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- Give limitless kindness toward all beings.
- Give limitless compassion for the suffering of all beings.
- Hold sympathetic joy in the happiness and liberation of others.
- Feel equality for all, seeing friends and enemies in same light.
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The Paramitas Perfections
- Generosity (Dana).
- Morality (Sila).
- Patience (Kshanti).
- Energy (Virya).
- Medita tion (Dhyana).
- Wisdom (Prajna).
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More on Morals
not yet!
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The Eighf old Noble Path
- Right view.
- Right resolve.
- Right speech.
- Right conduct.
- Right livelihood.
- Right effort.
- Right mindfulness.
- Right concentration.
Scroll down on the Dharma for the Zen Student page for a nice description of the Path, or check out this essay by Jack Kornfield for a more in-depth investigation.
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< p>..
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The Eighfold Noble Path
- Right view.
- Right resolve.
- Right speech.
- Right conduct.
- Right livelihood.
- Right effort.
- Right mindfulness.
- Right concentration.
Scroll down on the Dharma for the Zen Student page for a nice description of the Path, or check out this essay by Jack Kornfield for a more in-depth investigation.
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No Attachment to Dust
"Zengetsu, A Chinese master of the T'ang dynasty, wrote the following advice for his pupils:"
"Living in the world yet not forming attachments to the dust of the world is the way of a true Zen student.
When witnessing the good action of another encourage yourself to follow his example. Hearing of the mistaken action of another, advise yourself not to emulate it.
Even though alone in a dark room, be as if you were facing a noble guest. Ex press your feelings, but become no more expressive than your true nature.
Poverty is your treasure. Never exchange it for an easy life.
A person may appear a fool and yet not be one. He may only be guarding his wisdom carefully.
Virtues are the fruit of self-discipline and don not drop from heaven on themselves as does rain or snow.
Modesty is the foundation of all virtues. Let your neighbors discover you before you make yourself known to them.
A noble heart never forces itself forward. Its words are as rare gems, seldom displayed and of great value.
To a sincere student, every day is a fortunate day. time passes but he never lags behind. Neither glory nor shame can move h im.
Censure yourself, never another. Do not discuss right and wrong.
Some things, though right, were considered wrong for generations. Since the value of righteousness may be recognized after centuries, there is no need to crave immediate appreciation.
Live with cause and leave results to the great law of the universe. Pass each day in peaceful contemplation." (Reps, 1968)
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The Relaxation Response
Herbert Benson, MD. of Harvard Medical School was one of the first to research the therapeutic value of meditation. He found that meditation can elicit what he called the "Relaxation Response," which is the physiological antithesis of stress and hypertension. Since previous research had shown that hypertension leads to heart disease and stroke, Benson saw his meditative method as a simple way to reduce stress and health risks. In his book, The Relaxation Response (1975), Benson describes his method to achieve the Relaxation Response. A. Christopher Hammon, on the "Center for Sleep and Stress on the Web"'s Stress Oasis gives a summary of Benson's method for achieving the Relaxation Response:
1. Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes.
2. Relax your muscles. Start with your feet and work progressively toward your face. I do this by stretching and tensing th e muscles then visualizing the tensions of the day draining out of them as they relax.
3. Breathe deeply through your nose. Become aware of your breathing. Concentrate on breathing with your diaphragm, basically breathe with your stomach instead of y our chest so you are completely filling your lungs. As you are breathing out say one word, such as "One." For example, breathe in, breathe out, say "One."
4. Continue this for 10-20 minutes, breathing easily and naturally. When you finish sit quietly f or several minutes, at first continuing to keep your eyes closed and then opening them for the last little bit.
5. Don't worry about whether you are doing it right or achieving deep levels of relaxation. Maintain a passive attitude. Just be and let relaxation occur at its own pace. Don't worry about anything during this time. This is time you are investing in yourself. When distracting thoughts occur, try to ignore them by not dwelling on them and focusing on your breathing and saying the one word. It takes practice, but with practice it should come with little effort.
Hammon continues with the four key elements of the Relaxation Response:
1. A Quiet Environment. A place without excessive distractions contributes to this experience.
2. A Mental Device. A single word or a phrase that can be used to shift the mind from logical, externally oriented thought. A word or phrase that can be used to break the train of distracting thoughts and the mind's tendency to wander.
3. A Passi ve Attitude. A "let it happen" no worry attitude is important for eliciting the Relaxation Response.
4. A Comfortable Posture. What is needed is a position in which the muscles can relax, but at the same time a position in which you do not normally fall asleep.
Subjects in Dr. Benson's studies gave varied accounts of their feelings after practicing the meditation response, but the majority reported a sense of calm and felt very relaxed. Regardless of subjective reports, Benson found physiological changes such as reduced oxygen consumption, decline in blood pressure and increased alpha-wave activity, which are all sure signs of relaxation.
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