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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Living: Abstaining from Intoxication

 

RIGHT LIVING
Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Intoxication

Intoxication is unhealthy. Refraining from intoxication is healthy. (MN 9) What are the imperfections that defile the mind? Negligence is an imperfection that defiles the mind. Knowing that negligence is an imperfection that defiles the mind, a person abandons it. (MN 7) One practices thus: “Others may become negligent by intoxication, but I will abstain from the negligence of intoxication.” (MN 8) One of the dangers attached to addiction to intoxicants is weakening of the intellect. (DN 31)

Reflection

Right living means understanding the things that cause us harm and directing our lives away from these things toward those that bring out our best and contribute to our well-being. Just as certain foods strengthen the body and others weaken it, so too certain things strengthen the mind and others weaken it. Negligence, for example, weakens the mind, while its opposite, diligence, strengthens it. Understanding this is important.

Daily Practice

See if you can identify the toxins in your life that weaken the mind, and then work toward reducing their influence. Many things can be toxic and intoxicating, including substances, activities, relationships, views, and emotional habits. Take an honest inventory of what you intuitively know to be harmful and helpful, and take steps to abandon the things that are toxic and cultivate those that are wholesome.

Tomorrow: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States
One week from today: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Effort: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States

RIGHT EFFORT
Maintaining Arisen 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 maintain arisen healthy mental states. One maintains the arisen equanimity awakening factor. (MN 141)

Reflection

When you consistently cultivate healthy mental and emotional states your mind and heart become increasingly healthy. You do this partly by abandoning the states that are not healthy as they come up and partly by protecting and maintaining the healthy states that arise. When you feel generous, be more generous. When you are kind, become even kinder. When you care for someone, protect that caring intention.

Daily Practice

Equanimity is the culminating factor of the seven factors of awakening, the state to which the development of all the others leads. Whenever you notice you are highly attentive to something but are not caught in attaching to it if it's pleasurable or resisting it if it's painful, you have discovered a moment of equanimity. Feel what that is like and try to maintain that state in the ensuing mind moments.

Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna
One week from today: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States

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Via Daily Dharma: Practice Not-Doing

 Practicing not-doing means the causes and conditions that create many problems and struggles vanish. No solution needs to be found, no cure discovered, and no help is even necessary. That’s why the Buddhist tradition is grounded in not-doing—because so much of the suffering in the world could be entirely alleviated if we simply didn’t cause it.

Kimberly Brown, “What You’re Not Doing Matters”

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Social Action

 

RIGHT ACTION
Reflecting Upon Social 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 social action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61) One reflects thus: “Others may think in unhealthy ways; I shall refrain from thinking in unhealthy ways.” (MN 8) One lives with companions in concord, with mutual appreciation, without disputing, blending like milk and water, viewing each other with kindly eyes. One practices thus: “I maintain mental acts of lovingkindness toward my companions both openly and privately.” (MN 31)

Reflection

The mental state of actively caring about someone and wishing them well is not to be taken for granted but is something to remind yourself of and practice doing often. The more seeds of kindness you plant, even with your thoughts alone, the more healthy fruit of goodwill and love you will reap. When these thoughts spill over into words and deeds expressing lovingkindness, all the better.

Daily Practice

Take on the task of consciously forming thoughts of lovingkindness toward your friends, family, and associates. Don’t just assume, “Of course I care for them,” but form an intention of goodwill toward them regularly and deliberately. This is the difference between your lovingkindness being just an idea and being an emotion that actively expresses itself in your heart on a consistent basis.

Tomorrow: Abstaining from Intoxication
One week from today: Reflecting upon Bodily Action

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Via Daily Dharma: Choosing Freedom

 We must actively renounce our sense of entitlement. We must want to be free more than we want to be right; choose what is instead of what we’d like. 

Vanessa Zuisei Goddard, “Pocket Paramis: Patience”

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Speech: Refraining from Frivolous Speech

RIGHT SPEECH
Refraining from Frivolous Speech

Frivolous speech is unhealthy. Refraining from frivolous speech is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning frivolous speech, one refrains from frivolous speech. One speaks at the right time, speaks only what is fact, and speaks about what is good. One speaks what is worthy of being overheard, words that are reasonable, moderate, and beneficial. (DN 1) One practices thus: “Others may speak frivolously, but I shall abstain from frivolous speech.” (MN 8) An authentic person is one who, even when asked, does not reveal the faults of others—and still less does not do so when not asked. When asked, however, and obliged to reply to questions, one speaks of other’s faults hesitatingly and not in detail. (AN 4.73)

Reflection

Refraining from focusing on the faults of others is not meant to hide the truth but is a way to practice non-harming and non-violence in your communications. Refrain from unnecessary speech that is driven by ill will, jealousy, or resentment. This only brings out and reinforces your own unhealthy tendencies, and it often causes harm. By abstaining from avoidable critical pronouncements, you develop better speech habits.

Daily Practice

Take a break from criticizing people today. Notice when the impulse to do so comes up and choose instead to refrain from saying what is on your mind. See what it feels like to be able to monitor your speech, understand when it is unhelpful, and hold back from letting it loose. If you do this often, you will be retraining your habits of speech and will gradually develop new, healthier patterns of communication.

Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Social Action
One week from today: Refraining from False Speech

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Via Daily Dharma: Overthrowing Ignorance

 Ignorance is like the king, and clinging attachment and hostility are his ministers. To rid ourselves of the king’s minions we must get rid of the king. And so it is of greatest importance to identify ignorance properly.

Geshe Sonam Rinchen, “Like a Pig In…”

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