Hardcore Dharma does not exist.
Thursday July 9, 2009
Categories: Hardcore Dharma
Before the Buddha became all Bodhi, he did Shamatha and sustained Samadhi. But much like Einstein took Newtonian physics one step further or the Beatles improved on Elvis, the Buddha saw that something good could be made better. The problem...
Filed Under: Adam Lobel, Daniel Ingram, Ethan Nichtern, Four Foundations of Mindfulness, hardcore dharma, The Interdependence Project, Three Characteristics
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Welcome to One City. You've lived here your whole life, whether you know it or not. One City blog is an outgrowth of The Interdependence Project, a Buddhist-inspired nonprofit organization led by Ethan Nichtern, dedicated to teaching the insights of Buddhism, meditation, mindfulness, and interconnectedness in the 21st century world.
If you're interested in how your mind works, are interested in meditation (but don't want to pretend you live in ancient Asia), care about the world, are into media, love contemporary culture, and above all, really dig the truth of interdependence-that nothing happens in a vacuum--then this blog is for you.
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Julia it's Acharya "Adam" Lobel
Whoops, fixed. Thanks Damaris!
"what I understand of enlightenment is that it's like finally catching the beat of the most complicated piece of music that ever existed."
Ha Ha Ha, I like that metaphor. The way I've been thinking about it recently, is that when mindfulness becomes "perfect" (Daniel calls it Vajra-Samadhi) then all of reality is seen just as it is. That, is sufficient cause from complete awakening (and actually, that's sufficient cause for initial awakening too, but for some reason it usually takes a while to stick all the way). But yeah, complicated music is right!
Though I'm behind on my Ingram, I tried out a poem inspired by this post:
http://yourbestbeachbody.blogspot.com/2009/07/shamatha.html
Interesting that I'm about to pull the same quote but go in the other direction. I don't think
"enlightenment is that it's like finally catching the beat of the most complicated piece of music that ever existed."
I think its the simplest and thats why we keep missing it. The complicated part is all that we have to do to take care of the ego.
If you think about it. We're being asked to develop equanimity vs our usual attract, reject and neutral filters. It's those filters that color over what we are experience. Equanimity allows us to remain in awareness and when we feel it. What do we feel?
In class people said they felt a lot of things. I felt fear, why? because it makes me realize like i'm just a grain of sand. one measly grain. All my life, I had this notion that I was "The Grain". So all of a sudden I have the option to a protect that notion of my importance or to let it go (as if it where that easy).
If I protect the notion I start creating all sorts of "important" things to say or do. All sorts of distractions so that I can forget. Yes, forget. I don't want to remember it. I want to go back to the self important time and I want to entertain myself with all the wonderful work that accompanies it. It's exhausting but I convince myself that i'm happy and most importantly safe.
Now if I let go, then I'm just this small dot in a sea of other dots. All the busy work I did was in vain and it make me feel sad. Suddenly I realize that anything can happen. I can die at any moment. That there is no security.
So my heart opens and I feel vulnerable. As I walk down the street I see so many things I hadn't see before. Like the leaves aren't just green. They are shades of green and other color. I notice that a sparrow is starting at me. I notice that my friend just lied to me. I notice the person walking behind me is sad. I notice the woman across the street is really in love with the friend and not the boyfriend. I notice that the dog is happy and feels clean. I notice that the tree is happy and a little thirsty. I notice everything and I'm overwhelmed, happy and sad.
All that noticing and information is effortless. The hard part is not attaching to it because once I do all the noticing is blocked by that attachment.
Does that make sense?
Absolutlely Damaris, that makes lots of sense. I will say that I think mindfulness is complicated yet simple, easy but hard, pedestrian yet infinte, etc. etc. Becuase of the ego. What I mean about catching the beat is that once its caught, you just move. You just dance - and its very simple. But we keep thinking about how we look on the dance floor - who's looking at us - whether we're right or wrong - and we get off the beat. If we surrendured we would just move.
Any modifier will suggest duality, I suppose. I think sometimes I relate to the ease of mindfulness and sometimes I feel its very hard.
In fact about a year ago, I remember being very frustrated with all the "it's so hard!" talk. "It takes so much work!" talk. I felt as though it took no work, and it was just a matter of doing.
On Monday night I had possibly the least mindful interaction I've had in years and I thought, okay, Jules, now, for you, you little interdependent earthlling, now it is about effort.
The rug is pulled out in different directions over and over and over again.
That makes a lot of sense, Damaris!
HEY Paul...... I didn't know you had made a comment when I saw you this afternoon. It was nice meeting you. Best with the ceremony.
@Sarah: I had a great hour reading that and some of your other poems. What a nice project.
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