Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Effort: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States

 

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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 the healthy state, and then one’s mind inclines to the 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 investigation of states-awakening factor. (MN 141)

Reflection Because the mind is inclined in the direction of whatever you frequently think about and ponder, influencing your own mind becomes the way of changing yourself for better or worse. When healthy states arise, such as kindness or insight or mindfulness, or when the factor of awakening called the investigation of states is present, this is beneficial and needs to be maintained through the deliberate and skillful application of effort. Daily Practice When mindfulness is present enough to give rise to the awakening factor of the investigation of mental and emotional states, do what you can to strengthen and maintain this quality of mind. Investigating your own experience is the primary way of gaining wisdom, but like so many other habits of value in our lives, it does not just happen by itself and requires the application of effort. This is worthwhile to do, so do it. Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna One week from today: Restraining Unarisen 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: Embracing All of Ourselves

 

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Embracing All of Ourselves  Peace and kindness have their best shot at establishing themselves when we accept our own inadequacy, when limitation and error become aspects of ourselves we can embrace rather than strive to mask. Henry Shukman, “The Art of Being Wrong” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Weathering the Eight Worldly Winds Ethan Nichtern in conversation with James Shaheen and Sharon Salzberg In this episode of Life As It Is, Tricycle’s editor-in-chief, James Shaheen, and meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg sit down with Ethan Nichtern to discuss how the worldly winds of pleasure and pain can ground us in felt experience, the interplay between hope and fear, and what self-confidence looks like in the absence of a stable self. Listen now »

Via Daily Dharma: We Have All We Need

 

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We Have All We Need We all have buddhanature. We have all the qualities needed for the path. If we don’t believe this, it will be very difficult for us to embark because we have no foundation from which to go forth. It’s really very simple. The buddhadharma is not based on dogma. Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, “Necessary Doubt” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Living Between the Known and the Unknown Ann Tashi Slater in conversation with Alan Lightman Ann Tashi Slater speaks with physicist and author Alan Lightman about happiness, hidden knowledge, and living our lives with an awareness of death. Read more »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Social Action

 

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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: “I shall initiate and sustain verbal acts of kindness toward my companions, both publicly and privately.” 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: “We are different in body but one in mind.” (MN 31)

Reflection As social beings we speak a lot in the course of our daily lives. Here is an invitation to focus on the quality of our verbal actions in a social setting. The way to live in harmony with others is lubricated, so to speak, by verbal acts of kindness. As the text says, “Good things come from doing good deeds,” and this includes the things we say. The skill of living "without disputing, blending like milk and water," is sorely needed these days.  Daily Practice Speak with kindly intention to your friends, family members, and colleagues. The quality of mind behind our words is often more important than the words themselves, and here we are invited to emphasize the feeling of caring for others when we speak. When we speak with kindly intention we evoke kindness from others, as well as bring out and strengthen our own capacity for kindness. This contributes to social well-being. Tomorrow: Abstaining from Intoxication One week from today: Reflecting upon Bodily Action 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: Because We Are, We Do

 

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Because We Are, We Do  We don’t practice to attain enlightenment, just as we don’t eat or breathe to be alive. Because we’re alive, we breathe. Because we’re alive, we eat. Because we’re enlightened, we do zazen.  Roshi Bernie Glassman and Rick Fields, “Instructions to the Cook” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Avoiding Spiritual Traps By Robert Aitken A dharmic defense of political engagement and how we can realize our power to effect change. Read more »