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• 10 Bondages
• How Dhamma says about pride?
• Instant Formula
• equanimity ?? Help!!
• Right Question

Thanks for your answer. I have always heard about Sukhavativyuha (Ultimate Bliss) because in Thailand there are also many Mahayana Buddhists. Now I see what you discussed and I believe that when the practitioners have the specific destination, they can choose the right ways to reach the needed destination in a short time.

I have set my destination in cultivating to be born again at least not lower than this Human realm. Or if possible, I hope to born in the upper realm and not to return back to Human Realm again. In Theravada doctrine, this concept is directly related with the Supramundane Path.

The Supramundane Path is the path of Lokuttara practitioners who will not born in lower realm. To be in this path, the person needs to detach from 10 Bondages (Samyojana).

1. Sakkayaditthi : Personality-view or false view of individuality (Five Aggregates or Khandha)

2. Vicikiccha : Doubt and uncertainty in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha and in cultivating

3. Silabbataparamasa : Do not accept the Precepts or Sila

4. Kamaraga : Sensual lust and sensual desire

5. Pattigha : Repulsion and irritation or bad-wish

6. Ruparaga : Greed for fine-material existence and attachment to realms of form

7. Aruparaga : Greed for immaterial existence and attachment to realms of formless

8. Mana : Conceit and pride

9. Uddhacca : Restlessness or distraction

10. Avijja : Ignorance of Anatta

The path of the Stream-Enterer (Sotapanna) must detach from the first three Bondages.

The path of the Once-Returner (Sakadagami) must detach from the first three Bondages and very fine feeling of lustful, hateful, and deluded temperament.

The path of the Non-Returner (Anagami) must detach from the first five Bondages.

The path of Arahantship must detach from all 10 Bondage.

In summary, Sila (Precept), Samadhi (Meditation), and Panna (Wisdom) is the main vehicle to reach the above destination.

Hope this information is useful for Theravada Buddhists and all readers also. Please forgive me if my wording is not clear enough.

How Dhamma says about pride? 

Recently I have seen many topics such as “discussion group blues”, "Is Hair-splitting What We Need?", “More like hair-raising!!”, and “You Buddhists” that relate with the issue of respect. So I do a research to find out how Dhamma says about respect. I think the cause is from Mana (pali word means pride or conceit) then what I found made me very surprised. There are many situations of pride:

Being superior to others, one thinks, “Better am I.”

Being superior to others, one thinks, “Equal am I.”

Being superior to others, one thinks, “Worse am I.”

Being equal to others, one thinks, “Better am I.”

Being equal to others, one thinks, “Equal am I.”

Being equal to others, one thinks, “Worse am I.”

Being inferior to others, one thinks, “Better am I.”

Being inferior to others, one thinks, “Equal am I.”

Being inferior to others, one thinks, “Worse am I.”

Those situations seem to relate with ego, arrogance, and self-esteem of oneself in responding with other persons. Mana is one cause of mental diffusion that causes false view. Mana is also mentioned in anusaya (latent tendencies), kilesa (defilement), upakkilesa (mental defilement), and samyojana (bondage). Please use these words as index to learn more from Buddhism dictionary.

Hope this information will be a guide for contributing further in this discussion forum.

Re: How Dhamma says...confused am I! 

Just thought I'd mention that the cases Somkiat described are just an expansion of the Buddha's statement "Do not consider yourself superior, inferior, or equal to anyone." In other words, do not compare, or view anyone in a terms comparative value to yourself, even at a subtle level. Allow all beings to simply be. Love, Matthew

Re: How Dhamma says...confused am I! 

I totally agreed with Matthew, what is the point of holding on to the notion of being superior, equal and inferior. These are all caused by holding on to the self-esteem/I that was never real. Throw them out, throw them out. Kuo-Keong

Re: How Dhamma says...confused am I! 

Dear Sean, Taro, Matthew, and Kuo-Keong,

I did not write those 9 sentences myself. They are in Buddhism dictionary and have references from Mahaniddesa (Khuddakanikaya), Culaniddesa (Khuddakanikaya), and Vibhanga (Abhidhamma). They should be the Buddha’s Teaching.

“Do not compare” as Matthew had explained is very good sentence. Detaching from mana or pride is a characteristic of arahanta so arahanta can say with confidence that he has no ego, self-esteem, and pride. Mana has more meaning for no comparing among all life forms. Human, cat, dog, and other animals are the same. Previous life of a person may be cat or insect. Next life of a person may be animal. All life forms are the same and they may be family and friends of us before. We are their predecessors once or more in our previous lifes.

Previous life of a person may be very rich but this life he is poor. Previous life of a person may be very poor but this life he is rich. Someone may be very stupid years ago but now he is very clever. Do not compare and do not attach to what the one sees and feels. Someone may falsely believe that he has no self-esteem because he compares his own to lower persons. Someone may not good in writing or speaking but he is a noble one already. Someone who always says a noble’s teaching may be just a pretender.

“Do not compare” then return the thought back to inside. Buddhism discussion ought to be aware of this kind of false view, mana.

I do not want to be born again as a lizard or toad, eagle or snake. I may be wrong and fooling myself by believing in reincarnation. Does anyone know any instant Buddhist formula I must do?

micky

I have an instant Buddhist formula to tell you so as to help you not to be born again as a lizard or toad, eagle or snake.

Remember that on the very very last breath before you die, do calm your mind, think of all the good thing you do. Concentrate only on your breath and let your self go calmly. And Don't! don't ever think of lizard, toad, snake or anything that you don't like to be born as it while you are about to die... otherwise no one could really help you!

I seem like I am only joking but there is something in it if only you could have known. Ann

I would like to confirm Ann formula. It is very important to practice meditation in order to keep the thought in last breath at good things. Not so many persons can pass away peacefully and it is very difficult to meditate while dying or being sick. If the dying person can not reach any meditative states but his mind is calm and still enough, he will be reborn in the sensuous blissful realms. If he can attain 1 – 4 meditative state while dying, he will be reborn in the form realm. If he can attain 5 – 8 meditative state while dying, he will be reborn in the formless realm. However dying with meditative state does not guarantee that he will not be reborn next in the unhappy realm. He can stay in upper realm as long as his good karma is in effect then if he has bad karma, he must be reborn in lower realm. No choice.

Buddhism has clearly shown that there are next life and next realms for all beings as followings (from top to bottom):

1. The Supramundane Realm (Lokuttara-bhumi) for Stream-Enterer (Sotapanna), Once-Returner (Sakadagami), Non-Returner (Anagami), and Arahanta. They can stay in the form realms or lower where they like.

2. The Formless Realm 4 (Arupavacara-bhumi: Immaterial Sphere) for 5 – 8 meditative state.

3. The Form Realm 16 (Rupavacara-bhumi: Fine Material Sphere) for 1 – 4 meditative state.

4. The Sensuous Blissful Realm 7 (Kamasugati-bhumi): Human Realm, Realm of the Four Great Kings (Catummaharajika), Realm of Thirty-three Gods (Tavatimsa), Realm of the Yama gods (Yama), Realm of satisfied gods (Tusita), Realm of the gods who rejoice in their own creations (Nimmanarati), Realm of gods who lord over the creation of others (Paranimmitavasavatti)

5. The Unhappy Realm 4 (Apaya-bhumi)

To be a good Buddhist, the practitioner must not let his life be reborn back lower than the human realm. The Buddha taught the Supramundane path or the path for the noble one. The Supramundane Path is the path of Lokuttara person who will not born in lower realm. The noble person needs at least the first meditative state and detaches from 10 Bondages (Samyojana).

1. Sakkayaditthi : Personality-view or false view of individuality (Five Aggregates or Khandha)

2. Vicikiccha : Doubt and uncertainty in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha and in cultivating

3. Silabbataparamasa : Do not accept the Precepts or Sila

4. Kamaraga : Sensual lust and sensual desire

5. Pattigha : Repulsion and irritation or bad-wish

6. Ruparaga : Greed for fine-material existence and attachment to realms of form

7. Aruparaga : Greed for immaterial existence and attachment to realms of formless

8. Mana : Conceit and pride

9. Uddhacca : Restlessness or distraction

10. Avijja : Ignorance of Anatta

The path of the Stream-Enterer (Sotapanna) must detach from the first three Bondages. The stream-enterer will be reborn again not more than 7 times before reaching Nibbana.

The path of the Once-Returner (Sakadagami) must detach from the first three Bondages and very fine feeling of lustful, hateful, and deluded temperament. The once-returner will be reborn again only 1 time.

The path of the Non-Returner (Anagami) must detach from the first five Bondages.

The path of Arahantship must detach from all 10 Bondage.

Hope this is an instant formula that Buddhist should do.

A number of issues emerge from your simple question: impermanence and suffering, karma, aversion, metta.

No matter what form we may take in the present, there is impermanence and suffering in life. Micky, you could be a lizard, toad, rock, blazing star, a monk, or whatever and there would still be impermanence and suffering. The body is a vehicle and we should not be worried by the outer form. Presently, Ram Dass, the spiritual guru, after suffering a stroke, has found himself to be paralyzed on his right side and with some speech loss and yet has not identified with his “temporary” set back. He has gone on to say, “If I could go back to being the person I was before my stroke, I wouldn’t do it.” All forms are impermanent. Everything is changing—constantly. Look at it this way--whatever form the earth and the universe make you, be peaceful, aware and awake. Your physical form should not stop you from living a compassionate and mindful life.

Whether we be a lizard, toad, eagle, snake, rock star, king or monk, there is karma in life. Our actions have results. By being very, very mindful we can recognize the cycles we get ourselves into. Animals, however, have little consciousness and unfortunately repeat the same savage survival acts over and over. Being born human (with a higher consciousness and conscience) should be considered an honor. But how many people waste their precious lives away caught up in desires, fear, greed and ignorance? That answer is clear by the ongoing turmoil people are always finding themselves in; the wheel of samsara (suffering) going around and around. The only thing to stop the suffering is to courageously pause (via meditation) and break away from our old habits.

There is a sense of aversion to your question (fear of your condition and present state). By identifying with your “self” you create a wall and separation from the rest of the world and universe, when in fact everything is the “same”. The universe is a vast cosmic soup and we all are important ingredients to its success. Take one thing away and everything else comes undone, the soup losing its flavor. Everything is a part and vital to the livelihood of the universe, the reciepe. Distinctions are in the mind of the beholder. A toad, rock, star or person—we are only so many molecules of ingredients just ever so gingerly banded together as form by gravity and soon enough to return to the elements to form again as another energy mass.

The instant formula you desire is (metta) loving-kindness. By first loving ourselves for who we are and offering peace, we make amends with the demons and turmoil inside us. Here we begin to cultivate peace, respect and right attitude for ourselves. These seeds take time to take root. It is only after there has been healing can loving-kindness prosper and the sapling begin to grow as we become awake and aware to the loving-kindness which fills our daily lives.

Each day we are blessed with incredible small acts of kindness but are we healed enough to “see” them? Small acts from waking up to a newspaper which somebody has spent all night writing, printing up and then delivering to our door step (do you also see the tree in the paper, the water and sun which nourished the tree, etc. how all the universe was part of this act?) ; the bus driver stopping to wait that extra second and letting us on though he could have pulled away; another person holding the door for you while your hands are filled with boxes; a commuter letting you ahead of her; friends and coworkers wishing you well each day (do we listening or do we just plod ahead?); someone sharing some of their food with you on a break, or you could be short of change and the checker kicks in the extra change. Every day around us is loving-kindness, have you taken the time to pause and notice, smiling to acknowledge these great compassions?

And once here, loving-kindness is truly only beginning because what of your enemies, those you may hold in less esteem, hate or those who find themselves in less fortunate situations than ourselves? What about loving-kindness for them? Can we realize that we are no different and have suffered and been as frustrated and angry in our lives? By pausing just to listen, embrace or just not respond harshly, we can improve the lives of others even if only by not hurting them. And perhaps soon enough they too will nurture and cultivate the seeds of loving-kindness to their own healing and freedom.

Micky, it is only after we have broken the ties with our old habits and mind states that we can truly be free, regardless of the physical form we may find ourselves in, and with an open and generous heart, giving and receiving equally, awake and aware, do we come into contact with our own true buddha-nature which, ironically, has always been there before us, the liberation just a mindful breath away.

Roberto Vicente

To my many friends, especially, Somkiat, Ann, Pascal, Lupus, Matthew, Connie, Albert,

I am usually only a reader of this site. I cannot comprehend a lot the wisdom I read here or how fast it seems to be posted but I keep on trying. If I'm gone a few days there is a hundred new postings. Although you probably won't see any original postings by me, I certainly get immeasurable pleasure and insight from your conversations and postings. Thank You. Hope you don't mind if I continue to eavesdrop.

I have a problem getting the concept of "equanimity" to remain in my brain a few days after I read about it. It seems I understand while reading but I can't explain it to anyone else after 15 minutes pass.

Please pass along any methods of understanding this concept. (Keep it simple).

dick west

Equanimity means indifferent or neutrality. Equanimity needs the right understanding of the truth. So it is hard to find where is the equanimity if the one does not see the real truths. These real truths are from meditation practice after detaching of the Five Aggregates. Our feeling, memory, perception, and consciousness always blur the truths. Without meditation, equanimity is not real equanimity because it tends to be biased with our own man-made standard and preferences.

“So what?”, “never mind”, “let it go”, “let it be”, and “it’s OK” may be samples of equanimity expression. When someone in this board has wrong understanding and he may be suffering, I will try to help him as much as I can or I may just watch him and give a good hope instead of helping him. I need equanimity in order to help only what I can do that is not much and not less. If he is still suffering, I must be equanimity and stay calm without suffering or feel guilty that I can not help more than that. Everyone has his own karma so let his karma continue without unnecessary interference from others. It is difficult to define how unnecessary is if the one does not know and see the real truths.

Equanimity is the last in the Brahmavihara as the control of metta, karuna, and mudita. Metta, karuna, mudita are not the attachments for the one who is trying to help others as long as he has the equanimity.

Equanimity is a factor in the 4 th jhana. Equanimity is also defilement in meditation practice. A person may mislead himself that he already enlightens because of his equanimity practice. How to know that the one has already see and know really the truth? “With his own wisdom resulted from jhana” is the answer from Dhamma book. The one will know and see himself when his time is come. I am still far from the real truths so I can not say more than that.

Hope this helps and thanks for being my good friend,

To my limited understanding and with simplest explanation, I think the concept of equanimity could be practiced after our good intention is turned down, or after you've done the best that you can for somebody and it didn't work out or she or he didn't appreciate your good deed or something like that. Don't get too sad, don't get too happy, don't get too much as well as don't get too little. Finally it seems to me like a middle way to handle something. I don't know if I get it right or not. But as I said, it's just my limited understanding.

I don't know the deep concept but I usually practice equanimity when my compassion or good intention is turned down or when I can't really help those I wanted to help. It's quite hard to practice cause I usually feel disappointed or get hurt at first but then I remind myself that I have to become equanimity then I get a little peace of mind. Ann.

I could not give a definition as learned as that of Somkiat.

My (possibly superficial) understanding of equanimity that it is a state of even temperedness, where one avoids giving in to aversion or desire. The middle way, as it applies to the state of mind. However, I'm not sure it fits with the "textbook definition".

metta, Pascal.

A while back I had asked for your personal help in my understanding of equanimity. I received some great answers but had to digest them a while. Not being very eloquent, I have shortened up the concept to my understanding of this feeling, equanimity.

Insight: equanimity on the surface is not the same as equanimity once one has gained insight through meditation.

Change: right understanding of equanimity requires the complete acceptance of the fact that nothing is permanent.

Acceptance: The final link in the true equanimity package. Acceptance through seeing things as they really are, knowledge that change is inevitable, thus, acting and acceptance with the right attitude.

That’s my present understanding.

dick west

What should a Buddhist do when he sees a car that is accidentally running to hit him?

A monk at Wat Paknum (Wat = temple) asked me this question on last Sunday. Any answers, ideas, and comments are very welcome. I will show his answer in a couple days. Please try.

Had not talk to you for a while. This is my opinion:

The monk should move away with a calm mind. A calm mind mean, he should be afraid of death or being hut and just let Karma take it own course. If it is due to Karma, he couldn't escape the accident else he would be able to move away without being hut. One should not ponder whether it is due to one karma or not as he does not knows. If he knows of such a retribution he would have know what to do.

Kuo-Keong

I check if the car is a made-in-Japan. Hiko

Re: Right Question

Get out of the way of that car. :)

(I bet my answer won't meet with his answer cause it's too common sense). Ann

Re: Right Question

I'm thinking maybe you mean "and he can't get out of the way"

If so, It's an interesting question. I would try to focus on the triple jewel

or just on feelings of positivity and expansiveness, maybe a prayer that my next rebirth benefit beings, and be somewhere where I can encounter the Buddhasasana. For two reasons. One: It might condition my next rebirth in some way, or the quality of the dying experience, and Two: if you're going to die, sounds like the best state of mind to die in.

If you can get out of the way, do so. Matthew

Re: Right Question

Please forgive but Dharma Grandma in sorta a grumpy mood this morning, so what left of feeble brain spontaneously offers this not so agreeable answer (and not so clever as some of above - very good, fodder for smiles).

Old bones has little patience for questions that ask "what would you do if..." regarding Buddhist understanding. These seem waste of time when considering serious issues of development on Buddhist path, and misleading to those new to Buddhism. Why? It seems to this one that we NEVER know how we will react to any one situation in future. We can only practice in the moment, and an important element of that practice is to let go of thoughts of past and thoughts of future.

Reminds me of old thread about "what would you do if a gunman..." Again how do we know,eh? It seems to this feeble brain, all we can do is practice, practice, practice, study, study, study in present, to build up constant mindfulness, spontaneous compassion and enduring wisdom. Then whatever situation arises in any moment, we re-act from place within us developed by all that practicing and studying. But can we ever know what future reaction will be?

In any situation, all we can report is our own experience, eh? Oh, a car came at me last week, and this is what I did. Or something we have read or heard....I read or heard that Master so and so was standing in street and... Or I have never had that experience, so do not know how I would re-act, or we do not answer. That is all possibilities old lady can think of (but that doesn't mean there are not more, feeble propositions have holes in them when coming from feeble brain, certainly) if we open our mouth at all concerning questions like this. To tell the truth, when OH has been asked these kinds of questions, she smiles and bows, or once when in garden, handed hoe to questioner and asked question in return, "Want to help me plant these seeds?" But that was then, eh? Maybe next time asked similar question, re-act differently, how she know?

Say, situation as monk proposed happens. Woooee...no time to think, eh? No time to ponder now, what did Buddhism teach me about when a car comes accidentally at me to hit me? We just re-act then, Bam! (well Bam! maybe unwise word in this situation :^) in that moment! And terrific lesson learned just where are we with our practice. We make note of how we re-acted, let that noting go by, then continue practicing. And beauty is each time situation arises where our only reaction is light of mindfulness (awareness), just that light wears down undesireable reactions, so someday we have no RE-ACTions, we just boom (oh oh, poor word again), there, we only our True Nature. And True Nature IS compassion and wisdom (whew! don't try to follow that, old lady ramblings again).

Old hag here concerned sometimes (not much), that one new to Buddhism may think that there are sets of rules for us to memorize about how to react in certain situations. Might feel overwhelming. Joy of Buddhist path, to these old bones, is that we don't HAVE to act any certain way at any certain time. Just do best we can in any moment that comes up, and shine light of awareness on our "doing", so obscurations diminished and positve qualities increased within us. And each time similar situation arises, we react closer to ideal of discovering who we truly are.

Notice this was a monk asking you, and not your teacher. Don't think a teacher would ask such a question....but who knows? Certainly not these tired bones.

Now, maybe monk comes up with answer that is worth the question, wait and see, and thank you, as always, for making gray cells perk up this morning. You better than cup of coffee, that's for sure.

Should go back and edit, shorten this response, but since not doing so this time, please forgive if OH not clear or ramble.

DG

Re: Right Question

Dhamma Grandmama Lama: Bingo! (I bet.)

I'd like to say, "I can't answer that question. I'm not there."

It's a question that's easy to get attached to. It's the same sort of question as "What will you do if a meteor is about to fall on your house."

If one is of right mind, then one will do the right thing at every step.

That's my two cents in this one.

Albet

Re: Right Question

Albert dear:

Problem is bingo costs more than two cents nowadays, I betcha.

bow to you, Dhamma Grandmama

Re: Right Question

Ok, Matthew dear:

Just for fun, eh?

How do you KNOW that is what you would try to do?

That is OH's point. Just a few weeks ago, Dhamma Grandmama stopped studdenly in highway so as not kill a peacock that tried to cross road. Driver two blocks back was not paying attention, and made no attempt to brake, so old bones sat there and watched him coming at her full throttle. What did she do?

Think expansive thoughts? Say Tara's name?

No, she whispered to air, Oh s--t! and braced herself.

So, see, we never know what we will do in future, eh? My lesson learned is to repeat mantra over and over, name over and over, keep mindfulness day and night now, read sutras again and again, meditate longer, perform more sadhanas, all so enlightening thoughts jump to mind if ever in that position again.

(By way, neither of us had seat belts on, and we both got out of car without a scratch. OH thinks that is because she stopped rather than kill bird..but who knows? Maybe Tara come to aid under names not dreamed of.) And that is dull point DG making, who knows anything???

Love, love Dhamma Grandmama

Re: Right Question

Of course you are right. It reminds me though, of a story told by Peter Mathiesson, which is actually what inspired me to answer. The story is that he ran into a biologist in the Himalayas who was hunting the Yeti. Peter asked him"If you find it, knowing it might be the only one, will you kill it for a specimen?" The biologist said he didn't know yet, and Peter said "don't you think you should decide that before the situation happens?" So yes, you are right, we will never know what we would actually do. I would probably just say "oh S--t." and brace myself as well. But death being in my opinion an important time, I've formulated an ideal for myself based on a searching myself for what I think the best response would be. Death may happen many times, or maybe just once. Pondering the question was a good exercise in itself for me "Death-so what's most important?" Having thought about it, maybe the likelihood of that response is increased.

So, I don't disagree with you, but my response I see as kind of complementary I suppose.

3 loves to your 2, and nice to read you,

Matthew

Re: Right Question

Oh, yes, Matthew dear,

complementary, yes. Rehearsals never hurt, and can lead to insights, true. Good point.

Was that book The Snow Leopard? One of DG's favorites.

So that's 5 loves so far? goody, never enuf, eh?

Dhamma Grandmama

Re: Right Question

We are taking over this thread, yes? (Perhaps we should start one just for us..ha ha) Yes, it was the Snow Leopard. I enjoyed that book very much too.

6 loves, Matthew

Monk: What should a Buddhist do when he sees a car that is accidentally running to hit him?

Somkiat: He should jump away from the car.

Monk: What cause him jumps?

Somkiat: His mind reaction or his instinct.

Monk: He should be able to control his mind that causes the reaction of instinct.

I respect this monk as my teacher. He asked this question while he was teaching about meditative levels.

1. Meditator who practices sitting meditation and knows nothing from the outside movements: supposed there are many cars running nearby.

2. Meditator who practices sitting meditation and knows all car movements outside with closed eyes.

3. Meditator who practices walking meditation and knows nothing from the outside movements. Cars, thunder or lightening.

Hope this question help each of us test your progress. Thanks very much for your answers.

I have a slight advantage on this one because i got to read a lot of responses before i wrote this reply.

The important point here is not the car. it is that we still have Somkiat in our "Sangha" to contribute to big "thread", that is all these individual threads.

And monk should walk on sidewalk if available... then question is unnecessary.

dick west

Re: Answer for right question

Dharma Grandmama is most happy that this was significant exchange for you. For her, to be honest, it means very little. But perhaps old bones is not comprehending your meaning. Third level, walking meditation, not aware of cars, thunder, lightening. In Tibetan tradition, as far as feeble brain understands, and believe this applies to other traditions also, goal is not to "know nothing of outside" when meditating. Goal is to be completely alert, awake, aware. Concentration in walking meditation on breath as in sitting, but as in sitting, mind AWARE of EVERYTHING, not a blank. This does not mean mind re-acts to everything, but in the awareness is clarity. Vivid clarity. Lucid, vivid lucidity. So, if walking meditation, and following breath, looking down, but in this Clarity, if car comes directly at meditator, she steps out of way with no fear, no anxiety, but from her awareness, and she continue walking calmly, coolly, with continued awareness. And she live a little longer, too!

So, perhaps old hag misunderstanding kind Somkiat. Do you mean your teacher is saying if car is coming at your you when doing walking meditation, you should control your instinct to jump away and just let it hit you? Dhamma Grandmama's brain bit confused? perhaps you could clarify. Ahhh....yes, clarify.

Thank you very much for posting intriguing question. Fun to consider.

Dharma Grandmother

Re: Answer for right question

I like to practice concentration and keeping the mind at the gate and breathing while I go on my way through the city, walking down the street, on the BART (high speed) train, or anywhere. I keep my eyes centered on a spot just just above the nose rather than letting them move toward all the attractions.

Albert

It is not my intention to think further and beyond whether he should let the car hit him or just jump away. The point of this question is to take control over the mind. Then the show is ended.

There are 8 or 9 levels of meditative states, not only 3 levels of meditative state:

0.99 th JHANA STATE. Meditator who practices meditation and knows all car movements outside with closed eyes. I use 0.99 because this level is approaching the first state. This level is called as Upacara Samadhi. However in order to know all cars movement, the meditator must gain supernatural sight. He must meditate from 1st to 4 th state then reverse from 4 th to 1 st many times then step back to upacara. It is not easy. (Jhana = Samatha meditation)

1 st JHANA STATE. Meditator who practices sitting meditation and HEARS all car movements outside with closed eyes. If he can keep meditating while there is very loud noise outside and this noise does not disturb his meditating, he is attaining the first state of jhana.

4 th JHANA STATE or HIGHER. Meditator who practices sitting meditation and knows nothing from the outside movements: supposed there are many cars running nearby. All sensory organs are turned off.

4 th JHANA STATE or HIGHER WITH EXPERTISE. Meditator who practices walking meditation and knows nothing from the outside movements. Cars, thunder or lightening.

Awareness is a result from meditation but awareness that we normally understand is just 50% corrected. When I turn on the light, I know the light is turned on because the light comes into my eyes and my eyes send this signal to the mind. We are normally aware of the action from outside but not the process and reaction from inside. Advance meditator should be able to take control over his mind. He should see nothing with opened eyes, if he chooses to, because he can stop the reaction responded to the light coming in. He just turns off his receptor switch. When the light comes into his eyes, there is no signal transferred. The mind does not react to every thing as in your post.

I practice meditation because I want more power of mind (from samatha) to be applied in detaching process (in vipassana). When I confront with my anger, I should be able to close all doors and let my mind fight directly with the anger. Power of mind will be lessened so fast as the mind fight with the anger then I need to practice samatha again. Samatha then vipassana then samatha then vipassana. This shifting cycle between samatha and vipassana occurs very fast.

Tibetan calls Samatha as “zhi gnas” or calm abiding. Jhana as “bsam gtan” or concentration. Vipassana (1) as “dpyad sgom” or analytical meditation. Vipassana (2) as “lhag mthong” or special insight. Upacara as “bsnyen bkur” or copulation. (From “Meditative States in Tibetan Buddhism” Wisdom Publications, Boston)

There are more enemies from inside.

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation. Much easier to understand your method now. Dharma Grandmother uses different methods in meditation, one not better than other, eh? Just different.

She follows Mahamudra of Vajrayana (Tibetan) which does not fight with emotion/thought/sensation that arises from mind, or try to "control" the mind, or consider anything from mind as "enemies within." Goal of Tibetan meditation is to transform all that arises from mind into wisdom.

Each thought or emotion that arises is investigated (vipasanna)..hmmm...where does thought come from? where is it staying? where is it going? what color is it? what shape is it? etc., over period of time, until dawning comes: Aha, all thoughts and emotions are as space, all-pervading with no "substance," no real "existence." After that realization, when thought (such as "hey, that bag fella pretty cute") or emotion (such as anger) or sensation (such as pain) arises, she can look at it, not push it away, but just see it for what it is, a mere movement of energy that her mind puts label on. It is not coming from any "pla?e", not resting in any "place," not going to any "place." It has no shape, no color, no essence, is all pervading, just like space. It has no separate, independent existence - hey, that definiton of "emptiness"! (A stage in meditation is to actually generate a strong emotion to be able to practice this method.)

The moment she sees this, poof! anger turned into wisdom. (This is applied to all thoughts/emotions/sensations, whether we label positve or negative.) Poof! Poof! all day long, even off cushion. Eventually everything that arises from mind, no "reaction", only wisdom. And lots of joy - woooeee!

So Tibetan meditation is about transforming all thoughts and emotions into wisdom, rather than pushing them away, or trying to control them, or consdering them "enemies." No effort, just observance of their true nature.

Oh, know Somkiat appreciate labels, so feeble brain offer this one which is "pointed out" in above practice: "the unity of appearance and emptiness" (Tibetan:Nang Tong Zung Juk).

To all: Remember Old Hag is just aging crone who lives on gabage heap, and at very low level of Mahamudra meditation, so very open to correction and refinement of what she say, by those with younger, more learned brains.

So, Somkiat, dear dharma friend, we heading toward same goal, eh? Just different methods. Dharma Grandmother greatly respects method Somkiat is using, and very impressed with how diligently you are practicing. And of course, most grateful that you share your meditation techniques with us here in Forum, and consider ramblings of old woman. Thank you so much.

Dharma Grandmother

What we are practicing is not different at all. Same path, same method, and same process. Your path may be classified as X steps while mine is Y steps. From crudeness to refiner and refiner. From lower Dhamma to higher Dhamma in order to end the suffering.

hey my question with this whole thing is science beleive that when you touch a hot iron the signal is sent to your spinal cord and instantly a single is sent to the hand for the hand to pull back then the signal of pain continues to the brain

so before your brain is aware of the hottness and destructiveness of the iron, you are pulling away,

should medition bring about a control over such reactions. michael

After the mind body (citta) –or soul if you prefer- begins a new rebirth or fertilizing. The physical body will be built up according to the direction given from the soul. Biological organs and other sensory organs are just tools of the soul. The brain is only a path way; for example from eyes to the soul. The soul always centralizes at the same place from the beginning of life at the middle of the body or inside navel area.

Where is the memory inside the body? Memory is not memorized in the brain as we learned from science. Actually memory is recorded by the soul and within the soul.

When the light particle contacts the retina, this contacting particle will be accepted then compared with old memory. The soul will not only respond physically but also generate feeling (vedana), new memory (sanna), thought (sankhara), and awareness (vinnana) immediately. So if the light particles are a picture of beautiful girl, new memory will be compared with old memory that has our old standard of beauty then may respond with love or sexual needs. All responses will be sent through the brain and finally to the soul.

Brain is not only one central processing unit (CPU) as we understand scientifically. All cells in our body are CPU. Brain is just a pathway. When CPU dies then all memory will be attached with the soul to be rebirth and build up new body.

So there are many levels of reaction from simply seeing a picture.

1. Light particle contact retina.

2. Eyes see and accept the picture.

3. Mind is aware of seeing.

4. Memory is activating.

5. Memory translates the signal.

6. Thought is activating.

7. Feeling is activating.

8. Thought interacts with feeling and memory.

9. Body responds back.

Meditation is a learning process of awareness. Beginner may be aware just the first then the ninth level immediately (across 2-8). Intermediate meditator may be able to have more refiner awareness in each level. Advance meditator should not only to be aware of all levels in more detail but also to be able to cut the process at wish. Advance meditating is more than just an awareness game.

Too much writing, too much mistake. This is my understanding from my level of practice that is still quite far from the final goal. Hope this shows a possibility beyond science.

Exactly, Somkiat!, Dhamma friend, ..in order to end the suffering....

Dharma Grandmother

Last updated
01-12-2542