Sunday, December 24, 2023

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Mindfulness and Concentration: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna

 

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RIGHT MINDFULNESS
Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects
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 sensual desire is internally present, one is aware: "Sensual desire is present for me." When sensual desire is not present, one is aware: "Sensual desire is not present for me." When the arising of unarisen sensual desire occurs, one  is aware of that. And when the abandoning of arisen sensual desire occurs, one is aware of that. . . . One is just aware, just mindful: "There is a mental object." And one abides not clinging to anything in the world. (MN 10)
Reflection
The fourth basis for the establishment of mindfulness is the mindfulness of mental objects. While mindfulness of mind focuses on the quality of consciousness, mindfulness of mental objects turns to the specific contents of consciousness. Every moment is a moment of knowing something, and the mind takes up one object after another just as a monkey takes hold of one branch after another as it swings through the trees. Here we notice this.
Daily Practice
The text does not direct us to be aware of whatever random thoughts come to mind but leads us through a number of specific mental objects as understood by Buddhist psychology. We center here on the first of the five hindrances. Notice when sensual desire is present in the mind and when it is absent. Notice also how it arises and how you can decide to abandon or let go of it. We are practicing observing mental flux. 
RIGHT CONCENTRATION
Approaching and Abiding in the Fourth Phase of Absorption (4th Jhāna)
With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, one enters into and abides in the fourth phase of absorption, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness as a result of equanimity. The concentrated mind is thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability. (MN 4)
Reflection
The four stages of mental absorption described in the system of jhānas culminate with the attainment of a profound and imperturbable equanimity. In this state the mind is free of both craving and aversion, neither favors nor opposes any mental object, and is able to simply regard things as they actually are, undistorted by our projections and fears. Notice also that such equanimity has the effect of purifying mindfulness.
Daily Practice
Sitting quietly and allowing the mind to become more and more peaceful, progressively "more unified, and gradually steadier will eventually culminate in the quality of mind described here. This is not a transcendent state but rather a natural, immanent state of mind. See if you can allow your mind to become still like tranquil water and watch the mind reflect whatever comes before it without distortion. 
Tomorrow: Understanding the Noble Truth of Suffering
One week from today: Establishing Mindfulness of Body and Abiding in the First Jhāna


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Via Daily Dharma: Our Innate Empathy

 

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Our Innate Empathy 

Not only are we all completely capable of hurting one another but we are also capable of a profound empathy, even for those who have hurt us or for those we disdain.

Mark Epstein, “Beyond Blame”


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Saturday, December 23, 2023

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 healthy states, and then one’s mind inclines to 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 awakening factor of mindfulness. (MN 141)
Reflection
The premier list of healthy mental and emotional states includes the seven factors of awakening, the first of which is mindfulness. It is good to practice mindfulness frequently, for that will incline the mind to further mindfulness. Right effort has a lot to do with developing and maintaining healthy habits of mind and body. It is not always easy to do the right thing, and it often takes effort, but it is invariably good for us.
Daily Practice
The effort required to sustain the state of mindfulness over time—that is, over multiple mind moments in a row—is not the teeth-clenching discipline of forced action but rather the gentle willingness to come back to the present moment. See if you can access a way of understanding effort that is easeful and natural rather than strained. Think of the effort you put into doing the things you like to do—it is an easy effort.
Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and Abiding in the Fourth Jhāna
One week from today: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States

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Via Tricycle //

 


We Can’t Always Get What We Want (And That’s All Right)
By Vanessa Zuisei Goddard
Why do we suffer? Because we have something we don’t want (avoidance), want something we don’t have (desire), or have something we can’t keep (clinging). Accepting the truth of impermanence makes it easier to work with these states when they come up.
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Via Daily Dharma: Offer Compassion to Yourself

 

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Offer Compassion to Yourself 

The ability to offer compassion to ourselves is the prerequisite to being able to offer compassion to others. 

Beth Roth, “Family Dharma: Leaning into Suffering”


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Via White Crane Institute //

 


Photographer Danny Nicoletta
1954 -

DANNY NICOLETTA, is an American photographer and activist, born on this date: In 1975, when he was nineteen, he was hired by Harvey Milk and Scott Smith to work at Castro Camera, their camera store on Castro Street. The three became friends and Nicoletta worked with Milk on his political campaigns for office.

During this period of time, Nicoletta took many now well-known photographs of Milk. Once Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Milk became California's first openly Gay elected official and served for almost eleven months before he and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated by Dan White in City Hall on November 27, 1978.

After the death of Harvey Milk, Nicoletta worked to keep his memory alive. He was the installation coordinator of the Harvey Milk photographic tribute plaques installed at Harvey Milk Plaza and at the Castro Street Station, which featured his photographs as well as those of Marc Cohen, Don Eckert, Jerry Pritikin, Efren Ramirez, Rink, and Leland Toy. He was co-chair of the Harvey Milk City Hall Memorial Committee, and his photograph served as the basis for the bust of Milk that now resides in the rotunda of San Francisco's City Hall. His portrait of Milk was also used on the United States Postal Service's tribute stamp.

Daniel Nicoletta's photographs of Milk are featured prominently in the 1985 Academy Award-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk, directed by Rob Epstein. In the feature film Milk, a biographical film based on the life of Harvey Milk directed by Gus Van Sant, Daniel Nicoletta is played by Lucas Grabeel. Nicoletta himself plays Carl Carlson and served as the stills photographer on the film.

Daniel Nicoletta was one of the founders of Frameline Film Festival. In 1977, while still working at Harvey Milk's photography shop, Nicoletta, along with David Waggoner, Marc Huestis, and others, began film screenings of their Super 8 films, called the Gay Film Festival of Super 8 Films, which evolved into the yearly festival.

As a photographer, Nicoletta has contributed to a number of films, as well as books and periodicals. His work is archived at the James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center at the San Francisco Public Library, at the Wallach Collection of Fine Prints and the Berg Collection at the New York Public Library and at Schwules Museum in Berlin, Germany.


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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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His work has documented queer culture throughout the late 1970s into the 2000s and besides his historic photographs of Harvey Milk also include subjects such as the White Night Riots, the Castro Street Fair and the San Francisco Pride Parade, The Cockettes and the Angels of Light. Nicoletta’s first book, “LGBT San Francisco: The Daniel Nicoletta Photographs,” was released by Reel Art Press this summer (2017).

Friday, December 22, 2023

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Living: Abstaining from Intoxication

 

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RIGHT LIVING
Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Intoxication
Intoxication is unhealthy. Refraining from intoxication is healthy. (MN 9) What are the imperfections that defile the mind? Negligence is an imperfection that defiles the mind. Knowing that negligence is an imperfection that defiles the mind, a person abandons it. (MN 7) One practices thus: "Others may become negligent by intoxication, but I will abstain from the negligence of intoxication." (MN 8)

One of the dangers attached to addiction to intoxicants is waste of money. (DN 31)
Reflection
Like the other ethical guidelines, the one for sobriety is couched in language that can be interpreted narrowly or broadly. It mentions abstaining from fermented and distilled drinks but warns specifically against the state of negligence that comes from their consumption. It is thus implied that we can also consider a number of other substances and behaviors that lead to intoxication or dull the senses and induce negligence. Can you think of any?  
Daily Practice
When the texts specifically warn us off intoxication, they focus on the adverse effects of drinking and similar pursuits. Here we find the simple and straightforward truth that addictive habits waste money. Consuming alcohol and other addictive substances is not couched as a moral failing but as an unskillful way to live. Take an inventory of what you regularly spend money on and reflect on whether these are healthy or unhealthy habits.
Tomorrow: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States
One week from today: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings

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Via Daily Dharma: The Responsibility of Lovingkindness

 

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The Responsibility of Lovingkindness

When we think of lovingkindness or love as an ability, it's inside of us. It's ours. Other people certainly may ignite it or inspire it or threaten it, but ultimately it is ours. It also means that if it's our ability, it's also our responsibility.

Sharon Salzberg, “Real Life”


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