concentration and equanimity

 

As a stone mountain, one solid mass, is not stirred by the wind,

so no forms and tastes, sounds, odors, and tactile objects,

and phenomena desirable or undesireable stir the stable

one's mind. His mind is steady and freed.

.

~ Anguttara Nikaya

The development and practice of concentration

leads to equanimity. 

Enhancing qualities of faith, (or confidence), mindfulness,

 self-respect, a spirit of generosity and openess, and pliancy. 

All of which are included in a "neutrality of mind,"

a sense of being "there in the middleness."

The disipline of mindfulness together with concentration

can be very helpful in keeping our minds from habitual

occupation with unhealthy states.

A sense of ease, peace and balance equip us to deal with

the gain and loss, fame and disrepute, pleasure and pain 

that may come to us.

~ from the teaching of Buddha as

expressed by Joseph Goldstein in

Mindfulness: A Practical Guide of Awakening

being afflicted

 

Being afflicted with bodily pain is like being struck by an arrow,

adding mental pain (aversion, displeasure, depression, or self-pity)

to physical pain is like being hit by a second arrow.

The wise person stops with the first arrow.

Simply by calling the pain by its true name, one can keep it from extending

beyond the physical, and thereby stop it from inflicting deep

and penetrating wounds upon the spirit.

Whatever feelings there may be—past, present, or future—

all feeling is not mine, not I, not my self.

~ The Buddha

the power of speech

 

 

 

 

 

Speech is such a powerful influence in our lives because we speak a lot.

Speech conditions our relationships, conditions our minds and hearts, and

to a great degree conditions consequences in the future.  

 

 The Buddha outlined a practice for staying mindful

 of how another person is addressing us, without getting caught up in our own reactivity, 

remaining compassionate for their welfare, with a mind of lovingkindness.

... there are five courses of speech that others may

use when they address you: their speech may be timely or

untimely, true or untrue, gentle or harsh, connected with

good or with harm, spoken with a mind of lovingkindness

or with inner hate....

 

you should train yourselves thus:

Our minds will remain unaffected, and we shall utter no

evil words; we shall abide compassionate for their welfare,

with a mind of lovingkindness...

 

One speaks at the right time, in accordance with facts,

speaks what is useful,,,

 

 

 

 

 

 ~ Buddha

 from Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening

by Joseph Goldstein

whatever you frequently think

 

 

 

 

 Whatever you frequently think and ponder upon, 

that will become the inclination of your mind.

 

 

 ~  Buddha

 

 

 

 

 

The heart takes on the attributes and colors of that toward which it is inclined.

 It even becomes the same as that toward which it has turned. 

 

 It only takes on a form according to the thought that comes to it.

 It is for this reason that two ideas cannot exist within the heart simultaneously,

 for the heart takes on completely the form of whatever idea comes to it.

 

 The heart becomes that thought itself. Then another thought can no longer be contained within it.

 It is like the water of the sea: when water forms a wave, that that wave

 could also take the form of another wave is inconceivable. 

 

In the same moment there cannot be two waves in the same place. Understand this.

Within the chest of each human being there is one single heart. 

Whether this heart inclines to one Self or to many attributes,

 it takes on the form of whatever it is that it inclines towards.

~ Niyazi Misri

from feast #51

Translated by Camille Helminski and Refik Algan

on loving-kindness

 

 

He who is skilled in good, and wishes to
attain that state of Peace, should act thus:
he should be able, upright, perfectly upright,
amenable to corrections, gentle and humble.

He should be contented, easy to support,
unbusy, simple in livelihood,
with senses controlled, discreet,
not impudent, and not greedily attached to families.

He would not commit any slight misdeeds
that other wise men might find fault in him.
May all beings be well and safe,
may their hearts rejoice.

Whatever beings there are —
weak or strong, long or short,
big, medium-sized or small, subtle or gross,

Those visible or invisible,
residing near or far, those that have come to be
or have yet to come, (without exceptions)
may all beings be joyful.

Let one not deceive nor despise
another person, anywhere at all.
In anger and ill-will,
let him not wish any harm to another.

Just as a mother would protect her
only child with her own life,
even so, let him cultivate boundless thoughts
of loving kindness towards all beings.

Let him cultivate boundless thoughts
of loving kindness towards the whole world —
above, below and all around,
unobstructed, free from hatred and enmity.

Whether standing, walking, seated
or lying down, as long as he is awake,
he should develop this mindfulness.
This they say, is the divine abiding here.

Not erroneous with views,
endowed with virtues and insight,
with sensual desires abandoned,
he would come no more to be conceived in a womb.

 

~ the Buddha

 Metta Sutta

photo by Michael Marcoux

 

the rock and the wind

 

 

 

 

there are five courses of speech that others may use when they address you;

their speech may be timely or untimely,

true or untrue,

gentle or harsh,

connected with good or with harm,

or spoken with a mind of lovingkindness or with inner hate...

 

...you should train yourself thus: 

Our minds will remain unaffected,

and we shall utter no evil words;

we shall abide compassionate for their welfare,

with a mind of lovingkindness...

 

 

~ the Buddha

 

 

 

equanimity

The Buddha described a mind filled with equanimity as
 “abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility, and without ill-will.”

The English word “equanimity” translates two separate Pali words
 used by the Buddha, upekkha and tatramajjhattata. Upekkha,
 the more common term, means “to look over” and refers to the equanimity 
that arises from the power of observation—the ability to see 
without being caught by what we see. When well developed,
 such power gives rise to a great sense of peace.

Upekkha can also refer to the spaciousness that comes from seeing
 a bigger picture. Colloquially, in India the word was sometimes used to mean
 “to see with patience.” We might understand this as “seeing with understanding.” 
For example, when we know not to take offensive words personally,
 we are less likely to react to what was said. And by not reacting 
there is greater possibility to respond from wisdom and compassion.
 This form of equanimity is sometimes compared to grandmotherly love.
 The grandmother clearly loves her grandchildren but, 
thanks to her experience with her own children, 
is less likely to be caught up in the drama of the grandchildren’s lives.

Still more qualities of equanimity are revealed by the term tatramajjhattata,
 a long compound made of simple Pali words. Tatra, meaning “there,”
 sometimes refers to “all these things.” Majjha means “middle,”
 and tata means “to stand or to pose.” Put together, the word becomes
 “to stand in the middle of all this.” As a form of equanimity,
 this “being in the middle” refers to balance, to remaining centered 
in the middle of whatever is happening. This form of balance
 comes from some inner strength or stability. The strong presence
 of inner calm, well-being, confidence, vitality, or integrity
 can keep us upright, like ballast keeps a ship upright in strong winds.
. As inner strength develops, for example, from the accumulation 
of mindfulness in the ordinary moments of life, equanimity follows.

As a solid mass of rock
Is not stirred by the wind,
So a sage is not moved
By praise and blame.
As a deep lake
Is clear and undisturbed,
So a sage becomes clear
Upon hearing the Dharma.
Virtuous people always let go.
They don’t prattle about pleasures and desires.
Touched by happiness and then by suffering,
The sage shows no sign of being elated or depressed.
 

—Dhammapada 81-83

~ Tricycle Magazine Winter 2005
art by Amy Ruppel

as we think, so we become

.

The thought manifests as the word,
The word manifests as the deed,
The deed develops into a habit,
And habit hardens in character,
.
So watch the thought and it's ways with care,
And let it spring from love,
Born out of concern for all beings...
.
As the shadow follows the body,
As we think so we become. 

~ Buddha, from the Dhammapada

. 

A man traveling across a field encountered a tiger

.

.

Buddha told a parable in a sutra:

 

A man traveling across a field encountered a tiger.
He fled, the tiger after him. 

Coming to a precipice, he caught hold of the root of a wild vine

 and swung himself down over the edge. The tiger sniffed at him from above. 

 Trembling, the man looked down to where, far below, 

 another tiger was waiting to eat him. 

 Only the vine sustained him.

Two mice, one white and one black, 

 little by little started to gnaw away the vine.

 The man saw a luscious strawberry near him.

 

 Grasping the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry

 with the other. How sweet it tasted!
.

 

 

from  Zen Flesh Zen Bones, 

 compiled Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki

 

 

 

 

.