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The Dhamma Mirror
Bunks
Australia Veteran
in Mindfulness
Have been actively checking and monitoring behaviour against the ten unwholesome actions recently.
The pull of 3 and 7 have been fairly dominant at times.
Good to check occasionally how we stack up when looking into the Dhamma mirror.
The ten Unwholesome Actions
- Destroying life
- Taking what is not given
- Wrong conduct in regard to sense pleasures
- False speech
- Slanderous speech
- Harsh speech
- Idle chatter
- Covetousness
- Ill will
- Wrong view
How's your practice going?
3
Comments
Well, I have some small insects in my house, these little silverfish, very quick. Sometimes when I come down at night for a cup of tea, I find one on my kitchen counter in the area where I prepare food. It’s just too much, I squash them when I find them, they are unhygienic. I wish them well, but not on my kitchen counter.
Further, I have found that sometimes when I am under stress my mind starts behaving irrationally, Thoughts come up of ill will, self destructiveness, lashing out, things which I don’t usually experience in my waking mind. It subverts my natural talents and intelligence in a kind of internal panic, although I have enough self control not to show any of it to the outside world. It makes me wonder if my dhamma is only skin deep.
I have noticed lately that some of my speech habits can be taken as mocking, and that I can be a bit dismissive at times, when I am being interrupted in an activity.
So the rubber of the dhamma meets the road. It is not easy.
Thanks for the update @Kerome - sounds pretty normal human behaviour to me
Important not to beat ourselves up when we don't live up to these standards. They're just there as the benchmark.
My practice is going well:
The ten Unwholesome Actions
Destroying life
✅
Relocated two copulating snails to the fox killing fields, in order to save my pansies. Are they not life too?
Taking what is not given
✅
Removed all biscuits and cakes from weekly shopping delivery
Wrong conduct in regard to sense pleasures
✅
Enjoyed feeling superior by going for an early morning walk
False speech
✅
Managed to post more details on starting a cult
Slanderous speech
✅
Wait a minute … this is not a list of virtues?
I dun gone wrong again
Pants!
Haha @lobster - love it.
My favourite English sayings / words:
Oh no....idle chatter again
Well I'm stuck in Sydney for the next two weeks (was visiting family on annual leave 🙄🙄🙄) and of course I'm in one of the 4 LGA's on strict stay at home orders. My path also crossed with Patient Zero but my and my household's Covid tests came back negative.
So preventing Numbers 5 and 9 have been getting a massive workout. Plus I've worn a hole in the floor of my bedroom here meditating LOL
Stay safe @SuraShine ...
Sounds like you have been putting in the hours of practice @surashine. It’s usually during reflection that you start to encounter the benefits.
I'm really trying - plus there's not much else I can do. But I remember reading Lama Surya Das who says that by practising when things are good helps when things go bad (paraphrased by me). I think the practise is why I'm not going stir crazy at the moment.
But it's early days yet
Sorry to hear @SuraShine - stay well. Hope you can get back to SA soon.
Travelling interstate in Australia right now is fraught with danger.
I am a Thai. May I use a few Thai words with translation.
I try to use very simple few concepts for my everyday life.
one, ละเว้น means refrain. from sinful thoughts, words, and action.
two, ละวาง means let go. from burden in my mind; grieve, revenge, and the like.
three, ไม่ละเลย means not neglect; to practice meditation, prayer, self evaluation.
Since I grab these concepts and stick to them, it is easier to keep my life intact.
To me, Buddhism has been around for more than 2500 years. Apart from his Holy Buddha himself, a lot of monks and scholars have interpreted and added a lot of valuable concepts and thought to this vast ocean of Buddhist's teaching. I have studied Buddhism for a few decades and find that it is impossible to cover just a hundredth of one percent of knowledge. It is more important to just grab a few concepts that pertain to my life and strict to them, master them; before moving on to next ones. Just a thought.
Glad to see an Eastern Buddhist joining us here. Your perspective will be very welcome on the forum, I hope you find things that are beneficial to you.
Welcome @wizzz - nice to meet you here.
when you look into the dharma mirror and don't like what you see, remember, it is just a mirror.
Peace to All
Exactly so!
We all wish to be more able. Right intent.
Do dharma.
Do good.
Be prepared.
Buddha scout motto