Unitarian Universalist
Buddhist Fellowship of Fayetteville
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Unitarian Universalist
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NEWS AND EVENTS
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D. Jasmine Merced-Ownbey
PHIL 3993 - Intro to Buddhist Philosophy
University of Arkansas
November 15, 2006
The mind tricks us every day. It makes us feel as though time is racing or dragging by; it makes us feel hungry for tasty desert even after a large dinner; it imposes opinions and reactive sentiments on the actions of others. The subjectivism of the unfocused mind propels us through life with no clear sense of reality. When we pause and direct the mind to consider the nature of existence, indeed to consider the nature of our selves, the delusions with which we live give way to lucidity. This pausing and redirection of the mind occurs through meditation.
Contrary to popular western perceptions of meditation, to meditate is to be active in body and mind. It is not an act of seclusion, avoidance, or forcing muteness on the mind. Meditating is not a singular act. Rather, it is a process that can be analogized to the writing of a thesis. No words can be written without prior instruction or research into the thesis topic. Once learning is acquired second-hand from teachers or books, contemplation engenders a first-hand understanding, and the process repeats continuously throughout the writing of the thesis. Such focused and repeated research and contemplation harbors wisdom. It's the same with meditation.
The purpose of Buddhist meditation is the elimination of suffering by allowing the mind to analyze its own delusions and effect cognitive changes. Each meditation has a specific focus. For example, a dying person may meditate on death and impermanence and thus assuage the fears by embracing the inherent inevitability present since birth; a person with low self-esteem may meditate on laziness and find enthusiasm and confidence; a person full of anger may meditate on anger and find compassion and patience; a chronic procrastinator may meditate on negligence and find vigilance and mindfulness.
As with any skill, meditation takes time to master. No one knows without instruction and practice how to knit a sweater, bake a cake, or build a stable house. A beginning meditator must cultivate patience, especially patience with oneself, for the untrained mind is a wily beast that resists the harness. Instead of focusing on the object of meditation, one may find themselves wondering about dinner, worrying about the next paper, simply thinking about one thing or another, grow frustrated and quit. A mandala would not be swept away for a single misplaced grain of sand (it is swept away upon completion for a different reason altogether); neither should the errant thoughts while meditating cause the practice to be swept away.
Buddhist tradition holds that there are nine stages of meditation, pictorially represented as a winding path upon which a monk (meditator), an elephant (mind), a monkey (excitement ), and a rabbit (subtle excitement) tread. Initially, the mental restlessness pulls the mind up the path while the monk chases from a distance. Having lassoed the mind at the third stage, the monk gains control of the mind and subtle excitement arises. In the fifth stage, the monk leads the mind, upon which subtle excitement rests, as mental dullness dissipates. During the final stages, mental restlessness retires, and the monk and the mind are more like companions on a journey rather than a leader and a follower in a mutinous struggle. The monk holds a hook and a noose, which represent mindfulness and alertness, both of which are necessary in meditative practices. Without mindfulness, the mind cannot remain focused; without alertness, a wandering mind will remain undetected.
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The benefits of meditation are manifold and can lead to continued states of contentment. The western world is full of "busy" activities, and moments in quiet meditation can be quite restorative. This is the goal that many non-Buddhist practitioners have adopted. Though this is one of the beneficial results from meditation, it is not what Buddhist meditative practices are for. By meditating on and acquiring firsthand knowledge of various Buddhist teachings, a revised pattern of everyday life which eliminates unhealthy attachments can be developed and adopted.
Attachments are concepts held which overstate the importance of any given thing, and result in suffering in one form or another. For example, a person who's constantly in a rush tends to overvalue their time and may show anger toward people who don't share similar perceptions of time. The key to understanding attachments is to understand that suffering is their result. Suffering is the mental aspect of any given action. A laceration will result in physical pain, and the clinging to the origin of the cut or to the pampering of people tending to the cut is suffering. A loved one's sudden death will result in emotional pain, but a year-long seclusion spent in constant grief is suffering. Release of attachment is not denial, it is acceptance. It is not apathetic; it is a compassionate understanding of the very nature of existence.
Meditating offers the means through which one can recognize their attachments. Recognition inspires understanding. Understanding develops a neutral mind. A neutral mind cultivates compassion and equanimity.
© 2006 D. Jasmine Merced-Ownbey
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In affiliation with
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fayetteville
901 West Cleveland Street
Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
