Revoked

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Via FB

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Intention: Cultivating Equanimity

RIGHT INTENTION
Cultivating Equanimity

Whatever you intend, whatever you plan, and whatever you have a tendency toward, that will become the basis upon which your mind is established. (SN 12.40) Develop meditation on equanimity, for when you develop meditation on equanimity, all aversion is abandoned. (MN 62)

The near enemy of equanimity is the ordinary indifference of the uninformed. (Vm 9.101) When a person, hearing a sound with the ear, is not attached to pleasing sounds and not repelled by unpleasing sounds, they have established mindfulness and dwell with an unlimited mind. For a person whose mindfulness is developed and practiced, the ear does not struggle to reach pleasing sounds, and unpleasing sounds are not considered repulsive. (SN 35.274)

Reflection

The idea of a near enemy is used in Buddhist commentaries to help define the meaning of words. A near enemy is something that seems like the right definition of a word (hence near), but is actually missing the mark and steering us in a wrong direction (hence enemy). What is being said here is that equanimity can easily be misconstrued as indifference, while in fact these two are miles apart. Real equanimity is fully engaged.

Daily Practice

Working with sound, see if you can hear sounds without favoring or opposing what you hear, without preferring some sounds and feeling aversion toward others. You will notice that this requires paying close attention and is thus far from indifference. When hearing a sound (bird calls, traffic, the refrigerator), just be aware of hearing the sound with an attitude of true equanimity: attentive but unattached.

Tomorrow: Refraining from Frivolous Speech
One week from today: Cultivating Lovingkindness

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 »

© 2024 Tricycle Foundation
89 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003

Via Daily Dharma: Turning Toward Resilience

Support Tricycle with a donation »

Turning Toward Resilience

Turning to the Buddha’s teachings, attending to suffering can provide us with resiliency to skillfully respond with a tenderness of our hearts that guides us toward action rather than succumbing to numbness.

Jessica Angima, “On Bearing Witness and the Resilience of Karuna”

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Sacred Waste
By Karen Jensen

Navigating the negative consequences of using and producing polyester ceremonial scarves in Tibet.

Via FB

Via GBF // "The Pure Love of Metta" with John Martin

How can we cultivate an undefended heart that is open and caring?

In this talk, John Martin shares that the true nature of our heart is inherently pure and loving. However, we need to practice to cultivate this purity.

Some of the practices he shares include:

Being aware of our intentions.
Using metta phrases.
Radiating metta.

______________

Listen to the talk on your favorite podcast player or our website:

https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/the-pure-love-of-metta-john-martin/

Monday, July 1, 2024

Via Daily Dharma: A Stream of Mindfulness

Support Tricycle with a donation »

A Stream of Mindfulness

If you accelerate your efforts, if your awareness is continuous, your mindfulness will become full. Both by day and by night, it’ll keep staying full like that. It becomes a stream of water.

Ajahn Chah, “Make Your Practice a Continuous Stream”

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

What’s in a Word? Hiri and Ottappa
By Andrew Olendzki

The proper translation and use of the Pali words hiri and ottappa.

TRICYCLE COURSE CATALOG SUPPORT DONATE

RIGHT VIEW
Understanding the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering

And what is the way leading to the cessation of suffering? It is just this noble eightfold path: that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right living, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. (MN 9)

One perfects their ethical behavior by abandoning intoxication . . . (DN 2)

Reflection

Once again the importance of ethical behavior is emphasized, as the heart of walking the path toward the cessation of suffering, and so too is the particular value of keeping the mind clear and alert. Intoxication leads to a muddling of the mind, and the negligence that ensues can be the source of a lot of trouble. Sobriety in its many forms is a skill that can be learned, developed, strengthened, and ultimately perfected.

Daily Practice

Look at the many ways your diligence of mind is diminished throughout the day and becomes negligent. We get distracted by petty things, interrupted by random circumstances, confused by stray thoughts, or addled by any number of befuddling substances. The path to awakening winds its way among these obstacles. See if the image of gradually perfecting your ethical behavior can be useful in countering this.

Tomorrow: Cultivating Equanimity
One week from today: Understanding the Noble Truth of Suffering

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 »