wherever you go, there will always be something nagging at the back of your mind. Once your work is done, though, you can be carefree wherever you go.
If you haven't finished your job, it's because (1) you haven't set your mind on it and (2) you haven't actually done the work. You've shirked your duties and played truant. But if you really set your mind on doing the job, there's no doubt but that you'll finish it.
(Ajaan Lee)
January 28
-"Mindfulness of Doubt"
-mindfulness of the hindrances.....
-in breath meditation.....
-when we find ourselves having difficulty keeping the attention on the breath ... when we keep running off after thoughts, when we keep getting pulled away, and our ability to develop concentration is hindered, we must investigate to see what is obscuring our concentration ... the primary strategy for doing this is the five hindrances strategy....
-the five hindrances are factors of mind that inhibit concentration ... they include desire, aversion, sleepiness or dullness, restlessness, doubt ...
-desire … desire for sense pleasure (for instance, food/eating something….)….
-aversion … generally aversion to the meditation, some aspect of the meditation….
-dullness/sleepiness … includes dull mind, mind that is fading, sinking…..
-restlessness … generally entails profusion of thinking … begin swept off by currents of thinking … often random thinking….
-doubt … doubt in your ability to practice meditation … doubt in the path…..
-the way to practice mindfulness of the hindrances includes:
-when concentration is impaired....
-investigate to see which of the hindrances is obscuring concentration....
-see the hindrance.....
-be mindful of the hindrance: observe the hindrance....
-with space.....
-name the hindrance....
-when we name the hindrance, we strengthen the role of the observer ... we establish a subject/object relationship to the hindrance....
-note it as a hindrance (to concentration)...
-acknowledging the drawbacks in the hindrance…..
-leave the hindrance to the side....
-the unskillful quality (hindrance) may still be there ... we simply don't feed on it....
-return to the breath...
-restlessness & dullness….
-it is especially important to be mindful of the 'two hindrance' of restlessness & doubt.....
-we go into the hindrances of restlessness and/or dullness in an effort to avoid the present moment….
-these hindrances are rooted in delusion….
-in most sittings we’ll go into either restlessness or dullness in an effort to avoid the moment….
-working with dullness…..
-if the mind is dull and/or sleepy, it's important to bring up your energy ... try practicing with the eyes slightly open.....
-try reminding yourself of your intention.....
-cultivate ardency…..
-remember that what you’re doing, in making an effort to be present, is important/meaningful … a way to end suffering and know true happiness…..
-try asking: how can i breathe in a way that will help alleviate dullness....?
-try opening the awareness to the full body…..
-try ‘moving the energy’ through the body…..
-working with restlessness….
-if the mind is restless, if there is a profusion of thinking....
-make your mindfulness of the breath very one-pointed…..
-focus in on a small point….
-leave all other experience to the side…..
-use mental noting (ie, "in,out, in, out)...
-try asking: how can i breathe in a way that will help alleviate restlessness....?
-it may be useful to try a stronger … or faster … breath….
-triple arrow…..
-often when there is a hindrance, such as dullness or restlessness, we add on the “second arrow” of aversion … in other words, aversion to the hindrance … and the “third arrow” of doubt….
-it is important to notice when we add on these second and third arrows of aversion and doubt….
-in this spirit, it is important to learn to develop acceptance of the hindrances….
-recognizing that they are part of the process of making our way to the present moment…
-recognizing that as we make an effort to be present we will meet obstacles….
-mindfulness of doubt...
-as we make the journey to the present moment, there will be doubt...
-doubt in ourselves....
-doubt in the practice....
-it is helpful to remember that doubt is not completely abandoned until we reach the first level of awakening: stream-entry....
-the skill for practicing mindfulness of doubt includes:
-seeing doubt.....
-we may notice doubt on or off the meditation cushion.....
-we may notice doubt in the form of thoughts....
-voices in the the mind....
-we may also notice doubt as a felt sense in the body....
-a quality of dissonance....
-observing doubt with space....
-seeing doubt as doubt....
-cultivating the perception of doubt as doubt.....
-in this effort, it is useful to see doubt as simply "thinking" or "a voice in the mind"....
-in other words, simply a fabrication.....
-freedom from doubt.....
-since doubt is a state rooted in delusion, simply in seeing doubt, it loses power.....
-when we simply observe doubt, with space, we unhook from it to some degree....
-in turn, the doubt loses power.....
-when we're able to be mindful of doubt, with space, there is an opportunity for wisdom....
-the heart understands....
-that doubt is simply doubt ...
-that doubt is not useful....
-that it's a fabrication ... it's empty ... it doesn't have to be held on to....
-the heart understands.....
-that we can make the journey to the moment....
-we can develop the path....
-we can know a greater happiness......
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, make an effort to reflect on doubt....
-asking, is there doubt ... in myself ... in the path.....?
-asking, to what extent am I afflicted by doubt....?
-reading.....
-"Hindrances" from Skillful Pleasure....
-"Mindfulness of Doubt"
-mindfulness of the hindrances.....
-in breath meditation.....
-when we find ourselves having difficulty keeping the attention on the breath ... when we keep running off after thoughts, when we keep getting pulled away, and our ability to develop concentration is hindered, we must investigate to see what is obscuring our concentration ... the primary strategy for doing this is the five hindrances strategy....
-the five hindrances are factors of mind that inhibit concentration ... they include desire, aversion, sleepiness or dullness, restlessness, doubt ...
-desire … desire for sense pleasure (for instance, food/eating something….)….
-aversion … generally aversion to the meditation, some aspect of the meditation….
-dullness/sleepiness … includes dull mind, mind that is fading, sinking…..
-restlessness … generally entails profusion of thinking … begin swept off by currents of thinking … often random thinking….
-doubt … doubt in your ability to practice meditation … doubt in the path…..
-the way to practice mindfulness of the hindrances includes:
-when concentration is impaired....
-investigate to see which of the hindrances is obscuring concentration....
-see the hindrance.....
-be mindful of the hindrance: observe the hindrance....
-with space.....
-name the hindrance....
-when we name the hindrance, we strengthen the role of the observer ... we establish a subject/object relationship to the hindrance....
-note it as a hindrance (to concentration)...
-acknowledging the drawbacks in the hindrance…..
-leave the hindrance to the side....
-the unskillful quality (hindrance) may still be there ... we simply don't feed on it....
-return to the breath...
-restlessness & dullness….
-it is especially important to be mindful of the 'two hindrance' of restlessness & doubt.....
-we go into the hindrances of restlessness and/or dullness in an effort to avoid the present moment….
-these hindrances are rooted in delusion….
-in most sittings we’ll go into either restlessness or dullness in an effort to avoid the moment….
-working with dullness…..
-if the mind is dull and/or sleepy, it's important to bring up your energy ... try practicing with the eyes slightly open.....
-try reminding yourself of your intention.....
-cultivate ardency…..
-remember that what you’re doing, in making an effort to be present, is important/meaningful … a way to end suffering and know true happiness…..
-try asking: how can i breathe in a way that will help alleviate dullness....?
-try opening the awareness to the full body…..
-try ‘moving the energy’ through the body…..
-working with restlessness….
-if the mind is restless, if there is a profusion of thinking....
-make your mindfulness of the breath very one-pointed…..
-focus in on a small point….
-leave all other experience to the side…..
-use mental noting (ie, "in,out, in, out)...
-try asking: how can i breathe in a way that will help alleviate restlessness....?
-it may be useful to try a stronger … or faster … breath….
-triple arrow…..
-often when there is a hindrance, such as dullness or restlessness, we add on the “second arrow” of aversion … in other words, aversion to the hindrance … and the “third arrow” of doubt….
-it is important to notice when we add on these second and third arrows of aversion and doubt….
-in this spirit, it is important to learn to develop acceptance of the hindrances….
-recognizing that they are part of the process of making our way to the present moment…
-recognizing that as we make an effort to be present we will meet obstacles….
-mindfulness of doubt...
-as we make the journey to the present moment, there will be doubt...
-doubt in ourselves....
-doubt in the practice....
-it is helpful to remember that doubt is not completely abandoned until we reach the first level of awakening: stream-entry....
-the skill for practicing mindfulness of doubt includes:
-seeing doubt.....
-we may notice doubt on or off the meditation cushion.....
-we may notice doubt in the form of thoughts....
-voices in the the mind....
-we may also notice doubt as a felt sense in the body....
-a quality of dissonance....
-observing doubt with space....
-seeing doubt as doubt....
-cultivating the perception of doubt as doubt.....
-in this effort, it is useful to see doubt as simply "thinking" or "a voice in the mind"....
-in other words, simply a fabrication.....
-freedom from doubt.....
-since doubt is a state rooted in delusion, simply in seeing doubt, it loses power.....
-when we simply observe doubt, with space, we unhook from it to some degree....
-in turn, the doubt loses power.....
-when we're able to be mindful of doubt, with space, there is an opportunity for wisdom....
-the heart understands....
-that doubt is simply doubt ...
-that doubt is not useful....
-that it's a fabrication ... it's empty ... it doesn't have to be held on to....
-the heart understands.....
-that we can make the journey to the moment....
-we can develop the path....
-we can know a greater happiness......
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, make an effort to reflect on doubt....
-asking, is there doubt ... in myself ... in the path.....?
-asking, to what extent am I afflicted by doubt....?
-reading.....
-"Hindrances" from Skillful Pleasure....
breath_meditation_hindrances.pdf |
Abandoning the hindrances
"And what more is to be done? There is the case where a monk seeks out a secluded dwelling: a forest, the shade of a tree, a mountain, a glen, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a jungle grove, the open air, a heap of straw. After his meal, returning from his alms round, he sits down, crosses his legs, holds his body erect, and brings mindfulness to the fore.
"Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwells with an awareness devoid of covetousness. He cleanses his mind of covetousness. Abandoning ill will and anger, he dwells with an awareness devoid of ill will, sympathetic with the welfare of all living beings. He cleanses his mind of ill will and anger. Abandoning sloth and drowsiness, he dwells with an awareness devoid of sloth and drowsiness, mindful, alert, percipient of light. He cleanses his mind of sloth and drowsiness. Abandoning restlessness and anxiety, he dwells undisturbed, his mind inwardly stilled. He cleanses his mind of restlessness and anxiety. Abandoning uncertainty, he dwells having crossed over uncertainty, with no perplexity with regard to skillful mental qualities. He cleanses his mind of uncertainty.
"Suppose that a man, taking a loan, invests it in his business affairs. His business affairs succeed. He repays his old debts and has extra left over for maintaining his wife. The thought would occur to him, 'Before, taking a loan, I invested it in my business affairs. Now my business affairs have succeeded. I have repaid my old debts and have extra left over for maintaining my wife.' Because of that he would gain joy & experience happiness.
"Now suppose that a man falls sick — in pain & seriously ill. He does not enjoy his meals and has no measure of strength in his body. At a later time he is released from that sickness. He enjoys his meals and has a measure of strength in his body. The thought would occur to him, 'Before, I was sick... Now I am released from that sickness. I enjoy my meals and have a measure of strength in my body.' Because of that he would gain joy & experience happiness.
"Now suppose that a man is bound in prison. At a later time he is released from that bondage, safe & sound, with no loss of property. The thought would occur to him, 'Before, I was bound in prison. Now I am released from that bondage, safe & sound, with no loss of my property.' Because of that he would gain joy & experience happiness.
"Now suppose that a man, subject to others, not subject to himself, unable to go where he likes. At a later time he is released from that slavery, subject to himself, not subject to others, freed, able to go where he likes. The thought would occur to him, 'Before, I was a slave... Now I am released from that slavery, subject to myself, not subject to others, freed, able to go where I like.' Because of that he would gain joy & experience happiness.
"Now suppose that a man, carrying money & goods, is traveling by a road through desolate country. At a later time he emerges from that desolate country, safe & sound, with no loss of property. The thought would occur to him, 'Before, carrying money & goods, I was traveling by a road through desolate country. Now I have emerged from that desolate country, safe & sound, with no loss of my property.' Because of that he would gain joy & experience happiness.
In the same way, when these five hindrances are not abandoned in himself, the monk regards it as a debt, a sickness, a prison, slavery, a road through desolate country. But when these five hindrances are abandoned in himself, he regards it as unindebtedness, good health, release from prison, freedom, a place of security. Seeing that they have been abandoned within him, he becomes glad. Glad, he becomes enraptured. Enraptured, his body grows tranquil. His body tranquil, he is sensitive to pleasure. Feeling pleasure, his mind becomes concentrated."
(MN 39)
"Now suppose that a man desiring heartwood, in quest of heartwood, seeking heartwood, were to go into a forest carrying a sharp ax. There he would see a large banana tree: straight, young, of enormous height. He would cut it at the root and, having cut it at the root, would chop off the top. Having chopped off the top, he would peel away the outer skin. Peeling away the outer skin, he wouldn't even find sapwood, to say nothing of heartwood. Then a man with good eyesight would see it, observe it, & appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a banana tree? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any fabrications that are past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing them, observing them, & appropriately examining them — they would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in fabrications?"
(SN 22.95)
"Abandon what is unskillful, monks. It is possible to abandon what is unskillful. If it were not possible to abandon what is unskillful, I would not say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' But because it is possible to abandon what is unskillful, I say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' If this abandoning of what is unskillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.' But because this abandoning of what is unskillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, 'Abandon what is unskillful.'
"Develop what is skillful, monks. It is possible to develop what is skillful. If it were not possible to develop what is skillful, I would not say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' But because it is possible to develop what is skillful, I say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' If this development of what is skillful were conducive to harm and pain, I would not say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.' But because this development of what is skillful is conducive to benefit and pleasure, I say to you, 'Develop what is skillful.'"
(AN 2.19)
January 21
-"The Law"
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.
(Dhp 1)
-practice with love.....
-as dharma students, we learn to practice meditation with love....
-if we can learn to practice meditation with love, our meditation practice will develop, concentration will develop.....
-if we can learn to practice meditation with love, we can, in turn, learn to live with love, to take all the actions of our lives with love....
-meditation practice ….
-by following these steps, we can train ourselve to practice with love....
-seeing what the mind/attitude is like....
-abandoning unskillful intention/attitude....
-cultivating skillful intention/attitude....
-seeing what the mind is like....
-as we begin meditation we look to see what the mind is like....
-what is the quality of the intention/attitude....?
-is the intention/attitude skillful...? unskillful...?
-and as we meditation, throughout our meditation, we look to see what the intention/attitude is like.....
-what is the quality of the intention/attitude....?
-is the intention/attitude skillful...? unskillful...?
-abandoning unskillful intention/attitude...
-unskillful intention/attitude is informed by...
-aversion.....
-disliking where we are....
-aversion to the meditation in general, not wanting to practice.....
-aversion to how the body is....
-aversion to how the mind is....
-aversion to thinking....
-aversion to hindrances....
-dullness....
-restless miind....
-aversion to our difficulty in developing concentration.....
-wanting the meditation to be over.....
-desire.....
-wanting to be somewhere else.....
-wanting to achieve states of concentration.....
-wanting a certain kind of experience.....
-wanting to be a "good meditator".....
-delusion.....
-lack of interest in the meditation....
-dull, flat attitude.....
-we bring a simple awareness (ABC) to the unskillful intention/attitude....
-we observe it for a moment....
-we get some 'space' from it....
-and we cultivate a skillful intention/attitude....
-cultivating skillful intention/attitude...
-skillful intention/attitude is informed by...
-lovingkindness.....
-we culitivate an intention/attitude informed by lovingkindness by using....
-fabrication....
-we fabricate the intention to practice with lovingkindness....
-we use fabrication/thinking skillfully, not over thinking....
-we touch in.....
-felt sense....
-we touch in, if possible, a felt sense of our wish to be happy....
-moving beyond intellectual knowledged, we learn to feel the reflection in the body....
-compassion....
-if the meditation is difficulty, if we're caught in suffering/dukkha, we cultivate intention/attitude informed by compassion.........
-we move from "head to heart"....
-the way to the heart is through the body.....
-reflections.....
-reflection: what is the attitude with which I practice meditation...? is it skillful...? unskillful....?
-reflection: am I aware, in my meditation, of the quality of the intention/attitude....?
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: every day, in your daily meditation, set the intention, as described above, to practice with love....
-during the meditation, at least once, check to see what the attitude is .... if it's unskillful, abandon the unskillful intention ... and cultivate a skillful intention.....
-reading.....
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One, on a wandering tour among the Kosalans with a large community of monks, arrived at Kesaputta, a town of the Kalamas. The Kalamas of Kesaputta heard it said, "Gotama the contemplative — the son of the Sakyans, having gone forth from the Sakyan clan — has arrived at Kesaputta. And of that Master Gotama this fine reputation has spread: 'He is indeed a Blessed One, worthy, & rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, a knower of the cosmos, an unexcelled trainer of those persons ready to be tamed, teacher of human & divine beings, awakened, blessed. He has made known — having realized it through direct knowledge — this world with its devas, maras, & brahmas, its generations with their contemplatives & brahmans, their rulers & common people; has explained the Dhamma admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end; has expounded the holy life both in its particulars & in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure. It is good to see such a worthy one.'"
So the Kalamas of Kesaputta went to the Blessed One. On arrival, some of them bowed down to him and sat to one side. Some of them exchanged courteous greetings with him and, after an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, sat to one side. Some of them sat to one side having saluted him with their hands palm-to-palm over their hearts. Some of them sat to one side having announced their name & clan. Some of them sat to one side in silence.
As they sat there, the Kalamas of Kesaputta said to the Blessed One, "Lord, there are some brahmans & contemplatives who come to Kesaputta. They expound & glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, & disparage them. And then other brahmans & contemplatives come to Kesaputta. They expound & glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, & disparage them. They leave us absolutely uncertain & in doubt: Which of these venerable brahmans & contemplatives are speaking the truth, and which ones are lying?"
"Of course you are uncertain, Kalamas. Of course you are in doubt. When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. So in this case, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering' — then you should abandon them.
"What do you think, Kalamas? When greed arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For harm, lord."
"And this greedy person, overcome by greed, his mind possessed by greed, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."
"Yes, lord."
"Now, what do you think, Kalamas? When aversion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For harm, lord."
"And this aversive person, overcome by aversion, his mind possessed by aversion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."
"Yes, lord."
"Now, what do you think, Kalamas? When delusion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For harm, lord."
"And this deluded person, overcome by delusion, his mind possessed by delusion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."
"Yes, lord."
"So what do you think, Kalamas: Are these qualities skillful or unskillful?"
"Unskillful, lord."
"Blameworthy or blameless?"
"Blameworthy, lord."
"Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?"
"Criticized by the wise, lord."
"When adopted & carried out, do they lead to harm & to suffering, or not?"
"When adopted & carried out, they lead to harm & to suffering. That is how it appears to us."
"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering" — then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
"Now, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness' — then you should enter & remain in them.
"What do you think, Kalamas? When lack of greed arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For welfare, lord."
"And this ungreedy person, not overcome by greed, his mind not possessed by greed, doesn't kill living beings, take what is not given, go after another person's wife, tell lies, or induce others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term welfare & happiness."
"Yes, lord."
"What do you think, Kalamas? When lack of aversion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For welfare, lord."
"And this unaversive person, not overcome by aversion, his mind not possessed by aversion, doesn't kill living beings, take what is not given, go after another person's wife, tell lies, or induce others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term welfare & happiness."
"Yes, lord."
"What do you think, Kalamas? When lack of delusion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For welfare, lord."
"And this undeluded person, not overcome by delusion, his mind not possessed by delusion, doesn't kill living beings, take what is not given, go after another person's wife, tell lies, or induce others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term welfare & happiness."
"Yes, lord."
"So what do you think, Kalamas: Are these qualities skillful or unskillful?"
"Skillful, lord."
"Blameworthy or blameless?"
"Blameless, lord."
"Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?"
"Praised by the wise, lord."
"When adopted & carried out, do they lead to welfare & to happiness, or not?"
"When adopted & carried out, they lead to welfare & to happiness. That is how it appears to us."
"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness" — then you should enter & remain in them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
"Now, Kalamas, one who is a disciple of the noble ones — thus devoid of greed, devoid of ill will, undeluded, alert, & resolute — keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with good will. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will."
(AN 3.65)
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with a pure mind
And happiness will follow you
As your shadow, unshakable.
"Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed me."
Live with such thoughts and you live in hate.
"Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed me."
Abandon such thoughts, and live in love.
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.
You too shall pass away.
Knowing this,
how can you quarrel?
(Dhp 1)
I have lived on the lip of insanity,
wanting to know reasons,
knocking on a door.
It opens. I've been knocking
from the inside.
(Rumi)
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning;
At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall
And the children in the apple-tree
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half-heard, in the stillness
Between two waves of the sea.
Quick now, here, now, always–
A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything)
And all shall be well and
All manner of thing shall be well
When the tongues of flame are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire.
(TS Eliot/Four Quartets)
-"The Law"
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.
(Dhp 1)
-practice with love.....
-as dharma students, we learn to practice meditation with love....
-if we can learn to practice meditation with love, our meditation practice will develop, concentration will develop.....
-if we can learn to practice meditation with love, we can, in turn, learn to live with love, to take all the actions of our lives with love....
-meditation practice ….
-by following these steps, we can train ourselve to practice with love....
-seeing what the mind/attitude is like....
-abandoning unskillful intention/attitude....
-cultivating skillful intention/attitude....
-seeing what the mind is like....
-as we begin meditation we look to see what the mind is like....
-what is the quality of the intention/attitude....?
-is the intention/attitude skillful...? unskillful...?
-and as we meditation, throughout our meditation, we look to see what the intention/attitude is like.....
-what is the quality of the intention/attitude....?
-is the intention/attitude skillful...? unskillful...?
-abandoning unskillful intention/attitude...
-unskillful intention/attitude is informed by...
-aversion.....
-disliking where we are....
-aversion to the meditation in general, not wanting to practice.....
-aversion to how the body is....
-aversion to how the mind is....
-aversion to thinking....
-aversion to hindrances....
-dullness....
-restless miind....
-aversion to our difficulty in developing concentration.....
-wanting the meditation to be over.....
-desire.....
-wanting to be somewhere else.....
-wanting to achieve states of concentration.....
-wanting a certain kind of experience.....
-wanting to be a "good meditator".....
-delusion.....
-lack of interest in the meditation....
-dull, flat attitude.....
-we bring a simple awareness (ABC) to the unskillful intention/attitude....
-we observe it for a moment....
-we get some 'space' from it....
-and we cultivate a skillful intention/attitude....
-cultivating skillful intention/attitude...
-skillful intention/attitude is informed by...
-lovingkindness.....
-we culitivate an intention/attitude informed by lovingkindness by using....
-fabrication....
-we fabricate the intention to practice with lovingkindness....
-we use fabrication/thinking skillfully, not over thinking....
-we touch in.....
-felt sense....
-we touch in, if possible, a felt sense of our wish to be happy....
-moving beyond intellectual knowledged, we learn to feel the reflection in the body....
-compassion....
-if the meditation is difficulty, if we're caught in suffering/dukkha, we cultivate intention/attitude informed by compassion.........
-we move from "head to heart"....
-the way to the heart is through the body.....
-reflections.....
-reflection: what is the attitude with which I practice meditation...? is it skillful...? unskillful....?
-reflection: am I aware, in my meditation, of the quality of the intention/attitude....?
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: every day, in your daily meditation, set the intention, as described above, to practice with love....
-during the meditation, at least once, check to see what the attitude is .... if it's unskillful, abandon the unskillful intention ... and cultivate a skillful intention.....
-reading.....
I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One, on a wandering tour among the Kosalans with a large community of monks, arrived at Kesaputta, a town of the Kalamas. The Kalamas of Kesaputta heard it said, "Gotama the contemplative — the son of the Sakyans, having gone forth from the Sakyan clan — has arrived at Kesaputta. And of that Master Gotama this fine reputation has spread: 'He is indeed a Blessed One, worthy, & rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, a knower of the cosmos, an unexcelled trainer of those persons ready to be tamed, teacher of human & divine beings, awakened, blessed. He has made known — having realized it through direct knowledge — this world with its devas, maras, & brahmas, its generations with their contemplatives & brahmans, their rulers & common people; has explained the Dhamma admirable in the beginning, admirable in the middle, admirable in the end; has expounded the holy life both in its particulars & in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure. It is good to see such a worthy one.'"
So the Kalamas of Kesaputta went to the Blessed One. On arrival, some of them bowed down to him and sat to one side. Some of them exchanged courteous greetings with him and, after an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, sat to one side. Some of them sat to one side having saluted him with their hands palm-to-palm over their hearts. Some of them sat to one side having announced their name & clan. Some of them sat to one side in silence.
As they sat there, the Kalamas of Kesaputta said to the Blessed One, "Lord, there are some brahmans & contemplatives who come to Kesaputta. They expound & glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, & disparage them. And then other brahmans & contemplatives come to Kesaputta. They expound & glorify their own doctrines, but as for the doctrines of others, they deprecate them, revile them, show contempt for them, & disparage them. They leave us absolutely uncertain & in doubt: Which of these venerable brahmans & contemplatives are speaking the truth, and which ones are lying?"
"Of course you are uncertain, Kalamas. Of course you are in doubt. When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. So in this case, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering' — then you should abandon them.
"What do you think, Kalamas? When greed arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For harm, lord."
"And this greedy person, overcome by greed, his mind possessed by greed, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."
"Yes, lord."
"Now, what do you think, Kalamas? When aversion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For harm, lord."
"And this aversive person, overcome by aversion, his mind possessed by aversion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."
"Yes, lord."
"Now, what do you think, Kalamas? When delusion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For harm, lord."
"And this deluded person, overcome by delusion, his mind possessed by delusion, kills living beings, takes what is not given, goes after another person's wife, tells lies, and induces others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term harm & suffering."
"Yes, lord."
"So what do you think, Kalamas: Are these qualities skillful or unskillful?"
"Unskillful, lord."
"Blameworthy or blameless?"
"Blameworthy, lord."
"Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?"
"Criticized by the wise, lord."
"When adopted & carried out, do they lead to harm & to suffering, or not?"
"When adopted & carried out, they lead to harm & to suffering. That is how it appears to us."
"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering" — then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
"Now, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness' — then you should enter & remain in them.
"What do you think, Kalamas? When lack of greed arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For welfare, lord."
"And this ungreedy person, not overcome by greed, his mind not possessed by greed, doesn't kill living beings, take what is not given, go after another person's wife, tell lies, or induce others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term welfare & happiness."
"Yes, lord."
"What do you think, Kalamas? When lack of aversion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For welfare, lord."
"And this unaversive person, not overcome by aversion, his mind not possessed by aversion, doesn't kill living beings, take what is not given, go after another person's wife, tell lies, or induce others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term welfare & happiness."
"Yes, lord."
"What do you think, Kalamas? When lack of delusion arises in a person, does it arise for welfare or for harm?"
"For welfare, lord."
"And this undeluded person, not overcome by delusion, his mind not possessed by delusion, doesn't kill living beings, take what is not given, go after another person's wife, tell lies, or induce others to do likewise, all of which is for long-term welfare & happiness."
"Yes, lord."
"So what do you think, Kalamas: Are these qualities skillful or unskillful?"
"Skillful, lord."
"Blameworthy or blameless?"
"Blameless, lord."
"Criticized by the wise or praised by the wise?"
"Praised by the wise, lord."
"When adopted & carried out, do they lead to welfare & to happiness, or not?"
"When adopted & carried out, they lead to welfare & to happiness. That is how it appears to us."
"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness" — then you should enter & remain in them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.
"Now, Kalamas, one who is a disciple of the noble ones — thus devoid of greed, devoid of ill will, undeluded, alert, & resolute — keeps pervading the first direction [the east] — as well as the second direction, the third, & the fourth — with an awareness imbued with good will. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, & all around, everywhere & in every respect the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good will: abundant, expansive, immeasurable, free from hostility, free from ill will."
(AN 3.65)
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with an impure mind
And trouble will follow you
As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart.
We are what we think.
All that we are arises with our thoughts.
With our thoughts we make the world.
Speak or act with a pure mind
And happiness will follow you
As your shadow, unshakable.
"Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed me."
Live with such thoughts and you live in hate.
"Look how he abused me and hurt me,
How he threw me down and robbed me."
Abandon such thoughts, and live in love.
In this world
Hate never yet dispelled hate.
Only love dispels hate.
This is the law,
Ancient and inexhaustible.
You too shall pass away.
Knowing this,
how can you quarrel?
(Dhp 1)
I have lived on the lip of insanity,
wanting to know reasons,
knocking on a door.
It opens. I've been knocking
from the inside.
(Rumi)
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning;
At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall
And the children in the apple-tree
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half-heard, in the stillness
Between two waves of the sea.
Quick now, here, now, always–
A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything)
And all shall be well and
All manner of thing shall be well
When the tongues of flame are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire.
(TS Eliot/Four Quartets)
January 14
-"The Window"
-window: “an interval or opportunity for action”
Those who have come to be,
those who will be:
All
will go,
leaving the body behind.
The skillful person,
realizing the loss of all,
should live the holy life
ardently.
(Ud 5.2)
-sense of urgency ….
-we have a small window in which to practice the dharma.....
-to develop our meditation practice....
-to free the heart of its burdens....
-to realize true happiness....
-our time, in this life, is short....
-we have a limited amount of time, a small window, in which to know a true happiness....
-as we grow older, it may be more difficult to practice....
-as we become afflicted with illness, it may be more difficult to practice......
-therefore, we should practice now, while we have this window.....
-developing a sense of urgency...
-as dharma students, we develop a sense of urgency by reflecting on...
-the truth of our suffering/dukkha.....
-the truth of death....
-mindfulness of death....
-in practicing mindfulness of death, we are remembering that all beings die, that we are going to die.....
-the practice of mindfulness of death includes these steps....
-fabrication....
-we use fabrication -thinking- to remind ourselves that we are going to die....
-we use fabrication skillfully, not over thinking....
-felt sense....
-we develop a felt sense of our reflection....
-moving beyond intellectual knowledged, we learn to feel the reflection in the body....
-knowing....
-gradually, we know the truth -that we are going to die- in the heart.....
-we move from "head to heart"....
-the way to the heart is through the body.....
-mindfulness of death & meditation practice....
-reflection on our practice....
-as we reflect on our practice, we remind ourselves that our time is short, in which to practice....
-we practice a general reflection....
-we reflect from day to day as we consider our practice....
-as we consider our daily practice, we remember that our time is short in which to develop our meditation.....
-in meditation....
-in our meditation, as we are practicing, we make an effort to remember that our time is short.....
-we use fabrication....
-we touch in to this remembrance....
-we remind ourselves to stay with the breath ... that time is short in which to do this....
-we remind ourselves to not give in to thinking & hindrances ... that time is short in which to develop our meditation....
-we remind ourselves to stay alert ... that time is short, there is a small window that we've been given in which to develop concentration and free the heart of its burdens......
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, every day, in your daily meditation, remind yourself, at least one time, that you have only a limited amount of time in which to practice in this life, that you are going to die and your time is short.....
-a good time, in the meditation, to do this is when you are chasing after thoughts or when you are caught in a hindrance.....
-reading.....
-"The Simile of the Mountains" (SN 3.25)
At Rajagaha. As he was standing to one side, Uttara the deva's son recited this verse in the Blessed One's presence:
Life is swept along,
next-to-nothing its span.
For one swept on by aging
no shelters exist.
Perceiving this danger in death,
one should do deeds of merit
that bring about bliss.
[The Buddha:]
Life is swept along,
next-to-nothing its span.
For one swept to old age
no shelters exist.
Perceiving this danger in death,
one should drop the world's bait
and look for peace.
(SN 2.19)
Get up!
Sit up!
What's your need for sleep?
And what sleep is there for the afflicted,
pierced by the arrow,
oppressed?
Get up!
Sit up!
Train firmly for the sake of peace,
Don't let the king of death,
— seeing you heedless --
deceive you,
bring you under his sway.
Cross over the attachment
to which human & heavenly beings,
remain desiring
tied.
Don't let the moment pass by.
Those for whom the moment is past
grieve, consigned to hell.
Heedless is
dust, dust
comes from heedlessness
has heedlessness
on its heels.
Through heedfulness & clear knowing
you'd remove
your own sorrow.
(Sn 2.10)
Don’t Go Back to Sleep (Rumi)
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.
The Water Wheel (Rumi)
Stay together, friends.
Don’t scatter and sleep.
Our friendship is made
of being awake.
The waterwheel accepts water
and turns and gives it away,
weeping.
That way it stays in the garden,
whereas another roundness
rolls through a dry riverbed looking
for what it thinks it wants.
Stay here, quivering with each moment
like a drop of mercury.
-"The Window"
-window: “an interval or opportunity for action”
Those who have come to be,
those who will be:
All
will go,
leaving the body behind.
The skillful person,
realizing the loss of all,
should live the holy life
ardently.
(Ud 5.2)
-sense of urgency ….
-we have a small window in which to practice the dharma.....
-to develop our meditation practice....
-to free the heart of its burdens....
-to realize true happiness....
-our time, in this life, is short....
-we have a limited amount of time, a small window, in which to know a true happiness....
-as we grow older, it may be more difficult to practice....
-as we become afflicted with illness, it may be more difficult to practice......
-therefore, we should practice now, while we have this window.....
-developing a sense of urgency...
-as dharma students, we develop a sense of urgency by reflecting on...
-the truth of our suffering/dukkha.....
-the truth of death....
-mindfulness of death....
-in practicing mindfulness of death, we are remembering that all beings die, that we are going to die.....
-the practice of mindfulness of death includes these steps....
-fabrication....
-we use fabrication -thinking- to remind ourselves that we are going to die....
-we use fabrication skillfully, not over thinking....
-felt sense....
-we develop a felt sense of our reflection....
-moving beyond intellectual knowledged, we learn to feel the reflection in the body....
-knowing....
-gradually, we know the truth -that we are going to die- in the heart.....
-we move from "head to heart"....
-the way to the heart is through the body.....
-mindfulness of death & meditation practice....
-reflection on our practice....
-as we reflect on our practice, we remind ourselves that our time is short, in which to practice....
-we practice a general reflection....
-we reflect from day to day as we consider our practice....
-as we consider our daily practice, we remember that our time is short in which to develop our meditation.....
-in meditation....
-in our meditation, as we are practicing, we make an effort to remember that our time is short.....
-we use fabrication....
-we touch in to this remembrance....
-we remind ourselves to stay with the breath ... that time is short in which to do this....
-we remind ourselves to not give in to thinking & hindrances ... that time is short in which to develop our meditation....
-we remind ourselves to stay alert ... that time is short, there is a small window that we've been given in which to develop concentration and free the heart of its burdens......
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, every day, in your daily meditation, remind yourself, at least one time, that you have only a limited amount of time in which to practice in this life, that you are going to die and your time is short.....
-a good time, in the meditation, to do this is when you are chasing after thoughts or when you are caught in a hindrance.....
-reading.....
-"The Simile of the Mountains" (SN 3.25)
At Rajagaha. As he was standing to one side, Uttara the deva's son recited this verse in the Blessed One's presence:
Life is swept along,
next-to-nothing its span.
For one swept on by aging
no shelters exist.
Perceiving this danger in death,
one should do deeds of merit
that bring about bliss.
[The Buddha:]
Life is swept along,
next-to-nothing its span.
For one swept to old age
no shelters exist.
Perceiving this danger in death,
one should drop the world's bait
and look for peace.
(SN 2.19)
Get up!
Sit up!
What's your need for sleep?
And what sleep is there for the afflicted,
pierced by the arrow,
oppressed?
Get up!
Sit up!
Train firmly for the sake of peace,
Don't let the king of death,
— seeing you heedless --
deceive you,
bring you under his sway.
Cross over the attachment
to which human & heavenly beings,
remain desiring
tied.
Don't let the moment pass by.
Those for whom the moment is past
grieve, consigned to hell.
Heedless is
dust, dust
comes from heedlessness
has heedlessness
on its heels.
Through heedfulness & clear knowing
you'd remove
your own sorrow.
(Sn 2.10)
Don’t Go Back to Sleep (Rumi)
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.
The Water Wheel (Rumi)
Stay together, friends.
Don’t scatter and sleep.
Our friendship is made
of being awake.
The waterwheel accepts water
and turns and gives it away,
weeping.
That way it stays in the garden,
whereas another roundness
rolls through a dry riverbed looking
for what it thinks it wants.
Stay here, quivering with each moment
like a drop of mercury.
January 7
-"The Joy in Knowing Dukkha"
-journey of awakening ….
-the Buddha's description of the journey of awakening includes these elemental steps.....
-suffering....
-the recognition of suffering (dukkha).....
-conviction....
-in the end of suffering ... and the path that leads to the end of suffering.....
-skillful action.....
-taking action informed by metta & compassion...
-including, generosity & ethical conduct....
-joy.....
-appreciation....
-concentration....
-the cultivation of the qualities of jhana....
-discernment....
-release from clinging/suffering....
-suffering....
-when we recognize our suffering, we're motivated to follow the spiritual path....
-to begin the path....
-to continue forward, on the path
-dukkha....
-the Pali word most often translated as suffering or stress is: dukkha....
-dukkha is a specific kind of suffering....
-mental suffering....
-it's cause by clinging....
-clinging is rooted in desire & aversion....
-dukkha is the condition in which the heart is blocked, burdened.....
-heart.....
-the heart, or citta, is the place of wisdom, compassion, love, goodness....
-it is where we find the dhamma within....
-it is a "real thing" ... in other words, not a conceptual notion....
-as the Thai ajaans, tell us, it is located in the body, in middle of the upper part of the chest....
-first noble truth.....
-the first noble truth is to comprehend dukkha....
-it should be considered an action that we're meant to take.....
-in taking this action, we bring awareness to the state of dukkha ... to our clinging ... as it is felt in the body....
-we bring awareness to this condition in which the heart is blocked, burdened.....
-in practicing the first noble truth.....
-we bring awarenes to the truth....
-the truth of our dukkha ... the way the heart is blocked....
-the truth of the depth of our dukkha ... the degree to which the heart is blocked...
-compassion....
-as we bring awareness to dukkha, in a skillful way, there is compassion.....
-the heart responds with compassion....
-in turn, we know joy....
-the joy comes when we connect to the heart ... to the dhamma....
-joy.....
-as we bring awareness to dukkha, to the heart that is burdened, we know joy....
-the joy that comes from touching into the heart quality of compassion....
-the joy that comes when there is a simple awareness of our experience...
-it is joyful when there is just awareness; in those moments we know non-clinging....
-in those moments, we touch into what it is like to be free from dukkha....
-the joy that comes when we are in tune with the dhamma....
-in tune with the truth.....
-in accord with the practice the Buddha laid out....
-the joy that arises when we begin to comprehend our "problem"....
-we experience joy, when we realize what the "problem" is....
-we experience joy, as we realize, in turn, that there is way out of our pain & suffering....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, every day, at least one time, for a moment (no more than 5 seconds), turn to your dukkha.....
-bring a simple awareness to it, as it manifests as a felt sense in the body.....
-label it: for instance: "there's dukkha" ... or: "the heart is blocked".......
-cultivate compassion....
-notice what it's like when you're able to bring a simple awarness to dukkha.....
-reading.....
-"The Weight of Mountains" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said: "From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating & wandering on. What do you think, monks: Which is greater, the tears you have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — or the water in the four great oceans?"
"As we understand the Dhamma taught to us by the Blessed One, this is the greater: the tears we have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — not the water in the four great oceans."
"Excellent, monks. Excellent. It is excellent that you thus understand the Dhamma taught by me.
"This is the greater: the tears you have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — not the water in the four great oceans."
(SN 15.3)
"Furthermore, there is the case where a monk might say, 'Although compassion has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken by me as my awareness-release, still viciousness keeps overpowering my mind.' He should be told, 'Don't say that. You shouldn't speak in that way. Don't misrepresent the Blessed One, for it's not right to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One wouldn't say that. It's impossible, there is no way that — when compassion has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken as an awareness-release — viciousness would still keep overpowering the mind. That possibility doesn't exist, for this is the escape from viciousness: compassion as an awareness-release.'"
(AN 6.13)
When the citta enters into a deep state of calm and concentration, the conscious awareness that is normally diffused throughout the body simultaneously converges from all areas of the body into one central point of focus at the middle of the chest. The knowing quality manifests itself prominently at that point. It does not emanate from the brain. Although the faculties of memorization and learning arise in association with the brain, direct knowledge of the truth does not. Step by step, beginning with the initial stages of samadhi practice, progress in meditation is experienced and understood in the heart – and only the heart. This is where the truth lies, and the meditator who practices correctly knows this each step of the way. When it comes to understanding the true nature of all phenomona, the brain is not a factor – it is not useful at all. The citta’s serene and radiant qualities are experienced at the heart. They emanate conspicuously from that point. All of the citta’s myriad aspects, from the grossest to the most subtle, are experienced clearly from this central spot.
(Ajaan Maha Boowa)
-"The Joy in Knowing Dukkha"
-journey of awakening ….
-the Buddha's description of the journey of awakening includes these elemental steps.....
-suffering....
-the recognition of suffering (dukkha).....
-conviction....
-in the end of suffering ... and the path that leads to the end of suffering.....
-skillful action.....
-taking action informed by metta & compassion...
-including, generosity & ethical conduct....
-joy.....
-appreciation....
-concentration....
-the cultivation of the qualities of jhana....
-discernment....
-release from clinging/suffering....
-suffering....
-when we recognize our suffering, we're motivated to follow the spiritual path....
-to begin the path....
-to continue forward, on the path
-dukkha....
-the Pali word most often translated as suffering or stress is: dukkha....
-dukkha is a specific kind of suffering....
-mental suffering....
-it's cause by clinging....
-clinging is rooted in desire & aversion....
-dukkha is the condition in which the heart is blocked, burdened.....
-heart.....
-the heart, or citta, is the place of wisdom, compassion, love, goodness....
-it is where we find the dhamma within....
-it is a "real thing" ... in other words, not a conceptual notion....
-as the Thai ajaans, tell us, it is located in the body, in middle of the upper part of the chest....
-first noble truth.....
-the first noble truth is to comprehend dukkha....
-it should be considered an action that we're meant to take.....
-in taking this action, we bring awareness to the state of dukkha ... to our clinging ... as it is felt in the body....
-we bring awareness to this condition in which the heart is blocked, burdened.....
-in practicing the first noble truth.....
-we bring awarenes to the truth....
-the truth of our dukkha ... the way the heart is blocked....
-the truth of the depth of our dukkha ... the degree to which the heart is blocked...
-compassion....
-as we bring awareness to dukkha, in a skillful way, there is compassion.....
-the heart responds with compassion....
-in turn, we know joy....
-the joy comes when we connect to the heart ... to the dhamma....
-joy.....
-as we bring awareness to dukkha, to the heart that is burdened, we know joy....
-the joy that comes from touching into the heart quality of compassion....
-the joy that comes when there is a simple awareness of our experience...
-it is joyful when there is just awareness; in those moments we know non-clinging....
-in those moments, we touch into what it is like to be free from dukkha....
-the joy that comes when we are in tune with the dhamma....
-in tune with the truth.....
-in accord with the practice the Buddha laid out....
-the joy that arises when we begin to comprehend our "problem"....
-we experience joy, when we realize what the "problem" is....
-we experience joy, as we realize, in turn, that there is way out of our pain & suffering....
-homework/practice suggestion....
-practice: during this week, every day, at least one time, for a moment (no more than 5 seconds), turn to your dukkha.....
-bring a simple awareness to it, as it manifests as a felt sense in the body.....
-label it: for instance: "there's dukkha" ... or: "the heart is blocked".......
-cultivate compassion....
-notice what it's like when you're able to bring a simple awarness to dukkha.....
-reading.....
-"The Weight of Mountains" (Thanissaro Bhikkhu)
At Savatthi. There the Blessed One said: "From an inconstruable beginning comes transmigration. A beginning point is not evident, though beings hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating & wandering on. What do you think, monks: Which is greater, the tears you have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — or the water in the four great oceans?"
"As we understand the Dhamma taught to us by the Blessed One, this is the greater: the tears we have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — not the water in the four great oceans."
"Excellent, monks. Excellent. It is excellent that you thus understand the Dhamma taught by me.
"This is the greater: the tears you have shed while transmigrating & wandering this long, long time — crying & weeping from being joined with what is displeasing, being separated from what is pleasing — not the water in the four great oceans."
(SN 15.3)
"Furthermore, there is the case where a monk might say, 'Although compassion has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken by me as my awareness-release, still viciousness keeps overpowering my mind.' He should be told, 'Don't say that. You shouldn't speak in that way. Don't misrepresent the Blessed One, for it's not right to misrepresent the Blessed One, and the Blessed One wouldn't say that. It's impossible, there is no way that — when compassion has been developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken as an awareness-release — viciousness would still keep overpowering the mind. That possibility doesn't exist, for this is the escape from viciousness: compassion as an awareness-release.'"
(AN 6.13)
When the citta enters into a deep state of calm and concentration, the conscious awareness that is normally diffused throughout the body simultaneously converges from all areas of the body into one central point of focus at the middle of the chest. The knowing quality manifests itself prominently at that point. It does not emanate from the brain. Although the faculties of memorization and learning arise in association with the brain, direct knowledge of the truth does not. Step by step, beginning with the initial stages of samadhi practice, progress in meditation is experienced and understood in the heart – and only the heart. This is where the truth lies, and the meditator who practices correctly knows this each step of the way. When it comes to understanding the true nature of all phenomona, the brain is not a factor – it is not useful at all. The citta’s serene and radiant qualities are experienced at the heart. They emanate conspicuously from that point. All of the citta’s myriad aspects, from the grossest to the most subtle, are experienced clearly from this central spot.
(Ajaan Maha Boowa)
Please Note: The Complete Archive of notes for the Sunday Meditation Group in 2023 can be found here: