Bhikkhu - The Brightened Mind: a Simple Guide to Buddhist Meditation

the brightened mind

a simple guide to Buddhist meditation

AJAHN SUMANO BHIKKHU

Theosophical Publishing House

Wheaton, Illinois Chennai, India

Learn more about Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu and his work at http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vzl6TR6RazQ&feature= player_embedded#!

Find more books like this at www.questbooks.net

Copyright 2011 by Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu

First Quest Edition 2011

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher of this book.

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

For additional information contact

Quest Books

Theosophical Publishing House

P. O. Box 270

Wheaton, IL 60187-0270

Cover design by Drew Stevens

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Sumano, Ajahn, Bhikkhu.

The Brightened Mind: A Simple Guide to Buddhist Meditation / Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu.First Quest Edition.

pages cm

ISBN 978-0-8356-0899-2

1. MeditationBuddhism. I. Title.

ISBN for electronic edition, e-pub format: 978-0-8356-2050-5

5 4 3 2 1 * 11 12 13 14 15

CONTENTS

Introduction

U nless you have spent your life in some remote part of the world, like millions of other people you are very much aware of and becoming more concerned about the increasing danger of living in a modern society such as ours. You will have noticed feeling a bit more stressed when going about your daily activities, such as commuting to and from your home. Most likely, you have seen evidence of this danger in multicar collisions, motorcycle crashes, road-rage fights, police-car chases, vandalizing of private property, construction accidents, and a host of other troubles. Sad to say, such events are just a routine part of a typical day in almost any city. Most of the time, though, we can reduce our own risk simply by being prudent and more vigilant.

But there is a greater, far more menacing threat than what we encounter in our physical surroundings. It is destructive in ways that we can hardly imagine, because we cannot see its potential for causing us serious harm. In a manner of speaking, the world we inhabit (our neighborhoods, workplaces, local establishments, classrooms, and so on) has become a battleground for controlling our minds.

If we do not know how to protect ourselves with wise discernment, we are easy prey to mental and psychological assaults from the external influences of our neighbors, bosses, teachers, and the media, as well as the internal pressures of the ego, which will, in time, weaken our resistance. And, before we know it, with very little struggle, we will have unsuspectingly surrendered control of our mindthe most precious thing we have.

But we can take heart in the truths that life is an ongoing process of change and that each moment can be a potential turning point for us. Like this very moment, right now. If you, for example, are reading this book, know that it is your boon that led you to do so. That truth, on its own, is a huge advantage and a powerful ally that can further guide you to important knowledge crucial to your psychological and spiritual survival.

You will learn here all the information you will ever need to make your mind alert, vibrant, agile, powerful, and, most of all, vigilant against mental and psychological pressures vying for your attention. The ideas offered in these pages are simple and practical, although not necessarily easy to put into practice. Yet when applied with steadfast diligence they are certain to give you profound results. As with all things worthwhile, sincere and determined effort is the driving force that will activate the abundant benefits of a brightened mind.

The technique this book explains for establishing attention and alertness is one from which people of all ages and all lifestyles can benefit. It will prove to be extraordinarily useful for office employees, information-technology professionals, taxi drivers, teachers, students, street vendors, car washers, airline staff, or even someone who just sells popcorn at the movies. Whether you are in a business meeting, attending a high school class or college seminar, cooking dinner, or participating in a yoga lesson, the same fundamentals will come into play. The mind changes, but the nature of the mind remains the same.

The brightened mind is a mind that is able to make better choices. As we know from experience, our choices deeply impact our lives. They determine what we do, where we work, with whom we live, and the like. We should make decisions that are in harmony with our karma, personality, and life circumstances. And we should not allow our sensitivity and intelligence to be swayed by our impulsive and ill-considered hopes and dreams. Our lives can be grounded in reality, not by a script from a movie or some offhanded advice we ran across in a magazine.

Actually, the skills learned here will initiate in you an interest for understanding the mind (i.e., who you are). As your understanding increases, the spiritual aspect of your life will organically evolve. With this technique as a basis, you will be primed to develop the wisdom that will lead you to make several important distinctions:

• You will understand the difference between memorizing data and the manifestation of wisdom.
• You will understand the difference between the good and the appropriate. Good as I mean it encompasses the prohibitions and precepts taught by all religions (such as not to kill, steal, or indulge in illicit sexual relationships), as well as the values and taboos of a particular culture. It also encompasses the life experiencespositive and negativeof a person. Our concept of the good is thus informed by the past, whereas the concept of appropriate applies only to the moment. What is appropriate is what needs to be done now! The action arises from pure, present-moment awareness, and that awareness is a world apart from memory and from our inclination to seek happiness and to avoid suffering. When, for instance, a mother lifts up a car by herself to pull her child out from under the wheels, she is functioning purely out of what is appropriate in the moment, without the imposition of memory, hesitation, or fear.