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 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 the unarisen hindrance of restlessness. (MN 141)

Reflection We all have the capacity for restlessness, especially as inhabitants of a culture that seems to thrive on it. We are so often encouraged to multitask, to spread our awareness so widely that, like spilled water, it gets increasingly thin. This tendency can be resisted by exercising some restraint. It requires not giving in to the forces that seek to pull us off center and preserving the experience of inner calm and composure. Daily Practice Resist the arising of restlessness by cultivating a more focused and peaceful way of inhabiting your world. Don’t jump at everything that demands your attention, don’t allow your awareness to be hijacked by random events, and protect your mindfulness as a sentry might guard a gate. It takes effort to preserve a sense of inner serenity—not the kind of effort that tries harder but that stays centered and is not pulled off balance.  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 GBF -- "The Crucial Role of Renunciation" – Danadasa Chan

The Crucial Role of Renunciation – Danadasa Chan
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Renunciation is sometimes misunderstood as involving dramatic sacrifices or rejecting the world.

In this talk, Danadasa emphasizes that it’s actually about creating spaciousness in the heart and mind for deeper clarity and connection. It’s less about deprivation and more about redirecting our energy toward something more meaningful and peaceful.

He shares how, in the Buddhist path, renunciation helps loosen the grip of craving and habit energy, making space for genuine freedom. He describes how we often live on autopilot, and renunciation can be as simple as saying no to distractions or addictive tendencies that clutter our awareness. He offers personal reflections and encourages listeners to explore this not as a moral duty, but as a source of joy and liberation.

Danadasa also outlines three key insights related to renunciation:

1. Letting go is natural – Just like a child eventually lets go of toys they outgrow, our inner life can outgrow certain attachments too.
2. Renunciation reveals what’s already here – When we drop constant seeking, we begin to sense a quiet contentment that was hidden beneath our cravings.
3. It’s supported by mindfulness – The more present we are, the more we see what’s wholesome to keep and what’s wise to release.

He encourages us to reflect without pressure, and to trust the unfolding of our own path.

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Via Daily Dharma: Thoughts Make up Attachments

 

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Thoughts Make up Attachments Attachment and the pain of attachment are ultimately made up of thoughts—when we stop focusing on thoughts and start focusing on perceptions, sensations, and emotions, the thoughts subside. David Edwards, “Burning Among Stars in the Night” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Bodily Action

 

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RIGHT ACTION Reflecting Upon Bodily 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 bodily action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61) When you wish to do an action with the body, reflect upon that same bodily action thus: “Is this action I wish to do with the body an unhealthy bodily action with painful consequences and painful results?” If, upon reflection, you know that it is, then do not do it. If you know that it is not, then proceed. (MN 61)

Reflection As embodied beings, we are always performing some sort of action, even if that action is remaining still. Buddhist teachings recognize that physical actions begin with the mental intention to act and invite us to look carefully at the quality of our intentions. It is often hard to discern the intention before the action, and it feels as if the body is acting “on its own.” But if you investigate your experience closely, it is possible to see your intention.  Daily Practice See if you can catch that brief moment before any action when the intention to do the action arises in the mind. You might try this when you decide to open your eyes after a sitting, for example. Then extend this capability to noticing the ethical quality of actions you perform in daily life, reflecting on whether a forthcoming action is likely to cause harm in some way. If you can catch it before you act and stop, that is good. Tomorrow: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings One week from today: Reflecting upon Verbal Action Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Speech: Refraining from False Speech

 

TRICYCLE      COURSE CATALOG      SUPPORT      DONATE RIGHT SPEECH Refraining from False Speech False speech is unhealthy. Refraining from false speech is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning false speech, one dwells refraining from false speech, a truth-speaker, one to be relied on, trustworthy, dependable, not a deceiver of the world. One does not in full awareness speak falsehood for one’s own ends or for another’s ends or for some trifling worldly end. (DN 1) One practices thus: “Others may speak falsely, but I shall abstain from false speech.” (MN 8) When one knows overt sharp speech to be untrue, incorrect, and unbeneficial, one should on no account utter it. (MN 139)    Reflection How much of what we say is totally useless? We often emphasize the value of expressing ourselves and of “getting things off our chest,” and this accounts for many of the expletives we utter and emotional downloads we deliver. What about the role speech plays in communicating with others? Buddhist teachings encourage us to focus on speaking what is true and what is beneficial—that is, what brings out the best in others. Daily Practice Pay attention to how people speak and notice speech that is sharp. One text calls it “stabbing one another with verbal daggers.” You know it when you hear it because you almost feel stabbed or wounded by the aggressive hostility of the words. Now look at your own habits of speaking and see if you can catch yourself doing the same thing. Whenever you notice the intention to speak in ways that are harmful, don’t do it. Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Bodily Action One week from today: Refraining from Malicious Speech 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 » © 2025 Tricycle Foundation 89 5th Ave, New York, NY 10003

Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation //

 

Death is our greatest challenge, as well as our greatest spiritual opportunity. By cultivating mindfulness, we can prepare ourselves for this final passage by allowing nature, rather than ego, to guide us. In so doing, we become teachers to others, and our own best friends, looking beyond the body's death at the next stage in our soul's adventure.

Via Daily Dharma: For the Sake of Devotion

 

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For the Sake of Devotion We don’t practice devotion to get something in return. We practice it for its own sake, as a complete offering of our heart. Oren Jay Sofer, “Everyday Devotion”  CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Discipline as a Path of Inner Growth By Raffaello Palandri An Italian Buddhist priest outlines the liberation and self-mastery that comes with the often misunderstood practice.  Read more »

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