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Home > Archive > Yoga > October 2006 > MINDFULNESS and CONCENTRATION (VIPASSANA)
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MINDFULNESS and CONCENTRATION (VIPASSANA)
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| Following is a passage from Bhante Gunaratana, I hope you will like
it...
"""Vipassana meditation is something of a mental balancing act. You are
going to be cultivating two separate qualities of the mind -
mindfulness and concentration. Ideally these two work together as a
team. They pull in tandem, so to speak. Therefore it is important to
cultivate them side-by-side and in a balanced manner. If one of the
factors is strengthened at the expense of the other, the balance of the
mind is lost and meditation impossible.
Concentration and mindfulness are distinctly different functions. They
each have their role to play in meditation, and the relationship
between them is definite and delicate. Concentration is often called
one-pointedness of mind. it consists of forcing the mind to remain on
one static point. Please note the word FORCE. Concentration is pretty
much a forced type of activity. It can be developed by force, by sheer
unremitting willpower. And once developed, it retains some of that
forced flavor. Mindfulness, on the other hand, is a delicate function
leading to refined sensibilities. These two are partners in the job of
meditation. Mindfulness is the sensitive one. He notices things.
Concentration provides the power. He keeps the attention pinned down to
one item. Ideally, mindfulness is in this relationship. Mindfulness
picks the objects of attention, and notices when the attention has gone
astray. Concentration does the actual work of holding the attention
steady on that chosen object. If either of these partners is weak, your
meditation goes astray.
Concentration could be defined as that faculty of the mind which
focuses single mindedly on one object without interruption. It must be
emphasized that true concentration is a wholesome one-pointedness of
mind. That is, the state is free from greed, hatred and delusion.
Unwholesome one-pointedness is also possible, but it will not lead to
liberation. You can be very single-minded in a state of lust. But that
gets you nowhere. Uninterrupted focus on something that you hate does
not help yo at all. In fact, such unwholesome concentration is fairly
short-lived even when it is achieved - especially when it is used to
harm others. True concentration itself is free from such contaminants.
It is a state in which the mind is gathered together and thus gains
power and intensity. We might use the analogy of a lens. Parallel waves
of sunlight falling on a piece of paper will do no more than warm the
surface. But the same amount of light, when focused through a lens,
falls on a single point and the paper bursts into flames. Concentration
is the lens. It produces the burning intensity necessary to see into
the deeper reaches of the mind. Mindfulness selects the object that the
lens will focus on and looks through the lens to see what is there."""
................................................we`ve its
continuation...............................
Puma
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| Charles E Hardwidge 2006-10-09, 4:30 pm |
| > """Vipassana meditation is something of a mental balancing act. You are
> going to be cultivating two separate qualities of the mind -
> mindfulness and concentration. Ideally these two work together as a
> team. They pull in tandem, so to speak. Therefore it is important to
> cultivate them side-by-side and in a balanced manner. If one of the
> factors is strengthened at the expense of the other, the balance of the
> mind is lost and meditation impossible.
Interesting. Still, no great mystery. Focus and awareness are everyday
skills, as is switching between them. Not being funny, here, but what does
some hand wavy meditation technique offer over going for a walk?
--
Charles E. Hardwidge
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| Robert Epstein 2006-10-10, 8:31 am |
| Puma wrote:
> Following is a passage from Bhante Gunaratana, I hope you will like
> it...
>
> """Vipassana meditation is something of a mental balancing act. You are
> going to be cultivating two separate qualities of the mind -
> mindfulness and concentration. Ideally these two work together as a
> team. They pull in tandem, so to speak. Therefore it is important to
> cultivate them side-by-side and in a balanced manner. If one of the
> factors is strengthened at the expense of the other, the balance of the
> mind is lost and meditation impossible.
>
> Concentration and mindfulness are distinctly different functions. They
> each have their role to play in meditation, and the relationship
> between them is definite and delicate. Concentration is often called
> one-pointedness of mind. it consists of forcing the mind to remain on
> one static point. Please note the word FORCE. Concentration is pretty
> much a forced type of activity. It can be developed by force, by sheer
> unremitting willpower. And once developed, it retains some of that
> forced flavor. Mindfulness, on the other hand, is a delicate function
> leading to refined sensibilities. These two are partners in the job of
> meditation. Mindfulness is the sensitive one. He notices things.
> Concentration provides the power. He keeps the attention pinned down to
> one item. Ideally, mindfulness is in this relationship. Mindfulness
> picks the objects of attention, and notices when the attention has gone
> astray. Concentration does the actual work of holding the attention
> steady on that chosen object. If either of these partners is weak, your
> meditation goes astray.
>
> Concentration could be defined as that faculty of the mind which
> focuses single mindedly on one object without interruption. It must be
> emphasized that true concentration is a wholesome one-pointedness of
> mind. That is, the state is free from greed, hatred and delusion.
> Unwholesome one-pointedness is also possible, but it will not lead to
> liberation. You can be very single-minded in a state of lust. But that
> gets you nowhere. Uninterrupted focus on something that you hate does
> not help yo at all. In fact, such unwholesome concentration is fairly
> short-lived even when it is achieved - especially when it is used to
> harm others. True concentration itself is free from such contaminants.
> It is a state in which the mind is gathered together and thus gains
> power and intensity. We might use the analogy of a lens. Parallel waves
> of sunlight falling on a piece of paper will do no more than warm the
> surface. But the same amount of light, when focused through a lens,
> falls on a single point and the paper bursts into flames. Concentration
> is the lens. It produces the burning intensity necessary to see into
> the deeper reaches of the mind. Mindfulness selects the object that the
> lens will focus on and looks through the lens to see what is there."""
>
> ...............................................we`ve its
> continuation...............................
>
> Puma
>
This is excellent and very useful information. Thanks!
Robert
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| Robert Epstein 2006-10-10, 8:31 am |
| Charles E Hardwidge wrote:
>
>
> Interesting. Still, no great mystery. Focus and awareness are everyday
> skills, as is switching between them. Not being funny, here, but what
> does some hand wavy meditation technique offer over going for a walk?
>
What is the purpose of the walk? If there is a meditation intention it
might be equally useful. But if not, then going for a walk is going for
a walk, and meditation is possibly something more purposeful.
I guess if you think there is a specific form of awakening made
available by continued progress in meditation then it is a distinctive
activity. If not, not.
[I am generally on apz, not alt.zen, so I may not see your reply unless
you apz it.]
Robert
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"Charles E Hardwidge" <nojunk@nojunk.co.uk> wrote in message
news:w5wWg.32093$r61.28235@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> Interesting. Still, no great mystery. Focus and awareness are everyday
> skills, as is switching between them. Not being funny, here, but what does
> some hand wavy meditation technique offer over going for a walk?
>
apart from the "power" which the mind generates due to concentration, one
should try to be aware of our internal state. the traditions talk of the
five internal thieves, greed, lust, anger, attachment, vanity etc. one has
to be alert as to how and when these arise. once one has become aware "greed
has arise", greed has already been weakened. then wholesome thoughts can be
applied as antidote. this is practice. it can be done anytime anywhere, but
some daily activities are not conducive to it. one has to find out which
ones.
regards
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| Charles E Hardwidge 2006-10-11, 4:28 pm |
| >> Interesting. Still, no great mystery. Focus and awareness are everyday
>
> What is the purpose of the walk? If there is a meditation intention it
> might be equally useful. But if not, then going for a walk is going for a
> walk, and meditation is possibly something more purposeful.
>
> I guess if you think there is a specific form of awakening made available
> by continued progress in meditation then it is a distinctive activity. If
> not, not.
Solid reply, as always, Robert. Just got fed up reading hand wavy obscure
elitism. Well, I'm sure it wasn't meant as that, but the point about
practicality versus show is a useful consideration.
> [I am generally on apz, not alt.zen, so I may not see your reply unless
> you apz it.]
Just got it added it to the server.
--
Charles E. Hardwidge
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