Audio for PARAMIS discussion:
PARAMIS
Adhitthana (determination, resolution)
Metta (loving-kindness, goodwill)
We’ll study the Paramis over these next three months:
November 1 Dana, Sila, Nekhamma
December 6 Panna, Viriya, Khanti, Sacca
January 24 Adhitthana, Metta, Upekkha
PARAMIS
#1. As aid to move from Conventional view (EGO) to Dhamma view.
NOT as list or teaching in itself – but Bodhisattva way of life.
BUT as individual characteristics in both living and training / practice / meditation.
TOOLS for . . . (goal, aim, intent) and
FRUIT of . . . (acquired, developed, cultivated)
When give heart to, then HOPE >> FAITH
VERB REFLECTION TRUST MANIFESTS
DANA
Sharing Interconnection Happiness Contentment
Giving Practice = GIFT in 3 times + bigger heart
SILA
Respecting Respect Bliss of Integrity/
Connecting all life Blamelessness Virtue
NEKKHAMA
Restraining Desires = X out there Moderation
Cut bargaining Endless Anicca
Suspend judg.
1. DANA
Joy of sharing vs. ‘Tight’ Open Heart = lightness of expansiveness. Random acts of Kindness
Kitchen table wisdom story – Doctor sharing lunch with street person, and later telling his family whom he had lunch with.
The Buddha says, of Dana:
“There are these five seasonable gifts. Which five?
One gives to a newcomer.
One gives to one going away.
One gives to one who is ill.
One gives in time of famine.
One sets the first fruits of field & orchard in front of those who are virtuous. These are the five seasonable gifts.”
“These are the five rewards of generosity: One is dear and appealing to people at large, one is admired by good people, one’s good name is spread about, one does not stray from the rightful duties of the householder, and with the break-up of the body at death, one reappears in a good destination, in the heavenly worlds.”
“These five are a person of integrity’s gifts. Which five? A person of integrity gives a gift with a sense of conviction. A person of integrity gives a gift attentively. A person of integrity gives a gift in season. A person of integrity gives a gift with an empathetic heart. A person of integrity gives a gift without adversely affecting himself or others.
“Even if a person throws the rinsings of a bowl or a cup into a village pool or pond, thinking, ‘May whatever animals live here feed on this,’ that would be a source of merit.”
PRACTICE DANA by GIVING YOURSELF time, space, solitude, support to train your mind/heart, which in turn is our only true GIFT to our world. . . end all periods of pract. W. dedication of merit.
2. SILA – Virtue:
Ethical values, Integrity.
In the 8-fold path: wise speech, action, livelihood
Consider others.
Helping not harming. Expanded from tight ME
Moral choices
Bikkhu Bodhi “. .purified moral conduct facilitates the attainment of purified concentration, and the concentrated mind facilitates the attainment of liberating wisdom”.
7 Factors of Awkening we can see how the Bliss of Blamelessness, or not being overcome with Remorse >> Joy >> Serenity >> Concentration >> Knowledge & Vision.
The Buddha: “At any time when a disciple of the noble ones is recollecting virtue, his mind is not overcome with passion, not overcome with aversion, not overcome with delusion. His mind heads straight, based on virtue. And when the mind is headed straight, the disciple of the noble ones gains a sense of the goal, gains a sense of the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. In one who is joyful, rapture arises. In one who is rapturous, the body grows calm. One whose body is calmed experiences ease. In one at ease, the mind becomes concentrated.”
Hiri (conscience) – Ottapa (fear) = “the bright guardians of the world (sukka lokapala)” - interconnection
Hiri: Shame. Rooted in self-respect and induces us to shrink from wrongdoing out of a feeling of personal honor.
Ottapa: Blame. The resultant poor opinion of us we would invite, if we commit some unskillful action, word etc.
5 PRECEPTS
Refraining from:
· Killing and harming living beings
· Stealing – taking what is not freely given
· Sexual exchanges which cause pain/grief to someone
· Lying, speaking in any way which causes upset, a rift between people
· Heedlessness brought on by intoxicating substances
Recollections:
Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha, One’s own virtues, one’s own generosity, If we recollect frequently on these subjects, our hearts delight, and subsequently we feel calm and content, and the mind will become serene, and collected and thus be able to see clearly the deep truths. (7 Factors of Awakening).
PRACTICE SELF RESPECT in all things: Forgiving; clarity around boundaries and needs; remembering conditionality – that we are all doing our best; support and encourage ourselves and others rather than Judging harshly, putting ourselves or others down, etc.
3. NEKKHAMA (Renunciation – restraint – refraining)
Renounce:
Future past fantasy
Attachment involvement
Being lost/confused/ CAUGHT show, involved with mental stories (in the tv !)
Suspend judgment
Cut all the bargaining
Guard the sense doors = pulled into stories by stimulus at sense doors. Jack Kornfield says “your mind is a dangerous neighbourhood – don’t go there alone!” meaning, be accompanied by your Mindfulness, so you don’t get carried away believing the subsequent dramas stimulated at each sense door.
(The Buddha’s example = 6 different animals all roped together and all pulling in own direction vs. consolidated, grounded, steady with Mindfulness)
From GRASPING at sense doors – being pulled out of center and into stories, beliefs, reactions
Abstain from wrong livelihood,
From: scheming, persuading
Gossip slander, blaming & dividing
The PRECEPTS are restraining from ..
Abandon the HINDRANCES
WE are in charge of ourselves, not our minds, our addictions, our compulsions . . HUNGRY GHOSTS.
NEKKHAMA means Step BACK, REST BACK from the drama going on in your head. Into the Audience. Onto the Couch from the TV.
REST in Natural Great Peace . . .
REFERENCES:
Sylvia Boorstein’s Book: Pay Attention, For Goodness’ Sake.
Each chapter is one of these 10 Paramis, so I suggest you read Chapters 1 – 3.
I suggest you always check what you can find Online at www.Accesstoinsight.org.
Click on General Index.
Click on P for PARAMIS
Happy hunting. Many references.
Furthermore, I suggest you go to www.Dharmaseed.org each month and see what talks you find.
Steve Armstrong has several excellent talk on the subject, and individual qualities, and there are others too.
If you surf the net and find anything else you would like to share, bring the reference with you to the next meeting.
HOMEWORK
Nov 1 – 8 GIVE:
Random acts; Run errands for others;
Praise, credit, the benefit of the doubt
Time, Space
Metta
Give to yourself: solitude, quiet, fun, encouragement, metta
Nov 8 – 15
Keep GIVING, but now tune in to HOW YOU FEEL, when just planning to give, when actually giving, and on reflection later (thr three times).
Becoming aware of the degree of Contentment generated.
Reflect on our (everyone and every creature’s) interconnection.
Tune in to the ‘Abundance’ consciousness mind, vs. the ‘Poverty’ consciousness that is so much more typical of our culture.
Nov 15 – 22
SILA: RESPECT INTEGRITY VIRTUE
Pay attention to your speech, your actions, your intentions, in terms of your overall intentions and values. Are you behaving in ways which are in harmony with them or are you divided against them ?
Tuning in to HIRI and OTAPA (Cringing and wincing – your ‘still small voice’ which keeps you on the straight and narrow !)
Remember the PRECEPTS and make them as conscious as you can this week.
Nov 22 – 29
NEKKHAMA: Restraint, refraining, Renunciation.
NO thank you, that’s enough.
Tuning in to how we guide ourselves, contain our impulses, moderate our reactions. The discipline of limiting and containing ourselves, both in activities and even in our thoughts. We don’t need to give in to every passing whim, every petty judgment. “No, not now, thank you”.
Boundaries. Limits. Enough.
Guard sense doors with Mindfulness. Stay BACK on the couch / in the audience = restraining that monkey mind from running you ragged.
Stop talking on occasion.
Abandon the Hindrances when you recognize them invading you.
Nov 29 – Dec. 6
More on NEKKHAMA
- Reflect on Anicca / everything changes soon enough, so you don’t NEED that item, that expression of opinion.
· See what happens if you JUST STAY with what’s difficult – Tolerate some discomfort – abandon the urge to FIX, Change, re-arrange. “Don’t DO something, STAND there.”
· Letting go. Letting go of Having to Have, of DOING something.
· Letting things BE just as they are. This is the “S” and the “O” in the S L O W of Mindfulness.
Wishing you well, and happy fruitful explorations.
Heather.
