Nibanna

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
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socoguy78
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Nibanna

Post by socoguy78 »

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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bodom
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Re: Nibanna

Post by bodom »

Buddhasa Bhikkhu speaks on the idea of temporary nibbana or periodic freedom from the defilements here:

NIBBANA FOR EVERYONE
http://www.suanmokkh.org/archive/arts/m ... bbevry.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
daverupa
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Re: Nibanna

Post by daverupa »

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.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
socoguy78
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Re: Nibanna

Post by socoguy78 »

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. :meditate:
Zack
ignobleone
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Re: Nibanna

Post by ignobleone »

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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retrofuturist
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Re: Nibanna

Post by retrofuturist »

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.
:goodpost:

Excellent.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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