I believe that The Buddha would like the Christian view of the body as being the Temple of the Holy Spirit. A "temple" needs maintenance to last long, just as the body. Our body has gotten a negative rap in several new age spiritual studies, however The Buddha and the scribes of The Bible honor our physical self dutifully.
The Buddha even went further describing the somatic energies - our senses as a way to enlightenment. In his time under the Bodhi Tree, he found that every thought found its way into the physical. Vitally, Buddha found that by recognizing these senses as temporary symptoms, by just being aware of these "sensations" as they passed through, would help heal/purify our bodies. Furthermore, by purifying our thoughts would reduce the symptomatic sensations. However, still the meditative process is to watch the senses pass(Vipassana), learning first how to simply watch the breath(Anapana).
The Buddha is famous for saying "suffering is part of human nature". We all suffer. I agree after my experience of Anapana and then especially Vipassana (The Dalai Lama considers this advanced meditation and sends his Monks to learn this meditation.) I have gone to two ten day silent courses and one three day(can experience only after ten dayer). And I plan to return soon eventually doing some volunteer work at the site as well.
What is not so famous, is what The Buddha calls the "end of suffering". That is the "purification of thoughts". Also not so famous, included in Meditation is prayer - the Metta prayer - sending out the wishes(vibrations/energy/thoughts) that everyone can end their suffering - "May all Beings be happy." repeated several times.
This meditative process is not easy and takes time. Although, I am sure there are people who "learn in the twinkling of the eye" (epiphanies), I have not been that fortunate. The way Goenka (a layman by the way, who I think teaches the authentic Vipassana), teaches is that first one must go to a ten day all silent retreat (given freely), to even become a "student". My first ten days(first 3 days especially) were overall really a painful experience, however the pain lessened as my thoughts passed through. The pain was in the senses produced by the toxic thinking. As my thoughts are purified, my pain decreases. Goenka first went to a teacher to do something about his awful frequent migraine headaches. Well, his headaches went away, so he decided to take it back to his family and friends especially his Mother who had some kind of chronic pain issues. And that was the start of Vipassana now being taught all over the world with the courses gratefully being taught for free. Goenka was advised that free courses would never work in the U. S., however he has proven them wrong. People like me(who have means) who go through the silent retreats are so grateful at the results that they donate generously.
www.dhamma.org
Theda Parks: Caroline Myss once said "Your biography becomes your biology."
Divyaa Kummar Yessss lovely @ "What is not so famous, is what The Buddha calls the "end of suffering". That is the "purification of thoughts".
Divyaa Kummar Thank you Ron Alexander i wholly resonate with your sharing...indeed the body is the altar.. vehicle through which Spirit/Consciousness... experiences Itself... and in that it is not to be judged as less than...!
The word ‘pure’, is without the judgment it usually implies and thus not better than ‘dense’! The only difference in pure and dense is the vibratory frequency at which I am exploring or experiencing Self! Thus yes, while pure does refer to our ‘finer’ vibrations …in the larger picture it is these finer aspects of self, which choose the ‘denser’ experiences to add to their finesse.
The word ‘pure’, is without the judgment it usually implies and thus not better than ‘dense’! The only difference in pure and dense is the vibratory frequency at which I am exploring or experiencing Self! Thus yes, while pure does refer to our ‘finer’ vibrations …in the larger picture it is these finer aspects of self, which choose the ‘denser’ experiences to add to their finesse.
Divyaa Kummar: Ah yes again...in reference to the beautiful Metta parayer you mention Ron Alexander - True seva/service indeed...becoming a vehicle through whom the cosmos flows as a blessing... Indeed Our consciousness is our only true contribution to our ‘world’. Thus, through an expanding consciousness, we are in 24/7 service.
Anatoly Petrenko In Buddhist view one's attainment of human life (there are considered many states both incarnate and formless that mind takes) is very rare and precious due to understanding that with this body one can become Awakened Omniscience (Buddha) - zero negative thinking and zero negative karma - something that the author of this article mentions as "purification of thoughts".
Indeed it is important to keep this body well taken care of, as through practices in this body one can increase mindful concentration to be able to exercise choice of thinking upon arising and hopefully experience a breakthrough of non-duality.
Indeed it is important to keep this body well taken care of, as through practices in this body one can increase mindful concentration to be able to exercise choice of thinking upon arising and hopefully experience a breakthrough of non-duality.
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