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How Do You Change Habits
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but the condition for surrender is struggle, or samsara.
In Buddhist terminology we could argue that passion is absolutely to be ended without remainder etc. That attention, (and Floating Abu, sorry, but it is in the Pali Canon and is Buddhism) should be directed towards nibbana, or peace, but...
PrairieGhost then brings an out of context alternately translated phrase:
He gives attention to imperturbability. While he is giving attention to imperturbability, his mind enters into imperturbability and acquires confidence, steadiness, and decision. When that is so, he understands thus: ‘While I am giving attention to imperturbability, my mind enters into imperturbability and acquires confidence, steadiness, and decision.’ In this way he has full awareness of that.
This is a meditation reference. And the alternate translation blows your connection i.e. the word "attention": http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.122.than.html
How does your out of context quote back up your claim that Buddhism says attention should be directed towards nibbana, or peace.
And is nibbana a place now or is it now just the word imperturability?
Additionally, in the context of all this - how does one change one's habits using this claim you have made (but cannot back up)
Finally for credibility, please explain where Buddhism says that "passion is absolutely to be ended without remainder"
Quote sutras or authentic teachers in context.
Abu
This is, by the way, what you said originally:
And when the Buddha finally arose, the armies were gone, it was as if they had never existed at all; he couldn't find suffering, and he never found it again.
I think that is a misrepresentation.
FWIW.
Best wishes,
Abu
An odd personal practise with habits is..
Once a week I pick what ever personal habit seems to be strongest and drop it. I only do it for a week. At weeks end I pick the same one again or a different one depending on whatever one is more dominent. This isn't a purfication practise but just a way of exploring another place where I am unwilling to just be present.
It is amazing how many habits we aquire over time that might even have started with the best of spiritual intention or justification but really just evolve into a holliday from truth.
and peace is vertical in that it is alway here and we just need to stop, relax and let go.
some can gradually drop habits, thus they work towards finding the peace that is here.
some can just drop habits, thus they find the peace that is here.
In any case, I can agree that practicing Buddhism may help in dedicating a life to helping others, if that's what someone wants to do. There are all sorts of practices that can help with that. That includes secular practices. Obviously there are many Buddhist practitioners who do not dedicate their lives to helping others, though they may consider the practice itself dedicating their life to helping others.
To look at it from a more positive perspective, since you say that you want to help, that compassion is an underlying condition of your life, but mention difficulties which limit your ability to help others; when all your difficulties are ended for good, and there's absolutely no need to help yourself, what else would you do but help those whose difficulties continue?
Or more accurately, the practice of ending your troubles is co-dependent with the practice of ending the troubles of others. Your being free will spread freedom.
In any case, isn't "finding peace" a desirable habit that replaces and undesirable habit?
Best wishes,
Abu
if one were to have their hand clenched really tight and then suddenly let go, one would find instant release. if one where to gradually let go of their clench on their hand then one would gradually find release.
in regards to dropping habits to actualize peace. gross habits like stopping smoking or changing eating habits do cause great suffering in the immediate, but the long term benefit is worth it.
but i was speaking of dropping immediate habits such as tensions in the body or mind. It can be holding in the form of an idea or holding in the gut or heart. Immediately letting go of those brings peace.
for those who suffer, peace is important. that is why they are on the path of buddhism.
just like in school we learn to write and read, one must also traverse the path of buddhism. the motivation is end of suffering which is peace.
though peace may be the object of our goal but essentially you're right in that peace can become an obstacle to peace. thus in many ways one must realize that peace cannot be forced or controlled by effort. we can at best stop conditioning aversion, attachment, and ignorance.
With respect, I think you are referring to relaxation.
My impression is this what you do constantly - anytime there is some tension or conflict in your mind, you invoke this method.
It's a method, but it's still very limited. I think it will be good for you at the Dzogchen retreat. I always found it immensely flowering whenever I weaned myself of all the reading and intellectualising.
May you and I realise genuine peace and liberation.
Abu
My practice is strictly opening to presence awareness through relaxing tensions and effort.
You're absolutely right that I need to wean myself away from intellectualism and find real please.
Thanks for the reminder.
May all beings awaken to their true condition.
Ignorance is a condition. Habits are conditions. The skillful response to them is the same.
I have found that @taiyaki 's technique of dropping stress when it is noted, is quite useful to my practice. When I feel the stress, tension, unsatisfactoriness, etc it queues me in on my habits, conditions, patterns. I learn what to look for and I just relax it. I remove effort, I remove force, I just allow it to be. I don't take action, but simple let go and watch it.
To tie this back to the OP, I find that if you want to drop a habit, you should simply observe the habit first. Get to know the habit. Know why you do it, what triggers it, etc. When I do this in my own life, I find that I am able to see the correct method to transform my unskillful habits into skillful ones.
For instance, I have bitten my nails for around 24 years and just recently decided I wish to stop. Before doing anything, I just watched my habit. I realized by observing myself, that I bite my nails in response to anxiety. Anxiety is is a bigger issue I am working on separately; never the less, knowing that it is a response to anxiety, I can now feel that when I go to bite my nails. When I feel that, then I remember that it is a reaction. Then I chose a response which helps dissipate that "need" to bite my nails as relief: I go for a quick walk, I work on observing my anxiety, etc.
Just watch yourself and you will see the best approach to changing that particular habit.
Briefly in the wider context Buddhism has to be able to live in the real storms too if it is to manifest its full capacity IMO.
Well wishes,
Abu
Understanding is one of the biggest traps.
Metta,
Abu
It would help if you explained why you oppose describing practice as bringing attention towards peace. For me it seems an apt description, if limited, and only one way of looking at it.
If you feel strongly that it is inaccurate, then I guess you must have good reason for that, and it would be useful for me to understand your views.
If it's more about the sutta, well, you mentioned context, but again I don't follow your reasoning.
It may well be that you command and require greater linguistic precision than I in discussing these ideas, which is fine, but that's a choice of approach which you won't persuade everyone to make. I tend to try to say 'yes, I see what you mean', if I understand the spirit of what is meant, even if I'd have put it differently.
It's pretty simple - you made points and they were examined. You claimed they were fact but on closer examination that does not seem to be in line with the teachings, that's all.
To not hijack this thread further, I will not comment further in here, but if you have an answer, provide it in a new thread, or I can start one.
Abu
I agree.
I won't comment further on the other points in this thread.
Best wishes,
Abu
From the Mahayana Bodhisattva vows http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/mzb/mzb01.htm
Excellent, I'll respond - now back up the rest.
We'll take it here: http://newbuddhist.com/discussion/15680/bringing-attention-to-peace
@SattvaPaul - Ditto I am oft very lazy to read through all the posts
Enjoy,
Abu
Metta,
Abu
It can be very difficult to deal with the negative attitude a person has about themselves, when you think you are doing something "bad". I have done as you say, replaced a habit with a more adaptive one like, "just do it" and it works for a while, but as long as I am effected by my belief that I am bad, I slip into the same trap. When I believe I am bad, I give up. I actually think the thought alone tires me out.
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Hey Allbuddhabound
Sometimes I think that the sum total of my buddhist training has only been about dealing with procrastination.
The hinderence is not so much that the person has a negative attitude about themselves but is about the preference they've developed for first living their life in their brain. You have been asking your brain to assume a dominence and responsibility that is not it's due. It needs to be shared with it's partners.... form, sensation, activity & conscousness.
The easiest way to alter that brain preference is by choosing activity as a first step.
The usual teaching story about this is " to just pick up the broom and sweep instead of contemplating the three thousand ways of doing it. If you can move your first response from mentality into activity, then you will break procrastinations hold.
Yes it is about habit adjustments, but it will take you along the path towards the equinimity that will leave those habits behind in the dust.
Unlike others I could mention.
Other problems include "I love the sound of my own voice", as-hominem attacks and perpetuating arguments in order to try to have the last word.
well guess who gets the last word?