Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Intention: Cultivating Equanimity

 

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RIGHT INTENTION Cultivating Equanimity Whatever you intend, whatever you plan, and whatever you have a tendency toward, that will become the basis on 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)  Equanimity is the way to purity for one who has much attachment. (Vm 9.108) When a person, tasting a flavor with the tongue, is not attached to pleasing flavors and not repelled by unpleasing flavors, they have established mindfulness and dwell with an unlimited mind. For a person whose mindfulness is developed and practiced, the tongue does not struggle to reach pleasing flavors, and unpleasing flavors are not considered repulsive. (SN 35.274)

Reflection We all naturally have many attachments. Much of the time we cherish these and feel they are the very things that make life worthwhile. In the Buddhist analysis they also cause us suffering, lead to bodily and mental troubles, and cause a lot of harm in the world. The emotional stance of equanimity is a way of fully experiencing things without being caught by them, of tasting their flavor without attachment or revulsion. Daily Practice Experiment with your experience when you are tasting and consuming food. It is usual to like some things and dislike others, but what if instead you had equanimity toward what you are eating? This doesn't mean eating bland food; rather, it means not focusing on preferences but fully appreciating the pleasant flavor of some bites and the unpleasant flavor of others. Notice the different textures without favoring or opposing. 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.

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Via Daily Dharma: The Gift That Keeps Giving

 

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The Gift That Keeps Giving Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression: We experience joy in forming the intention to give, we experience joy in the action of giving, and we experience joy in remembering that we have given. As Gandhi said, “The fragrance remains in the hand that gives the rose.” Beth Roth, “Family Dharma: The Joy of Generosity” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right View: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering

 

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RIGHT VIEW Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to 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 practices guarding the sense doors . . . (DN 2)

Reflection Guarding the sense doors is a practice protecting the mind from the unwanted intrusion of the kind of sense objects that can cause harm. Just because a violent image flashes in front of you, you don’t have to watch it, and you need not pursue an ugly remark. When inclined toward hurtful or hateful thoughts, you can guide them away and take a different direction. You need not feel helpless but can exercise some skillful control. Daily Practice Imagine yourself a gatekeeper, carefully watching all the information flowing in through your senses and the thoughts passing through the gateway of your mind. You know intuitively what is helpful and what is harmful. Welcome in what is helpful and carefully steer harmful content away from infiltrating your mind. This is not suppression but the wise use of attention to protect and enhance the inner environment of your mind. 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.

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Via Daily Dharma: Sitting with Uncertainty

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Sitting with Uncertainty Emptiness invites us to look uncertainty in the eye. So if fear or resistance arises, take your time with it.  Cortland Dahl, “Exploring Emptiness” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

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Via Daily Dharma: Let Go of What Is Passing

 

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Let Go of What Is Passing In Buddhism, the fundamental analysis is that most of our human suffering comes from grasping after that which is passing. James Ishmael Ford, “Finding the Ox’s Footprints” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Let Come, Let Go By His Eminence the Seventh Dzogchen Rinpoche A Dzogchen teaching on shamatha (calm abiding) and a three-part practice for recognizing our thoughts. Read more »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Mindfulness and Concentration: Establishing Mindfulness of Mind and the Third Jhāna

 

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RIGHT MINDFULNESS Establishing Mindfulness of Mind 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)   When the mind is composed, one is aware: “The mind is composed”. . . One is just aware, just mindful: “There is mind.” And one abides not clinging to anything in the world. (MN 10)

Reflection A composed mind is unified, peaceful, steady, and clear. We can access such states of mind when engaged in the practice of meditation, and mindfulness of mind is established when you are aware of what a composed mind feels like and you are able to sustain it over time. The mind becomes like a mirror, reflecting itself.  Daily Practice Sit quietly, relaxing the body while gently holding it erect, and allow the mind to gradually become more and more composed. With every outbreath, sink deeper and more comfortably into the serenity of the moment. It is like untangling knots, one after another, until the mind becomes smooth. Allow yourself to feel the composed mind, aware simply that awareness is aware of itself, without clinging to anything in the world. RIGHT CONCENTRATION Approaching and Abiding in the Third Phase of Absorption (3rd Jhāna) With the fading away of joy, one abides in equanimity; mindful and fully aware, still feeling pleasure with the body, one enters upon and abides in the third phase of absorption, on account of which noble ones announce: “One has a pleasant abiding who has equanimity and is mindful.” (MN 4) One practices: “I shall breathe in contemplating cessation"; one practices: “I shall breathe out contemplating cessation.” This is how concentration by mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated  so that it is of great fruit and great benefit. (A 54.8) Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering One week from today: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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