April 2011 – Page 2

“Concentrated Mind As Concentrated Mind, And Unconcentrated Mind As Unconcentrated Mind…”

April 7, 2011kloncke2 Comments

At a dhamma study group that met at my house this weekend, we discussed this passage from the Satipatthana Sutta, out of the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha. It’s come in handy for me this week.

3. Contemplation of the Mind-State

And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu abide contemplating mind as mind? Here a bhikkhu understands mind affected by lust as mind affected by lust, and mind unaffected by lust as mind unaffected by lust. He understands mind affected by hate as mind affected by hate, and mind unaffected by hate. He understands mind affected by delusion as mind affected by delusion, and mind unaffected by delusion as mind unaffected by delusion. He understands contracted mind as contracted mind, and distracted mind as distracted mind as distracted mind. He understands exalted mind as exalted mind, and unexalted mind as unexalted mind. He understands surpassed mind as surpassed mind, and unsurpassed mind as unsurpassed mind. He understands concentrated mind as concentrated mind, and unconcentrated mind as unconcentrated mind. He understands liberated mind as liberated mind, and unliberated mind as unliberated mind.

In this way he abides contemplating mind as mind internally, or he abides contemplating mind as mind externally, or he abides contemplating mind as mind both internally and externally. Or else he abides contemplating in mind its arising factors, or he abides contemplating in mind its vanishing factors, or he abides contemplating in mind both its arising and vanishing factors. Or else mindfulness that ‘there is a mind’ is simply established in him to the extent necessary for bare knowledge and mindfulness. And he abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world. That is how a bhikkhu abides contemplating mind as mind.

Kih’ens

April 4, 2011April 4, 2011klonckeLeave a comment

This weekend Ryan and I went to Berkeley Animal Care Services to visit with the cats. (“Kih’ens,” a variation on “kittens,” is mainly how I refer to domestic felines. My cat lady ways speak for themselves.) Based on our schedules and accommodations (carpet in the apartment), we probably won’t be able to adopt a kitty ourselves, but a little lap-purring therapy never hurts. I got a good vibe from this “no-kill” shelter — meaning that animals can stay for years, and are only euthanized if they are ill beyond treatment or too aggressive to be adopted. While the kih’ens we encountered didn’t seem thrilled to live in cages, they were definitely getting a lot of love and attention, and all the ones we spent time with were sweet as could be.

On The Fence

April 1, 2011April 1, 2011kloncke8 Comments

There are always kids playing in our street. Very big difference from living in the Tenderloin, where children are caged up in fenced urban playgrounds. Today I was taking my camera out for a spin before sunset and these guys were all like, “IT’S PICTURE DAY!!!!” I obligingly took some photos and tried to display them on my tiny screen (this bored them almost instantly), and then felt awkward when they resumed their (very normal) punching games. Do I tell them to stop, or just let them do what kids do? I’m telling you, the pressures of social construction in childrearing are way too much for me. (And I’m only half joking.)