Fear Of Death & The Art Of Non-attachment
…
Fear of death is entirely natural. The person with no anxieties whatsoever about death is probably delusional. Healthy non-attachment is neither repression nor denial of experience…
02/25/18
Tag Archives: meditation
01/17/18
There Is No Scientific Buddhism
The dominant paradigm in science is that mind is an emergent property of the brain whereas Buddhism sees mind as forerunner. If Buddhists want science to recognise the Buddha’s claims about the mind then Buddhism has to play by the rules of science. The burden of proof is upon Buddhists to devise experiments that show beyond reasonable doubt that purely mental activity can be detected and measured independently of matter. Until then, any talk of “Scientific Buddhism” is meaningless.
10/22/17
Buddhist Meditation In Plain English
A useful reminder of what constitutes meditation and its place within the grand scheme of canonical Buddhist teachings…
10/13/17
Early Buddhist Jhana & Modern Buddhist Vipassana
Although Theravada claims to be the most orthodox Buddhist tradition, modernists within that tradition have promoted vipassana or insight meditation as the Buddha’s unique meditation practice. In the Pali Canon, however, insight generally comes after mastery of the jhanas. Modern understandings of the word “vipassana” appear to differ from the understanding of the Early Buddhists who transmitted the Sutta Pitaka.
09/2/17
Removing Doubts & Obstacles When The Buddha’s Path Is Blocked
It’s not uncommon for Buddhists to feel like their practice has stalled. Concentration wavers, awareness is lost, doubts arise, and the Buddha’s supreme freedom from samsara seems hopelessly unattainable. It can be an especially trying time if you’re a solitary practitioner lacking the guidance of a skilled meditation teacher. But it’s also an opportunity to straighten your views and re-affirm your refuge in the Triple Gem.
07/29/16
Patience Mantra
![[SAM_8832_tonemapped] Thumb](http://trustinginbuddha.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/SAM_8832_tonemapped-Thumb.jpg)
….
Experiencing life as a personal affront and entertaining denial and anger is not only physically/mentally draining but also stresses the people around us. Accepting the situation and not taking it personally, on the other hand, not only eases our suffering mind but is kinder to others and a sets a good example. Our patience may be strengthened by contemplating the following mantra on waking each morning…
06/30/16
Meditating On Imminent Death, Planning For Terminal Decline
….
Sickness, ageing and death are as much a part of the lifecycle as birth, youth and health. Yet our attitude and actions suggest that we don’t really understand these life experiences. My purpose in writing this post is to inspire a realistic and proactive attitude towards imminent death and terminal decline. In particular, I wish to highlight the urgent need for an end of life care and treatment plan.
05/30/16
Working With The Five Hindrances – Ajahn Thiradhammo
“The theme of this book is working with the Five (Mental) Hindrances (nīvarana). It is thus perhaps mainly a book for people with some experience of meditation who have encountered these Hindrances, obstructions, disturbances to some degree, and who are interested in knowing how to work with them.” – Ajahn Thiradhammo…
03/30/16
The Experience Of Being: A Guided Meditation
The fundamentals of existence are visible form or corporeality (Rupa); feelings of pleasure, pain or indifference (Vedana); names, allusions or perceptions (Sanna); conditioned mental formulations (Sankhara); and cogniscance, consciousness, or awareness (Vinnana). According to the Buddha, these five ‘aggregates’ are impermanent (anicca), unsatisfactory (dukkha) and not-self (anatta), and that is how we should contemplate them.
01/26/16
Mind & Meditation: Observations From Buddhism & Science
Does modern science lend support to Buddhist ideas about the human mind? Does modern science lend support to the logic behind Buddhist meditation practice? After summarizing what Buddhism says about human minds and meditation, I refer to three scientific studies which may enable one to answer ‘yes’ to both questions.