RIGHT EFFORT
Developing Unarisen Healthy States
Whatever a person frequently
thinks about and ponders, that will become the inclination of their
mind. If one frequently thinks about and ponders healthy states, one has
abandoned unhealthy states to cultivate healthy states, and then one’s
mind inclines to healthy states. (MN 19)
Here a person rouses the will, makes an effort, stirs up energy, exerts
the mind, and strives to develop the arising of unarisen healthy mental
states. One develops the unarisen mindfulness- awakening factor. (MN
141)
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Mindfulness can
be an active state of mind when it is arising in the present moment in
your lived experience, or it can be a personality or character trait
lying dormant in the unconscious mind, waiting to be activated. In
Buddhist language this is indicated by saying mindfulness is either
arisen or unarisen, and a different strategy is needed for each
situation. Here we are told how to awaken our innate mindfulness by an
act of will.
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Develop your
latent capacity for mindfulness by bringing it from a passive trait to
an active state as often as you can. It is mostly a matter of
remembering to do so. It is not difficult to be mindful, but it can be
difficult to remember to be mindful. When you are able to do
this more often, the habit of being consciously aware of your experience
grows and mindfulness becomes the inclination of your mind. This is
good for you.
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Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Mind and Abiding in the Third Jhāna
One week from today: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States
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