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Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 6:50 am
by mikenz66
Dmytro wrote: Ven. Thanissaro doesn't ever criticise other teachers personally, what he adresses is the unfortunate wording that may be confusing and misguiding.
Well, given what I saw as misleading and selective quoting of other teachers in that book, I will attempt to stick to my policy of simply ignoring his criticisms, and concentrating on the interesting parts of his writing.

:anjali:
Mike

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 6:23 pm
by Buckwheat
Buckwheat wrote:Hi all,

From a vipassana perspective, when you say "bare attention", what does "bare" refer to? ie: bare of what?

Ven Thanissaro seems to imply that bare represents unconditioned, but I have a feeling this is not the intention of vipassana teachers. ...
Hi all,

I just want to refresh this question as it was a serious inquiry. I have an impression of what bare attention is bare of, but only a loose one based on some writings of Bhante G and Bhikkhu Bodhi's quote earlier in this thread. A more direct answer from a vipassana adherent would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I really need to be asking a ten-day Goenka retreat? Maybe, but that will have to wait. A text answer will have to suffice for now.

Thanks,
Scott

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:23 pm
by befriend
how does thanissaro bikkhu think we should meditate during daily activities?

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:07 am
by Assaji
Hi Befriend,
befriend wrote:how does thanissaro bikkhu think we should meditate during daily activities?
See his talk "Skill of Restraint": http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... #restraint" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 12:01 pm
by befriend
thank you.

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 1:01 pm
by Annino
I just ended the lecture of the book.
I think that the book is very interesting, an honest contribution to the Dhamma.
The mindfulness as explained by Thanissaro is illuminating. I recommend the lecture of this book.
Annino

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 7:30 pm
by Zom
Cool book, but again Ven. Thanissaro with his hidden-fire-eternal-mind idea :candle:

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 6:05 am
by ohnofabrications
Buckwheat wrote:
Buckwheat wrote:Hi all,

From a vipassana perspective, when you say "bare attention", what does "bare" refer to? ie: bare of what?

Ven Thanissaro seems to imply that bare represents unconditioned, but I have a feeling this is not the intention of vipassana teachers. ...
Hi all,

I just want to refresh this question as it was a serious inquiry. I have an impression of what bare attention is bare of, but only a loose one based on some writings of Bhante G and Bhikkhu Bodhi's quote earlier in this thread. A more direct answer from a vipassana adherent would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I really need to be asking a ten-day Goenka retreat? Maybe, but that will have to wait. A text answer will have to suffice for now.

Thanks,
Scott
It's interesting, i don't think there is actually any such thing as bare vs. appropriate attention. There is the act of observance which carries with it no intention to change, and then there are thoughts and intentions which may or may not come after the act of observance. Bare attention just means attention. It's bare of attempting to change anything, so in other words it is only paying attention and then not moving on to try control what you are paying attention to.

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 3:42 pm
by Zom
I've read it to the end. One more comment:
Appendix part about "No jhana / right samadhi" is very weak compared to the part about Anapanasati, which is cool 8-)

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 4:51 pm
by Annino
Dear All,
I started the second reading of the book. I need three times canonical mental apprehension (three readings).
I need to develop “skillful instances of attention and consciousness” to understand this book. This is not easy.

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:18 am
by danieLion
Zom wrote:Cool book, but again Ven. Thanissaro with his hidden-fire-eternal-mind idea :candle:
Still haven't seen anyone produce a source reference for this "hidden-fire-eternal-mind" accusation. If you repeat a lie often enough, and all that....

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 7:32 am
by Polar Bear
danieLion wrote:
Zom wrote:Cool book, but again Ven. Thanissaro with his hidden-fire-eternal-mind idea :candle:
Still haven't seen anyone produce a source reference for this "hidden-fire-eternal-mind" accusation. If you repeat a lie often enough, and all that....
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mind Like Fire Unbound

I don't really have a position on the book, but this is definitely where the accusation comes from. It's worth the read.

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:54 am
by mikenz66
Some previous discussions. Sadly the E-Sangha links are no longer available...

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=986" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 941#p76254" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 40#p170295" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:anjali:
Mike

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:24 am
by danieLion
polarbuddha101 wrote:
danieLion wrote:
Zom wrote:Cool book, but again Ven. Thanissaro with his hidden-fire-eternal-mind idea :candle:
Still haven't seen anyone produce a source reference for this "hidden-fire-eternal-mind" accusation. If you repeat a lie often enough, and all that....
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mind Like Fire Unbound

I don't really have a position on the book, but this is definitely where the accusation comes from. It's worth the read.
I know MLFU is where most point to. I'd read it long before I heard the accusation, and have returned to it several times since looking for something to tie the accusation to, but to no avail. And in the context of his public body of work, it makes absolutely no sense. He's clearly aligned with the Buddha on all forms of eternalism. As far as I can tell it was a nasty rumor started by Ven. Dhammanando and perpetuated by anti-Thanissaro propagandists here at Dhammawheel.

Repeat a lie often enough and it eventually becomes a truth--and all that....

Re: New Book on Mindfulness by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 8:19 pm
by mikenz66
Hi Daniel,
danieLion wrote: As far as I can tell it was a nasty rumor started by Ven. Dhammanando and perpetuated by anti-Thanissaro propagandists here at Dhammawheel.

Repeat a lie often enough and it eventually becomes a truth--and all that....
Since Ven Thanissaro is quite clear that he disgrees with other interpretations in a number of areas, it is no surprise that a number of other interpreters disagree with him. It's a stretch to call that a conspiracy.

Ven Thanissaro makes some interesting points regarding how to make use the the "not-self" teachings. Some possible objections to his interpretation have been discussed in the threads I linked to above. Robert and others have given some thought to the matter recently in the thread:
NO self
http://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=14502" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Since this issue of not-self is central to the Buddha Dhamma, and grasping it wrongly could be problematical, it seems worthwhile to examine it carefully:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .ntbb.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
12. "Though certain recluses and brahmans claim to propound the full understanding of all kinds of clinging... they describe the full understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, and clinging to rules and observances without describing the full understanding of clinging to a doctrine of self. They do not understand one instance... therefore they describe only the full understanding of clinging to sensual pleasures, clinging to views, and clinging to rules and observances without describing the full understanding of clinging to a doctrine of self.
:anjali:
Mike