đź“–The science of enlightenment: how meditation works
- authors
- Young, Shinzen
- year
- 2018
In Vajrayana (Tantric) Buddhism, images are used to substitute vision; mantras are used to substitute thoughts; mudras are use to substitute bodily sensation.
p.27 #quote
a person’s baseline of focus can be elevated through systemic practice.
Meditation trains concentration. Concentration can be used to achieve Flow state at will. (p.30)
You can extend you lifespan by living every moment richer/bigger. You do that with concentration.
Functioning Bodhisattva: someone who practices meditation primarily so they can better serve others.
4 dimensions of concentration:
concentrate on small things (breath in nostrils)
concentrate on big things (the whole body)
concentrate on one thing for long period of time
momentarily concentration (concentrate intentionally on what demands attention)
p.39 #quote
People who are successful with meditation experience an elastic identity. They are able to better take care of themselves but can also extend their identity out to include a oneness with others. That ability naturally evolves into a desire to serve others.
p.44 #quote
A salient feature of suffering is that it distorts behavior.
Meditation is part of all religions
Meditation has both calming-concentrating aspect (samatha) and a clarifying-dissecting one (vipassana).
Samatha is pleasant, Vipassana produces insights.
Coffee is compatible with meditations and helps to keep you alert. Tea helps to stay awake.
Sensations
physical body emotional body physical sound mental talk physical sight mental images another dimension: intensity
q
The Fundamental Theorem of Mindfulness: Concentration + Sensory Clarity + Equanimity + Time = Insight + Purification
In meditation, purification can happen without you being consciously aware of it. You know it happened because you behave differently at daily life. (p.99)
In Christianity, impurities are called sins. Getting rid of them is catharsis. When we remove sins, we experience “theosis” (one with god). Apotheosis—someone who claim they are god.
It’s not that we don’t have self, it’s that self is not a thing. Self is doing. It’s a verb, not a noun. (p.107)
Even when we try to avoid all discomfort, sometimes it can happen to us on the scale comparable to what monks put themselves through (e.g., slowly dying from a cancer).
Spirit and material world. Spirit is material world experienced to the full.
p.130
To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour —William Blake
“path” to enlightenment
ordinary consciousness
subconsciousness
there can com some visions or mystical experiences (good or bad) (or may not come). In either case, you great them with concentration, clarity, and equanimity.
the source
Note when experience or part of experience vanishes (label “Gone”). Gone is the label for any abrupt decrease.
Arhat—someone who has complete enlightenment.
Arhat has the same enlightenment level as Buddha. Buddha differs in that he substantially advances the enlightenment practice and changes the humanity.