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Just something I was pondering on today
While doing my sitting meditation this morning, I got to thinking: Do we choose the way of the Buddha or does the way of the Buddha choose us? Interesting isn't it?
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How about not thinking during meditation ?
If you want to think, think afterwards, when meditating, meditate.
Just my 2c worth.
Nothing wrong with thinking so long as we don't apply judgment to those thoughts or let them cloud our concentration.
~nomad
Well, that would all depend on your interpretation and definition of Meditating, and what kind of meditating you're practising.
Meditating is not about stopping thoughts. Meditation is about calming thoughts, obnserving them and letting them arise and fall, without hindrance.....
Stopping thinking is actually counter-productive.
It prevent the brain from doing exactly what it was designed to do.
You wouldn't ask someone to stop breathing instead of watching it....
It's a similar thing.
The object of meditation is not to think - or think about those thoughts during meditation (which can include "judgement"). Sure, thoughts may arise, but one's focus and attention is not continuation of a train of thought (commonly called "thinking").
In anapanasati, one returns to the breath. In basic samatha training (whether the focus is breath or mantra or bare attention), one's intention is to return to the object (or in some cases, no object and thus still presence) in order to attain a basic degree of tranquility (and/or to experience a storm with a semblance of anchorage).
My point though was not that thoughts are 'wrong'/'bad' but that in basic meditation, one's intention and work is not to further the thoughts (commonly called "a train of thought") but rather to return to one's meditation (and meditation is not 'just thinking')
FWIW.
It's very quiet in here now, but yes thanks for the elucidation, I did not mean to BLOCK thought. But neither did I mean that thought won't stop. With sustained and long practice, oft it does and will, although this is a natural occurrence and not something that can be forced or willed. Instead, it's the natural fruition of a lucky practice.
Nicely put Abu. Thanks for clearing that up.
I can remember reaching rock bottom while a backpacker in Sydney and spending long days in Glebe (their alternative quarter) reading buddhist books and temporarily feeling uplifted - but it was all a bit freaky and other-worldly.
Then 2 years ago I bought a book by HH the Dalai Lama called How to See Yourself As You Really Are purely because I'd read all the self-help I could stomach and felt empty despite the good advice. I needed something spiritual. Reading that I cried at the recognition of myself as being really someone in a mask trying desperately hard to be liked and feeling very sad, lonely and tired.
From that day onwards I have felt very happy to practice buddhism and I guess I sought it out subconsciously.
It's true that only those who are ready to hear, read and learn will let it in somehow and follow the path.
_/\_
Hey that's interesting, man. But what if the answer is both?
Nice one Dude. What is Buddhism in any case? Lots of teachings which describe our journey home. Some people feel ready to make that journey - they feel called, like others feel towards mountains or the sea.
Our original face, mind, dharmakaya from which all movement arises and into which it is released.
Namaste
*closes eyes, no words*
*shakes head*
_/\_
Where is the quote from, friend?
Nothing? Not even "gimme pizza"?
A true master
A non-Buddhist source *slap wrist*. It just seemed to capture how I sometimes feel about my own situation. Other times I don't much mind eating, sleeping, mating like an animal and defending what I think is mine.
It's from a site about Kashmiri Shaivism. A labour of love by a nice chap called Gabriel from Argentina:
http://www.sanskrit-sanscrito.com.ar/en/trika_scriptstudy/vimarshiniihridaya1_study.shtml
Site:
http://www.sanskrit-sanscrito.com.ar/index.html
It's well worth a rummage through the teachings he's translated. Thought provoking material.
Namaste
Kris
Thankyou very much for the reference, friend
Appreciated and will peruse
_/|\_