The expression “look within” is not a call to subjectivism—far from it. It is really a call to remove the layers of involvement the sufferant has acquired with the temporal body. These layers are the result of various kinds of unwholesome practices which only serve to anchor us to the temporal body and its life thus increasing our vulnerability to suffering.
To overcome such a state of being, if we were to train throughout the better part of a day for three months in mindfulness and clear awareness (P., sati-sampajañña) in a deeper sense of being mindful and knowingly observant of all our actions such as sitting, walking, standing, looking, speaking and so on, we couldn’t fail but to notice a profound change in our mental condition and outlook. It would be fair to say that just by practicing mindfulness and clear awareness of our bodily movements, speech, and mental actions we would, in effect, be removing many layers of conditions that are the cause of suffering.
As these superficial layers are eliminated, how we deal with the external world would also change. Being more focused we would make better decisions regarding our external conduct. It is enough to say that we would feel better by practicing mindfulness and clear awareness than not practicing it. We would also be correct in thinking that we are negatively conditioned by the degree of unwholesome reinforcement of our desires and inclinations which build up such layers that require their eventual removal or reduction if we wish a degree of mental sobriety.
What is hard to understand, let alone believe, is that as we use our mind in this fashion, in which it is concentrating, it is actually moving towards itself so as to eventually know itself (bodhicitta) if only initially and briefly. We can think of it this way, also: that non-concentrative actions in which unawareness and carelessness dominate act as precursors of suffering.
Suffering is lessened only when the arc of mind is turned back upon itself instead of away from itself. With such a practice, mind can begin to penetrate into its own immacuate ground of being. This explains why, in traditional Buddhist training so much emphasis is placed on external and intermal awareness. Our depth of awareness works towards the Mind ground—a return-to-self. With this kind of practice under our belt, so to speak, we can then enter into the world of meditation (P., jhana; S., dhyana) which is far more profound in which mind initially awakens to itself (bodhicitta).
Yo fruitloop, you still looking Jedi's to corrupt to DarkZen? Fucking noob!
Posted by: Steavey | April 24, 2009 at 07:06 AM