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What does it mean to be a dharma student? In simple terms, a dharma student is someone who follows the dharma. Which is to say, someone who lives her life in accord with the principles of the dharma. Someone who lives a life committed to knowing a greater happiness: happiness of heart.
A dharma student makes an effort to live in a different way than most people in “the world” live. She doesn’t follow the “ways of the world.” As the Buddha tells us, in following the ways of the world (“lokadhamma,” the dharma of the world) we look for happiness in sense pleasure, material gain, possessions, status, and praise. As dharma students, we learn to shift away from these objectives – it’s a gradual process, of course – and to live in a way in which we seek to know a happiness guided by the heart, by the qualities of lovingkindness, compassion, appreciation.
In order to take this sort of countercultural path, to live in accord with the dharma, we have to be able to pay attention to how we live; we have to be able to pay attention to our actions; we have to be able to discern whether our actions are leading us to the happiness of the heart or whether they’re guided by a desire to attain the more worldly satisfactions. This practice of paying attention to our actions, and, in turn, discerning which actions are aligned with the heart, is known as heedfulness.
In practicing heedfulness, the dharma student looks closely at her actions. She examines her actions in real time, as she’s about to take an action, as she’s taking an action. Looking at her actions, she discerns, in the moment, whether her actions are motivated by skillful intention, intention imbued with compassion and lovingkindness, or whether they are imbued with unskillful intention, with desire and aversion, wanting and not wanting, liking and disliking.
In order to be able to practice heedfulness, the dharma student must be able to maintain herself in the present moment. In many ways, this is the greatest challenge we face as we seek to follow the dharma, to live a life guided by the heart, to know a greater happiness than the happiness offered by subscribing to the ways of the world. If we’re not able to maintain ourselves in the present moment, we’re not going to be able to practice heedfulness; accordingly, we’re not going to be able to comprehend what actions we should take; we’re not going to be able to take these actions. We may have a sincere interest in changing the way we live, but we’ll continue to act in the ways we’ve always acted if we aren’t able to remain in the present moment. Instead, we’ll act habitually. Our actions will be driven by our past karma. We’ll keep doing what we’ve always done.
As dharma students, we strive to be awake. Not just during our daily period of sitting meditation. Not just when we’re on a retreat. We strive to be awake in all our postures, as we travel the course of our days and nights, wherever we are, whatever we’re doing. It’s only when we’re able to maintain ourselves in the present moment that we’re able to change the way that we live.
The development of skillful action, action driven by the heart, the Buddha tells us, depends on the development of concentration. When our concentration is well-developed – when we’ve built strong concentration – we’re able to take skillful action. The stronger our concentration becomes, the more developed we become in our skill in concentration, the more we’re able to maintain concentration as we move through life. We’re able to keep our awareness in the body – we use the breath to anchor us in the body – as we move through life. We’re able to remain in the present moment. We’re able to stay connected to the qualities of ease and internal pleasure. In fact, one of the marks of attainment in concentration, the Buddha tells us, is that we’re able to maintain concentration, to some degree, in all postures. We’re able to “call it up” during the course of our days.
The ability to cultivate strong concentration and, in turn, to practice heedfulness, lies at the heart of what it means to be a dharma student. It’s why the Buddha often ended his talks, inspirationally, by saying: “Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhana, monks. Don't be heedless. Don't later fall into regret. This is our message to you."
For the dharma student, seeking to live her life in accord with the dharma, learning to develop a maintainable concentration is essential. The dharma student, adhering to the Buddha’s instructions for practicing mindfulness of breathing, establishes concentration in formal sitting meditation. And she maintains that concentration, to some degree, in her life. In her life, she’s connected to her breath. Her awareness resides in her body. She’s present, awake. She’s heedful. She’s in tune with her heart.
We could say that the instructions given by the Buddha for developing strong concentration – jhana – represent an advanced instruction. But they are the basic instructions that he gave. These instructions, it should be emphasized, are instructions that any ardent dharma student can learn and develop. It requires some effort. But not an inordinate amount of effort. As householders, men and women living in the world, within the constructs of the contemporary culture, we can learn to practice mindfulness of breathing in the manner the Buddha taught (and himself practiced). We can learn to develop maintainable concentration. The practice, we might say, is a “lifetime practice.” We never attain mastery. But if we practice mindfulness of breathing in an earnest, wholehearted fashion, we begin, little by slowly, to notice that we’re able to maintain concentration. We’re more able to maintain ourselves in the present moment. We’re more able to be heedful. We’re more able to take action that is motivated by love and compassion, for others and ourselves. We’re more able to follow the dharma. Our life changes. We begin, gradually, but surely, to know a greater happiness.
What does it mean to be a dharma student? In simple terms, a dharma student is someone who follows the dharma. Which is to say, someone who lives her life in accord with the principles of the dharma. Someone who lives a life committed to knowing a greater happiness: happiness of heart.
A dharma student makes an effort to live in a different way than most people in “the world” live. She doesn’t follow the “ways of the world.” As the Buddha tells us, in following the ways of the world (“lokadhamma,” the dharma of the world) we look for happiness in sense pleasure, material gain, possessions, status, and praise. As dharma students, we learn to shift away from these objectives – it’s a gradual process, of course – and to live in a way in which we seek to know a happiness guided by the heart, by the qualities of lovingkindness, compassion, appreciation.
In order to take this sort of countercultural path, to live in accord with the dharma, we have to be able to pay attention to how we live; we have to be able to pay attention to our actions; we have to be able to discern whether our actions are leading us to the happiness of the heart or whether they’re guided by a desire to attain the more worldly satisfactions. This practice of paying attention to our actions, and, in turn, discerning which actions are aligned with the heart, is known as heedfulness.
In practicing heedfulness, the dharma student looks closely at her actions. She examines her actions in real time, as she’s about to take an action, as she’s taking an action. Looking at her actions, she discerns, in the moment, whether her actions are motivated by skillful intention, intention imbued with compassion and lovingkindness, or whether they are imbued with unskillful intention, with desire and aversion, wanting and not wanting, liking and disliking.
In order to be able to practice heedfulness, the dharma student must be able to maintain herself in the present moment. In many ways, this is the greatest challenge we face as we seek to follow the dharma, to live a life guided by the heart, to know a greater happiness than the happiness offered by subscribing to the ways of the world. If we’re not able to maintain ourselves in the present moment, we’re not going to be able to practice heedfulness; accordingly, we’re not going to be able to comprehend what actions we should take; we’re not going to be able to take these actions. We may have a sincere interest in changing the way we live, but we’ll continue to act in the ways we’ve always acted if we aren’t able to remain in the present moment. Instead, we’ll act habitually. Our actions will be driven by our past karma. We’ll keep doing what we’ve always done.
As dharma students, we strive to be awake. Not just during our daily period of sitting meditation. Not just when we’re on a retreat. We strive to be awake in all our postures, as we travel the course of our days and nights, wherever we are, whatever we’re doing. It’s only when we’re able to maintain ourselves in the present moment that we’re able to change the way that we live.
The development of skillful action, action driven by the heart, the Buddha tells us, depends on the development of concentration. When our concentration is well-developed – when we’ve built strong concentration – we’re able to take skillful action. The stronger our concentration becomes, the more developed we become in our skill in concentration, the more we’re able to maintain concentration as we move through life. We’re able to keep our awareness in the body – we use the breath to anchor us in the body – as we move through life. We’re able to remain in the present moment. We’re able to stay connected to the qualities of ease and internal pleasure. In fact, one of the marks of attainment in concentration, the Buddha tells us, is that we’re able to maintain concentration, to some degree, in all postures. We’re able to “call it up” during the course of our days.
The ability to cultivate strong concentration and, in turn, to practice heedfulness, lies at the heart of what it means to be a dharma student. It’s why the Buddha often ended his talks, inspirationally, by saying: “Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhana, monks. Don't be heedless. Don't later fall into regret. This is our message to you."
For the dharma student, seeking to live her life in accord with the dharma, learning to develop a maintainable concentration is essential. The dharma student, adhering to the Buddha’s instructions for practicing mindfulness of breathing, establishes concentration in formal sitting meditation. And she maintains that concentration, to some degree, in her life. In her life, she’s connected to her breath. Her awareness resides in her body. She’s present, awake. She’s heedful. She’s in tune with her heart.
We could say that the instructions given by the Buddha for developing strong concentration – jhana – represent an advanced instruction. But they are the basic instructions that he gave. These instructions, it should be emphasized, are instructions that any ardent dharma student can learn and develop. It requires some effort. But not an inordinate amount of effort. As householders, men and women living in the world, within the constructs of the contemporary culture, we can learn to practice mindfulness of breathing in the manner the Buddha taught (and himself practiced). We can learn to develop maintainable concentration. The practice, we might say, is a “lifetime practice.” We never attain mastery. But if we practice mindfulness of breathing in an earnest, wholehearted fashion, we begin, little by slowly, to notice that we’re able to maintain concentration. We’re more able to maintain ourselves in the present moment. We’re more able to be heedful. We’re more able to take action that is motivated by love and compassion, for others and ourselves. We’re more able to follow the dharma. Our life changes. We begin, gradually, but surely, to know a greater happiness.
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The Skill of Living Peter Doobinin's book, The Skill of Living, offers a practical map for developing the skillful qualities of generosity, ethical conduct, renunciation, truthfulness, effort, determination, discernment, lovingkindness, patience, and equanimity. To buy a copy of The Skill of Living, please click here. Reclaiming Our Agency Tricycle Magazine Summer 2018 A discussion of the proactive, purposeful nature of the Buddha's mindfulness. Read the article here. |
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Anapanasati: Mindfulness with Breathing In & Out
(Santikaro) In this essay, Santikaro discusses the Anapanasati Sutta and the Buddha's practice of mindfulness with breathing. Santikaro translated into English many of the Thai meditation teacher, Ajaan Buddhadasa's books. Read the article here. |
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The How & the Why (Thanissaro Bhikkhu) As Thanissaro Bhikkhu explains, if we're going to develop a strong meditation practice, it's important not only to know how, but why we're doing it. Read the article here. |
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Dhamma for Everyone (Ajaan Lee) Ajaan Lee, the Thai meditation master, describes certain qualities and conditions that put us in a good position to develop a heightened mind. Read the article here. |
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Downtown Meditation
New York Insight
Access to Insight
DhammaTalks.Org
Insight Meditation Society
Barre Center for Buddhist Studies
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Metta Forest Monastery
Gaia House
East Bay Meditation Center
Cambridge Insight Meditation Center
San Francisco Insight
Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC
InsightLA
Insight Meditation Center of the Mid-Peninsula
Vipassana Hawaii
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