General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
by socoguy78 » Sun Oct 07, 2012 5:44 pm
Nibanna... Meaning no fire from Pali. Has anyone had insights into this? I view it as craving no more... Then mind craves and clings to nothing... A mind free from personal desire and self beliefs. Does anyone let go of their craving in meditation? Relaxing into any subtle craving they feel as their mind is pulled off their meditation object?
Maha Metta,
Zach
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socoguy78
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by bodom » Sun Oct 07, 2012 5:58 pm
Buddhasa Bhikkhu speaks on the idea of temporary nibbana or periodic freedom from the defilements here:
NIBBANA FOR EVERYONEhttp://www.suanmokkh.org/archive/arts/m ... bbevry.htm
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bodom
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by daverupa » Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:07 pm
I don't use a meditation object; mostly the preliminary practice involves tracing back unwholesome thoughts and letting go of the intention which fuels that, in order to intend wholesomeness instead. This is like a herdsman overseeing cows graze, while not needing to be vigilant against them straying into crops because the herd is secluded from them. Composed, but not concentrated on a single input or anything like that.
Then, with this beginning, satipatthana can be practiced with the purpose of letting go in order to attain jhana. One method is anapanasati, which is what I prefer, but there is no meditation object in this practice, as I understand it. The breath functions like a metronome, rather than that which is concentrated upon.
Craving occurs at a number of levels of resolution; paring it down takes careful attention over time.
"There is, headman, dhammasamādhi. If you were to obtain cittasamādhi in that, you might abandon this state of perplexity. And what, headman, is dhammasamādhi?
[kammapatha & brahmavihara, & a method of arousing gladness]"
- SN 42.13 - Pāṭaliya"Others will misapprehend according to their individual views, hold on to them tenaciously and not easily discard them; we shall not misapprehend according to individual views nor hold on to them tenaciously, but shall discard them with ease — thus effacement can be done."
- MN 8 - Sallekha Sutta
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daverupa
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by socoguy78 » Sun Oct 07, 2012 6:37 pm
I use the brahma viharas for my meditation object. Seems to work more fast than the annapanasati breath method. I remember using the breath in the begining and I shot up to the relm of infinite space then consciousness using one pointed meditation. But sense then I switched over to the brahma viharas originaly using Metta as my object about 7ish years ago. Now I am using Compassion sense the Metta feeling moves up to my head really fast when in sitting meditation. From doing this at each time there is relief from letting go of a hindrence and relaxing into any stress and tension that comes up with the hindrence that takes my mind off it's meditation object... I came to see that each momentary feeling of relief was in a way a small little nibanna happening. Now it's time for a full fruition of nibbana.

Zack
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socoguy78
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by ignobleone » Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:20 am
socoguy78 wrote:Nibanna... Meaning no fire from Pali. Has anyone had insights into this? I view it as craving no more... Then mind craves and clings to nothing... A mind free from personal desire and self beliefs. Does anyonore let go of their craving in meditation? Relaxing into any subtle craving they feel as their mind is pulled off their meditation object?
One indication of Dhamma downturn era is when the meaning of Nibbana has become diluted. The meaning has become more difficult to grasp since it has become more abstract. One example is like: "Nibbana is hard to describe, if you try to describe, it won't be Nibbana". No wonder many people have been confused. I think it's all the commentaries' sins (borrowing a theistic term.)
While some of them describe Nibbana in more abstraction, far from technical, the suttas describe Nibbana in simple and technical way, i.e. Nirodha Samapati (borrowing a commentary term.) with step by step path to attain it.
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ignobleone
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by retrofuturist » Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:30 am
Greetings,
daverupa wrote:I don't use a meditation object; mostly the preliminary practice involves tracing back unwholesome thoughts and letting go of the intention which fuels that, in order to intend wholesomeness instead. This is like a herdsman overseeing cows graze, while not needing to be vigilant against them straying into crops because the herd is secluded from them. Composed, but not concentrated on a single input or anything like that.
Then, with this beginning, satipatthana can be practiced with the purpose of letting go in order to attain jhana. One method is anapanasati, which is what I prefer, but there is no meditation object in this practice, as I understand it. The breath functions like a metronome, rather than that which is concentrated upon.
Craving occurs at a number of levels of resolution; paring it down takes careful attention over time.
Excellent.
Metta,
Retro.

If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding:
Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)'We should not congratulate someone on the success of their misdeeds, but on the contrary should endeavour to advise him or her to lead a more skilful and wholesome life. If such advice is ignored then we can only give up and let go' - Phra PanyapatipoDharma Wheel (Mahayana / Vajrayana forum)
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retrofuturist
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