Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Effort: Abandoning Arisen Unhealthy States

 

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RIGHT EFFORT Abandoning Arisen 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 the unhealthy states, and then one’s mind inclines to unhealthy states. (MN 19) Abandoning sluggishness, one abides free from sluggishness; one purifies the mind of sluggishness. (MN 51) Just as a person who had been gravely ill, suffering, with no appetite and weak in body, would recover from that illness and regain their strength, so would one rejoice and be glad about the abandoning of sluggishness. (DN 2)

Reflection Some mental and emotional states drag us down into suffering and obstruct our ability to see things clearly, and some states move us away from suffering and enhance our ability to see what is really going on. Sluggishness is unhealthy—not wrong or bad but unhelpful to the project of understanding and diminishing suffering. Whenever it arises, it is worth making an effort to abandon it by stirring up and applying some energy. Daily Practice Focus your attention on that moment when you recognize you are sleepy or lazy or otherwise feeling sluggish and counter it with an upsurge of energy, whether physical or mental. There is a transition point at which the mental state of sluggishness is met with the mental state of energy, and your experience is thereby transformed. Learning to be aware of such nuances in experience is the essence of mindfulness practice. Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Feeling and Abiding in the Second Jhāna One week from today: Developing Unarisen Healthy 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: Sitting Is Rebelling

 

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Sitting Is Rebelling In a world that tells us we should always be doing more, sitting still can be an act of rebellion, the ultimate rejection of a culture that tells us our value is tied to our productivity. Christopher Rivas, “I Think the Clock Is Broken” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Guidelines for Entering, Abiding, and Departing Long Meditation Retreats and Sesshins By Zenju Earthlyn Manuel A Zen priest offers helpful suggestions for seamlessly transitioning between daily life and spiritual sojourns. Read more »

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Via Daily Dharma: Truth Is in Our Experiences

 

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Truth Is in Our Experiences Truth isn’t found by merely connecting logical dots or filling gaps with preferred beliefs in the immediate layer of analysis. Instead, it resides in comprehending the formation of our widest spectrum of experiences, acknowledging that nothing exists independently and that everything remains within the realm of conditions. Primoz Korelc Hiriko, “Relinquishing Preference through ‘The Silent Sages of Old’ ” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

What Does Stream-Entry Mean? By Doug Smith Take a closer look at the first irreversible step on the path to enlightenment. Read more »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Living: Abstaining from Taking What is Not Given

 

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RIGHT LIVING Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Taking What is Not Given Taking what is not given is unhealthy. Refraining from taking what is not given is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning the taking of what is not given, one abstains from taking what is not given; one does not take by way of theft the wealth and property of others. (MN 41) One practices thus: “Others may take what is not given, but I will abstain from taking what is not given.” (MN 8) On smelling an odor with the nose, one does not grasp at its signs and features. Since if one left the nose faculty unguarded, unwholesome states of covetousness and grief might intrude, one practices the way of its restraint, one guards the nose faculty, and undertakes the restraint of the nose faculty. (MN 51)

Reflection As we move systematically through the six sense spheres, we come to that most overlooked of sensory capabilities, discerning odors. The senses are simply giving us information, and whether we grasp after this information or simply let it be and take what is given is a choice we make in reacting to the information. Moving beyond the raw smell into attraction or aversion is a way of taking what is not given. Daily Practice Can you smell something with a lovely scent and simply notice that pleasure arises with the experience of smelling? And can you smell something foul or disgusting and simply be aware that displeasure or even pain arises in the smelling of it? And further, can you hold both experiences equally, with equanimity, rather than automatically being drawn to one and repulsed by the other? Practice simply being with what is. Tomorrow: Abandoning Arisen Unhealthy States One week from today: Abstaining from Misbehaving Among Sensual Pleasures Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Tricycle \\ Three Teachings on Embodiment in a Digital World

 

Browse our online courses » July 17, 2025 Knowing Happens Through the Body   Talk of overcoming the body is not new, whether it’s rooted in religious ideas of bodily impurity, promises of psychedelics or virtual reality, or resistance to pain or suffering. But the current frenzy over AI and how life-like our digital assistants are seems to further privilege and propel the prospects of disembodyment over the alternative: the Buddhist value of embodiment, or connecting with the body as a vehicle for practice.   The Buddha taught that craving occurs through the six sense doors—ears, eyes, nose, tongue, body, and mind—and to diminish craving, we must mindfully pay attention to sensation. The body—sensation, the breath, or the delicate and aging body as a whole—is also a direct path to understanding impermanence. Even when we zoom out and consider our daily activities vis-a-vis the digital alternatives, we still see a contrast to Buddhist values—to the physical tasks and connections that are so essential to many Buddhist traditions.  This week’s Three Teachings reminds us of the wisdom of the body and the truth that it’s only through connecting with the body that we can go beyond it. Forward today's teachings to a friend » On Tuesday, July 22 at 2 p.m. ET, join mindfulness teacher Shinzen Young in a discussion on connection and right speech with the help of AI in an increasingly divided world. Can AI lay the groundwork for more productive and compassionate discourse? What are the potential benefits of integrating AI into practice and everyday life for Buddhists? How can we remain embodied in an increasingly disembodied world? Explore these questions and more with author, longtime meditation teacher, and former Shingon Buddhist monk Shinzen Young in conversation with Tricycle’s executive editor, Phil Ryan. This event is free for Tricycle Premium subscribers and $10 for general admission. If you haven't already, upgrade your subscription for free access.   Sign up today » This Very Body By Sensei Dhara Kowal The co-director of Rochester Zen Center describes the value of releasing from our thoughts and connecting with the physical body in practice and outside of the zendo. She reminds us that this is a two-way street: “Bringing the world into our sitting is to not separate ourselves from life as it is, as we experience it through our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body-mind.” Read more » The Body Is Already Mindful By Willa Blythe Baker The founding teacher and spiritual co-directorof Boston’s Natural Dharma Fellowship offers a teaching and practice for following the body’s lead, because while the mind is distracted, the body is not. “Put another way, the model is not one of taming but trust.” Read more » The Wisdom of the Body With Kathy Cherry Brooklyn-based meditation teacher, coach, and founding member of DharmaPunx NYC Kathy Cherry guides us on connecting with our inner resilience through somatic practice.