Bodhidharma's Definition of Zen

[RyanWind]

It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience,
including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path,
and to proceed. Ram Dass

[sky]

Originally Posted by RyanWind

It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience,
including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path,
and to proceed. Ram Dass

That's very sensible advice but sometimes hard to put into practise, if I put a piece of chocolate into my mouth I expect a lovely creamy taste when it starts to dissolve

On a serious note, yes it is better to expect nothing and you will never be dissapointed.

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by RyanWind

It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience,
including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path,
and to proceed. Ram Dass

Originally Posted by sky123

That's very sensible advice but sometimes hard to put into practise, if I put a piece of chocolate into my mouth I expect a lovely creamy taste when it starts to dissolve

On a serious note, yes it is better to expect nothing and you will never be dissapointed.

More it is about letting go. If you expect/desire a thing or experience it is that desire that will keep you away from it.

For example if you go into a meditation session with the desire to experience silence that desire during the session will stop you from experiencing it.

Also, it is the negative ones that shows us that which we are holding onto. That which we need to learn to let go of within ourselves. They are learning moments along the path

[Jeremy Bong]

Sky,

There's a Chinese idiom: a thief crying " Stop thief"贼喊捉贼 that's someone still harbour evil intentions or can't suppress evil thoughts or never give up one's sinister designs.

Who is the negative ones? ......Pointing to who? That should be his negative thoughts not simply give other terms---- negative ones. Good English.

[sky]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

Originally Posted by RyanWind

It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience,
including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path,
and to proceed. Ram Dass



More it is about letting go. If you expect/desire a thing or experience it is that desire that will keep you away from it.

For example if you go into a meditation session with the desire to experience silence that desire during the session will stop you from experiencing it.

Also, it is the negative ones that shows us that which we are holding onto. That which we need to learn to let go of within ourselves. They are learning moments along the path

If I go into a meditation session I wouldn't be desiring anything, I would just be meditating

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by sky123

If I go into a meditation session I wouldn't be desiring anything, I would just be meditating

Yes but within meditation.

For example:

The desire to reside outside of thoughts, for mindfulness. The desire for bliss, for ecstasy, for silence, for any experience to happen.

It is not an easy thing to do.

[sky]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

Yes but within meditation.

For example:

The desire to reside outside of thoughts, for mindfulness. The desire for bliss, for ecstasy, for silence, for any experience to happen.

It is not an easy thing to do.

I don't desire bliss, silence or ecstasy so it's easy for me, when I practise mindfulness I don't desire to reside outside of thoughts, If it happens it's a bonus

[jonesboy]

Originally Posted by sky123

I don't desire bliss, silence or ecstasy so it's easy for me, when I practise mindfulness I don't desire to reside outside of thoughts, If it happens it's a bonus

Very cool, but not everyone is the same so I was sharing :)

[sky]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

Very cool, but not everyone is the same so I was sharing :)

It's good to share, as you say we are all different.

[RyanWind]

Originally Posted by jonesboy

For example if you go into a meditation session with the desire to experience silence that desire during the session will stop you from experiencing it.

Well only if you are stuck fixating on that idea. The idea in itself is not bad. I can feel overwhelmed by thinking too much and think, "I am going to go for a walk to get out of my head, back into a centered quite place." Then I go for a walk and drop thinking. The thought I desired quiet in my mind was a good thing. Also notice this thought sprung from the awareness of what was present, a noisy mind.

But yea if one is fully enlightened they don't desire anything. They just move to reflect what they are inwardly, outwardly. To them, a quiet mind or a noisy mind are both the same, only ideas.