I'd like to share my updated understanding concerning how to cultivate Right Thinking, and would like to get your input:
1) First step: understand the true meaning of
sensuality and
renunciation (non-sensuality), comprehend sensual desire entirely -- learn the breadth/diversity of sensual desires,their various manifestations, and lust-inducing objects.
Likewise, comprehend ill will / non-ill will and harming/non-harming.
2) Second step: be clearly aware of the thinking imbued with sensual desire / ill will / harming -- detect the thoughts as soon as they arise; likewise, be clearly aware of thinking imbued with renunciation / non-ill will / non-harming [in other words, thinking of letting-go of sensual desire / ill will /harming) and detect them as soon as they arise, and keep dividing the thinking into two sorts (right thinking and wrong thinking) as the Buddha did:
"'Why don't I keep dividing my thinking into two sorts?' So I made thinking imbued with sensuality, thinking imbued with ill will, & thinking imbued with harmfulness one sort, and thinking imbued with renunciation, thinking imbued with non-ill will, & thinking imbued with harmlessness another sort." (MN 19)
It helps to know how sensual desire comes to arise (through unwise attention to lust-inducing objects) and when/how it subsides (through wise attention to remove the attention from lust-inducing objects). When sensual desire arises, switch the mind from wanting to mindfulness – mindfulness of the arising and fading away of the desire, noting the transition from wanting to becoming free from wanting and the greater happiness of peace and ease arising from not wanting, noting the transition from being lost in sensual pleasure to becoming mindful of the sensuality.
3) Third step: comprehend and familiarize the drawbacks/danger of sensual pleasures / ill will / harming, and the reward of renunciation / non-ill will / non-harming thoroughly, so that the heart will leap up at renunciation / non-ill will / non-harming:
"So it is, Ananda. So it is. Even I myself, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened Bodhisatta, thought: 'Renunciation is good. Seclusion is good.' But my heart didn't leap up at renunciation, didn't grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace. The thought occurred to me: 'What is the cause, what is the reason, why my heart doesn't leap up at renunciation, doesn't grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace?' Then the thought occurred to me: 'I haven't seen the drawback of sensual pleasures; I haven't pursued [that theme]. I haven't understood the reward of renunciation; I haven't familiarized myself with it. That's why my heart doesn't leap up at renunciation, doesn't grow confident, steadfast, or firm, seeing it as peace.'
"Then the thought occurred to me: 'If, having seen the drawback of sensual pleasures, I were to pursue that theme; and if, having understood the reward of renunciation, I were to familiarize myself with it, there's the possibility that my heart would leap up at renunciation, grow confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it as peace.'
"So at a later time, having seen the drawback of sensual pleasures, I pursued that theme; having understood the reward of renunciation, I familiarized myself with it. My heart leaped up at renunciation, grew confident, steadfast, & firm, seeing it as peace. ... " (AN 9.41)
For relevant suttas see notes PS1 and PS2.
4) Fourth step: apply the above understanding and the methods the Buddha taught us in MN 19 and 20 into abandoning wrong thinking and cultivating right thinking, and this should be done in whichever postures (Iti 4.11; Iti 115).
"And as I remained thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, thinking imbued with sensuality [ill will, harming] arose in me. I discerned that 'Thinking imbued with sensuality [ill will, harming] has arisen in me; and that leads to my own affliction or to the affliction of others or to the affliction of both. It obstructs discernment, promotes vexation, & does not lead to Unbinding.'
"As I noticed that it leads to my own affliction, it subsided. As I noticed that it leads to the affliction of others... to the affliction of both... it obstructs discernment, promotes vexation, & does not lead to Unbinding, it subsided. Whenever thinking imbued with sensuality [ill will, harming] had arisen, I simply abandoned it, destroyed it, dispelled it, wiped it out of existence."
"And as I remained thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, thinking imbued with renunciation [non-ill will, non-harming] arose in me. I discerned that 'Thinking imbued with renunciation [non-ill will, non-harming] has arisen in me; and that leads neither to my own affliction, nor to the affliction of others, nor to the affliction of both. It fosters discernment, promotes lack of vexation, & leads to Unbinding. If I were to think & ponder in line with that even for a night... even for a day... even for a day & night, I do not envision any danger that would come from it, except that thinking & pondering a long time would tire the body. When the body is tired, the mind is disturbed; and a disturbed mind is far from concentration.' So I steadied my mind right within, settled, unified, & concentrated it. Why is that? So that my mind would not be disturbed." (MN19)
For the other four methods for dispelling unwholesome thoughts see MN 20.
§ 110. {Iti 4.11; Iti 115}
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: "If, while he is walking, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he does not quickly abandon, dispel, demolish, or wipe that thought out of existence, then a monk walking with such a lack of ardency & concern is called continually & continuously lethargic & low in his persistence.
"If, while he is standing...
"If, while he is sitting...
"If, while he is lying down, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he does not quickly abandon, dispel, demolish, or wipe that thought out of existence, then a monk lying down with such a lack of ardency & concern is called continually & continuously lethargic & low in his persistence.
"But if, while he is walking, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he quickly abandons, dispels, demolishes, & wipes that thought out of existence, then a monk walking with such ardency & concern is called continually & continuously resolute, one with persistence aroused.
"If, while he is standing...
"If, while he is sitting...
"If, while he is lying down, there arises in a monk a thought of sensuality, a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harmfulness, and he quickly abandons, dispels, demolishes, & wipes that thought out of existence, then a monk lying down with such ardency & concern is called continually & continuously resolute, one with persistence aroused."
Whether walking, standing,
sitting, or lying down,
whoever thinks evil thoughts,
related to the household life,
is following no path at all,
smitten
with delusory things.
He's incapable,
a monk like this,
of touching superlative
self-awakening.
But whoever —
walking, standing,
sitting, or lying down —
overcomes thought,
delighting in the stilling of thought:
he's capable,
a monk like this,
of touching superlative
self-awakening.
Thanks and metta,
Starter
PS 1: Drawbacks of sensuality, ill will and harming
The drawbacks of sensuality:
see
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html#s Sensuality
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dham ... index.html
Ill will:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html#i
AN 10.80: ten reflections to help overcome hatred ["One does not get worked up over impossibilities" (when it's out of one's control?)]
Dhp 3:
"Whatever harm an enemy may do to an enemy, or a hater to a hater, an ill-directed mind inflicts on oneself a greater harm.
Neither mother, father, nor any other relative can do one greater good than one's own well-directed mind."
The sources of conflict and hostility: MN 18, DN 21, Sn 4.11, Sn 4.15
MN 18:
"The sort of doctrine, friend, where one does not keep quarreling with anyone in the cosmos with its devas, Maras, & Brahmas, with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk; the sort [of doctrine] where perceptions no longer obsess the brahman who remains dissociated from sensuality, free from perplexity, his uncertainty cut away, devoid of craving for becoming & non-becoming. Such is my doctrine, such is what I proclaim."
"If, monk, with regard to the cause whereby the perceptions & papañca (proliferation) assail a person, there is nothing there to relish, welcome, or remain fastened to, then that is the end of the obsessions of passion, the obsessions of resistance, the obsessions of views, the obsessions of uncertainty, the obsessions of conceit, the obsessions of passion for becoming, & the obsessions of ignorance. That is the end of taking up rods & bladed weapons, of arguments, quarrels, disputes, accusations, divisive tale-bearing, & false speech. That is where these evil, unskillful things cease without remainder."
DN 21:
"The world is made up of many properties, various properties. Because of the many & various properties in the world, then whichever property living beings get fixated on, they become entrenched & latch onto it, saying, 'Only this is true; anything else is worthless.'"
SN 4.11
"Conditioned by name & form
is contact.
In longing do graspings,
possessions have their cause.
When longing isn't
mine-ness does not exist.
When forms have disappeared
contacts don't touch."
"... the sage, ponders dependencies.
On knowing them, released,
he doesn't get into disputes,
doesn't meet with becoming & not-becoming:
he is enlightened."
SN 4.15:
"When embraced,
the rod of violence [physical/verbal/mental violence]
breeds danger & fear:
...
Seeing nothing in the end
but competition,
I felt discontent.
And then I saw
an arrow here,
so very hard to see,
embedded in the heart.
Overcome by this arrow
you run in all directions.
But simply on pulling it out
you don't run [to any of the destinations of rebirth],
you don't sink [into any of the four floods of sensuality, views, becoming, and ignorance].
Whatever things are tied down in the world,
you shouldn't be set on them.
Having totally penetrated
sensual pleasures and passions [kama],
you should train for your own
Unbinding.
Be truthful, not insolent,
not deceptive, rid of divisiveness.
Without anger, the sage
should cross over the evil
of greed & avarice.
He should conquer laziness,
weariness,
sloth;
shouldn't consort with heedlessness,
shouldn't stand firm in his pride —
the man with his heart set
on Unbinding.
He shouldn't engage in lying,
shouldn't create a sense of allure in form,
should fully fathom conceit,
and live refraining from impulsiveness;
shouldn't delight in what's old,
prefer what's new,
grieve over decline,
get entangled in
what's dazzling & bright.
I call greed
a 'great flood';
hunger, a swift current.
Preoccupations are ripples;
sensuality, a bog
hard to cross over.
Not deviating from truth,
a sage stands on high ground: a brahman.
Having renounced All,
he is said to be at peace;
having clearly known,
he is an attainer-of-wisdom;
knowing the Dhamma,
he's independent.
Moving rightly through the world,
he doesn't envy
anyone here.
Whoever here has gone over & beyond
sensual passions —
an attachment hard
to transcend in the world,
doesn't sorrow,
doesn't fret.
He, his stream cut, is free
from bonds.
Burn up what's before (past),
and have nothing for after (future).
If you don't grasp
at what's in between [present]
you will go about, calm.
For whom, in name & form,
in every way,
there's no sense of mine,
and who doesn't grieve
over what is not:
he, in the world,
isn't defeated,
suffers no loss.
To whom there doesn't occur
'This is mine,'
for whom 'nothing is others,'
feeling no sense of mine-ness,
doesn't grieve at the thought
'I have nothing.'
Not harsh,
not greedy,
not perturbed,
everywhere
in tune:
this is the reward
— I say when asked —
for those who are free
from pre-conceptions.
For one unperturbed
— who knows —
there's no accumulating.
Abstaining, unaroused,
he everywhere sees
security.
The sage
doesn't speak of himself
as among those who are higher,
equal,
or lower.
At peace, free of selfishness,
he doesn't embrace,
doesn't reject,"
the Blessed One said.
As the only thing that's good to kill: SN 1.71
What to do if someone is angry with you: SN 7.2, SN 11.4
What to do when Anger arises: Thag 6.12
The best response to Anger (a debate between two deities): SN 11.5
Anger can carve into you like an inscription in stone: AN 3.130
Anger can never be conquered with more anger: SN 11.4, Dhp 3
"Anger" (Dhammapada XVII)
The dangers of giving in to anger: AN 7.60
In war, there is no winning side: SN 3.14, SN 3.15
Only forbearance, never revenge, can bring an end to war: Mv 10.2.3-20
Harming:
Non-harming/Non-violence leads to happiness after death: Dhp 132
As a supporting condition for Awakening: Dhp 270
Isn't all there is to the Buddhist path: MN 78
The story of Angulimala the bandit: MN 86
How a wise person moves in society: Dhp 49
"The Rod" (Dhammapada X)
"Non-violence" (Study Guide)
PS 2: Reward of renunciation
Bliss
[The Buddha:] "Is it true, Bhaddiya that, on going to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, you repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'?"
[Ven. Bhaddiya:] "Yes, lord."
"What meaning do you have in mind that you repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'?"
"Before, when I was a householder, maintaining the bliss of kingship, I had guards posted within and without the royal apartments, within and without the city, within and without the countryside. But even though I was thus guarded, thus protected, I dwelled in fear — agitated, distrustful, and afraid. But now, on going alone to a forest, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, I dwell without fear, unagitated, confident, and unafraid — unconcerned, unruffled, my wants satisfied, with my mind like a wild deer. This is the meaning I have in mind that I repeatedly exclaim, 'What bliss! What bliss!'"
Then, on realizing the significance of that, the Blessed One on that occasion exclaimed:
In whom there exists
no provocation,
& for whom becoming & non-becoming
are overcome,
he is one — beyond fear,
blissful,
without grief,
whom the devas can't see.
— Ud 2.10
A sound night's sleep
[The Buddha:] "Now, what do you think: Suppose a householder or householder's son has a house with a gabled roof, plastered inside & out, draft-free, with close-fitting door & windows shut against the wind. Inside he has a horse-hair couch spread with a long-fleeced coverlet, a white wool coverlet, an embroidered coverlet, a rug of kadali-deer hide, with a canopy above, & red cushions on either side. And there a lamp would be burning, and his four wives, with their many charms, would be attending to him. Would he sleep in ease, or not? Or how does this strike you?"
[Hatthaka of Alavi:] "Yes, lord, he would sleep in ease. Of those in the world who sleep in ease, he would be one."
"But what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that householder or householder's son any bodily fevers or fevers of mind born of passion so that — burned with those passion-born fevers — he would sleep miserably?"
"Yes, lord."
"As for those passion-born fevers — burned with which the householder or householder's son would sleep miserably — that passion has been abandoned by the Tathagata, its root destroyed, made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development, not destined for future arising. Therefore he sleeps in ease.
"Now, what do you think, young man. Might there arise in that householder or householder's son any bodily fevers or fevers of mind born of aversion so that — burned with those aversion-born fevers — he would sleep miserably?"
"Yes, lord."
"As for those aversion-born fevers ...
"As for those delusion-born fevers ...
Always, always,
he sleeps in ease:
the brahman totally unbound,
who doesn't adhere
to sensual pleasures,
who's without acquisitions
& cooled.
Having cut all ties
& subdued fear in the heart,
calmed,
he sleeps in ease,
having reached peace
of awareness.
— AN 3.34
Rest
'Subject to birth, subject to aging,
subject to death,
run-of-the-mill people
are repelled by those who suffer
from that to which they are subject.
And if I were to be repelled
by beings subject to these things,
it would not be fitting for me,
living as they do.'
As I maintained this attitude —
knowing the Dhamma
without acquisitions —
I overcame all intoxication
with health, youth, & life
as one who sees
renunciation as rest.
For me, energy arose,
Unbinding was clearly seen.
There's now no way
I could partake of sensual pleasures.
Having followed the holy life,
I will not return.
— AN 3.38
Fearless
"There is the case of the person who has abandoned passion, desire, fondness, thirst, fever, and craving for sensuality. Then he comes down with a serious disease. As he comes down with a serious disease, the thought does not occur to him, 'O, those beloved sensual pleasures will be taken from me, and I will be taken from them!' He does not grieve, is not tormented; does not weep, beat his breast, or grow delirious. This is a person who, subject to death, is not afraid or in terror of death."
— AN 4.184
PS 3: the first step to cultivate right thinking might be non-unrighteous greed / non-covetousness, non-ill will/non-hate, non-wrong view. The above-mentioned steps can be applied as well.
MN 41:
"And how are there three kinds of mental conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct?Here someone is covetous: he is a coveter of another's chattels and property thus: 'Oh, that what is another's were mine!' Or he has a mind of ill-will, with the intention of a mind affected by hate thus: 'May these beings be slain and slaughtered, may they be cut off, perish, or be annihilated!' Or he has wrong view, distorted vision, thus: 'There is nothing given, nothing offered, nothing sacrificed, no fruit and ripening of good and bad kammas, no this world, no other world, no mother, no father, no spontaneously (born) beings,[1] no good and virtuous monks and brahmans that have themselves realized by direct knowledge and declare this world and the other world.'[2] That is how there are three kinds of mental conduct not in accordance with the Dhamma, unrighteous conduct."
"And how is one made pure in three ways by mental action? There is the case where a certain person is not covetous. He does not covet the belongings of others, thinking, 'O, that what belongs to others would be mine!' He bears no ill will and is not corrupt in the resolves of his heart. [He thinks,] 'May these beings be free from animosity, free from oppression, free from trouble, and may they look after themselves with ease!' He has right view and is not warped in the way he sees things: 'There is what is given, what is offered, what is sacrificed. There are fruits & results of good & bad actions. There is this world & the next world. There is mother & father. There are spontaneously reborn beings; there are brahmans & contemplatives who, faring rightly & practicing rightly, proclaim this world & the next after having directly known & realized it for themselves.' This is how one is made pure in three ways by mental action." — AN 10.176