Thursday
Jan242008
Only Changing Postures
January 24, 2008 Don't think that only sitting with the eyes closed is practice. If you do think this way, then quickly change your thinking. Steady practice is keeping mindful in every posture, whether sitting, walking, standing or lying down. When coming out of sitting, don't think that you're coming out of meditation, but that you are only changing postures. If you reflect in this way, you will have peace. Wherever you are, you will have this attitude of practice with you constantly. You will have a steady awareness within yourself.
~ Ajahn Chah
Reader Comments (2)
Thank you very much for this post which came as both an 'aha' as well as an 'oh dear, I should have realised that!' I have been taking that idea in my daily practice and it makes a difference.
I would like to ask a question that came up in a discussion with my wife after watching a fictional programme called 'Ghost Whisperer'. The basic idea of the programme is that a spirit cannot cross over after death if it has unfinished business with the living.
The question that came up for us is, if it is possible to be reborn in the Pure Land and take your remaining karma with you, what happens to those who you owe karmic debts to? Perhaps there is someone who I have really wronged and who wants revenge with a passion. What happens to them? Are they just denied the chance for repayment because I have managed to be reborn in the Pure Land?
I have not considered this question from quite this point of view and would be grateful for your answer.
If you can forgive another question, is there an acceptable translation of the Infinite Life Sutra into English?
with many thanks,
Richard
I like your "Oh dear." It's amazing how often we fail to realize the obvious!
When we are reborn with our existing karmic debts, we still owe those debts. But when we repay those debts, we will have reached a level of understanding that our body is not really "me." So when we suffer the resultant retribution, we feel the pain, but do not suffer.
Unfortunately, we do not yet have an approved translation of the Infinite Life Sutra.