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Define "Resistance" in Buddhism
Mingle
Veteran
I know its something I want to stop doing but I feel I could do better to avoid it with a better understanding of it. Right now I'm thinking its trying to push away unwanted thoughts and feelings and this is why I should be mindful so I can avoid doing this. How am I resisting when I'm not being mindful though? I don't get it?
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Craving and aversion are usually largely unconscious, so we practice mindfulness to become more aware of them. It's not really about getting rid of anything, just seeing clearly.
refusal to accept something new or different. Non acceptance
Depends on the situation IMO. Ultimately, you probably want to not get old, not get sick and not die. Even though those things are inevitable and can't be stopped and will happen whether you like it or not.
OR, it could just be something as simple as not wanting to be stuck in the traffic jam that you get stuck in on the way to work.
Not sure if it's relevant, but a Zen monk once suggested that "suffering is resistance to pain." Everybody gets a case of the I-don't-wanna's from time to time ... don't wanna feel like this, think like this, act like this, react like this, etc. There doesn't seem to be any necessity to pay attention: The feeling arises all by itself, out of habit. Since even a one-celled, brainless paramecium will shy away from a toxin, a human aversion is hardly something to write home about. But it is probably something worth paying attention to ... watch it come, watch it dance, watch it go ... like that.
Just thinking out loud.
How can you change your attitude towards the good, its mindfullness with metta.
Has your mind wandered? Having doubts? Restless? Sluggish? Tension or tightness in your body?
Be kind to yourself and '6R' your way back to your meditation.
Recognize: recognize you were thinking; your mind has wandered or there is tension.
Release: release the thoughts and emotions, they aren't even yours. Let go, expand your mind.
Relax: relax any tension, tightness, or thoughts out of your body. Fully relax. it takes just a few seconds.
ReSmile: Feel a full-body smile, smiling with your belly, chest, mouth, shoulders.. Smile gently, allow yourself to play.
Return: return to your object of meditation; your breath, your body, your contemplation, etc.
Repeat: repeat this simple process anytime mind wanders or tension begins in body or head or when a hindrance arises. Repeat the relaxing, reSmiling, returning, etc... as often as necessary in a sitting, so one remains relaxed, detached, and at ease in their sitting.
Good idea, but fully relaxing isn't always that straightforward.
@Mingle
Define "Resistance" in Buddhism
Resistance is any opposition to inertia.
Our time spent developing our ignorance has created a specific inertia.
Here, Buddhism itself could be called resistance, as a force that is opposing that inertia.
&
Our time spent developing selflessness has likewise created a specific inertia.
Here, selfishness itself could be called resistance, as a force that's opposing that inertia.
I find resistance is best addressed as you would any other phenomena in meditation.
No need to direct, control or assign it a value. Simply observed, all the players wishing to interact with it, will reveal themselves in due time.
Allow your practice to be the teacher here.
can anyone find the sanskrit or pali word for "resistance" ? I am not sure what you guys meant by resistance. thank you!
@SpinyNorman "Good idea, but fully relaxing isn't always that straightforward".
I agree on that one, but it is wort a shot to 'tranquilizing the bodily formation" as aslo Buddha recommended in his meditation instructions.
Craving will also be recognized as thightnes in the body..chest, head, stomach...so trying to relaxing that eras under meditation will probably help, even though it can be hard.
If it dosent work it just to bring chocholate to the table
I have found it impossible to push away unwanted thoughts. I've also found that thoughts lead to feelings and I'm equally poor at stopping those from arising. So I attempt to no longer resist them. Let them come and let them go. Here's a recent scenario: I was attending a meeting and someone came in who I do not like to be around. I find him to be mean, angry and at times violent. He knows how I feel. Here's a typical stream of thoughts (for me) in such a situation:
"Oh hell, this A-hole."
Which led me to my next thought...
"I'll bet he's going to sit by me to try and piss me off."
Which led me to my next thought...
"Yup, here he comes."
Which led me to my next thought...
"What kind of sad, sorry, sonofabitch have you got to be to go out of your way to sit next to someone you know doesn't like you?"
"Why does he do this?"
Now I have a choice. I can feed this growing, silent character assassination bubbling up inside of me or, I can feed this new thought: "Why does he do this?"
If I follow that thought, I end up feeling sorry for the guy. Maybe if I'm lucky, some compassion slips in. Then I can feed that. Or, I can go back to the character assassination game.
One makes me happier and leads me to a measure of serenity. One leads me to anger. The choice is simple - but not easy. Without mindfulness though, I don't make a choice - it is made for me. Without effort, I take the immediate gratification path.
Anyway, so I don't resist the thoughts - I just pay attention to all of them (or try to) and feed and water the ones that will bring me more happiness.
Practising Buddhism involves a couple of things that many of us have/had built a resistance to over many years of conditioning.... "Patience" & "Perseverance" .... they are the missing ingredients of one's Dharma practice...One could say that "Resistance" is the lack of both ....
"We want instant gratification ! " (With little or no practice)
A small aside:
A nun was hammering in the nail on which a picture was to be hung. Inadvertently, she slammed her thumb.
"Oh shit!" she exclaimed and then, realizing the error of her ways, she critiqued her response:
"Oh damn! I just said 'shit.'"
"Oh crap! I just said 'damn.'"
"Oh fuck! I just said 'crap.'"...
"Oh the hell with it. I never wanted to be a nun anyway!"
I think the appropriate Pali word, in this context, would be "Dosā".
ah! thank you soooo much seeker242!
we are talking about one of the three poisons of mind
you're the best
I acknowledge them (unwanted thoughts) and approve them as the result of my karma of previous existences. in other words I fully take responsibility that I have caused it.
and repent that karma while practicing.
Subconscious mind works according to our previous existences. without accepting this, we cannot solve the problem nor move on. that is how I feel at least.
I've been told these karmic habits of subconscious mind are as hard as diamond.
so we need diamond to break it. that is the power of The True Buddha's Law, Saddharma.
So we should be humble and try not to be arrogant in front of The Buddha's Law, but at the same time we should be proud of our potential that we all can become Buddhas.
hope this make sense..
pratikar प्रतिकार
thank you rohit, I did look up pratikar and it says its the indian movie title, I couldn't find much else so I did look up the sanskrit dictionary and it says its worth some indian coins. not sure what that means! but anyway , I appreciate your help unless you were just joking and made it up : )