Saturday, April 13, 2024

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 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 tranquility and concentration awakening factors. (MN 141)
Reflection
Healthy and positive mental states arise all the time. The idea is to learn how to notice them, recognize their value, and make some effort to sustain them when they arise. This means developing habits that will reinforce qualities like kindness, generosity, compassion, and truthfulness. Slowing down, becoming peaceful, and allowing the mind to unify through focusing is particularly valuable.

Daily Practice
The two factors of awakening, tranquility and concentration, are considered together here because of their natural affinity with each other. Finding time to slow down, stop doing things, and simply allow the mind to become peaceful and focused is a healthy thing to do. It is not that settling the mind takes effort, but it takes effort to disengage from normal business to give the mind time to focus naturally. Once you do it, you'll see that it’s worth it.  

Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna
One week from today: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States

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Via Daily Dharma: Grief Is an Ancestor


 

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Grief Is an Ancestor 

Grief is an ancestor who teaches us to exercise constant and immense gratitude. 

Mimi Zhu, “Grief Is an Ancestor” 


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Not One and Not Two
Directed by SEO BoHyung
In this film, Young-mok desperately searches for enlightenment before his death through intense Zen practice. Meanwhile, his girlfriend searches for artistic inspiration. Subscribers can stream the film on Tricycle’s Film Club all month long.
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Friday, April 12, 2024

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Via PBS // RIP Robert MacNeil

 

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Watch tonight's segment
Robert MacNeil died Friday morning at the age of 93. He was the visionary and driving force in the creation of the institution that, with Jim Lehrer, became the NewsHour. Jeffrey Brown looks back at his life and legacy.
 
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Remembering Robert MacNeil
Robert MacNeil’s colleagues and friends remember his life and legacy
Share your memories and thoughts about Robert MacNeil
Robert MacNeil's last goodbye from the NewsHour anchor desk


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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 indecent exposure of one's person. (DN 31)
Reflection
The arguments put forward in the early Buddhist texts against intoxication were mostly practical ones. In this case there is the recognition that when you lose control of yourself through some form of intoxication, the chances increase that you will do something foolish or embarrassing that you will regret later. Better to undertake the commitment to abstain from the kind of negligence that leads to such behaviors.

Daily Practice
See if, through introspection, you can discern the point at which intoxication begins to show up in your experience. If you are a drinker, investigate the moment between the first and second swig, or the first and second glass, or whatever point you can notice when the mind begins to get a little sluggish. If you don’t drink, try the same experiment with some other form of intoxication. There are many to choose from.

Tomorrow: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States
One week from today: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings

Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media
#DhammaWheel

Questions?
Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.



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Vi Daily Dharma: Go on the Path Alone

 

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Go on the Path Alone 

It’s your life. No one can do this for you. Your teacher can set you in a particular direction, but you have to go on the path alone.

Jakusho Kwong-roshi, “Emptying into Spaciousness”


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Women’s Ordination, Past and Present
Karma Lekshe Tsomo in conversation with James Shaheen and Sharon Salzberg
A co-founder of the Sakyadhita International Association of Buddhist Women reflects on the progress that has been made toward full ordination for women—and the challenges that remain.
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