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REFLECTIONS
The quarterly E-Magazine of the Bucks County Buddhist Sangha
Three disciplines for progress on the Buddhist path are study, reflection and meditation.
Winter Issue December 2008 Vol. I Issue 3
Table of contents
Editor’s Comments
One Day
Poem for Tibet
Two Men Journey into...
Buddhist Meditation and Depth Psychology, by D. Burns
Food for thought - A Fishy Story
Contact Us!
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Only that day dawns to which we are fully awake.
---Henry David Thoreau
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Editor’s Comments
As we move into the coming New Year this issue gives us many things to reflect upon, but
especially or meditative practice. Some of our regular features are missing. This is because of
the length of the article by Douglas Burns entitled Buddhist Meditation and Depth Psychology.
As lengthy as this condensed version is, the original is several times longer. The challenge was
find a way to reduce the size without mutilating the content. I hope I have succeeded. But you be
the judge. If you find this condensed version helpful you may want to read the original. The
source is noted at the end of the article. Hopefully as we move into 2009 this teaching on
mediation will inspire us to strengthen and deepen our practice. Enjoy the magazine!
Dan Lee
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One Day
One day a wealthy man sent his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of
showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what
would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son,
'How was the trip?'
'It was great, Dad.'
'Did you see how poor people live?' the father asked.
'Oh yeah,' said the son.
'So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?' asked the father.
The son answered: 'I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that
reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported
lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and
they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go
beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but
they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect
them.'
The boy's father was speechless.
Then his son added, 'Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.'
Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave
thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have. Appreciate every
single thing you have, especially your friends! 'Life is too short and true friends are too few.'
Jeff MacNair
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A POEM FOR TIBET
I weep for Tibet
for monks in saffron robes
now blood red.
Grain by grain
a life is laid down
swept away in one breath.
I weep for those living in tent cities
surrounded by golden sunshine
in a land of plenty
but only for some.
I weep for the babies
shot on the street
blown up on the bus
dumped in trash cans.
The monk forms the mandala
grain by grain
as the world weeps
for what it has lost.
Bit by bit
grain by grain
what seemed so permanent and solid
reduced to elements
particles of carbon
swept away in one breath.
This poem was written during the first days of the Tibetan uprising earlier in March 2008, when
I felt deep despair for all those suffering in the ugly violence. Reading other news of the day, I
realized there are many other horrors. Families who have lost heir homes in the mortgage
meltdown living in tents outside L.A. Children blown up every day by suicide bombers. Infants
found on airplanes and in trash cans. So much suffering. And through it all, I watched a solitary
monk construct this beautiful mandala of stunning colors, one grain at a time. And when
finished, it will be swept away, just as our lives, sufferings and all, will be swept away. We are,
after all, just bits of carbon and other chemicals, impermanent and fleeting. And just as the
monk begins again to form another mandala, we too begin again, another day, another life,
another journey. Louise Wile
– ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜
Two Men Journey into...
The following has been taken from the delightful little book Keep Going, the Art of Perseverance,
by Joseph M. Marshall III, Sterling Pub. Co. Inc., N.Y. N. Y. 2006
Two men journeyed the length and breathe of a land bathed in sunshine. One was a wood
carver and the other a reader of the law…. After several days the road led into a tall, very dark
and thick forest. The reader of the law stopped at the edge of the forest and refused to take
another step.
"We must go into the forest," insisted the woodcarver, "It is part of the journey."
"But I do not like the deep shadows," said the reader of the law. "I do not know what could be
hiding there in the darkness. There could be thieves ready to fall upon us, or perhaps fierce wild
animals."
"True," replied the woodcarver. "The forest is where many things dwell. There may be other
travelers, or dangerous and unknown things. Yet we will not know until we walk into these
shadows. But there is something not in there that is most dangerous of all. That I know. "
The fearful reader of the law recoiled. "Whatever do you mean? What can be more dangerous
than thieves and wild animals?"
"Your fears," replied the woodcarver, as he entered the forest.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
O Karma, Dharma, pudding and pie
gimme a break before I die
grant me wisdom, will & wit,
purity, probity, pluck, & grit
Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, kind,
gimme great abs & steel -trap mind,
and forgive, ye Gods, some humble advice --
these little blessings would suffice
to beget an earthly paradise:
make the bad people good --
and the good people nice;
and before our world goes over the brink
teach the believers how to think.
Philip Appleman
³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³³³³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³³³³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³³³³
Buddhist Meditation and Depth Psychology
By Douglas M. Burns
For the benefit of some of our readers the following are definitions of some of the less familiar
terms used in this article:
Theravada: is the oldest surviving Buddhist. It is relatively conservative, and for many centuries
has been the predominant religion of Sri Lanka and most of continental Southeast Asia
(Cambodia , Laos , Burma and Thailand).
Mahayana: The form of Buddhism prevalent in Mongolia, China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.
Kasina: In Buddhism, kasina are a class of basic visual objects of meditation. There are ten
kasina: earth water, air, fire, blue and green, yellow, red, white, bright light, an enclosed space
or aperture
Sutta (Sanskrit: Sūtra) A discourse of the Buddha.
Zen: A Buddhist tradition founded in China as a result of the teaching of Bodhidharma, circa 475
C.E. Found today mostly in Vietnam, Japan and Korea
Noble Eightfold Path: is, what the Buddha declared to be the way that leads to the cessation of
suffering (dukkha) and the achievement of self-awakening
Jhanas: Stages of concentration in meditation
³³³³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³³³³ ³ ³ ³
From the Buddhist viewpoint, mind or consciousness is the core of our existence. Pleasure and
pain, good and evil, time and space, life and death have no meaning to us apart from our
awareness of them or thoughts about them. … Buddhism does not deny the reality of material
existence, nor does it ignore the very great effect that the physical world has upon us. … But
since the fundamental reality … is the ever-changing sequence of thoughts, feelings, emotions,
and perceptions which … make up our daily lives …
… suffering is primarily psychological, … the cure, also, is psychological. Therefore, we find in
Buddhism a series of "mental exercises" or meditations designed to uncover and cure our
psychic aberrations. … [ It] does not require any elaborate technique or external devices. … daily
life is its working material. …
… Meditation is a personal experience … consequently each of us must tread his or her own
path towards the summit of Enlightenment. By words we can instruct and encourage but words
are only symbols for reality.
The Goals of Meditation
… The ultimate goals of meditation are the ultimate goals of Buddhism, … --- realization of
Nibbana and the abolition of dukkha or suffering. Nibbana, however, is beyond the realm of
conceptualization … Therefore the Buddha said relatively little about Nibbana and instead
directed most of his teachings towards two lesser goals which are … first, the increase,
enhancement, and cultivation of positive feelings such as love, compassion, equanimity, mental
purity, and the happiness found in bringing happiness to others. Secondly … the
relinquishment and renunciation of greed, hatred, delusion, conceit, agitation, and other
negative, unwholesome states.
… the positive feelings … are satisfying, meaningful, and wholesome … they have their own
inherent worth and intrinsic value independent of … religious dogma. Conversely, greed, hatred,
lust, etc., are agitating, discomforting experiences … which … preclude a full realization of the
happiness born of love and equanimity. Thus the realization of positive feelings and
relinquishment of negative feelings are the major goals and motivations of meditation.…
[However]… there are … goals which must be achieved before the higher ones can be fully
realized. These are non-attachment, insight, and concentration.
Non-attachment is freedom from craving and freedom from infatuation for sensual experience. It
is not … apathy … it is psychological liberation from our "enslaving passions and our addictions
to sensual and emotional pleasures." … [ it is ] akin to freedom … and serenity.
Insight …means full realization of the fact that all things in the universe are temporary and
changing; the human psyche is no exception … as a consequence suffering is always
inevitable, for no state of mind, pleasant or unpleasant, can endure forever. …[It] means gaining
awareness of those feelings, motives, and values which have previously been unconscious. [i.
e.] Repressed feelings of guilt, fear, lust, and hatred
Concentration involves the ability to keep one's attention firmly fixed on a given subject for
protracted periods of time, thus overcoming the mind's usual discursive habit of flitting from
subject to subject.
Preparations
The initial endeavor in Buddhist meditation is to quiet the mind and enhance detachment and
objectivity. For only when the mind has stilled its perpetual ruminating … can it readily become
aware of the unconscious feelings and motivations which shape our thoughts, speech, and
behavior. Furthermore, only with detached objectivity and its ensuing insights can we readily
confront and renounce unwholesome feelings. On the other hand, we do not achieve complete
calmness and detachment so long as we harbor unwholesome feelings and unconscious
emotional conflicts. Thus the process is reciprocal: the more we quiet the mind, the more we
gain insight and relinquishment of undesirable feelings. The more we relinquish such feelings
and resolve emotional conflicts, the more we quiet the mind and approach perfect calmness,
detachment, and objectivity.
Psychological Obstacles
… In addition to adjusting one's daily routine and cultivating morality and wisdom, it is often
profitable to take a few minutes before each meditation to put one's mind in a receptive
condition. This may be done by reflecting upon the … advantages of meditation or by reading …
some chosen passage of Buddhist literature or other appropriate writing. … Also, if one has …
chores to perform … doing these beforehand will reduce their interference with meditation.
Material Considerations
… the physical and environmental factors conducive to successful meditation. … are matters of
common sense, which each person must determine for himself … In the Visuddhimagga we
read:
So when he finds that by using a certain food or by living in a certain climate he is comfortable,
or his unconcentrated mind becomes concentrated, or his concentrated mind more so, then
that food or that climate is suitable… [for him]
[Regarding postures] Walking suits one; standing or sitting or lying down another. So he should
try them, … and that posture is suitable in which his unconcentrated mind becomes
concentrated or his concentrated mind more so..5
Seclusion and isolation from noise are important considerations, … The time and duration of
meditation will also vary with individual situations. …
The preferred posture in both Asia and the West is the lotus posture or similar positions of
sitting on the ground with legs folded. …However, many … are unable to assume it or can do so
only with discomfort. … one can meditate seated on a chair. The eyes either can be closed or
resting on some neutral object such as a blank place on the ground …
Individual Variations
… there are a variety of different meditation practices each intended for specific individual need.
…Not only do meditation requirements differ from person to person, they also differ for the
same person at different times. …
There is no prescribed duration for the amount of time one should spend in meditation. …. As
with all other aspects of meditation, the amount of time must be varied according to individual
needs and circumstances.
One final point must be made before proceeding to the techniques of meditation. It is simply
this: Meditation requires patience, persistence, and effort. For one who practices less than
several hours a day, lasting and notable progress can only be achieved by months, if not years,
of endeavor. There are no short cuts or magical formulae. …
The Techniques of Meditation
The seventh step of the Noble Eightfold Path is termed right mindfulness, also called the four
foundations of mindfulness and Satipatthana. ... A full explanation of mindfulness or
Satipatthana is given in the Satipatthana Sutta, ... The Buddha begins the discourse as follows:
"This is the only way, monks, for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and
lamentation, for the destruction of suffering and grief, for reaching the right path, for the
attainment of Nibbana, namely the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.11 "
… If this sutta alone was to be filed on the shelves of a public library, it would most aptly be
placed adjacent to the archives of eclectic psychiatry and would have little in common with …
writings of religion and philosophy … It deals only with the empirical facts of conscious
experience and prescribes the techniques for mental development …
The four parts of the four foundations of mindfulness are: contemplation of the body,
contemplation of feelings, contemplation of mind, and contemplation of mental objects. The
body contemplation is itself divided into six parts — breathing, postures, clear comprehension
of action, repulsiveness, material elements, and the cemetery meditations.
Mindfulness of Breathing
The initial endeavor in Buddhist meditation is to calm and quiet the mind so that it is fully alert
…This goal can only be approached gradually, and therefore the beginner should start his
practice by focusing his attention on some quiet, readily available, rhythmic process.
Respiratory movements are ideal for this purpose. Thus the first exercise of the sutta begins:
"… a monk … sits down cross-legged, keeps his body erect and his mindfulness alert. Just
mindful he breathes in and mindful he breathes out. …"
The practitioner endeavors to keep his mind focused only on the act of breathing itself and not to
think about breathing as a subject of intellectual contemplation. In other words, one attempts to
give full attention to the reality of immediate experience and not become involved in
speculations or contemplations about reality .…"15
The most widely practiced form of the breathing meditation is focusing attention at the nostrils
where one feels … the ebb and flow of the breath. This technique is not mentioned in any of the
…teachings of the Buddha … but has been popular … since … the fifth century A.D. …
In the initial stages of practice one merely observes the process of breathing without attempting
to change its rate or depth. Later, as concentration is achieved, the breathing is gradually and
deliberately slowed in order to further quiet the mind. …
A variation of the breathing meditation … involves focusing attention upon the respiratory
movements of the abdomen instead of the sensation at the nostrils. This … [is]… popular in …
parts of … Asia 21
… when the practitioner finds that his mind has strayed …there should be no attempt to
suppress or forcibly remove the extraneous thoughts. Rather he should briefly … and objectively
label them … This may be done by thinking to himself "planning," "remembering," "imagining,"
etc., as the case may be. Then he should return to his original meditation … if after several tries
the unwanted thoughts persist, he should temporarily take the thoughts themselves as the
meditation subject. In so doing their intensity will diminish, and he can then return to his original
subject. This same technique can be used for distracting noises …[and]… feelings of anger or
frustration, …22
As the mind becomes quiet … other stimuli come into awareness. … such as itches and minor
pains, … The same may occur with emotions such as worry or fear … The meditator should first
attempt to ignore these sensations, feelings, and pictures. This failing, he should label them
"itching," "fear," "picture," etc., and lastly make them his meditation subject until they diminish.23
To be successful, meditation should not be an unpleasant experience. Strain and tension
should be minimized. Therefore, if the practitioner finds himself becoming tense, irritable, or
fatigued … he may wish to terminate the practice until he acquires a better state of mind.
Mindfulness of Postures and of Actions
Following mindfulness of breathing, the next exercise prescribed in the Satipatthana Sutta is the
development of the same clear awareness towards one's daily actions. Thus the Buddha
continues:
"And further, monks, a monk knows when he is going … he knows when he is standing "… he
knows when he is sitting … he knows when he is lying down …"
"And further, monks, a monk, in going forward and back, applies clear comprehension; in
looking straight on and looking away, he applies clear comprehension; in bending and in
stretching, he applies clear comprehension; in wearing robes and carrying the bowl, he applies
clear comprehension; in eating, drinking, chewing and savoring, he applies clear
comprehension; in attending to the calls of nature, he applies clear comprehension; in walking,
in standing, in sitting, in falling asleep, in walking, in speaking and in keeping silence, he
applies clear comprehension. …"
… Usually … we act on habit and give little attention to our physical actions…In Satipatthana,
however, the practitioner devotes himself entirely to the situation at hand. Persons interested in
meditation are often heard to complain, "But I don't have time to meditate." However, the form of
mindfulness we are now discussing can be practiced at all times and in all situations …
As with breathing meditation, the primary intent of this discipline is to prepare one's mind for
advanced stages of psychological development. … in strict monastic training, mindfulness of
actions becomes a more formalized practice. Breathing and walking meditations often are
alternated for periods of about thirty minutes each. In walking the monk paces slowly along a
level stretch of ground and directs his attention fully to the movement of each foot…
Discursive Meditations
… There are, … a variety of discursive meditations and related practices which the lay devotee
can utilize to notable advantage…A hymn, a poem, a passage from the Dhamma, or a passage
from any inspiring literature can temporarily elevate the mind and serve to cultivate wholesome
feelings. Many Buddhists make a habit of setting aside a few minutes each day to reflect upon
the Teaching or to either read or recite from memory some favored passage of the
Dhammapada. For some, similar benefits may be gained from an evening stroll, a period of
solitude in forest or desert, or a pause for contemplative relaxation in the midst of a hurried day.
…
Perhaps the most popular discursive meditation practiced by Theravadin Buddhists is the
meditation on love (metta). It is often recited in the morning in order to create a wholesome
mood for the rest of the day.30
Mindfulness of Feelings, Consciousness, and Mental Objects
… Awareness of unconscious feelings is rarely obtained through logical deductions or rational
explanations. A person who harbors these feelings will either refuse to believe what he is told or
will come to accept it only as so much factual information devoid of emotional significance…
The easier approach … consists in developing the habit of reflecting on one's feelings from
time to time and detecting the motives which produce seemingly spontaneous words and
deeds. "Why did I say that?" "Why am I tense when I meet so and so?" …
For those who have progressed in the breathing meditation or made similar progress at
quieting the mind, unconscious feelings become more readily accessible. As one begins to
shut out sensory distractions and halt discursive thinking, more subtle sensations come into
awareness. … Without recourse to verbal whys or hows and avoiding any speculative
conjecture the meditator directs full attention to the feeling alone. He brings only the feeling itself
into full awareness and allows no interfering thoughts …
Thus the last three sections of the Satipatthana Sutta read as follows:
"Mindfulness of feelings — the second of the four foundations of mindfulness: … a monk when
experiencing a pleasant feeling knows, "I experience a pleasant feeling"; when experiencing a
painful feeling, he knows, "I experience a painful feeling"; when experiencing a neutral feeling,
he knows, "I experience a neutral feeling... "
"Mindfulness of consciousness — the third of the four foundations of mindfulness: … a monk
knows the consciousness with lust, as with lust; the consciousness without lust, as without
lust; the consciousness with hate, as with hate; the consciousness without hate, as without
hate; the consciousness with ignorance, as with ignorance; the consciousness without
ignorance, as without ignorance; …"
"Mindfulness of mental objects — the fourth of the four foundations of mindfulness: … when
sense-desire is present, a monk knows, "There is sense-desire in me," …When anger is
present, he knows, "There is anger in me."... [etc.]..."
… Thus far we have discussed how one achieves insight as the first step towards eliminating
unwholesome feelings … Following insight … complete attention is focused on the feeling itself
in order that one may examine it objectively in its naked reality, free of any cultural and personal
assumptions as to its desirability. …38
As an example, in a typical case of anger one is cognizant of being angry, yet a much greater
amount of attention is directed outward. … And in so doing indignation, resentment, and anger
increase. … The Buddhist approach is to turn attention to the real problem — the anger. One
reflects, "I am angry."... "I am doing this because I am angry."... In so doing one avoids dwelling
on alleged injustices, etc., and thereby does not intensify the hatred. This reflection continues,
"This is anger."... "It is real; it is intense."... "It is a feeling."... "It has no reality outside of my own
consciousness."... "Like all feelings, it will soon diminish."... "I experience it but am not
compelled to act on it." With practice one finds that though anger still arises, its effect is
diminished. Its influence is no longer as strong. In the case of painful emotions, such as
humiliation, it is advantageous to also reflect, "This is most painful."... "I do not like it; but I can
confront it."... "I can endure it."... "Even though it is unpleasant, I can tolerate it." In instances of
greed and passion it is often fruitful to consider "Is this truly pleasurable?"... "Is it rewarding?"...
"Am I now happy?"
It should be noted that this important technique can also be employed in the course of daily
living without unusual powers of concentration or formal meditation practice.
In the words of the Buddha: There are three kinds of feeling:
" O monks: pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, and neutral feeling. For the full understanding
of these three kinds of feelings, O monks, the four foundations of mindfulness should be
cultivated.39 "
[At this point]…there remains only one fetter to be resolved. This is … the infatuation for one's
self, which results in egotism, and … self-exaltation. Perpetuating this fetter is the illusion that
one has a true or unchanging self, the "real me." … Among the Buddha's teachings are
numerous passages like the following:
"There is no corporeality, no feeling, no perception, no mental formations, no consciousness
that is permanent, enduring and lasting, and that, not subject to any change, will eternally
remain the same… 41"
One important fact should be noted. Neither in the Satipatthana Sutta nor in any of the other
seven steps of the Eightfold Path is advocated the denial or suppression of feelings. … 43
The Eighth Step
The last step of the Noble Eightfold Path is termed right concentration and concerns the
attainment of the four absorptions or jhanas. These states are achieved by an extreme degree
of concentration and mental quietude beyond that usually sought through mindfulness of
breathing. Yet, unlike Satipatthana, the jhanas are not a prerequisite to Enlightenment… Also,
there is the danger of one becoming enamoured with them and not striving for further progress.
However, achieving the jhanas can facilitate one's progress.44
… The first jhana is described as having five qualities absent and five present. Absent are lust,
anger, sloth, agitation, and doubt. Present are a mild degree of conceptual thought, a mild
degree of discursive thinking, rapture, happiness, and concentration. …the second jhana, …
has the qualities of concentration, rapture, and happiness. … the third jhana … only
equanimous happiness and concentration remain. The distinctive factors of the fourth
absorption are equanimity and concentration. This last jhana is … described as a state beyond
pleasure and pain.45
The jhanas are obtained by mindfulness of breathing with a steady, progressive quieting of the
breath.46 They may also be realized through the kasina meditations and meditating on
equanimity.47
Other Forms of Meditation
The Satipatthana exercises are by far the most valuable and widely practiced of all the
Theravada meditations. ...
A kasina is an object (such as a clay disk, a flame, or color) which the practitioner looks at from
a distance of about four feet. The eyes are alternately opened and closed until one has acquired
a mental image of the object which is as vivid as the real one.54 [ These] meditations develop
the jhanas and do not enhance insight.
Meditation is not an exclusively Buddhist tradition. It is equally important in the Hindu religion …
Thus a comparison is warranted. Both advocate preparatory moral discipline, moderation in
eating, quieting the mind, and abolition of selfish desires. The postures are similar, and the
breathing meditation is practiced by many yogis. Here, however, the similarities cease.
Buddhism is concerned with the empirical phenomena of conscious experience, and thus its
meditations are psychologically oriented. Hinduism, on the other hand, is mystically, religiously,
and metaphysically inclined. … While Buddhism emphasizes motivations and insight,
Hinduism speaks of Infinite Consciousness, Cosmic Reality, and oneness with God. To the
Hindu, freedom from hatred is not so much an end in itself as it is a step towards Immortality. …
… Of all the Mahayana schools, Zen places the greatest emphasis upon meditation…. It
focuses on quieting the mind and shuns conceptual thinking in preference to direct experience.
…the initial Zen practice usually involves attention to breathing. It does not include as wide a
variety of different techniques.[as Theravada Buddhism]. Zen places greater emphasis on the
details of correct posture … Zen meditation is often followed by chanting and gongs.
Perhaps the most significant difference is that, as compared to Theravada, Zen makes little
mention of the need and means of dealing with motives, feelings, and emotions. It lays great
emphasis upon freeing oneself from intellectualizing and conceptualizing in one's quest of "the
Ultimate." But at the same time it offers scant advice on the means by which one overcomes
unwholesome impulses or confronts mental hindrances that are emotional or motivational in
origin….
Some Observations and Suggestions for Insight Meditation
… One is impressed with the variety of personalities who undertake [meditative] practice. Some
[people] are experimental, critical, and pragmatic; others … dedicated, and idealistic. Some
seem well adjusted and at peace … others seem desperate ….Some adhere literally to every
detail …, while some instead are dedicated to the interpretations … of their respective teachers.
Still others attempt to find [their way]… alone … and unaided … [Similarly their] techniques and
methods …are also highly varied ….
… I have seen … some genuine achievements and also some notable failures. … What is it
that succeeds and what is it that does not? … One may succeed in one area of meditative
development but not in another. In order to evaluate progress at meditation one must have
some criteria or standards against which to judge. … what is it that, short of Nibbana,?...
… note the Buddha's words: "One thing do I teach: suffering (i.e., dukkha) and the end of
suffering." Thus if one has truly progressed, we would expect that where previously sad and
depressed, one is now less so; where previously selfish, one is now more giving; where
previously defensive, secretive, and guarded, one is now more open and self-assured. Worry
and anxiety should be reduced. Objective humility should replace conceit. Instead of recurrent
thoughts of anger and "getting even" one is more forgiving and at peace with the world.
… it is craving or desire which causes our unhappiness and produces our mental defilements.
Thus only by attacking the problems of craving, wanting, and desiring can progress be made. I
speak now not so much of the crude and obvious desires such as hunger and sex but of the
more subtle ones of egotism, emotional dependency, and desires for possession. …
When asked "What have you gained from meditation?" the correct answer should be "nothing."
For meditation is not for acquiring but for giving up — a full and complete giving up of the self.
Too often people put in a half-hour each day at meditation in the same way that they put in a half-
hour studying French. After so many months or years one has a new attribute, a new skill to add
to one's already impressive repertoire of virtues, achievements, talents, and abilities. "…
… Another way in which meditation becomes misdirected … is the quest for new sensations or
experiences… . Many seek from meditation the very same thing they seek from drugs …
… At the opposite extreme are persons whose approaches to Buddhism are excessively
dogmatic, literal, orthodox, and moralistic. They strongly resist a pragmatic, eclectic approach to
meditation and are hyper-concerned with the nuances and fine points of Buddhist tradition and
decorum. … one repeatedly hears such statements as, "To progress at meditation there must
be strict moral discipline," or "You cannot expect fast results but must work for years." Now there
is truth in both these statements. But in this context they are really symptoms of extreme rigidity
and dogmatism, … One's commitment to the tradition and to the letter of the teaching is so
strong that one is incapable of truly practicing that very same teaching which advises one to
have no prejudices and to see truth as universal and independent of any institution…
The theme of guilt and self-punishment is one factor …which [also] tends to perpetuate the
phenomenon of diligent striving with minimal results. It usually begins with one taking a highly
idealistic, moralistic… approach to Dhamma. …. One fails and tries again; fails and tries again.
Blaming oneself for one's failure one comes to feel guilty and tries even harder, again failing.
With this the austerity of one's practice comes to take on a self-punitive nature. Angry with
oneself, one becomes more severe with oneself … As the Buddha said, the guitar string once
too slack has now been wound too tight, ...
… The optimum proportion of time that one should spend in isolated meditation as contrasted
with the time spent in more mundane pursuits will vary among different individuals. It will also
vary according to the method of practice and with different times and stages of development for
a given individual.
I state these above conclusions not only from a theoretical position and not just because they
seem to be revealed in the life pattern of the Buddha and his disciples … [But]. My own limited
observations of persons who appear to have progressed at Buddhist practice also fits this
conclusion.
…one point needs to be more strongly emphasized, and that is that a regular daily practice of
meditation alone will not be likely to show results unless one is willing to thoroughly scrutinize
his or her entire pattern of living and be prepared to revise or abandon one’s lifestyle if so
indicated. …
… One meets a fair number of people who have (or at least claim to have) made considerable
attainment at one-pointed concentration. Yet, with a few notable exceptions, they appear to be
just as prone to selfishness and petty jealousies as any ordinary persons whom one might
meet at random. Some in fact have shown themselves to be very unhappy, lonely, and/or
insecure. On the other hand, persons who have made only slight progress at sustained
concentration have, nevertheless, in the course of Buddhist practice, made considerable
progress at diminishing conceit, resentment, depression, and selfishness. …
… A general rule of practice …as follows: One starts practice by attempting to quiet and
concentrate the mind. But after some minutes of finding that the mind repeatedly wanders from
its intended object, the practitioner then stands back as it were and asks: "Just what is my
present state of mind at this instant?" "What is it that makes my attention wander from its
intended object?" This then is analyzed and confronted. In principle this is much like another
useful technique which is: One does not choose any given meditation subject but instead
simply sits and takes note: "What is my mental state now? What gross feelings? What subtle
feelings? What memories and expectations? What intentions or desires?" In actual practice this
is done not in the form of verbal thoughts, as expressed in the preceding sentences, but rather
as a state of watchful observation with few if any word thoughts present. Quite often at such
times one finds a subtle mental defilement which must be examined and discarded. That is the
idea: "Now I am meditating and want to have something to show for it. I want something to
happen." Or it may be: "I want to confront and overcome my anger, but now that I'm looking for it,
it seems to have gone," and with this arises a feeling of frustration. Herein one has set a goal
and been thwarted. Thus the desiring of this specific goal and its resultant frustration is the very
state of mind that must be dealt with. Successful meditation requires catching the immediate
present.
Finally a note about the attainments in meditation: … the attainments are … only seen in
retrospect. For example, one suddenly reflects: "A year ago I was chronically depressed,
unhappy, irritable, defensive. That rarely happens now. Such and such a thing used to upset me
greatly. Now it happens and I hardly notice."…when asked, "What have you gained from
meditation?" the answer would be: "It is not what I have gained that is important but rather what I
have diminished, namely, greed, hatred, and delusion."
Notes
4. Samyutta Nikaya, 47:21.
5. Visuddhimagga, IV, 40-41. Translation by Bhikkhu Ñanamoli. Colombo: R. Semage, 1956.
11. The Foundations of Mindfulness. Translation by Nyanasatta Thera. BPS Wheel No. 19.
15. Heart of Buddhist Meditation, p. 98.
21. The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, pp. 85-86.
22. Ibid., p. 97.
23. An Experiment in Mindfulness, pp. 52-55.
30. Visuddhimagga IX.
34. Anguttara Nikaya, VI, 10.
38. The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, pp. 68-70.
39. Samyutta Nikaya, 47:49.
40. Ibid., 36:3.
41. Ibid., 22:96.
43. The Removal of Distracting Thoughts. Translation by Soma Thera. BPS Wheel No. 21.
44. The Word of the Buddha, by Nyanatiloka Mahathera. Kandy: BPS, p. 79.
45. Ibid., pp. 80-81.
46. The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, p. 111.
47. Visuddhimagga, III, 107.
52. Digha Nikaya, No. 11, Kevaddha Sutta.
54. Ibid., IV, 30.
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
P.O. Box 61 54, Sangharaja Mawatha Kandy Sri Lanka
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THE PATH: A VERY SHORT STORY
On March 3 of this year, I tried to purchase tickets for the Dalai Lama's public talk in Bethlehem
in July. I was traveling back from doing a show in Baltimore that morning and must've called the
number 50 times. It was always busy. When I arrived home, I punched in the website info for
Ticket Master, thinking maybe I could purchase a ticket via the Internet. I seemed to be getting
somewhere, as I entered my name and ticket request, and there was no big announcement
telling me the event had been sold out. .I got to the screen that asks for some other information,
and to continue, I had to copy and type in the fuzzy letters and/or numbers seen in the shaded
rectangle. Sometimes these are impossible to read, so I had to keep requesting another
security code. Usually the numbers and letters are totally random. FINALLY, I did get a code I
could read. The words read, THE PATH. Thinking that surely meant I was going to get a ticket, I
clicked on the continue icon. Of course, as luck would have it, or karma, or something... the
event had been sold out earlier. I was disappointed but not surprised. All kinds of thoughts
sprang to mind... delusion/illusion/attachment -- and so on. I didn't want to be too attached to
my desire to attend the talk, even though it is the Dalai Lama, the one person I probably admire
most in this life. The conversation went back and forth in my brain, and still does: "well, you can't
be too attached to your desire to attend this event..." "Yes, but this IS the Dalai Lama, who has
been accused of being a 'wolf in monk's clothing' and his followers the 'scum of
Buddhism.'" ... "Yes, but other people deserve an opportunity to hear a public talk, and after all, I
did get to attend a talk a few years ago."... "But some of the people selling tickets now on Craig's
List and eBay want ten times the cost of the ticket . . . "Scalpers have to make a
living, and who am I to judge? In the end, what does it matter?" And so it continues. . . (You can
make yourself nuts with these internal conversations!). I will say, being in the presence of the
DL at Rutgers was just awesome. So I'll leave it at that! Despite my disappointment, I still think
the code words THE PATH must be symbolic of something! The Path to Enlightenment,
perhaps? The Path to peace? Or just another illusion?
Louise Wile
T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T
The Three Goals
The first goal is to see the thing itself
in and for itself, to see it simply and clearly
for what it is.
No symbolism, please
The second goal is to see each individual thing
as unified as on, with all the other
ten thousand things,
in this regard, a little wine helps a lot.
The third goal is to grasp the first and the second goals,
to see the universal and the particular
simultaneously.
Regarding this one, call me when you get it.
(by David Budbill)
e g h f e g h f e g h f e g h f e g h f e g h f e g h f
.. stressful thoughts reflect a conflict with reality. Stress
happens when the mind resists what is."
The Power of Now, by Echert Tolle p. 72
Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
A Fishy Story
[Using the image of a pond, the teacher affectionately called Socrates or Soc
explained] ….Your mind is full of waves because you feel separate from, and often threatened
by, an unplanned, unwelcome occurrence. Your mind is like a pond into which someone has
just dropped a boulder!"
As I listened, I gazed into the depths of my teacup, my attention intensified; I stared deeper and
deeper into the cup, down, down … [soon as if in a dream] I was underwater, looking up. …. I
had fins and gills; very fishy. I whipped my tail and darted to the bottom where it was silent and
peaceful. Suddenly a huge rock crashed into the water's surface. Shock waves slapped me
backward. My fins whipped the water again and again and I took off, seeking shelter. I hid until
everything quieted down again. As time passed, I became accustomed to the little stones that
sometimes fell into the water, making ripples. The large plunks, however, still startled me.
In a world filled with sound and dryness again, I lay on the couch, looking up, wide-eyed, at
Soc's smile.
Socrates, that was incredible.
"You were a very nervous fish, fleeing every large ripple. Later, you became use to the ripples
but still had no insight into their cause. You can see," he continued "that a magnificent leap of
awareness is required for the fish to extend its vision beyond the water in which it is immersed
to the source of the ripples." "A similar leap of awareness will be required of you. When you
understand the source clearly, you'll see that the ripples of your mind have nothing to do with
you; you'll just watch them, without attachment, and no longer compelled to overreact every time
a pebble drops. You will be free of the world's turbulence as soon as you stop taking your
thoughts so seriously. Remember --- when you are in trouble, let go of your thoughts to see
through your mind"
"Socrates, how?"
"A not-so - bad question. As you've learned … leaps of awareness don't happen all at once; they
require time and practice. And the practice of insight into the source of your own ripples is
meditation."
The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman , Pg73
ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ
In walking, just walk. In sitting just sit. Above all, don't wobble.
Zen Saying
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This E-Mag’s purpose is to nurture the Buddhist practice of reflection and contemplation. It is
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Buddhist Sangha unless clearly and expressly stated to be so
The quarterly E-Magazine of the Bucks County Buddhist Sangha
Three disciplines for progress on the Buddhist path are study, reflection and meditation.
Winter Issue December 2008 Vol. I Issue 3
Table of contents
Editor’s Comments
One Day
Poem for Tibet
Two Men Journey into...
Buddhist Meditation and Depth Psychology, by D. Burns
Food for thought - A Fishy Story
Contact Us!
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Only that day dawns to which we are fully awake.
---Henry David Thoreau
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Editor’s Comments
As we move into the coming New Year this issue gives us many things to reflect upon, but
especially or meditative practice. Some of our regular features are missing. This is because of
the length of the article by Douglas Burns entitled Buddhist Meditation and Depth Psychology.
As lengthy as this condensed version is, the original is several times longer. The challenge was
find a way to reduce the size without mutilating the content. I hope I have succeeded. But you be
the judge. If you find this condensed version helpful you may want to read the original. The
source is noted at the end of the article. Hopefully as we move into 2009 this teaching on
mediation will inspire us to strengthen and deepen our practice. Enjoy the magazine!
Dan Lee
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
One Day
One day a wealthy man sent his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of
showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what
would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son,
'How was the trip?'
'It was great, Dad.'
'Did you see how poor people live?' the father asked.
'Oh yeah,' said the son.
'So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?' asked the father.
The son answered: 'I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that
reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported
lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and
they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go
beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but
they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect
them.'
The boy's father was speechless.
Then his son added, 'Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.'
Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave
thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have. Appreciate every
single thing you have, especially your friends! 'Life is too short and true friends are too few.'
Jeff MacNair
******************************************************************************
A POEM FOR TIBET
I weep for Tibet
for monks in saffron robes
now blood red.
Grain by grain
a life is laid down
swept away in one breath.
I weep for those living in tent cities
surrounded by golden sunshine
in a land of plenty
but only for some.
I weep for the babies
shot on the street
blown up on the bus
dumped in trash cans.
The monk forms the mandala
grain by grain
as the world weeps
for what it has lost.
Bit by bit
grain by grain
what seemed so permanent and solid
reduced to elements
particles of carbon
swept away in one breath.
This poem was written during the first days of the Tibetan uprising earlier in March 2008, when
I felt deep despair for all those suffering in the ugly violence. Reading other news of the day, I
realized there are many other horrors. Families who have lost heir homes in the mortgage
meltdown living in tents outside L.A. Children blown up every day by suicide bombers. Infants
found on airplanes and in trash cans. So much suffering. And through it all, I watched a solitary
monk construct this beautiful mandala of stunning colors, one grain at a time. And when
finished, it will be swept away, just as our lives, sufferings and all, will be swept away. We are,
after all, just bits of carbon and other chemicals, impermanent and fleeting. And just as the
monk begins again to form another mandala, we too begin again, another day, another life,
another journey. Louise Wile
– ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜ – ˜
Two Men Journey into...
The following has been taken from the delightful little book Keep Going, the Art of Perseverance,
by Joseph M. Marshall III, Sterling Pub. Co. Inc., N.Y. N. Y. 2006
Two men journeyed the length and breathe of a land bathed in sunshine. One was a wood
carver and the other a reader of the law…. After several days the road led into a tall, very dark
and thick forest. The reader of the law stopped at the edge of the forest and refused to take
another step.
"We must go into the forest," insisted the woodcarver, "It is part of the journey."
"But I do not like the deep shadows," said the reader of the law. "I do not know what could be
hiding there in the darkness. There could be thieves ready to fall upon us, or perhaps fierce wild
animals."
"True," replied the woodcarver. "The forest is where many things dwell. There may be other
travelers, or dangerous and unknown things. Yet we will not know until we walk into these
shadows. But there is something not in there that is most dangerous of all. That I know. "
The fearful reader of the law recoiled. "Whatever do you mean? What can be more dangerous
than thieves and wild animals?"
"Your fears," replied the woodcarver, as he entered the forest.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
O Karma, Dharma, pudding and pie
gimme a break before I die
grant me wisdom, will & wit,
purity, probity, pluck, & grit
Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, kind,
gimme great abs & steel -trap mind,
and forgive, ye Gods, some humble advice --
these little blessings would suffice
to beget an earthly paradise:
make the bad people good --
and the good people nice;
and before our world goes over the brink
teach the believers how to think.
Philip Appleman
³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³³³³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³³³³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³³³³
Buddhist Meditation and Depth Psychology
By Douglas M. Burns
For the benefit of some of our readers the following are definitions of some of the less familiar
terms used in this article:
Theravada: is the oldest surviving Buddhist. It is relatively conservative, and for many centuries
has been the predominant religion of Sri Lanka and most of continental Southeast Asia
(Cambodia , Laos , Burma and Thailand).
Mahayana: The form of Buddhism prevalent in Mongolia, China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam.
Kasina: In Buddhism, kasina are a class of basic visual objects of meditation. There are ten
kasina: earth water, air, fire, blue and green, yellow, red, white, bright light, an enclosed space
or aperture
Sutta (Sanskrit: Sūtra) A discourse of the Buddha.
Zen: A Buddhist tradition founded in China as a result of the teaching of Bodhidharma, circa 475
C.E. Found today mostly in Vietnam, Japan and Korea
Noble Eightfold Path: is, what the Buddha declared to be the way that leads to the cessation of
suffering (dukkha) and the achievement of self-awakening
Jhanas: Stages of concentration in meditation
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From the Buddhist viewpoint, mind or consciousness is the core of our existence. Pleasure and
pain, good and evil, time and space, life and death have no meaning to us apart from our
awareness of them or thoughts about them. … Buddhism does not deny the reality of material
existence, nor does it ignore the very great effect that the physical world has upon us. … But
since the fundamental reality … is the ever-changing sequence of thoughts, feelings, emotions,
and perceptions which … make up our daily lives …
… suffering is primarily psychological, … the cure, also, is psychological. Therefore, we find in
Buddhism a series of "mental exercises" or meditations designed to uncover and cure our
psychic aberrations. … [ It] does not require any elaborate technique or external devices. … daily
life is its working material. …
… Meditation is a personal experience … consequently each of us must tread his or her own
path towards the summit of Enlightenment. By words we can instruct and encourage but words
are only symbols for reality.
The Goals of Meditation
… The ultimate goals of meditation are the ultimate goals of Buddhism, … --- realization of
Nibbana and the abolition of dukkha or suffering. Nibbana, however, is beyond the realm of
conceptualization … Therefore the Buddha said relatively little about Nibbana and instead
directed most of his teachings towards two lesser goals which are … first, the increase,
enhancement, and cultivation of positive feelings such as love, compassion, equanimity, mental
purity, and the happiness found in bringing happiness to others. Secondly … the
relinquishment and renunciation of greed, hatred, delusion, conceit, agitation, and other
negative, unwholesome states.
… the positive feelings … are satisfying, meaningful, and wholesome … they have their own
inherent worth and intrinsic value independent of … religious dogma. Conversely, greed, hatred,
lust, etc., are agitating, discomforting experiences … which … preclude a full realization of the
happiness born of love and equanimity. Thus the realization of positive feelings and
relinquishment of negative feelings are the major goals and motivations of meditation.…
[However]… there are … goals which must be achieved before the higher ones can be fully
realized. These are non-attachment, insight, and concentration.
Non-attachment is freedom from craving and freedom from infatuation for sensual experience. It
is not … apathy … it is psychological liberation from our "enslaving passions and our addictions
to sensual and emotional pleasures." … [ it is ] akin to freedom … and serenity.
Insight …means full realization of the fact that all things in the universe are temporary and
changing; the human psyche is no exception … as a consequence suffering is always
inevitable, for no state of mind, pleasant or unpleasant, can endure forever. …[It] means gaining
awareness of those feelings, motives, and values which have previously been unconscious. [i.
e.] Repressed feelings of guilt, fear, lust, and hatred
Concentration involves the ability to keep one's attention firmly fixed on a given subject for
protracted periods of time, thus overcoming the mind's usual discursive habit of flitting from
subject to subject.
Preparations
The initial endeavor in Buddhist meditation is to quiet the mind and enhance detachment and
objectivity. For only when the mind has stilled its perpetual ruminating … can it readily become
aware of the unconscious feelings and motivations which shape our thoughts, speech, and
behavior. Furthermore, only with detached objectivity and its ensuing insights can we readily
confront and renounce unwholesome feelings. On the other hand, we do not achieve complete
calmness and detachment so long as we harbor unwholesome feelings and unconscious
emotional conflicts. Thus the process is reciprocal: the more we quiet the mind, the more we
gain insight and relinquishment of undesirable feelings. The more we relinquish such feelings
and resolve emotional conflicts, the more we quiet the mind and approach perfect calmness,
detachment, and objectivity.
Psychological Obstacles
… In addition to adjusting one's daily routine and cultivating morality and wisdom, it is often
profitable to take a few minutes before each meditation to put one's mind in a receptive
condition. This may be done by reflecting upon the … advantages of meditation or by reading …
some chosen passage of Buddhist literature or other appropriate writing. … Also, if one has …
chores to perform … doing these beforehand will reduce their interference with meditation.
Material Considerations
… the physical and environmental factors conducive to successful meditation. … are matters of
common sense, which each person must determine for himself … In the Visuddhimagga we
read:
So when he finds that by using a certain food or by living in a certain climate he is comfortable,
or his unconcentrated mind becomes concentrated, or his concentrated mind more so, then
that food or that climate is suitable… [for him]
[Regarding postures] Walking suits one; standing or sitting or lying down another. So he should
try them, … and that posture is suitable in which his unconcentrated mind becomes
concentrated or his concentrated mind more so..5
Seclusion and isolation from noise are important considerations, … The time and duration of
meditation will also vary with individual situations. …
The preferred posture in both Asia and the West is the lotus posture or similar positions of
sitting on the ground with legs folded. …However, many … are unable to assume it or can do so
only with discomfort. … one can meditate seated on a chair. The eyes either can be closed or
resting on some neutral object such as a blank place on the ground …
Individual Variations
… there are a variety of different meditation practices each intended for specific individual need.
…Not only do meditation requirements differ from person to person, they also differ for the
same person at different times. …
There is no prescribed duration for the amount of time one should spend in meditation. …. As
with all other aspects of meditation, the amount of time must be varied according to individual
needs and circumstances.
One final point must be made before proceeding to the techniques of meditation. It is simply
this: Meditation requires patience, persistence, and effort. For one who practices less than
several hours a day, lasting and notable progress can only be achieved by months, if not years,
of endeavor. There are no short cuts or magical formulae. …
The Techniques of Meditation
The seventh step of the Noble Eightfold Path is termed right mindfulness, also called the four
foundations of mindfulness and Satipatthana. ... A full explanation of mindfulness or
Satipatthana is given in the Satipatthana Sutta, ... The Buddha begins the discourse as follows:
"This is the only way, monks, for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow and
lamentation, for the destruction of suffering and grief, for reaching the right path, for the
attainment of Nibbana, namely the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.11 "
… If this sutta alone was to be filed on the shelves of a public library, it would most aptly be
placed adjacent to the archives of eclectic psychiatry and would have little in common with …
writings of religion and philosophy … It deals only with the empirical facts of conscious
experience and prescribes the techniques for mental development …
The four parts of the four foundations of mindfulness are: contemplation of the body,
contemplation of feelings, contemplation of mind, and contemplation of mental objects. The
body contemplation is itself divided into six parts — breathing, postures, clear comprehension
of action, repulsiveness, material elements, and the cemetery meditations.
Mindfulness of Breathing
The initial endeavor in Buddhist meditation is to calm and quiet the mind so that it is fully alert
…This goal can only be approached gradually, and therefore the beginner should start his
practice by focusing his attention on some quiet, readily available, rhythmic process.
Respiratory movements are ideal for this purpose. Thus the first exercise of the sutta begins:
"… a monk … sits down cross-legged, keeps his body erect and his mindfulness alert. Just
mindful he breathes in and mindful he breathes out. …"
The practitioner endeavors to keep his mind focused only on the act of breathing itself and not to
think about breathing as a subject of intellectual contemplation. In other words, one attempts to
give full attention to the reality of immediate experience and not become involved in
speculations or contemplations about reality .…"15
The most widely practiced form of the breathing meditation is focusing attention at the nostrils
where one feels … the ebb and flow of the breath. This technique is not mentioned in any of the
…teachings of the Buddha … but has been popular … since … the fifth century A.D. …
In the initial stages of practice one merely observes the process of breathing without attempting
to change its rate or depth. Later, as concentration is achieved, the breathing is gradually and
deliberately slowed in order to further quiet the mind. …
A variation of the breathing meditation … involves focusing attention upon the respiratory
movements of the abdomen instead of the sensation at the nostrils. This … [is]… popular in …
parts of … Asia 21
… when the practitioner finds that his mind has strayed …there should be no attempt to
suppress or forcibly remove the extraneous thoughts. Rather he should briefly … and objectively
label them … This may be done by thinking to himself "planning," "remembering," "imagining,"
etc., as the case may be. Then he should return to his original meditation … if after several tries
the unwanted thoughts persist, he should temporarily take the thoughts themselves as the
meditation subject. In so doing their intensity will diminish, and he can then return to his original
subject. This same technique can be used for distracting noises …[and]… feelings of anger or
frustration, …22
As the mind becomes quiet … other stimuli come into awareness. … such as itches and minor
pains, … The same may occur with emotions such as worry or fear … The meditator should first
attempt to ignore these sensations, feelings, and pictures. This failing, he should label them
"itching," "fear," "picture," etc., and lastly make them his meditation subject until they diminish.23
To be successful, meditation should not be an unpleasant experience. Strain and tension
should be minimized. Therefore, if the practitioner finds himself becoming tense, irritable, or
fatigued … he may wish to terminate the practice until he acquires a better state of mind.
Mindfulness of Postures and of Actions
Following mindfulness of breathing, the next exercise prescribed in the Satipatthana Sutta is the
development of the same clear awareness towards one's daily actions. Thus the Buddha
continues:
"And further, monks, a monk knows when he is going … he knows when he is standing "… he
knows when he is sitting … he knows when he is lying down …"
"And further, monks, a monk, in going forward and back, applies clear comprehension; in
looking straight on and looking away, he applies clear comprehension; in bending and in
stretching, he applies clear comprehension; in wearing robes and carrying the bowl, he applies
clear comprehension; in eating, drinking, chewing and savoring, he applies clear
comprehension; in attending to the calls of nature, he applies clear comprehension; in walking,
in standing, in sitting, in falling asleep, in walking, in speaking and in keeping silence, he
applies clear comprehension. …"
… Usually … we act on habit and give little attention to our physical actions…In Satipatthana,
however, the practitioner devotes himself entirely to the situation at hand. Persons interested in
meditation are often heard to complain, "But I don't have time to meditate." However, the form of
mindfulness we are now discussing can be practiced at all times and in all situations …
As with breathing meditation, the primary intent of this discipline is to prepare one's mind for
advanced stages of psychological development. … in strict monastic training, mindfulness of
actions becomes a more formalized practice. Breathing and walking meditations often are
alternated for periods of about thirty minutes each. In walking the monk paces slowly along a
level stretch of ground and directs his attention fully to the movement of each foot…
Discursive Meditations
… There are, … a variety of discursive meditations and related practices which the lay devotee
can utilize to notable advantage…A hymn, a poem, a passage from the Dhamma, or a passage
from any inspiring literature can temporarily elevate the mind and serve to cultivate wholesome
feelings. Many Buddhists make a habit of setting aside a few minutes each day to reflect upon
the Teaching or to either read or recite from memory some favored passage of the
Dhammapada. For some, similar benefits may be gained from an evening stroll, a period of
solitude in forest or desert, or a pause for contemplative relaxation in the midst of a hurried day.
…
Perhaps the most popular discursive meditation practiced by Theravadin Buddhists is the
meditation on love (metta). It is often recited in the morning in order to create a wholesome
mood for the rest of the day.30
Mindfulness of Feelings, Consciousness, and Mental Objects
… Awareness of unconscious feelings is rarely obtained through logical deductions or rational
explanations. A person who harbors these feelings will either refuse to believe what he is told or
will come to accept it only as so much factual information devoid of emotional significance…
The easier approach … consists in developing the habit of reflecting on one's feelings from
time to time and detecting the motives which produce seemingly spontaneous words and
deeds. "Why did I say that?" "Why am I tense when I meet so and so?" …
For those who have progressed in the breathing meditation or made similar progress at
quieting the mind, unconscious feelings become more readily accessible. As one begins to
shut out sensory distractions and halt discursive thinking, more subtle sensations come into
awareness. … Without recourse to verbal whys or hows and avoiding any speculative
conjecture the meditator directs full attention to the feeling alone. He brings only the feeling itself
into full awareness and allows no interfering thoughts …
Thus the last three sections of the Satipatthana Sutta read as follows:
"Mindfulness of feelings — the second of the four foundations of mindfulness: … a monk when
experiencing a pleasant feeling knows, "I experience a pleasant feeling"; when experiencing a
painful feeling, he knows, "I experience a painful feeling"; when experiencing a neutral feeling,
he knows, "I experience a neutral feeling... "
"Mindfulness of consciousness — the third of the four foundations of mindfulness: … a monk
knows the consciousness with lust, as with lust; the consciousness without lust, as without
lust; the consciousness with hate, as with hate; the consciousness without hate, as without
hate; the consciousness with ignorance, as with ignorance; the consciousness without
ignorance, as without ignorance; …"
"Mindfulness of mental objects — the fourth of the four foundations of mindfulness: … when
sense-desire is present, a monk knows, "There is sense-desire in me," …When anger is
present, he knows, "There is anger in me."... [etc.]..."
… Thus far we have discussed how one achieves insight as the first step towards eliminating
unwholesome feelings … Following insight … complete attention is focused on the feeling itself
in order that one may examine it objectively in its naked reality, free of any cultural and personal
assumptions as to its desirability. …38
As an example, in a typical case of anger one is cognizant of being angry, yet a much greater
amount of attention is directed outward. … And in so doing indignation, resentment, and anger
increase. … The Buddhist approach is to turn attention to the real problem — the anger. One
reflects, "I am angry."... "I am doing this because I am angry."... In so doing one avoids dwelling
on alleged injustices, etc., and thereby does not intensify the hatred. This reflection continues,
"This is anger."... "It is real; it is intense."... "It is a feeling."... "It has no reality outside of my own
consciousness."... "Like all feelings, it will soon diminish."... "I experience it but am not
compelled to act on it." With practice one finds that though anger still arises, its effect is
diminished. Its influence is no longer as strong. In the case of painful emotions, such as
humiliation, it is advantageous to also reflect, "This is most painful."... "I do not like it; but I can
confront it."... "I can endure it."... "Even though it is unpleasant, I can tolerate it." In instances of
greed and passion it is often fruitful to consider "Is this truly pleasurable?"... "Is it rewarding?"...
"Am I now happy?"
It should be noted that this important technique can also be employed in the course of daily
living without unusual powers of concentration or formal meditation practice.
In the words of the Buddha: There are three kinds of feeling:
" O monks: pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, and neutral feeling. For the full understanding
of these three kinds of feelings, O monks, the four foundations of mindfulness should be
cultivated.39 "
[At this point]…there remains only one fetter to be resolved. This is … the infatuation for one's
self, which results in egotism, and … self-exaltation. Perpetuating this fetter is the illusion that
one has a true or unchanging self, the "real me." … Among the Buddha's teachings are
numerous passages like the following:
"There is no corporeality, no feeling, no perception, no mental formations, no consciousness
that is permanent, enduring and lasting, and that, not subject to any change, will eternally
remain the same… 41"
One important fact should be noted. Neither in the Satipatthana Sutta nor in any of the other
seven steps of the Eightfold Path is advocated the denial or suppression of feelings. … 43
The Eighth Step
The last step of the Noble Eightfold Path is termed right concentration and concerns the
attainment of the four absorptions or jhanas. These states are achieved by an extreme degree
of concentration and mental quietude beyond that usually sought through mindfulness of
breathing. Yet, unlike Satipatthana, the jhanas are not a prerequisite to Enlightenment… Also,
there is the danger of one becoming enamoured with them and not striving for further progress.
However, achieving the jhanas can facilitate one's progress.44
… The first jhana is described as having five qualities absent and five present. Absent are lust,
anger, sloth, agitation, and doubt. Present are a mild degree of conceptual thought, a mild
degree of discursive thinking, rapture, happiness, and concentration. …the second jhana, …
has the qualities of concentration, rapture, and happiness. … the third jhana … only
equanimous happiness and concentration remain. The distinctive factors of the fourth
absorption are equanimity and concentration. This last jhana is … described as a state beyond
pleasure and pain.45
The jhanas are obtained by mindfulness of breathing with a steady, progressive quieting of the
breath.46 They may also be realized through the kasina meditations and meditating on
equanimity.47
Other Forms of Meditation
The Satipatthana exercises are by far the most valuable and widely practiced of all the
Theravada meditations. ...
A kasina is an object (such as a clay disk, a flame, or color) which the practitioner looks at from
a distance of about four feet. The eyes are alternately opened and closed until one has acquired
a mental image of the object which is as vivid as the real one.54 [ These] meditations develop
the jhanas and do not enhance insight.
Meditation is not an exclusively Buddhist tradition. It is equally important in the Hindu religion …
Thus a comparison is warranted. Both advocate preparatory moral discipline, moderation in
eating, quieting the mind, and abolition of selfish desires. The postures are similar, and the
breathing meditation is practiced by many yogis. Here, however, the similarities cease.
Buddhism is concerned with the empirical phenomena of conscious experience, and thus its
meditations are psychologically oriented. Hinduism, on the other hand, is mystically, religiously,
and metaphysically inclined. … While Buddhism emphasizes motivations and insight,
Hinduism speaks of Infinite Consciousness, Cosmic Reality, and oneness with God. To the
Hindu, freedom from hatred is not so much an end in itself as it is a step towards Immortality. …
… Of all the Mahayana schools, Zen places the greatest emphasis upon meditation…. It
focuses on quieting the mind and shuns conceptual thinking in preference to direct experience.
…the initial Zen practice usually involves attention to breathing. It does not include as wide a
variety of different techniques.[as Theravada Buddhism]. Zen places greater emphasis on the
details of correct posture … Zen meditation is often followed by chanting and gongs.
Perhaps the most significant difference is that, as compared to Theravada, Zen makes little
mention of the need and means of dealing with motives, feelings, and emotions. It lays great
emphasis upon freeing oneself from intellectualizing and conceptualizing in one's quest of "the
Ultimate." But at the same time it offers scant advice on the means by which one overcomes
unwholesome impulses or confronts mental hindrances that are emotional or motivational in
origin….
Some Observations and Suggestions for Insight Meditation
… One is impressed with the variety of personalities who undertake [meditative] practice. Some
[people] are experimental, critical, and pragmatic; others … dedicated, and idealistic. Some
seem well adjusted and at peace … others seem desperate ….Some adhere literally to every
detail …, while some instead are dedicated to the interpretations … of their respective teachers.
Still others attempt to find [their way]… alone … and unaided … [Similarly their] techniques and
methods …are also highly varied ….
… I have seen … some genuine achievements and also some notable failures. … What is it
that succeeds and what is it that does not? … One may succeed in one area of meditative
development but not in another. In order to evaluate progress at meditation one must have
some criteria or standards against which to judge. … what is it that, short of Nibbana,?...
… note the Buddha's words: "One thing do I teach: suffering (i.e., dukkha) and the end of
suffering." Thus if one has truly progressed, we would expect that where previously sad and
depressed, one is now less so; where previously selfish, one is now more giving; where
previously defensive, secretive, and guarded, one is now more open and self-assured. Worry
and anxiety should be reduced. Objective humility should replace conceit. Instead of recurrent
thoughts of anger and "getting even" one is more forgiving and at peace with the world.
… it is craving or desire which causes our unhappiness and produces our mental defilements.
Thus only by attacking the problems of craving, wanting, and desiring can progress be made. I
speak now not so much of the crude and obvious desires such as hunger and sex but of the
more subtle ones of egotism, emotional dependency, and desires for possession. …
When asked "What have you gained from meditation?" the correct answer should be "nothing."
For meditation is not for acquiring but for giving up — a full and complete giving up of the self.
Too often people put in a half-hour each day at meditation in the same way that they put in a half-
hour studying French. After so many months or years one has a new attribute, a new skill to add
to one's already impressive repertoire of virtues, achievements, talents, and abilities. "…
… Another way in which meditation becomes misdirected … is the quest for new sensations or
experiences… . Many seek from meditation the very same thing they seek from drugs …
… At the opposite extreme are persons whose approaches to Buddhism are excessively
dogmatic, literal, orthodox, and moralistic. They strongly resist a pragmatic, eclectic approach to
meditation and are hyper-concerned with the nuances and fine points of Buddhist tradition and
decorum. … one repeatedly hears such statements as, "To progress at meditation there must
be strict moral discipline," or "You cannot expect fast results but must work for years." Now there
is truth in both these statements. But in this context they are really symptoms of extreme rigidity
and dogmatism, … One's commitment to the tradition and to the letter of the teaching is so
strong that one is incapable of truly practicing that very same teaching which advises one to
have no prejudices and to see truth as universal and independent of any institution…
The theme of guilt and self-punishment is one factor …which [also] tends to perpetuate the
phenomenon of diligent striving with minimal results. It usually begins with one taking a highly
idealistic, moralistic… approach to Dhamma. …. One fails and tries again; fails and tries again.
Blaming oneself for one's failure one comes to feel guilty and tries even harder, again failing.
With this the austerity of one's practice comes to take on a self-punitive nature. Angry with
oneself, one becomes more severe with oneself … As the Buddha said, the guitar string once
too slack has now been wound too tight, ...
… The optimum proportion of time that one should spend in isolated meditation as contrasted
with the time spent in more mundane pursuits will vary among different individuals. It will also
vary according to the method of practice and with different times and stages of development for
a given individual.
I state these above conclusions not only from a theoretical position and not just because they
seem to be revealed in the life pattern of the Buddha and his disciples … [But]. My own limited
observations of persons who appear to have progressed at Buddhist practice also fits this
conclusion.
…one point needs to be more strongly emphasized, and that is that a regular daily practice of
meditation alone will not be likely to show results unless one is willing to thoroughly scrutinize
his or her entire pattern of living and be prepared to revise or abandon one’s lifestyle if so
indicated. …
… One meets a fair number of people who have (or at least claim to have) made considerable
attainment at one-pointed concentration. Yet, with a few notable exceptions, they appear to be
just as prone to selfishness and petty jealousies as any ordinary persons whom one might
meet at random. Some in fact have shown themselves to be very unhappy, lonely, and/or
insecure. On the other hand, persons who have made only slight progress at sustained
concentration have, nevertheless, in the course of Buddhist practice, made considerable
progress at diminishing conceit, resentment, depression, and selfishness. …
… A general rule of practice …as follows: One starts practice by attempting to quiet and
concentrate the mind. But after some minutes of finding that the mind repeatedly wanders from
its intended object, the practitioner then stands back as it were and asks: "Just what is my
present state of mind at this instant?" "What is it that makes my attention wander from its
intended object?" This then is analyzed and confronted. In principle this is much like another
useful technique which is: One does not choose any given meditation subject but instead
simply sits and takes note: "What is my mental state now? What gross feelings? What subtle
feelings? What memories and expectations? What intentions or desires?" In actual practice this
is done not in the form of verbal thoughts, as expressed in the preceding sentences, but rather
as a state of watchful observation with few if any word thoughts present. Quite often at such
times one finds a subtle mental defilement which must be examined and discarded. That is the
idea: "Now I am meditating and want to have something to show for it. I want something to
happen." Or it may be: "I want to confront and overcome my anger, but now that I'm looking for it,
it seems to have gone," and with this arises a feeling of frustration. Herein one has set a goal
and been thwarted. Thus the desiring of this specific goal and its resultant frustration is the very
state of mind that must be dealt with. Successful meditation requires catching the immediate
present.
Finally a note about the attainments in meditation: … the attainments are … only seen in
retrospect. For example, one suddenly reflects: "A year ago I was chronically depressed,
unhappy, irritable, defensive. That rarely happens now. Such and such a thing used to upset me
greatly. Now it happens and I hardly notice."…when asked, "What have you gained from
meditation?" the answer would be: "It is not what I have gained that is important but rather what I
have diminished, namely, greed, hatred, and delusion."
Notes
4. Samyutta Nikaya, 47:21.
5. Visuddhimagga, IV, 40-41. Translation by Bhikkhu Ñanamoli. Colombo: R. Semage, 1956.
11. The Foundations of Mindfulness. Translation by Nyanasatta Thera. BPS Wheel No. 19.
15. Heart of Buddhist Meditation, p. 98.
21. The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, pp. 85-86.
22. Ibid., p. 97.
23. An Experiment in Mindfulness, pp. 52-55.
30. Visuddhimagga IX.
34. Anguttara Nikaya, VI, 10.
38. The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, pp. 68-70.
39. Samyutta Nikaya, 47:49.
40. Ibid., 36:3.
41. Ibid., 22:96.
43. The Removal of Distracting Thoughts. Translation by Soma Thera. BPS Wheel No. 21.
44. The Word of the Buddha, by Nyanatiloka Mahathera. Kandy: BPS, p. 79.
45. Ibid., pp. 80-81.
46. The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, p. 111.
47. Visuddhimagga, III, 107.
52. Digha Nikaya, No. 11, Kevaddha Sutta.
54. Ibid., IV, 30.
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
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THE PATH: A VERY SHORT STORY
On March 3 of this year, I tried to purchase tickets for the Dalai Lama's public talk in Bethlehem
in July. I was traveling back from doing a show in Baltimore that morning and must've called the
number 50 times. It was always busy. When I arrived home, I punched in the website info for
Ticket Master, thinking maybe I could purchase a ticket via the Internet. I seemed to be getting
somewhere, as I entered my name and ticket request, and there was no big announcement
telling me the event had been sold out. .I got to the screen that asks for some other information,
and to continue, I had to copy and type in the fuzzy letters and/or numbers seen in the shaded
rectangle. Sometimes these are impossible to read, so I had to keep requesting another
security code. Usually the numbers and letters are totally random. FINALLY, I did get a code I
could read. The words read, THE PATH. Thinking that surely meant I was going to get a ticket, I
clicked on the continue icon. Of course, as luck would have it, or karma, or something... the
event had been sold out earlier. I was disappointed but not surprised. All kinds of thoughts
sprang to mind... delusion/illusion/attachment -- and so on. I didn't want to be too attached to
my desire to attend the talk, even though it is the Dalai Lama, the one person I probably admire
most in this life. The conversation went back and forth in my brain, and still does: "well, you can't
be too attached to your desire to attend this event..." "Yes, but this IS the Dalai Lama, who has
been accused of being a 'wolf in monk's clothing' and his followers the 'scum of
Buddhism.'" ... "Yes, but other people deserve an opportunity to hear a public talk, and after all, I
did get to attend a talk a few years ago."... "But some of the people selling tickets now on Craig's
List and eBay want ten times the cost of the ticket . . . "Scalpers have to make a
living, and who am I to judge? In the end, what does it matter?" And so it continues. . . (You can
make yourself nuts with these internal conversations!). I will say, being in the presence of the
DL at Rutgers was just awesome. So I'll leave it at that! Despite my disappointment, I still think
the code words THE PATH must be symbolic of something! The Path to Enlightenment,
perhaps? The Path to peace? Or just another illusion?
Louise Wile
T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T T
The Three Goals
The first goal is to see the thing itself
in and for itself, to see it simply and clearly
for what it is.
No symbolism, please
The second goal is to see each individual thing
as unified as on, with all the other
ten thousand things,
in this regard, a little wine helps a lot.
The third goal is to grasp the first and the second goals,
to see the universal and the particular
simultaneously.
Regarding this one, call me when you get it.
(by David Budbill)
e g h f e g h f e g h f e g h f e g h f e g h f e g h f
.. stressful thoughts reflect a conflict with reality. Stress
happens when the mind resists what is."
The Power of Now, by Echert Tolle p. 72
Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ Õ
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
A Fishy Story
[Using the image of a pond, the teacher affectionately called Socrates or Soc
explained] ….Your mind is full of waves because you feel separate from, and often threatened
by, an unplanned, unwelcome occurrence. Your mind is like a pond into which someone has
just dropped a boulder!"
As I listened, I gazed into the depths of my teacup, my attention intensified; I stared deeper and
deeper into the cup, down, down … [soon as if in a dream] I was underwater, looking up. …. I
had fins and gills; very fishy. I whipped my tail and darted to the bottom where it was silent and
peaceful. Suddenly a huge rock crashed into the water's surface. Shock waves slapped me
backward. My fins whipped the water again and again and I took off, seeking shelter. I hid until
everything quieted down again. As time passed, I became accustomed to the little stones that
sometimes fell into the water, making ripples. The large plunks, however, still startled me.
In a world filled with sound and dryness again, I lay on the couch, looking up, wide-eyed, at
Soc's smile.
Socrates, that was incredible.
"You were a very nervous fish, fleeing every large ripple. Later, you became use to the ripples
but still had no insight into their cause. You can see," he continued "that a magnificent leap of
awareness is required for the fish to extend its vision beyond the water in which it is immersed
to the source of the ripples." "A similar leap of awareness will be required of you. When you
understand the source clearly, you'll see that the ripples of your mind have nothing to do with
you; you'll just watch them, without attachment, and no longer compelled to overreact every time
a pebble drops. You will be free of the world's turbulence as soon as you stop taking your
thoughts so seriously. Remember --- when you are in trouble, let go of your thoughts to see
through your mind"
"Socrates, how?"
"A not-so - bad question. As you've learned … leaps of awareness don't happen all at once; they
require time and practice. And the practice of insight into the source of your own ripples is
meditation."
The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman , Pg73
ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ ñ
In walking, just walk. In sitting just sit. Above all, don't wobble.
Zen Saying
³ ³³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³³ ³ ³
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