Via Daily Dharma: Cultivating Inquiry

 It is essential to cultivate inquiry in meditation as well as concentration. This is the quality of the mind that sees clearly into the impermanent and conditioned nature of reality. 

Martine Batchelor, “A Refuge Into Being”

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Mindfulness and Concentration: Establishing Mindfulness of Mind and the Third Jhāna

 

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RIGHT MINDFULNESS Establishing Mindfulness of Mind 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 the mind is beset by confusion, one is aware “the mind is beset by confusion”… One is just aware, just mindful: “There is mind.” And one abides not clinging to anything in the world. (MN 10)

Reflection Not all practice sessions are filled with bliss. In fact, they are not meant to be. The idea is to be fully aware of whatever is happening in your experience, whether it is calm and peaceful or full of confusion. A rush of random states can still be observed one at a time. You can even feel content amidst confusion, as long as you abide without clinging to anything. Daily Practice When your mind is beset by confusion, just be aware that this is what is happening right now. You don’t have to feel like you are doing something wrong or try to change it. Just pay very close attention and follow along with the jumble of thoughts and emotions with as much equanimity as possible. You can actually be quite attentive to a stream of consciousness that is on a roller-coaster ride, if you don’t judge it and just examine it. RIGHT CONCENTRATION Approaching and Abiding in the Third Phase of Absorption (3rd Jhāna) With the fading away of joy, one abides in equanimity; mindful and fully aware, still feeling pleasure with the body, one enters upon and abides in the third phase of absorption, on account of which noble ones announce: “One has a pleasant abiding who has equanimity and is mindful.” (MN 4) Reflection Some people move easily and naturally through the stages of absorption, but many people do not. This is not something to be forced if it does not come on its own, and we should never judge our progress against the schema of four jhānas. As we can see, mindfulness and concentration each involve the other, so at a certain point it becomes unnecessary and unhelpful to compare the two and distinguish two different practices. Daily Practice As you settle into the pleasant feeling tones of the second level of absorption, the pleasure gradually subsides and resolves into a state of equanimity or even-mindedness. The body still feels tranquil and at ease, but the mind becomes more balanced as it becomes more mindful and fully aware. Simply rest at ease, doing nothing and striving for nothing, and let the mind settle naturally. Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering One week from today:  Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and Abiding in the Fourth Jhāna Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation // Words of Wisdom - April 9, 2023 💌

 
 

The Indian saints Kabir and Tulsi Dass, as well as St. Theresa, showed an incredibly intense yearning and love for God. Ramana Maharshi, on the other hand, showed the path in which the discriminative mind, through the method of self-inquiry, extricates one from clinging even to the concept of “I.”

Others, such as the Tibetan sages Padmasambhava and Milarepa, embodied the skillful use of tremendous powers in the service of humanity.

Jesus reflected the purest love, compassion, and sacrifice. Buddha showed the path of insight. All these are different routes to a single goal, liberation.

Many, many paths to the mountain top. Each has its own sights, experiences, hazards. Don’t get stranded along the way.

- Ram Dass -