Via Daily Dharma: Help Yourself Help Others

 To help others is to help oneself. It may also be said that to help oneself is to help others, since real, effective help is not possible as long as we ourselves are deluded and filled with greed and hatred.

Francis Dojun Cook, “Bodhicitta’s Ripple Effect”

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Via Dhamma Wheel // Establishing Mindfulness of Mind

 

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 devoid of desire, one is aware: "The mind is devoid of desire." One is just aware, just mindful: "There is mind." And one abides not clinging to anything in the world. (MN 10)

Reflection

The mind is merely aware of an object, either a sensory or mental object, much like a mirror reflecting accurately whatever comes before it. Emotional states, such as desire, co-arise every moment and flood the mind, often distorting or coloring what is seen, heard, felt, or cognized. Sometimes desire is present, sometimes it is not. Here we are being encouraged to notice when it is not.

Daily Practice

Our emotional life flickers moment by moment as quickly as our mental life does, and the stream of consciousness is permeated by a stream of attitudes, intentions, and views. By noticing when desire is present and absent, we learn to recognize that it is just a passing state that sometimes occurs and sometimes does not. Practice "not clinging to anything in the world," including the presence or absence of sensory desire.

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

Remember that jhāna practice is not something that can be undertaken lightly or sporadically and usually requires the protected conditions of a retreat center and the guidance of an experienced teacher. The jhānas are mentioned a lot in the early texts and form the core discussion of right concentration. But mostly we just hear the standard formula repeated in various contexts without much detail on how to practice.

Daily Practice

The transition from the second to the third phase of absorption has to do with the mellowing of joy, which is an almost effervescent energetic upwelling of pleasant bodily sensation into an experience of mental and emotional equanimity. The body still experiences pleasure, but the mind settles into an even and balanced awareness of the pleasant feeling tone that is not attached to it in any way.

Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering
One week from today: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna

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Via Dhamma Wheel // Developing Unarisen Healthy States

 

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 investigation of states awakening factor. (MN 141)

Reflection

Here right effort is defined as actively encouraging the better aspects of our character to emerge from unconscious potential to conscious embodiment. We are all capable of kindness, for example. Why not try more often to be kind? We are capable of wisdom; let’s actively try to encourage it. This suggests that happiness—the regular manifestation of healthy mental and emotional states—is something we can make happen through effort.

Daily Practice

The positive mental state singled out in this passage is the second factor of awakening, called the investigation of states. When mindfulness is present, it is natural that the mind takes great interest in experience and investigates its mental and emotional states carefully. See what it feels like to be curious about the detailed textures of your experience and see what you can do to evoke and support this sense of regularly looking closely at your mental states.

Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Mind and Abiding in the Third Jhāna
One week from today: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States

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Via Daily Dharma: Turn On Your Light

If delusion is walking around in a darkened room, wisdom is turning on the light. People and things, and the room itself, are all the same, but now we can see them clearly.

Vanessa Zuisei Goddard, “Pocket Paramis: Wisdom”

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Via Tricycle // Buddhist Shorts Film Festival 2022

 

Buddhist Shorts Film Festival 2022 Now Streaming!

Check out this year’s lineup of five short films documenting Buddhist diversity around the world.

Watch now »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Living: Abstaining from Misbehaving Among Sensual Pleasures

 

RIGHT LIVING Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Misbehaving Among Sensual Pleasures Sensual misconduct is unhealthy. Refraining from sensual misconduct is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning sensual misconduct, one abstains from misbehaving among sensual pleasures. (MN 41) One practices thus: "Others may engage in sensual misconduct, but I will abstain from sensual misconduct." (MN 8) A person reflects thus: "If someone were to commit adultery with my partner, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to commit adultery with the partner of another, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other. How can I inflict on another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?" Having reflected thus, one abstains from sexual misconduct, exhorts others to abstain from it, and speaks in praise of abstinence from it. (SN 55.7)

Reflection The practical definition of the precept against sexual misbehavior is defined in the context of householder or layperson life as fidelity or honesty in relationships. When an intimate partnership (of any gender combination) involves a mutual promise of exclusivity, this is to be respected. Cheating involves causing hurt and not being truthful, both of which are inherently unhealthy and harmful. Daily Practice Relationships are a rich area for daily practice. This text invites us to explore the application of the Golden Rule in relationships, in both large and small ways. It emphasizes that a pledge of fidelity works both ways and that there are also countless minor instances of abuse of trust and integrity that can come under the gaze of awareness. Look to see if there is anything you do, however small, that you would not want your partner to do. Tomorrow: Developing Unarisen Healthy States One week from today: Abstaining from Intoxication Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

Via Tricycle // What We Gain When We Learn to Let Go

 

What We Gain When We Learn to Let Go By Gil Fronsdal

Learning to let go skillfully is essential to a happy life—and to the path of awakening.

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Via Daily Dharma: Becoming Immoveable

 Every challenge we encounter is an opportunity to learn to stand on our own again, grounded and immoveable by any external force, unperturbed by inner grasping or turmoil. This is the final truth of being human, even if we can't see it yet.

Cristina Moon, “Look Beneath Your Feet”

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Mental Action

 

RIGHT ACTION
Reflecting Upon Mental Action

However the seed is planted, in that way the fruit is gathered. Good things come from doing good deeds; bad things come from doing bad deeds. (SN 11.10) What is the purpose of a mirror? For the purpose of reflection. So too mental action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61) When you are doing an action with the mind, reflect on that same mental action thus: "Does this action I am doing with the mind lead to my own affliction?" If, on reflection, you know that it does, then stop doing it; if you know that it does not, then continue. (MN 61)

Reflection

The body has a natural capacity for proprioception, for knowing what it is doing as it is doing it. What about the mind? How often do we know what we are thinking as we are thinking it? Not often, it appears. Mindfulness of the body is being aware of the body while breathing, for example. Mindfulness of mind is being aware of the activities of the mind as they are unfolding. This takes some getting used to, but it can be done.

Daily Practice

This particular text is encouraging us to notice the ethical quality of our mental activity and in particular whether it contributes to some sort of self-harm. Sometimes we are our own worst critic, our own most undermining voice, our own adversary. When we pay close attention to what the mind is doing, we can catch it in the act of hurting us and gently let go of that in order to point the mind in a more positive direction.

Tomorrow: Abstaining from Misbehaving Among Sensual Pleasures
One week from today: Reflecting upon Social Action

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Speech: Refraining from Harsh Speech

 

RIGHT SPEECH Refraining from Harsh Speech

Harsh speech is unhealthy. Refraining from harsh speech is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning harsh speech, one refrains from harsh speech. One speaks words that are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and affectionate, words that go to the heart, are courteous, and are agreeable to many. (DN 1) One practices thus: "Others may speak harshly, but I shall abstain from harsh speech." (MN 8) When one says: "All those engaged in the pursuit of the enjoyment of sensual pleasures have entered the wrong way," one thus disparages some. But when one says instead, "The pursuit of the enjoyment of sensual pleasures is a state beset by suffering, and it is the wrong way," then one is not disparaging anyone but simply stating the truth. (MN 139)

Reflection

Right speech does not mean always telling people what they want to hear. Often difficult truths need to be spoken, but there are skillful and unskillful ways of doing this. In this passage we are instructed on the implications of invoking the sense of self. Instead of disparaging others by using an agent noun ("They are such a liar"), simply speak the truth by pointing out their actions (“They have told a lie”) rather than rebuking the self.

Daily Practice

Practice critiquing the words or actions of a person rather than the person. Instead of calling a person rude, point out the rude thing they have said or done. It is a small but important distinction. Whenever people feel attacked, it brings out the tendency to counterattack. When their actions are called out instead, it leaves them room to change their behavior.

Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Mental Action
One week from today: Refraining from Frivolous Speech

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Via Daily Dharma: Bringing Teachings to Life

 No one can ever explain to us how to have an experience. If they could, we would all be enlightened by now. Our task as practitioners is to bring the teachings to life in a personal way. 

Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel, “The Power of an Open Question”

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Thich Nhat Hanh // What is motivating you?

 

Thich Nhat Hanh on volition.

(Full talk: https://youtu.be/afsGr7u9CNE)

 

 

Via LGBTQ Nation Daily Brief // Gay penguin “power couple” celebrate their anniversary

 

Gay penguin “power couple” celebrate their anniversary

The male couple, who have hatched two eggs together, enjoyed frozen fish cakes for dinner and held a party with their neighbors in the enclosure. 

By Bil Browning Tuesday, January 11, 2022     

 

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Via Tricycle // The Best in Buddhist Short Films

 

The Best in Buddhist Short Films

Beat the cold this January and curl up at home for a cozy evening of Buddhist short films! This year, Tricycle’s annual Buddhist Shorts Film Festival spotlights five films featuring diverse stories from across the Buddhist world, from a portrait of celebrated mystic Thomas Merton to a touching friendship between two Buddhist monks.  Our must-see film selection for 2022 includes: Day of A Stranger. Take a glimpse inside the extraordinary mind of Thomas Merton in this meditative film compiled of audio tapes from his final years living as a hermit in the woods of Kentucky.   Larry Rosenberg: Long Path Home tells the remarkable story of renowned insight meditation teacher and author, Larry Rosenberg, and how his life-long search for self-discovery has helped thousands find freedom from suffering.   In 21 Days, Jin and his father navigate loss, grief, and their new lives 21 days after his mother’s death.   And others! As a Tricycle subscriber, you can enjoy streaming all five films from home until February 4.

Check out the full Festival lineup »

George Harrison - My Sweet Lord (Official Music Video)

 

 

https://www.upworthy.com/george-harrison-my-sweet-lord-video?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1