Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

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Padmist
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Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

Post by Padmist »

I'm reading this book by Early Buddhist Meditation Studies Bhikkhu Anālayo and would appreciate some help from people here who've read it and understand it. I'm having a hard time understanding this book. This entire post you're reading right now refers only to the chapter on Defining Mindfulness. (page 19)

1. First on the references/notes when it says "Anālayo 2015e: 318 note 20" what is that referring to? Where is it and how do I find / read it? There's so many of them such as:
6 Anālayo 2013b and 2014d; on the same topic from the viewpoint of
the Pāli version see Anālayo 2003 and 2015g.
7 Anālayo 2015c.
8 Anālayo 2016f.
9 Anālayo 2017c.
10 The relevant publications are Anālayo 2013a, 2014b, 2014e, 2014g,
2015a, 2015d, 2015f, 2016a, 2016b, 2016d, 2016g, and 2016h.

2. What does the acrobat analogy mean?

3. Then he said
"Regarding the early Buddhist conception of mindfulness, a
point worthy of note is that the instructions for satipaṭṭhāna
meditation make use of conceptual labels to facilitate recognition."
The actual instructions for contemplation of feelings or of
states of mind, for example, use direct speech to formulate the
conceptual labels to be used when practicing
What are these conceptual labels?
What is direct speech? You say during meditation
"I am thinking of what I'm going to buy for groceries now."?


4. Then he said
"The early Buddhist conception of mindfulness also differs
from its Theravāda counterpart. Mindfulness constructs in this
tradition are often based on a theory of mind-moments and a
definition of mindfulness as invariably wholesome."
How is Early Buddhist conception of mindfulness different from Theravada mindfulness?
What does "mind-moments" and "wholesome" mean?


5. Then Bhikku Bodhi said (in the reference/notes)
Bodhi 2011: 28 points out that, from the viewpoint of the early discourses,
“it is … hard to see how mindfulness can be essentially
non-conceptual and non-discursive.”
What does non-conceptual mean and non-discursive?

6. Then this quote
Olendski 2011: 61 explains that, from the perspective of later Theravāda
tradition, “as a universal wholesome factor, mindfulness is
exclusive of restlessness, delusion and all other unwholesome
states, and cannot co-arise with these in the same moment.”
What does this all mean?

7. Then this quote
The perspective afforded by the early discourses gives a
different impression, as these clearly distinguish between right
and wrong forms of mindfulness. Mindfulness can be classified
as “right” when it operates from within the perspective of
the four noble truths
, a perspective that can fulfill the role of
right view as a precursor to the noble eightfold path. In other
words, mindfulness needs to be part of a mode of behavior or
form of practice that leads to diminishing the cause of dukkha
in oneself and others in order to be directed ‘rightly’.
In contrast, when mindfulness comes in conjunction with
unwholesome actions and intentions,
it will have to be qualified
as going in the ‘wrong’ direction, as it lacks the fundamental
insight that each of us builds his or her own affliction and
that continuing to do so is bound to lead to an increase of dukkha
for ourselves and others.
So correct me if I'm wrong, but he's saying that EB meditation studies say that mindfulness need to be part of a 4NT practice. (So he's saying for mindfulness to be authentically mindfulness, practitioners must be practicing Buddhism) And if mindfulness is practiced by people who are doing bad actions, then it's a wrong form of mindfulness.

Even if that's true, how is the EB meditation studies different from the Theravada mindfulness of "wholesome" (see #4 above) "

8. To make matters more confusing he said this right after the above
Besides allowing for forms of mindfulness that are “wrong”
and thus unwholesome, the early Buddhist discourses also
point to a possible coexistence of mindfulness and unwholesome
mental qualities.
Now he's saying unwholesome mental qualities are allowed when practicing mindfulness? Does he mean action is not allowed ("wrong") but unwholesome mental qualities are allowed?

9. What does contemplation of hindrances mean?

10. What does this mean?
These instructions give the impression that, from an early
Buddhist perspective, mindfulness of defiled states of mind
was not envisaged as merely retrospective.

11. Then he goes on...
Another point worth noting is that, by describing the use of
conceptual labels to facilitate recognition, the instructions on
satipaṭṭhāna implicitly show that the presence of mindfulness
can coexist with an element of deliberate evaluation.13
What does "facilitate recognition" and "deliberate evaluation" mean?

12. What does "bare awareness" mean?

13. What does absorption mean?

14. The book said in the notes/references
From the perspective
of the developed Theravāda theory that often underpins
conceptions of mindfulness in the vipassanā traditions, however,
the presence of mindfulness itself suffices to overcome a state of
anger; see, e.g., Olendski 2011: 65f: “if the wholesome attention
can be sustained moment after moment, the entire stream of consciousness
becomes purified … mindfulness … is transformative
precisely because the unwholesome quality … has been replaced
with a wholesome attitude.
Does that mean you can wash away your evilness by merely meditating?

15. So many here
In the Pāli version of the Satipaṭṭhāna-sutta, this refrain
describes three alternative modes of practice (qualified with
the conjunction vā, “or”) and one aspect that appears to be relevant
to any satipaṭṭhāna meditation (introduced with the conjunction
ca, “and”), which is the need to dwell independently
without clinging to anything
. The first of the three apparently
alternative modes of contemplation requires contemplation to
be undertaken internally or externally
(or both). The second
speaks of contemplating arising or passing away
(or both)
What do the following mean?
-refrain
-three alternative modes of practice
-dwell independently without clinging
-contemplation to be undertaken internally or externally. what externally?
-contemplating arising or passing away


16. Not to get ahead of the book, but in your reading of this book, did you find that the Mahasi Sayadaw mindfulness training the closest (or identical to) Early Buddhist Mindfulness?

17. Reading my questions, do you have a book you could recommend for a beginner to understand a lot of these concepts, ideas, vocabulary terms? I'm already lost just on the first chapter. If I'm going to continue reading this book with my limited grasp of the concepts, perhaps there are preliminary books I should invest some time on first. Got any ideas?
Inedible
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Re: Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

Post by Inedible »

Remember to spend a lot more time sitting to meditate than reading. Count your breaths at your nostril openings. Monitor your energy level so you don't go into scattering or sink into lethargy. It doesn't take a lot of Dhamma knowledge to practice and make progress.
Padmist
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Re: Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

Post by Padmist »

Thanks. I didn't know acrobatics goes that far in history.
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frank k
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Re: Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

Post by frank k »

B. Analayo is not a good authority on mindfulness or early buddhist meditation.
B. Gunaratana would be better, B. Thanissaro would be the best.
https://lucid24.org/tped/w/whos-who/index.html#bthan
www.lucid24.org/sted : ☸Lucid24.org🐘 STED definitions
www.audtip.org/audtip: 🎙️🔊Audio Tales in Pāli: ☸Dharma and Vinaya in many languages
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Dhammanando
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Re: Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

Post by Dhammanando »

Hi Padmist,

I've answered some of your easier questions, but frankly I don't think you yet have a sufficient foundation in the Suttas and Abhidhamma to get very much out of a highly ambitious work like Early Meditation Studies.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am 1. First on the references/notes when it says "Anālayo 2015e: 318 note 20" what is that referring to? Where is it and how do I find / read it?
Go to the bibliography. Check the works by Analayo and look for one that's identified as 2015e.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am What is direct speech?
For example, in the passage, "When walking he knows 'I am walking'" the phrase "I am walking" is direct speech.

Some translators prefer to translate it into indirect speech: "When walking he knows that he is walking."

In Pali usage such a passage may indicate something spoken or something thought. But it's also used as a method of describing non-verbalised / non-ratiocinative mental activity. In the present instance, whether "I am walking" is to be construed as something that one thinks or as something non-verbalised / non-ratiocinative is a point of dispute between different Theravādin meditation traditions.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am What does "mind-moments" and "wholesome" mean?
In the Abhidhamma's account of cognitive experience, mind-moments are the evanescent conscious units that make up the mind-stream or mental continuum.

"Wholesome" and "unwholesome" are translations of kusala and akusala. Other translators use skilful and unskilful, moral and immoral, profitable and unprofitable or healthy and unhealthy. Translators of Tibetan texts mostly seem to favour virtuous and non-virtuous or positive and negative.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am Olendski 2011: 61 explains that, from the perspective of later Theravāda tradition, “as a universal wholesome factor, mindfulness is exclusive of restlessness, delusion and all other unwholesome states, and cannot co-arise with these in the same moment.”

What does this all mean?
In Abhidharma systems the mental factors that colour consciousness are divided into those which can only arise with a wholesome consciousness, such as faith; those which can only arise with an unwholesome consciousness, such as greed; those which can arise with both, such as initial application of thought; and those which are always present in both, such as feeling.

The Theravāda Abhidhamma classifies mindfulness as a "beautiful mental factor". As such, in a non-arahant it can only be present in wholesome consciousnesses. The non-Theravādin Abhidharma systems that Tibetans follow classify it as a factor that can arise with both wholesome and unwholesome consciousnesses. Analayo appears to favour the non-Theravādin view.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am 9. What does contemplation of hindrances mean?
Mindfulness with regard to sense-desire, ill will, restlessness and worry, sloth and torpor, and doubt.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am 10. What does this mean?

instructions give the impression that, from an early
Buddhist perspective, mindfulness of defiled states of mind was not envisaged as merely retrospective.
A classical Theravādin would argue thus:

Since mindfulness is a beautiful mental factor, and since beautiful mental factors and defilements cannot be present in the same moment of consciousness, it follows that one cannot be simultaneously greedy and mindful of one's greed, hateful and mindful of one's hate, slothful and mindful of one's sloth, etc. Therefore in dhammānupassanā, mindfulness of the hindrances is retrospective. That is, one is mindful that a certain hindrance did arise and has now just passed away.

Analayo, however, is rejecting this argument. He believes that the suttas show contemplation of the hindrances as something that may be practised while the hindrances are present. If this is so, then according to his argument it will follow that the Theravāda is mistaken to classify mindfulness as a beautiful mental factor.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am 12. What does "bare awareness" mean?
It's what mindfulness is (controversially) conceived to be by many modern meditation teachers, especially those influenced by the school of Mahasi Sayadaw.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am 13. What does absorption mean?
Jhāna / dhyāna.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am What do the following mean?
-refrain
A stock passage that gets repeated many times.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am -three alternative modes of practice
I don't have the book to hand, but presumably he's referring either to internally, externally or both, or else to contemplating origination factors or dissolution factors or both.
Padmist wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 am Reading my questions, do you have a book you could recommend for a beginner to understand a lot of these concepts, ideas, vocabulary terms?
I suggest you first read the Mahāvagga of the Samyutta Nikāya in Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation (Connected Discourses vol II), and then Soma's translation of the Satipatthāna Sutta and its commentary:

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/aut ... wayof.html
Rūpehi bhikkhave arūpā santatarā.
Arūpehi nirodho santataro ti.


“Bhikkhus, the formless is more peaceful than the form realms.
Cessation is more peaceful than the formless realms.”
(Santatarasutta, Iti 73)
Padmist
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Re: Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

Post by Padmist »

Dhammanando wrote: Wed Mar 24, 2021 3:25 am

I suggest you first read the Mahāvagga of the Samyutta Nikāya in Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation (Connected Discourses vol II), and then Soma's translation of the Satipatthāna Sutta and its commentary:

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/aut ... wayof.html

This really helped me friend. I hope I gain the same wisdom you have someday. Thanks once again.
simsapa
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Re: Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

Post by simsapa »

Since mindfulness is a beautiful mental factor, and since beautiful mental factors and defilements cannot be present in the same moment of consciousness, it follows that one cannot be simultaneously greedy and mindful of one's greed, hateful and mindful of one's hate, slothful and mindful of one's sloth, etc. Therefore in dhammānupassanā, mindfulness of the hindrances is retrospective. That is, one is mindful that a certain hindrance did arise and has now just passed away.
Very interesting. And what is your opinion on the matter, Venerable?
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Dhammanando
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Re: Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

Post by Dhammanando »

simsapa wrote: Thu Mar 25, 2021 2:20 pm Very interesting. And what is your opinion on the matter, Venerable?
I think sati is a beautiful cetasika.
Rūpehi bhikkhave arūpā santatarā.
Arūpehi nirodho santataro ti.


“Bhikkhus, the formless is more peaceful than the form realms.
Cessation is more peaceful than the formless realms.”
(Santatarasutta, Iti 73)
simsapa
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Re: Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

Post by simsapa »

I think sati is a beautiful cetasika.
So then one cannot be mindful of simultaneous defilements...
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Dhammanando
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Re: Book Study: Early Buddhist Meditation Studies (Analayo)

Post by Dhammanando »

simsapa wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 12:11 am So then one cannot be mindful of simultaneous defilements...
No. There might, however, be the illusion of being simultaneously mindul and hindrance-afflicted.

Suppose the mental continuum underwent a prolonged oscillation between hate-rooted unwholesome javana processes and wholesome javana processes in which the preceding hate-rooted cittas were the object. If the wholesome processes involved mahākusala cittas *dissociated* from knowledge, then the absence of paññā in such cittas might later lead one to misconstrue what had happened and fall into the Sarvāstivāda error of non-retrospective mindfulness of defiled states.
Rūpehi bhikkhave arūpā santatarā.
Arūpehi nirodho santataro ti.


“Bhikkhus, the formless is more peaceful than the form realms.
Cessation is more peaceful than the formless realms.”
(Santatarasutta, Iti 73)
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