Revoked: Dec 2, 2023

Saturday, December 2, 2023

David and Jay spend this episode discussing: “In my actual life, having those relative experiences enables me to touch into the absolute in the...

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Effort: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States

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RIGHT EFFORT
Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States

Whatever a person frequently thinks about and ponders, that will become the inclination of their mind. If one frequently thinks about and ponders unhealthy states, one has abandoned healthy states to cultivate unhealthy states, and then one’s mind inclines toward unhealthy states. (MN 19)

Here a person rouses the will, makes an effort, stirs up energy, exerts the mind, and strives to restrain the arising of unarisen unhealthy mental states. One restrains the arising of the unarisen hindrance of sense desire. (MN 141)

Reflection

One of the most fundamental ideas of early Buddhism is the distinction between healthy and unhealthy states. These terms are not meant to suggest that these states are good and bad or right and wrong: sometimes they are translated as wholesome and unwholesome or skillful and unskillful. The issue is whether or not the state leads away from suffering, and whether or not it leads toward wisdom. Seeing this distinction clearly is important.

Daily Practice

A simple list of unhealthy states includes the five hindrances, which we will walk through one at a time. These are mental and emotional states that are unhelpful to the process of seeing things clearly; they may be either "arisen"—in present experience—or "unarisen," meaning latent. Here the practice is to prevent the conditions for the arising of the unhealthy state of sense desire by taking care not to indulge in sensual objects.

Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Body and Abiding in the First Jhāna
One week from today: Abandoning Arisen Unhealthy States

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Via Daily Dharma: Going Off Script

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Going Off Script

Once I stop shaping reality into a theatrical performance with myself at its center, mindfulness allows the world to surprise me. The universe becomes delightfully open-ended.

Belden C. Lane, “Mindfulness at Moonshine Hollow”

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