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virtue/seelya
upekka
Veteran
in Meditation
do we need to be virtuous before meditate?
1
Comments
Um ...an interesting question ....I guess (coming from a Western perspective) in some cases, there has to be an inkling of virtue in order for motivation...
However it's also possible that there are some for whom the desire to meditate might be purely for selfish reasons ie, to de-stress one self in order to cope better in the rat race... virtue not being the forerunner, but it creeps in further along the "spiritual" path....
Some military groups use mindfulness practice to enhance their military skills...and whether this can be considered virtuous or not would depend upon what lies behind the military leaders line of thought....
"One man's virtue is another man's immorality "
"Virtue"
However...From a Buddhist perspective Sila ...If one is a Buddhist and following the 8FP then cultivating a virtuous nature is part and parcel of the whole(some) package deal ie, "Right" Speech-Action-Livelihood
So I guess, cultivating/developing the Sila one already has would be the motivation behind ones meditation practice...
Yes.
Sila is an important aspect of the dharma behaviour/methodology.
In the Sufi tradition there are stages of self ...
http://opcoa.st/09t2l
The 'accusing self' is probably the closest Buddhist equivalent that will be familiar.
As a serious practitioner @upekka we need to quieten the karma by doing good or at least avoiding unskilful behaviour.
We can of course ignore our ignorance as unimportant. Meditation can be practiced by assassins like the Shinobi, the Zen killing class (samurai) and rogue lamas, selling virtue ... but not by example. How far does that go?
For most of us turning our 'mind spotlight' on our behaviour is better than worrying about/judging others.
'be good'
as mothers everywhere tell the children ...
I think we can start meditating just out of curiousity and it may lead to more interest in sila later.
Good luck trying to sit still while thinking of committing robbery, murder, adultery or slander.
Virtue, like meditation, is an immeasurable expanse,
which offers no way to explore either
except what you can, right here, right now.
What do you mean by 'virtuous'?
Do you mean it as a long-practised habit, or some form of 'ridding myself of my vices before I sit' kind of thing?
If you want to fly properly you need the plane parts to work together. If a piece is missing then it wouldn't be a very long flight if any flight at all. I feel virtues are as important as the wings on a plane.
Virtue is not for Buddhists.
I'm of the opinion that virtue is important, that if one is too caught up in base instincts or thoughts then the connection with inner peace and deep kindness becomes obscured by the turbulent energies it generates internally. It is about where you put focus, how you choose to spend time.
Not just before, but also during and after.
the time before this moment is history and we can not change anything we have done before with intentionally or unintentionally
but
now we can determine to practice five precepts or eight precepts or ten precepts and keep up the determination
that genuine determination to practice precepts is more than enough to make success the meditaion
what do you mean exactly?
LOL
Some Buddhists.
Virtue is eventually inherent and may require no expression. Sila is for training purposes but not for attachment or outward show.
For example let us say we develop a quality. Are we attached to it as progress? Does it become a token Buddha? Better to have behaviour ... or none? Was the Buddha just another slaphead?