Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Exploring the Dhamma, as understood from the perspective of the ancient Pali commentaries.
Spiny Norman
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by Spiny Norman »

Saengnapha wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:23 am
Spiny Norman wrote: Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:03 pm
Goofaholix wrote: Fri Nov 10, 2017 9:33 am Whereas traditional Theravada in addition to mindfulness also encourages renunciation...,
In the suttas there is the idea of turning away from the conditioned, and towards the unconditioned. I'm not sure whether the modern mindfulness movement subscribes to this idea?
Spiny, which sutta(s) specifically talk about turning away from the conditioned, and towards the unconditioned?
In the Satipatthana Sutta, there is no discussion concerning this or recommendation to do this. So, I'm wondering what are you referring to?
Here is one example, from Itivuttaka:

§ 43. The Not-born {Iti 2.16; Iti 37}
[Alternate translation: Thanissaro]

This was said by the Lord...

"There is, bhikkhus, a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned. If, bhikkhus, there were no not-born, not-brought-to-being, not-made, not-conditioned, no escape would be discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made, conditioned. But since there is a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned, therefore an escape is discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made, conditioned."

The born, come-to-be, produced,
The made, the conditioned, the transient,
Conjoined with decay and death,
A nest of disease, perishable,
Sprung from nutriment and craving's cord —
That is not fit to take delight in.

The escape from that, the peaceful,
Beyond reasoning, everlasting,
The not-born, the unproduced,
The sorrowless state that is void of stain,
The cessation of states linked to suffering,
The stilling of the conditioned — bliss."
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .irel.html
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mal4mac
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by mal4mac »

So the mindfulness practitioner believes:

“... not that one should renounce the impermanent... but that one should learn to live in the world... experiencing everything with awe and wonder... a new affirmation of the world, so that one can joyfully savour each fleeting event, each relationship, each undertaking in its wistful evanescence, unperturbed when it passes."

But for the classical Buddhist:

"impermanence is ... deficiency ... the things we turn to for happiness are unworthy of our ultimate concern."

So, to paraphrase the Buddha conditioned things are unreliable, so you should become disenchanted with them, dispassionate toward them, and liberated from them. (SN 15:20, ii 193)

So, for a heterosexual male, a girlfriend is a conditioned thing, and therefore unreliable. So should he become disenchanted with her? Dispassionate towards her? Liberated from her? That is, should he give up that girlfriend? I suspect the answer is yes to these three questions, for Bodhi; he is a monk after all.

So how do you become disenchanted with a woman you feel you are in love with? I'm tempted to say, let nature take its course. She'll soon do stuff to make you disenchanted. But is there a quicker, less painful way? (Avoid women springs to mind, but what if you are already ensnared...)

You can see why "mindfulness practitioners" don't push this strong beer - many of their customers are probably in romantic relationships, got to keep them on board...
- Mal
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L.N.
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by L.N. »

... The practice of mindfulness thus leads through the door of impermanence and selflessness to a new affirmation of the world, so that one can joyfully savour each fleeting event, each relationship, each undertaking in its wistful evanescence, unperturbed when it passes. ... This attitude ... is quite at odds with the Buddhism of the Pali Canon, the tradition from which mindfulness originates.
The attitude described in the quote above also is quite at odds with mindfulness as I have seen it presented in professional, secular contexts. I have not heard a single presenter encourage "joyfully savoring each fleeting event." I think most professionals would reject this vanilla instruction in any case. Rather, the presenters I have heard have promoted mindfulness as a science-backed tool to assist in engaging with the challenges we all face.

Many presenters reference MBSR. The website discusses "training about mindfulness-based stress reduction, healing and resilience, and the science and application of mind-body medicine." The attitude discussed in the quote in the OP appears to be a straw-man bastardization of the secular approach to mindfulness.
Last edited by L.N. on Mon Nov 13, 2017 2:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
Sire patitthitā Buddhā
Dhammo ca tava locane
Sangho patitthitō tuiham
uresabba gunākaro


愿众佛坐在我的头顶, 佛法在我的眼中, 僧伽,功德的根源, 端坐在我的肩上。
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Dhammanando
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by Dhammanando »

Saengnapha wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:23 am Spiny, which sutta(s) specifically talk about turning away from the conditioned, and towards the unconditioned?
There are many such. One of the key phrases is etaṃ santaṃ, etaṃ paṇītaṃ, yadidaṃ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho, "This is the peaceful, this is the sublime, namely, the stilling of all saṅkhāras."
“’I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the first jhana.’ Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said? There is the case where a monk, secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perception, fabrications, & consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self. He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: ‘This is peace, this is exquisite—the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Nibbāna.’
https://suttacentral.net/en/an9.36
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
binocular
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by binocular »

L.N. wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:53 pmThe attitude described in the quote above also is quite at adds with mindfulness as I have seen it presented in professional, secular contexts. I have not heard a single presenter encourage "joyfully savoring each fleeting event." I think most professionals would reject this vanilla instruction in any case. Rather, the presenters I have heard have promoted mindfulness as a science-backed tool to assist in engaging with the challenges we all face.

Many presenters reference MBSR. The website discusses "training about mindfulness-based stress reduction, healing and resilience, and the science and application of mind-body medicine." The attitude discussed in the quote in the OP appears to be a straw-man bastardization of the secular approach to mindfulness.
I googled mindfulness + enyjoment and got, among many other similar pages:
The point about this is that, if you make a point of mindfully cultivating your basic experience of enjoyment you can then practice integrating it into a whole spectrum of your life’s activities from the intense to the quiet. You can use your essential feeling of mindful enjoyment to enhance all of them!
http://tobyouvry.com/2015/06/the-spectr ... enjoyment/
Being mindful (paying attention) to your thoughts, feelings and actions is a way to connect with yourself, slow down and enjoy the moment – this one right now.
http://theblueroom.bupa.com.au/healthie ... enjoyment/
Mindful eating of sweets boosts food enjoyment and mood
https://goamra.org/mindful-eating-sweet ... ment-mood/
Mindfulness is sometimes presented in that vanilla, YOLO, "joyfully savoring each fleeting event" manner. As the examples above show, the secular approach to mindfulness has already been bastardized.


I know a book about how to overcome emotional eating, written by a fancy NY psyhotherapist; it has received awards for excellence etc. It proposes to be scientific. There is a section on mindfulness, and how to miindfully enjoy food. I won't say what I wanted to do with the book and what I wanted to say to the author after reading that.
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

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Mindfulness means remembering the teaching in each situation.
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L.N.
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by L.N. »

binocular wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:33 pmMindfulness is sometimes presented in that vanilla, YOLO, "joyfully savoring each fleeting event" manner. As the examples above show, the secular approach to mindfulness has already been bastardized.
No doubt. Those examples are funny. Even so, one can google lots of silly stuff, and the quote in the OP does not reflect my personal experience with secular mindfulness presentations and the competence of individuals I know who present on mindfulness. It seems there is an effort here on DW to diminish the positive aspects of a broader discussion and recognition of mindfulness such as in these Topics:
viewtopic.php?t=24786
viewtopic.php?t=26059

I tend to agree with the following perspective:
Goofaholix wrote: Fri Nov 10, 2017 5:46 am... while some people have the attitude he described it's not really the point of such teachings, the point is to help us let go of resistance (ie aversion) and this is really just a first step.
Sire patitthitā Buddhā
Dhammo ca tava locane
Sangho patitthitō tuiham
uresabba gunākaro


愿众佛坐在我的头顶, 佛法在我的眼中, 僧伽,功德的根源, 端坐在我的肩上。
Saengnapha
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by Saengnapha »

Spiny Norman wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 3:46 pm
Saengnapha wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:23 am
Spiny Norman wrote: Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:03 pm

In the suttas there is the idea of turning away from the conditioned, and towards the unconditioned. I'm not sure whether the modern mindfulness movement subscribes to this idea?
Spiny, which sutta(s) specifically talk about turning away from the conditioned, and towards the unconditioned?
In the Satipatthana Sutta, there is no discussion concerning this or recommendation to do this. So, I'm wondering what are you referring to?
Here is one example, from Itivuttaka:

§ 43. The Not-born {Iti 2.16; Iti 37}
[Alternate translation: Thanissaro]

This was said by the Lord...

"There is, bhikkhus, a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned. If, bhikkhus, there were no not-born, not-brought-to-being, not-made, not-conditioned, no escape would be discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made, conditioned. But since there is a not-born, a not-brought-to-being, a not-made, a not-conditioned, therefore an escape is discerned from what is born, brought-to-being, made, conditioned."

The born, come-to-be, produced,
The made, the conditioned, the transient,
Conjoined with decay and death,
A nest of disease, perishable,
Sprung from nutriment and craving's cord —
That is not fit to take delight in.

The escape from that, the peaceful,
Beyond reasoning, everlasting,
The not-born, the unproduced,
The sorrowless state that is void of stain,
The cessation of states linked to suffering,
The stilling of the conditioned — bliss."
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .irel.html
Spiny, no doubt, the unconditioned may be there, but there is no mention of 'turning to the uncondtioned' in the practice of mindfulness as put forth in the Satipatthana Sutta. If the unconditioned were a 'thing', a 'state', we could turn to, it would not be unconditioned. Since the thread is about modern mindfulness, is 'turning to the unconditioned' one of the practices that is recommended?
Saengnapha
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by Saengnapha »

Dhammanando wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 5:04 pm
Saengnapha wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 4:23 am Spiny, which sutta(s) specifically talk about turning away from the conditioned, and towards the unconditioned?
There are many such. One of the key phrases is etaṃ santaṃ, etaṃ paṇītaṃ, yadidaṃ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho, "This is the peaceful, this is the sublime, namely, the stilling of all saṅkhāras."
“’I tell you, the ending of the mental fermentations depends on the first jhana.’ Thus it has been said. In reference to what was it said? There is the case where a monk, secluded from sensuality, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perception, fabrications, & consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, an emptiness, not-self. He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: ‘This is peace, this is exquisite—the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Nibbāna.’
https://suttacentral.net/en/an9.36
Bhante, what you are referring to is not the same thing that Spiny put forth. Jhana is certainly helpful and leads to nibbida, etc.
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L.N.
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by L.N. »

cappuccino wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:54 pm Mindfulness means remembering the teaching in each situation.
Yes, and modern mindfulness can be helpful toward this end.
Sire patitthitā Buddhā
Dhammo ca tava locane
Sangho patitthitō tuiham
uresabba gunākaro


愿众佛坐在我的头顶, 佛法在我的眼中, 僧伽,功德的根源, 端坐在我的肩上。
binocular
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by binocular »

L.N. wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:50 am
binocular wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:33 pmMindfulness is sometimes presented in that vanilla, YOLO, "joyfully savoring each fleeting event" manner. As the examples above show, the secular approach to mindfulness has already been bastardized.
No doubt. Those examples are funny. Even so, one can google lots of silly stuff, and the quote in the OP does not reflect my personal experience with secular mindfulness presentations and the competence of individuals I know who present on mindfulness.
It does reflect my personal experience with secular mindfulness presentations, though. And why I have such a problem with it.
I tend to agree with the following perspective:
Goofaholix wrote: Fri Nov 10, 2017 5:46 am... while some people have the attitude he described it's not really the point of such teachings, the point is to help us let go of resistance (ie aversion) and this is really just a first step.
I can't relate to this.
L.N. wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:27 am
cappuccino wrote: Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:54 pm Mindfulness means remembering the teaching in each situation.
Yes, and modern mindfulness can be helpful toward this end.
How??

Especially when already the preface or introduction to a secular book about mindfulness espouses a YOLO perspective?
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by Dhammanando »

Saengnapha wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:24 amBhante, what you are referring to is not the same thing that Spiny put forth. Jhana is certainly helpful and leads to nibbida, etc.
Spiny spoke of "suttas [in which] there is the idea of turning away from the conditioned, and towards the unconditioned." The sutta I cited is certainly an example of this. In this case it happens to be first jhāna that is the conditioned thing that one turns away from. In other suttas the phrase is used in connection with other things that one turns away from, having come to realize their coarseness in comparison to the unconditioned.
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.


In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
Spiny Norman
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by Spiny Norman »

Saengnapha wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:16 am Spiny, no doubt, the unconditioned may be there, but there is no mention of 'turning to the uncondtioned' in the practice of mindfulness as put forth in the Satipatthana Sutta. If the unconditioned were a 'thing', a 'state', we could turn to, it would not be unconditioned. Since the thread is about modern mindfulness, is 'turning to the unconditioned' one of the practices that is recommended?
But that's my point. If one's focus is primarily on satipatthana practice, then the idea of turning away from the conditioned and towards the unconditioned probably wouldn't seem relevant. If one's focus is primarily on satipatthana practice, then it's likely that there will less focus on the other factors of the 8-fold path, or on the other five factors of enlightenment. And so on.

I am of course generalising, because "modern mindfulness" is a rather vague description.
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mal4mac
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by mal4mac »

"Savoring positive experiences" seems to be a strong movement in positive psychology at the moment:

Here's a book, backed by JKZ with "Mindfulness" in the title, and "savoring" in the subtitle:

Eat, Drink, and Be Mindful: How to End Your Struggle with Mindless Eating and Start Savoring Food by Susan Albers, Psy.D.

Savoring does seem totally non Buddhist, and totally against true mindfulness, in that it involves trying to enjoy the taste of food to the full. I mean aren't Buddhists supposed to let go of anything enjoyable, and certainly not "enjoy it the full". In a sense, aren't they supposed to enjoy it as little as possible? Then again, a banker wolfing down a hamburger while thinking about what the share index might be a year from now is certainly not enjoying his food, and is surely less "in the moment" than a gourmet savouring his food.

I've stopped listening to the radio while eating, to try and pay attention to one thing, i.e, what I'm eating. But I don't try and enjoy it to the full - that seems like a desperate grasping after positive experience. I pay attention, if it's pleasant then I just observe that and let it go, if it's quite boring (as my cooking often is!) I observe that, and let that go.

So the "paying attention" part of savoring seems good, but the "trying to enjoy it the full" seems rather desperate and therefore not a good idea. Savoring, it seems to me, is likely to lead you to spending all your time thinking of how you might improve the variety and taste of the food you cook. This might be some kind of spiritual path, the Gourmet Path, but it's certainly not Buddhist. (And thinking about it, I've never heard of anyone serious recommending the Gourmet path... the ancient Greek philosophers frowned on gourmandism as much as Buddhists.) So I'll not be taking Jamie Oliver as my guru...
- Mal
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Re: Bikkhu Bodhi on the errors of modern mindfulness

Post by Saengnapha »

Dhammanando wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 9:19 am
Saengnapha wrote: Sun Nov 12, 2017 4:24 amBhante, what you are referring to is not the same thing that Spiny put forth. Jhana is certainly helpful and leads to nibbida, etc.
Spiny spoke of "suttas [in which] there is the idea of turning away from the conditioned, and towards the unconditioned." The sutta I cited is certainly an example of this. In this case it happens to be first jhāna that is the conditioned thing that one turns away from. In other suttas the phrase is used in connection with other things that one turns away from, having come to realize their coarseness in comparison to the unconditioned.
Bhante, forgive me but I think we're talking about two different things here. Some of the ideas put forth by people teaching a modern approach to Mindfulness practice are not really in line with the Buddha's teachings. If someone is not a Buddhist and practices these things, there is no foul as far as a Buddhist goes. But, if the practice of mindfulness is not taken up with a foundation of the 3 marks of existence, the necessary conditions for the fruit cannot line up. Benefits can be gained, no doubt, but not a complete disenchantment as taught by the Buddha. Jhanas by themselves also cannot be the cause for release. Introducing the unconditioned is somewhat like talking about a god, a Self, something that one can experience. How can one turn towards something that is not experienceable?, that is not conditioned? Turning away from a jhana because it is conditioned would be nibbida, disenchantment, an act of wisdom/insight. Doesn't this make sense to you?
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