Awareness

Namada

What is awarness? Is this Buddho = the one who knows, to be awake and enlighten?

Ajahn Sumedho write this in one article:

"And the path is in terms of being eightfold (the Eightfold Path). But the Eightfold Path is really just awareness. Awareness is the path, and the eight parts are more or less positions for reflection rather than actual steps on an actual path. It is not a matter of taking this whole conception of a path too literally, thinking that one step leads to the next ― first you do this and then you do that".

For the whole article check this link:

https://buddhismnow.com/2012/03/08/trust-in-your-awareness-by-ajahn-sumedho/

If so the path seems to be not that difficult? Just be aware of each step, voila.

CedarTree

Different traditions put different emphasis on either awareness or cessation.

Thai forest tradition and in particular the student of Ajahn Chah place a lot of importance on awareness yet most stress it as being empty of "self".

There have been a few different models present with Ajahn Geoff referring a lot to "non-self" in relation to the conditioned elements yet being careful not to through out "self" all together.

It's been a tricky road to say the least in how to talk about it.

I think you will find "Awareness" is a hot subject in Buddhism. In Zen and in particular the style of intensive Zazen in traditions like Gyobutsuji Zen Monastery in America and Antaiji in Japan try and leave the subject open and have someone return to "Simply sitting".

Bunks

Funny you should mention that - I was just reading about the four foundations of awareness this morning.

You might like this:

http://naturalawareness.net/foundations.pdf

lobster

This is the awareness ― listening ― relaxed attention

Relaxed attention as mentioned in the article is a good way to put it. Perhaps this non judgemental relaxed attention wanders off BUT we can contine returning/remembering/attending ...

Another way of putting it, is being present or attentive to the moment ... mindfulness is both a beginners practice and the most peaceful place to be. It is in effect the opposite of the escapism we all indulge in ...

Many thanks @Namada

Jeffrey

My teacher talks about something that Trungpa also talked about. The EVAM. That is how concentration or awareness wanders but also focuses. The E is the diffusing and the VAM is the concentration or focusing. Both the E and the VAM are impossible to remove from your awareness.

lobster

It comes from Yogacara as you probably know @Jeffrey which is the basis of some Mahamudra
teachings http://www.evaminstitute.org/evam/spiritual_director/teachings/yogacara_on_tantra1.html

... relaxed attention ...

Shoshin

What is awarness?

Is this Buddho = the one who knows, to be awake and enlighten?

Paying Attention & Having Awareness of Paying Attention...sounds about right....

If so the path seems to be not that difficult?

"The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preference" (Well Thus have "I" heard)

"Awareness is fundamentally non-conceptual-before thinking splits experience into subject and object...It is empty and so can contain everything, including 'thought'. It is boundless. And amazingly it is intrinsically 'KNOWING !"