I think there is a relationship between physical stillness and mental stillness.
I also think it's good to have a meditation posture that is basically comfortable, if necessary using a stool or chair.
I don't think that yogic contortions and physical pain are necessary, or useful.
Search found 9140 matches
- Thu Apr 11, 2024 10:49 am
- Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
- Topic: Is it true that in meditation we cannot make any body movements?
- Replies: 7
- Views: 187
- Wed Apr 10, 2024 9:05 am
- Forum: Ordination and Monastic Life
- Topic: Ajahn Chandako to James - Transition to Laylife
- Replies: 23
- Views: 1420
- Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:48 am
- Forum: Classical Theravāda
- Topic: Identity View
- Replies: 317
- Views: 10946
Re: Identity View
Coming back to the OP, it reminded me of this passage towards the end of MN1. Seeing things directly, rather than seeing things as objects experienced by a self? "The Realized One, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha directly knows earth as earth. Having directly known earth as earth, ...
- Wed Apr 10, 2024 6:49 am
- Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
- Topic: Do we need to make an effort to control or should we not try to control our breathing during meditation?
- Replies: 17
- Views: 550
Re: Do we need to make an effort to control or should we not try to control our breathing during meditation?
Note also that deciding to calm bodily fabrication - which is the in and out breath - explicitly requires controlling the breath. I would suggest calming bodily fabrication means letting go of controlling and allowing the breath to become naturally calm, controlling agitates rather than calms. :goo...
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 12:00 pm
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: Eternity
- Replies: 113
- Views: 1343
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 10:52 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: Is the nature of the mind is ignorance?
- Replies: 31
- Views: 718
Re: Is the nature of the mind is ignorance?
The nature of the mind is impermanence, unsatisfactory and not self. If you don't discern this nature of the mind then that is ignorance. If you discern it's nature then the mind is just part of the aggregates, then there is no longer any binding to this mind, this is the unbinding and freedom of n...
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 10:49 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: "If we owned our body, it would obey our every command"
- Replies: 89
- Views: 2061
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 10:41 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: Eternity
- Replies: 113
- Views: 1343
Re: Eternity
Buddha clearly didn't teach that we have an eternal soul. Nor did he say there is no soul Nor did he say that there were no unicorns, but we don't on that account allow them to play any part in practice, do we? Well, he didn't say "no unicorns", but he did say "sabbe dhamma anatta&qu...
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 10:27 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: Eternity
- Replies: 113
- Views: 1343
Re: Eternity
I wouldn't try to mix concepts from different religious traditions, it's a futile task. I agree, it's futile, and it often looks like lazy perennialism, or new-age mix and match. <shudder> And understanding the differences between traditions is actually a good way of understanding what the individu...
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 9:11 am
- Forum: General Theravāda discussion
- Topic: Eternity
- Replies: 113
- Views: 1343
Re: Eternity
People think they are the same person they were (twenty years ago)… They do not account for the fact they’re someone else (Well they sort of do) Yes, and another distinction is that a soul is created at conception, and so - although it may be considered to be immortal, because it can't cease to exi...
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 9:03 am
- Forum: Classical Theravāda
- Topic: Identity View
- Replies: 317
- Views: 10946
Re: Identity View
There is no CT that comes or has come to a conclusion. It’s only people / beings that can come to a conclusion. And there is a difference between presenting what others did say or did conclude and what one self understood and can thereby contribute. The focus here is on understanding the Theravada ...
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 8:20 am
- Forum: Connections to Other Paths
- Topic: visible spirit body
- Replies: 6
- Views: 171
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 8:07 am
- Forum: Classical Theravāda
- Topic: Identity View
- Replies: 317
- Views: 10946
Re: Identity View
Yes, it's a radical teaching, and challenging for many.
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 7:50 am
- Forum: Classical Theravāda
- Topic: Identity View
- Replies: 317
- Views: 10946
Re: Identity View
There is no CT that comes or has come to a conclusion. It’s only people / beings that can come to a conclusion. And there is a difference between presenting what others did say or did conclude and what one self understood and can thereby contribute. The focus here is on understanding the Theravada ...
- Tue Apr 09, 2024 7:39 am
- Forum: Classical Theravāda
- Topic: Identity View
- Replies: 317
- Views: 10946
Re: Identity View
No I'm saying that terminology is all a matter of convention, but that terms refer to events or things that can be agreed on by reasonable people as existing or happening. Your own comparison of sunrise is a case in point. Since it's pointless talking with someone uninterested in reason when it con...