"Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage"

- Richard Lovelace, English Poet (1618-1657)
 

Until now, the course has only been available to Windows' users but we are pleased to announce that the April course will be available to users of any major operating system (Windows, Apple Mac, Linux) provided they have a recent web browser that can display Macromedia Flash files. In addition to the online course participants will receive an audio supplement on CD-Rom containing guided meditations and chants to support the online material.

Precepts and Discipline

A course participant writes:

I've been pondering over the Five Precepts for some time - maybe years.  My question is how much of the observance should be discipline? Does observance come naturally through meditation? or is it a combination of the two?  I find that my attempts to reason with myself for not doing something (i.e. having a drink) are often doomed to failure.  But I find my reliance on desires such as these tend to lessen naturally with deepening practice.  I heard once that trying to progress with practice without discipline was like trying to walk without legs - but it has never worked for me.  It may sound like a weak attitude - but if I want to go out for a drink, don't cause trouble to me or my surroundings and wake up fresh (I don't suffer from hangovers!) then I can't see the damage.  My point is do we try to give something up through gritted teeth - or do habits naturally 'drop off' with deepening practice?

Andrew replies:

This is one of those issues with which we will all struggle at one time or another.  We can take a hard line attitude and commit to the precepts fully... and swiftly realise that we are not yet ready for that, or we can decide that our practice of the precepts will deepen in its own good time ... which rather lets us off the hook (or so we may fool ourselves).  It's a conundrum.

The important thing for us to consider is why the precepts are recommended and what they mean to us and for our meditation practice.  I have written previously about the voluntary nature of the precepts; we are not forced to commit to them although we are strongly recommended to do so.  We are also aware that any commitment to individual precepts can be at the level of simple observance (a minimal approach, if you like) or as a deep spiritual practice in its own right (where  we explore the logical extension of the precepts to each of our daily activities, working at subtler and subtler levels).

The games that we play are fascinating.  Often the precepts which we find hardest to relate to are those which for other people would prove easiest.  In your question you alight on the Fifth Precept, but in many ways the Right Speech precept, for example, is much harder to maintain than abstinence from intoxicating liquor.  Like all other areas of practice watching the pull of preference and how we reject that we perceive to be difficult can be a useful exercise in itself.

We can also rest too easily on erroneously using the 'Middle Way' argument.  When used in this way it amounts to nothing more than deluding ourselves. The tradition does not see hedonism or laxity as oppositional to the precepts, but rather as the opposite of austerity and rigidity.  The precepts ARE in effect working in the Middle Way - not something to be further watered down or worked with in a half-hearted fashion.

Again and again we come back to intention and commitment.  If we choose to accept certain precepts and not others then we should consider why that is the case.  If we simply feel unready to subscribe to them at this point we should face up to that.  If we can't see the relevance of a particular precept in our lives then consider carefully why others may have found it useful. If we still can't see the point of it then maybe we can accept it on trust - perhaps on the basis that it is deemed to form a core part of the path we are treading.  If such trust does not come easily then perhaps one can put the precept to one side for a period and re-examine it regularly to see if the view of it changes with practice.

Be aware of the decisions made and the motivation for making them. The base for working with the precepts is always integrity: the precepts that one subscribes to should be followed with commitment and energy; those to which we cannot yet subscribe can still be seen as something to which we aspire.  It would be very unusual if a deepening understanding of the necessity for the precepts were not to arise in anyone who consistently practised meditation... but sometimes a little determination can also prove useful.  Making a special effort on Uposatha (observance) days - one each week or each month - can be worthwhile in this regard.

The Four Absorptions (Jhanas)

(Excerpt from 'The Fruits of the Religious Life' based on Digha Nikaya 2: i. 71-85.)

The First Jhana:

Having utterly isolated himself from the Pleasures of Sense, having isolated himself from evil ways, he dwells, having entered upon the First Jhana, with which is associated reasoning, with which is associated investigation, which has its beginning in isolation, which is full of joy and bliss. This very body, with joy and bliss originating in isolation, he drenches, he saturates, he permeates, he suffuses: there is not a single part of his whole body which is not suffused with joy and bliss originating in isolation.

BALL OF LATHER

IT is precisely as if a dexterous bath-attendant or his assistant were to pour bath-powder into a metal bowl, and sprinkling it with water from time to time, were to mix it and knead it. It would become a ball of lather, taking up the oil, becoming enveloped with oil, becoming suffused with oil within and without, nor would there be any ooze.

Precisely so, great king, with a monk. This very body, with joy and bliss originating in isolation, he drenches, he saturates, he permeates, he suffuses: there is not a single part of his whole body which is not suffused with joy and bliss originating in isolation.

This, great king, is a fruit of the Religious Life, productive of advantage even in this world, surpassing, excelling, the former fruits of the Religious Life which are productive of advantage in this world.

The Second Jhana:

But again further, great king, a monk, through the cessation of reasoning and investigation, dwells, having entered upon the Second Jhana, - a state devoid of reasoning, devoid of investigation, a tranquilization of the inner self, a focusing of the thoughts, which has its beginning in Concentration, which is full of joy and bliss. This very body, with joy and bliss originating in Concentration, he drenches . . .

POOL OF WATER

IT is precisely as if there were a deep pool of water, with water welling up into it from a spring beneath. And there were no inlet in the eastern quarter and no inlet in the western quarter and no inlet in the northern quarter and no inlet in the southern quarter, and from time to time a cloud were to pour forth upon it copious showers of rain. Now the streams of cool water welling up out of that pool of water would drench, saturate, permeate, suffuse, that very pool of water with cool water: there would not be a single part of that whole pool of water which would not be suffused with cool water.

Precisely so, great king, with a monk. This very body, with joy and bliss originating in Concentration, he drenches . . .

This, great king, is a fruit of the Religious Life, productive of advantage even in this world, surpassing, excelling, the former fruits of the Religious Life which are productive of advantage in this world.

The Third Jhana:

But again further, great king, a monk dwells indifferent both to joy and to absence of passion, and mindful, and conscious, experiencing bliss in the body, - being a monk such as he of whom the Noble say "He is indifferent; he is mindful; he dwells in bliss;" - a monk dwells having entered upon the Third Jhana. This very body, with bliss devoid of joy, he drenches . . .

LOTUS-FLOWERS

IT is precisely as if, within a lotus-pond containing lotus-flowers blue and red and white, some few lotus-flowers, whether blue or red or white, sprouting in the water, growing in the water, failed to lift their heads above the water, took nourishment while still submerged. Those lotus-flowers, both to the tips and to the roots, would be drenched, saturated, permeated, suffused, with water: there would not be a single part of all those lotus-flowers, whether blue or red or white, which would not be suffused with cool water.

Precisely so, great king, with a monk. This very body, with bliss devoid of joy, he drenches . . .

This, great king, is a fruit of the Religious Life, productive of advantage even in this world, surpassing, excelling, the former fruits of the Religious Life which are productive of advantage in this world.

The Fourth Jhana:

But again further, great king, a monk dwells, through the putting away of bliss, through the putting away of suffering, through the destruction even of former satisfaction and dissatisfaction, having entered upon the Fourth Jhana, - a state devoid of suffering, devoid of bliss, - the perfection of indifference and mindfulness. He sits suffusing this very body with thoughts that are purified and cleansed: there is not a single part of his whole body which is not suffused with thoughts that are purified and cleansed.

CLEAN GARMENT

IT is precisely as if a man were to sit with a clean garment drawn over his head. There would not be a single part of his whole body which would not be touched by the clean garment.

Precisely so, great king, with a monk. He sits suffusing this very body with thoughts that are purified and cleansed: there is not a single part of his whole body which is not suffused with thoughts that are purified and cleansed.

This, great king, is a fruit of the Religious Life, productive of advantage even in this world, surpassing, excelling, the former fruits of the Religious Life which are productive of advantage in this world.

Insight:

With thoughts thus concentrated, purified, cleansed, stainless, free from contamination, impressionable, tractable, steadfast, immovable, he inclines, he bends down, his thoughts to the attainment of Insight through Knowledge. He perceives the following: "This body of mine has material form, is made up of the Four Great Elements, springs from
mother and father, increases through the eating of boiled rice and sour gruel, is by nature impermanent, subject to wear and tear, to dissolution and disintegration; moreover, this consciousness of mine is dependent on it, is bound up with it."

THREADED GEM

IT is precisely as if there were a gem, a lapis lazuli, brilliant, of the finest quality, with eight facets, beautifully polished, translucent, clear, flawless, perfect in every particular, and that gem were strung on a thread either blue or saffron or red or white or yellow. A man with eyes, taking that gem in his hand and examining it, would reflect: "This gem, this lapis lazuli, is indeed brilliant, of the finest quality, possesses eight facets, is beautifully polished, translucent, clear, flawless, perfect in every particular, and this gem is strung on a thread either blue or saffron or red or white or yellow."

Precisely so, great king, with a monk. With thoughts thus concentrated .  .  .

This, great king, is a fruit of the Religious Life, productive of advantage even in this world, surpassing, excelling, the former fruits of the Religious Life which are productive of advantage in this world.

Tsunami

Friends in Sri Lanka report that international aid is getting through to many of the devastated areas. Help is still required for the long-term job of reconstruction in the coastal regions. There are many well-known international charities present, so please give if you can. If you wish to send aid directly to Sri Lanka these local agencies may be useful to you:

http://www.sossrilanka.com/

http://www.sarvodaya.org/

The Sri Lankan government is trying to encourage foreigners to visit the country. Many people depend on tourism for their livelihoods and even areas unaffected by the tsunami will suffer economic deprivation unless tourists continue to arrive. The beautiful hill country, glorious Buddhist temples and the stunning World Heritage sites of the cultural triangle remain accessible to visitors. Most of the meditation centres are inland and remain open.

http://www.srilankatourism.org/