Mindfulness and Metta

Originally Posted by sky123

Immeasurable Release of Mind is the first.


“What, householder, is the immeasurable deliverance of mind? Here a bhikkhu abides pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness,likewise the second, likewise the third, likewise the fourth; so above, below, around, and everywhere, and to all as to himself, he abides pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted,immeasurable, without hostility and without ill will.“ - MN 127 Anuruddha Sutta



Exalted deliverance of mind is the second.


And what, householder, is the exalted deliverance of mind? Here a bhikkhu abides resolved upon an area the size of the root of one tree, pervading it as exalted: this is called the exalted deliverance of mind. 1181 Here a bhikkhu abides resolved upon an area the size of the roots of two or three trees, pervading it as exalted: this too is called the exalted deliverance of mind. Here a bhikkhu abides resolved upon an area the size of one village, pervading it as exalted…[ 147]… an area the size of two or three villages… an area the size of one major kingdom… an area the size of two or three major kingdoms… an area the size of the earth bounded by the ocean, pervading it as exalted: this too is called the exalted deliverance of mind. – MN 127

That's beautiful, sky123. I love the Buddha's teachings - immediately I connect into it intuitively. It is truly amazing.

"To do good, refrain from evil and purify the mind" - the teaching of all Buddhas

thanks for sharing these teachings!

JL

Thank you to Gem for starting this insightful thread and for encouraging us to both meditate and practice loving kindness (metta)

JL

Originally Posted by Rain95

Any form of "trying" within conceptual time asserts the false self. One is either awake or not awake in any given moment. One cannot "try" to be awake as all this does is assert the false self and a person. There is no person. The person is delusion. It's being brainwashed in a sense. It's an ego seeking the spiritual experience when the ego covers up and obscures and prevents the spiritual experience.

The logic of ego is like this:

I hear about the spiritual experience.
I want the spiritual experience.
I do various things, methods, practices to have a spiritual experience.
What "I" am does not fundamentally change.
(Because ego is the seeker, the person put together through memory and thought and conditioning,)

The path.

I hear about the spiritual experience.
I want the spiritual experience.
I change what I am through changing what I am identifying with
in any given now moment. What I am fundamentally changes.

I've read many Buddhist teachings, and they all exhort students to practice, to try, to do.

To think that not-doing is the outcome of doing turned into not-doing would be a subtle error, imo.

In Buddhism it is said that it is from the mud that the lotus grows. Even something called "ego" is but the Buddha Dharma, once seen through.

JL

[sky]

Originally Posted by janielee

That's beautiful, sky123. I love the Buddha's teachings - immediately I connect into it intuitively. It is truly amazing.

"To do good, refrain from evil and purify the mind" - the teaching of all Buddhas

thanks for sharing these teachings!

JL

' thanks for sharing these teachings! '
Your welcome

There are lots of misconceptions on here regarding Buddha's Teachings and the easiest way to try and point this out is to find a Sutta and leave it for anyone who's really interested in understanding Buddhism to read it.

[Gem]

Originally Posted by sky123

' thanks for sharing these teachings! '
Your welcome

There are lots of misconceptions on here regarding Buddha's Teachings and the easiest way to try and point this out is to find a Sutta and leave it for anyone who's really interested in understanding Buddhism to read it.

If you can say what is misconceived, why it is misconceived, and explain your own better conception, that would be totally awesome.

[Gem]

I know the talk went off into the philosophical aspects of doers and meditation and all that, which is all good and fine, but remember, the reason for the thread is practice, to be self-aware, know what's going on with yourself now, be conscious of your own volition, and ensure that good-will is the foremost intent.


Since 'effort' has been raised - effort is to be 'skillful' in cultivating meritorious qualities, and recognising 'unskillfulness' in the contrary regard, so the thread is only a reminder that this is deliberate mindfulness, recognising the adversity of aroused reactivity and abandoning it, while sincerely emanating good-will with the heartfelt wish that all others be happy.

Originally Posted by sky123

' thanks for sharing these teachings! '
Your welcome

There are lots of misconceptions on here regarding Buddha's Teachings and the easiest way to try and point this out is to find a Sutta and leave it for anyone who's really interested in understanding Buddhism to read it.

Yes, I like to read from teachers too.

Originally Posted by Gem

deliberate mindfulness, recognising the adversity of aroused reactivity and abandoning it, while sincerely emanating good-will with the heartfelt wish that all others be happy.

Buddhism is a very beautiful practice, Gem - thank you.

[Gem]

Since the allusion to 'misconceptions', I have felt constrained. I'm not a person who wants to use the text as a weapon of righteousness, but since 'misconception' I feel as if I'm bound to the dogma and will be scorned for saying anything but repeating it.


However, I have been trying to bring about an air of freedom which is not bound to the weight of the tomes so people can talk about the things in the way they understand them in their own words - which is why I discouraged cut and pasting text (but still encouraged reading up).



I feel this recent notion of 'misconceptions' and 'just read the texts' has thrown a weight on discussion with a petty paradigm of right and wrong. It might be just me, but I tend to be quite sensitive and often notice things before others do - and perhaps speak too soon.



I just want to say, feel free, be released, have spontaneity which is not second guessed, double checked, or hesitant. Being yourself is perfectly OK, being true to yourself, there's no need to act. This is supposed to be a place where people know that everyone else wants them to be happy, and it is each of our responsibility to ensure that is true.

[Rain95]

Originally Posted by janielee

I've read many Buddhist teachings, and they all exhort students to practice, to try, to do.

I consciously put in the phase "conceptual time" to point to what I was not describing.

Any form of "trying" within conceptual time asserts the false self.

Trying in the moment to be aware and free of something delusional existing or occurring is the path. Trying to be free of the conceptual is delusional and continues the ego or false self. "Trying" also can be linked to "becoming" mind. Of course also trying is usually wholly thought based. Who or what tries to be detached from thought? And does this who or what tell us what we must do to change? Is the speaker that which is aware or that which is a result of conditioning and habit? Am I the creator of my thoughts?