Integrating Presence

Insights And Takeaways From “Love As The Breath Of Life” — Online Retreat with Ajahn Sucitto and Willa Thaniya Reid

September 22, 2023 UPDATE: Retreat video now on YouTube:

The recent online Ajahn Sucitto and Willa Thaniya Reid retreat “Love as the Breath of Life” brought forth such a plethora of insight amidst (minor) domestic challenges such as establishing and maintaining one’s retreat space amidst everyday home life.

I liken much of the notes below to a game of telephone where one can seem to hear what one wants, often with copious misinterpretations. In light of this, please (also) listen directly to the retreat.

Sitting meditation posture:

Big emphasis on uprightness
Pelvis and hips stable
Tendons relaxed
Stomach drops to floor
Spinal discs of lower back stacked atop each other with slight arch
Slight pressing toward the chest from between the shoulder blades
Relaxing rope-like muscles of the neck from the skull down

Body, breath and mind:

When body relaxes the mind gets signaled to relax
Body/breath has sense of internal tissue intelligence — body knows itself internally
The breath channel(s) through the tissues extends beyond the physical
Noice longer, lighter, sustained stretches with(in) the body, tissues and breath
As energies bubble up from the depths mind can concoct stuff with them. Draw back into experience (with)in the body and breath through uprightness

The Citta:

The heart — where intentions come from
That which is moved and touched by knowing something, otherwise it is just awareness

(Perceptual meditation) techniques:

Like a Buddha surveying the karmic field
Being enveloped in a sphere of love
Hands supporting, holding a level skull allowing the rest of body to dangle then energy rising up like mist
Establishing upright axis of a spinal energy column while aware of the sky, one’s feet on the ground and spaciousness then there’s no place for projected negative energy to land
Horizontal axes along shoulders and pelvis/hips in addition to the axis of the energetic spine
Detaching from the inner and the outer by staying in the doorway between the two
Introduce blockage(s) to energy flowing area(s) and invite blocked area to join (as mentioned in https://integratingpresence.com/2021/01/11/addressing-energetic-blockages)
Using the Five Faculties — faith/conviction, energy, mindfulness, samadhi (unified, gathered, sustained focus, stable, stillness of mind) and wisdom — to check effectiveness of meditation

An insight during retreat:

Since it seems we’re always aware (of something) — to verify this just try to stop being aware for 60 seconds — we only seem to lose awareness because the connection (and/or common thread) from the first remembered moment of awareness is severed, broken, or lost. It seems (correct) reference points can help with the linking and continuity of awareness.

Characteristics of a good friend:

gives what is hard to give
does what is hard to do
endures what is hard to endure
reveals secrets to you
keeps your secrets
does not abandon you in misfortunes
when you are down and out, does not look down on you

Love as the Breath of Life – Online Zoom Retreat with Ajahn Sucitto and Willa Thaniya Reid

EDITED RETREAT DESCRIPTION:

In the Buddha’s Dhamma, the four expressions of the loving heart establish the atmosphere for our practice. Combined with the opening and enrichment of the body’s somatic presence, they clear negative patterns such as fear, guilt, self-criticism and resentment. In this retreat, the cultivation of breathing, devotion and wise reflection are offered to further this process.

The daily schedule will include sitting, walking and standing meditation, Dhamma teachings, chanting, and question & answer sessions.

This retreat is offered freely in the spirit of generosity. There is no fee to register. You will have the opportunity to offer Dana (donation) at the close of the retreat. Information will be provided.

Retreat Schedule for PDT and UK Time Zones

SATURDAY, JULY 10 – THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2021

6 – 7 am PDT | 2 – 3 pm UK — Chanting ~ Guided Meditation

8:30 – 11 am PDT | 4:30 – 7 pm UK — Instruction ~ Meditation

12 – 1 pm PDT | 8-9 pm UK — Meditation ~ Q&A

3 – 6 pm PDT | 11 pm – 2 am UK — Instruction ~ Meditation

8 – 9:30 pm PDT | 4 – 5:30 am UK — Dhamma Reflection ~ Meditation

Love as the Breath of Life - with Ajahn Sucitto and Willa Thaniya Reid image

Ajahn Sucitto has been a Buddhist monk in the Thai Forest tradition for 45 years. He trained under Ajahn Sumedho, the senior western disciple of Ajahn Chah, and is based in Cittaviveka Monastery in Chithurst, in southern England.

Willa Thaniya Reid has trained in the Ajahn Chah forest tradition both in lay practice and in monasteries in England, where she served as the senior nun at Cittaviveka. She lives in New Zealand with Elizabeth Day, where they have a center dedicated to sharing the Buddha’s teachings.

An Integrating Presence Meditation: Deeply Sensing Body Areas — July 28, 2021 At Fat Cat Longevity

This meditation (recorded live) aims to strengthen and deepen the 32 Parts of the Body portion of Body Contemplation in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness — not meant as a regular practice or substitute. My apologies for the air conditioning, dehumidifier and other background noises. Partial inspiration comes from this Four Foundations of Mindfulness visual:

Just as if there were a double-mouthed provision bag full of various kinds of grain such as hill paddy, paddy, green gram, cow-peas, sesamum, and husked rice, and a man with sound eyes, having opened that bag, were to take stock of the contents thus: “This is hill paddy, this is paddy, this is green gram, this is cow-pea, this is sesamum, this is husked rice.” Just so, monks, a monk reflects on this very body enveloped by the skin and full of manifold impurity, from the soles up, and from the top of the head-hairs down, thinking thus: “There are in this body hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidney, heart, liver, midriff, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, gorge, feces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, grease, saliva, nasal mucus, synovial fluid, urine.”
The Foundations of Mindfulness
Satipatthana Sutta

Meditation Audio: Deeply Sensing Body Areas

Meditation Audio: Deeply Sensing Body Areas— Recorded Live on July 28, 2021 at Fat Cat Longevity

Mary’s House of Healing
524 South Main Street
Downstairs at Fat Cat Longevity next to Peace Love Coffee…
St. Charles, MO 6330

July 28th 2021 — 6:00pm – 6:45pm

Doors open: 5:50pm — Doors close: 6:05pm

Cost: Fat Cat Longevity price packages, monthly membership or generosity inspired donation

Materiality And Mentality | (7/27/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu And Guest Beth Upton)

Materiality and Mentality | (7/27/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu And Guest Beth Upton

For this month’s regular open-audience, open-discussion “Ask Us Anything LIVE” — continuing discussions about meditation and related topics — Denny and I chat with meditation teacher Beth Upton most significantly about the Dependent Origination link Nāmarūpa, or Materiality and Mentality, which, according to Wikipedia, is “used in Buddhism to refer to the constituents of a living being: nāma is typically considered to refer to the mental component of the person, while rūpa refers to the physical.”

Audio: Materiality and Mentality | (7/27/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu And Guest Beth Upton

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

We discuss:

Science and spirituality
Functions of mind without physical characteristics
How mind can create physicality
Causal relationships between Materiality and Mentality, including those continually keeping Materiality and Mentality together
Mind-born materiality
Material basis
Materiality in the six senses (five physical senses and mind)
Consciousness supporting materiality in the mind
Type of physicality located in the heart area responsible for mind consciousness to arise
How the power of Samadhi is a scientific tool to perceive consciousness
Directly perceiving the momentary arising and passing away particles making up the body
Mind arising and leaving a physical imprint in the brain and body
Samatha and Samadhi
Abhidhamma
Universal and non-universal mental qualities
Beth’s offer to teach leading scientists how to cultivate Samadhi in order to further scientific investigation and knowledge
Perception:
- Conditional nature of perception
- Progression, refinement and freeing of perception
- New perceptions
- Dangers
- Arising and passing nature
Dumbing down of society
The importance, differences and confusions of what is, and what isn’t samadhi and Vipassanā
Mindfulness of body via breathing, impermanence and four elements meditation
Vast and varying differences of individualized responses to Co-V
Challenges and rewards of lay life and monastic life
Details, analysis and commentary on various four element mediation methods including internal and external perceptions
How depth of meditation correlates of with subtleness of meditation object including examples ranging from course to subtle
Intersections of Dhamma promotion, ((Non-)American attitudes surrounding) money, and generosity
Beth’s physical practices
Real life vs virtual meditation teachers and when to seek one

Images For The Minds Of The Three Kinds Of People In The World

The three types of people in the world are likened to a person with a mind like an open sore, a person with a mind like lightning, and a person with a mind like diamond.

And who has a mind like an open sore? It’s someone who is irritable and bad-tempered. Even when lightly criticized they lose their temper, becoming annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, and they display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. They’re like a festering sore, which, when you hit it with a stick or a stone, discharges even more. In the same way, someone is irritable and bad-tempered. Even when lightly criticized they lose their temper, becoming annoyed, hostile, and hard-hearted, and they display annoyance, hate, and bitterness. This is called a person with a mind like an open sore.

And who has a mind like lightning? It’s someone who truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. They’re like a person with keen eyes in the dark of the night, who sees by a flash of lightning. In the same way, someone truly understands: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the origin of suffering’ … ‘This is the cessation of suffering’ … ‘This is the practice that leads to the cessation of suffering’. This is called a person with a mind like lightning.

And who has a mind like diamond? It’s someone who realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. And they live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements. It’s like a diamond, which can’t be cut by anything at all, not even a gem or a stone. In the same way, someone realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life. … This is called a person with a mind like diamond.

Illustrated: The Buddha’s Five Themes For Addressing Unskillful Thoughts

In the Vitakkasaṇṭhāna Sutta — The Relaxation of Thoughts (MN 20) the Buddha provides five themes to attend to at the appropriate times for those intent on heightening the mind. With accompanying images, they are:

Small Peg Knocking Out Larger One (to attend to another theme)

There is the case where evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion, or delusion—arise in a monk while he is referring to and attending to a particular theme. He should attend to another theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful. When he is attending to this other theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful, then those evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion, or delusion—are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it. Just as a dexterous carpenter or his apprentice would use a small peg to knock out, drive out, and pull out a large one; in the same way, if evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion, or delusion—arise in a monk while he is referring to and attending to a particular theme, he should attend to another theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful. When he is attending to this other theme, apart from that one, connected with what is skillful, then those evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion, or delusion—are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it.

Disgusted By Wearing Carcass (to know certain thoughts are unskillful, blameworthy, and resulting in stress)

If evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion, or delusion—still arise in the monk while he is attending to this other theme, connected with what is skillful, he should scrutinize the drawbacks of those thoughts: ‘Really, these thoughts of mine are unskillful, these thoughts of mine are blameworthy, these thoughts of mine result in stress.’ As he is scrutinizing the drawbacks of those thoughts, those evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion, or delusion—are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it. Just as a young woman—or man—fond of adornment, would be horrified, humiliated, and disgusted if the carcass of a snake or a dog or a human being were hung from her neck; in the same way, if evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion, or delusion—still arise in the monk while he is attending to this other theme, connected with what is skillful, he should scrutinize the drawbacks of those thoughts: ‘Really, these thoughts of mine are unskillful, these thoughts of mine are blameworthy, these thoughts of mine result in stress.’ As he is scrutinizing the drawbacks of those thoughts, those evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion, or delusion—are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it.

Looking Away (to pay no mind to unskillful thoughts)

If evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion or delusion—still arise in the monk while he is scrutinizing the drawbacks of those thoughts, he should pay no mind and pay no attention to those thoughts. As he is paying no mind and paying no attention to them, those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it. Just as a man with good eyes, not wanting to see forms that had come into range, would close his eyes or look away; in the same way, if evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion or delusion—still arise in the monk while he is scrutinizing the drawbacks of those thoughts, he should pay no mind and pay no attention to those thoughts. As he is paying no mind and paying no attention to them, those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it.

From Running To Walking To Standing To Sitting To Lying Down (to relax thought fabrications)

If evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion or delusion—still arise in the monk while he is paying no mind and paying no attention to those thoughts, he should attend to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts. As he is attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts, those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it. Just as the thought would occur to a man walking quickly, ‘Why am I walking quickly? Why don’t I walk slowly?’ So he walks slowly. The thought occurs to him, ‘Why am I walking slowly? Why don’t I stand?’ So he stands. The thought occurs to him, ‘Why am I standing? Why don’t I sit down?’ So he sits down. The thought occurs to him, ‘Why am I sitting? Why don’t I lie down?’ So he lies down. In this way, giving up the grosser posture, he takes up the more refined one. In the same way, if evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion or delusion—still arise in the monk while he is paying no mind and paying no attention to those thoughts, he should attend to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts. As he is attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts, those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it.

Clenching Teeth (to crush unskillful/evil mind with awareness)

“Just as a strong man, seizing a weaker man by the head or the throat or the shoulders, would beat him down, constrain and crush him . . .”

If evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion or delusion—still arise in the monk while he is attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts, then—with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth—he should beat down, constrain, and crush his mind with his awareness. As—with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth—he is beating down, constraining, and crushing his mind with his awareness, those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it. Just as a strong man, seizing a weaker man by the head or the throat or the shoulders, would beat him down, constrain, and crush him; in the same way, if evil, unskillful thoughts—connected with desire, aversion or delusion—still arise in the monk while he is attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts, then—with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth—he should beat down, constrain, and crush his mind with his awareness. As—with his teeth clenched and his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth—he is beating down, constraining, and crushing his mind with his awareness, those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned and subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, and concentrates it.

Kind Boundaries

To be kind to those who are unkind in return only seems one-sided to the one ‘keeping score’. When reciprocity doesn’t come from people around you, but from the will of the Universe moving through a depiction of characters, you will come to realize how people’s behavior is more reflective of where they are in their journey and never a reflection of your intention or self-worth. While you certainly don’t have to be best friends or lovers with those who ‘take’ with nothing else to ‘give’, because you are serving the will of the Universe, you are always being celebrated by the loving intelligence of divinity for all that you do — even when received by people solely designed to reflect your progress out of the plight of unfairness and into the light of eternal faith.
7/4/2021 Matt Kahn newsletter

The following question recently put to me references the above quote:

A question for you, as stated today in Matt Kahn’s newsletter that you don’t have to be friends with those who are unkind to you, do you think it’s more of a reacting in the moment with kindness and then you are ok to choose not to hang out with them anymore? And then how do you handle this with family or people you are more obligated or even forced to see for some time until you can completely break the relationship? I understand fully those societal obligations can be broken but just curious on your take on repeat interactions with those who are unkind.
Question put to me

My (somewhat revised/edited) response:

Yes this is a little more tricky and complicated. Without knowing specifics, what comes to mind now for more general day to day interactions with those we are more obligated and/or forced to interact with: sometimes the kindest thing we can do for ourselves and others is establish and maintain as firm of boundaries for as long as necessary. And we can do so with kindness, compassion and limiting our time spent in these interactions. While this takes courage and bravery I also feel it’s even more helpful to express our feelings (if possible and without saying they are causing them) and clearly express these boundaries to the involved parties. How exactly this is done — and in what tone and manner — is the rub though.

For example, years ago I got to the point where I just told my mom that we had to take a break — no communications whatsoever except for emergencies for one week. I rarely saw her more upset after I did this and had never seen such benefits in our relationship afterwards. Obviously this is just an example not a suggestion.

We all start where we are. I love Matt Kahn’s teachings. While the effect is not often immediately noticeable, nor step-by-step practical, for me these teachings plant seeds and seem to revolutionize my views, perceptions and ways of being in the world.

And as far as “reacting in the moment with kindness and then you are ok to choose not to hang out with them anymore” I’d say it is even OK to choose not to hang out with someone no matter how you have been or have not been. And just because the choice is made not to hang out doesn’t mean one must keep being kind, or stop being kind to them, whether in their presence or not. I’ve found, eventually though, with a regular loving-kindness practice, loving-kindness is a natural state that arrises more and more without (much) effort once what is in its way starts to dissolve.

And while it is certainly OK, I don’t really see this in terms of equity like “OK, now since I’ve been kind to them I’m OK to stop hanging out with them.” Also, kindness is different from niceness. I feel niceness can range from the inverted “I really don’t want to interact much with you” to the authentic icing on the cake of kindness.

An Integrating Presence Meditation: Breathing Nine Beneficial Energies Into Embodiment — June 29, 2021 At Fat Cat Longevity

In this (now recorded) mediation — also on (the) Insight Timer (app) — we worked with breath to embody the beneficial energies of:

Smiling
Our most relaxed experience
Gratitude [and/or appreciation and thankfulness]
Forgiveness
Service
Loving-kindness
Compassion
(Vicarious) joy [and/or gladness]
Equanimity
[Additional beneficial energies not mentioned:]
- various ideal blessings
- energies from (being around) your spiritual entourage
- goodness
- generosity

With these words dropped in to further amplify and benefit:

Open
Allow
Permit
Embrace
Inhabit
Be with
Accompany
Free
Melt
Soften
Sooth
Safe
Surrender
Sweetness
Gentleness
Care
Yes
Tenderness
Ease
Expand
Relax
Release
Include
Trust
It’s OK
This too
This belongs
It IS like this

Not included are these helpful three-way forgiveness phrases:

To those I may have caused harm knowingly or unknowingly through my thoughts words or actions I ask you to consider forgiving me.
To those who have may have caused me harm knowingly or unknowingly through their thoughts words or actions I freely offer my forgiveness as best as I am able at this time.
And for any harm I may have caused myself knowingly or unknowingly through my thoughts my words my actions I offer my forgiveness I forgive myself as best I can at this time.

Meditation Audio: Breathing 9 Beneficial Energies Into Embodiment

Meditation Audio: Breathing 9 Beneficial Energies Into Embodiment— Recorded Live on June 29, 2021 at Fat Cat Longevity

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

Mary’s House of Healing
524 South Main Street
Downstairs at Fat Cat Longevity next to Peace Love Coffee…
St. Charles, MO 63301

May 5, 2021 — 6:00pm – 6:45pm

Doors open: 5:50pm — Doors close: 6:05pm

Cost: Fat Cat Longevity price packages, monthly membership or generosity inspired donation

South Main Street

Questions To Assess The Office Of The Director of National Intelligence’s ‘Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Assessment Report’

[4/9/2022 UPDATE: Pentagon releases 1,500 pages of secret documents about shadowy UFO programme after four year battle https://www.the-sun.com/news/5053632/us-government-releases-1500-pages-secret-documents-ufo-programme and https://www.livescience.com/ufo-report-human-biological-injuries and some claiming all these documents available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lL1b6yHJ_A7bnNEANhKq2w9Y0uuieWh4]

I previously wrote about preparing the general public for mass disclosure, how such a thing may be gone about, and some of the questions, challenges and complications involved.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence recently released a report called, “Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon [PDF]“

*Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon* — https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Prelimary-Assessment-UAP-20210625.pdf

Unsurprisingly, the report’s tone comes off as dismissive, pointing the finger elsewhere than what the alternative information communities have called for, and is largely framed in a war-based context.

I really don’t have much of an assessment about the assessment other than can be drawn from the following questions:

How long has everything in this report already been known within various portions of the intelligence community?
What are the sources of information gathering for this report? What sources were known and weren’t included? Why? What about MUFON?
Can previous credible US Government and Military reports be included in the data? If not, why not?
What kind of action is being taken on suspected unknown sources for information gathering of this sort?
What kind of inter-agency sharing was and wasn’t included in the report?
Why such an emphasis on (technological) sensors?
Who all would be spoofing observations and why?
Who all is the authority on judging observer misperception and what is the criteria for their expertise?
Why is language like “could be” and “may be” being used?
What manner and extent of human intelligence and other forms of non-machine/mechanical/computational/AI/technological intelligence are and are not being used? Why?
Hypothetically, if a non-violent force deemed a UAP was trying to end war and violence on a global/planetary level would this be considered a national security threat? Why or why not?
What is the following sentence implying: “We currently lack data to indicate any UAP are part of a foreign collection program or indicative of a major technological advancement by a potential adversary.” If data is lacking why assume and point this out? What does this indicate given the previously mentioned, “some UAP may be technologies deployed by China, Russia, another nation, or a non-governmental entity”? Why the seeming contradiction? Why include such ambiguous statements?
To what extent will normalizing “future collection, reporting, and analysis” promote biases and increase or decrease data quality? How is this known? What corrective countermeasures are being considered?
To what extent do certain personnel with certain clearances already have access to the recommendations and outcomes of everything mentioned in this report and beyond?
To what extent could this task force be an experiment for other intelligence programs and/or a front program for what kinds of agendas by whom all?

So is this report a tiptoe towards disclosure? How does, and how doesn’t, and how could this all relate to various spiritual paths and meditation practices?

disclosure, Information, questions

Also see: https://toveje.dk/hal-new-reality/hal-processes-of-disclosure and https://sites.google.com/view/hal-future-humanities-project/new-narratives/full-disclosure-article

Form And Formless | (6/29/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu)

“[The three emancipations of] emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness constitute dualities. The empty is the signless, and the signless is the wishless. If [one achieves] the empty, the signless, and the wishless, then there is no mind, thought, or consciousness. In this single gate of emancipation are the three gates of emancipation. This is to enter the Dharma gate of nonduality.”
From Chapter IX – The Dharma Gate of Nonduality of the Vimalakīrti Sutra

For this month’s regular open-audience, open-discussion “Ask Us Anything LIVE” — continuing discussions about meditation and related topics — Denny draws from, and summarizes the teaching of Master Ji Ru (Shifu) to link together the Four Great Elements, Four “Mighty” Postures, Four Right Knowings, Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Three (or Four) Dharma Seals, and Three Gates of Liberation.

Four Great Elements
- Fire
- Earth
- Water
- Wind
Four “Mighty” Postures
- Standing
- Sitting
- Lying Down
- Walking
Four Right Knowings
- Body (身) ← Standing
- Feeling (受) ← Sitting
- Mind (心) ← Lying Down
- Dharma (法) ← Walking
Four Foundations of Mindfulness
- Body → “Not Firm” (觀身不實)
- Feeling → Dukkha (觀受皆苦)
- Mind → “Rising & Fading” (觀心生滅)
- Dharma → “No Drama” (觀法無法)
Three (or Four) Dharma Seals
- All are Impermanent (諸行無常)
- Nirvana is Bliss (涅槃寂靜)
- [Dukkha as the Fourth]
- All are Empty & Non-Self (諸法無我)
Three Gates of Liberation
- Desireless Gate (無願門)
- “Signless” Gate (無相門)
- Emptiness Gate (空門)

Miscellaneous mentions include:

The movie Interstellar
Double-slit experiment
What is the speed of time?
Gaia
Seven Heavens
Mara
Comparative study of Religious Cosmologies
Dependent Origination aka Dependent Arising aka Interdependent Co-arising aka Conditioned Arising aka Conditioned Genesis aka Pratītyasamutpāda (Sanskrit) aka Paṭiccasamuppāda (Pāli)

Transcendental/reverse dependent origination (the opposite which I mentioned but couldn’t remember the name of)
Skandha vs Khandha
- ‘..the correct word is kandha and NOT skandha for the five “aggregates”. The Pāli (and Sinhala) word kandha means a “pile” (as in a pile of sand) and is still used to denote a hill in Sinhala. I just look up the meaning of “skandha” in Sanskrit and it says “Hindu god of war”. This is how the true meanings of the original words have been lost due to incorporation of “sophisticated sounding” Sanskrit words with no relevance.’
Dharma with a Big D meaning reality and dharma with a little d meaning phenomena, methodology, and the teachings of the historical Buddha
33 Synonyms for Nibbana
Standalone Four Elements meditation practices
Non-separation of the four elements
The entire universe being within the body:

Yet it is just within this fathom-long body, with its perception & intellect, that I declare that there is the cosmos, the origination of the cosmos, the cessation of the cosmos, and the path of practice leading to the cessation of the cosmos.
from the Rohitassa Sutta

After the Buddha’s parinibbana the precepts being the teacher and the Four Applications/Foundations of Mindfulness as dwelling place:

My second question is, when the Buddha is in the world, we Bhikshus take the Buddha as our teacher. Whom should we take as our teacher after the Buddha enters Nirvana?”The Buddha said, ” After I enter Nirvana, you Bhikshus should take the precepts as your teacher. The Pratimoksa is your great teacher. If you uphold the precepts, it will be the same as when I am in the world. You should avoid all evil and practice all good deeds.”In the beginning of the Buddha’s teaching career, there were no precepts, but as the Sangha continued to grow, complications inevitably arose. Not everyone was well-behaved. The Buddha established the precepts one by one in response to the needs of the situation. In the final compilation of the precepts, there were 250 precepts for Bhikshus, 348 precepts for Bhikshunis, ten major and forty-eight minor precepts for Bodhisattvas, ten precepts for Shramaneras (novices), and eight precepts and five precepts for laypeople. All these various categories of precepts are aimed at helping people to behave well. People who are well-behaved will be good citizens who can help others and benefit the society. Thus, the moral precepts are the basis for world peace. Therefore, Bhikshus should take the precepts as their teacher.”Now I’ll ask the third question,” continued Ananda. “When the Buddha is in the world, we dwell with the Buddha. We always live and study with the Buddha. After the Buddha enters Nirvana, with whom should the Bhikshus dwell?”

The Buddha answered, “After I enter Nirvana, all the Bhikshus should dwell in the Four Applications of Mindfulness.”
via Sutra of the Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata Commentary Part 1 Explained by the Venerable Master Hua
in 1983 at Gold Wheel Monastery in Los Angeles

Paccekabuddha (“solitary buddha” or “a buddha on their own”)
Various translations of dhammas (5 Hindrances, 5 Aggregates of Clinging, 6 Internal and External Sense Bases, 7 Factors of Enlightenment, 4 Noble Truths) the Fourth Foundations of Mindfulness, as:
- phenomena
- contents of mind
- objects of mind
- mental objects, etc.
The significance of the Satipatthana Sutta now often being translated as The Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness instead of The Four Foundations of Mindfulness
Turning towards knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings in the second watch of the night of the Buddha’s enlightenment

Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!
The last words of the Buddha: Handa dani bhikkhave amantayami vo: Vayadhamma sankhara appamadena sampadetha.

An Ajahn Punnadhammo talk on Buddhist Cosmology and a YouTube series with Ajahn Sona:

Audio: Form And Formless | (6/29/2021 — “Ask Us Anything – LIVE” With Denny K Miu)

Or listen via Insight Timer (app or website)

Currently, for a chance to experience, practice, and receive Yi Jin Jing instructions from Denny plus more mindful exercise join in free on Saturdays:

June 2021 Full Moon Dhamma Gathering: Truth

“The gift of Truth excels all (other) gifts.

The flavour of Truth excels all (other) flavours.

The pleasure in Truth excels all (other) pleasures.

He who has destroyed craving overcomes all sorrow.”
— Dhammapada 354

Due to a (previously written about) major interest in truth, I answered the call to read a Sutta at Beth Upton’s full moon gathering today. Each of these monthly online get-togethers explores a different topic and offers “a chance to deepen our connections with each other through group meditation and Dhamma discussion.” I considered a Jataka tale featuring goblins. But it is too long. Here’s the takeaway though:

When he had thus exhorted the disciples, the Blessed One said,—“So too in times past, disciples, the men who jumped to the fatuous conclusion that what was no refuge was a real refuge, fell a prey to goblins in a demon-haunted wilderness and were utterly destroyed; whilst the men who clave to the absolute and indisputable truth, prospered in the selfsame wilderness.”
— from the Apannaka Jataka https://suttacentral.net/ja1/en/chalmers

I read the Cūlaviyūha Sutta — Smaller Discourse on Quarreling (full text included below).

Here I roughly rehash the two main questions we explored:

What hinders us from truth?
What can help bring more awareness to our relationship with truth?

I did not get around to exploring these four words from the Metta Sutta:

“Let none deceive another . . .”
— Metta Sutta

Does this line mean action should be taken to prevent deception? If so, how and to what extent? (Deception often happens as protection or retribution, btw)