My opinion on common attachment to meditation

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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xtracorrupt
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My opinion on common attachment to meditation

Post by xtracorrupt »

Common attachment to meditation often occurs when one wants to become enlightenment, this is bad because you have the delusion of requiring meditation in order for enlightenment, when you actually need nothing to have good will. One should instead cling to having wholesome thoughts and not the act that provides wholesome thoughts.
Last edited by xtracorrupt on Wed Oct 31, 2012 2:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
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twelph
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by twelph »

Read up a little more on right effort, right intention, right concentration, and right mindfulness. Without actively developing these parts of the path there is no enlightenment. I'd be careful about disregarding meditation.
xtracorrupt
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by xtracorrupt »

twelph wrote:Read up a little more on right effort, right intention, right concentration, and right mindfulness. Without actively developing these parts of the path there is no enlightenment. I'd be careful about disregarding meditation.
Meditation is not required for enlightenment, but it is good action because it enforces wholesome states/thoughts

Right intention is the most important because the desire for happiness will provide understandment in order to provide happiness
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amtross
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by amtross »

Look guys it's the enlightenment fairy!!! All you have to do is think good thoughts and the work is done. I feel so silly with all this work on sila and mental cultivation. All hail the enlightenment fairy.

yeah, I know...wrong speach. I'm having one of those nights :rolleye:
xtracorrupt
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by xtracorrupt »

amtross wrote:Look guys it's the enlightenment fairy!!! All you have to do is think good thoughts and the work is done. I feel so silly with all this work on sila and mental cultivation. All hail the enlightenment fairy.

yeah, I know...wrong speach. I'm having one of those nights :rolleye:
Having one of those nights? How does that justify wrong speech? One of the reasons I put out these ideas/thoughts is to start certain questioning revolving around happiness in order to gain understandment, yet you still feel the need to try and criticize and disvalue it?

With absolute good intention, awakening will occur, thats why its important that we spot unwholesome thoughts in order to promote good intention. Thats why questioning is a great way to take things into consideration/perspective, which if non-ignorant will bring rightful knowledge,
Last edited by xtracorrupt on Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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amtross
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by amtross »

"Lighten up Francis"
You came to a meditation forum and declared meditation is attachement with nothing to back it up. Expect some freindly ribbing.


This reminds me of a story my teacher likes to tell about one of her students in an advanced meditation class announcing to her that he was just going to start "Inclining his mind towards Nibbana". She laughed and laughed, then suggested he go back to the beginner class.
xtracorrupt
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by xtracorrupt »

amtross wrote:"Lighten up Francis"
You came to a meditation forum and declared meditation is attachement with nothing to back it up. Expect some freindly ribbing.


This reminds me of a story my teacher likes to tell about one of her students in an advanced meditation class announcing to her that he was just going to start "Inclining his mind towards Nibbana". She laughed and laughed, then suggested he go back to the beginner class.
Have you tried to answer my questions in order to gain understandment? I advise you try and answer them.

Have you considered my answer as a possibility?
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Alobha
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by Alobha »

twelph wrote:Read up a little more on right effort, right intention, right concentration, and right mindfulness. Without actively developing these parts of the path there is no enlightenment. I'd be careful about disregarding meditation.
Good advice. Really, any good introduction to buddhism covers the noble eightfold path and it would serve you well to read one to gain a more complete understandment of what the Buddha actually taught.
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Ben
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by Ben »

Alobha wrote:
twelph wrote:Read up a little more on right effort, right intention, right concentration, and right mindfulness. Without actively developing these parts of the path there is no enlightenment. I'd be careful about disregarding meditation.
Good advice. Really, any good introduction to buddhism covers the noble eightfold path and it would serve you well to read one to gain a more complete understandment of what the Buddha actually taught.
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James the Giant
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by James the Giant »

How many new topics per day can be started by a member?
It's getting a bit excessive, in my opinion.
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by Spiny Norman »

xtracorrupt wrote:Common attachment to meditation...
It's a shame more people aren't attached to meditation... :tongue:
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by Cittasanto »

James the Giant wrote:How many new topics per day can be started by a member?
It's getting a bit excessive, in my opinion.
The form & attitude of the threads make it excessive not the amount!
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Yana
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by Yana »

hi,

I know you are a well intentioned person :hug: and it is good. Being a good person is a beautiful thing but doing good is not enough to free you from suffering..
Please follow Alobha's advise and familiarize with the Dhamma through books and readings. Your already a positive person now and are creating good kamma.When your mind is wholesome it creates the right conditions to understand the dhamma.you will probably find it easier to understand the dhamma ...so read more and study more as well as meditate,please don't take it as an insult when we ask you to read more..we all have to strive to understand better.But some of your views as Alobha indicated are Wrong Views and this is not said out of ignorance but genuine concern.With all the wholesome qualities that you have built you will have a better chance of understanding the true nature of reality and realizing the dhamma.And you won't have to suffer anymore.

Please take my advice my friend..

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Dan74
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Re: Common attachment to meditation

Post by Dan74 »

As far as I can make it out attachment to the meditation or prostrations or chanting pull us away from attachments that are a lot more common. When leading a Dhammic life unencumbered by "common" attachments it may be time to let go of attachments to these activities and simply do. Like the Buddha taught - the raft is for crossing to the other shore, the teachings and practices are a means to an end, not a fetish to hold on to. But letting go before establishing oneself in the practice is like letting go of the raft in midstream - we are going to sink in the whirlpool of delusion.

And meditation when done right is not a bliss pill or an escape from reality, but a way to insight. It's not likely to be addictive really.
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