Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Mindfulness and Concentration: Establishing Mindfulness of Body and the First Jhāna

 

RIGHT MINDFULNESS
Establishing Mindfulness of Body

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)   Breathing in and out, tranquilizing bodily activities … one is just aware, just mindful: "There is a body." And one abides not clinging to anything in the world. (MN 10)

Reflection

Sunday is a good day to get in the habit of spending some time in mindful meditation. When the quality of mind called mindfulness is nurtured and developed, the mind inclines toward contentment, as this passage points out. This might even be a good definition of mindfulness: feeling content with whatever is happening by not wanting it to be anything other than it is.

Daily Practice

The text that teaches meditation begins with learning to breathe in and out, long and short, mindfully, but here it shifts with a more intentional directive. The instruction is to "tranquilize"—calm or relax—the breathing and all bodily activity. In other words, we are now not simply being aware of what is happening but also trying to direct our experience toward deeper and deeper states of calm. With each breath, relax.

RIGHT CONCENTRATION Approaching and Abiding in the First Phase of Absorption (1st Jhāna)

Having abandoned the five hindrances, imperfections of the mind that weaken wisdom, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, one enters and abides in the first phase of absorption, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought, with joy and the pleasure born of seclusion. (MN 4)

Reflection

We dedicate Sundays to practicing mindfulness and concentration. Concentration practice involves focusing the mind on a single object, such as the breath, and returning attention to this focal point whenever it wanders off (which it will surely do often). All forms of meditation involve some level of concentration, so it is a good thing to practice.

Daily Practice

Formal concentration practice, involving absorption (Pali: jhāna) in four defined stages, requires more time and sustained effort than occasional practice generally allows and would benefit from careful instruction by a qualified teacher. You may begin on your own, however, simply by practicing to abandon the five hindrances, since jhāna practice only really begins when these temporarily cease to arise.

Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Origin Suffering
One week from today:  Establishing Mindfulness of Feeling and Abiding in the Second Jhāna

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Via Daily Dharma: The Dance of Reciprocity

 Reciprocity is a dance like life itself. The air we breathe, the food we eat, the wounds we carry, and the love we share are all given and received. . . . When we give without differentiating self from other, and when we receive without differentiating it from the giving, then we can find the gift of dana everywhere.

Melina Bondy, “The Dance of Reciprocity”

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Via FB // The Druid Forum

 

I call upon the ancient Ukranian goddess Berehynia

I call upon the Forest Grandmother Baba Yaha

I call upon the Mother Goddess Mokosh

I call upon the Mother Bear who protects Her cubs

I call upon Maty Zemlya Mother Earth, Mother of all

I call upon all spirit mothers

Peace and protection for the people of Ukraine

Peace and protection for the people of Ukraine

Peace and protection for the people of Ukraine

 

--Madame Pamita

 

ARTIST is THALIA TOOK. (https://www.deviantart.com/thaliatook/art/Mokosh-627007118)

Via FB

 

Via Marc J. Francis // Thich Nhat Hanh on anger and war

 

As we wake up to the terrible news that Russia has now invaded Ukraine we all know there will be a tragic loss of life.

I was looking for guidance and found a speech from Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) about anger and war which helped me make some sense of the overwhelming emotions of sadness and fear as the world continues to be destabilised.

Just after the collapse of the World Trade Centre on Sept 11th 2001, Thay gave a speech at the Riverside Church in New York, and centred his message on finding a sense of calm and peace in the face of violence and anger. He was hoping the US would not retaliate through violence and war but, unfortunately, they did. That said, his words ring true regardless of what actions others might take and I hope you appreciate reading them.

You can watch the video above or read the transcript below...

I would like to tell you how I practised when I got angry during the war in Vietnam. There was a lot of injustice and many thousands of friends of mine were killed. I got very angry but at that time I was already a solid practitioner. I did not say anything. I did not act because I knew that acting or saying things while you are angry is not wise. It may create a lot of destruction. I went back to myself recognizing my anger, embracing it and looked deeply into the nature of my suffering. I was able to understand the nature of the suffering in Vietnam. I saw that not only did Vietnamese suffer but Americans suffered as well during the war in Vietnam. The American young men who were sent to Vietnam to kill and to be killed underwent a lot of suffering and the suffering continues even today.

"I was able to see the real enemy of man is ignorance, discrimination, fear, craving and violence."

So I went to America to call for the US government to look deeply and revise that policy. I remember I met with the Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara and I told him the truth about the suffering. He kept me with him for a long time and he listened deeply to me and I was very grateful for his quality of listening. Three months later when the war was intensified I heard that he resigned from his post. Hatred and anger were not in my heart - that is why I was listened to by many young people in my country advocating them to follow the path of reconciliation and together we helped bring about the negotiations for peace in Paris. I hope my friends here in New York are able to practice the same.  There are ways that we can go back to ourselves and practice, so that we rediscover our calmness our tranquility, our lucidity - ways by which we can look deeply to understand the real causes of the suffering. That understanding will help us to do what needs to be done and not to do what could be harmful to us and to other people."

This transcript has been edited slightly for legibility and brevity. For the full speech view the film.

Walk With Me

A cinematic journey into the world of mindfulness with the Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh. Watch Now

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

 

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 for all living beings. (MN 41) One practices thus: "Others may harm living beings, but I will abstain from the harming of living beings." (MN 8) A layperson is not to engage in the livelihood of trading in living beings. (AN 5.177)

Reflection

In the ancient world there was a lot of abuse and exploitation of people through servitude and slavery. The Buddha recognized this as a toxic enterprise and steered his followers away from participating in such practices. Yes, wealthy Buddhists had servants, but many texts emphasize the importance of treating them well, including paying them fairly and giving them time off and medical support.

Daily Practice

Take stock of how much harm to others is generated from your chosen field of livelihood. See what measures might be taken to treat people more fairly, reduce inequality, and actively promote the common good. In particular, if you find yourself engaged in an industry that is systemically and systematically abusive, take steps to change professions. Causing harm to others or yourself is not healthy.

Tomorrow: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States
One week from today: Abstaining from Taking What is Not Given

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Via Daily Dharma: The Illusion of Separation

 There is no being and no nonbeing. We are here to awaken from the illusion of our separateness.

Wendy Johnson, “A Floating Sangha Takes Root”

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Via White Crane Institute // NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO is founded

 

Noteworthy

1970 -

NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO is founded in the United States.

 

 

 

 

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Gay Wisdom for Daily Living from White Crane Institute

"With the increasing commodification of gay news, views, and culture by powerful corporate interests, having a strong independent voice in our community is all the more important. White Crane is one of the last brave standouts in this bland new world... a triumph over the looming mediocrity of the mainstream Gay world." - Mark Thompson

Exploring Gay Wisdom & Culture since 1989!
www.whitecraneinstitute.org

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Bodily Action

 

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: "Would this action I wish to do with the body lead to the affliction of another?" If, upon reflection, you know that it would, then do not do it; if you know that it would not, then proceed. (MN 61)

Reflection

How much of our bodily action is intentional, done with full awareness, and how much of what we do is done out of habit? Seeing what you do as you do it, as when you observe yourself in a mirror, is one of the metaphors used for mindfulness.

Daily Practice

Practice acting with full awareness. Even simple tasks like breathing and walking and eating can be fields for training the capacity for mindfulness. Then the ability will be available when more ethically challenging situations arise. It is a matter of becoming more sensitive to the implications of acting, and being more aware of everything we do. In this way we can plant healthy fruit, rather than just dealing with whatever arises.

Tomorrow: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings
One week from today: Reflecting upon Verbal Action

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Via Daily Dharma: Patience and Progress

 Self-help might be like writing, or marriage—you might go through long stretches of not trying, but that doesn’t mean you haven’t learned from your past efforts and failures.

Clancy Martin, “It’s All for the Better”

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The Mindful Bodhisattva

Mindfulness is more than just a meditation practice. Mindfulness is life, and life is love. That’s why it’s the whole path of the bodhisattva, says Zen teacher Norman Fischer.

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Speech: Refraining from False Speech

 

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) Such speech as you know to be true and correct but unbeneficial, and which is welcome and agreeable to others—do not utter such speech. (MN 58)

Reflection

Speaking truthfully is a habit that can be learned, even if we have previously learned the habit of speaking untruthfully. It is a matter of bringing full awareness to your speech and its consequences. Often there may appear to be a short-term benefit from speaking falsely, but the Buddha is pointing out the long-term harm that false speech does to your character. In the long run the lack of integrity is unhealthy.

Daily Practice

This passage is urging us to speak only when what we say is likely to have a beneficial effect on another person or on the situation at hand. It is not enough to say things that are agreeable to others, even if they are true. Flattery, for example, might have an unbeneficial effect on someone by inflating their sense of themselves. Practice speaking only those words that are going to be helpful.

Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Bodily Action
One week from today: Refraining from Malicious Speech

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Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

Via Daily Dharma: It’s All Good

 When you encounter a difficulty in your life, an impasse, solve it. If you can solve it, it’s good. If you can’t solve it, it’s still good, as it’s no longer your problem if you can’t solve it. It’s only a problem when you solve it. So when you encounter challenges in life—it’s all good!

Guo Gu, “The Sound of a Bell, the Seven-Piece Robe”

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