Tuesday, February 28, 2017

マインドフルネスとは?

次のタイ・ファップ・ダンの法話を深く傾聴してください。
http://deerpark.libsyn.com/2017-02-12-thay-phap-dang?tdest_id=113448
以下は私のメモ書きです。法話内容に完全に同意します。

1. マインドフルネスとは?
マインドフルネス = ハートフルネス ≠ 頭(脳、思考) 
マインドフルネス = 透明な心 = 純粋な心 = 全ての考えを取り除く = 仏陀の心 = 透明な意識 = 透明な目覚めた意識
(悪魔の心 = 怒り、憎しみ等の煩悩

2. 苦しみの世話の仕方
「脱出法は入ること」 ⇒ 自分の苦しみから逃げずに、世話をすること
1) 苦しみを認識する(私の怒りよ、こんにちは!)
2) 苦しみを受容する(私の怒りよ、世話してあげるからね。)
3) 苦しみを深く観る
4) 根本原因を理解する
5) 思いやりのエネルギーで苦しみを変容する

3. すべきこと
1) 戒律を守る(不殺傷、盗まず、性的不品行をしない等 = 仏陀の心 = 慈悲、思いやり)
2) 感覚をコントロールする(無執着、不渇望)
3) 節度のある食事(食べる量を少なくする)
4) 習慣エネルギー(癖)を克服する強い決意
5) 内面のもつれ​​(煩悩の種子)を根絶する
6) 理解を通して自他を愛す

(参考)https://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/ss-44713365

ティク・ナット・ハンの書

Monday, February 27, 2017

What is mindfulness?

Listen deeply to the following Dharma talk by Thay Phap Dang.
http://deerpark.libsyn.com/2017-02-12-thay-phap-dang?tdest_id=113448
The followings are my memos. I totally agree.

1. What is mindfulness?
mindfulness = heartfulness ≠ head (brain, thinking)
mindfulness = clear mind = pure mind = clear all ideas = Buddha mind = clear consciousness = clear awareness
(cf. Demon mind = anger, hatred ...etc.)

2. How to take care of the suffering
The way out is in. ⇒ take care of one's suffering
1) Recognize the suffering (Hello, my anger!)
2) Accept it (I will take care of you, my anger.)
3) Look deeply into it
4) Understand the root cause
5) Transform it by the energy of compassion

3. What to do
1) Keep the precepts (no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, ... etc. = Buddha mind. = compassion)
2) Control the senses (non-attachment, non-craving)
3) Moderating in eating (eat less)
4) Strong determination to overcome the habit energy
5) Uproot your internal knot (seeds of afflictions)
6) Love yourself and others by understanding

(Cf.) https://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/goodbye-to-brain


Saturday, February 25, 2017

ティク・ナット・ハンからの貴重なメッセージ (2)

次のティク・ナット・ハンとデヴィッド・スタインドル・ラストとティク・ナット・ハンの弟子たちのビデオを深くご覧下さい。


以下はビデオからの抜粋です。私も全く同感です。

(10:01~: 力)
この種の力(お金、名声)は、本当の力になり得ません。そして、あなたはこれらの力の犠牲者になり得ます。しかし、あなたを強くできる他の種類の力があります。

1. 執着を断ち切る力
第一の力は、断ち切る力です。あなたは多くのことに執着し、縛られています。それがあなたの自由を失わさせるのです。あなたはそれがあなたを破壊していること、それがあなたを自由にしていないことを知っていますが、断ち切る勇気がありません。それ(断ち切ること)が自由です。それから、私たちの中には私たちを無力化する多くのことに縛られている人たちがいます。それなしで、彼なしで、彼女なしで、そのような地位なしでは生き残れないと、あなたは考えるのかもしれません。しかし、多分それはあなたの真の幸せのための本当の障害です。ですから、どのように手放すか、断ち切るかあなたには力が必要です。それ(執着を断ち切る力)が、あなたに必要であり、あなたを自由にすることができる最初の力です。

2. 許す力と愛す力
第二の力は、許し、愛すことです。その人が愛すべき人ではないとしても、あなたはその人の中の苦しみを理解することができますので、まだその人を愛すことができます。すると、あなたの愛が成長し、あなたはより強くなります。それは、境界のない、差別のない愛です。それは、真の愛です。それは、神の愛、仏陀の愛です。そのように愛するためには、あなたは自分を鍛える必要があります。あなたはあなたの愛の外に誰も置き去りにしてはなりません。全てを抱きしめるのです。

3. 理解する力
第三の力は、理解する力です。あなたはもはや恐れていません。あなたが理解すると、もはや怒ったり、恐れたりしないのです。そして、それには瞑想が必要です。深く観ると、あなたは相互依存の洞察、相関性洞察を得ます。その種の知見はあらゆる種類の差別や分離を取り除き、非常に強力な類のエネルギーを受けるに値します。 

もし、私たちの共同体に、この種の力を持つ人がいれば、私たちは歴史に残るほどの事をすることができ、歴史を変えることができます。

(21:51~: まとめ)
(重要なのは)名声、政治力(権力)、富(お金)ではありません。無執着、許しと愛、理解が重要です

(おわり)

(参考)https://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/ss-62242338


Friday, February 24, 2017

ティク・ナット・ハンからの貴重なメッセージ (1)

次のティク・ナット・ハンとデヴィッド・スタインドル・ラストとティク・ナット・ハンの弟子たちのビデオを深くご覧下さい。


以下はビデオからの抜粋です。私も全く同感です。

(2:35~: 平和行進)
彼ら(平和行進参加者)は後ろから、「(もっと速く)歩けないの?」と叫びました。
そして、彼らの数人が私たちを追い越して、振り返り、私たちの歩き方を見ました。すると、彼らは変容しました。
私たちは平和を実践しているのであって、平和を要求しているのではないことを、彼らは理解します。もし、私たちが一歩毎に平和で幸せになれないなら、平和行進は平和行進でなくなります。(中略)
平和運動は共同体の実践でなければなりません。平和は実践なのです。(中略)平和運動は、人々が兄弟姉妹愛で一緒に暮らす共同体の実践であるべきだと、私は思います。

(7:10~: 歩行瞑想)
感謝は、一歩一歩に感じることができます。あなたは生きており、あなたの足は、あなたがまだこの美しい地球に歩を刻むのに十分強いのです。ですから、呼吸のマインドフルネスで、歩行のマインドフルネスで、あなたがあらゆる生命の奇跡に通ずることができるように、あなたの刻む一歩一歩があなたを今、ここの家へ連れ戻ります。すると、そのような一歩一歩は滋養と癒しになり得ます。

歩行瞑想中に、あなたは思考を停止します。我思う、故に真に我なし」(エゴが考えるので、本当の自分は本当にそこに居ない)。あなたは、あなたの足と地面の接触を感じることができます。母なる地球はそこに居ます。母なる地球はあなたの中に居ます。すると、あなたと母なる地球の間に交わりがあります。母なる地球は全ての聖人、全ての仏陀、全ての菩薩です。

あなたは、あなたの中に母なる地球を運んでいます。あなたは死ぬことができません。あなたは変容することができます。それは、自らを雨へ変容する雲のようなものです。雲は決して死ぬことができません。誕生も死もありません。私たちは、表面的なレベルで誕生と死について話しました。しかし、深くまで行くと、全てのものの性質は不生不死(生も死もない)です。あなたは決して有から無になれません。あなたは決して「誰か」から「誰もいない」になれません。

(つづく)

(参考)https://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/ss-62242338


ティク・ナット・ハンとデヴィッド・スタインドル・ラスト

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Precious message from Thich Nhat Hanh

Watch deeply the following video of  Thich Nhat Hanh and Br. David Steindl-Rast and Disciples of Thich Nhat Hanh.


The followings are excerpts from the video. I totally agree.

(2:35~: Peace march)
And they shouted from behind, "Can you walk (faster)?" 
And some of them overtook us and looked back at us and saw the way we were. And they transformed
They see (that) we are doing peace, (that) we are not demanding peace. If we are not able to be peaceful and happy in every step, peace march is not a peace march. ... 
The peace movement should be a practice of a community. Peace is a practice. ... I think the peace movement should be a community of practice where people live together in brotherhood, sisterhood.

(7:10~: Walking meditation)
Gratefulness can be felt with every step. You are alive and your feet are still strong enough for you to make steps on this beautiful planet. So, with mindfulness of breathing, mindfulness of walking, every step you make brings you home to the here and the now so that you can get in touch with all the wonders of life. And every step like that can be nourishing and healing

During walking meditation you stop the thinking. I think, therefore I'm not truly there. You can feel the contact between your foot and the ground. Mother Earth is there, Mother Earth is in you. And there is a communion between you and Mother Earth. Mother Earth is the mother of all the Saints, all the Buddhas, all the Bodhisattvas

You carry the Mother Earth in you. You can not die, you can transform. It's like a cloud transforming herself into the rain. A cloud can never die. There is no birth, no death. We spoke about birth and death that is on the superficial level. But go deep down, the nature of everything is no birth and no death. From something you can never become nothing. From someone you can never become no one.

(10:01~: Power)
These kinds of powers (money, fame) can not be real powers. And you can become victims of these powers. But there are other kinds of powers that can make you strong.

1. Power of cutting off
The first power is power of cutting off. You are attached to, you are bound to a number of things. And that makes you lose all your freedom. You know that it is destroying you, it makes you not free, but you have no courage in order to cut off. And that is the freedom. And there are those of us who are bound to a number of things that make us powerless. You may think that you can not survive without it, without him, without her, without that kind of position. But maybe it is the very obstacle for your true happiness. So, how to release, cut off. You need power. And that is the first power that is needed for you, that can set you free

2. Power to forgive and to love
The second power is to forgive and to love. Even that person is not lovable but you can still love him or her because you are capable of seeing suffering in him or in her. And your love grows, you become more powerful. And that is love without frontier, without discrimination. That's true love. That is the love of God, of the Buddha. And you have to train yourself in order to love like that. You don't leave anyone outside of your love. All embracing.

3. Power to understand
And the third power is the power to understand. You are no longer afraid. When you understand, you are no longer angry and fearful. And that needs meditation, contemplation. Looking deeply, and then you get the insight, the vision of interbeing, the vision of interconnectedness. And that kind of knowledge removes all kinds of discrimination, separation and deserves very powerful kind of energy. 

If in our community there are those who have these kinds of powers, it's certain that we can make history, we can change history.

(21:51~: Summary)
If in our community there are those who have these kinds of powers, it's certain that we can make history, we can change history. And not fame, political power and wealth. 

(Cf.) http://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/walking-meditation-62204227


Thich Nhat Hanh and Br. David Steindl-Rast

Monday, February 20, 2017

16 exercises on mindful breathing (key point 5)

The key point of "16 exercises on mindful breathing" is as follows. Please refer to the URL below for the original text and my commentaries: 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

Exercise 13-16: Perceptions
(13-14): Impermanence & Craving
Exercise 13-16 are the exercises for attaining full enlightenment and require very deep observation. What we must understand before these exercises is that this world is our mind itself because this world is the object of our mind, or the projection of our mind. In other words, the projection of our mind is this world. The object of mind is the object of perception, the object of perception is the perception (series of notions in the head), so the perception is this world. In other words, the perceived is the perceiver. David Bohm, Quantum physicist, said, "The way we see depends on the way we think." And his statement is consistent with the Buddha's above findings.

In Exercise 13, you deeply observe the impermanent nature (nature of 'emptiness' in terms of time) of all dharmas (object of mind). Because everything is changing, you can observe the impermanent nature of all objects of your mind. And you observe the impermanent nature of all perceptions because all objects of your mind are the projection of your mind (perceptions). Therefore, this world which is the object of your mind is your perception itself, and it has the impermanent nature. In Exercise 14, you deeply observe the disappearance of craving (negative desire). And you deeply observe the disappearance of idea (thought). Therefore, your craving is just an idea and will disappear after a certain time.

(15-16): No-self & Nirvana
In Exercise 15, you deeply observe the no-birth, no-death nature of all phenomena. No-birth and no-death means that nothing can be born and nothing can die. Everything (all human beings, animals, plants, minerals) just continues (keeps living) by changing its forms. So, they can not be born because they have never died, and they can not die because they have never been born. And you deeply observe that everything is made of everything else. In other words, everything else is in everything. Therefore, everything is everything else. You are observing the nature of no-self (nature of 'emptiness' in terms of space) which means that everything is empty of separate existence (separate self). This is  the ultimate truth.

In Exercise 16, you deeply observe letting go of all notions (everything). The extinction of all notions is Nirvana. Because you are convinced that all notions are made up by human ego (separate self, fake self) and all notions are wrong, it is easy for you to throw away all notions. If all notions are extinct, there is no object to think about. So, you will be non-thinking completely and  be able to attain insight  24 hours a day as awareness (non-separate self, true self). Attaining insight means that without making any efforts (without thinking), your calm mind reflects the outside reality like still water (mirror), and your clear mind sees through the inside reality. This is the full enlightenment, so you are fully awake.

(end)

(Cf.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014NYEP04

Thay's calligraphy

Sunday, February 19, 2017

16 exercises on mindful breathing (key point 4)

The key point of "16 exercises on mindful breathing" is as follows. Please refer to the URL below for the original text and my commentaries: 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

Exercise 9-12: Mental formations & Consciousness
(11-12): Concentration and Liberation
Exercise 11-12 are the Exercise to look deeply the mental formation, attain insight and understand the root cause, generate compassion and transform the mental formation by the energy of compassion. We generate the energy of concentration by looking deeply, we attain the insight (understanding) of the root cause by the energy of concentration, we generate compassion by the energy of insight, and we transform the mental formation such as fear and anxiety by the energy of compassion. Transforming our mental formations is liberating our mind. In other words, the insight (understanding) of the root cause which we attain in Exercise 11 corresponds to the second truth (cause of suffering) of the Four Noble Truths. And the transformation of mental formations which we attain in Exercise 12 corresponds to the third truth (secession of suffering) of the Four Noble Truths.

Afflictions such as fear and anxiety are the cause of suffering. Therefore, as long as you have fear or anxiety, you can not accept yourself unconditionally. Sometimes you may have self-hatred. If you always think too much and if your mind wanders in the past, you suffer from regrets and sorrow, and if your mind wanders in the future, you suffer from fear and anxiety. This vicious circle can not be cut off unless you understand the root cause of suffering through insight. If it can not be cut off, even if you can temporarily stop thinking and become mindful by conscious breathing, you will resume thinking by some chance and return to the state of forgetfulness.

Therefore, in order to stop thinking stably and keep the mindful state for a long time, it is absolutely essential to understand the root cause of suffering through insight. Of course, because the extinction of all notions is not attained yet, thoughts will revive once in a while. That's why real practitioners meditate everyday (Thich Nhat Hanh says that he is meditating 24 hours a day) and never neglect the practice to maintain the mindful state. In order to completely stop thinking 24 hours a day (to be always mindful), attaining full enlightenment through the extinction of all notions is the only way.

(to be continued)

(Cf.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LA87R7A

Thay's calligraphy

Saturday, February 18, 2017

16 exercises on mindful breathing (key point 3)

The key point of "16 exercises on mindful breathing" is as follows. Please refer to the URL below for the original text and my commentaries: 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

Exercise 9-12: Mental formations & Consciousness
(9-10): Selective watering
The objects of Exercise 9-12 are mental formations and consciousness. It may not be easy to understand the difference from the object of Exercise 5-8 (Feelings). In fact, feelings and perceptions (series of notions in the head) belong to 51 mental formations but they are spun off from mental formations because their impact is outstanding. So, there are 49 kinds of mental formations in Exercise 9-12. Meanwhile, there are 8 kinds of consciousness in Buddhism and they are the source of the body, feelings, perceptions and mental formations. 8 kinds of consciousness are the Sense consciousness (five senses), Mind consciousness (conscious mind), Manas (ego) and Store consciousness (Alaya consciousness, subconscious mind).

Feelings in Exercise 5-8 are limited to feelings manifested in Mind consciousness (conscious mind), but mental formations and consciousness in Exercise 9-12 include the seeds of mental formations which are stored in Store consciousness (Alaya consciousness, subconscious mind). So, the realm of Exercise 9-12 is much deeper than the realm of Exercise 5-8. And we take care of both of them (mental formations and the seeds). Briefly, if we water the wholesome seed, the wholesome mental formation will manifest, and if we water the unwholesome seed, the unwholesome mental formation will manifest.

Therefore, the selective watering will be as follows:
1) Water the wholesome seeds.
2) Do not water the unwholesome seeds.
3) Maintain the wholesome mental formation if it is manifesting.
4) Transform the unwholesome mental formation (to the wholesome mental formation) if it is manifesting.
5) Water the unwholesome seed intentionally to let the unwholesome mental formation manifest and to transform it to the wholesome mental formation and return it to Store consciousness as the wholesome seed.
(Note) 5) has a high risk unless you are an advanced practitioner, so is not recommendable for beginners.

If you are mindful, you can recognize what is going on inside and around yourself. So, if you practice the selective watering as soon as you recognize what's going on, you can control your mind as you wish. And it will be wise also that you request people around you to practice the selective watering to you as well as you do it by yourself. This selective watering means the "Right Diligence" of the Noble Eightfold Path.

(to be continued)

(Cf.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014NYEP04

Thay's calligraphy

Thursday, February 16, 2017

今、この瞬間の浄土

次の「今、この瞬間の浄土」についての高僧ティク・ナット・ハンによる談話を深くご一読ください。
https://www.lionsroar.com/in-the-pure-land-of-the-present-moment/

(ティク・ナット・ハンへの私の質問)
最初に、ティク・ナット・ハンは、「今、この瞬間の浄土と呼ばれるような場所が本当にあります。その地は空間や時間に限定されていません。仏教用語では、その地は時空の外にあります」と言いました。

最後に、ティク・ナット・ハンは、「それ故に、私たちがマインドフルな呼吸や歩行をするなら、正にその空間と時間にある、今、この瞬間の浄土に戻ることができます」と言いました。 

ですから、「正にその空間と時間」とは、時空の外になければなりません。ティク・ナット・ハンは、「量子物理学の用語では、正にその空間と時間は、非局所的(一つの場所に限定されない)、且つ非時間的(一つの時間に限定されない)です」と言いました。ですから、今、この瞬間の浄土は、現象界(歴史的次元)ではなく、本体の世界(究極の次元)になければなりません。

この意味で(空間と時間がないため)、私たちのは今、この瞬間の浄土で暮らすことはできませんが、目覚めた意識だけが今、この瞬間の浄土で暮らすことができると、私は理解しています。

ティク・ナット・ハンに質問があります。(談話の中では「ある」と発言されていますが)今、この瞬間の浄土に、苦しみや幸せなどの概念はあり得るのでしょうか?本体の世界(究極の次元、涅槃)には、概念は全くないと私は理解しています。なぜなら、ティク・ナット・ハンが私たちに説いた通り、「全ての概念の絶滅が涅槃である」からです。

(浄土で暮らすためのステップ)
私たちが思考を停止できた場合にのみ、浄土で暮らすことができると、私は理解しています。そして、1日24時間浄土で暮らすためのステップは、
(1) 意識的な呼吸、(一時的な悟りのため)
(2) 苦しみの根本原因の洞察、(長続きする悟りのため)
(3) 全ての概念の絶滅、(完全な悟りのため)
でしょう。

(参考)http://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/ss-62010528

ティク・ナット・ハン

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Pure Land of the Present Moment

Read deeply the following discourse by the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh regarding the Pure Land of the Present Moment.
https://www.lionsroar.com/in-the-pure-land-of-the-present-moment/

(My question to Thay)
At the beginning, Thay said, "There is indeed a place like that, called the Pure Land of the Present Moment. That land is not limited in space or time. Speaking in Buddhist terminology, that land is outside of space and time."

At the end, Thay said, "Therefore, if we practice mindful breathing and mindful walking, we can return to the Pure Land of the Present Moment in that very space and time." 

So, that very space and time must be outside of space and time. Thay said, "Speaking in terminology of quantum physics, it is nonlocal and nontemporal." So, the Pure Land of the Present Moment must be in the noumenal world, not in the phenomenal world. 

In this sense, I understand that our body can't dwell in the Pure Land of the Present Moment but only awareness (awakened consciousness) can dwell in the Pure Land of the Present Moment. 

I have a question to Thay. Can there be notions such as suffering and happiness in the Pure Land of the Present Moment? I understand that in the noumenal world (the ultimate dimension, nirvana) there are no notions. That's because the extinction of all notions is nirvana, as Thay taught us.

(Steps for dwelling in the Pure Land)
I understand that only if we can stop thinking, we can dwell in the Pure Land. And the steps for dwelling in the Pure Land 24 hours a day will be: 
(1) conscious breathing, (for temporary enlightenment)
(2) insight of the root cause of suffering, (for long-lasting enlightenment) 
(3) the extinction of all notions. (for full enlightenment)

(Cf.) http://www.slideshare.net/compassion5151/implicate-order-explicate-order

Thich Nhat Hanh

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

16 exercises on mindful breathing (key point 2)

The key point of "16 exercises on mindful breathing" is as follows. Please refer to the URL below for the original text and my commentaries: 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

Exercise 5-8: Feelings
(5-6): Joy and Happiness
Exercise 5-6 (generating joy and happiness) occurs automatically at the same time when we establish ourselves in mindfulness in Exercise 1-2. So, in time series, Exercise 5-6 should be placed as Exercise 3-4 rather than Exercise 5-6. However, joy and happiness belongs to the category of feelings, so I guess that these exercises was placed as Exercise 5-6. Anyway, if mindful breathing is attained in Exercise 1-2, that is a proof that we have returned to awareness (non-separate self, true self). So, we can touch the wonders of life, and joy and happiness can be automatically generated. The expressions of our realization of joy and happiness may be "just blooming like a flower without thinking". If a flower is replaced with a human being, it may be "just smiling without thinking".

Even if you try to concentrate on your breathing, if you have fear and anxiety and can't stop thinking (if you are wandering in the past or the future and can't return to the present moment), unfortunately you are still ego (separate self, fake self) and can't generate joy and happiness. Therefore, those who can't generate joy and happiness by Exercise 1-2, will have no chance to recognize, embrace, relieve the pain and suffering even if they go ahead, because they have no energy of mindfulness. So, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us that we should keep conscious breathing or walking without going ahead until we return to awareness (non-separate self, true self), or until we can practice mindful breathing and walking. In this sense, we can say that Exercise 5-6 is a mean to check whether or not we are practicing Right Mindfulness by ourselves.

(7-8): Painful feelings
Exercise 5-6 are exercises to recognize and keep positive feelings, while Exercise 7-8 are exercises to recognize and calm negative feelings (painful feelings). If the whole body in Exercise 3-4 is replaced with painful feelings, what we are supposed to do in Exercise 5-6 is exactly the same as Exercise 3-4.  By the energy of mindfulness, we recognize our painful feeling, embrace it and calm it by releasing the tension in the feelings.

When we recognize our feelings, we are witnessing or observing our feelings. Therefore, we are not the feelings. Our true self is awareness (awakened consciousness) who is witnessing our feelings. So, we don't have to be overwhelmed even by our strong emotions like despair. If we just keep observing it, it will disappear in time. Feelings are impermanent (always changing) and are like a temporary storm, so should not panic and react right away.

(to be continued)

(Cf.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014NYEP04

Thay's calligraphy

Monday, February 13, 2017

16 exercises on mindful breathing (key point 1)

The key point of "16 exercises on mindful breathing" is as follows. Please refer to the URL below for the original text and my commentaries: 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing-whole.html

Exercise 1-4: Body
(1-2): Breathing
These first two exercises (conscious breathing) are very important. That's because we are supposed to stop thinking, or perception, and establish ourselves in mindfulness through this initial conscious breathing. In other words, we are supposed to transform ourselves from ego (separate self, fake self) to awareness (non-separate self, true self, Dharma body) through this initial conscious breathing. If we can stop thinking, this transformation automatically occurs in a moment. However, if a person has strong fear or anxiety, that person can not stop thinking because s/he keeps thinking even though s/he tries to concentrate on breathing.

We need to keep in mind that if we do not establish ourselves in mindfulness at this initial stage, we will not be able to expect the effects of the third exercise and after. Thich Nhat Hanh says that one in-breath (a few seconds) is enough to return to our true self. And I understand that what he means by this statement is this initial conscious breathing.

(3-4): The whole body
When we have established ourselves in mindfulness through the first two exercises (conscious breathing), awareness (awakened  consciousness) will be able to automatically recognize what is going on inside and around us by the energy of mindfulness. In fact, we will be able to recognize everything at once (we attain various insights at the same time), but in the 16 exercises on mindful breathing we will be aware of them step by step in order. The objects we recognize are 5 aggregates (the five Skandhas) which constitute a human being, namely body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness. Concretely speaking, we will recognize and calm them in the following order; Exercise 3-4: body, 7-8: feelings, 9-12: mental formations and consciousness, 13-16: perceptions

First of all, in Exercise 3-4 we will recognize the pain in the whole body and release the tension of the painful part. Since the body and the mind are closely interacting with each other, we can not concentrate and establish ourselves in mindfulness if the physical pain is intense. Therefore, first of all, we start with checking the health of the whole body with a ray of mindfulness like X-ray, and caring the unhealthy part well by embracing them. As mentioned above, the energy of mindfulness has the function to recognize, to embrace, to ease and relieve the pain and suffering. In addition, as soon as we establish ourselves in mindfulness, there will be the effect of stopping, resting, calming and healing at once.

(to be continued)

(Cf.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014NYEP04

Thay's calligraphy

Sunday, February 12, 2017

十六念息(要点4)

「十六念息」の要点は以下の通りです。(原文と解説は次のURLをご参照ください。) http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/blog-post_28.html
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2016/04/blog-post_26.html

実習13-16: 知覚
(13-14): 無常と渇望
実習13-16は、完全な悟りを開くための実習であり、非常に深い観察を要します。その前に理解しておかなければならないことは、この世界は私たちの心の対象であり、心の投影ですから、私たちの心そのものであることです。つまり、私たちの心を投影したものが、この世界なのです。心の対象知覚の対象であり、知覚の対象は知覚(頭の中の概念の連続)ですから、知覚がこの世界です。換言すれば、知覚されている対象は知覚者であるということです。量子物理学者のデビッド・ボームは、「私たちの見方は、私たちの考え方に依存する」と言いましたが、上記の仏陀の指摘と一致します。

実習13は、全ての心の対象の無常(「空」の時間的側面)の本質を深く観察します。全てのものは変化していますので、全ての心の対象無常の本質が観えます。そして、全ての心の対象は私たちの心(知覚)の投影ですから、全ての知覚の無常の本質を観ます。従って、私たちの心の対象であるこの世界は私たちの知覚そのものであり、無常の本質を有するのです。実習14は、渇望(否定的な欲望)の消滅を深く観察します。そして、考え(アイデア)の消滅を深く観察します。つまり私たちの渇望は単なる考えでしかなく、時間が経過すると消滅してしまうのです。

(15-16): 無我と涅槃
実習15は、全ての現象の不生不死の本質を深く観察します。不生不死とは、生まれることも死ぬこともないという意味です。全てのもの(人間、動物、植物、鉱物)は形を変えながら継続している(生き続けている)だけですので、死にませんから生まれることはできませんし、生まれませんから死ぬこともできないのです。そして、全てのものはその他全てのものからできていることを観ます。つまり、その他全てのものは全てのものの中にあります。従って、全てのものはその他全てのものであるということです。これは、独立して存在できるものは何もないという無我(「空」の空間的側面、相互依存)の本質を観ているのであり、究極の真理です

実習16は、全ての概念(全てのもの)を手放しているを深く観察します。全ての概念の絶滅が涅槃です。全ての概念は人間のエゴ(独立した自己、自性自己、偽りの自分)がでっち上げたものであり、全て誤りであることを確信していますので、全ての概念を投げ捨てることは簡単です。全ての概念が絶滅すれば、考える対象が無い訳ですから完全に非思考となり、一日24時間目覚めた意識(独立していない自己、無自性自己、本当の自分)のままで、常に洞察を得ることが可能になります。洞察とは、何の努力もすることなく(何も考えなくても)、穏やかな心が外部の現実を静水(鏡)の如く映し出し透明な心が内面の現実を見透すことを意味します。これが完全な悟りを開いたということであり、完全に目覚めたということです。

(おわり)

(参考)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eSuUDzwAWs
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B012YZBHHS

ティク・ナット・ハンの書