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avoiding sleep?

TheJourneyTheJourney
edited October 2010 in Buddhism Basics
I was reading the sutra of the buddha's bequeated teaching, and...

AVOIDING SLEEP
All of you Bhikshus, during the day, with a vigorous mind, cultivate the Dharma and don't allow the opportunity to be lost. In the first and last periods of the night also do not be lax, and during the middle period of the night, chant Sutras to make yourself well informed. Do not let the causes and conditions of sleep cause your single life to pass in vain, so that you don't obtain anything at all. You should be mindful of the fire of impermanence which burns up all the world. Seek to cross yourself over and do not sleep. The robber afflictions are always about to kill you even more than your enemies. How can you sleep? How can you not rouse yourself to awaken? With the hook of the precepts you should quickly remove the poisonous snake afflictions that are sleeping in your heart. When the sleeping snake is gone, then you can sleep at ease. Those who sleep even though it hasn't yet gone, are without shame. The clothing of shame, among all adornments, is the very best. Shame can be compared to an iron barb which can restrain people from doing evil. Therefore you should always have a sense of shame, and not be without it even for a moment, for if you have no sense of shame you will lose all of your merit and virtue. Those who have shame have good dharmas; one without it is no different from the birds and beasts.



I know when I have understanding I have a hard time falling asleep and feel like it's unnecessary. But I sleep anyways cuz my body needs it. But now I just read this and i'm confused.

Comments

  • upekkaupekka Veteran
    edited October 2010
    TheJourney wrote: »

    I know when I have understanding I have a hard time falling asleep and feel like it's unnecessary. But I sleep anyways cuz my body needs it.

    your mind do not need sleep
    but your body needs a rest

    talk to a doctor and get a prescription and get some good sleep
    we have to take care of our body too
  • ChrysalidChrysalid Veteran
    edited October 2010
    TheJourney wrote: »
    I know when I have understanding I have a hard time falling asleep and feel like it's unnecessary. But I sleep anyways cuz my body needs it. But now I just read this and i'm confused.
    It's metaphor/symbolism/allegory. Sleep = the deluded mind, wakefulness = the enlightened mind.

    If you don't get a reasonable amount of real sleep, as in unconsciousness, you'll get ill and eventually die.
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