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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Mindfulness and Concentration: Establishing Mindfulness of Body and Abiding in the First Jhāna

 

RIGHT MINDFULNESS
Establishing Mindfulness of Body

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)   Full awareness: when walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep, waking up, talking, and keeping silent . . . one is just aware, just mindful: “There is body.” And one abides not clinging to anything in the world. (MN 10)

Reflection

Mindfulness of the body can take place at any time and with any activity. We practice it formally seated on a meditation cushion to become familiar with a certain range of sensations, and then we can extend it to other areas of daily life. Acting with full awareness is particularly well suited to ordinary activities requiring a sense of continuity over time, such as walking or dressing yourself. Full awareness is mindfulness in motion.

Daily Practice

All skills are gradually learned by practicing them again and again. When sitting still we tend to focus on the bodily sensations associated with the breath; when walking mindfully we notice the sensations of the rhythmic moving of certain muscles. See if you can extend the scope of these practices by becoming aware of the sensations of other bodily motions, such as those associated with taking a sip of tea, for example.

RIGHT CONCENTRATION Approaching and Abiding in the First Phase of Absorption (1st Jhāna)

Having abandoned the five hindrances, imperfections of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, one enters and abides in the first phase of absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with joy and the pleasure born of seclusion. (MN 4)

Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering
One week from today: Establishing Mindfulness of Feeling and Abiding in the Second Jhāna

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Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

Via Daily Dharma: What to Do with Stray Thoughts

 The very fear of stray thoughts is another stray thought. Therefore, if you have many stray thoughts, consider it a natural phenomenon and do not despise them.

Master Sheng-yen, “Being Natural”

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Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation // Words of Wisdom - October 9, 2022 💌

 

"I don’t elevate human relationships that much. I see them as just more of the interaction with the phenomenal world, and another person is a set of phenomena manifested. I see that when I’m getting upset because somebody is a certain way, I take that upset and ask 'Why am I upset?' I realize that a part of my upset is because I have a model that I am holding of how the world should be other than the way it is. I have the choice of either trying to change the world to adhere to my model, or let go of my model to be with the world." - Ram Dass

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Via White Crane Institute // Rev. Nancy Wilson, Our Tribe: Queer Folks, God, Jesus and the Bible

 

Today's Gay Wisdom

Reverend Nancy Wilson

2017 -

"In such a toxic environment, the poor, the minorities, and the politically vulnerable populations will be the first to exhibit signs and symptoms of the deteriorating immunological picture. It is the canary-in-the-mines syndrome. When miners wanted to know if a particular mineshaft was safe from poisonous gases, they sent a canary in first. If the canary returned, the miners felt safe to go in. On our planet today, poor people, people of color, women and children, and gays and lesbians are the canaries (or sitting ducks if you prefer). Those who have any kind of privilege (gender, race, class, sexuality, age) are better able, for a time, to buffer and insulate themselves from the toxic environment — from AIDS, cancer, and other diseases. But not forever.

"There is also a moral and religious toxicity in reaction to so much upheaval, change, and worldwide political challenges. This phenomenon is called in many religions fundamentalism. In a century of increasing relativity in values, morality, and religion, fundamentalism provides absolutes and identifies the enemies. It is a kind of collective mental illness that includes obsessive thinking, tunnel vision, and functions much like other addictions." 

- Rev. Nancy Wilson, Our Tribe: Queer Folks, God, Jesus and the Bible

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Gay Wisdom for Daily Living from White Crane Institute

"With the increasing commodification of gay news, views, and culture by powerful corporate interests, having a strong independent voice in our community is all the more important. White Crane is one of the last brave standouts in this bland new world... a triumph over the looming mediocrity of the mainstream Gay world." - Mark Thompson

Exploring Gay Wisdom & Culture since 1989!
www.whitecraneinstitute.org

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Via FB // Have A Gay Day

 

Image Description: A scene from the animated series The Simpsons. Marge Simpson is shown speaking with Reverend Lovejoy in what appears to be an office area of the church building. Marge is wearing a green dress with matching triangle earrings, her back mostly to the viewer. They're both standing, and the Reverend is looking down while she speaks. Based on their garments and location, this appears to be taking place shortly after a church service. Text indicates dialogue. Pinky-purple text says: (Quote) Excuse me Reverend, as long as two people love each other, I don't think God cares whether they have the same who who or ha ha. End quote. Marge Simpson.

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Effort: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States

 

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 to 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 all five unarisen hindrances. (MN 141)

Reflection Having gone through the five hindrances individually—sense desire, ill will, restlessness, sluggishness, and doubt—we are now encouraged to work with all five of them as the opportunity arises. Instead of looking at each in turn and exploring how it might be inhibited from arising (not suppressed once arisen!), we allow ourselves to guard against any of them erupting by learning to avoid the conditions giving rise to them. Daily Practice The hindrances are a natural part of our everyday lives, but we need not feel at their mercy. They are mental qualities that obstruct our ability to focus and relax our minds, and they can be resisted with some understanding of what sets them off and how to avoid triggering them. Cultivating equanimity, for example, will inhibit the arising of sense desire and ill will. The other hindrances too have antidotes that can be deployed. Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Body and Abiding in the First Jhāna One week from today: Abandoning Arisen Unhealthy States Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Daily Dharma: Life Is Simple

Life is a very simple matter. We’re just doing what we’re doing. But we add extra tension all the time. If you stop and feel your face, you’ll notice it’s usually a little bit tight. We don’t need that tension. We have a face; we don’t need to have an extra face.

Charlotte Joko Beck, “Mute the Commentary”

22 years ago Matthew Shepard was beaten, tortured and left to die...

 

Via Daily Dharma: Embracing Ambiguity

We can spend our whole life suffering because we can’t relax with how things really are, or we can relax and embrace the open-endedness of the human situation, which is fresh, unfixated, unbiased.

Pema Chödrön, “The Fundamental Ambiguity of Being Human”

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Living: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings

 

RIGHT LIVING Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Harming Living Beings Harming living beings is unhealthy. Refraining from harming living beings is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning the harming of living beings, one abstains from harming living beings; with rod and weapon laid aside, gentle and kindly, one abides compassionate to all living beings. (M 41) One practices thus: “Others may harm living beings, but I will abstain from the harming of living beings.” (MN 8) What is wrong livelihood? Scheming, cajoling, hinting, belittling, pursuing gain with gain. (MN 117)

Reflection The Buddhist emphasis on non-harming goes beyond killing and encompasses all forms of “raising the rod to strike against” a living being. Beyond physical assault, this can also include various kinds of psychological or emotional abuse, as mentioned in this passage. When you hurt others in some way, you also damage your own heart and mind. Like thrusting a flaming torch into the wind, you hurt yourself more than the other. Daily Practice It is not healthy to engage in dishonest or manipulative behavior, and if you need to do this as part of your job, you should think about changing professions. This is not to make a moral judgment but rather to point out a simple fact: harsh and harmful states of mind damage not only others but also the person initiating them. Take an honest look at how you behave as part of your livelihood and make changes if appropriate. Tomorrow: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States One week from today: Abstaining from Taking What is Not Given Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

Tricycle is a nonprofit and relies on your support to keep its wheels turning. Donate »

© 2022 Tricycle Foundation 89 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003