Non-Attachment to thoughts is the Way

[Simple_Jack]

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Edited February 5, 2014 by Simple_Jack

[humbleone]

Not sure which method/path advocates no thought, or forces cessation of thought.

 

Could you please elaborate?

[Simple_Jack]

From Working Toward Enlightenment by Nan Huai Chin:

Going along with the flow without stopping to ask how
True awareness* shining boundlessly,describing it to them
Detached from forms, detached from names, people don't accept it
After the sword of wisdom has been used, we must hurry to hone it.

"...Go along with the flow without stopping to ask how. Thoughts and thinking cannot be stopped: They are like a flowing stream running along with us. What can we do about it? True awareness shining boundlessly, describing it to them. Don't pay attention to those false thoughts. The one that knows your own false thoughts are going back and forth does not, itself, move. You must hold firmly to that one. The pure clarity of true awareness shining boundlessly is very close to true thusness and buddha-nature. All we have to do is hold firmly to it. But when we fall into this world, it is easy to make a mistake: We add another level of awareness to this true awareness, and that becomes false thought. Don't make any special effort, and it will clarify very spontaneously and naturally. And don't hold onto the clarity either.

"Detached from forms, detached from names, people don't accept it. With this thing, it is fine to call it "mind" or call it "true nature" or call it "the Path."

Edited February 5, 2014 by Simple_Jack

[Simple_Jack]

From Spiritual Paths and Their Meditation Techniques: "There is a famous story about a Buddha called "Triumph of Great Pervasive Wisdom" who prior to becoming a Buddha, sat in meditation for ten great aeons without achieving enlightenment. The reason he did not achieve self-realization during this time was because he cultivated the samadhi of no-thought. in hopes of becoming a Buddha, but since no-thought is not the way to Tao he achieved nothing from his practice. Despite his ardent efforts, this is why he never became enlightened, so no-thought is not the correct cultivation way. As the Diamond Sutra says, the proper practice is that "You must let your mind be born without dwelling." You must let thoughts arise, rather than suppress them or block them to attain no-thought, but you should not dwell in them either."

[Simple_Jack]

Not sure which method/path advocates no thought, or forces cessation of thought.

 

Could you please elaborate?

 

In Tibet this mistaken notion circulated widely, to the point that masters such as Tsong Khapa had to correct the notion. It started to proliferate in the Zen school when it started to degenerate, prompting those to speak out agianst it such as master Ta-Hui. They called it "dead tree Zen."

 

Also in Shakayamuni Buddha's time, it was a popular cultivation technique. He cultivated it for three years and found it didn't lead to enlightenment. It lead to the samadhi of no thought.

[Marblehead]

Hi Simple_Jack,

 

Every now and again I get to agree with you. Your opening post is one of these times. Thanks.

[Simple_Jack]

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Edited February 5, 2014 by Simple_Jack

[Otis]

Good stuff, Simple Jack!

 

Because non-dual states are conspicuously lacking thought, it's easy to blame thought for duality, and hence, try to stop it (I know several Buddhists who subscribe to thought-stopping). Likewise with self, of course. But my sense is that both merely arise in egoic states; they are not the cause of them.

 

I have never been a stop-thought practitioner, but by chance, I was exploring that in meditation yesterday. More specifically, I was stopping story. I kept hearing myself saying "stop it, stop it", whenever I started assigning any story to anything.

 

No doubt, there was something very interesting in the experience, and it is an interesting place to practice. But it also felt like a dead-end. "Stop it, stop it", and then what? Would the rest of my life be spent in negation?

 

After playing with that meditation for awhile, something new arose, which totally changed my relationship to the moment. Instead of "stop it", I arrived at "Yes, and" (the mantra of improv). So, yes, the thought arises ... and ... no problem. Moving on.

 

"Yes, and" has always been the path of results for me, too. Accept where I am at, don't try to escape, negate, or deny anything, just smile, be aware, and keep moving forward.

[Otis]

All that said ... there was something very interesting about my experience yesterday, and I think I will continue to explore stopping story as a practice.

 

What was useful, was witnessing how integrated story is, in my experience of the world. There is story in my reactions, my perceptions, my body, lots and lots of story.

 

In particular, I witnessed how my tendency to try to derive lessons out of experiences (which has been very useful, in many ways), has also caused me to start trying to create the story of the lesson, before the experience is even over.

 

I also got to see how story keeps me separated from experience, creating some sort of safety buffer zone of meaning. I got the impression that fear was the root cause of my leaning back from reality.

 

So yes, I feel a lot more truth on the path of acceptance, rather than negation. But I also see wisdom in tinkering with consciousness, and seeing what can be learned.

Edited March 29, 2011 by Otis

[King Kabalabhati]

I notice that instead of stopping thought, asking myself "who?"often provokes a moment of profound stillness. I guess it's a question that has no answer

[aridus]

I've taken to solving puzzle cubes while I think. May seem strange but it works for me.

 

Especially the 6x6x6 cube.

 

I find it gives me time and usually the right amount of focus. If I can solve it smoothly without losing my place, and yet not forget what I am thinking, this seems to be a good balance. If I mess it up, I'm thinking too hard. If I forget what I was thinking, I wasn't thinking enough.

 

Not sure how it would work for others, though.

Edited March 30, 2011 by aridus

[R.A.D.]

Very good post. From what I have experience in non-attachment, fits what you are saying. I do not know of any one method/path that fits all individuals as to how this state can be achieved or maintained. Letting go and not allowing for attachment to anything, not having feelings for anything beyond the moment. Being empty when in active, and only addressing actions in the moment, letting go once the moment has passed, never allowing one to become overwhelmed by emotion felt toward the event.