Instructions for Metta or Lovingkindness Meditation and the 6Rs by Bhante Vimalaramsi
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- Опубликовано: 12 мар 2018
- Here, Bhante describes the instructions of the Metta Meditation and practice of the 6Rs to eliminate hindrances.
This is the first part of the Brahmavihara practice or what he calls TWIM or Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation.
Retreats are available at the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center. Check the link below.
www.dhammasukha.org
Book just published on Bhante's teachings
www.thepathtonibbana.com/
Recorded: 11-20-16
Where: St. Francis Retreat Center, San Juan Bautista, CA
Talk by Bhante Vimalaramsi
Abbot - Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center
6 Rs:
Recognize (the distraction)
Release (the distraction by not focusing your attention on it)
Relax (the tightness in your head & mind) (tightness=craving)
Resmile
Return (to your object of meditation)
Repeat
The object of meditation: loving and kind thoughts towards yourself (warm blowing happy feeling in your chest); Then imagine a person who you really like (same-sex, alive) and wish them well: send loving and kind thoughts to this "spiritual friend".
oh so thats what ive been feeling! alright seems like I'm on the right path!
It's not possible to give loving kindness to your spiritual friends all the time. What the solution?
Only One Person as object? Will that allow to proceed to the fourth Jhana ?
Thank you for writing this. blessings of loving kindness to you
does it have to be same sex? I want to cultivate love for my partner as much as possible
Sadhu! This is LIFE TRANSFORMING! I am able to see results much quicker than other Traditions I have been practicing for decades! I am a former monk ordained in the Thai Forest Tradition and have spent many years trying to achieve levels of jhana, etc... The Buddha Dhamma as taught by Bhante Vi has helped to reduce the "dust" in my eyes more quickly than YEARS of intense "kammatthana" style practice. I am forever grateful to Bhante and those help to maintain this Dhamma of TWIM.
The 6 R's has transformed my practice in meditation. I am very grateful for you sharing your teachings about this and to take part of one of your online retreats in January 2019. Thank you!
As a Zen practitioner for 31 years and a Zen teacher for 12 years, I found that Bhante’s instruction for practice to be the clearest that I have come across and most effective.
I Kensho at 28 years old and started teaching at my teacher’s request at 33. After Kensho, I used only notice, relax & release and observe to go through all the jhanas, arupas and Nirvana Samapatti. But I didn’t know how to teach it to my students as well and clear as Bhante.
Thank you!
Amazing - thanks for sharing! So you now practice just metta or do you still practice mindfulness from Zen? My understanding is he mostly just teaches metta? Did you also do the smile? I have only just stumbled across Bhante and would love to sit with him. Did you learn directly from him or via his online instructions? May you be happy :)
@@JoshuaRichardson123 It is my experience that if you relax enough (there are many levels of relaxation), you don't need metta practice since the smile just comes naturally for me. I didn't purposely do it. I didn't learn it personally from him, but my experience is similar. I didn't know how to verbalize it as well as him since he has Theravada's textual knowledge to fall back on. In Zen, once someone Kensho, they rely on Buddha-nature inside to guide the practice, and it's very non-conceptual (hard to verbalize), but Kensho makes it very easy to navigate through the Jhanas and Arupas than traditional Theravada's method, like a quick route through them. The problem is... getting to Kensho takes strength of determination and resolve (or pure luck for a few) which the average person doesn't possess.
@@moonmissy Wow - thank you. Where is it that you teach? My teacher was in the Zen tradition and teaches just mindfulness of breath, but I feel my heart is not open and I feel drawn to a more heart orientated practice. Although, I'm a little confused to be honest I am quite likely overcomplicating things. Do you feel the 6 R's is a good approach as it does differ slightly than just observing?
@@moonmissy dear Sir
Its strange that I found by accident another your comment on youtube. :)) Previously we met in Bhante G video about Nirodha.
Now I'm in Sri Lanka's monastery and try to improve my concentration up to jhanas. Im also use a relax tension method that comes to me just by experimentation (even before I met teaching of Bhante V). So its not like they create something new, its just natural way that many yogis do hundreds of years.
So, do you think I can use this method (Im dont have Kensho or even satori to this moment) for jhanas practice? Or its better to balance this one with précise one pointed concentration?
Now I believe I got something like close to access concentration (by this I mean I have a 5-6 "big" distractions lasts for 5-10 seconds each during 1 hour session.)
Thanks for sharing, you've inspired me! What Zen practices were your bread and butter? Zazen, koan, huatou?
My dear Bhante Vimalaramsi. Your teaching has been most beneficial to my Dhamma learning process. I most sincerely thank you for your utmost wholesome teaching. Your teaching allowed me to happily earn and to share all my merits. And to be happy to receive all the merits shared by others.
Thanks to bhante Vimalaramsi, one of the first theravada teachers i met some years ago, and im glad to see him again, may he be well and have a long life.
Thank you for sharing 6Rs sir. It is a brilliant teaching on the path to liberation .
Mindfullnes is remembering to observe how the mind/attention moves from one thing to another
Saadu, saadu saaa. Thank you most venerable vimalaramsi. Venerable sir your sharing dhamma for us to can listen due to our merits in previous life.
Thank you! I feel drawn to this!
This generous teaching transformed the practice of two of us, a small sangha, into a gift we give ourselves in and out of meditation - life-transforming sustenance. Bless. 🙏❣️
Thank you for this.
1:11 6R
14:08-16:17 fastest way to let go of an attachment and about practice
16:17-18:45 you're made of five things (physical body, feeling, perception, thoughts, consciousness)
Such a great teaching !
Thank you, Bhante. This is v v helpful. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu
His voice is very nice. Thank you for the teachings Bhante! 🙏
Thank you for sharing
Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.
Thank You Bante
Most venerable bhante
When I first saw ur video I was convinced that whatever u were explaining made complete sense to me and I tested with suttas and it got me very interested in meditation, and from my personal expirence I am extremely thankful to you. May u and everybody else be happy. I am so so grateful, there are no words that can convey my gratitude.
On behalf of Bhante thank you for your kind comments. This meditation is easy to learn and fast to progress. Please visit our website to learn how! dhammasukha . org
He is the King of Meditation here. Respect. :-)
Thank you
Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu 💐💐💐🙏🙏🙏
🙏🙏🙏🙏
Samskara is translated as thoughts;interesting.
Venerable Sir,
Thank you so much for your precious guidance and wisdom, which has helped me to dissolve some of the knots in my practice.
Two questions:
- Can / Should you apply 6R by actively scanning for tension and tightness in the body and mind, and then dissolve it before it becomes a distraction or hindrance? Or should you wait until it grows into a distraction or hindrance, you become aware of it, and then 6R it?
- Can you also use 6R off the cushion in daily life when unwholesome states of mind, craving or bodily pain arise?
Thank you so much!
Thnx a lot for this. Really changed me alot. I just wonder when i have open ny heart to my self . What should i focus on instead . Animals plants ? Six directions ? And how is the smile progress in my mind steps?
🙏🏼
In which buddhist Pali texts this and other meditation method mentioned?
Hello sir! Great work! Could you possibly refer me to a Buddhist text detailing the next buddha's return? Perhaps the circumstances surrounding the civilization upon his arrival?
Forrest Neal Hi there friend here is a link on "The Coming Buddha, Ariya Metteya".
what-buddha-said.net/library/Metteyya/arimet00.htm
With Metta.
Every Lord Buddha teaches the same concept. Why dont you start learning now and not wait for the next Buddha to come which will take million years to come. What if you are in a place you will not be able to meet him then? How many Buddhas did we miss in our journey of sansara. So learn it now. All the best to you.
Buddha is here. BuddhaMaitreya.org. Recognized in all 4 lineages of Tibetan Buddhism
You can choose to be free now.
How does one know when they are ready to expand beyond the spiritual friend?
When the feeling of lovingkindness goes from the heart to the head consistently. And don't push it back down!
I played with the 6-Rs method many years ago and found it useful to an extent. I don’t think it is a complete practice of bhavana though. Compare it with the 16 steps of anapanasati and you can begin to see it is a 'tool' with limited scope in comparison. It brings to mind the Buddha's response to Arittha when he says that he practices breath meditation:
"Near Sāvatthī. There the Blessed One said, “Monks, do you develop mindfulness of in-&-out breathing?” When this was said, Ven. Ariṭṭha replied to the Blessed One, “I develop mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, lord.” “But how do you develop mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, Ariṭṭha?” “Having abandoned sensual desire for past sensual pleasures, lord, having done away with sensual desire for future sensual pleasures, and having thoroughly subdued perceptions of resistance with regard to internal & external events, I breathe in mindfully and breathe out mindfully.”1 “There is that mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, Ariṭṭha. I don’t say that there isn’t. But as to how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is brought in detail to its culmination, listen and pay close attention. I will speak.” (The Buddha then goes on to explain the details of the 16 steps).
SN54.6
Although the details are different to the 6Rs method the message is similar. There are methods of practicing which are skillful but when used as the only method they are not a complete practice for the cultivation of the heightened mind (samadhi) and heightened discernment (panna).
this is mind blowing. I practice the first three Rs anyway. Why do we send loving and kind thoughts to one living person? This is the part I am currently not doing. Does it benefit them or is it just a point of focus?
Hello- we start with just one person because the mind is weak and can't radiate to all beings. You use the Spiritual Friend until the metta feeling rises into the head-then you use the 6 directions for metta radiation. It does benefit them but more importantly it helps you develop your collectedness.
@@DhammasukhaOrg thank you for your reply.
During the Release step, you should not pay attention to the content of the thought/distraction itself.
How does one do that?
Do you pay attention to the tension caused by the though/distraction instead,
so you can then move on to the relax step and watch that same tension melt away?
Hi - Let me answer this- You know what the distraction is but don't pay attention - in other words don't get involved and just drop the thought there without following it and thinking more about. Just stop, if you will. You Recognized you had wandered and now you Release and not pay attention. Then comes Relax which is you notice there is still this tension there that is pulling you to think more so just relax your desire to think more. You won't necessarily eliminate the tension that is there but you relax your desire to either like it or not like it. You are relaxing your ATTENTION to the tension. The tension itself will take time to disappear but it doesn't matter. Your paying attention to it keeps feeding it. You are pouring water on the fire by relaxing.
Well said David. I say to myself Relax over and over it works well until the thoughts disappear.
@@davidjohnson8218 watch it rise and fall. I really like the relax part after realizing the tension rises. Then the relaxation which is let go releases the tension and the tension plus the cause of the tension fades away.
@@davidjohnson8218 Dave, for me I used to just relax to the experience in the body and mind . There might be tension, but I just don't do anything about it. only experience it. it comes and go. when I tried the realization , release and resmile, it adds some stress because I have to do something and kind of busy and tiresome.
In which pali text, this method is mentioned?
You can compare 6 "r"s with the third method mentioned in the MN 20
Metta :)
So I assume that Bhante's metta meditation instruction to focus on a spiritual friend of the same sex is for people who are heterosexual so that they avoid thoughts of sexual attraction while practicing metta meditation. However if the person is homosexual, then wouldn't it be better to practice on a spiritual friend of the opposite sex?
When we meditate, the methods create a conducive environment for the removal of the hindrances. As long as the conditions minimise the arising of lust, go for it.
lust should not arise if the person is not found physicaly attractive and pleasing by your mind's state, could be age, could be traits, could be a friend you have zero attraction toward. could be someone you hate, metta is not metta if you exclude wish of freedom and peace to people you hate and dislike, if they find peace they will no more be dislikable and wrong in their ways.
He does clarify this in the audiobook, saying to go with what makes sense for you.
What if you constantly hear voices in your head?
Keep going
at 11:47 why does he tell the person not to cross their legs?
Sitting with your legs crossed is an emotionally closed position if you are in a chair. Also folding of the arms. - it is also considered disrespectful, in a mild way, while listening to a talk. Of course if you are sitting cross legged on the floor it is fine. Bhante wants people to be open with body and mind during the talk.
@ciaran perry Actually the Vinaya or Book of the Discipline has a rule that monks can't give talks if people are - I can't remember the exact wording -but I was surprised it actually did say something about folding arms. And it also says monks cannot give talks if you are higher then them - standing instead of sitting. Many small rules based on courtesy I would say.
@ciaran perry It is a social engineering technique that increases submission to authority. The posture of the body manifests itself as a result of practice. If one practices well, an open position will come naturally. If one is seated in a defensive position, Bhante should pay attention to the cause - that is, the actual meditation practice - and not to the posture itself.
@ciaran perry not crossing legs or arms is done for the same reason smiling is done. It influences the mind in a positive way.
@ciaran perry hmm i didn't get that authority vibe at all. Seemed more like he was trying to help
But he didnt say what to say.
He reminds me of Milton Erickson
Wow! So true.
why?
How does this method map to the traditional anapanasti method? This seems to be more of a method to troubleshoot the mind when it is distracted, and that has been how I have been applying it. Is it right to say that the core meditation method is still anapanasati and progression to the satipatthanas?
No, the Buddha talked about Metta or the Brahmviharas Method, far more in the suttas than Anapanasati as the way to Nibbana. If you don't add the relax step to anapanasati - which you can but it is different then how others teach- it won't work the way the suttas explain it. It becomes a concentration method which the Buddha early on rejected as not a way out of craving. See sutta MN 36.
Bhante Vimalaramsi thank you for the time and the explanation. I have read further into your materials and understood that relax aspect does seem to be incorporated in the pasambhayam kaya-sankharam & pasambhayam citta-sankharam aspects of anapanasati. Could you link us to the bhrama viharas method our for further knowledge and practice? It is unfortunate that we are unable to practice in person in these trying times.
@@penguin0101 We teach pretty much exclusively Metta Bhavana which incorporates the relax step as well. We call it TWIM or tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation. It is based on Metta as the starting point. Everything is here - I would suggest reading the Guide to TWIM 45 pgs first to understand the process. Metta is much faster then breath. If you do practice Metta you can achieve in one week what it might take 6 weeks in breath. And it is a pleasant meditation! www.dhammasukha.org/getting-started-with-twim.html
anapanasti method: in the step 2 of the 16 steps, You first experience the body, then you calm the body. Calming the body includes relax the whole body and also calm down the outwarding excitement in the body. Quiet down the body and the mind.
Hello iam now practicing a view months vipassana meditation from goenka method.
But can I also keep the 6 R's in mind. Because somewere it's quit simmeler. But because it's quit new for me my thoughts quit wonder off . When I do the bodyswep bodyscan.
And with the advice of don't push your self . Smile Laugh Having fun.
That can be quit a challenge with the goenka vipassana method.
Does somebody have tips .
Or is this a quit different meditation.
Can a lay practitioner practice metta meditation?
Not only that but in Sutta 73 of the MN you can attain to the 3rd stage of awakening as a lay disciple - so yes of course lay people can practice AND attain Nibbana.
He scolded someone for crossing their arms in another video and for someone crossing their legs in this one. Not sure what the offense was. Any ideas?
Yes - this is because in the Vinaya (Rules for monks) it is breaking of the rules to give a Dhamma talk to someone crossing their arms or legs (while sitting only) . Its consider a "thinking" posture and it seems like people are putting up a wall to a talk. A monk doesn't cross arms or legs when sitting. Its more of an etiquette and being polite. The one that is really more important is that you can't give a talk to someone holding a knife...
We can look at the details of the 6Rs to see how they fit in with the 16 steps of anapanasati.
1.
“Recognize: Mindfulness remembers how you can recognize and observe any movement of mind’s attention from one thing to another. This observation notices any movement of mind’s attention away from an object of meditation, such as the breath, sending out Mettā, or doing a task in daily life. You will notice a slight tightness or tension sensation as mind’s attention barely begins to move toward any arising phenomena.”
So actually we should redefine ‘recognize’ as alertness and not mindfulness. Noticing what the mind and body is doing in the present moment is a function of alertness (sampajanna). In terms of the 16 steps this covered in the overall intention one brings to practice which is set forth in the anapanasati sutta with three qualities to bring to the practice - ‘ardent, alert, & mindful’:
“On that occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself-ardent, alert, & mindful-subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. I tell you, monks, that this-the in-&-out breath-is classed as a body among bodies, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the body in & of itself-ardent, alert, & mindful-subduing greed & distress with reference to the world.”
MN118
2.
“Release: When a feeling or thought arises, you release it, let it be there without giving anymore attention to it. The content of the distraction is not important at all, but the mechanics of “how” it arose are important! Just let go of any tightness around it; let it be there without placing attention on it. Without attention, the tightness passes away.”
This corresponds to step 12 of anapanasati:
“He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in releasing the mind.’ He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out releasing the mind.’”
How one accomplishes this release is dependent on the nature of the clinging (upadana). The general idea of not paying attention to the contents of the distraction is good and also seeing the cause of arising is also good. However, the instruction to ‘let it be there without placing attention on it’ will work sometimes and not others. Some distractions (hindrances) can be very persistent so having some other skillful means besides just ‘not paying attention to it’ might be needed. In fact the Buddha recommends many other skilful means throughout the suttas for abandoning the hindrances. See: The Relaxation of Thoughts Vitakkasaṇṭhāna Sutta (MN 20) and The Greater Exhortation to Rāhula Mahā Rāhulovāda Sutta (MN 62).
3.
“Relax: After releasing the feeling or sensation, and allowing it to be there without trying to control it, there is a subtle, barely noticeable tension within mind/body. This is why the Relax step (“Tranquilization” step as stated in the suttas) is being pointed out by the Buddha in his meditation instructions.”
This is also a good general instruction which corresponds with to calming the bodily fabrication (step 4) and calming the mental fabrication (step 8). However, the means by which ones actually accomplishes that is going to vary depending again the particular kind clinging you are dealing with. The instruction to ‘allow it to be there without controlling it is equivalent to cultivating equanimity which may work sometimes, and other times be completely ineffectual. Sometimes one needs to ‘exert a fabrication’, either bodily or mentally to create the conditions for relaxing that clinging. It comes under the broad instruction of ardency (along with mindfulness and alertness): it is the factor of right effort in samadhi - one abandons what is unskilful and cultivates what is skilful. Where there is tightness in the breath energy for example one could try changing the rhythm of the breath (kaya sankhara) or changing ones perception (citta sankhara) of how the breath energy is moving in the body.
4.
“Re-Smile: If you have listened to the Dhamma talks at DHAMMA TALKS LIBRARY you might remember hearing about how smiling is an important aspect for the meditation. Learning to smile with mind and raising slightly the corners of the mouth helps mind to be observant, alert, and agile. Getting serious, tensing up, or frowning causes mind to become heavy and your mindfulness becomes dull and slow. Your insights become more difficult to see, thus slowing down your understanding of Dhamma.”
The bodily/mental ‘smile’ is equivalent to step 10 ‘gladdening the mind’ but its application is somewhat limited.
The is also actually ‘exerting a fabrication’ in terms of the body and the mind and can definitely be a useful ‘tool’ to use as appropriate. As some others have pointed out though it could also become a disturbance to ‘calming’ if used inappropriately and indiscriminately. This is why alertness, mindfulness and ardency all need to be present to see what is actually happening (alertness) - what is causing what, recalling (sati) what worked in the past, recalling what you are trying to do unify the mind in right concentration (ardency).
This is a function of discernment or panna in pali: to see what is and what should be done and how that (unskilful or skilful) quality: comes to be, passes away, its allure, drawbacks and escape (this is known the Buddha’s five point plan).
5.
“Return or Re-Direct: Gently re-direct mind’s attention back to the object of meditation (that is the breath and relaxing, or Mettā and relaxing) continuing with a gentle collected mind and use that object as a “home base”. In daily life, having been pulled off task, this is where you return your attention back to releasing, relaxing, and re-smiling into the task.”
This is equivalent to the general aspect of ardency supported by mindfulness (no-forgetfulness) and alertness (staying on top of what is actually happening) - really sticking with your original intention to meditate or whatever else you have resolved to do (hopefully something skilful!).
However here again the instruction could be interpreted too ‘mechanically’ as sometimes the mind can be very obstinate and deceptive and not staying with meditation object. Forcing it to return to its object again and again can make the hindrances flare up very strongly it such situations if the cause of the problem is tackled first. This would be an instance of unskilful effort to just keep ‘plugging away’ because that’s what the instructions say! One has to use whatever discernment (panna) one has to see what is causing the problem and then try the appropriate ‘antidote’ and then try returning to the main object of meditation. Depending on the hindrance appropriate antidotes could cultivating asubha, metta, mindfulness of death, the perception of inconstancy etc. See The Greater Exhortation to Rāhula Mahā Rāhulovāda Sutta (MN 62).
6.
“Repeat: Repeat your meditation on your object and keep it going as long as you can, and then repeat this entire practice cycle as needed to attain the results the Buddha said could be reached in this lifetime!
Repeating the “6Rs cycle” over and over again will eventually replace old habitual suffering as we see clearly for ourselves what suffering actually is; notice the cause of it and how we become involved with the tension and tightness of it; experience how to reach a cessation of that suffering by releasing and relaxing; and discover how we can exercise the direct path to that same cessation of suffering. We achieve this cessation each time we Release an arising feeling, Relax and Re-Smile. Notice the Relief!
In summary, mindfulness (sati) is very relevant to Buddhist meditation and daily life. Sharpening your skill of mindfulness is the key to simple and smooth meditation. The process of remembering keeps the six steps of the practice moving. Practicing this meditation as close to the instructions (found in the suttas) as possible will lighten life’s experience. A very similar practice was taught to people in the time of the Buddha. It was taught as Right Effort. Within the 6Rs we have added a couple more steps to make things a little easier to understand.”
The repeating aspect is also a general function of ardency, mindfulness and alertness.
As to whether it constitutes a complete practice to the cessation of suffering and realisation of nibanna is doubtful in the light of its incompleteness compared to the 16 steps of anapanasati. The whole of the fourth tetrad of anapanasati isn’t properly addressed in the 6Rs practice and without that aspect discernment (panna) cannot be brought to its culmination and provide the opening to complete release from suffering.
Certainly, the 6Rs should give great relief if put into practice but as the Buddha said to Arittha:
“There is that mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, Ariṭṭha. I don’t say that there isn’t. But as to how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is brought in detail to its culmination, listen and pay close attention. I will speak.”
Mark - you reference the "16 steps" where do you get that from?
@@davidjohnson8218 Majjhima Nikāya 118
@@AlexKellyArtUK Oh OK - You are counting it up in this way. Got it. Sounds good. But if you practice the exact practice above you go through all the jhanas quite easily all the way through the 8th jhana.And subsequently you esperience cessation and much joy arises. Many many students have experienced this. You really have to go through the process to full understand the nuances of it. You are your own teacher for sure. Its a little harder to do with breath but its not that hard to go through all the jhanas exactly as in MN 118 and 10. I find it interesting that MN 118 is where the true 6R is explained : You TRANQUILIZE the MENTAL FORMATIONS ...thoughts. There it is with the relax step. Cheers
@@davidjohnson8218 yes that is how I see it - which I detailed above in steps 4 and 8 - progressively tranqulising all three sankhara - bodily, verbal and mental. Interestingly you may wonder where verbal fabrication is in the 16 steps - its actually implicit in the instructions throughout, in the way the meditator 'talks to themself' about the meditation theme (breath, metta etc) until it is completely calmed on attaining the second jhana. My point was though I dont see how the 6Rs is a complete practice when compared with the 16 steps anapanasati as I detailed above. Each of the tetrads deals with one of the four frames of Right Mindfulness explicity: body, feeling, mind and mental dhammas.
Besides the other points I made about where the 6Rs are lacking there is no cultivation of mindfulness of dhammas which is traditionally the basis for insight into kamma / causality / dependent origination: orignation, the dissappearance, the allure, the drawbacks and the escape of these dhammas. This is a necessary for dispassion leading to release.
@@AlexKellyArtUK This is the misunderstanding of the Satipatthana Sutta and the 4 foundations. Dont look at these foundations as separate. They all arise together to make up the 5 aggregates. You can't have body unless there is consciousness. You can't feel without a body and so on. the Buddha listed these separately but never intended that you look at them as separate. They arise conjoined. Next, the 6Rs are used to see whenever the mind is distracted from the object- in the above case Metta, or you can use breath. It doesn't matter What you are looking at - mindfulness is the attention to how things arise and how craving is the cause of suffering. So you sit your mind on the meditation object and when it pops off you 6R which means you see the arising of the mind wanting to move and you then release that craving force and come back. You never force.
Gradually the mind becomes unified and sits on the object with no craving to go away. Immediately joy arises as there is no craving now. This is Jhana arising. (Not concentration jhana but we call it the aware jhana described in the suttas). Then a distraction comes up again and you 6R and that passes and the next jhana will arise and so on. Finally all jhanas arise as you have given up all craving compeletly and the mind goes into Nirodha for just a moment and Nibbana arises. It is exactly as described in MN 111 Anupada Sutta.. That is the exact map and path to NIbbana. You may read my book on this practice called The Path to Nibbana. Or listen to it on youtube ifyou search for it. It gives many of the sutta references for how this works if you want to pursue it.
What if you don't have any spiritual friends of the same sex? Should you do someone u don't know like the Dali Llama or choose a friend of the opposite sex? Or a friend that is not spiritual?
That's fine. Use a monk/dali lama or anyone else that might make you smile. This is an excercise so don't over think this. A friend can just be someone you'll have coffee with and have a nice time. They don't have to be perfect. Just pick someone and see how it goes - see their good sides and see them smiling!
@@DhammasukhaOrg thanks. Will do.
I heard that metta meditation doesn’t bring wisdom, so you need to do vipassana. Is that true? Because I would love to do metta meditation every sit, as I usually feel greater love than doing vipassana🙏🏼
What Bhante teaches is Samatha-Vipassana . This is Metta taught as the BrahmaViharas which does lead you to Nibbana. It is collectedness and Insight Yoked together as taught in the suttas. By the way the Vipassana system that is taught isn't in the suttas - it came around 1500 years later and was written about in the Vissudhi Magga. There never was such a thing as "Dry Insight" That was a later invention. Only one sutta #24 in the MN has any references to insight knowledges and it was likely inserted as it doesn't match an of the other suttas.
eight fold path is the path. The second fold is right intention/motivation, which is a practice of metta. All the rest 6 folds following the second fold are done under this right intention. How to get into the first Jhana? The answer is through right intention.
5:10 *its like rolling your Rs*
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
💡💡💡👍👍👍⚖️⚖️⚖️
I want to become a monk. But my parents want me to get married. I am sad
Whether or not you wear robes you still can meditate and go on retreats. Or just meditate at home. Many thousands of laypeople attained the various stages of enlightenment as stated in Sutta 73 of the Majjhima Nikaya. So meditate now! Bhante has many lay students and many of them have found awakening.
@@davidjohnson8218 Thank you for the advice .
Maybe
Can it be an animal instead? I can't think of another female I love more than my cat :D
You can bring up your cat and feel that metta. Then take that feeling and radiate it to a spiritual friend. The Friend doesn't have to be someone you necessarily feel that kind of love. Just someone you respect. It could be the Dali Lama or your a neighbor you like and respect. Then work with them.
For the record, if you are a homosexual, when you choose your spiritual friend during metta, choose someone of the opposite sex, not the same sex.
We have never had any problems people practicing metta - no matter what object they chose - as long as they did not notice sensual desire arise in their mind. You could pick a monk. But whatever works is fine. Much progress can be made. Just 6R any lust arising -unless it overpowers you and then choose someone else. Thankyou
No matter how hard I try I can't bring feeling of loving kindness. Puppies or babies are not working. I can't remember this type of feeling.
Think about anything that makes you smile inside. What makes you laugh? Think of that and just keep that feeling going - gently nudge it along. You certainly have had one happy experience in you life. Just remember that.
have you not started with yourself at all?
@@TheDeathknight23no. teacher says to abandon 5 senses.
@@davidjohnson8218 very good answer David.
@@LynnFishmanMeditation Just smile and see how you feel. :-)
Third video ive watched of this guy and he has yet to say what the fourth R is. “Smile” does not begin with R. Watch again if you dont believe me.
Heh- It is smile - But it is RE-Smile :-)
David Johnson Haha. Ok thanks. That alone will make it more fun and wholesome, getting to gently chuckle at the word Resmile. “Hey! Im not smiling Im RE-smiling”. Anyway I tried it yesterday and already kinda like it
@@ibperson7765 Yep!
Laughed so hard
At what
Why does the spiritual friend have to be the same sex as the meditator? There are people who describe themselves as non-binary or fluid. The evolution of sexual orientation is on a continuum. Thank you.
The classic instructions are same sex so as to not to have lust arise. Of course we have moved forward now so please pick someone that you like and respect but you would never have lust arise. Try to stay with the same sex. A friend, a monk or even the Dali Lama for males and same for female.
_The dalai lama? the guy who spruiks toxic genetic injections? I could never choose such a creature!_