Mindfulness is the direct path?

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
chris87
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2018 11:11 pm

Re: Mindfulness is the direct path?

Post by chris87 »

Without the 2 truths all effort will be confined to a relative conceptual view and this is what we must get past. It is very tricky because we have so much mental affliction and habitual pattern to cut off. To be mindful we start with observing our own thoughts. When thoughts arise regarding conventional reality/relative truth we pause, observe, and release these thoughts. Recognizing thoughts with out grasping or attachment. This is an endless practice of mindfulness which will help to accumulate wisdom. By constantly being mindful we break the habitual samsaric pattern and this purify's the mind or reduces the attachment to impermanent happiness which keeps us in samsara. This practice takes time so we must engage in mindfulness every moment, spontaneously until we can be mindful into continuity or an unbroken stream of awareness. Be sure to be mindful of the positive, negative, and neutral states. Spontaneously all the time in all life situations. Because samsara is present in all states. As long as we attach our happiness and an idea of the self designated by the gross body and mind with brief attachment to the 5 senses we suffer. We must learn the two truths to act with mindfulness with a correct view and to identify the cause of samsara. Then you will see how your own mind is creating all suffering i.e. anxiety, stress, depression, and fear. Mindfulness is 100% necessary on this path.

One important beginning point of mindfulness is to observe without attachment. Like when driving on the freeway. When you drive you acknowledge all the cars on the road but you don't attach/focus on one single car or else you are not present and will crash. Scan your mind like you do the freeway without attaching to any one thought or idea or else you will "crash" into that idea and get dragged along for who know how long. It happens to all of us.

This does not mean you can't think or have analytical meditation. You can as long as you cultivate good and useful thoughts that benefit everyone. Then once you're done, stop. Mindfulness leads us away from obsessive, negative, and distracting thought patterns. But learn the 2 truths so you can move forward in mindfulness with the correct view and don't end up deviating with some conceptual intellectual idea of mindfulness. This can be dangerous.
User1249x
Posts: 2749
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2018 8:50 pm

Re: Mindfulness is the direct path?

Post by User1249x »

Immersed in mindfulness of the satipatthanas one develops the five spiritual faculties and the factors of enlightenment, when discernment culminates mind turns to cessation as the path is born. In a nutshell that is how it works afaik.
cookiemonster
Posts: 252
Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 4:42 am

Re: Mindfulness is the direct path?

Post by cookiemonster »

kverty wrote: Sun May 06, 2018 5:03 pm Right mindfulness is one of the eight path factors but it is also described in the suttas (satipatthana sutta) as the direct path to nibbana. So if you practice the four bases for mindfulness you also practice the noble eightfold path? How do these two correspond to each other?
As I understand it, practicing mindfulness of the four bases leads to the various jhanas; the jhanas in turn allows one to practice vipassana which ultimately leads to nibbana.
justindesilva
Posts: 2602
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 12:38 pm

Re: Mindfulness is the direct path?

Post by justindesilva »

cappuccino wrote: Sun May 06, 2018 5:40 pm mindfulness means to remember the teaching

whenever that would help, which is always
From my understanding mindfulness is also covered by yoniso manasikara. It is wise attention of thought , and
is also here and now. Mindfulness was recently covered in a seperate post .
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