RIGHT MINDFULNESS
Establishing Mindfulness of Feeling
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A person goes to the forest
or to the root of a tree or to an empty place and sits down. Having
crossed the legs, one sets the body erect. One establishes the presence
of mindfulness. (MN 10) One is aware: “Ardent, fully aware, mindful, I
am content.” (SN 47.10)
When feeling a common pleasant feeling, one is aware: “Feeling a
common pleasant feeling.” When feeling an uncommon pleasant feeling, one
is aware: “Feeling an uncommon pleasant feeling”. . . One is just
aware, just mindful: “There is feeling.” And one abides not clinging to
anything in the world. (MN 10)
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A common
pleasant feeling refers to the ordinary pleasures we are capable of
experiencing through the gratification of the senses. Some things look really good, sound wonderful, taste and smell delicious, feel smooth and cool to the touch, and are great to think about. An uncommon
pleasant feeling is the sort encountered during some meditation
practices. In both cases it is okay to be closely aware of pleasure.
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When pleasure
is encountered in ordinary life it is usually accompanied by desire and
craving. When we practice mindfulness with pleasant feeling tones as an
object, the goal is to experience the sensations with equanimity rather
than with preference and attachment. It is natural to experience
pleasure; the danger comes only when we allow it to carry us away into
unhealthier mental and emotional states.
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RIGHT CONCENTRATION
Approaching and Abiding in the Second Phase of Absorption (2nd Jhāna)
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With the stilling of applied and
sustained thought, one enters upon and abides in the second phase of
absorption, which has inner clarity and singleness of mind, without
applied thought and sustained thought, with joy and the pleasure born of
concentration. (MN 4)
One practices: “I shall breathe in contemplating fading away";
one practices: “I shall breathe out contemplating fading away.”
This is how concentration by mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated
so that it is of great fruit and great benefit. (A 54.8)
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Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
One week from today: Establishing Mindfulness of Mind and Abiding in the Third Jhāna
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