Stonemeditation: Day Two Hundred and eleven

Monday, March 22, 2010

Day Two Hundred and eleven

Concentration brings peace to my mind, which all too often repays the favor with doubt and restlessness. I take the bait and try and find something to extinguish these hindrances. Running around the dwelling of my mind, I find nothing that works.

None of my healthy responses need to fight or run away. must realize that I have everything I need right here to encounter whatever arises.

After all, I've always had everything I need right here to make my life an insubstantial fantasy.

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Why a Stone?

Why a stone? In the Abhidhamma, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhidhamma_Pitaka numerous objects other than breathing are listed for meditation. Here is an excerpt from the text available at: www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/abhidhamma.pdf .

Of the forty objects of concentration, enumerated in the 9th chapter of this book, the aspirant selects an object that appeals most to his temperament. This object is called
Parikamma Nimitta—preliminary object. He now intently concentrates on this object until he becomes so wholly absorbed in it that all adventitious thoughts get ipso facto excluded from the mind. A stage is ultimately reached when he is able to visualise the object even with closed eyes. On this visualised image (Uggaha nimitta) he concentrates continuously until it develops into a conceptualised image (Pañibhàga nimitta). As an illustration let us take the Pathavi Kasiõa. A circle of about one span and four inches in diameter is made and the surface is covered with dawn-coloured clay and smoothed well.

As he continually concentrates on this abstract concept he is said to be in possession of “proximate concentration” (Upacàra samàdhi) and the innate five Hindrances to progress (Nãvaraõa), such as sense-desire (Kàmacchanda), hatred (Pañigha), sloth and torpor Thãna-Middha), restlessness and brooding (Uddhacca-Kukkucca,) and doubts (Vicikicchà) are temporarily inhibited. Eventually he gains “ecstatic concentration” (Appanà Samàdhi) and becomes enwrapt in Jhàna, enjoying the calmness and serenity of a one-pointed mind.

And so, I will attend to this stone!

Stonemeditation

Monday, March 22, 2010

Day Two Hundred and eleven

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Why a Stone?