After having practiced for a day and night you may find your contemplation considerably improved and that you are able to prolong the basic exercise of noticing the abdominal rising and falling.
At this time you can notice that there is generally a break between the movements of rising and falling. If you are in the sitting posture fill in this pause with a mental note on the act of sitting, in
this way: rising, falling, sitting. When you make a mental note of sitting, keep your mind on the erect position of the upper body. When you are lying down you should proceed with full awareness as follows: rising, falling, lying. If you find this easy, continue with noticing these three sections. If you notice that a pause occurs at the end of the rising as well as the falling movement, then continue in this manner: rising, sitting, falling, sitting. Or when lying down: rising, lying, falling, lying. Suppose you no longer find it easy to make a mental note of three or four objects in the above manner, then revert to the initial procedure of noting only the two sections, rising and falling.
While engaged in the regular practice of contemplating bodily movements you need not be concerned with objects of seeing and hearing. As long as you are able to keep your mind on the abdominal movements of rising and falling it is assumed that the purpose of noticing the acts and objects of seeing and hearing is also served. However, you may intentionally look at the object, then simultaneously make a mental note, two or three times, seeing. Thereafter return to the awareness of the abdominal movements. Suppose some person comes into your view, make a mental note of seeing, two or three times, and then resume attention to the rising and falling movements of the abdomen. Did you happen to hear the sound of a voice? Did you listen to it? If so make the mental note of hearing, listening, and having done so, revert to rising and falling. But suppose you heard loud sounds, such as the barking of dogs, loud talking, or singing. If so, immediately make a mental note two or three times, hearing. Then return to your basic exercise of attending to rising and falling.
If you fail to note and dismiss such distinctive sights and sounds as they occur, you may inadvertently fall into reflections about them instead of proceeding with intense attention to rising and falling, which may then become less distinct and clear. It is by such weakened attention that mind-defiling passions breed and multiply. If such reflections do occur, make two or three mental notes, reflecting, and again take up the contemplation of rising and falling. If you forget to make a mental note of body, leg, or arm movements, then mentally note forgetting and resume your usual contemplation of the abdominal movements.
You may feel at the times that breathing is slow or that the rising and falling movements of the abdomen are not clearly perceived. When this happens, and in the sitting position, simply carry on
the attention to sitting, touching; if you are lying down , lying, touching. While contemplating touching, your mind should not be kept on the same part of the body but on different parts
successively. There are several places of touch and at least six or seven should be contemplated.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Friday, March 18, 2016
Basic Exercise of Meditation - Part III (Conti. 3..)
Contemplation must start at the moment you wake up. Since you are a beginner, it may not yet be possible for you to start contemplating at the very first moment of wakefulness. But you must
start with it from the moment when you remember that you are to be contemplate. For example, if on awakening you reflect on something, you should become aware of that fact and begin your
contemplation by a mental note, reflecting. Then proceed with the contemplation of rising and falling of the abdomen. When you are getting up from the bed, mindfulness should be directed to every details of the body's activity. Each and every movement of the hands, legs, and back must be performed in complete awareness. Are you thinking of the time of the day when awakening?
If so , note thinking. Do you intend to get out of bed? If so, note intending. If you prepare to move the body in to position for rising, note preparing. As you slowly rise, rising. When you are in the sitting position, sitting. Should you remain sitting for any length of time, revert to contemplating the abdominal movements of rising and falling.
Perform the acts of washing the face or taking a bath in due order and in complete awareness of every detailed movement; for instance, looking, seeing, stretching, holding, touching, feeling cold, rubbing. In the acts of dressing, making the bed, opening and closing doors and windows, handling objects, be occupied with every details of these actions in their order.
You must attend to the contemplation of every details in the action of eating.
When you look at food, looking, seeing,
When you arrange the food, arranging,
When you bring the food to the mouth, bringing,
When you bend the neck forward, bending,
When the food touches the mouth, touching,
When placing the food in the mouth, placing,
When the mouth closes, closing,
When withdrawing the hand, withdrawing,
Should the hand touch the plate, touching,
When straightening the neck, straightening,
When in the act of chewing, chewing,
When you are aware of the taste, knowing,
When swallowing the food, swallowing,
While swallowing, should the food be felt touching the sides of the gullet, touching.
Perform contemplation in this manner each time you partake of a morsel of food until you finish the meal. In the beginning of the practice there will be many omissions. Never mind. Do not
waver in your effort. You will make fewer omissions if you persist in your practice. When you reach an advanced stage of the practice, you will also be able to notice more details than those
stated here.
start with it from the moment when you remember that you are to be contemplate. For example, if on awakening you reflect on something, you should become aware of that fact and begin your
contemplation by a mental note, reflecting. Then proceed with the contemplation of rising and falling of the abdomen. When you are getting up from the bed, mindfulness should be directed to every details of the body's activity. Each and every movement of the hands, legs, and back must be performed in complete awareness. Are you thinking of the time of the day when awakening?
If so , note thinking. Do you intend to get out of bed? If so, note intending. If you prepare to move the body in to position for rising, note preparing. As you slowly rise, rising. When you are in the sitting position, sitting. Should you remain sitting for any length of time, revert to contemplating the abdominal movements of rising and falling.
Perform the acts of washing the face or taking a bath in due order and in complete awareness of every detailed movement; for instance, looking, seeing, stretching, holding, touching, feeling cold, rubbing. In the acts of dressing, making the bed, opening and closing doors and windows, handling objects, be occupied with every details of these actions in their order.
You must attend to the contemplation of every details in the action of eating.
When you look at food, looking, seeing,
When you arrange the food, arranging,
When you bring the food to the mouth, bringing,
When you bend the neck forward, bending,
When the food touches the mouth, touching,
When placing the food in the mouth, placing,
When the mouth closes, closing,
When withdrawing the hand, withdrawing,
Should the hand touch the plate, touching,
When straightening the neck, straightening,
When in the act of chewing, chewing,
When you are aware of the taste, knowing,
When swallowing the food, swallowing,
While swallowing, should the food be felt touching the sides of the gullet, touching.
Perform contemplation in this manner each time you partake of a morsel of food until you finish the meal. In the beginning of the practice there will be many omissions. Never mind. Do not
waver in your effort. You will make fewer omissions if you persist in your practice. When you reach an advanced stage of the practice, you will also be able to notice more details than those
stated here.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Basic Exercise of Meditation - Part III (Conti. 2..)
When you are looking at the glass of water, or water pot, on arriving at the place where you are to take drink, be sure to make a mental note looking, or seeing.
When you stop walking, stopping.
When you stretch your hand, stretching.
When the hand touches the glass, touching.
When the hand takes the glass, taking.
When the hand dips the glass in to the water, dipping.
When the hand brings the glass to the lips, bringing.
When the glass touches the lips, touching.
Should you feel cold at the touch, cold.
When you swallow, swallowing.
When returning the glass, returning.
Withdrawing the hand, withdrawing.
When you lower your hand, lowering.
When the hand touches the side of the body, touching.
If you intend to turn back, intending.
When you turn around, turning.
When you walk forward, walking.
On arriving at the place where you intend to stop, intending.
When you stop, stopping.
If you remain standing for some time, continue the contemplation of rising and falling of abdomen. But if you intend to sit down, make a mental note, intending. When you go forward to sit down, walking.
On arriving at the place where you will sit arriving. When you turn to sit, turning. While in the act of sitting, sitting. Sit down slowly, and keep the mind on the downward movement of the body. You should notice that every movement in bringing hand and legs into position. Then resume the prescribed exercise of contemplating the abdominal movements.
If you intend to lie down, intending. Then proceed with the contemplation of every movement in the course of lying down: lifting, stretching, leaving, touching, lying. Then make every movement the object of contemplation in bringing hands, legs, and body into position. Perform these actions slowly. Thereafter continue with rising and falling. Should pain, fatigue, itching, or any other sensation be felt, be sure to notice each of these sensations. Notice all feelings, thoughts, ideas ,considerations, reflections, all movements of hands, legs, arms, and body. If there is nothing in particular to note, put the mind on the rising and falling of the abdomen. Make a mental note of drowsy. when drowsy, and sleepy, when sleepy. After you have gained sufficient concentration in contemplating you will be able to overcome drowsiness and sleepiness and fell refreshed as a result. Take up again the usual contemplation of the basic object. Suppose you are unable to overcome a drowsy feeling, you must then continue to contemplate until you fall asleep.
The State of sleep is the continuity of subconsciousness. It is similar to the first state of rebirth consciousness and the last state of consciousness at the moment of death. This state of consciousness is feeble and therefore unable to be aware of an object. When you are awake the continuity of subconsciousness occurs regularly between moments of seeing hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and thinking. Because these occurrences are of brief duration they are usually not clear and therefore not noticeable. Continuity of subconsciousness remains during sleep -a fact which becomes obvious when you wake up; for it is in the state of wakefulness that thoughts and objects become distinct.
to be cont.....
When you stop walking, stopping.
When you stretch your hand, stretching.
When the hand touches the glass, touching.
When the hand takes the glass, taking.
When the hand dips the glass in to the water, dipping.
When the hand brings the glass to the lips, bringing.
When the glass touches the lips, touching.
Should you feel cold at the touch, cold.
When you swallow, swallowing.
When returning the glass, returning.
Withdrawing the hand, withdrawing.
When you lower your hand, lowering.
When the hand touches the side of the body, touching.
If you intend to turn back, intending.
When you turn around, turning.
When you walk forward, walking.
On arriving at the place where you intend to stop, intending.
When you stop, stopping.
If you remain standing for some time, continue the contemplation of rising and falling of abdomen. But if you intend to sit down, make a mental note, intending. When you go forward to sit down, walking.
On arriving at the place where you will sit arriving. When you turn to sit, turning. While in the act of sitting, sitting. Sit down slowly, and keep the mind on the downward movement of the body. You should notice that every movement in bringing hand and legs into position. Then resume the prescribed exercise of contemplating the abdominal movements.
If you intend to lie down, intending. Then proceed with the contemplation of every movement in the course of lying down: lifting, stretching, leaving, touching, lying. Then make every movement the object of contemplation in bringing hands, legs, and body into position. Perform these actions slowly. Thereafter continue with rising and falling. Should pain, fatigue, itching, or any other sensation be felt, be sure to notice each of these sensations. Notice all feelings, thoughts, ideas ,considerations, reflections, all movements of hands, legs, arms, and body. If there is nothing in particular to note, put the mind on the rising and falling of the abdomen. Make a mental note of drowsy. when drowsy, and sleepy, when sleepy. After you have gained sufficient concentration in contemplating you will be able to overcome drowsiness and sleepiness and fell refreshed as a result. Take up again the usual contemplation of the basic object. Suppose you are unable to overcome a drowsy feeling, you must then continue to contemplate until you fall asleep.
The State of sleep is the continuity of subconsciousness. It is similar to the first state of rebirth consciousness and the last state of consciousness at the moment of death. This state of consciousness is feeble and therefore unable to be aware of an object. When you are awake the continuity of subconsciousness occurs regularly between moments of seeing hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and thinking. Because these occurrences are of brief duration they are usually not clear and therefore not noticeable. Continuity of subconsciousness remains during sleep -a fact which becomes obvious when you wake up; for it is in the state of wakefulness that thoughts and objects become distinct.
to be cont.....
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