From: pjm@cshl.org (Pat Monardo)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: Why meditate?
Date: 3 Sep 92 14:41:59 GMT
Organization: Cold Spring Harbor Labs

In article <1992Sep3.084012.22419@qiclab.scn.rain.com> farris@ruhets.rutgers.edu (Lorenzo Farris) writes:
>
>I found that ultimately, I meditate because that is the most joy I can
>experience.  To be perfectly still, without a thought, without a
>breath, without a sensation of this world--that is the happiest

is it really the most joy? or is it the beginning of joy?
the world seems to be such an intense spiritual energy.
isnt it right to take this stillness as a ground in which
to grow into a deeper perspective of the universe?
this isnt directed at you nor is based on what you write here,
but i sense the need to flame:
i tire of the endless rantings that craving is evil,
mind/matter is suffering. i see the importance of this
teaching to reach the inner citadel of peace, but to
then not reach out and attempt to realize nirvana==samsara
is a seriously flawed mindset.

>
>More recently, I came to realize, with the help of a few choice
>authors, that our perception is heavily conditioned by our
>preconceived ideas and beliefs of what should be, what we should be.
>I keep telling myself how the world is and how I am, and that's how I
>keep this game going.  This telling myself conditions my perceptions
>and reactions.  I want to stop telling myself, and just experience,
>but old, comfortable habits are hard to let go of.  So I meditate.  I

true, karma is a fierce thing. this last year has been difficult
for me. i enjoy this opening passage from Visuddhimagga:
	
	When a wise man, established well in virtue,
	Develops consciousness and understanding,
	Then as a bhikkhu ardent and sagacious
	He succeeds in disentangling this tangle

	The inner tangle and the outer tangle -
	This generation is entangled in a tangle.
	And so i ask of Gotama this question:
	Who succeeds in disentangling this tangle?

>
>For the past year I have been casting out old mental maps of reality
>that are obviously defective, trying to experience the world directly,
>make some more accurate maps of my own, so I can function in society,
>and I meditate a lot.  These two activities reinforce each other
>tremendously. And as a result (I think :)  I have been happier this
>year than I ever could have imagined possible before.  And that is the

i've been studying jhana meditation. to emphase happiness is not quite
the richest practice one should take up. according to what
i am starting to understand from Visuddhimaga, the basic map
of meditation involves:
	directing the mind to a meditation subject
	maintaining the mind on the subject
	developing happiness/bliss
	dropping the first two thought process
	developing equanimity (a vast topic i am just starting to explore)
	dropping the happiness/bliss
	totally tranced out at this point.
this is an over simplification but i want to encourage people
to read Visuddhimaga. being Mahayanist, i believe that the
ultimate goal is to emerge from these trances and engage in
the bodhisattva deeds.

>
>Yours in verbose reflection,
>	Lorenzo

Yours in reflected reflection,

-- 
-- Pat Monardo
-- pjm@cshl.org