Just back from the Mohave Desert, having learned a few new things about deserts in general, or at least this desert in specific. First, it rained for the first five days we were there, shattering any myths I might have held about deserts being dry places... the nearby lake did nothing to reaffirm this myth, nor did the duck pond out my front door. Another thing that surprised me about this desert was how alive it felt... sure, there is not alot of greenery, but the greyish shrubbery and brownish tumbleweed were betrayed by both the moisture and the faintly familiar sweet smell of some unidentifiable pollen that seemed everpresent. This, along with the 360 degree panorama of snow-capped mountains, the sunrises and sunsets, etc., etc., made it somehow a magical place.
Anyhow, we spent most of the time indoors meditating, though I did take the opportunity afforded by the few exceptionally good-weathered days to take a whole slew of photos... I'm not a photo monk, but I do have some need for these ones, as there are some rumors that we might be able to turn this whole huge chunk of incredible land into a meditation center. Not holding my breath, but hey, after embezzlement, slander, blackmail, bribery, drug abuse, child molestation, false arrest, visa denials, dogs, guns, broomsticks, and a whole heap of dogmatic under-a-rock ignorance standing in the way of starting a meditation center, something has to break, right? Riiight.
Anyway, here's the photos, ala facebook. If this project does go through, expect to hear much more about it in the future.
I get a lot of good feedback on the "How To Meditate" videos; that's why we went so far as to make the DVD set... this one stands out, for some reason, though. Thought I'd share it, with the author's permission:
Hi, let me first start off by saying that I honestly have never even thought of meditation as something I'd want to learn how to do. I never really fully understood what it was about, and why people do it. Sure I've read a few articles and heard what people say about on TV and stuff, but I never actually put any thought into it. Earlier today (maybe just over 4 or 5 hours ago) I was pretty bored and I decided to do some research on the topic. After about an hour of browsing various websites and Youtube videos, I stumbled across your "How to Meditate" series. After listening to the first video in full, I decided that this might be something I want to try. So after watching the second video thoroughly, I gave it a shot.
Okay so here was my experience:
This was most definitely, the the time I ever seriously attempted any type of mediation. Ever. I followed the instructions and whatnot given in the video describing sitting meditation, and at first it felt really awkward and I can honestly say I thought it was pretty dumb. Nonetheless, my mind slowly began to calm, and my thoughts seemed to wander less than normal. A few minutes in, my back began hurting pretty substantially. Try as I may to say "pain"..."pain"..."pain... it continued to get worse, so I adjusted the way I was sitting and leaned forward a bit more. I got the impression from the video that i should try to limit my movement during meditation, but the pain was really becoming unbearable. In any case, this shift in position relieved the pressure on my lower back. At this point I began to feel much more relaxed, and was able to concentrate on what I was doing.
Now here is where I feel like I need some questions answered or possibly just your imput. Up until this point in the meditation session, nothing unexpected had happened. True, I was calm and pretty relaxed, but that often happens when I sit still and quiet for an extended amount of time. But slowly, I began to kind of understand what you were talking about, and I guess you can correct me if I'm wrong. But suddenly it made sense how you talked about bringing and keeping your mind in the present, rather than letting it wander off into past events or ponder of future ones. It seemed like the fact that I acknowledged the thoughts "thinking... thinking... thinking..." without actually engaging them, kept my mind on the present. At the same time, and present feelings, pain, discomfort were all acknowledged in the same way. It was as if none of these thoughts or feelings were affecting my present state of mind. This all seems to go along exactly with what you said, and I am absolutely ASTOUNDED by that fact. I've dabbled in hypnotism and other such mind tricks and they never tend to work on me. So I guess my question is whether or not this experience seems accurate to what I should be feeling during meditation, and how accurate is it to other first timers experiences.
I would also like to share with you the events that occurred after I stopped meditating.
After what I can assume was between 10-15 minutes (I never checked the clock) I got up from my bed, and decided to take a shower because physically, I felt gross and dirty , but mentally I felt the exact opposite. My mind felt surprisingly clear/clean of the mental anguish I've been experiencing lately (work issues, school, friends etc). Honestly, I have no idea whether it was some type of placebo effect, or if that is one of the things meditation attempts to accomplish. In anycase, as I got into the shower, I decided to keep saying "rising... falling....rising...falling..." or "pain...pain..." only this time I began to just think it in my head rather than say it aloud. What followed was one of the most amazing things I've every experienced. Usually when I take a shower, I spent a lot of time thinking about things while I rush through the shower and get back to the computer or whatever. This time however, I took my time and washed my entire body thoroughly, it was like I was in a trance. After I left the shower, I brushed my teeth, and shaved. And then I continued to fold my clothes, and clean my entire apartment. Thoroughly.
It was truly amazing. I'm not the type of person who has the attention span to spend 2+ hours washing myself and cleaning my apartment. The type of focus and concentration that I experienced during the whole ordeal is something I've only ever accomplished with the help of ADD medications like adderall. Normal things that would have interrupted my cleaning session like stray thoughts or, possibly boredom were pushed aside by my mental chants of "thinking...thinking...bored...bored...tired...tired...distracted...distracted..." and just like you said, after several chants of whatever I was feeling, I would eventually go back to "rising...falling...rising...". Finally about 4 hours after beginning the meditation, after watching 2 of you videos, my entire apartment and my entire body were spotlessly clean, and I am just now allowed my mind to wander a bit as I write this message.
I guess I don't really have any specific question. I'm just wondering what your thoughts are on my experience. Whether this is something that happens often or whether it was all in my head.
Indeed, it's all in the mind... that doesn't make in any less real.
Just heard a quote from the president of america on Haiti:
"But for the grace of God, there we go."
I'm not quite sure what this means, but what really baffles me is how these people can so misunderstand the nature of reality as to think that somehow natural disasters are lapses in God's grace. I'm starting to think that I don't really have such a problem with God himself as I do with these silly people who blatantly abuse the word.
And then we turned on the Thai version of Angulimala for my pre-teen protoges, and I realized that it is a perfect example of how forgiveness and redemption takes place for evil doers in Buddhism. Hope you appreciate this little cut-and-paste preview of the 90-min movie (I've fixed the horrid subtitles):
Not to compare religions out of context, but, regarding the following video:
The noun forgiveness has 2 senses:
1. forgiveness -- (compassionate feelings that support a willingness to forgive)
2. forgiveness, pardon -- (the act of excusing a mistake or offense)
Forgiveness in Christianity:
" 'If a man commits adultery with another man's wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.
-- Leviticus 20:10
I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring upon you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger.
-- Ezekiel 16:38
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
-- Matthew 5:27-28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
-- Matthew 10:28
Forgiveness in Buddhism:
Think: Happy, at rest, may all beings be happy at heart. Whatever beings there may be, weak or strong, without exception, long, large, middling, short, subtle, blatant, seen & unseen, near & far, born & seeking birth: May all beings be happy at heart. Let no one deceive another or despise anyone anywhere, or through anger or resistance wish for another to suffer. As a mother would risk her life to protect her child, her only child, even so should one cultivate a limitless heart with regard to all beings. With good will for the entire cosmos, cultivate a limitless heart: Above, below, & all around, unobstructed, without hostility or hate. Whether standing, walking, sitting, or lying down, as long as one is alert, one should be resolved on this mindfulness. This is called a sublime abiding here & now.
— Sn 1.8
Now this is how you should train yourselves here: "Our minds will remain unaffected, we shall utter no bad words, we shall abide friendly and compassionate, with thoughts of loving-kindness and no inner hate. We shall abide with loving-kindness in our hearts extending to that person, and we shall dwell extending it to the entire world as our object, with our hearts abundant, exalted, measureless in loving-kindness, without hostility or ill-will." That is how you should train yourselves.
Even were bandits savagely to sever you limb from limb with a two-handled saw, he who entertaineth hate on that account in his heart would not be one who carried out my teaching.
-- MN 21
The noun redemption has 3 senses:
1. (1) redemption, salvation -- ((theology) the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil)
2. redemption -- (repayment of the principal amount of a debt or security at or before maturity (as when a corporation repurchases its own stock))
3. redemption, repurchase, buyback -- (the act of purchasing back something previously sold)
Redemption in Christianity:
10Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
12"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13This will result in your being witnesses to them. 14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17All men will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By standing firm you will gain life.
20"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
-- Luke 21
Redemption in Buddhism:
"Bhikkhus, when a noble follower who has heard (the truth) sees thus, he finds estrangement in form, he finds estrangement in feeling, he finds estrangement in perception, he finds estrangement in determinations, he finds estrangement in consciousness.
"When he finds estrangement, passion fades out. With the fading of passion, he is liberated. When liberated, there is knowledge that he is liberated. He understands: 'Birth is exhausted, the holy life has been lived out, what can be done is done, of this there is no more beyond.'"
— SN 22.59
Free from anger & untroubled, free from greed, without longing, tamed, your anger abandoned, free from fermentation, you will be unbound.
— AN 7.60
The blessings to be derived from the realization of this transcendent wisdom include not only the ability to enter the trance of cessation, but also the acquisition of honor etc. For the individual who has developed his wisdom by the development of the fourfold wisdom of the paths is worthy of the worship, the veneration, the votive offerings, and the reverence of all the world of gods and men, and is an unsurpassed source of merit for the world.
To particularize:--
He who, being of weak faculties, develops the wisdom of the first path with a dull insight is reborn seven times at most; after seven rebirths in states of bliss he will make an end of misery: he who develops it with medium faculties and insight is a roamer; after two or three rebirths he will make an end of misery: he who develops it with keen faculties and insight takes root but once, only one human birth will he pass through and make an end of misery. He who develops the wisdom of the second path returns once; once more will he return to this world and then make an end of misery.
He who develops the wisdom of the third path never returns. His destiny is fivefold, as follows: In the descending order of the worth of his faculties he passes into Nirvana in the midst, at the end, without instigation, with instigation, or passes up current to the Sublime Gods.
Here the one who passes into Nirvana in the midst is reborn in some one of the Pure Abodes and passes into Nirvana before attaining half the normal length of life of that heaven; he who passes into Nirvana at the end passes into Nirvana after attaining half the normal length of life; he who passes into Nirvana without instigation achieves the fourth path without instigation or urging; he who passes into Nirvana with instigation achieves the higher path with instigation or urging; and he who passes up current to the Sublime Gods starts from the particular heaven into which he may be reborn, and ascends as far as to the Sublime Gods and there passes into Nirvana.
Of those who develop the wisdom of the fourth path, one is freed by faith, another is freed by wisdom, another is doubly freed, another possesses the threefold knowledge, another the Six High Powers, but the greatest of all is he who has mastered the four analytical sciences and has lost all depravity. Concerning this last it has been said:--
"At the time he is in the paths he is disentangling the snarl, at the time he is in the fruits he has disentangled the snarl, and there is in all the world of gods and men none more worthy of votive gifts."
Since, then, such blessings manifold
From noble wisdom take their rise,
Therefore the understanding man
Should place therein his heart's delight.
The above constitutes the explanation of the development of wisdom and of its blessings in the Way of Purity as taught in the stanza,
"What man his conduct guardeth, and hath wisdom,
And thoughts and wisdom traineth well,
The strenuous and the able priest,
He disentangles all this snarl."
It's funny how things work... I just got around to sending Tiger Woods a "How To Meditate DVD" (along with a bonus "Why Everyone Should Meditate" DVD) this afternoon, when what should I see on Facebook but the following video clip:
First of all, Buddhism is not a faith, it is a practice. If you don't practice, it is as useless as blind faith (pretty useless). Second, Tiger Woods is not Buddhist, his mother is. He himself apparently says,
"I believe in Buddhism. Not every aspect, but most of it. So I take bits and pieces. I don't believe that human beings can achieve ultimate enlightenment, because humans have flaws."
He's obviously not a logic major either... let's see:
premise: human beings have flaws.
conclusion: human beings cannot become flawless.
Even if enlightenment meant becoming flawless, which I suppose in some ways it does, there is no escaping the fact that people can, and regularly do, overcome their flaws. Most of us just spend too much time doing pointless things like knocking little white balls around with funny-looking weed-whackers to get much further than learning to keep our hands out of the cookie jar. It seems those who are the best at pointless things turn out to be the worst at those more pointy things in life. Sayth the Buddha:
"asāresāramatino, sārecāsāradassino.
te sāraṃ nādhigacchanti, micchāsaṅkappagocarā.
sārañca sārato ñatvā, asārañca asārato.
te sāraṃ adhigacchanti, sammāsaṅkappagocarā."
"Who believes there to be a point in the pointless, who sees not the point in the pointed,
he reaches not unto the point, having perverted thoughts for a pasture.
And who, seeing the point in the pointed and the pointlessness of the pointless,
he reaches unto the point, having righteous thought for a pasture."
(Dhp 11-12)
For those of you who would like to jump on the Tiger Woods Recovery Bandwagon with my new DVD set, here's a video for you:
Click here to order our free professionally made two-DVD set on how to and why everyone should meditate.
Although this matter has been cleared up within the Thai press, it seems that the article in English has stirred up and agitated Western readers. This has been caused by some misrepresentations of the events of the press conference and the editorial language used in the article. Wat Nong Pah Pong feels that it is best to clear up these misunderstandings.
So I really did think a bit about the whole woman ordination thing while in the forests of Thailand... here's some more thoughts:
It seems pretty clear in my mind that we (men monks) shouldn't be eager to ordain women; it doesn't say much of an ascetic that he turns around and invites the objects of his desire to join him in the holy life. This should not be up for debate. The problem we encounter, then, is what to do when women approach the male ascetics themselves, wanting to join the fun (or lack thereof, one should say). We should be clear about the distinction between these two affairs, so as to not become too stiff, saying that the Buddha rejected female monks - he didn't in fact. He said basically what I've said here, that we should not be keen on it. "mā te rucci mātugāmassa tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajjā" (Culavagga X.I) But we should also detach ourselves from the group of modernists who seek to "liberate" women from the sexist Buddhist patriarchy. I honestly don't see inequality as the problem; the problem is the fact that men honestly have enough trouble keeping their hands folded on their laps without women around.
When a woman wants to ordain, then, it should be treated with great care, but also with an acknowledgement that women do indeed have the same right to practice the Buddha's teaching and the same potential for enlightenment. I've always argued that these are the most important to keep in mind and that ordination should not be seen as an end in any way, shape, or form. It is one means to the end we all strive for, and certainly not the only means by which to reach that end.
In the past I've argued that, given the great kafuffle surrounding official female ordination, the path of least resistance would be for interested persons to take on an informal ordination and try their best to live the life of an ordained monk without the status. This idea still holds great appeal in my mind, mostly because it takes the least time away from my own work in terms of studying about it, arguing about it, enforcing it, etc. The past month in Thailand, however, has changed my mind, simply for the fact that Buddhism is in pretty bad shape, and most monks are not up to par anymore. Seeing that again made me loosen my stiff grip on the idea that everything had to be a certain way; that a female ordination would be too questionable and improper to be of any value. Once I began to look at the issue with a more open mind, I realized that the same problems I was citing against the Bhikkhuni ordination, viz. difficulty, controversy, and impropriety, could all be found in a pseudo-ordination as well. That's when it hit me that impropriety is not the same as impossibility, and that simply because a choice is not perfect does not negate it entirely as an option.
When I look at it in this light, I think the best thing to do is to ordain women as bhikkhunis. If this means sending them to Sri Lanka, then send them to Sri Lanka. It seems to work, for the most part, and give women the opportunity to try "to fulfill point by point the wholly stainless, wholly purified ascetic life." It is, in short, the path of least resistance. Let them ordain, so we can all get back to what we came here to do. So what if it's not perfect? None of us are. So what if they make fools of themselves? They will be known for it themselves. I think it will benefit my work to have this avenue available, and I am convinced that the ordination of a bhikkhuni in this way does not contravene the dhamma vinaya of the Buddha... it may not be the perfect solution, but I guarantee there isn't a perfect solution available.
The most important point to remember is that ordination is a paltry thing in comparison to meditation. Many a lay person I know is more pure than many of the monks I have met in my travels. We should all always keep this in mind, and especially the Buddha's words:
sabbaso nāmarūpasmiṃ, yassa natthi mamāyitaṃ,asatā ca na socati, sa ve "bhikkhū"ti vuccati.
In all mental and physical reality, for whom there is no thought of "mine"
who grieves not for what is not — such a one is truly called a monk.
-- The Buddha (Dhp 367)
So, there you have it. More monkism. It's been interesting, indeed, how eye-opening this has been; monks and nuns crawling out of the woodwork, so to speak, with all sorts of interesting tidbits, most of which they have asked that I don't share with you here. I am at liberty to share these, though, without any opinion attached to them:
anupādiyaṃ na paritassati, aparitassaṃ paccattaññeva parinibbāyati. Unclinging, one longs not; unlonging, one is personally unbound - MN 11 2010/02/07
And one dwells unattached with simple and direct mindfulness just to the extent of knowing; and one clings to nothing in the world. - MN 10 2010/02/06
"yāvadeva ñāṇamattāya paṭissatimattāya anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati." - MN 10 2010/02/06
Random Quote
Most of the luxuries, and many of the so called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hinderances to the elevation of mankind. With respect to luxuries and comforts, the wisest have ever lived a more simple and meagre life than the poor. The ancient philosophers, Chinese, Hindoo, Persian, and Greek, were a class than which none has been poorer in outward riches, none so rich in inward. — Henry David Thoreau
About
Welcome to my weblog, a way to keep friends, family, students and fellow seekers of the truth updated on my doings and whereabouts, replacing the unpleasantness of bulk email while averting the present impossibility of completely cutting myself off from the people who have helped me get to where I am today. Hope you enjoy it.
