Simple, Easy to Understand `Mindfulness' by Bhante Vimalaramsi
Dhamma Greetings Adam,
I hope this finds you well and happy!
I have just written another article about mindfulness and the 6R's
and
thought you would enjoy it. Please find it below.
Maha-Metta 2U
always
Bhante Vimalaramsi
Simple, Easy to Understand `Mindfulness' by Bhante
Vimalaramsi
Nov 29, 2006
In Buddhist meditation, have the questions ever come up, "What is
mindfulness (Sati), really?"
"Exactly how does one practice being
mindful?"
"Can mindfulness really lighten up one's perspective and
help bring joy, happiness and balance into every aspect of life?"
If mindfulness is recollecting how to proceed step-by-step when a
distraction arises and pulls mind's attention away from whatever one
is
doing during their daily activities or during their sitting
meditation
practice, then by doing this practice life becomes easier and more
stress free, at that point it seems that it would be a useful tool
to
develop. Don't you agree?
To clearly understand this connection, one first has to start
with
a precise definition of Meditation (Bhavana) and Mindfulness (Sati).
Seeing this will help one gain a new harmonious perspective (Samma
Ditthi) of exactly how mind works and teaches the meditator `HOW" to
change old painful habits that cause great suffering into a new way
of
having a contented, balanced mind. This is the point of all of the
Buddha's teachings, isn't it?
Meditation (Bhavana) is "observing how mind's attention moves
moment-to-moment in order to see clearly and precisely `HOW' the
impersonal (anatta) process of Dependent Origination (Paticca
Samupada)
occurs." Seeing and understanding `HOW' mind's attention moves from
one thing to another is what the main thrust is in Buddhist
Meditation!
This is why Dependent Origination is so important to see and
understand. It develops an impersonal perspective with all arising
phenomena and leads the meditator to see for themselves the true
nature
of all existence.
Why is this important? Because concerning awakening, it has been
said by the Blessed One: "One who sees dependent origination sees
the
Dhamma; one who sees the Dhamma sees dependent origination." [MN-
28:28]
Mindfulness is "remembering HOW to observe mind's attention as it
moves moment-to-moment and remembering what to do with any arising
phenomena!"
Successful meditation needs a highly developed skill of
Mindfulness.
The "6R's" training taught at Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center is a
reclaimed ancient guidance system which develops this skill. The
first
R is to RECOGNIZE but before we do it, the meditator must RECOLLECT
or
use their observation power [mindfulness] for the meditation cycle
to
start running. Mindfulness is the fuel. It's just like gas for an
engine. Without Mindfulness, everything stops! Being persistent with
this practice it will relieve suffering of all kinds. To begin this
cycle "smoothly" one must start the engine and have lots of gas
(mindfulness) in the tank!
Meditation (Bhavana) helps one let go of such difficult
delusional
states in life as fear, anger, tension, stress, anxiety, depression,
sadness, sorrow, fatigue, condemnation, feelings of helplessness or
whatever the catch (attachment) of the day happens to be.
(Delusional
here means taking things that arise personally and identifying with
them to be "I", "Me", "Mine" or atta in Pali). These states are the
suffering that we cause to ourselves. This suffering comes from a
lack
of understanding how things actually occur.
The "6R's" are steps which evolve into one fluid motion becoming
a
new wholesome habitual tendency that relieves any dis-ease in mind
and
body. This cycle begins when MINDFULNESS recollects the "6R's" which
are:
RECOGNIZE
RELEASE
RELAX
RE-SMILE
RETURN
REPEAT
Development of mindfulness (one's observation power) recollects
each
step of the practice cycle. Once one understands what the purpose of
mindfulness is, keeping it going all the time is no longer
problematic
and makes the meditation easier to understand, plus it is much more
fun
to practice. It becomes a part of happy living and this brings up a
smile. Remembering and recollection leads to having a wholesome
up-lifted mind.
This recollection (mindfulness) is very important. Before
practicing
the `6R's" one has to REMEMBER to start the cycle! That's the trick!
Remembering to gas-up the engine, so it can run smoothly! Then we
begin
to:
RECOGNIZE: Mindfulness recollects how the meditator can recognize
and observe any movement of mind's attention from one thing to
another.
This observation notices any movement of mind's attention away from
an
object of meditation, such as the breath, sending out of Metta or,
doing a task in daily life. One can notice a slight tightness or
tension sensation as mind's attention barely begins to move toward
any
arising phenomena. Pleasant or painful feeling can occur at any one
of
the six sense doors. Any sight, sound, odor, taste, touch, or
thought
can cause this pulling sensation to begin. With careful non-
judgmental
observation, the meditator will notice a slight tightening
sensation.
RECOGNIZING early movement is vital to successful meditation. One
then
continues on to;
RELEASE: When a feeling or thought arises, the meditator RELEASES
it, let's it be there without giving anymore attention to it. The
content of the distraction is not important at all, but the
mechanics
of HOW it arose are important! Just let go of any tightness around
it;
let it be there without placing attention on it. Without attention,
the
tightness passes away. Mindfulness then reminds the meditator to;
RELAX: After releasing the feeling or sensation, and allowing it
to
be without trying to control it, there is a subtle, barely
noticeable
tension within mind/body. This is why a RELAX [TRANQUILIZATION] step
is
being pointed out by the Buddha in his meditation instructions.
PLEASE,
DON'T SKIP THIS STEP! It would be like not putting oil in a car so
the
motor can run smoothly. The important Pali word here
is `pas'sambaya'.
The word specifically means `to tranquilize' and appears as `an
action
to be performed' as described in the suttas and is not `a general
kind
of relaxed or tranquilized feeling' that can arise with other kinds
of
meditations. This point is sometimes mis-understood in translation
which then changes the end result! Without performing this step of
relaxation every time in the cycle of meditation, the meditator will
not experience a close-up view of the ceasing (cessation) of the
tension caused by craving or feel that relief as the tightness is
relaxed. Note that craving always first manifests as a tightness or
tension in both one's mind and body. One has a momentary opportunity
to
see and experience the true nature and relief of cessation (of
tightness and suffering) while performing the RELEASE/RELAX steps.
Mindfulness moves on with a recollection the meditator should then;
RE-SMILE: If you have listened to the Dhamma talks at
www.dhammasukha.org you might remember hearing about how smiling is
an
important aspect for the meditation. Learning to smile with mind and
raising slightly the corners of the mouth helps mind to be
observant,
alert and agile. Getting serious, tensing up or frowning causes mind
to
become heavy and one's mindfulness becomes dull and slow. One's
insights become more difficult to see, thus slowing down one's
understanding of Dhamma. Imagine, for a moment, the young
Bodhisatta
resting under the Rose Apple Tree as a young boy. He was not serious
and tense when he attained a pleasant abiding [jhana] and had deep
insights with a light mind. Want to see clearly? It's easy! Just
lighten up, have fun exploring and smile! Smiling leads us to a
happier
more interesting practice. If the meditator forgets to
Release/Relax,
rather than punishing or criticizing oneself, be kind, re-smile and
start again. Keeping up one's humor, sense of fun exploration and
recycling is important. After re-smiling, mindfulness recalls the
next
step.
RETURN or RE-DIRECT: Gently re-direct mind's attention back to
the
object of meditation (that is the breath and relaxing, or metta and
relaxing) continuing with a gentle collected mind to use that object
as
a "home base". In daily life, having been pulled off task, this is
where one returns their attention back to releasing, relaxing, and
re-smiling into the task. Sometimes people say this practice cycle
is
simpler than expected! In history simple things can become a mystery
through small changes and omissions! Reclaiming this practice
develops
more effective focus on daily tasks with less tension and tightness.
Mind becomes more naturally balanced and happy. The meditator
becomes
more efficient at whatever they do in life and, actually, they have
more fun doing all of the things that used to be a drudgery. Nearing
the end of the cycle, Mindfulness helps with a final recollection to;
REPEAT: REPEAT this entire practice cycle to attain the results
the
Buddha said could be reached in this lifetime! Repeating the "6R's
cycle" over and over again eventually replaces old habitual
suffering
as we see and experience for ourselves what suffering actually is;
notice the cause which is becoming involved with the tension and
tightness in any way; experience how to reach the cessation by
releasing and relaxing; and discover how to exercise the direct path
to
that cessation of suffering that we cause ourselves. This happens
each
time one Releases an arising feeling, Relaxes and Re-smiles. Notice
the
Relief.
Sharpening the skill of mindfulness is the key
to simple and smooth meditation.
In summary, Mindfulness is very relevant to Buddhist meditation
and
daily life. The process of recollection keeps the 6 steps of the
practice moving. Practicing this meditation as close to the
description
(found in the suttas) as possible will lighten all of life's
experiences. A very similar practice was most likely taught to
people
in the time of the Buddha. The remarkable results of doing the
meditation in this way are "immediately effective" for anyone who
diligently and ardently embraces these instructions. When one has an
attachment arise this practice will eventually dissolve the
hindrance,
but it does take persistent and constant use of the "6R's" to have
this
happen.
When one practices in this way, because it is found to be so
relevant in daily life, it changes one's perspective and leads us to
a
more successful, happy, and peaceful experience. Developing
mindfulness, knowledge and wisdom grow naturally as one sees HOW
things
work by witnessing the impersonal process of dependent origination.
This leads to a form of happiness the Buddha called "Contentment".
Contentment is the by-product of living the Buddhist practice. This
meditation leads to equanimity, balance and dissolution of fear and
other dis-eases. With less fear and dread one finds new confidence.
Then Loving Kindness, Compassion, Joy and Equanimity grow in our
lives.
The practitioner's degree of success is directly proportional to
how
well they understand mindfulness, follow the precise instructions,
and
use the "6R" practice in both the sitting practice and in one's
daily
life. This is the way to the end of suffering. It's interesting and
fun
to practice this way and certainly it helps one smile while changing
the world around them in a positive way.
May you reach Nibbana quickly and easily in this very life time!
Maha-Metta 2U
always
Bhante Vimalaramsi
Talks can be download as MP3 or as html file from :
Joshua Tree Retreat (Meditation) & Suttas
Bhante U Vimalaramsi
Abbot of Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center,
RR1 Box 100, Annapolis, MO. 63620, U.S.A.
www.dhammasukha.org
www.Dhammapada.Buddhistnetwork.com
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