Recently
I clicked on an advertisement on Facebook that was promoting effortless
mindfulness. I’ve seen plenty of these ads recently, so I wanted to
check out what other meditation teachers were calling ‘effortless’. I
was disappointed to learn that they didn’t really mean effortless in the
same way I understand it, and were using the term effortless as more of
a buzz word than literally. A mindfulness system re-branded as
effortless perhaps.
The word effortless in meditation usually
has a specific meaning and is often related to non-dual traditions that
teach the perfection of awareness is already present and therefore any
effort to achieve something you already are is misguided and misleading.
Effortless meditation is called non-meditation in Tantric Tibetan
Buddhist lineages and is often related to the just sitting of Zazen
meditation found in Soto Zen Buddhism.
Effortless
meditation requires no adjustments, no manipulation, no expectations
and no goals. As the instructions go – there is nothing to remove and
nothing to add, there’s literally nothing to do and therefore it’s
called effortless. It’s also called the natural state of meditation
because you don’t create it you simply recognise the open presence of
awareness already available and present.
These days it seems people are using the term effortless to mean easy
or even fun but it can muddy the waters of meditation and is not really
effortless at all. What I described above as effortless is known as the
highest perspective in meditation wisdom traditions, but you can start
to experience effortless meditation in simple mindfulness practices too,
in fact it’s important you do.
Firstly
effort in meditation is not a dirty word. Diligence, patience, and
persistence have long been a stable backbone of meditation training and
have their place. Also, to start meditation it’s vitally important to
know what to do and what not to do. It takes skill that becomes
increasingly more subtle to become self-aware of the processes of the
mind.
You can read my instructions for essential meditation practice
HERE where I balance the effort of mindfulness with the non-effort of just being in meditation.
The
key element and effort required in mindfulness meditation is to know
when you are focusing on your object of meditation, usually your breath,
and when you’re distracted. When you notice you’re distracted, you use
effort to guide the mind back to the task at hand.
In
classical Buddhism there is a meta cognition at work diligently
watching and making sure you’re performing your task of not getting
distracted. This internal ‘watchdog’ also ensures that you’re not too
sleepy and you’re not too excited even when you’re not distracted and
your paying attention to your object of meditation.
All
this requires effort and diligence and becomes the familiar playground
of the meditator. Watching your attention and making big and subtle
adjustments. If you’re too sleepy you need to adjust yourself to awaken
more and if you’re too excited, you need to adjust yourself to calm
down.
So
essentially it takes effort to keep watch and make adjustments to your
attention. However, if you don’t discover the effortless part of this
process you can remain in this effortful practice of meditation for
years without ever realizing a calm mind. It can make you hyper vigilant
and meditation can even turn into a stressful practice.
The
actual effortlessness in mindfulness meditation is learning when to do
nothing. When you’re distracted that’s not the time to do nothing,
that’s when you need effort to bring the mind home to the present
object. But once you’re attention is settled on the breath you can start
to do less and less until you’re doing nothing at all. The reason this
works is because clear non-distracted presence is actually a natural
part of the nature of mind. The effort of mindfulness is to clear away
distraction to uncover the potential of your natural calm presence.
Once
you’ve caught distraction and guided your attention back home to the
present moment and you’ve caught and adjusted to the subtle dullness and
over excitement that muddy your clarity, you can now relax and do
nothing. This is the effortless part of mindfulness; to abide on your
object of meditation simply and calmly without making any adjustments or
modifications at all.
This
is the real effortlessness of mindfulness meditation. Tibetan masters
would instruct that at this point there’s nothing to do, nothing to add
and nothing to remove. I usually call it ‘just being’ in my
instructions.
To
continually make adjustments and to think about whether your meditation
is working or not just becomes another obstacle in an endless game of
cat and mouse. This is called over applying effort which implies there
needs to be a balance or at least the correct amount of effort before
you let go.
It
can be difficult to let go of the effort to adjust and modify your
meditation but a good way to monitor progress is noticing your ability
to watch the breath without controlling it. This is the key to doing
nothing and letting go of effort to become the naturally calm observer.
When you watch the breath the tendency is to control it. But when you
can observe your breath ‘breathing itself’ you are well on the way to
finding effortlessness.
To
simply rest on the breath, doing nothing but paying attention, a
certain calm presence of mind emerges. It’s becoming familiar with this
calm presence that constitutes genuine meditation practice. The more
familiar you become with this natural calm presence within formal
meditation then you can begin to integrate this effortless wisdom into
every aspect of your life. The art of doing nothing is the integrated
‘non-action’ into your everyday behaviour. You can read more about it
HERE.
In
conclusion I’d like to leave you with a very powerful and simple
meditation instruction from Tantric Buddhism which includes effort and
non-effort, it says “there’s absolutely nothing to meditate on but don’t
get distracted.” Here we have the effortless way to meditate which is
not to focus on anything or strive for anything in particular but making
effort to not get distracted from your natural effortless awareness.
Chad
is the founder of The Way of Meditation and has been teaching
meditation since 2003 and is determined to bring authentic meditation
practices into the lives of millions of people in the modern world. Chad
is a former Buddhist monk who spent 6 years living in a retreat hut
studying and practicing meditation full time. Chad now offers Online Meditation Coaching and has also developed an incredible course called The 21 Day Meditation Challenge to
help guide people gradually from the basics of mindfulness and
relaxation to profound states of awareness. And now you can read Chad’s
free e-book Insights Along the Way.
Jagatheesan Chandrasekharan
16 h · Shared with Public
Public
https://youtu.be/DvPshpC7djU
Top 10 Houses and Caves where Buddha has lived: Places where Buddha has lived
youtube.com
Top 10 Houses and Caves where Buddha has lived: Places where Buddha has lived
How Does Buddhism Relate to Meditation and Yoga?
Buddhism is Found in Meditation and Yoga
People
who begin taking yoga or meditation classes often hear about Buddhism.
Buddhism, Meditation, and Yoga are similar to one another, because they
can be used to complement each other. By learning one or two
disciplines such as yoga or meditation, you are often learning
principles and practices of Buddhism and vice versa.
Buddhism
Buddhism
teaches us that life is suffering. Buddhism first seeks to bring our
focus inward, and then to direct our awareness away from ourselves.
When we practice meditation, we begin by sitting still and calming our
mind. From the lightness of spirit that arises during this practice of
gentle acceptance, we eventually begin to feel our heart. The mental
shift to loving-kindness that we get when meditating cultivates the
habits of compassion for ourselves and others. We are asked to stay with
our emotions in an observant, yet, non-judgmental way. Eventually, we
begin to accept who we are, blemishes and all.
Building on this habit
of self-acceptance, we come to recognize other people’s inner-selves,
too, and feel encouraged to be kind to them as well. Once we have
reached this state of being, in which we consciously and compassionately
no longer seek to hold on to people and things, we are in possession of
powerful benevolent energy. This enables us to relate wisely,
passionately, and unconsciously with ourselves, each other, our family
and friends, and the world around us.
The Buddhist teachings
encourage us to embrace ourselves as we are, rather than blindly seeking
false connections outside of ourselves. As human beings, we naturally
possess this ‘awakened heart,’ but we lose it as we leave childhood.
With adulthood come a number of emotions that cloud our awareness:
jealousy, anger, greed, and hatred.
Buddhist Meditation
Meditation
done in the Buddhist manner (https://amzn.to/2RNoaka) teaches
techniques that make known to us that none of these emotions are fixed.
As we continue to practice, we learn how to watch our varied emotions
come and go while we remain as a calm observer of them. Through the
practice of meditation, we learn how to remain in the present, to keep
our awareness on what is in the now, for example, rather than on what we
are thinking about that may or may not come to pass. When we have
learned to be accepting of the present, we begin to see it without the
lens of grouchiness and begin to radiate loving-kindness to all things
around us.
Our focus on the present eventually overrides our concern
that the agenda we have may not be met. We are no longer attached to
the outcome of situations. Rather we are focused on the experience of
life as it happens to us. Once we have achieved this goal, we are in a
position to experience true equanimity. In a state of true equanimity,
we have balance of body and mind, heart and mind, inner vision and outer
awareness, giving and receiving, without losing our inner focus as the
world races in its frenetic pace around us.
A Brief Story about the Journey of the Buddha
According
to the annals of history (https://amzn.to/2srGwcl), we know that Buddha
engaged in extreme asceticism and yoga practices. He experienced both
sleep and food deprivation, lengthy breath retention, and he was known
to stand on one leg for hours. In the end he found all of these
practices unsatisfactory.
His realization was that by denying
yourself, you end up creating an even stronger craving for whatever it
is that you are denying. In a way, he reasoned that by acting as if he
didn’t have a body or that having a body at all was ultimately a bad
thing. He decided that it was somehow equivalent to indulging in the
bodies desires.
The Buddha also realized that no matter how hard you
may try to ignore your body, it will still work very hard to make itself
known to you. He and his cohorts went to great lengths to try to
escape all forms of desire. In that process they locked out the
possibility of any genuine emotions or feelings.
LESSON 4561 Tue 20 Sep 2022
https://youtu.be/k-CuJddQYjY
To live like free Birds 🦅 🦅 🦅Grow vegetables 🥗 fruits 🍎 plants 🌱 in pots 🪴with Patanjali Yogic Mindful Meditative Swimming 🏊♂️.
Do what is good; purify the mind—this is the teaching of the Benevolently Awakened One
Find Your Inner Peace | Healing Music for The Body and Soul | Relaxing, Meditation, Sleep, Yoga, Spa
Arise, victorious hero, caravan leader,
Debtless one, and wander the world.
Let the Blessed One teach the Dhamma,
There will be those who will understand.
For all those ailing in the world
Until their every sickness has been healed,
May I myself become for them
The doctor, nurse, the medicine itself.
Raining down a flood of food and drink
May I become a treasure ever plentiful,
And in the ages marked by scarcity and want,
May I myself appear as drink and sustenance.
For sentient beings, poor and destitute,
May I become a treasure ever plentiful,
And lie before them closely in their reach,
A varied source of all that they might need.
Namo Buddhaya🙏🌺🙏
Smarananjali- 9th Death Anniversary of Most Venerable Acharya Buddharakkhita Bhanteji.
23rd September 2022
Dear Upasakas and Upasikas,
Most Venerable Acharya Buddharakkhita, Bada Bhanteji, dedicated his life for the study, practice and teaching of the Supreme Buddha’s Doctrine. Founding the Maha Bodhi Society, Bengaluru and various institutions, he rendered yeomen services to the humanity in the field of spirituality, education, medical service, environment conservation, animal welfare and nation building.
On the occasion of 9th Smarananjali, we invite you to take part in various programs at Maha Bodhi Society, Bengaluru dedicated to our Guruji Pujya Acharya Buddharakkhita Bada Bhanteji from 23rd to 25th September.
Senior monks from all the branches of Mahabodhi are coming to Bengaluru. There will be Sangha Vandana- paying respect to all monks, 10 Buddha Rupa donations to new Buddha Viharas, free medical camps, Sri Lanka relief Seva, Puja, and Meditation at Gandhinagar and Dhammaduta meditation center, Narasipura, Bengaluru.
ನಮೋ ಬುದ್ಧಾಯ🌸🙏🌸🙏🌸🙏
ಸ್ಮರಣಾಂಜಲಿ- ಪರಮಪೂಜ್ಯ ಆಚಾರ್ಯ ಬುದ್ಧರಕ್ಖಿತ ಭಂತೇಜಿಯವರ 9ನೇ ಪುಣ್ಯತಿಥಿ.
23 ಸೆಪ್ಟೆಂಬರ್ 2022.
ಆತ್ಮೀಯ ಉಪಾಸಕರೇ ಮತ್ತು ಉಪಾಸಿಕೇಯರೆ,
ಪರಮ ಪೂಜ್ಯ ಆಚಾರ್ಯ ಬುದ್ಧರಕ್ಖಿತ, ಬಡ ಭಂತೇಜಿ, ತಮ್ಮ ಜೀವನವನ್ನು ಭಗವಾನ್ ಬುದ್ಧರ ಉಪದೇಶಗಳ ಅಧ್ಯಯನ, ಅಭ್ಯಾಸ ಮತ್ತು ಬೋಧನೆಗಾಗಿ ಮುಡಿಪಾಗಿಟ್ಟರು. ಮಹಾ ಬೋಧಿ ಸೊಸೈಟಿ, ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಮತ್ತು ವಿವಿಧ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಿ, ಅವರು ಆಧ್ಯಾತ್ಮಿಕತೆ, ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ, ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ ಸೇವೆ, ಪರಿಸರ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆ, ಪ್ರಾಣಿ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ ಮತ್ತು ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ ನಿರ್ಮಾಣ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾನವೀಯತೆಗೆ ಅದ್ಭುತ ಸೇವೆಗಳನ್ನು ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
9ನೇ ಸ್ಮರಣಾಂಜಲಿಯ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ, ಸೆ.23 ರಿಂದ 25 ರವರೆಗೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಗುರೂಜಿ ಪೂಜ್ಯ ಆಚಾರ್ಯ ಬುದ್ಧರಕ್ಖಿತ ಬಡ ಭಂತೇಜಿ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಸಮರ್ಪಿಸಲಾದ ವಿವಿಧ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಲು ನಿಮ್ಮನ್ನು ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಮಹಾ ಬೋಧಿ ಸೊಸೈಟಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಆಹ್ವಾನಿಸುತ್ತೇವೆ.
ಮಹಾಬೋಧಿಯ ಎಲ್ಲ ಶಾಖೆಗಳ ಹಿರಿಯ ಭಂತೆಜಿಗಳು ಹಾಜರಿದ್ದು ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಗಾಂಧಿನಗರ ಮತ್ತು ನರಸೀಪುರದ ಧಮ್ಮದೂತ ಧ್ಯಾನ ಕೇಂದ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಘ-ವಂದನೆ, ಹೊಸ ಬುದ್ಧ ವಿಹಾರಗಳಿಗೆ 10 ಬುದ್ಧ ರೂಪ ದಾನ, ಉಚಿತ ವೈದ್ಯಕೀಯ ಶಿಬಿರಗಳು, ಶ್ರೀಲಂಕಾ ಪರಿಹಾರ ಸೇವೆ, ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ, ಪೂಜೆ ಮತ್ತು ಧ್ಯಾನ ನಡೆಯಲಿದೆ. ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸಿ
Programs
23rd Sept 2022 at Kalidasa Road, Gandhinagar, Bengaluru monastery
9 AM-
Buddha Puja,
Meditation,
Buddha Rupa donation to viharas,
Sanghadana
12:30 PM- Lunch for all
2 PM- Travel by bus to Dhammaduta Meditation center, Narasipura,
3:30 PM - Puja and meditation at Bodhi Rasmi Pagoda.
7 PM- Return to Gandhinagar center by bus. (Those who wish to join in the bus, please let us know – Mr. Dhammacakkhu – M/Whatsapp – 9380430086)
24th Sept 2022 - Free Medical Camp at Mahabodhi Hospital, Siddapura, Bengaluru organized by Trulife Mahabodhi Hospital, Mahabodhi Karuna Medical Center, and AarogyaSeva Foundation.
25th Sept 2022 Sunday at Kalidasa Road, Gandhinagar, Bengaluru monastery
SANGHA VANDANA – Gratitude to the Sangha
9 AM to 11 AM –
- Meditation and Sanghadana
- Snacks for lay people
11:30 AM
- Buddha Puja
- Sangha Vandana
- Dhamma talk and blessings by Most Ven.Kassapa Mahathera
- Presentation of Mahabodhi Activities
- Release of Abhidhamma Charts booklet
- Sri Lanka Relief Seva
1:30 PM - Lunch for all
To support Mahabodhi activities donations are welcome. You may kindly send your donation to
AC Name- Maha Bodhi Society
AC No. 353102010000137
IFCS Code: UBIN0535311
UNION BANK OF INDIA, Gandhinagar, Bengaluru-09.
We thank all donors for your generous contribution & participation.
May you all be happy!
Our Compassionate Teacher
Today on the occasion of our beloved teacher and Dhamma father’s death anniversary, it is necessary for all of us to remember his dedicated services to the Buddha Sasana. Bada Bhanteji used to say in his talks, “It is greatest honor for me to be a Buddhadasa, a humble servant at the lotus feet of Lord Buddha”. Bada Bhanteji’s life and teachings showed the path of Dhamma and continue to inspire us. It is our responsibility to take forward his legacy of compassion and give this noble Dhamma to one and all, starting with ourselves.
With metta,
Team Mahabodhi
Maha Bodhi Society
14, Kalidasa Road, Gandhinagar, Bengaluru 560009
9731635108 / 9731826618
🙏🌺🙏🌺🙏🌺
Namo Buddhaya🙏🌺🙏
Thieves chitpavan brahmins robbed Ramayan Mahabharata for their hindutvastan. Now they are robbing god.
நம்பினார் கெடுவதில்லை…..
நான்கு மறை தீர்ப்பு…..
(கடவுள் இருப்பதாக சொல்லப்படும் இடம் கீழே அம்புக்குறியிட்டு காட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது).
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
The Brahmins support BJP and RSS, because RSS is founded and ruled by Brahmins. The upper leadership of RSS is Brahmins in general and chitpavan brahmin in particular. Lets understand.
1 The first founder of RSS was Mr K.B. Hedgewar K. B. Hedgewar - Wikipedia
. He was chitpavan Brahmin
2 After Hedgewar, Mr Paranjape Succeeded him. Paranjape is chitpavan Brahmin caste from Maharashtra Laxman Vaman Paranjpe - Wikipedia
3 From 1940 to 1973 Mr Golwalkar was head of RSS . He is chitpavan Brahmin M. S. Golwalkar - Wikipedia
4 Mr Madhukar Deoras from 1974 to 1993 was chitpavan Brahmin Madhukar Dattatraya Deoras - Wikipedia
5 Mr Rajendra Singh from 1993 to 2000. He was non Brahmin first time Rajendra Singh (RSS) - Wikipedia
6 K Sudarshan from 2000 to 2009. He is chitpavan BrahminK. S. Sudarshan - Wikipedia
7 Mohan Bhagwat from 2000 to present . chitpavan Brahmin Mohan Bhagwat - Wikipedia
So except Mr Rajendra, the RSS is always headed by chitpavan Brahmans.
It is like Congress. The congress party revolves round the Gandhi family. The BJP revolves round chitpavan Brahmin dominated RSS. including bulbul pilot vinay dhamodar savarkar and godse.
Start growing your own food 🍲 🍱 🥘 like 👍 vegan 🌱 vegetables 🥦 🥕 🥗 & fruits 🍌 🍎 🍉 in pots 🪴 to live like free birds 🐦 🦢 🦅to Do Good & Purify Mind to create Benevolent Awakened One Universe.