....*laughter*....Ahhh, this is exactly what I've been speaking of. I usually snip posts, but this demonstrates very well the huge gulf or divide between practise and living on one hand, and a little too much thinking on the other without the experience. Nevertheless, one can still learn about life from such discourses Buddha be praised Mel --- On Fri, 20/5/11, Bill! <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Bill! <[email protected]> Subject: [Zen] Re: Three Western Myths About Mindfulness To: [email protected] Received: Friday, 20 May, 2011, 11:00 PM ED, '51 Mental Factors'? Give me a break! This is the kind of overly-indulgent dogma that send shivers up my spine. Zen is VERY VERY SIMPLE and doesn't have 51 of anything! All you've go to do is sit (zazen)! ...Bill! --- In [email protected], "ED" <seacrofter001@...> wrote: > > > > --- In [email protected], Maria Lopez <flordeloto@> wrote: > > > > Daniel: What do you mean by saying that mindfulness is a mental > factor? Mayka > > > > Mayka, Below is one list of mental factors. --ED > > > > http://viewonbuddhism.org/mind.html#3 > <http://viewonbuddhism.org/mind.html#3> > 51 MENTAL FACTORS > In the Abhidharmakosha of Vasubandu, 51 types of mind states or mental > factors are distinguished. > > They are mainly categorised by the way they are related to the main > delusions of attachment, anger and ignorance, (see below) and their > relevance to mind training. > > Note that the English terms used often have different connotations than > the actual definitions in Buddhism. > > Although below list may appear a dull list of definitions, a careful > study of it can explain much of the Buddhist attitude towards the mind. > > The list does not have the intention to be complete in describing all > possible mental states, but describes merely the most important ones in > relation to spiritual practice. > > > THE 5 OMNIPRESENT (EVER-RECURRING) MENTAL FACTORS > 1. Feeling (the first aggregate) > 2. Recognition / discrimination / distinguishing awareness (the second > aggregate) > 3. Intention / mental impulse - I will ... > 4. Concentration / attention / mental application - focused grasping of > an object of awareness > 5. Contact - the connection of an object with the mind, this may be > pleasurable, painful or neutral as experienced by the aggregate of > Feeling. > THE 5 DETERMINATIVE MENTAL FACTORS > 6. Resolution / aspiration - directing effort to fulfil desired > intention, basis for diligence and enthusiasm. > 7. Interest / appreciation - holding on to a particular thing, not > allowing distraction > 8. Mindfulness / Recollection - repeatedly bringing objects back to > mind, not forgetting > 9. Concentration / Samadhi - one-pointed focus on an object, basis for > increasing intelligence > 10. Intelligence / Wisdom - "common-sense intelligence", fine > discrimination, examines characteristics of objects, stops doubt, > maintains root of all wholesome qualities. > THE 4 VARIABLE (POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE) MENTAL FACTORS > 11. Sleep - makes mind unclear, sense consciousness turns inwards > 12. Regret - makes mind unhappy when regarding a previously done action > as bad, prevents the mind from being at ease. > 13. General examination / coarse discernment - depending on intelligence > or intention, searches for rough idea about the object. > 14. Precise analysis / subtle discernment - depending on intelligence or > intention, examines the object in detail. > THE 11 VIRTUOUS MENTAL FACTORS > (Note that 18 and 19 are not necessary always virtuous. The first 3 are > also known as roots of virtue.) > > 15. Faith / confidence / respectful belief - gives us positive attitude > to virtue and objects that are worthy of respect. Three types are > distinguished, with the last one being the preferred type: > a. uncritical faith: motivation is for no apparent reason > b. longing faith: motivation is by an emotionally unstable mind > c. conviction: motivated by sound reasons > 16. Sense of Propriety / self-respect - usually the personal conscience > to stop negative actions and perform positive actions > 17. Considerateness / decency - avoids evil towards others, basis for > unspoiled moral discipline. > 18. Suppleness / thorough training / flexibility - enables the mind to > engage in positive acts as wished, interrupting mental or physical > rigidity. > 19. Equanimity <http://viewonbuddhism.org/immeasurables.html> / > clear-minded tranquility - peaceful mind, not being overpowered by > delusions, no mental dullness or agitation > 20. Conscientiousness / carefulness - causes avoiding negative acts & > doing good; mind with detachment, non-hatred, non-ignorance and > enthusiasm > 21. Renunciation / detachment - no attachment to cyclic existence and > objects > 22. Non hatred / imperturbability - no animosity to others or > conditions; rejoicing > 23. Non-bewilderment / non ignorance / open-mindedness - usually > understanding the meaning of things through clear discrimination, never > unwilling to learn > 24. Non violence / complete harmlessness - compassion without any > hatred, pacifist > 25. Enthusiasm / diligence - doing positive acts (specifically mental > development and meditation) with delight > > > THE 26 NON-VIRTUOUS MENTAL FACTORS > THE 6 ROOT DELUSIONS (Delusion is defined as any secondary mental factor > that, when developed, brings about suffering and uneasiness to self or > others.) > > 26. Ignorance - not knowing karma, meaning and practice of 3 Jewels, > includes closed-mindedness, lack of wisdom > <http://viewonbuddhism.org/wisdom_emptiness.html> of emptiness. > 27. Attachment <http://viewonbuddhism.org/attachment.html> / desire - > definition: not wanting to be separated from someone or something. > Grasping at aggregates in cyclic existence causes rebirth & suffering of > existence > 28. Anger <http://viewonbuddhism.org/anger.html> - definition: wanting > to be separated from someone or something, can lead to relentless desire > to hurt others; causes unhappiness > 29. Pride > <http://viewonbuddhism.org/delusions_pride_ignorance_doubt_loneliness.ht\ > ml> - inflated superiority, supported by one's worldly views, which > include disrespect of others > 30. Doubt > <http://viewonbuddhism.org/delusions_pride_ignorance_doubt_loneliness.ht\ > ml> / deluded indecisive wavering - being in two minds about reality; > usually leads to negative actions > 31. Wrong views / speculative delusions - based on emotional > afflictions. Distinguished in 5 types: belief in the self as permanent > or non-existent (as opposite to the view of emptiness); denying karma, > not understanding the value of the 3 Jewels; closed-mindedness (my view > -which is wrong- is best); wrong conduct (not towards liberation) > THE 20 SECONDARY NON-VIRTUOUS MENTAL FACTORS > Derived from anger: > 32. Wrath / hatred - by increased anger, malicious state wishing to > cause immediate harm to others > 33. Vengeance / malice / resentment - not forgetting harm done by a > person, and seeking to return harm done to oneself > 34. Rage / spite / outrage - intention to utter harsh speech in reply to > unpleasant words, when wrath and malice become unbearable > 35. Cruelty / vindictiveness / mercilessness - being devoid of > compassion or kindness, seeking harm to others. > > Derived from anger and attachment: > 36. Envy / jealousy - internal anger caused by attachment; unbearable to > bear good things others have > > Derived from attachment: > 37. Greed / avarice / miserliness - intense clinging to possessions and > their increase > 38. Vanity / self-satisfaction - seeing one's good fortune giving one a > false sense of confidence; being intoxicated with oneself > 39. Excitement / wildness / mental agitation - distraction towards > desire objects, not allowing the mind to rest on something wholesome; > obstructs single pointed concentration. > > Derived from ignorance: > 40. Concealment - hiding one's negative qualities when others with good > intention refer to them this causes regret > 41. Dullness / muddle-headedness - caused by fogginess which makes mind > dark/heavy - like when going to sleep, coarse dullness is when the > object is unclear, subtle dullness is when the object has no intense > clarity > 42. Faithlessness - no belief of that which is worthy of respect; it can > be the idea that virtue is unnecessary, or a mistaken view of virtue; it > forms the basis for laziness (43) > 43. Laziness > <http://viewonbuddhism.org/delusions_pride_ignorance_doubt_loneliness.ht\ > ml> - being attached to temporary pleasure, not wanting to do virtue or > only little; opposite to diligence [25]) > 44. Forgetfulness - causes to not clearly remember virtuous acts, > inducing distraction to disturbing objects - not "just forgetting", but > negative tendency > 45. Inattentiveness / lack of conscience - "distracted wisdom" after > rough or no analysis, not fully aware of one's conduct, careless > indifference and moral failings; intentional seeking mental distraction > like daydreaming > > Derived from attachment and ignorance: > 46. Hypocrisy / pretension - pretend non-existent qualities of oneself > 47. Dishonesty / smugness - hiding one's faults, giving no clear > answers, no regret, snobbery & conceit, self-importance and finding > faults with others > > Derived from attachment, anger and ignorance > 48. Shamelessness - consciously not avoiding evil, it supports all root > and secondary delusions > 49. Inconsiderateness - not avoiding evil, being inconsiderate of > other's practice, ingratitude > 50. Unconscientiousness / carelessness- 3 delusions plus laziness; > wanting to act unrestrained > 51. Distraction / mental wandering - inability to focus on any virtuous > object >
