Via Daily Dharma: Seeing Clearly

 

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Seeing Clearly Everything we encounter—fear, resentment, jealousy, embarrassment—is actually an invitation to see clearly where we are shutting down and holding back. Aura Glaser, “Into the Demon’s Mouth” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

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 toward 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 sense desire. (MN 141)

Reflection One of the most fundamental ideas of early Buddhism is the distinction between healthy and unhealthy states. These terms are not meant to suggest that these states are good and bad or right and wrong: sometimes they are translated as wholesome and unwholesome or skillful and unskillful. The issue is whether or not the state leads away from suffering, and whether or not it leads toward wisdom. Seeing this distinction clearly is important. Daily Practice A simple list of unhealthy states includes the five hindrances, which we will walk through one at a time. These are mental and emotional states that are unhelpful to the process of seeing things clearly; they may be either "arisen"—in present experience—or "unarisen," meaning latent. Here the practice is to prevent the conditions for the arising of the unhealthy state of sense desire by taking care not to indulge in sensual objects. 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 Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation //Words of Wisdom - November 26, 2025 🍁

 

“The way you work, in doing Sādhanā, is that every act you perform becomes a method of taking you to this other state of consciousness. You are trying to change your perceptual vantage point and everything you do has to be a device to take you to that place. From a Western point of view, you are doing a complete cognitive re-organization. You are changing your reference point, changing the core concept around which the whole constellation is built.“   Source: Ram Dass – Here and Now – Ep. 6 – The Four Noble Truths

Via Daily Dharma: Do Not Be Afraid

 

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Do Not Be Afraid We do not need to be afraid of our mind. We can go on a journey of discovery and experiment. Martine Batchelor, “Meditation, Mental Habits, and Creative Imagination” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Discovering Jayamuni By Camillo A. Formigatti and Samuel M. Grimes Uncover a 17th-century Newar scholar’s outsized influence on European Buddhist scholarship.  Read more » Journey to Jhana A 10-Day Course with Beth Upton Go in-depth with meditation teacher Beth Upton to learn more about the jhana factors, access concentration, meditating with a nimitta, and what you can do in daily life to support your time on the cushion in our latest email series.  Sign up » Follow Us Forward today's wisdom to a friend »

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

 

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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 with compassion toward all living beings. (MN 41) One practices thus: "Others may harm living beings, but I will abstain from harming living beings." (MN 8) There is a gift, which is a great gift—pristine, long-standing, traditional, ancient, unadulterated—that will never be suspect. Here a noble person gives up the destruction of life and refrains from it. In doing so, one gives freedom from fear, hostility, and oppression to an immeasurable number of beings. (AN 8.39)

Reflection The path factor of right living is often called right livelihood, and it has to do with the practical effects of how we work in the world. Right livelihood is primarily a teaching for laypeople, as monks and nuns engage in no worldly affairs. Here we will focus on the so-called "ethical precepts," the first of which is to take care not to kill or cause injury to other living beings. This is the central organizing principle of all Buddhist ethics. Daily Practice Ethical integrity can be seen as a gift that you give to others, the gift of harmlessness. It is not a set of rules you have to follow but a set of guidelines to help you calibrate your behavior toward promoting welfare, both your own and that of others, and avoiding harm. Try to gradually develop this attitude so that you will be gentle with other creatures as an act of generosity rather than of forced discipline. 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.

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