-- Barbara Geraci
most useless place is the waiting place.
I am meditating for some time already, but I felt that I am experiencing only one part of the practice. Like I cut meditation down to scientific ritual without much of the spirituality. But my gut is telling me that I am missing so much.
This is good insight. Meditation (right concentration) is only one of the eight aspects of the Noble Eightfold Path.
However, I have educated myself about the Samsara cycle and different Realms that we could be reborn into. And I just don't "enjoy" cosmology. I want to utilize Buddhism for a peace of mind, and cosmology disturbs me. Is there a school for me?
The truth shouldn't be about what you enjoy. Sometimes the truth has harsh realities and the only way to overcome them is to embrace them.
The Buddha's path is entirely about attaining peace of mind.
Once the Buddha was walking through a forest with some monks when he picked up a handful of leaves and asked them which was greater, the leaves in hand or those in the forest? The monks responded that the leaves in the forest were greater, and those in hand were next to nothing in comparison.
The Buddha said what he directly knew was like the leaves in the forest, and what he taught were like the leaves in his hand. So why didn't he teach the other stuff? Because he said it didn't do anything for us, and had no benefit. But what he taught, essentially the four noble truths (represented by the leaves in his hand), were useful, lead to higher knowledge, unbinding and overcoming stress.
He taught us about the different realms of existence for different, important reasons:
to understand that we've gone through this process of being born, getting sick, aging, dying and separating from everyone and thing we love near-endlessly and to become disenchanted with it
no matter which realm you are in, you are still subject to death
no matter which realm you are in, everything that exists (including one's happiness) is impermanent
The Buddha's teachings follow what is called a 'gradual training':
The gradual training begins with the practice of generosity, which helps begin the long process of weakening the unawakened practitioner's habitual tendencies to cling — to views, to sensuality, and to unskillful modes of thought and behavior. This is followed by the development of virtue, the basic level of sense-restraint that helps the practitioner develop a healthy and trustworthy sense of self. The peace of mind born from this level of self-respect provides the foundation for all further progress along the path. The practitioner now understands that some kinds of happiness are deeper and more dependable than anything that sense-gratification can ever provide; the happiness born of generosity and virtue can even lead to rebirth in heaven — either literal or metaphorical.
But eventually the practitioner begins to recognize the intrinsic drawbacks of even this kind of happiness: as good as rebirth in wholesome states may be, the happiness it brings is not a true and lasting one, for it relies on conditions over which he or she ultimately has no control. This marks a crucial turning point in the training, when the practitioner begins to grasp that true happiness will never be found in the realm of the physical and sensual world.
The only possible route to an unconditioned happiness lies in renunciation, in turning away from the sensual realm, by trading the familiar, lower forms of happiness for something far more rewarding and noble.
Now, at last, the practitioner is ripe to receive the teachings on the Four Noble Truths, which spell out the course of mental training required to realize the highest happiness: nibbana.
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By the way, I don't neglect the existence of a different Realms or planes in any way. It just doesn't serve me much of a purpose and don't bring me any joy.
it's okay not to take a leap of faith. But I think if you read the teachings more you will gain an understanding of how it fits into the context of the Dhamma as a whole. Because the teachings are rooted entirely within causation (cause-and-effect) they are pragmatic and phenomenological, they can be directly experienced. The Buddha said upon his awakening he was able to see all of his past lives (how he was born, lived, was named, how he died, etc.), for him at that point is was directly experienced, but not until then. If you were studying physics there is knowledge a person like Einstein may directly experience that a first year student wouldn't.
I think that being a human, a living and breathing thing is absolutely wonderful. I love everything that goes with that, every experience I am gifted to experience. Obviously, there's a love of pain, like death of a loved person, or "always wanting" mind staying in our way to happiness.
I think most people would think like this, even the Buddha before his awakening. But he could see things we can't, including the process of repeated death, rebirth and how long it's been going on for. He once said even if it rained gold coins we wouldn't have our fill of sensual pleasures. They're stressful and bring little enjoyment (they're temporary). Instead the Awakened find peace in renunciation.
Also not everyone is born in a good destination.
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B HVN HELL REALMS
How can any beings be deserving of Hell Realms (especially humans) ? How common is Hell ?
What deeds can a being does that is equivalent to the unimaginable sufferings of Hell for an immeasurably long kalpas ? The lifespan for a single human being itself is not sufficient to be committing such deeds equivalent to those in Hells, one should spend their whole waking hour torturing animals and human beings inorder for the Karma to be equivalent to suffering in Hells but even if the pain from all of the beings that are subject to the torture is combined, it will sum to maybe a couple hundreds to thousands years of sufferings which is not even 1/million a blink of an eye compared to a kalpa.But it is said in one of the suttas (if i remember correctly, i could be wrong) that even one murder of an insect with intense passion is enough for a being to be sent to Hell. How ?
I'm sorry if i sound very ignorant, i understand that by no mean am i able to judge which is equivalent to anything and i'm also by no mean aswell trying to "disagree" with the Karmic system- but this question passed me while i was casually walking through the neighbourhood and even the most intimidating person i saw rarely does any small crimes, i've been through even the darkest alleys and seen the most frightening-looking people but not once i have ever gotten robbed or even threatened. I could very well just be too biased and limited to my own perspective and experience but it seems like criminals even including all the petty insignificant crimes are not very common let alone people who are deserving of Hells.
But it is said in one of the suttas (if i remember correctly, i could be wrong) that the amount of beings resides in Heavens compared to Hells are like the amount of Horn in the head of a bull compared to the amount of Hair there are in the back of a bull. Which could either mean that Hell is very common or that Heaven is insanely rare but Hell is just as rare but much lesser.
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B PARENTS
Kataññu Suttas: Gratitude (AN 2.31-32)
"Monks, I will teach you the level of a person of no integrity and the level of a person of integrity. Listen & pay close attention. I will speak."
"As you say, lord," the monks responded.
The Blessed One said, "Now what is the level of a person of no integrity? A person of no integrity is ungrateful & unthankful. This ingratitude, this lack of thankfulness, is advocated by rude people. It is entirely on the level of people of no integrity. A person of integrity is grateful & thankful. This gratitude, this thankfulness, is advocated by civil people. It is entirely on the level of people of integrity."
{II,iv,2} "I tell you, monks, there are two people who are not easy to repay. Which two? Your mother & father. Even if you were to carry your mother on one shoulder & your father on the other shoulder for 100 years, and were to look after them by anointing, massaging, bathing, & rubbing their limbs, and they were to defecate & urinate right there [on your shoulders], you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. If you were to establish your mother & father in absolute sovereignty over this great earth, abounding in the seven treasures, you would not in that way pay or repay your parents. Why is that? Mother & father do much for their children. They care for them, they nourish them, they introduce them to this world. But anyone who rouses his unbelieving mother & father, settles & establishes them in conviction; rouses his unvirtuous mother & father, settles & establishes them in virtue; rouses his stingy mother & father, settles & establishes them in generosity; rouses his foolish mother & father, settles & establishes them in discernment: To this extent one pays & repays one's mother & father."
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DTHING WITH AUM HKHK
FOCUS 2B CONTENTED
Science Says A Wandering Mind is a Sign of Unhappinessby Antaryamin |
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Most of the habits I'll talk about are very well known. What is lesser known is their impact on mental health.
1. Drinking Water.
We are notoriously undehydrated and it screws everything within us, including mental health.
Here is the research which says that drinking plain water is a good prevention mechanism for depression:
2. Self-awareness.
Self-awareness is a trait, not a habit. But whichever habit you will use to grow your self-awareness, the effects will be the same: your mental state will greatly improve.
I've known a handful of mentally ill people. From my layman perspective they all had one problem- they were so preoccupied with their thoughts that they ignored reality. The crazier they were, the more they tended to interpret the reality in their own weird ways. And most of the time, they interpreted reality all too personally.
Meditation, journaling, or prayer are great habits to grow your self-awareness. Having some self-awareness they can catch themselves and step between the stimulus and reaction.
(my journals)
Of course, no single tool is a magic cure. Two stories to illustrate:
I had known a lady who had schizophrenia. I observed her for over a decade. She landed in a mental hospital maybe once or twice in that period and not a single time for several last years of her life.
She prayed a lot and she was the most humble person I've ever known.
She constantly self-examined herself, apologized for even the most trivial things and asked people around if she didn't act crazy.
She was really sick, she could talk about weather and secret KGB's plots from seventies in the same sentence. But she kept her ailment under control.
I also know a man with this illness. He prays a lot as well. But his state steadily decreases. He was closed in an asylum multiple times in the last several years because he got physical with his family members.
He takes everything personally - weather, government, people’s behaviors - you name it and it’s a plot against him.
His prayer is a kind of pharisaical prayer - it's just an excuse to scold God, and prove that all is God's fault, not this man's.
3. Exercises.
Regular physical activity prevents or tones depression. It's the same story as with drinking water. When our bodies aren't functioning optimally, our mental health is endangered.
4. Gratitude.
Every morning, write down three new things you are grateful for. It will rewire your brain into positivity. And:
“When the brain is positive every possible outcome we know how to test for rises dramatically.” — Shawn Achor
Including mental health.
5. Deep breathing.
Again, it's good for your body, and it also introduces the pinch of self-awareness. You need to be mindful to slow down your breathing.
Psychological/behavioral outputs (…) are increased comfort, relaxation, pleasantness, vigor and alertness, and reduced symptoms of arousal, anxiety, depression, anger, and confusion.
Health is a state of wellbeing, not an absence of illness. The same is true with your mental health. To keep yourself in a state of wellbeing you need some maintenance practices, habits.
Mental health is in decline in Western civilization. My guess? It's because self-care practices, especially the spiritual ones, are in huge decline too.
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A world, suffering—with a half-baked tyrant pulling us in the wrong direction, hard.
A hateful year, so full of invective we forgot to feel. We forget to mourn. We came together, then tore apart.
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HNY 21 - MR PNR DWMAS PLOD
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(Microblog #2)
Andrew Cooper-Sansone
Without biochemistry, one cannot understand how lifeless molecules combine to form a living thing.
Stated simply, cells are like Rube Goldberg machines (RGM). RGMs break tasks into mechanical steps: A line of dominoes sets off a mousetrap tied to a pulley that strikes a match and lights a candle.
As machines, RGMs are impractical. In biological systems, however, they’re the only option.
Consider how cells extract energy from glucose—a crucial process for generating ATP, the molecular “batteries” that power cellular processes. Glucose is disassembled by enzymes and, along the way, particles that power the ATP generator are extracted (1).
Cells die without ATP, yet this process is dependent on each component being in the right place at the right time, which is coordinated by the chemical properties of the molecules involved. Molecules go to specific locations because they’re chemically attracted to certain other molecules with which they physically interact.
Unlike RGMs, cells aren’t reset by an outsider. Instead, they use biochemical feedback loops that effectively reset the various processes governing the lives of cells.
Cells compose tissues, tissues compose organs, organs compose bodies. Therefore, this is the case for life at all levels of complexity—it’s RGMs all the way down.
References:
1. Akram, M. (2013). Mini-review on glycolysis and cancer. Journal of Cancer Education, 28(3), 454-457. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13187-013-0486-9
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12 grapes at midnight NY 21
In Spain, luck comes with a mouthful of grapes. Outdoor editor Noelle Salmi has the story of how eating 12 grapes, one for each stroke of the clock at midnight, became a widespread tradition
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