Guide to Ānāpānasati

Step Three
Become familiar with the breath through practice. After you have
relaxed your body, and have resolved to stop all other thoughts, you
should place your mind on the area where your in-&out breaths touch
your skin: the touching point. It is the area around your nostrils and
the top of the upper lip. Try to feel the breath in one of those two
places. Then keep your mind with the breath, and be aware of it all
the time. You should try to know the natural breath objectively, as if
you are an onlooker. Do not control or interfere with the natural
breathing: just know it as it is. If you control your breathing, you may
feel discomfort in your chest.
One important thing is that you be aware of only the breath at the
touching point you have chosen, that you do not follow the breath
into or out of your body. If you follow the breath in and out, you will
not be able to perfect your concentration.
To explain this, the Visuddhimagga gives a simile: the simile of the
gate-keeper. A gate-keeper does not pay attention to people who have
already gone inside or outside the town: he pays attention only to
people who arrive at the gate. In the same way, the breaths that have
gone inside and outside are not the yogi’s concern. His concern is
only the breaths that arrive at the touching point (the gate).
Another important thing is that you should not concentrate on the
characteristics of the four elements in your breath. You should not
concentrate on the characteristics of the earth-element in your breath
(hardness, roughness, heaviness, softness, smoothness or lightness),
nor on the characteristics of the water element (flowing and cohesion),
nor on the characteristics of the fire element (heat and cold),
nor on the characteristics of the wind-element in your breath
(pushing and supporting).
If you concentrate on any of those characteristics, the others will
also become more and more obvious in your body, and that will disturb
your concentration. What you should do is only to know the
breath. You should know the breath as a general concept.
Sometimes a yogi may find it difficult to perceive the breath. This
is not because he is no longer breathing: it is because the breath is
subtle, and he is not yet familiar with it. Hence, he should just keep
his mind on the touching point with a cool and alert mind. When it
becomes difficult for him to perceive the breath, he needs do no more
than know that he is still breathing. Then, with patience and mindfulness,
he will gradually be able to know the subtle breath. If he tries
again and again, he will get used to concentrating on it. That will be
very helpful for him to develop deep concentration.
While trying to become familiar with the breath, you should follow
the middle way: you should put forth just the right amount of effort.
Do not put forth too much effort, because you may then have trouble
such as tension, headache and strain of the eyes. Then again, do not
put forth too little effort either, because you may then get lost in daydreams
or fall asleep. So it is good to make sure that your effort is
just sufficient for you always to know the breath.
Whenever thoughts occur in your mind, just ignore them and bring
your mind back to the breath. It is useless to get angry at the thoughts
or at yourself. You should accept that the occurrence of thoughts in
the mind is a natural thing, and should not get entangled in them. By
ignoring the thoughts, you remove yourself from them. And by always
knowing the breath, you make yourself familiar with the breath.
That is the right way to deal with wandering thoughts.
If your mind wanders frequently, you may help your it stay with the
breath by noting: when knowing the in-&-out breath, note it as:
‘in – out; in – out; in – out…’.
You may also count the breaths, that is to say, when breathing in,
you note: ‘in’; when breathing out, you note ‘out’, and at the end of
the out-breath you count ‘one’. You can count in this way up to at
least five, but not to more than ten. For example, if you choose to
count up to eight, you should count from one to eight again and
again. But, as you count the breaths, your object should still be the
breath, not the numbers that you count. The numbers are just a tool to
help you stay with the breath. You should continue counting until
your mind becomes calm and stable. Then you can stop counting, and
just know the in-&-out breath.

Guide to Ānāpānasati

Step Two
Put aside all thoughts, including all worries and plans. You should
reflect on the fact that all conditioned things are impermanent. They
will not follow your wishes but will follow only their own courses. It
is useless to try to grasp them. It is useful to put them aside while you
are meditating.
Whenever you get entangled in thoughts, you should remind yourself
that now is not the time for you to worry; now is the time for you
to keep your mind on only the object of meditation: the breath. If you
happen to remember something very important, and think you must
remember it or think it over, do not do so when you are meditating. If
necessary, you can write the important thing down in a notebook that
you keep beside you, and then not think about it as long as you are
meditating.
If you really want to succeed in ānāpānasati, you have to put aside
all other objects. Some yogis want to develop concentration, yet
cannot give up their attachment for many worldly things. As a result,
their mind becomes restless, always wandering between the breath
and worldly objects. Even though they try hard to calm their mind,
they fail: only because they are unable to give up their attachment for
other objects. Such attachment is a great obstacle to one’s progress in
meditation. So it is very important that you make a strong resolution
to stop all other thoughts while you are meditating.

Guide to Ānāpānasati

Step One
Sit upright. You may choose any sitting posture you like. If you
find it difficult, you do not need to sit cross-legged. You may also sit
with both legs side by side on the floor (neither pressing the other).
Sitting on a cushion of a suitable thickness helps you feel comfortable,
and allows you easily to straighten your upper body.
Then relax your body part by part, from head to foot. Make sure
there is no tension in any part of your body. If there is tension, try to
release it, and remain relaxed and natural. Otherwise, the tension will
eventually cause discomfort and pain. So be sure to relax your whole
body every time you start your sitting meditation.

Introduction to ānāpānasati (mindfulness- of-breathing)

Hi friends,

Today I like to share with you some basic instructions on how to
develop concentration with ānāpānasati (mindfulness- of-breathing).
There are two kinds of meditation: Samatha and Vipassanā.
Samatha is the development of concentration, and Vipassanā is the
development of wisdom. Samatha is a very important foundation for
Vipassanā.

This is why beginners are greatly encouraged to practise first
Samatha, so as to develop deep and powerful concentration. Then can
they practise Vipassanā, to see the true nature of things.
There are forty Samatha meditation subjects, but ānāpānasati (mindfulness of breathing)is one of the more popular ones for beginners.

In the Sa§yutta Nikāya, the Buddha praises ānāpānasati:

Bhikkhus, this concentration through mindfulness of breathing,
when developed and practised much, is both peaceful and sublime.
It is an unadulterated blissful abiding, and
it banishes and stills evil unwholesome thoughts as soon as they arise.

Will be introducing the steps for you to follow in the upcoming postings.

Cheers

Craving- Powerful Defilement

This is one of the defilements we have to overcome. We are constantly craving for things and that in turn will lead to suffering. We must not let craving control us therefore constant mindfulness must be maintained at our six sense doors. Just watch your craving and face it squarely. Your craving will weaken if you understand that nothing is permanent and even if you succeed in the end you will still be thirsty for more. So where does this end?

Contemplate on this. See for yourself.

Mindfulness of Breathing

Anapanassati is one of the most effective meditation subjects for developing concentration quickly. It is much praised by the Buddha and is used in many meditation centres as the special meditation subject for developing concentration. If properly practised according to the Buddha's instruction, it can develop the mind up to the fourth rupavacara jhana in the fourfold jhana method.

Buddha's Words

Hi all,

here is one of Buddha's teaching that I think is meaningful for all;

To avoid all evil,
To cultivate good,
To purify one's mind,
This is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Thank you again for visiting my site. I hope this will benefit you.

Meditation-Eradicate Suffering

The way to eradicate suffering or purify the mind is to practice vipassana or insight meditation. This is the only way to free people from rebirth and to attain the ultimate truth of Nibbana.

Vipassana meditation is not a technique for closing the eyes and seeing magnificient sights or attaining psychic powers. It is the study of life and how to eradicate suffering from one's own life. It also solves the complex problems of life and leads to perception of the truth. The way to practice is to look into one's own life, to notice the movements of body and mind, to notice whether there are wholesome or unwholesome thoughts in the mind.

That will be the ultimate truth that you will find!!

The four foundation of Mindfulness

Hi all, just got friends who emailed to me about what is Satipatthana Sutta? Well Satipatthana means " Presense of Mindfulness". This is in relation to The Four Foundation of Mindfulness which you may have come across. They are:

1. Mindfulness of the body
2. Mindfulness of feelings
3. Mindfulness of consciousness
4. Mindfulness of mental objects (dhammas)

Thus the four foundation of mindfulness forms part of the Thirty-Seven Factors of Enlightenment.

Hope that clears your mind.

Cheers

Satipatthana Meditation

In its spirit of self-reliance, Satipatthana does not require any elaborate technique or external device. The daily life is its working material. It has nothing to do with any exotic cults or rites not does it confer " initiations" or "esoteric knowledge" in any way other than by self-enlightenment.

Using just the conditions of life it finds. Satipatthana does not require complete seclusion or monastic life, though in some who undertake the practice, the desire and need for these may grow.

Sadhu Sadhu

Vipassana Meditation- Ven Mahasi Sayadaw

In Vipassana meditation, what you name or say dosen't matter. What really matters is to know or percieve. While noting the rising of the abdomen, do so from the beginning to the end of the movement just as if you are seeing it with your eyes. Do the same with the falling movement. Note the rising movement in such a way that your awareness of it is concurrent with the movement itself. The movement and the mental awareness of it should coincide in the same way a stone that is thrown hits the target. The same thing goes with the falling movement.

The above is the teaching by Ven Mahasi Sayadaw on keeping bare attention while meditating.

Well this is a simple practice, try it. It will improve on your concentration level and tame your monkey mind. See if you can do this for half an hour.

Cheers

Cause and Effect

Hi, remember cause and effect. There is always causes and the results are the effects.Without the causes there will not be any effects. Therefore that is the end of suffering which is one of the Four Noble Truths Buddha teaches.

Whatever your situation you are in, there always factors leading to it. Just think carefully, you will be able to understand. Were the defilements the causes and how to overcome them in future is what's important. So do not lose hope because the power is in NOW. The precious present moment.

Cheers

Meditation Practice- What have I gained?

I also asked myself " What have I gained from my meditation practice?" I pondered this for a while and realized that it not what I gain but what I have diminished, mainly, greed, hatred and delusion. These are the three main cause of suffering I myself will try to overcome.

May all be happy and free from suffering!!!

Meditation Practice- What have you gained?

Mediation is not for acquiring but for giving up- To become selfless. Often practitioner has this quest for new sensation or experiences, i.e. lobha. Many seek from meditation the very same thing they seek from drugs-i.e. an overwhelming ego-immersing experience of sensations, perceptions, colours, emotions, and "transcendental states beyond words." But these feelings often pass into memories and your old moods will come back in again.

Therefore, " What have you gained from meditation?" the correct answer should be "nothing"

Cheers

Meditation - Things to consider

Seclusion and isolation from noise are important considerations, especially for beginners. In an urban environment complete seclusion is rarely possible, but even relative seclusion is of value. How this is achieved must be determined by the practitioner's individual opportunities and circumstances. The time and duration of meditation will also vary with individual situations. Ideally, one should choose a time when one's mind is alert. Fifteen to forty-five minutes is recommended for lay beginners, and many persons are of the opinion that it should be at the same time each day, preferably in the early morning. A good night's sleep and moderation in eating are valuable.Click Here!

Heat Element During Meditation?

Hi, I hope you all been practicing meditation. Not sure about you, but recently I feel intense heat in my body when I was practicing. Could feel the heat element moving in my body. Anyone has that feeling before?

Cheers

Another good book for Meditation

Amazon.com Review
If you'd like to read about meditation and then go back to your regular life, don't get this book. Henepola Gunaratana, a monk from Sri Lanka and venerated teacher of Buddhism, warns us that vipassana meditation is "meant to revolutionize the whole of your life experience." In one of the best nuts-and-bolts meditation manuals, he lays out the fundamentals of basic Buddhist meditation, the how, what, where, when, and why, including common problems and how to deal with them. His 52 years as a Buddhist monk make Mindfulness in Plain English an authority on a living tradition, and his years of teaching in America and elsewhere give it the clarity and straightforwardness that has made it so popular. If you'd like to learn the practice of meditation, you can't do better. --Brian Bruya --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Some of other reviews:

• "A masterpiece. I cannot recommend it highly enough." -- Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Wherever You Go, There You Are
• "Of great value to newcomers...especially people without access to a teacher." -- Larry Rosenberg, Director, Cambridge Insight Meditation Center --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -Great book for a begginerI love this book, my dad recommended it to me, and even that I have been doing meditation for couple of years, it helped me so much, gave me new tips and understanding. Read more
  Published 26 days ago by Aleksandra Ambrozy
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -Easy to DigestHighly recommended~ Imagine that this book is a close friend who's a life long meditator. Imagine that you have a genuine curiousity about the meditative process. Read more
  Published 1 month ago by B. Denhoff Dworkin
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -Just get it now.This book is a must-have if you're interested in the very practical matter of setting up a regular meditation practice. Read more
  Published 2 months ago by Adi
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -Mindfullness In Plain EnglishThis is a fantastic book on Mindfulness. It is clearly written (by an expert) and very easy to read and understand. Read more
  Published 2 months ago by Charles L. Sales
• 5.0 out of 5 stars- Simplcity at its best... There is really no other way to aptly describe this work... I have this book twice and plan to read it once more. Read more
  Published 3 months ago by Frank E. Lawatsch III
• 2.0 out of 5 stars -Another Buddhist "Pop Culture" BookAfter all the 5 star reviews listed here I couldn't wait to read this book and find out how wonderful it is. Read more
  Published 4 months ago by Mark Twain
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -Excellent 'how to' book on insight meditationI came across Buddhism and meditation before coming across this book, but after about 12 months practise - including a 5 day retreat - I seemed to be 'stuck' and not moving... Read more
  Published 4 months ago by Seeker
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -The cookbook for mindfulnessAs a beginner Buddhist I've read a handful of books regarding Buddhism and mindful living. All too often the books I've read have been more of what I call "Buddhist Porn". Read more
  Published 5 months ago by alan joseph
• 5.0 out of 5 stars -This is one book I keep coming back to.I started reading this book in electronic (PDF) form, and liked it a lot, so I got a paper copy. I felt that it spoke directly to me, pointed out the turbulent states of mind in... Read more
  Published 5 months ago by M. A. Sridhar

Walking Meditation

When most people think of meditation, they think of sitting in lotus position for hours at a time, either feeling quite peaceful, or feeling quite miserable, and desperately trying to feel peaceful.
This image of meditation, though partially correct, is not conducive to inner peace. It is based on two erroneous beliefs. One: that there is a right and a wrong way to meditate. And two: that you must leave every day life and sit quietly in order to meditate.
Neither of these two beliefs are particularly helpful, and, more importantly, they miss the spiritual principle that Life is the Best Mediation Practice.
Let us examine the above two erroneous beliefs, and see if we can clarify what mediation and "Life as the Meditation" are really about.
Firstly, there is no "wrong" in meditating. If you feel you are doing it wrong, then that feeling should become your mediation. Turn "wrongness" into "rightness." IN other words, do not try to change what you are experiencing. That is the key to joy. Nothing needs to change on the inside. If you are uncomfortable or worried then let those feelings flow. Take the breaks off. Trying to control them is futile. Instead, be at peace with them. Be at peace with your uncomfortableness.
Deep meditation always transcends ideas of right and wrong. It may sound strange, but just as there is no way to do meditation wrong, there is also no way to do meditation right. This means that deep and true medition is about the integration of apparent opposites. When right integrates with wrong, they cancel each other out. They blend and they merge, just like the yin yang symbol. Who you are, your truest nature lies in the middle. The middle is where the deepest meditation comes from.
One way to help integrate the opposites, and experience the center, is through practicing walking meditation. Walking meditation helps integrate "motion" and "stillness." IN walking meditation, you learn to be still on the inside, while moving on the outside. This is the sacred integration that engenders peace.
Once you get used to walking meditation, it starts to become obvious that anything can be a meditation. Doing dishes, walking the dog, folding laundry, and so on. There is no reason to separate meditation from daily living. You must join the two together. You must unify the poles.
All meditation starts now. It has already begun. Do not look for it in lotus position. It is always right here and now. Do not look for how to meditate correctly, instead let what ever arises be your meditation. You are whole and complete now, uncomfortable feelings and all, and your meditation is a reflection of that wholeness. Ride that reflection naturally and effortlessly, and you will discover true integration in your self.

Meditation - Stay Healthy

hi, important to stay healthy when you are meditating. Do not attempt to overeat or you will feel sleepy during meditation. Also if you are not feeling well, it will take up more energy to stay focus and increase your concentration level. So please stay healthy.

Cheers! This is my first attempt to do mobile blogging.

Breathing Meditation- Counting

Sometimes, I find mentally counting the breaths enhances concentration. I would usually count more than five to ten the max. Upon reaching ten the counting starts over. But how long do we need to use this method? From my experience, just do it for five minutes should be enough or until mindfulness remains settled on the in-breaths and out-breaths as its object. For counting is simply a device for settling mindfulness on the in-breaths and out-breaths as object by cutting off the external dissipation of applied thoughts.

Hope this is useful for your meditation practice.

Cheers

Meditation Retreats

Ever come across Meditation Retreat that requires you to observe 5 or 8 precepts? Do you know them? I listed them down briefly so that you can remember well, they are :

1. Avoid Killing;
2. Avoid Stealing;
3. Avoid engaging in activities that focus on sensual experience;
4. Avoid speaking;
5. Avoid intoxicants
6. Avoid overeating;
7. Avoid activities that arouse the emotions and scatter the mind;
8. Avoid slackening our resolve.

These eight precepts support the arising of the wholesome mental states that lead to concentration and wisdom. I sometimes find difficulties to observe all the eight precepts, especially the overeating part. But I guess these are precepts that we have to follow if we were to go for Meditation Retreat

Cheers

Meditation- Going Anywhere?

Sometimes when I am meditating, I felt the presence of expectation creeping into my mind. Will I reach the next stage? Maybe I will be able to attain jhanas in today's practice. But what I always remember from the Great Masters is that to forget and let go of these expectation that meditation can bring you and stay in the present. Just simply be present with a calm mind is enough for meditation to progress. Expectation is like bring the mind to future events that has not happened and will greatly hinder your progress.

So please do not let expectation hinder your progress. You are not going anywhere, you are just here doing meditation!!!

A simple and workable road map to overcoming anxiety

We all face a variety of worries and stresses on a daily basis. Top off our personal 'normal' daily stresses with the condition of world politics, wars, economies in crises all over the world and job losses here in the U.S. and, well, need I say more? Anxiety has become a familiar state of being for almost everyone these days. Such anxiety can easily become another daily stress in itself. If you seem to be burdened with excessive anxiety, you need to know that there is a way of overcoming anxiety, no matter how improbable that might seem. Here is a virtual road map you can use to succeed in overcoming anxiety.
Anxiety is your body's normal response to stressful conditions. It's really one way your body protects you. For example, if you're walking down the street at night and a suspicious character approaches you, you become anxious, as a result of a rush of adrenalin – the fight or flight syndrome. Instead of freezing on the spot, you run in the opposite direction.
However, it's also true that anxiety can be a result of intangible threats, such as worry over your kids, finances or a spat with your boss. Your body doesn't distinguish between real and intangible, or even imaginary threats. That rush of adrenalin comes on just as strong. The problem now becomes different. As they say, you're all dressed up with nowhere to go. This is when, instead of a brief spurt of anxiety and a subsequent corrective action – such as fleeing the suspicious character – that adrenalin just keeps on going, with the anxiety continuing apace. This is when you need some practical help in overcoming anxiety.
When your anxiety starts causing you some real discomfort, one of the best things you can do to get it under control is to do something physical, with vigor. That racing feeling will soon disappear if you engage in some hard work. Scrub the daylights out of the kitchen floor. If the weather's nice, go for a brisk walk or take a ride on your bike. Get the vacuum out and pretend your mother in law is coming for dinner. The more physical energy you expend, the better you'll feel.
Should you have a full blown anxiety attack, overcoming anxiety may seem impossible. Anxiety attacks can produce several quite uncomfortable symptoms. Your heart may beat frighteningly fast, you may experience a sensation of choking or not being able to breathe, with painful tension in your muscles and in the chest. This usually leads to hyperventilating. You may have heard that breathing into a paper bag will stop hyperventilating in its tracks. Good news. It's true. Just squeeze the neck of a brown paper bag until it's only wide enough for your mouth. Breathe in and out, as slowly as you can. The symptoms will subside.
If your anxiety occurs on an almost daily basis, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor. Be aware that both food allergies and food additives, preservatives and substances such as caffeine can contribute substantially to increased anxiety. Discuss these possibilities at your appointment. Your doctor may also prescribe medications to help you in overcoming anxiety. Such medications may be taken on a temporary basis, until you can get at the root of the problems causing your anxiety.
Yoga, meditation techniques and prayer can also be helpful in overcoming anxiety. In order to get a handle on your anxiety, you also need to make some time to relax, no matter how pressed for time. It's your health we're talking about here. Try all of these techniques. They all work. Put emphasis on those that work best for you. One of my personal favorites, not yet mentioned, involves a nice hot tub and a good read!

Vipassana Meditation- Ajahn Chah

Hi friends, I would like to recommend " Food for the Heart" - A collected teachings of Ajahn Chan. In this book it has some of the collections of teachings from Great Master Ajahn Chan and also talked about his method of meditations. Worth keeping this as one of the reference book.



This rich collection is a real treasure. Profound, direct, earthy, and often funny. Food for the Heart will be especially precious for practitioners of Vippassana meditation in all Buddhist lineages.
- Larry Rosenberg, author of Breadth by Breadth

Be Patient you are Meditating

One must be patient in meditation. If one shifts or changes one's posture too often because one cannot be patient with the sensation of stiffness or heat that arises, good concentration (samadhi) cannot develop.

'Patience leads to Nibbana'

So my dear friends keep at it and do not give up.

Meditation by Ajah Chan

Hi all,

Acoording to Grand Master Ajah Chan, both samantha and Vipassana must go hand in hand. His teaching is that you not able to do one without the other. You practice samantha to calm your mind and proceed to Vipassana meditation after you reach certain level.

But there are other master who claim that you can proceed to Vipassana meditation without going into samantha.

So who is actually right. Well, Buddha has said that to reach enlightenment there are many paths you can use. It all boils down to you and whichever path suits you.

So do not be over attached to one type of practice.

Warning : You can explore various methods, but you must put your heart into whatever that you are practicing now and not mixed up with other methods you have learned.

Cheers and hope I did not confuse you

Powerful Prayers

Prayer is powerful. It can change lives and those lives can change the world. Many people are not familiar with truly powerful prayers. They are raised in religious traditions that emphasize going through the motions above anything else. They believe that if they say certain words at certain times of day, they will receive God's blessing. In reality, there is no simple formula for a powerful prayer. It requires skillful wording, pure intentions, and realistic expectations. You cannot expect God to act differently for you than he does for everyone else. You have to be willing to wait for everything to occur in its own proper time. If you can do that, you will be truly blessed in all of your undertakings.
Nonetheless, there are some formulas for making your prayers powerful. One of the most important things is to make them personal. Reciting a standard credo from your faith is a good way to set up your prayers because it gets you in the proper mood. Nonetheless, powerful prayers come straight from the heart. It is alright to pray for universal peace, but also don't be afraid to ask the lord For the thing that is foremost in your mind. If you want financial security, good health, or some kind of blessing in a coming venture, ask for it. There is nothing wrong with asking, and God may See fit to answer your request.
Sometimes, the most powerful prayer don't even need words. I have had experiences where it hasn't been a verbalized request that has been answered, but rather a strange and vague longing. Sometimes I get extremely overwhelmed with emotions, and cry out while I am praying. These are the times that I feel most in connection with God. I can almost see the face of the divine and feel it close to me. That is how you know that your prayers are likely to be answered.
Of course ultimately, it doesn't really help you to think about finding powerful prayers. The important thing to do is to trust God. If you try to make your prayers powerful, you are trying to manipulate divine forces. Although this isn't wrong per se, it won't necessarily work for you. Pray to God with a sincere heart and you will be blessed. Try to really talk God into doing something for you, and you will probably have less luck. Faith is crucial in a moment of prayer. Without it, you will get nowhere.

Lazy Meditation

At times, I may feel too tired to do meditation, especially after I returned from my office. My mind will tempt me with all kind of excuses and it will keep telling me like " Hey gimme a break, why not skip today and practice tomorrow!!". You know what I listened and has stopped practicing for two weeks before I get myself to practice again.

Moral of the story, I guess you must be disciplined and determined to do meditation or you will lose it. If you are that busy, just give yourself 5 minutes every day.

Cheers

The Practice of Vipassana Meditation Today

Since the beginning of the twentieth century the teaching and the practice of traditional Buddhist meditation have undergone a considerable evolution in two important respects.

First, there has been a decided growth in the practice of vipassana meditation on its own, without combining it with samantha meditation.

Secondly, there has been a much greater involvement of lay person in vipassana, not only as students in ever growing numbers but also as lay meditation masters.

Both these development are mutually interrelated and are manifestations of the same overall trend: an adaption to the conditions prevailing in the modern word and a response to the growing demand for these simple and effective methods of mental culture.

Thank you

Hi all,

First of all, like to thank all of you for visiting my sites.

Secondly, I would welcome any comments from you so that I can improve further.

Finally, again a BIG THANK YOU to take the time.

Cheers

Who is talking during Meditation?

Ever wonder who is the one talking in your head during meditation? Is that you mind that keep churning thoughts of past events and future plan? Just stay focus on the present. Be mindful of thoughts that are coming in as they will disturb your meditation practice. Just note of it presence and be aware. These thoughts will arise and disappear like all dharma. What is left is the present moment.

Cheers

Where do find the book "The Meditator's Altlas"

Hi everyone,
Many has asked me where I got my copy of the book. Well, I bought this in Kinokuniya BookStore at Takashimaya and you can try your nearest bookstores to see if they have any available. Or you can also purchase at my blogsites. Take a look at the Best Seller collumn.

Cheers

Recommended reading

Hi all,

I would like to recommend getting this book called 'The Meditator's Atlas' by Mathew Flickstein. Inside it teaches you on the "Path of Purification" as laid out in the great classic of Buddhist literature called Visuddhimagga.

I have read the book and think it is good roadmap to guide you through the stages of the practice.

Cheers

Meditation Retreat

Hi all, if you have a chance (knowing that all of you are busy), try to set aside some time to go for Meditation Retreat. It a very good experience and you will probably learned some new things from there. For those of you who not able to commit a long period, maybe you can look for a shorter days like a 3 Day Retreat? Based on my experience, a 3 Day Retreat is usually meant for beginners.

Cheers

Meditation and Mind

Mind is the forerunner of all evil conditions.

Mind is their chief, they are mind-made.

If, with an impure mind, one speaks or acts,

Then suffering follows one

Even as the cart wheel follows the hoof of the ox.

Mind is the forerunner of all good conditions.

Mind is their chief, and they are mind-made.

If, with a pure mind, one speaks or acts,

Then happiness follows one

Like a never-departing shadow.

These words, which are the opening lines of the Dhammapada, were spoken by Gotama Budhha 2500 years ago. They illustrate the central theme of Buddhist teaching, the human mind.

So my friend, practice meditation to gain insights and pure your mind of defilements!!!

Amazing Pictures of Buddha

Hi everyone,

Let me show you a picture that I have taken recently in Thailand.

Wonder if this is man-made or natural.

You tell me.

Places to Practice Meditation

Currently, I found the best place to do my meditation is at home. I would set aside a space for my regular practice and that serves me pretty well.

Aside from your house, think the next best place is in a large temple. But please choose a temple which provide such place for practice daily. What I like about going to the temple to practice is that the environment there is good for calming your mind and you are motivated to practice in such a place. But disadvantage is you have to travel to the temple to practice and that may take time.

Anyone has any suggestion for a good place to practice meditation?

Vipassana Meditation

Remember that we have to practice increasing our concentration level to a certain level before we can proceed to practice Vipassana Meditation.

Meditation will keep your mind calm and conentrated but you must be patient and persistent in your practice. Initially there will be a lots of defilements like pain and discomfort, but you will overcome them eventually because you must remember that all these are impermanent. So if your mind is calm, you can actually see that the pain will also rise and fall and eventually will disappears.

Come try and see for yourself

Mahasi Sayadaw's Method- Insights Meditation

The basis of Mahasi Sayadaw's method (Insights Meditation) involves maintaining a constant awareness, moment by moment of whatever one is doing or experiencing. However, it is rather difficult, especially for a beginner, to achieve the initial concentration necessary for successful pratice if one has to start straight away by paying close attention to every action. For this purpose, and on the basis of his own practice and of his experiences with his students, Mahasi Sayadaw decided to begin by focusing attention on a bodily movement which is intimately related with the act of breathing and which, like breath itself, is both automatic and amenable to voluntary control. This is the movement of the abdomen resulting from the process of breathing. In fact, even though we do not normally pay attention to it, our abdomen expands every time we breath in and contractse very time we breathe out - the 'rising and falling of the abdomen' as Mahasi Sayadaw put it.

Therefore this is one of the method to practice Insights Meditation that you can consider. Hope this is useful for you.

Welcome your feedback also.

Learning Meditation

Hi Sangha,

If you have not started any meditation. They are many that are available in the market and also in the internet that can teach you the methods to do it. Why not look through the list available? Perhaps, there are some that are able to help you to advance in your spiritual wellbeings.Take a look at the options and most importantly, Practice!!!

May all be Happy and Free from Suffering.

Physical and Mental Pain

In the Sallatha Sutta, the Buddha taught that though the spiritually untrained and trained experience pleasant, painful and neutral feelings, their responses differ. When the first is touched by physical pain, one tends to worry, grieve, lament and even become distraught. It is as if one suffers from two feelings (physical and mental pain), as if shot by another (mental) arrow after being shot by a physical one. One develops the tendency to resent the pain, while seeking sense pleasures to quell it, due to not knowing other means to escape. When the tendency to attach to pleasant feelings set in, one is unmindful that they rise and fall, of the perils of not knowing how to transcend them. Neutral feelings then nurture the tendency of ignorance, while aversion to pain and attachment to pleasure fetter one to the cycle of rebirth.When the spiritually trained is touched by inevitable physical pain, one does not worry, grieve, lament or become distraught.

Being shot by only one arrow, while not shooting oneself with another, there is only the physical feeling experienced, with no painful mental feeling added. As one does not develop the tendency to resist the pain, one does not seek sense pleasures to quell it, because one is aware of the true means to escape. Since the tendency to attach to pleasant feelings does not set in, one is mindful that they rise and fall, of the perils of not knowing how to transcend them. Neutral feelings then do not nurture the tendency of ignorance, while aversion to pain and attachment to pleasure do not fetter one to rebirth.

The Buddha himself was the best example of how the above can be done. In the Sakalika Sutta, the Buddha was lying down to nurse his foot pierced by a stone sliver. Despite the physical pains being excuciating, he was unperturbed and endured them mindfully. Hundreds of gods gathered to pay homage, many of whom praised his most excellently developed mind. One even exclaimed that to think the Buddha could ever be truly harmed was being blind. Indeed! Here's a reverse example... A girl who visited a dentist to remove an aching tooth returned with multiple cuts in her mouth. Due to her imagined and aggravated anguish over the little pain that she would feel before extraction, she had 'shot' herself with many needless 'arrows' by fidgetting in fear, while sharp surgical instruments were in her mouth

How are you doing?

Dear Sangha,

I hope you have practice your meditation deligently. You will be able to penetrate into the truth and nothing but the truth. This is true wisdom.

May all be Happy and Free from Suffering

A Poem by Upasika Kee

Here is a poem by Upasika Kee Nanayon about the mind training:

With no struggling, no thinking,
The Mind, is still,
Will see cause and effect
Vanishing in the Void.
Attached to nothing, letting go:
Know that this is the way
to allay all stress.

I think this is a wonderful poems for meditation. Don't you agree?

The Way

Budhha along with all the great masters has shown you to way and can only tell you the path to follow. The rest is up to you and that Budhha can not do it for you.

In that path, what you experience and what you encounter is for you and you only. The destination is to reach enlightenment through an untangled knowing and not from reading this blog sites or any books about enlightenment.

So my friends, walk the path and see for yourself!!!!

Insights Meditation

To practice Insights Meditation, I felt that the following factors are important:

1) Patience
2) Practice meditating regularly if not everyday
3) Persistent

Be patient is the key word you should bear in mind. An impatient mind will also break the silence that you are trying to achieve. For readers who have read many books on meditation, you will probably be expecting some signs to appear. Forget about that, as you will bound to encounter false signs ( Imagination from your mind) which is probably not the one you been seeking.

Practice regularly, as meditation and concentration will build momentum as you practice more. As the saying goes, Practice make perfect!!!

Persistent in your practice, never make excuses for not doing it. If you make just one excuses not to do it, you will eventually lose the momentum soon.

Remember, everyone will progress differently so please do not give up.

Do You Practise What You Preach?

In the Sikkha Sutta, the Buddha spoke of four kinds of persons - (1) those who practise the Dharma for their own benefit (e.g. observe the five precepts of not: killing, stealing, having sexual misconduct, lying and taking intoxicants, while not encouraging others to), (2) those who practise not for their own benefit but for others' (e.g. not observe the precepts, while encouraging others to), (3) those who practise for neither one nor others' benefit (e.g. neither observing the precepts nor encouraging others to) and (4) those who practise for both their own and others' benefit (e.g. observe the precepts while encouraging others to). According to the Hita Sutta, one who is endowed with the five qualities of being consummate in virtue, (meditative) concentration, (wise) discernment, liberation (release), and knowledge & vision (Dharma theory & realisation) of liberation (4) practises to benefit oneself and others. Of course, one would exemplify compassion too, in sharing the Dharma. With such qualities, the Raga-vinaya Sutta describes such a person to be in the process of subduing passion (attachment), aversion and delusion within oneself while encouraging others without to do the same. Every one of us would surely fall into one of the four categories.In short, (1) some practise; (2) some preach; (3) some neither practise nor preach; and (4) some practise what they preach (best not in preachy ways)! The best inspiration would be the Buddha, who fully embodied the perfect Dharma he practised and preached. There is simply no better way to encourage others to practise and preach the Dharma than to personally do both well to benefit them! It is natural to fall into the (3) 'neither practise nor preach' category at first, before 'upgrading' to the (1) practise-only or (2) preach-only categories. When one truly benefits from the Dharma personally, one is likelier to further upgrade, to (4) preach while one practises. So long as not a Buddha yet, it takes effort to upgrade and maintain one's grade! – Shen Shi’anLearn more of what you practise; Practise more of what you learn. Practise more of what you preach; Preach more of what you practise. - Stonepeace

Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw (1904-82)

Before becoming a leading meditation master, Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw was already known as a learned scholar and teacher of the Pali scriptures. He became a monk on reaching the age of twenty, the earliest age at which full ordination is possible, with the name of Sobhana. In the following years he pursued higher Pali and Buddhist studies, attained the highest scholastic distinctions and devoted himself for some time to the teaching of these subjects.

The day came, however, at the age of twenty-eight, when he felt the powerful need to move on from the sphere of intellectual understanding and exposition to that of intensive practice. Accordingly, taking up the bare requisites of a wandering monk's life, he left the reowned monastery where he has been teaching and set out, like one of the early disciples of the Buddha, in search of a master who could train him in a clear and effective method for the practice of meditation. He found him in the person of the Venerable Mingun Jetawan Sayadaw. Under the guidance of this highly competent master, Mahasi Sayadaw undertook intensive meditation training based on the four foundations of mindulness, the beginning with the contemplation of the body and made considerable progress. In 1941, in the eighteenth year of his ordination, he decided to return to his native village, where he took up residence in a local monastery and began teaching systematic practical courses of Vipassana meditation on the basis of the foundation of mindfulness.

Many people, lay persons as well as monks, came to his course and benefited from his instruction. He soon became well known throughout the country as a very effective teacher of insight meditation.

In the next posting, I will be introducing the method he used for vipassana and the way he practice. So stay tune.

Great Masters of Vipassana Meditation- Insight Meditation

Hi all,

Stay tuned in the coming few days, I will be introducing some great masters of Vispassanna Meditation and some of their methods they used to succeed.

Stay tuned and not forget to practice. For only practice will gain wisdom.

Meanwhile take a look at this...........

How a Apprentice Taught His Master Mindfulness

In the Sedaka Sutta, the Buddha shared a very apt analogy on the importance of self-responsibility in practising mindfulness. In this teaching, he spoke of an apprentice acrobat and his master, who instructed him to climb up a bamboo pole to stand on his shoulders. The master suggested, 'Now you watch after me, and I'll watch after you. Thus, protecting one another, watching after one another, we'll show off our skill, receive our reward, and come down safely from the bamboo pole.' To that, the apprentice surprisingly replied, 'But that won't do at all, master. You watch after yourself, and I'll watch after myself, and thus with each of us protecting ourselves, watching after ourselves, we'll show off our skill, receive our reward, and come down safely from the bamboo pole.'The Buddha remarked that mindfulness is likewise practised with the personal intention to watch after oneself before watching others. Yet when one watches after oneself well, one will watch after others well too. This is done by diligently developing mindfulness. Conversely after, when one watches after others, one watches after oneself too. This is done by practising patient harmlessness with loving empathy. Though we might collectively affect one another, we are ultimately responsible for our own physical and spiritual well-being. Even when we have a good teacher who advises us perfectly, the onus is on us to practise mindfulness well. The subject of first priority to be mindful of is ourselves, instead of others.Relating to the acrobats’ act, if we cannot even watch ourselves well, there is no point in watching others, because not watching ourselves well can harm others too. Both ourselves and others around us are directly affected by our mindfulness or the lack of it! The safety of the acrobatic duo thus laid in their individual self-mindfulness, that spills over to mindfulness of the other. If everyone is likewise mindful, there will be peace and harmony for all. Like a balancing act, momentary lapses of mindfulness via careless distraction can lead to dangerous slips. Though it might not always be a matter of physical life and death, it can spell the end of the spiritual life in the moment - till we become sufficiently mindful again! – Shen Shi’an

Meditation and brain

People who meditate grow bigger brains than those who don't. Researchers at Harvard, Yale, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found the first evidence that meditation can alter the physical structure of our brains. Brain scans they conducted reveal that experienced meditators boasted increased thickness in parts of the brain that deal with attention and processing sensory input.
In one area of gray matter, the thickening turns out to be more pronounced in older than in younger people. That's intriguing because those sections of the human cortex, or thinking cap, normally get thinner as we age.
"Our data suggest that meditation practice can promote cortical plasticity in adults in areas important for cognitive and emotional processing and well-being," says Sara Lazar, leader of the study and a psychologist at Harvard Medical School. "These findings are consistent with other studies that demonstrated increased thickness of music areas in the brains of musicians, and visual and motor areas in the brains of jugglers. In other words, the structure of an adult brain can change in response to repeated practice."
The researchers compared brain scans of 20 experienced meditators with those of 15 nonmeditators. Four of the former taught meditation or yoga, but they were not monks living in seclusion. The rest worked in careers such as law, health care, and journalism. All the participants were white. During scanning, the meditators meditated; the others just relaxed and thought about whatever they wanted.
Meditators did Buddhist "insight meditation," which focuses on whatever is there, like noise or body sensations. It doesn't involve "om," other mantras, or chanting.
"The goal is to pay attention to sensory experience, rather than to your thoughts about the sensory experience," Lazar explains. "For example, if you suddenly hear a noise, you just listen to it rather than thinking about it. If your leg falls asleep, you just notice the physical sensations. If nothing is there, you pay attention to your breathing." Successful meditators get used to not thinking or elaborating things in their mind.
Study participants meditated an average of about 40 minutes a day. Some had been doing it for only a year, others for decades. Depth of the meditation was measured by the slowing of breathing rates. Those most deeply involved in the meditation showed the greatest changes in brain structure. "This strongly suggests," Lazar concludes, "that the differences in brain structure were caused by the meditation, rather than that differences in brain thickness got them into meditation in the first place."
Lazar took up meditation about 10 years ago and now practices insight meditation about three times a week. At first she was not sure it would work. But "I have definitely experienced beneficial changes," she says. "It reduces stress [and] increases my clarity of thought and my tolerance for staying focused in difficult situations."
Controlling random thoughts
Insight meditation can be practiced anytime, anywhere. "People who do it quickly realize that much of what goes on in their heads involves random thoughts that often have little substance," Lazar comments. "The goal is not so much to 'empty' your head, but to not get caught up in random thoughts that pop into consciousness."
She uses this example: Facing an important deadline, people tend to worry about what will happen if they miss it, or if the end product will be good enough to suit the boss. You can drive yourself crazy with unproductive "what if" worry. "If, instead, you focus on the present moment, on what needs to be done and what is happening right now, then much of the feeling of stress goes away," Lazar says. "Feelings become less obstructive and more motivational."
The increased thickness of gray matter is not very much, 4 to 8 thousandths of an inch. "These increases are proportional to the time a person has been meditating during their lives," Lazar notes. "This suggests that the thickness differences are acquired through extensive practice and not simply due to differences between meditators and nonmeditators."
As small as they are, you can bet those differences are going to lead to lots more studies to find out just what is going on and how meditation might better be used to improve health and well-being, and even slow aging.
More basic questions need to be answered. What causes the increased thickness? Does meditation produce more connections between brain cells, or more blood vessels? How does increased brain thickness influence daily behavior? Does it promote increased communication between intellectual and emotional areas of the brain?
To get answers, larger studies are planned at Massachusetts General Hospital, the Harvard-affiliated facility where Lazar is a research scientist and where these first studies were done. That work included only 20 meditators and their brains were scanned only once.
"The results were very encouraging," Lazar remarks. "But further research needs to be done using a larger number of people and testing them multiple times. We also need to examine their brains both before and after learning to meditate. Our group is currently planning to do this. Eventually, such research should reveal more about the function of the thickening; that is, how it affects emotions and knowing in terms of both awareness and judgment."
Slowing aging?
Since this type of meditation counteracts the natural thinning of the thinking surface of the brain, could it play a role in slowing - even reversing - aging? That could really be mind-boggling in the most positive sense.
Lazar is cautious in her answer. "Our data suggest that one small bit of brain appears to have a slower rate of cortical thinning, so meditation may help slow some aspects of cognitive aging," she agrees. "But it's important to remember that monks and yogis suffer from the same ailments as the rest of us. They get old and die, too. However, they do claim to enjoy an increased capacity for attention and memory."
Source: Harvard University (By William J. Cromie)

What is Vipassana or Insight Meditation?

Vipassana (insight meditation) is the ultimate expression of Socrates' dictum, "know thyself." The Buddha discovered that the cause of suffering can actually be erased when we see our true nature. This is a radical insight. It means that our happiness does not depend on manipulating the external world. We only have to see ourselves clearly— a much easier proposition (but in the ultimate sense, knowing oneself with clarity reveals there is no permanent self, as the Buddha taught).
Vipassana meditation is a rational method for purifying the mind of the mental factors that cause distress and pain. This simple technique does not invoke the help of a god, spirit or any other external power, but relies on our own efforts.
Vipassana is an insight that cuts through conventional perception to perceive mind and matter as they actually are: impermanent, unsatisfactory, and impersonal. Insight meditation gradually purifies the mind, eliminating all forms of attachment. As attachment is cut away, desire and delusion are gradually diluted. The Buddha identified these two factors— desire and ignorance— as the roots of suffering. When they are finally removed, the mind will touch something permanent beyond the changing world. That "something" is the deathless, supramundane happiness, called "Nibbana" in Pali.
Insight meditation is concerned with the present moment— with staying in the now to the most extreme degree possible. It consists of observing body (rupa) and mind (nama) with bare attention.
The word "vipassana" has two parts. "Passana" means seeing, i.e., perceiving. The prefix "vi" has several meanings, one of which is "through." Vipassana-insight literally cuts through the curtain of delusion in the mind. "Vi" can also function as the English prefix "dis," suggesting discernment— a kind of seeing that perceives individual components separately. The idea of separation is relevant here, for insight works like a mental scalpel, differentiating conventional truth from ultimate reality. Lastly, "vi" can function as an intensive, in which case "vipassana" means intense, deep or powerful seeing. It is an immediate insight experienced before one's eyes, having nothing to do with reasoning or thinking.
Is insight meditation a religion?
No. Although it was discovered by the Buddha, insight meditation is not Buddhism. It is the method by which the Buddha and his disciples freed themselves from every form of suffering and attained awakening. This simple technique is a democratic method, open to people of any faith or those who ascribe to none.
Is insight meditation an escape from reality?
No. On the contrary, it is the ultimate confrontation with reality.

THE TWO BROTHERS

The Pali Texts give an example of how the thought one has when accomplishing kamma may account for one’s character when that kamma produces rebirth: it is The Buddha’s account of one Jotika’s past lives.

Once, in the very distant past, there were two brothers. They owned a large field of sugar-cane. One day, the younger brother offered some sugar-cane juice to a Pacceka-Buddha. After he had offered the juice, he aspired for three things: that his offering would result in his enjoying
glory in the human world, that it would result in his enjoying glory in the deva world, and that it would eventually be a supporting cause for him to attain Arahantship. Afterwards, on behalf of his elder brother, he offered some more sugar-cane juice to the Pacceka-Buddha, which the Pacceka- Buddha took back to his dwelling, to share with other Pacceka-Buddhas. When the younger brother told his elder brother about his offering, the elder brother was filled with great joy, and made an aspiration. But he did not aspire for three things. He aspired for only one thing: Arahantship. When the two brothers passed away, they were reborn in the deva world. Then, at the time of Buddha Vipassi, they were again reborn as brothers in a good family. When they attained to manhood, they married, established a family, and lived as householders. Then, one day, they heard that a Buddha had appeared in the world. Together with many other householders, they went to see The Buddha, to make offerings, and to listen to the Dhamma. As The Buddha was teaching the Dhamma, the elder brother developed a very strong desire to renounce the household life and become a bhikkhu: he was the one who had aspired for only Arahantship. His desire was so powerful that he gave over all his property to his younger brother, ordained as a bhikkhu, and soon put an end to suffering with Arahantship. But his younger brother could not give up the household life: he was still too attached to sensual pleasures, and so could not put an end to suffering. Instead, the younger brother made
great offerings of requisites to The Buddha and Sa]gha: he offered even
a magnificent dwelling for The Buddha.
The elder brother had in that life put an end to rebirth, but his younger brother continued in the round of rebirth from The Buddha Vipassi’s time till our Buddha Gotama’s time. For many, many aeons, he continued being reborn. Owing to the many wholesome kammas he had accomplished, he was reborn now in the deva world, now in the human
world. Only at our Buddha’s time, as the treasurer Jotika, was he finally
able to renounce sensual pleasures, and become a bhikkhu. Only in that
life was he finally able to put an end to suffering, by becoming an Arahant.
When He had explained how the two brothers had fared differently because
of their different thoughts when accomplishing wholesome kamma, The Buddha uttered the following verse:

Whoever, craving (taha) having given up, a wandering homeless one,
with craving and existence consumed, such a one do I call a Brahman.
Craving and existence consumed is the same as to say that the clogbound
dog has severed the rope binding it to the strong post or pillar.
And it has managed to throw off the clog that was bound to its neck.

That is, with attainment of the Noble Path, and eventually Arahantship, the uneducated, ordinary person has severed the rope of craving (taha), has managed to throw off the clog of identity view (sakkaya di;;hi), has got released from the strong post of the five clinging-aggregates (pañc·upadana·kkhandha): she or he has escaped from the round of rebirth
(samsara).

The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering

What is the Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering (samudaya-sacca)? In the Dhammacakkapavatana Sutta the Buddha taught that craving is Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering (samudayasacca).
In Nidana Vagga Samyutta the Buddha taught that the dependent origination is also samudaya-
sacca. So ignorance (avijja), craving (tanha), clinging (upadana), volitional formations (savkhara),
and kammic force (kamma) are all samudaya-sacca. In short, all wholesome kammic forces
that can lead to renewed existence and all unwholesome kammic forces are samudaya-sacca. In theSacca Vibhavga the Buddha taught samudaya-sacca in five ways:
1. Craving (tanha) is samudaya-sacca.
2. The ten defilements (greed, hatred, delusion, conceit, wrong view, doubt, sloth, restlessness,
lack of moral shame, lack of moral dread) are also samudaya-sacca.
3. All unwholesome states (akusala dhamma) are samudaya-sacca.
4. All unwholesome states and three wholesome roots (alobha, adosa, amoha) that can lead to
renewed existence are samudaya-sacca.
5. All wholesome states that can lead to renewed existence and all unwholesome states, or all
wholesome kammic forces that can lead to renewed existence and all unwholesome kammic
forces are samudaya-sacca.
Both dukkha-sacca dhammas and samudaya-sacca dhammas are objects of vipassana insight
knowledge, so if you want to practice vipassana to make an end to suffering, first you should try to understand them.

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How Mindfulness of Breathing Can Dissolve Anger

The Buddha taught that the fire of anger can burn up everything we have done to bring happiness to ourselves and others. There is not one of us who has not sown seeds of anger in one's heart, and if those seeds are watered, they will grow rapidly and choke us and those around us. When we are angry, we should come back to ourselves by means of our conscious breathing. We should not look at or listen to the one we feel is making us angry and causing us to suffer. The other person may have said or done something unskilful or unmindful. But his unskilful words or actions arise from his own suffering. He may just be seeking some relief, hoping to survive. The excessive suffering of one person will often overflow to others. A person who is suffering needs our help, not our anger. We come to see this when we examine our anger through our breathing.The Buddha says that anger makes us look ugly. If we are able to breathe [mindfully] when we are angry and recognise the ugliness anger brings with it, that recognition acts as a bell of mindfulness. We breathe and smile mindfully in order to bring some evenness back into our hearts, at the same time relaxing the nervous system and the tense muscles of the face. We must keep on with our conscious breathing as we practise walking meditation in the open air, looking deeply at what has happened. Mindfulness and conscious breathing are sources of energy and can calm the storm of anger, which itself is also a source of energy. If we keep practising mindfulness in order to take care of our anger with the affection of a mother when she takes a small child in her arms, then not only shall we calm the storm but we shall also be able to find out where our anger really comes from. Our practice, carefully executed, will thus be able to transform the seeds of anger in us.The Blooming of a Lotus: Guided Meditation for Achieving the Miracle of Mindfulness (Thich Nhat Hanh)

Friend who owe me money

For those I have gladly lend the money to and has not kept their promise to pay back. I wish you happy and free from suffering. I hope you are able to get over this difficult times as quickly as possible. Please take care for all these is never permanent. Such is the law of Dharma

Story of the day

A respected monk arrived at the gates of a King's grand palace. Due to his great fame, none of the guards dared to halt him as he entered the hall where the King was seated on his throne. The following conversation ensued.

King: Dear Venerable Sir, how may I assist you?
Monk: I would like somewhere to spend the night in this inn.
King: You have mistaken! This is no inn - it's my palace!
Monk: Who owned this place before you?
King: My late father.
Monk: And who ruled it before him?
King: My grandfather, who is also deceased.
Monk: If this is where people come to live only for a while before leaving, why is it not an inn?
King: I am so sorry! This is indeed an inn. Your stay is most welcome!

The monk had wanted to remind the King of the irrefutable truth of transience, of all things material and even mental, of the fleeting nature of his life, wealth and status - despite wielding great power. Similar to the King, wherever we live, be it a big house or a small apartment, is like a hotel. Even the most valuable material things within are but items in a hotel, temporally 'loaned' to us for use. As much as we might wish to live in this hotel forever, we can never - unless we realise the path to transcend the cycle of life and death. Even this body that we have, which we think is ours to rule over is a hotel which we live in, for usually less than a hundred more years! If so, may we use 'our' body wisely and share 'our' posessions kindly! - Shen Shi'an

A Buddhist charity was giving out aids to the needy in terms of cash and kind for disaster relief. What was surprising to reporters was that various individuals from all walks of life were helped despite differences in race or religion with no questions asked. Most pleasantly surprised were those who came to seek donations. When asked about the rationale of the charity, a volunteer helper had this to share…
“The Buddha taught that as long as we are unenlightened, all of us experience suffering, regardless of who we are, and this suffering is largely the same in nature. If our suffering is not very different from the suffering of others, they is no need to differentiate who deserves more compassion. With this in mind, the Buddha encouraged the practice of equanimous and unconditional compassion.
“True love is so unconditional that not only is it blind to the colour or faith of its recipient, it is given freely with not a single string attached, with no demands of religious conversion or such, with no expectations of reciprocation. True love also encompasses all sentient beings who suffer like us, including animals. Of course, it is not challenging to practise this perfectly, but as the Buddha urged, practice does make perfect.
“It is totally natural to wish to help those we are closer with or are more familiar with first – such as family and friends. But the point of perfecting our giving is to continually stretch our limits of generosity - to be increasingly inclusive of more and more beings without bias. Only in this way can compassion eventually be perfected, made truly sublime and immeasurable as it is meant to be.
“On the Buddhist path of practice, it is an ideal to strive to walk the Bodhisattva path, to practise great generosity in various ways, that gives of one’s time, effort, wealth, comfort and wisdom to alleviate the suffering of other beings. In fact, it is only upon the perfection of generosity, along with other virtues, that we can become Buddhas – fully enlightened and liberated beings.
“When others heard of our charity’s impartial giving to the needy, this inspired more generous donations to support our cause. Unconditional love begets more unconditional love! This is how we can change the world together – by the boundless spread of compassion for one and all! I would like to hereby share one of my favourite verses from the Buddhist teachings by the great sage Shantideva (from ‘A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life’) -
All the happiness there is in this worldArises from wishing others to be happy,And all the suffering there is in this worldArises from wishing ourself to be happy.”

Whenever I got bumped into by unmindful and unapologetic pedestrians in the past, the natural tendency was to give rise to some resentment. It’s as if the world is totally at fault, while I’m perfectly blameless. Nowadays, I have a different take. I realised that most of these bumps are the results of my own unmindfulness - in the sense that if I were more mindful, I should had seen these bumps coming. There is karma at play too. Even if it’s not right for someone to bump into me accidentally, it’s no accident that I’m are bumped into, because I karmically deserved it in some way - even if it’s wrong on the part of the bumper to be unmindful. Every bump is a sudden yet solemn reminder that I have negative karma, which can bear fruit in unexpected ways.
These days, I brace myself for bumps which I see to be coming, and try to prepare myself for those I don’t see coming too. I remind myself that Samsara is the realm of Dukkha (dissatisfactions), that I should expect Dukkha from various aspects of life - from work, relationships, and yes, even from ‘random’ strangers on the walkway. Who am I to imagine that a ‘walk’ to anywhere from Point A to Point B (within Samsara) will be smooth-sailing and free of any ‘bumps’? My karma can’t be that good. Samsara is the public school fo hard knocks. I brace myself in a relaxed but mindful way. And hey, the resentment when bumped into then becomes almost non-existent. As Master Chengyen put it, ‘To be angry is to let others’ mistakes punish oneself’. Ultimately, all punishment is self-punishment because we choose to victimise ourselves and suffer - when there’s absolutely no need to.
Related Article:Meet Mr. Bumphttp://moonpointer.com/index1.php?itemid=930

Dharma for the day

When the mind is in accord with the Dharma for one moment,we are a Buddha for one moment;When the mind is in accord with the Dharma moment after moment,we are a Buddha moment after moment

Reading for the Week

Read " An Unentangled Knowing" by Upasaka Kee Nanayon. She was the foremost woman who teaches Dhamma in modern Thailand. Known for the simplicity of her way of life and for the direct and uncompromising style of her teachings. This book is worth reading and learning about what Dhamma is all about.

Train your mind, better yourself through life.

Hi, I am praticing insight meditation and has always interested in Buddhism and its wisdom on Dharma.