Cattāri Brahmavihārā

Posted by: Michael | 01/21/2016

Proof

This morning, despite receiving underling news about my business, I made the determination to sit regardless. After about a half an hour I realized that the mind was getting pulled away and stuck on the myriad worldly thoughts that looped again and again. Luckily I recalled the thought of death at that point and began to spend time reflecting first in the parikamma “mahanama.” I soon switched to actually positing the idea trust today I would die and imagine scenarios where this would happen.

What is interesting about today’s experience is that it was so much more vivid than our normally is when I come to it dry. To me, the fact that the recollection of death touched on so deeply is proof that they’re was at least a modicum of concentration. Small victories like these are all I need to keep pursuing the path and I am thankful to the Lord Buddha for his Teaching and dispensation.

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Formal Meditation, Gratitude, Maranasati, Maranassati, Meditation Word, Theravada | Tags: concentration, death, dispensation, gratitude

Posted by: Michael | 01/20/2016

Dhammapāla’s Eleven Reflections for Fortifying Patience

1. Ete sattā khantisampattiyā abhāvato idhaloke tappanti, paraloke ca tapanīyadhammānuyogato.

“Those beings who lack patience are afflicted in this world and apply themselves to actions which will lead to their affliction in the life to come.”

2. Yadipi parāpakāranimittaṃ dukkhaṃ uppajjati, tassa pana dukkhassa khettabhūto attabhāvo bījabhūtañca kammaṃ mayāva abhisaṅkhataṃ.

“Although this suffering arises through the wrong deeds of others, this body of mine is the field for that suffering, and the kamma which is its seed was sown by me alone.”

3. Tassa ca dukkhassa āṇaṇyakāraṇametaṃ.

“This suffering will release me from the debt of that kamma.”

4. Apakārake asati kathaṃ mayhaṃ khantisampadā sambhavati.

If there were no wrong-doers, how could I accomplish the perfection of patience?”

5. Yadipāyaṃ etarahi apakārako, ayaṃ nāma pubbe anena mayhaṃ upakāro kato.

“Although he is a wrong-doer now, in the past he was my benefactor.”

6. Apakāro eva vā khantinimittatāya upakāro.

“A wrong-doer is also a benefactor, for he is the basis for developing patience.”

7. Sabbepime sattā mayhaṃ puttasadisā, puttakatāparādhesu ca ko kujjhissati.

“All beings are like my own children. Who becomes angry over the misdeeds of his own children?”

8. Yena kodhapisācāvesena ayaṃ mayhaṃ aparajjhati, svāyaṃ kodhabhūtāveso mayā vinetabbo.

“He wrongs me because of some residue of anger in myself; this residue I should remove.”

9. Yena apakārena idaṃ mayhaṃ dukkhaṃ uppannaṃ, tassa ahampi nimittaṃ.

“I am just as much the cause as he for the wrong on account of which this suffering has arisen.”

10. Yehi dhammehi apakāro kato, yattha ca kato, sabbepi te tasmiṃ eva khaṇe niruddhā kassidāni kena kopo kātabbo.

“All those dhammas by which wrong was done, and those to whom it was done—all those, at this very moment, have ceased. With whom, then, should you now be angry, and by whom should anger be aroused?

11. Anattatāya sabbadhammānaṃ ko kassa aparajjhati.

“Since all dhammas are not self, who can do wrong to whom?”

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Posted by: Michael | 01/19/2016

Short Term Hardship

Lately I have been suffering over a few choices I feel compelled to make despite knowing that to do otherwise would be to cause suffering to others and myself in the long term. Although the issue to which I’m alluding is, to me, much larger and more direct than my diet choices the fact of my return to a more wholly vegan diet provides a pretty good example of what I’m talking about.

So, this afternoon my partner and I decided to order out, something which is never easy to do when you’re attempting to avoid dairy and eggs. I was tempted to just say forget about it and order a burrito with cheese but then I reflected on the reason I went largely vegan; to try to reduce suffering in whatever small ways are possible. I brought to mind the images of battery cages and calfs being confined to cashes for the entirety of their short lives and I was able to resist.

May I reflect on the greater suffering which would befall myself and others were I to make the wrong choice in the situation at hand and see clearly with wisdom.

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Dukkha, Theravada | Tags: delayed gratification, long term, short term

Posted by: Michael | 01/18/2016

Winning Respect

18. One who is wise and disciplined,
Kindly always and intelligent,
Humble and free from pride –
One like this will win respect.

Rising early and scorning laziness,
Remaining calm in time of strife,
Faultless in conduct and clever in actions –
One like this will win respect.

Being able to make friends and keep them,
Welcoming others and sharing with them,
A guide, philosopher and friend –
One like this will win respect.

Being generous and kindly in speech,
Doing a good turn for others
And treating all alike –
One like this will win respect.

Digha Nikaya III.

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Posted by: Michael | 01/18/2016

Happiness of the Household Life

17. There are these four kinds of happiness to be won by a householder who enjoys sense pleasures from time to time and when occasion offers. What four? The happiness of ownership, the happiness of wealth, the happiness of freedom from debt and the happiness of blamelessness.

And what is the happiness of ownership? Concerning this, a householder has wealth acquired by energetic striving, won by strength of arm and sweat of brow, justly and lawfully won. When he thinks of this he feels happiness and satisfaction.

And what is the happiness of wealth? Concerning this, a householder has wealth justly and lawfully won, and with it he does many good deeds. When he thinks of this he feels happiness and satisfaction.

And what is the happiness of freedom from debt? Concerning this, a householder owes no debt large or small to anyone, and when he thinks of this he feels happiness and satisfaction.

And what is the happiness of blamelessness? Concerning this, the noble disciple is blessed with blameless action of body, speech and mind, and when he thinks of this he feels happiness and satisfaction.

Anguttara Nikaya II.68

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Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: Debt, householder, lay life

Posted by: Michael | 01/15/2016

Adjustments

I’ve been conducting an experiment recently where I spend all of my formal time in meditation focusing slept in buddho practice. As is to be expected the results are varied depending on the day. Unfortunately, given my own temperament and life circumstances, it seems that my kilesas are just too strong to be able to devote myself single mindedly to it. It seems that I most definitely need to work with heart practices in a daily practice lest I court real danger in my life.

So, I find myself in the positron if making the adjustment to spend one session on buddho and the other on brahmavihara practice. Doing so is the only way I can see to practice in my current situation with any hope of not doing serious harm to myself or others.

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Buddho, Dhamma, Formal Meditation, Metta, Theravada | Tags: brahmavihara, Buddho, metta

Posted by: Michael | 01/14/2016

Giving and Sharing

13. If beings knew as I know the results of sharing gifts, they would not enjoy their use without sharing them with others, nor would the taint of stinginess obsess the heart and stay there. Even if it were their last and final bit of food, they would not enjoy its use without sharing it, if there were anyone to receive it.

Itivuttaka 18

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Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dana, Dhamma, Karuna, Metta, Theravada | Tags: generosity, giving, sharing

Posted by: Michael | 01/12/2016

Buddho Practice

I made a promise to someone yesterday that I would try to give a little more detail about the practice of using the parikamma of “buddho.” I was first introduced to the practice by the venerable Thanissaro Bhikkhu in his translation of Keeping the Breath in Mind which was written in Thai by his master Ajahn lee Dhammadaro. To this day I still think this is one of the best meditation manuals out there (for my part at least). With time, and because I allowed my mind to proliferate, I also looked for other understandings of this practice and found them in other Thai Forest teachers. Currently one of my favorites is Ajahn Anan’s Seeking Buddho. His Western disciple Ajahn Achalo also uses buddho often in his guided meditations and I recommend checking out his website at http://www.pecebeyondsuffering.org. Also, if you use Insight Timer, you can listen to his guided meditations directly in the app.

I hope I have kept my word and please let me know if anyone has any more questions or other buddho resources to share. Sabbe satta sukhitaa hontu!

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Buddho, Dhamma, Meditation Word | Tags: ajahn achalo, ajahn anan, ajahn lee, ajahn thanissaro, parikamma

Posted by: Michael | 01/12/2016

What Is Really Important

For as long as I have been practicing and walking the path I have struggled with how I should be practicing of the cushion. Having definitively chosen buddho as my basis for working with the mind of us becoming clearer that most of the thoughts that run through the mind are without merit and should not be followed. Taking buddho as the tool to work with and strengthen the mind I see clearly that most thoughts serve only to weaken the heart and lead away from the goal.

Small victory it may seem but seeing the choice in energy moment and proceeding with purpose is a feat I have never before managed to accomplish.

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Posted in Dhamma | Tags: Buddho, concentration, kammatthana, mindfulness, purpose

Posted by: Michael | 01/08/2016

THE Blessed One

8. As long as the sun and the moon have not come to be, there is no shining forth of great light, no great radiance; only darkness and non-seeing prevail. There is no day or night; no months, half months or seasons are distinguishable. But when the sun and the moon have come to be, there is a shining forth of great light, great radiance; darkness and non-seeing are no more. Days, nights, months, half months and seasons come to be distinguishable.
In the same way, as long as the Tathagata, the Noble One, the fully enlightened Buddha has not come to be, there is no shining forth of great light, no great radiance; only darkness and non-seeing prevail. There is no proclaiming, no teaching, no explaining, no setting forth, no opening up, no analysis, no illuminating of the Four Noble Truths.
But when the Tathagata, the Noble One, the fully enlightened Buddha has come to be, there is a shining forth of a great light, a great radiance; darkness and non-seeing are no more. There is a proclaiming, a teaching, an explaining, a setting forth, an opening up, an analysis, an illuminating of the Four Noble Truths.

Samyutta Nikaya V.442

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Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: the Blessed One, the Lord, the Tathagata