''Be well and happy''

Highlights of Vesak Celebration in Ljubljana, 2011.

2011-06-25T00:41:00.004+02:00

Highlights of Vesak 2010 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

2010-06-01T12:24:00.002+02:00

Highlights of Vesak 2010 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

2010-06-01T12:15:00.001+02:00

Meditation Techniques Effective For Pain Relief

2010-05-19T03:45:00.000+02:00

Meditation has analgesic benefits associated with creating a relaxed state of mind and enhancing the ability to moderate reactions to pain, according to new research published in The Journal of Pain, the peer review publication of the American Pain Society.

Researchers from the University of North Carolina measured pain ratings in students interested in learning meditation who recruited for the study. Subjects were trained in meditation for three consecutive days and were given experimental pain stimuli.

Results of the trial showed that relaxed states promoted by the brief mindfulness meditation sessions reduced the reported pain ratings. Participants had less pain to both low and high pain intensities and showed significant reductions in anxiety after each meditation stimulation. The authors concluded that decreases in anxiety and increases in the ability to sustain personal focus can attenuate the feeling of pain.

In assessing their findings, the authors noted that the analgesic effects of meditation can be realized even after a short period of time learning the technique. Also, the results provide additional validation of the benefits of cognitive techniques for controlling pain.

Source
American Pain Society

Buddhist Meditation Helps People Stop Drinking

2010-05-19T03:38:00.000+02:00

A combination of cognitive behavioural therapy and Buddhist meditation can help people with drink problems turn their backs on alcohol. Dr Paramabandhu Groves, a consultant psychiatrist at the Alcohol Advisory Service in London, who has successfully run workshops with people with depression, has now turned his attention to using the techniques to help people with addictions. Dr Groves has been ordained into the Western Buddhist Order based at the London Buddhist Centre in Bethnal Green, east London.

Dr Groves unveiled results at the annual conference of a pilot study in which 15 people with alcohol problems undertook mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Most found it helped them in their battle against alcohol and reported that it gave them the tools to challenge the negative thoughts that drove them to drink.

The technique comprises "mindfulness" which, through meditation, develops an awareness of emotions and physical feelings and then guides people to make creative choices about how to respond to them.

"It emphasises critical awareness, rather than concentration," said Dr Groves. "In meditation the mind keeps wandering off, so you note where the mind has gone and then you come back to the body sensation. When you do this, you begin to notice where the habitual patterns are and this gives you the ability to stay with negative thoughts. Once you stay with these negative thoughts, you can diffuse them and take the power out of them." By doing this, said Dr Groves, the vicious cycle of alcoholism can be broken. Negative thoughts, particularly linked to an external trigger, such a row with a partner, can trigger a relapse and lead to substance use. Mindfulness can break this link, Dr Groves told delegates. Clients are taught how to recognise and resist negative thoughts by observing themselves non-judgmentally and learning to accept their emotions.

Each member was given a CD and asked to practice at home One reported that it gave him a spiritual practice he found lacking in other recovery methods; others said it had given them a more immediate and conscious awareness of how they felt at a given moment.

The success of the programme has not been a surprise to Dr Groves: "I've have been doing the MBCT for depression since 2004 and that had been very popular," he said.

The Royal College Of Psychiatrists' Annual Meeting
Edinburgh International Conference Centre
June 19 To 22 2007

Uvod v budizem in meditacijo

2009-05-16T06:42:00.003+02:00

Publikacija je tiskana s pomočjo denarnih
prispevkov posameznikov

Vir: An Outline of Buddhism,
Amaravati Publications
© 1996, Amaravati Publications

Prevod: © SloTHERA, 2004
Vse pravice pridržane

Prepovedano je objavljanje in tiskanje celote ali
dela tega besedila v katerikoli obliki za prodajo,
dobiček ali materialno korist.

Dovoljena je prosta distribucija s predhodnim
pisnim dovoljenjem društva Bhavana.

© Drušvo theravadskih budistov Bhavana
Slovenija 2008

Kazalo

O budizmu 2
Meditacija 11
Društvo Bhavana 29

1

O budizmu

Z besedo "budizem" so povezane zelo raznolike
oblike religioznih praks. Vse imajo za svoj vir in
navdih Siddhata Gotamo, ki je živel in učil v
severni Indiji pred dobrimi 2500 leti. V
zgodovinskih časih je bil on tisti, ki je zaslovel kot
"Buddha", to je "Razsvetljeni", tisti ki je veliko
modrost dosegel z lastnimi močmi. Sam sicer ni
ničesar zapisal, a za njim je ostala pomembna
zapuščina v obliki učenja "Dhamme", ki ga je
sprva ustno prenašal verski red "Sangha", ki ga
je ustanovil in petinštirideset let vodil sam.
Red je preživel stoletja, ohranjajoč Buddhovo
modrost tako v načinu življenja, kakor tudi v
besedah. Do dandanes te tri elemente – Buddho,
Dhammo in Sangho - poznajo in spoštujejo kot
"Tri zatočišča" ali "Tri dragulje". Postali so tudi
simboli za Modrost, Resnico in Vrlino - kvalitete,
ki jih lahko sami razvijemo.
Po Buddhovi smrti so njegovo učenje razširili iz
Indije po vsej Aziji in celo dlje. S širjenjem so v
budizem prišli vplivi lokalnih kultur. Tako so
nastale številne "šole" budizma. Splošno
povedano imamo tri take šole: Theravada
(Učenje starih), ki je še uspešna na Sri Lanki,
Tajskem in v Burmi; Mahayana (Veliki voz), ki
zajema različne tradicije v Kitajski, Japonski in v
Koreji; in Vajrayana (Diamantni voz), ki je
povezana prvenstveno s Tibetom. Učitelji iz vseh
teh šol so našli pot na Zahod. Nekateri so ohranili
prvotno izročilo, kakor je nastalo v deželi izvora,
medtem ko so spet drugi privzeli manj
tradicionalne pristope. Tu se bomo držali
theravadskega pristopa in navajanj.

2

Budistična pot

Buddha je učil pot duhovnega prebujenja, način
"prakticiranja", ki ga lahko uporabljamo v svojem
vsakodnevnem življenju. To "Pot prakticiranja"
lahko razdelimo na tri vidike, ki se med seboj
podpirajo - Vrlina, Meditacija in Modrost.
"Kjer je pokončnost,
je modrost,
in kjer je modrost,
je pokončnost.
Za pokončnega modrost je,
za modrega pokončnost je,
in za modrost in dobroto je
oznanjeno,
da sta najboljši stvari na svetu."

Vrlina

Formalno se lahko zavežete Buddhovi Poti
prakticiranja tako, da v budističnem samostanu
meniha ali nuno zaprosite za Tri zatočišča in Pet
vodil ali pa zavezo sprejmete sami doma. Sprejeti
Zatočišča pomeni, da se zavežete živeti skladno z
načeli Modrosti, Resnice in Vrline in pri tem
sledite Buddhovemu učenju in vzgledu. Pet vodil
so vadbena pravila, ki naj jim sledimo v
vsakodnevnem življenju:
1. Vzdržati se ubijanja živih bitij.
2. Vzdržati se jemanja tistega, kar nam ni dano.
3. Vzdržati se neprimernega vedenja v spolnosti.
4. Vzdržati se osornosti in neresnic v govoru.
5. Vzdržati se uživanja opojnih pijač in drog.
Nekdo, ki tako živi, razvije samodisciplino in
občutljivost, ki sta potrebni za negovanje

3

meditacije, drugega vidika Poti.

Meditacija

Meditacija je, kot je ta izraz v rabi v vsakdanjem
pogovornem jeziku, vedno znova osredotočanje
pozornosti na podobe, besede ali teme z
namenom, da se umiri um ter premisli pomen teh
podob in besed. V budističnem prakticiranju
meditacije uvida ima to osredotočanje pozornosti
še drugi namen - poglobljeno razumevanje
narave uma. To se lahko doseže tako, da objekt
meditacije služi kot mirujoča referenčna točka
opazovanja, ki pomaga pri razkrivanju narave
stvari, ki je skrita pod površinsko aktivnostjo
uma. Buddha je svoje učence spodbujal, da svoja
telesa in um uporabljajo kot objekte meditacije.
Običajen objekt je na primer občutenje povezano
z dihom, med procesom normalnega dihanja. Če
nekdo mirno sedi, zapre oči in se osredotoči na
dih, se bosta v doglednem času pojavila jasnina
in mir. V takem stanju uma se lahko napetosti,
pričakovanja in privajena razpoloženja jasneje
zaznajo in, s prakticiranjem blagega toda
prodornega preiskovanja, razrešijo.
Buddha je učil, da je možno meditacijo ohranjati
med opravljanjem vsakdanjih reči, enako kot
med mirnim sedenjem na istem mestu. Pozornost
se lahko osredotoči na telesne gibe, na
porajajoče se fizične občutke ali pa na misli in
razpoloženja, ki valovijo v umu. Ta ne statična
čuječnost se imenuje "pozornost" /ovedenje/.
Buddha je razložil, da skozi pozornost spoznamo
umirjeno čuječnost. Čeprav osredotočena na telo
in um, je brez strasti in je ne omejuje nobena
fizična ali mentalna izkušnja. Ta razločenost je

4

okušanje tistega, čemur budisti rečejo nibbana
(nirvana) - stanje miru in sreče ne glede na
okoliščine. Nibbana je "naravno" stanje, to ni
ničesar, kar bi naj dodali svoji resnični naravi. To
je način, kako um je, ko je brez pritiska in
zmedenih navad. Kakor zbujenje naravno
prežene stanje sanjanja, tako uma, ki se je
zbistril skozi pozornost, več ne prekrivajo sence
obsesivnih misli, dvomi in skrbi.
Toda, čeprav je pozornost tisto temeljno orodje,
ki naj ga rabimo, pa običajno potrebujemo kazala
kot so, kako biti pravilno objektiven do sebe in
kako oceniti tisto, kar pozornost razkriva. To je
naloga Buddhovega učenja - modrosti.

Modrost

"Ne zanašaj se na tisto, kar si oznanjenega slišal,
ali na običaj, ali na govorice, ali na napisano, ali
sklep, ali ustaljena načela, ali domiselno
umovanje, ali na dajanje prednosti priljubljeni
teoriji. Naj te ne prepriča navidezna inteligenca
nekoga, niti spoštovanje do učitelja... Ko sam pri
sebi veš kaj je napačno, neumno, nevredno in
pelje v škodo in nezadovoljstvo, to opusti... In ko
sam pri sebi veš kaj je prav, to neguj."
Buddhova najbolj običajna učenja modrosti niso
trditve o Bogu ali Končni resnici. Čutil je, da lahko
takšne trditve vodijo v nesoglasje, spor in celo
nasilje. Budistična modrost pa, prav nasprotno,
opisuje tisto, kar lahko mi vsi zaznamo o
življenju, ne da bi bili pri tem prisiljeni sprejeti
prepričanje. Učenja naj preizkuša lastna izkušnja.
Različni ljudje lahko poiščejo različne načine
izražanja Resnice. Kar zares šteje, je veljavnost
izkušnje in ali le ta pelje k modrejšemu in

5

sočutnejšemu načinu življenja. Tedaj učenja
služijo kot sredstva očiščenja uma od napačnega
razumevanja. Ko je um bister, postane Končna
resnica vidna, najsi bo izražena na katerikoli
način.

Štiri plemenite resnice

Da bi ljudem pomagali uvideti, da je normalno
razumevanje življenja neustrezno, je Buddha
govoril o "dukkhi", kar je prvedeno kot
nezadovoljstvo ali nezadostnost. Pogosto je svoje
učenje povzel kot Resnico o "dukkhi", njenem
izvoru, prenehanju in poti, ki vodi v njeno
prenehanje. Ta temeljna učenja, ki se presojajo
po meri lastne izkušnje in se uporabljajo kot
vodilo, so znana kot Štiri plemenite resnice.

Prva plemenita resnica: Dukkha je

Življenje, kakor ga navadno poznamo, vedno
vsebuje delež neprijetnih izkušenj - bolezen,
bolečina in stiske so očitni primeri. Celo v
razmeroma bogatih družbah ljudje poznajo strah,
stres ali izgubo smisla, ali pa se počutijo
nesposobne spopasti se z izzivi življenja. Še več,
tudi prijetne izkušnje so omejene in minljive.
"Dukkho" lahko izzove izguba ljubljene osebe, ali
pa nas prijatelj pusti na cedilu. Pokaže se tudi, da
nas običajni odgovori na to, kakor so npr. iskanje
užitka, večji uspeh ali drugačno razmerje, ne
morejo trajno rešiti teh občutkov. To pa zato, ker
je izvor "dukkhe" v nas samih. Temu lahko rečete
hrepenenje srca po razumevanju, miru in
harmoniji. Ker gre za notranjo oziroma duhovno
potrebo, ne glede na to, koliko se trudimo blažiti
takšne občutke z dodajanjem prijetnih reči

6

našemu življenju, to nikoli ne prinese pravega
uspeha. Vse dokler nas žene prizadevanje po
zapolnitvi minljivega in ranljivega - ne
potrebujemo globokega notranjega vpogleda, da
bi spoznali, kako ranljivi sta naše telo in um,
bomo vedno trpeli razočaranje in občutke izgube.
"Biti zvezan s tistim, kar ne maraš je dukkha, biti
ločen od tistega, kar imaš rad je dukkha, če ne
dobiš, česar si želiš, je dukkha. Skratka, prisilne
navade telesa in uma so dukkha."

Druga plemenita resnica: Obstaja izvor
"dukkhe"

Buddhova izkušnja je bila, da je prav to napačno
gnanje v samem bistvu izvora nezadovoljstva.
Kako to? Z nenehnim iskanjem zapolnitve v
minljivih rečeh, spregledamo tisto, kar nam
življenje lahko ponudi, če smo bolj pazljivi in
duhovno uglašeni. Ker (zaradi nevednosti) ne
uporabljamo svojih duhovnih zmožnosti, nas
ženejo čustva in razpoloženja. Ko pa pozornost
vendarle razkrije, da gre za navado, bolj kakor pa
za našo resnično naravo, tedaj spoznamo, da to
lahko spremenimo.

Tretja plemenita resnica: "Dukkha" lahko
preneha

Ko enkrat razumemo Drugo resnico, ji Tretja
sledi, če smo le sposobni "opustiti" svoje zavedne
ali nezavedne navade. Ko naša drža ni več
obrambna ali napadalna, ko na življenje
reagiramo brez predsodkov in trdno
vkoreninjenih pogledov, tedaj um počiva v
notranji harmoniji. Navade in stališča, zaradi

7

katerih je bilo življenje videti sovražno ali
neustrezno, prenehajo.

Četrta plemenita resnica: Obstaja Pot
prenehanja "dukkhe"

Ta vsebuje praktična navodila, ki z vplivanjem na
življenje, kakor ga živimo, vpeljuje duhovno
osredotočenje. Ne moremo nečesa "opustiti",
dokler tega nismo sposobni storiti z negovanjem
svoje duhovne narave. Če pa je prisotno
primerno negovanje, se bo um naravno usmeril v
smer nibbane. Vse, kar pri tem potrebujemo je
modrost in vedenje, da obstaja pot in tudi
sredstva, da se ta pot opravi.
"Pot" je razložena kot Plemenita osmeročlena pot.
Simbol "kolesa", ki se ga pogosto rabi v budistični
ikonografiji, je opis te osmeročlene poti, v kateri
vsak dejavnik podpira in je podprt z vsemi
ostalimi dejavniki. Budistična praksa vsebuje
naslednje dejavnike negovanja: Pravilno
razumevanje, Pravilen namen, Pravilen govor,
Pravilno delovanje, Pravilen način življenja,
Pravilen napor, Pravilno pozornost in Pravilno
zbranost.
Njihova "Pravilnost" je v tem, da na življenje
vplivajo skladno z vrlino, meditacijo in modrostjo,
ne pa iz katerihkoli sebičnih namenov. Takšna Pot
je zato "Pravilna" za druge, kakor tudi zase.
"Tisti, ki razume in je zelo moder,
ne pomisli, da bi škodoval sebi ali drugemu,
niti tega, da bi škodoval obema enako.
Raje misli na lastno blaginjo,
na blaginjo drugih in blaginjo obojih,
in na blaginjo vsega sveta."

8

Slediti Poti

Ko so Buddho prosili naj razloži, zakaj so njegovi
učenci vedno videti veseli, je pojasnil:
"Ne obžalujejo preteklosti,
niti tuhtajo o prihodnosti.
Živijo v sedanjosti;
zato sijejo."
Tisti, ki so popolnoma dovršili to pot, najdejo v
sebi umirjenost in potrpežljivost tudi v težkih
časih in željo deliti srečo, ko jim gre dobro.
Življenje živijo brez krivde in namesto nihanj
nasilnega razpoloženja, jim um in srce ostajata
umirjena in vedra skozi različne življenjske
okoliščine.
To so sadovi, toda podobno kot velja za večino
sadežev, morajo biti tudi ti negovani z
dobrosrčnostjo, počasi in vztrajno. Prav zato je
vodenje, ali preprosto druženje podobno mislečih
skoraj nepogrešljivo. Odsev tega je Sangha kot
zatočišče. Zelo posplošeno povedano se "Sangha"
nanaša na vse duhovne sopotnike. Ta duhovna
skupnost je poudarjena z verskim redom
miloščinarjev, ki živijo v skladu z natančnimi
predpisi vedenja, ki nedvoumno predstavlja
vrednote budistične poti.
Budistični menihi in nune niso pridigarji, izrecno
jim je prepovedano učiti, če za to niso naprošeni,
so duhovni tovariši, njihovo razmerje do
budističnih laikov je razmerje vzajemne podpore.
Prepovedano jim je pridelovanje hrane,
posedovanje denarja, morajo biti v stiku z družbo
in vredni podpore. Budistični samostani niso
pribežališča v sili, pač pa mesta, kjer se lahko
ostane, sprejme učenje in, kar je najbolj

9

pomembno, občuti, da je dejanje služenja in
podpore cenjeno. Menihi in nune na ta način
nudijo več kot le prijateljstvo in vodenje, za
druge predstavljajo priložnost, da dosežejo
zaupanje in samospoštovanje.
"O dobroti ne misli površno, rekoč:
"Nič mi ne more pomagati k izboljšanju."
Vrč se napolni z vodo z nepretrganim tokom
kapljic;
podobno se modri izboljšuje
in doseže srečo
po malo v vsakem trenutku."

10

Meditacija

Uvod

Namen te knjižice je, da služi kot uvod v prakso
meditacije notranjega uvida, kot jo učijo v
tradiciji theravadskega budizma. Uporabljate jo
lahko, ne da bi poznali Buddhovo učenje, čeprav
takšno razumevanje lahko pomaga razjasniti
osebno razumevanje, ki ga boste morda razvili
skozi meditacijo.
Namen meditacije notranjega uvida ni
ustvarjanje sistema prepričanj, ampak podati
vodilo, kako jasno videti v naravo uma. Na ta
način neposredno razumemo, kakšne stvari so,
ne da bi se zanašali na mnenja ali teorije. To je
neposredna izkušnja, ki ima svojo lastno
vrednost. Poraja tudi občutek globokega miru, ki
prihaja iz spoznanja nečesa samega po sebi in
presega kakršenkoli dvom. Meditacija notranjega
uvida je ključni dejavnik na poti, ki jo je Buddha
ponudil za dobrobit ljudi. Edino merilo je, da jo
mora posameznik preizkusiti v praksi! Tako
sledeče strani opisujejo vrsto meditacijskih vaj in
praktične napotke za njihovo uporabo. Najbolje
delujejo, če bralec sledi napotkom postopoma,
tako da vsako poglavje navodil dobro praktično
izvede, preden nadaljuje.
Izraz »meditacija notranjega uvida« (samatha –
vipassana*) se nanaša na vaje uma za razvoj
miru (samatha), z vzdrževanjem pozornosti in
notranjega uvida (vipassana) preko opazovanja.
Osnovna tehnika za ohranjanje pozornosti je
osredotočenje zavedanja na telo. Tradicionalno
se to izvaja med sedenjem in hojo. Knjižica
najprej navaja nekaj nasvetov o tem. Ko se

11

posameznik v meditacijski vaji počuti dobro, se
vpogled zgodi povsem naravno. Nastane občutek
miru in zanimanja, posameznik začenja
pogledovati naokoli in postaja domač z umom, ki
meditira. To »gledanje naokoli« se imenuje
kontemplacija, osebno in naposredno videnje, ki
ga je moč doseči le s tehniko. Nekaj zamisli in
navodil, kako to doseči, bo navedenih v
kasnejšem poglavju.
* Za začetek meditacijske vadbe vam ni potrebno
poznati izrazov v jeziku pali - kanoničnem jeziku
theravada budizma. Kljub temu je pali lahko
uporaben, ker napoti na številne vire zapisov v
theravada kanonu, kot tudi pri učenju mnogih
sodobnih učiteljev, ki se jim taki izrazi zdijo
natančnejši od njihovih angleških enačic.

Ohranjanje pozornosti

SEDENJE

Čas in prostor
Osredotočenje uma na telo lahko hitro dosežete
med sedenjem. Najti morate čas in prostor, kjer
boste imeli mir in vas nihče ne bo motil. Idealna
je mirna soba, v kateri ni preveč stvari, ki bi
vznemirjale um. Svetel in prostoren prostor
učinkuje poživljajoče in očiščujoče, medtem ko
razmetana in mračna soba deluje ravno
nasprotno. Pomemben je tudi čas, posebno ker
so dnevi skoraj večine ljudi v veliki meri
sestavljeni iz rutin. Meditacija ne bo posebno
produktivna, če imate kakšno drugo opravilo ali
pa ste v časovni stiski. Bolje da meditacijo

12

odložite za določen čas in si rečete, da boste
meditirali zgodaj zjutraj ali pa zvečer po delu, ko
se boste resnično lahko povsem posvetili vadbi.
Začnite s približno petnajstimi minutami. Vadite
iskreno, s časovnimi omejitvami, razpoložljivo
energijo in se izogibajte temu, da bi meditirali
rutinsko. Trajanje in veščine se bodo z
meditacijsko vadbo razvijale naravno, če jo boste
podprli s pristno pripravljenostjo za raziskovanje
in z notranjo umirjenostjo.

Zavedanje telesa

Pri razvoju miru pomaga stalno, vendar umirjeno
prizadevanje. Če se ne moremo ustaliti, ne bomo
umirjeni. Če ne najdemo uporabnega smisla, se
nagibamo k dnevnemu sanjarjenju. Eden
najučinkovitejših položajev za gojenje ustrezne
kombinacije miru in energije je sedenje. Izberite
položaj, da bo vaš hrbet zravnan in brez
napetosti. Pomaga vam lahko preprost pokončen
stol ali pa boste morda uporabili enega izmed
lotosovih položajev (ilustracije in opisi položajev
so podani na zadnjih straneh). Na prvi pogled se
lahko zdijo ti položaji okorni, sčasoma pa dajejo
izredno ravnotežje blage trdnosti, kar je umu v
veselje, telo pa ni utrujeno. Če je brada rahlo
povešena, vam bo to v pomoč, vendar ne pustite,
da bi glava visela naprej, ker to spodbuja
zaspanost. Položite roke v naročje z dlanmi
obrnjenimi navzgor, tako da ena nežno počiva na
drugi in se konici palcev dotikata. Vzemite si čas
in si najdite ustrezno ravnotežje.
Sedaj zberite svojo pozornost in začnite z njo
počasi potovati po telesu navzdol. Opazujte
občutke. Sprostite vse napetosti, zlasti na
obrazu, vratu in rokah. Veke naj bodo zaprte ali
pol zaprte. Raziskujte, kako se počutite. Kot da

13

nekaj pričakujete ali napeto? Nato svojo
pozornost nekoliko sprostite. S tem se bo um
verjetno umiril in morda boste opazili, da
prihajajo na dan nekatere misli – razmišljanja,
dnevna sanjarjenja, spomini ali pa dvomi o tem,
če delate prav! Namesto da sledite ali pa se
borite s temi miselnimi vzorci je bolje, da ste bolj
pozorni na telo, ki je koristno sidrišče za tavajoči
um.
V svoji meditacijski naravnanosti negujte duh
raziskovanja. Vzemite si čas. Na primer, s
pozornostjo sistematično potujte od temena
glave navzdol po celem telesu. Opazujte različne
občutke, kot so toplota, srčni utrip, otrplost,
občutke v sklepih vsakega prsta, vlažnost dlani in
utrip v zapestju. Tudi področja, kjer ni posebnih
občutkov, kot sta podlakti ali ušesni mečici, jih
lahko skrbno »prečešemo«. Opazujte tudi, kako
je lahko odsotnost občutkov nekaj, česar se um
lahko zaveda. Takšno stalno in vztrajno
raziskovanje se imenuje pozornost (sati) in je
eno osnovnih tehnik meditacije notranjega uvida.

Pozorno opazovanje dihanja (anapanasati)

Namesto »pometanja po telesu« ali pa po začetni
uporabi te vadbe, lahko pozornost razvijamo s
pozornim opazovanjem dihanja. Najprej sledite
občutku svojega običajnega dihanja, ki prihaja
skozi nosnici, ter polni prsni koš in trebuh. Nato
poskušajte obdržati pozornost v eni točki, kot je
trebušna prepona ali pa na bolj prefinjenem
področju - v nosnicah. Dihanje pomirja, ustali in
sprošča, če ne dihate na silo. Pri tem pomaga
vzravnana drža. Vaš um bo verjetno taval,
vendar se potrpežljivo vračajte k dihu.

14

Ni potrebno razvijati koncentracije do točke, ko bi
izključili vse drugo razen dihanja. Namen tukaj ni
ustvarjati zamaknjenosti, temveč omogočiti si
opazovanje delovanja uma in vanj vnesti nekaj
umirjene jasnosti. Celotni proces obsega, da se
zberete, opazujete dih, opazite da um tava in da
se ponovno zberete. S tem razvijate pozornost,
potrpežljivost in notranje razumevanje. Ne
odnehajte, če se pojavi »napaka«, enostavno
začnite znova. Če nadaljujete na ta način,
omogočite umu, da se končno umiri.
Če ste zelo vznemirjeni in nemirni, se samo
sprostite. Vadite se v tem, da ste v miru s seboj,
tako da poslušate glasove uma, ne da bi nujno
verjeli vanje. Če se počutite zaspano, vložite več
pozornosti v svoje telo in položaj. V takem
primeru bi prečiščevanje svoje pozornosti ali
iskanje miru stvari le še poslabšalo!

MEDITACIJA V HOJI IN STOJE

Mnogo meditacijskih vaj, kot je prejšnja
»pozornost na dihanje«, se izvaja v sedečem
položaju. Vendar se hoja navadno izmenjuje s
sedenjem. Poleg tega, da daje možnost za
opazovanje različnih stvari, je dober način za
poživitev vadbe, če vas pomirjujoč učinek
sedenja naredi otopele.
Če imate dostop do odprtega prostora, si za
meditacijsko pot izmerite dolžino 25 do 30
korakov na ravni podlagi (ali pa si jasno določite
pot med dvema drevesoma). Stojte na eni strani
poti in osredotočite svoj um na občutke telesa.
Najprej naj pozornost počiva na občutku
vzravnanega stoječega telesa, tako da roki
naravno visita, dlani pa sta rahlo prekrižani

15

spredaj ali zadaj. Dopustite očem, da gledajo v
točko na tleh približno tri metre pred vami, tako
da se izognete vizualni razpršenosti. Nato začnite
hoditi lahkotno, s premišljenimi, vendar
»normalnimi« koraki do konca poti. Ustavite se.
Za kratek čas se osredotočite na stoječe telo.
Obrnite se in hodite spet nazaj. Med hojo bodite
pozorni na svoje običajne porajajoče fizične
občutke ali pa pozornost usmerite na stopala.
Vaja za um je, da njegovo pozornost stalno
vračamo na občutek dotika stopal s tlemi, na
presledek med vsakim korakom in na občutke, ko
se ustavimo in spet začnemo.
Um bo seveda taval, zato je pomembno negovati
potrpežljivost in se odločiti, da začnemo znova.
Prilagodite korake ustrezno vaši naravnanosti. Le
ti naj bodo bolj pospešeni, kadar ste zaspani ali
pa ujeti v misli, ki vas preganjajo. V času nemira
in nepotrpežljivosti pa naj bodo odločnejši,
vendar umirjeni. Na koncu poti se ustavite,
vdihnite in izdihnite, sprostite kakršenkoli nemir,
skrb, mir, blaženost, spomin ali mnenja o sebi.
»Notranji klepet« se bo morda končal ali
preminil. Začnite znova. Na ta način stalno
osvežujete um, ter mu dopustite, da se sam od
sebe umiri.
V manjših prostorih prilagodite dolžino poti glede
na dano situacijo. Druga možnost je, da hodite v
krogu in se po vsakem prehojenem krogu za
nekaj trenutkov ustavite in stojite. Čas, ko
stojite, lahko podaljšate na nekaj minut in
uporabite metodo »pometanja po telesu«.
Hoja prakso poživi in vnese vanjo energijo, zato
naj bodo vaši korak enakomerni. Dopustite, da se
vaš um zave spreminjajočih se pogojev. Bolje kot
da pričakujete, da bo vaš um miren, kot je morda

16

med sedenjem, opazujte prihajajoče pojave.
Presenetljivo je, kolikokrat se lahko zatopimo v
miselni tok. Prispemo do konca poti in se zavemo
začetka! Povsem naravno je, da se naš neizurjen
um zatopi v misli in razpoloženja. Namesto da
postanete nepotrpežljivi, se naučite mislim
dovoliti, da odidejo in začnite znova. Po tem se
lahko pojavi občutek zadovoljstva in miru, ki umu
omogoči, da se odpre na svoj naraven, neprisiljen
način.

MEDITACIJA LEŽE

Ob koncu dneva lezite na eno stran in nekaj
minut meditirajte leže. Telo naj bo čim bolj
zravnano. Eno roko skrčite, tako da dlan podpira
glavo. S pozornostjo potujte po telesu, ter
sprostite njegove napetosti. Lahko se
osredotočite na dih in zavestno odložite spomine
minulega dneva kot del preteklosti, kot tudi
pričakovanja naslednjega dne. V nekaj minutah
boste lahko z jasnim umom dobro počivali.

GOJENJE SRCA

Gojenje dobrohotnosti (metta) daje novo
razsežnost vadbi meditacije notranjega uvida.
Meditacija naravno uči potrpežljivosti in strpnosti
ali vsaj pokaže pomen teh odlik. Tako si boste
morda zaželeli razviti prijaznejši in skrbnejši
odnos do samega sebe in do drugih ljudi.
Dobrohotnost lahko v meditaciji negujete zelo
realno. Osredotočite pozornost na dih, ki ga boste
sedaj uporabili kot sredstvo za širjenje prijaznosti
in dobrohotnosti. Začnite s seboj, s svojim
telesom. Vizualizirajte dih kot svetlobo ali pa
poskušajte videti svojo zavest kot topel žarek in

17

postopoma z njim potujte po telesu. Nežno
osredotočite pozornost v središče prsi, v področje
okoli srca. Ko vdihnete, usmerite čutečo
prijaznost do samega sebe, morda z mislijo »naj
bom dobro« ali »mir«. Ko izdihnete, dovolite
občutku te misli ali zavedajoči se svetlobi, da se
razširi do srca, skozi telo in um ter preko vas.
»Naj bodo drugi dobro«.
Če doživljate negativna stanja uma, vdihnite
kvalitete strpnosti in odpuščanja. V pomoč vam
je lahko vizualiziranje diha zdravilnih barv. Ob
izdihu sprostite strese, skrbi ali negativnosti ter
razširite občutek sprostitve na telo, um in naprej,
tako kot prej. Ta vaja se lahko uporabi skozi vso
ali pa le del meditacije. Sami morate presoditi,
kaj je primerno. Pomirjujoč učinek meditiranja s
prijazno naravnanostjo je dober uvod v sedenje,
vendar ni razloga, da ga ne bi podaljšali in tako
segli globlje v srce.
Vedno začnite s tem, česar se zavedate, čeprav
je videti nepomembno ali zmedeno. Dopustite
umu, da se mirno spočije na tem - naj bo to
dolgočasje, boleče koleno ali frustracija, ker se
ne počutite posebno dobro. Dopustite to. Vadite,
da ste v miru s tem. Prepoznajte in odložite
kakršnekoli težnje po lenobi, dvomu ali krivdi.
Umirjenost se lahko razvije le v zelo spodbujajoči
prijaznosti do sebe, če najprej popolnoma
sprejmete prisotnost tistega, česar ne marate.
Bodite stalno pozorni in odprite srce vsemu, kar
doživljate. To ne pomeni, da odobravamo
negativna stanja, ampak da jim dajemo prostor,
v katerega lahko pridejo in odidejo.
Ustvarjanje dobrohotnosti do sveta izven nas
večinoma sledi enakemu načinu. Enostaven način

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širjenja prijaznosti je, da delate v korakih.
Začnite s samim seboj, pridruženo z občutkom
prijazne naravnanosti do opazovanja gibanja
diha. »Naj bom dobro.« Nato usmerite to k
ljudem, ki jih imate radi, jih spoštujete in jim
drug za drugim zaželite dobro. Nato pojdite k
tistim, do katerih čutite prijazna poznanstva, ter
nato k tistim, do katerih ste neopredeljeni. »Naj
bodo dobro.« Na koncu usmerite svojo pozornost
k tistim, katerih vas je strah ali jih ne marate, ter
nadaljujte s pošiljanjem dobrohotnih želja. To
meditacijo je moč razširiti v sočutje, tako da
vključuje vse ljudi sveta v njihovih različnih
okoliščinah. In pomnite, ni potrebno čutiti, da
imate radi vse, zato da bi jim želeli dobro!
Prijaznost in sočutje izvirata iz istega vira
dobrohotnosti in širita um preko povsem osebne
perspektive. Če ne poskušate vedno, da bodo
stvari tekle tako, kot hočete vi, če ste bolj
sprejemljivi in odprti do samega sebe in drugih
kakršni so, potem se sočutje razvije samo od
sebe. Sočutje je naravna občutljivost srca.

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Refleksija

Zavedanje brez izbire

Meditacija se lahko nadaljuje tudi brez predmeta
meditacije v stanju čiste kontemplacije ali
»neizbirajočega zavedanja«. Po umiritvi uma z
eno od že opisanih metod zavestno opustite
meditacijski predmet. Opazujte tok miselnih
podob in občutkov kot pač pridejo, ne da bi se
vpletli v kritiziranje ali občudovanje. Opazite
odpor in navdušenje, opazujte negotovost, srečo,
nemir ali mir, ko se pojavijo. Lahko se vrnete k
predmetu meditacije, kot je dihanje, kadarkoli se
občutek jasnosti zmanjša ali začutite, da vas
preplavljajo vtisi. Ko se občutek umirjenosti vrne,
lahko ponovno opustite predmet meditacije. Ta
praksa »čiste pozornosti« je zelo primerna za
opazovanje miselnih procesov.
V času opazovanja posameznih miselnih
»izsekov«, lahko pozornost usmerimo v naravo
vsebine uma, za katero budistično učenje
predvsem navaja tri preproste in osnovne
značilnosti. Prvo, obstaja nestalnost (anicca) –
stvari se nenehno začenjajo in končujejo, minejo
in so v nenehnem gibanju v vsebini uma. Ta
umski material je lahko prijeten ali neprijeten,
nikoli pa ne počiva. Obstaja tudi vztrajen,
pogosto pretanjen občutek nezadovoljstva
(dukkha). Ta občutek zlahka izzovejo neprijetni
občutki, vendar celo prijetna izkušnja ustvari
bolečino v srcu, ko se konča. Tako je še v
najboljših trenutkih nejasna kvaliteta v tem, kar
um doživlja, nekakšen občutek nezadovoljstva.
Ko spoznate stalno pojavljanje in minevanje
doživljanj in razpoloženj, postane jasno tudi to,
da v njih ni stalnosti in da vam nobeden od njih

20

resnično ne pripada. Ko pa se umske aktivnosti
umirijo, se razodene jasna prostornost uma, kjer
ni neke povsem osebne značilnosti! To je morda
težko razumeti, toda dejansko ne obstajata
»jaz«, »moje« – značilnosti »odsotnosti jaznosti«
ali brezosebnosti (anatta). Obširno raziskujte in
opazujte, kako te kvalitete veljajo za vse stvari,
fizične in umske. Ni pomembno, če so vaše
izkušnje radostne ali komaj znosne. To
opazovanje vas bo pripeljalo do umirjenega in
uravnoteženega gledanja na svoje življenje.

Opazovanje lastne prakse

Vse navedene meditacijske vaje so namenjene
temu, da se začnemo zavedati stvari takih, kot
so. Ko svoj um popolnoma usmerite v izkustva,
boste jasneje opažali stanje svojega uma – na
primer, če ste leni ali preveč zagreti v svoji
praksi. Z nekoliko poštenega ovrednotenja
postane očitno, da kvaliteta meditacijske vaje ni
odvisna od uporabljene vaje, ampak od tega kar
vanjo vložite. Z opazovanjem na ta način boste
dosegli globlji uvid v svojo osebnost in navede.
Kadarkoli meditirate, imejte v mislih nekaj
koristnih poudarkov. Pomislite, ali vsakokrat
začenjate znova, ali še bolje z vsakim dihom ali
korakom. Če ne vadite z odprtim umom, se lahko
zgodi, da boste poskušali ponovno ustvariti minuli
uvid ali pa da se niste pripravljeni učiti iz lastnih
napak. Ali obstaja pravilno ravnotežje energije, s
katero storite vse, kar morate, ne da bi delali
preveč na silo? Ali ste v stiku s tem, kar se v
vašem umu dejansko dogaja? Ali izvajate vaje
avtomatsko v stanju otopelosti? Glede
koncentracije je dobro preveriti ali ste opustili
skrbi o stvareh, ki jih ni nujno rešiti takoj ali pa si
dopuščate, da se prepuščate mislim in

21

razpoloženjem. Ali poskušate zatreti občutke, ne
da bi jih prepoznali in z njimi ustrezno ravnali?
Pravilna koncentracija je takšna, ki združuje srce
in um. Razmišljanje na ta način, vas spodbuja k
razvoju pametnega pristopa. Razmislek vam bo
seveda pokazal več kot le kako meditirati, dal
vam bo jasnost razumevanja samega sebe.
Pomnite, vse dokler z meditacijo ne razvijete
nekaj veščin in miru, je najbolje uporabiti
predmet meditacije kot je dih, kot središče
zavedanja in kot zdravilo za neustavljivo naravo
umske razpršenosti. Ne glede na čas trajanja
vaših doživljanj je koristno, da se vrnemo k
zavedanju diha ali telesa. Razvijanje zmožnosti,
da začnemo znova, vodi k stabilnosti in miru. Z
uravnoteženo vadbo boste vse bolj spoznali,
kakšna sta telo in um ter videli, kako živeti bolj
svobodno in v večji harmoniji. To je namen in sad
meditacije notranjega uvida.

Življenje z uvidom

Z vadbo meditacije boste jasneje videli svoja
stališča in spoznali, katera vam pomagajo
oziroma ustvarjajo težave. Z odprto
naravnanostjo lahko celo neprijetne izkušnje
postanejo notranje uvidne - na primer,
razumevanje načina odzivanja uma na bolečino
ali bolezen. Ko se takšnim izkušnjam približate na
ta način, lahko pogosto sprostite stres in odpor
do bolečine ter jih v veliki meri zmanjšate. Po
drugi strani bo imelo nepotrpežljivo ravnanje
različne posledice: postanete razdraženi, če drugi
motijo vašo meditacijo; ste razočarani, če je
videti, da vaša praksa ne napreduje dovolj hitro;
padete v neprijetna razpoloženja zaradi
nepomembnih stvari. Meditacija nas uči, da je

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umirjenost uma oziroma njegova odsotnost v
bistvu odvisna od tega, če opazujemo dogodke
življenja v duhu razmišljanja in odprtega uma.
Če si ogledate svoje namere in stališča v umirjeni
meditaciji, lahko raziskujete odnos med željo in
nezadovoljstvom. Uvidite vzroke za
nezadovoljstvo: želite nekaj, česar nimate;
zavračate to, česar ne marate; ne morete
obdržati tistega, kar želite. To je še posebno
neprijetno, kadar ste ta predmet nezadovoljstva
in želje vi sami. Nikomur ni biti lahko z osebno
slabostjo, še zlasti, ker je tako veliko družbenih
vrednot osredotočenih na dobro počutje, biti
uspešen in imeti najboljše. Takšna pričakovanja
resnično otežijo sprejeti samega sebe takšnega,
kot je.
S prakso meditacije notranjega uvida odkrijete
prostor, v katerem se nekoliko postavite stran od
tega, kar mislite da ste ali imate. Z opazovanjem
teh zaznav postane bolj jasno, da nimate ničesar,
kot je »jaz« ali »moje« - obstajajo le izkustva, ki
pridejo in gredo skozi um. Če tako opazujete na
primer navado, ki vas vznemirja, je to bolje, kot
da vas potre. Tako te navade ne krepite in
navada bo preminila. Lahko da se bo ponovno
pojavila, vendar bo šibkejša, vi pa veste, kaj
storiti. Z negovanjem umirjene pozornosti, se
vsebina uma umiri ali morda celo premine, um pa
je jasen in osvežen. Takšna je stalna pot
notranjega uvida. Zmožnost iti v umirjeno
središče zavedanja v spreminjajočem se toku
vsakdanjega življenja, je znamenje zrele prakse,
kajti notranji uvid se neizmerno poglobi, ko se
lahko razširi na vsa izkustva.
Poskušajte uporabiti perspektivo notranjega
uvida ne glede na to, kaj delate - opravljate

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rutinsko gospodinjsko opravilo, vozite avto, pijete
čaj. Zberite pozornost, da se ustali na tem, kar
delate in prebudite občutek raziskovanja narave
uma med dejavnostjo. Uporabite vadbo, da se
osredotočite na fizične občutke, umska stanja ter
na vidne, slušne ali vonjalne zaznave, da to
pripelje do nadaljnjega opazovanja, ki spremeni
posvetna opravila v osnovo za notranji uvid.
Um, ki je vedno bolj osrediščen na zavedanje,
postane svoboden, da se pravilneje odzove na
dani trenutek, ter tako v življenju nastane večja
harmonija. To je način, kako meditacija opravlja
»družbene dejavnosti« - z vnašanjem zavedanja
v vaše življenje prinaša mir v svet. Ko lahko v
miru živite z najrazličnejšimi občutki, ki nastajajo
v zavesti, potem lahko živite bolj odprto s svetom
in s seboj takim, kot ste.

Nadaljni predlogi

Osebno ravnanje

Ko se naš notranji uvid poglablja, jasneje vidimo
rezultate svojih dejanj - mir spodbujajo dober
namen, odkritosrčnost in jasna pozornost, težave
pa ustvarjajo zmedenost in brezbrižnost. Prav ta
večja občutljivost, zlasti opazovanje gorja, ki ga
povzročamo sebi in drugim, nas pogosto
navdahne, da želimo živeti bolj modro. Za
resničen duševni mir je nujno potrebno
kombinirati formalno meditacijo in obvezno
odgovornost ter skrb do sebe in drugih.
Na poti notranjega uvida dejansko ni nič
skrivnostnega. Buda pravi, da je pot enostavna:
»Delaj dobro, vzdrži se slabih dejanj in prečisti
um.« To je že dolgo upoštevana tradicija, da

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ljudje, ki se lotijo duhovne vadbe, pripisujejo
velik pomen pravilnemu ravnanju. Mnogi
meditanti se obvežejo z resničnimi moralnimi
zaobljubami, kot so: vzdržati se škodovanja živim
bitjem, razuzdani uporabi spolnosti, uživanju
omamnih snovi (alkohol in droge), opravljanja in
drugih grdih govornih navad, kar pomaga k lastni
notranji čistosti in morda k temu prijazno
spodbudi tudi druge.

Družba in rutina

Redno meditiranje z nekaj prijatelji je lahko
velika podpora pri stalni vadbi in razvoju
modrosti. Osamljen meditant se sčasoma sooči z
zmanjšano močjo volje, ker je pogosto treba
delati nekaj drugega, kar je videti bolj
pomembno ali bolj zanimivo kot opazovanje diha.
Redna skupna meditacija z dogovorjenim časom
trajanja služi, da udeleženci meditirajo ne glede
na njihov tok razpoloženj. Raziskovanje teh
premikov razpoloženja pogosto obrodi pomembne
uvide. Če meditiramo sami, nam bo morda težko
vztrajati pri njih. Kot lahko vidite osebne koristi,
lahko tudi ugotovite, da vaša prizadevanja
pomagajo tudi drugim vztrajati pri vadbi.

Meditacijski položaji

Idealen je pokončen, buden položaj. Če se
sesedimo, to le poveča pritisk v nogah in
neugodje v hrbtu. Pomembno je, da oskrbimo
položaj telesa z modrostjo in ne z brezčutno
močjo volje! Položaj se bo s časoma izboljšal,
vendar morate s telesom delati in ne bodite
nasilni do njega.

25

Preverite svoj položaj:

- Ali se kolki nagibajo nazaj? To lahko
povzroči, da se sesedimo.

- Hrbet naj bo naravno, neprisiljeno ukrivljen,
tako da je trebuh naprej in »odprt«.

- Predstavljajte si, da vam nekdo nežno
potisne med ramena rezila, medtem ko so
mišice sproščene. Tako boste vedeli, ali
nenamerno »dvignete« rame in tako zaprete
prsni koš.

- Opazite in blago sprostite kakršnekoli
napetosti v predelu vratu ali ramen.

Če čutite, da je vaš položaj napet ali lenoben:

- Pustite, da se hrbtenic vzravna, tako da si
predstavljate povešeno teme glave. To prav
tako omogoči bradi, da je rahlo povešena.

- Roki naj bosta sproščeni in ju držimo pod
trebuhom. Če sta preveč naprej, niste v
ravnotežju.

- Pod zadnjico uporabite majhno in trdno
blazino, da bo podpirala kolke.

Za noge:

- Vadite raztezovalne vaje, kot je dotikanje
prstov na nogi, tako da sta nogi, med
sedenjem stegnjeni.

- Če čutite med sedenjem močno bolečino,
spremenite položaj. Sedite na pručko ali stol,
ali nekaj časa stojte.

- Če navadno sedite oziroma bi želeli sedeti na
tleh ali blizu tal, poskušajte z blazinami
različnih velikosti in trdnosti. Lahko tudi

26

poskusite eno od posebnih meditacijskih
pručk, ki so na razpolago.

Proti zaspanosti:

- Poskušajte meditirati z odprtimi očmi.
- Sistematično »pometajte« s pozornostjo po
telesu.
- Osredotočite se na celo telo in na fizične
občutke in ne na prefinjen objekt, kot je dih.
- Vstanite in hodite pozorno nekaj časa zunaj.

Proti napetosti in glavobolom:

- Lahko, da se preveč trudite – to ni
neobičajno! Zato razbremenite svojo
pozornost, na primer na občutek diha v
trebuhu.
- Ustvarite energijo dobrohotnosti (glejte
poglavje »Nega srca«) in jo usmerite na
področje napetosti.
- Vizualiziranje in širjenje svetlobe preko telesa
je lahko koristno pri lajšanju bolečin.
Poskušajte usmeriti dobrodejno svetlobo na
področje, kjer je težava!

27

Položaji:

- Na blazini

– Na pručki

To ni vseobsegajoči ali izključni vodič, temveč le
predlog opisa za vadbo. Meditatorjem toplo
priporočamo, da si poiščejo zaupanja vrednega in
izkušenega »duhovnega prijatelja« ali učitelja.

28

Društvo Bhavana

Društvo theravadskih budistov Bhavana je bilo
ustanovljeno na dan Pavarane, dne 10.oktobra
2003. Sedež društva je na Andreaševa 1, v
Ljubljani.
Društvo združuje ljudi, ki jih zanima budistična
misel in praksa, s posebnim poudarkom na
theravadski tradiciji, ter razvijanje te tradicije
skozi meditativne, filozofske in moralno etične
vidike. Vsako leto društvo organizira meditacijske
osamitve, ki so namenjeni poglabljanju osebne
prakse. Učitelji prihajajo iz tajske gozdne tradicije
pokojnega učitelja Ajahna Chaja, ki ima v Evropi
več samostanov. Več informacij o evropski sanghi
je v angleškem jeziku na voljo na spletnem
naslovu: http://www.forestsangha.org/.

Društvo Bhavana upravlja spletno stran na
naslovu : http://www.slo-theravada.org/, kjer so
na voljo tekoče informacije o delovanju društva in
prevodi učenj.

Številka tekočega računa društva Bhavana:
02019 - 0254504536.

29

Sabbadanam dhammadanam jinati

Darilo Dhamme presega vsa druga darila

Obe fotografiji na ovitku sta iz samostana Aruna
Ratanagiri blizu Newcastla, Velika Britanija

HAPPY VESAK DAY, 10.05.2009

2009-05-05T13:46:00.004+02:00

VESEL VESAK!

NEDELJA; 10. MAJ, 2009

Dragi prijatelji DHAMME!

"VESEL VESAK VSEM"

Tako kot vsako leto, tudi letos praznujemo Vesak z Društvom theravadskih budistov Bhavana, na Žibertovi ulici 19, v Ljubljani.

Rojstvo, razsvetljenje in smrt Gotama Buddhe so se zgodili na dan polne lune v maju, zato je ta dan zelo pomemben za vse budiste na svetu.

Budisti se na ta dan posvečajo darovanju – DANA, prakticiranju pravil – SILA
in meditaciji – BHAVANA preko celega dne.

Zato vas prisrčno vabimo, da se z nami udeležite tega posebnega dogodka, da skupaj delimo zasluge za dobra dejanja. Če želite, lahko prispevate kakšno hrano ali brezalkoholno pijačo.

KRAJ: Žibertova ulica 19
DAN: nedelja, 10. maj, 2009
URA: od 13h naprej.

Upamo, da pridete vsi. Prosimo, če nam lahko potrdite vašo prisotnost.

BODITE VSI SREČNI IN ZDRAVI!

Organizacijska skupina za Vesak,

Društvo theravadskih budistov Bhavana
http://www.slo-theravada.org/drustvo.htm

Do you know where is the longest beach in the world? It's in Bangladesh! (120 km)

2008-11-12T14:07:00.005+01:00

Spoštovani gospe in gospodje:- danes vam bom predstavil Bangladeš.

Lokacija:- Bangladeš je na jugu Azije. Sosedni državi sta Indija in Burma. Na jugu Bangladeša je bengalski zaliv. Uradni jezik je Bengalščina. Dan neodvisnosti je 16 tega decembra, 1971. Bangladeš je dobil samostojnost od Pakistana. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman je bil glavni človek za svoboden Bangladeš.

Generalne informacije:- Bangladeš meri 147,570 km2. glavno mesto je Dhaka, kje živi 23 milijonov prebivalcev. Skupaj 150 milijonov prebivalcev živijo v Bangladešu. Denar v Bangladešu se imenuje 'Taka'. Državna himna je 'Amar šonar bangla', ki jo je pisal pisatelj Rabindranath Thagor, ki je dobil Nobelovo nagrado za svojo knjigo 'Gitanzali'. Narodna žival je bengalski tiger, ki živi v Sundarbonu na jugu-zahodu Bangladeša. 'Oriental Magpie Robin' je narodna ptica in Hilsa je narodna riba. Bela vodna lilija je narodna roža in Jeckfruit je narodno sadje. Narodna igra je Kabadi, ampak trenutno Kriket je zelo popularen. Bangladeševci imajo svoj koledar in sicer, 14 tega Aprila je novo leto za njih. Novoletna tržnica je zelo zanimiva in privlačna.

Znane osebe:- Oni so Rabindranath Thagor, Kazi Nazrul Islam, in Mohamad Junus.
Rabindranath Thagor je dobil Nobelovo nagrado za literaturo leta 1913. Bil je pisatelj, pevec in slikar. Ustanovil je tudi šolo za literaturo imenovano Shantiniketan. Kazi Nazrul Islam je narodni pesnik. Mohamad Junus je dobil Nobelovo nagrado za svoj bančni sistem leta 2006.

Vreme:- Podda, Megna, Juamuna so tri največje reke, ki prinesejo vodo od Himalaje do Indijskega morja čez Indijo in Bangladeš. Zato vsako leto imajo poplave. Od oktobra do marca je zima. Od marca do junija je poletje. Od junija do oktobra je monsun deževna doba. Največja plaža na svetu je Cox-bazar, ki leži na jugu Bangladeša. Ta plaža meri 120 kilometrov.
Ekonomija:- Največ prebivalcev živijo od kmetije. Drugi pa od modernih firm, primer :- firme za obleke, tudi od turizma.

Obleke:- Sari za ženske in Lungi za moške. Tudi oblečejo hlače, srajce, majice kot Evropejci.

Prebivalci:- 89.7 % prebivalcev so muslimani, 9.2 % prebivalcev so hindujci, 0.7 % prebivalcev so Budisti, 0.3 % prebivalcev so rimokatoliki, in 0.1% prebivalcev so animisti.

Tipične hrane in pijače:- riž je glavna hrana. Zraven riža gre kari, meso, riba, zelenjava in tako naprej. V Bangladešu nimajo preveč alkohola. Ampak zdaj nekaj je. Alkohol je prepovedan.

Vabim vas da pridite na obisk v Bangladeš.

If you are interested about the Dhamma...

2008-10-10T11:22:00.002+02:00

Sometimes I have found "about.com:Buddhism" (http://buddhism.about.com/) as an interesting link for Buddha's teaching. There are some topics which are quite important for a beginner who wants to learn and practice Buddhism. But some information are for nothing such as climbing the Buddha's statue for rebirth in Thailand. So be a reader with "Buddhist faith" to read about Buddhism from the above-mentioned link...

8th Alps-Adria Psychology Conference, Ljubljana, Slovenia, EU.

2008-10-08T01:03:00.006+02:00

VESAK IN 2008, IN LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA!

2008-05-23T09:41:00.024+02:00

VESAK 2552, IN LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA!

2008-04-24T11:03:00.003+02:00

Dear DHAMMA Friends!

"HAPPY VESAK TO ALL OF YOU"

As last year, this year also we are organizing Vesak in our garden at Žibertova ulica 19; Ljubljana.

The Birth, the Enlightentment and the Passing away of the Buddha,
all these three great events took place
on the same fullmoon day in Vesak month (Fullmoon day in May).
Therefore, fullmoon day in May is very important for all Buddhists,
all arround the world. Buddhists all arround the world engage

in Dana (giving),
Sila (practicing pricepts)
and Bhavana (meditation) activities on this day.

So, we cordially invite you all to participate on this special occasion to share the merrites with us.

PLACE: ŽIBERTOVA ULICA, 19
DATE: 18th May, 2008 (Sunday)
TIME: FROM 15:00 ON WARD

Hope to see you all. Please reply to confirm your present.

Vesak Organizing team,
Šila, Maja and Kiara!

The Buddha was the greatest Psychologist

2007-11-17T14:29:00.000+01:00

Vesak in Slovenia, Ljubljana. (2nd May, 2007)

2007-05-19T21:40:00.000+02:00

MAY ALL BEINGS BE WELL AND HAPPY.

Happy Vesak - 2551, in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

2007-04-27T19:07:00.000+02:00

Dear Friends of the Dhamma,

We are organizing 2551st Vesak celebration for the first time in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Date: 2nd of May, 2007.
Time: From 16.00 on wards.
Place: Žibertova ulica, 19. Ljubljana.

Dana, Sila and Bhavana activities will take place during this time.

All the friends of the Dhamma are welcome.

May all beings be well and happy.

''Be well and happy'': Buddhist Meditation in Ljubljana, Slovenia. A few highlights of the program. Theravada Buddhist Meditation Instructor : Mr. Shilarakkhit.

2007-02-09T20:01:00.000+01:00

''Be well and happy'': Buddhist Meditation in Ljubljana, Slovenia. A few highlights of the program. Theravada Buddhist Meditation Instructor : Mr. Shilarakkhit.

''Be well and happy'': Highlights of the lecture held on 22nd of February,2006 at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

2007-02-09T19:58:00.000+01:00

''Be well and happy'': Highlights of the lecture held on 22nd of February,2006 at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

''Be well and happy'': Buddhist Meditation Course in Ljubljana, Slovenia

2007-02-09T19:57:00.000+01:00

''Be well and happy'': Buddhist Meditation Course in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Personality in Buddhist and in Western Psychology: This lecture was held on 8.11.2006 at the Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana.

2006-11-09T14:26:00.000+01:00

I was invited by Prof. Dr. Sonja Žorga to deliver this lecture for the students of Social Pedagogy who were in their first semester of studies.

BUDDHISM !!!

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT
THIS?

Definitions of Personality in Western Psychology.

• Personality is a collection of EMOTIONAL, THOUGHT and BEHAVIORAL patterns unique to a person that is consistent over time. (wikipedia)

• Totality of an individual's behavioral and emotional characteristics. Personality embraces a person's moods, attitudes, opinions, motivations, and style of thinking, perceiving, speaking, and acting. It is part of what makes each individual distinct. (Britennica)

Definitions of Personality in Buddhist Psychology

• The Buddhist teaching of anatta, e.i. absence of self or soul, does not deny the existence of a Personality or individuality. Personality or individuality, according to Buddhism, is not an entity, but a process of arising and passing away, a process of nutrition, of combustion, of grasping, but does not correspond to any fixed entity. Piyadassi (1991). The Spectrum of Buddhism.

• It is very easy for us to attach to the concept of personality. Yet with satipanna (discriminating alertness) and sati-sampajanna (awareness), we begin to awaken ourselves to the way it is, rather than being committed to the conventional realities. Ajahn Sumedho (2005). “The Problem of Personality”.

• Buddhism explains that the personality completely depends on situations. Based on the attha-loka dhamma (Labho Alabho, Ayaso Yaso ca, Ninda Pasamsa Ca Sukham Ca Dukkham, Gain and loss, fame and ill-fame, praise and blame, and happiness and sorrow.) one personality gets change.

CONCEPT OF ‘PERSON’ IN BUDDHISM

The person is a combination of NAMA+ RUPA

NAMA: (psychological phenomena)
VEDANA (feelings)
sanna (perceptions)
samkhara (conceptions)
vinnana (consciousness)
RUPA: (physiological structure)

The Buddha neither teaches a Personality which will continue after death, nor does he teach a Personality which will be annihilated at death, but he shows us that ‘Personality’, ‘Ego’, ‘Individual’, ‘Man’, etc., are nothing but mere conventional designations.

In the ultimate sense there is only this self-consuming process of physical and mental phenomena which continually arise and again disappear immediately.

DITTHIS: VIEWS !!

THE BUDDHA’S FIRST DISCUSSION WAS MAKING CLEAR HIS fOLLOWERS TO BE FREE FROM WRONG VIEWS!

There are two types of Ditthis in Buddhism:

samma ditthi (right view)and
Miccha ditthi (wrong view)

SAKKAYA-DITTHI is translated as PERSONALITY VIEW and it has been categorized as wrong view.

•In Suttas, sakkaya-ditthi is the first chain to be broken upon entering the path; when the path is really entered this chain is in fact recognized to be nonexistent; only combination of 5 khandas and their continuous process. Nyanatiloka (1946). Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines.

•One moment you can feel, “ I am a really wonderful person.” The next moment you can feel, “ I am an absolutely hopeless, horrible person”. But if you take refuge in awareness, whatever you are thinking does not make much difference, because your refuge is in awareness rather than in the gyrations and fluctuations of the self-view, of your sakkaya-ditthi habits. Ajahn Sumedho (2005). “The Problem of Personality”.

Different Characters of people:

6 TYPES OF MEN: (čarita: nature, character

1.raga-čarita: GREEDY - NATURED
2.dosa-čarita: HATE - NATURED
3.moha-čarita: DULL - NATURED
4.saddha-čarita: FAITHFUL - NATURED
5.buddhi-čarita: I NTELLIGENT - NATURED
6.vitakka-čarita: RUMINATING - NATURED

Buddhist Dictionary 'Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines' By Nyanatiloka.

A brief comparison of Personality according to Buddhist & Western Psychology

Buddhist Psychology:

1.Person : Nama + Rupa (psychological + physical struct.)
2.Impermanence r>3.Psychological health is important.
4.Psychologically healthy: capability to adapt with growth and changes.
5.Compassion (Karuna).
6.Buddhist Meditation techniques
7.Believing in constant personality is a wrong view
8.Supports you to be free from personality views
9.Buddhism talks about spiritual growth
10.Buddhism explains the characters of people and shows how can they change them into good or best.

Western Psychology:

1.Person: Mind + Body in (Philosophy)
2.Personality change
3.Psychological health is important.
4.Same as Buddhist Psy.
5.Social interest (A. Adler, C. Rogers).
6.Use as Cognitive and Behavioral therapy techniques.
7.Personality is a label
8.Teaches you how to classify people according to personalities.
9.Observes and identifies differences among people based on Personality types.
10.W. Psy. use therapeutically methods or drugs to control abnormal personalities.

INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM...

2006-05-16T19:02:00.000+02:00

There was a small country in what is now southern Nepal that was ruled by a clan called the Shakyas. The head of this clan, and the king of this country, was named Shuddodana Gautama.

His wife, Mahamaya, was expecting her first born. In the small town of Lumbini, she asked her handmaidens to assist her to a nearby grove of trees for privacy, where she gave birth to a son. She named him Siddhartha, which means "he who has attained his goals." Sadly, Mahamaya died only seven days after the birth. After that Siddhartha was raised by his mother’s kind sister, Mahaprajapati.
When it came time for him to marry, he won the hand of Yashodhara, and they married when both were 16 years old.

Siddhartha was kept in one or another of their three palaces, and was prevented from experiencing much of what ordinary folk might consider quite commonplace. He was not permitted to see the elderly, the sickly, the dead, or anyone who had dedicated themselves to spiritual practices. Siddhartha grew increasing restless and curious about the world beyond the palace walls and he finally demanded that he be permitted to see his people and his lands.

The king carefully arranged that Siddhartha should not see the kind of suffering that he feared would lead him to a religious life. But, inevitably, he saw old people, sick people, and even death. He asked his friend and squire Chandaka the meaning of all these things, and Chandaka informed him of the simple truths that Siddhartha should have known all along: That all of us get old, sick, and eventually die.

Siddhartha also saw an ascetic, a monk who had renounced all the pleasures of the flesh. The peaceful look on the monks face would stay with Siddhartha for a long time to come. Later, he would say this about that time:

When ignorant people see someone who is old, they are disgusted and horrified, even though they too will be old some day. I thought to myself: I don’t want to be like the ignorant people. After that, I couldn’t feel the usual intoxication with youth anymore.
When ignorant people see someone who is sick, they are disgusted and horrified, even though they too will be sick some day. I thought to myself: I don’t want to be like the ignorant people. After that, I couldn’t feel the usual intoxication with health anymore.

When ignorant people see someone who is dead, they are disgusted and horrified, even though they too will die some day. I thought to myself: I don’t want to be like the ignorant people. After that, I couldn’t feel the usual intoxication with life anymore.

At the age of 29, Siddhartha came to realize that he could not be happy living as he had been. He wanted more than anything to discover how one might overcome suffering. After kissing his sleeping wife and newborn son Rahula goodbye, he snuck out of the palace and into the forests of northern India.

He then began to practice the austerities and self-mortifications practiced by a group of five ascetics. For six years, he practiced. The sincerity and intensity of his practice were so astounding that, before long, the five ascetics became followers of Siddhartha. But the answers to his questions were not forthcoming. He redoubled his efforts, refusing food and water, until he was in a state of near death.

For six years, he practiced the ascetic life, eating only what he found on the ground, drinking only rain water, wearing nothing but a loin cloth. When the answers he was seeking wouldn't come to him, he tried even harder. But Siddhartha realized that these extreme practices were leading him nowhere, that in fact it might be better to find some middle way between the extremes of the life of luxury and the life of self-mortification.
Outside of the town of Bodh Gaya, Siddhartha decided that he would sit under a certain fig tree as long as it would take for the answers to the problem of suffering to come. He sat there for many days, first in deep concentration to clear his mind of all distractions, then in mindfulness meditation, opening himself up to the truth. On the full moon of May, with the rising of the morning star, Siddhartha finally understood the answer to the question of suffering and became the Buddha, which means “he who is awake.”

At the deer park in Sarnath near Benares, about one hundred miles from Bodh Gaya, he preached his first sermon, which is called “setting the wheel of the teaching in motion.” In it, he explained to the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The king of Magadha, having heard Buddha’s words, granted him a monastery for use during the rainy season. This and other generous donations permitted the community of converts to continue their practice throughout the years, and gave many more people an opportunity to hear the teachings of the Buddha.

His aunt and wife asked to be permitted into the Sangha, or monastic community, which was originally composed only of men. The culture of the time ranked women far below men in importance, and at first it seemed that permitting women to enter the community would weaken it. But the Buddha relented, and his aunt and wife became the first Buddhist nuns.

The Buddha said that it didn’t matter what a person’s status in the world was, or what their background or wealth or nationality might be. All were capable of enlightenment, and all were welcome into the Sangha. The first ordained Buddhist monk, Upali, had been a barber, yet he was ranked higher than monks who had been kings, only because he had taken his vows earlier than they!

Buddha had achieved his enlightenment at the age of 35. He would teach the Dharma (the way) throughout northeast India for another 45 years. When the Buddha was 80 years old, he ate some spoiled food and became very ill. He went into a deep meditation under a grove of sala trees and died. His last words were...

Impermanent are all created things;
Strive on with awareness.

Soon after Buddha's death, five hundred monks met at the first council at Rajagrha, under the leadership of Kashyapa. Upali recited the monastic code (Vinaya) as he remembered it. Ananda, Buddha's cousin, friend, and favorite disciple -- and a man of prodigious memory! -- recited Buddha's lessons (the Sutras). The monks debated details and voted on final versions. These were then committed to memory by other monks, to be translated into the many languages of the Indian plains. It should be noted that Buddhism remained an oral tradition for over 200 years.

In the next few centuries, the original unity of Buddhism began to fragment. The most significant split occurred after the second council, held at Vaishali 100 years after the first. After debates between a more liberal group and traditionalists, the liberal group left and labeled themselves the Mahasangha -- "the great sangha." They would eventually evolve into the Mahayana tradition of northern Asia. The traditionalists would become known as Theravada or "way of the elders," and be the tradition of Sri Lanka and most of southeast Asia.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Theory

Buddhism is an empirical philosophy. Buddha was very clear that we should judge the truth of any philosophy by its consequences. In the Kalama Sutra, he makes this particularly clear:

It is proper for you... to doubt, to be uncertain.... Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher....'

What do you think...? Does greed appear in a man for his benefit or harm? Does hate appear in a man for his benefit or harm? Does delusion appear in a man for his benefit or harm?... being given to greed, hate, and delusion, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by greed, hate, and delusion, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" ...

...when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them.

Buddhism is also a philosophy that is detached from theological considerations. Buddha, in fact, refused to answer questions concerning eternity and the afterlife. In the Kalama Sutra again, he notes how his philosophy helps whatever your beliefs about the afterlife may be:

The disciple... who has a hate-free mind, a malice-free mind, an undefiled mind, and a purified mind, is one by whom four solaces are found here and now.

Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly world, which is possessed of the state of bliss. This is the first solace...

Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result, of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free from hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep myself. This is the second solace...

Suppose evil results befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill results affect me who do no evil deed? This is the third solace...

Suppose evil results do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see myself purified in any case. This is the fourth solace...

The structure of the mind

Buddhists describe the person as composed of five skandhas ("aggregates"):

1. The body (rupa), including the sense organs.

2. Sensations and feelings (vedana), coming out of contact between sense organs and objects.

3. Perceptions and ideas (samjña), especially manifest in our ability to recognize things and ideas.

4. Mental acts (samskara), especially will power and attention.

5. Basic consciousness (vijñana).

The last four are called naman, name, meaning the psyche. Namarupa (name-form) is therefore the Buddhist term for the person, mental and physical, which is nevertheless anatman, without soul or essence.

Buddhism also differentiates among six "fields" (ayatana) for the five skandhas: sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and mind, as well as the objects of these six senses.

Mahayana Buddhism adds alaya-vijñana, “storehouse” consciousness, to the skandhas. This is similar to Jung’s idea of the collective unconscious. What is stored there are called bijas or seeds, which are inborn tendencies to perceive the world in a certain way and result from our karmic history. They combine with manas or ego to form the illusion that is ordinary existence. By quieting this ego and becoming less self-centered, your mind realizes the "emptiness" (sunyata) of all things. Then you have peace.

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The Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths sound like the basics of any theory with therapeutic roots:

1. Life is suffering. Life is at very least full of suffering, and it can easily be argued that suffering is an inevitable aspect of life. If I have senses, I can feel pain; if I have feelings, I can feel distress; if I have a capacity for love, I will have the capacity for grief. Such is life.

Duhkha, the Sanskrit word for suffering, is also translated as stress, anguish, and imperfection. Buddha wanted us to understand suffering as a foundation for improvement.

One key to understanding suffering is understanding anitya, which means that all things, including living things, our loved ones, and ourselves, are impermanent. Our peculiar position of being mortal and being aware of it is a major source of anxiety, but is also what makes our lives, and the choices we make, meaningful. Time becomes important only when there is only so much of it. Doing the right thing and loving someone only have meaning when you don't have an eternity to work with.

Another key concept is anatman, which means that all things -- even we -- have no "soul" or eternal substance. With no substance, nothing stands alone, and no one has a separate existence. We are all interconnected, not just with our human world, but with the universe.

2. Suffering is due to attachment. We might say that at least much of the suffering we experience comes out of ourselves, out of our desire to make pleasure, happiness, and love last forever and to make pain, distress, and grief disappear from life altogether.
We are not therefore to avoid all pleasure, happiness, and love. Nor are we to believe that all suffering comes only from ourselves. It's just not necessary, being shot once with an arrow, to shoot ourselves again, as the Buddha put it.

Attachment is one translation of the word trishna, which can also be translated as thirst, desire, lust, craving, or clinging. When we fail to recognize that all things are imperfect, impermanent, and insubstantial, we cling to them in the delusion that they are indeed perfect, permanent, and substantial, and that by clinging to them, we, too, will be perfect, permanent, and substantial.

Our lack of "essence" or preordained structure, our "nothingness," leads us to crave solidity. We are, you could say, whirlwinds who wish they were rocks. We cling to things in the hopes that they will provide us with a certain "weight." We try to turn our loved ones into things by demanding that they not change, or we try to change them into perfect partners, not realizing that a statue, though it may live forever, has no love to give us. We try to become immortal, whether by anxiety-driven belief in fairy-tales, or by making our children and grand-children into clones of ourselves, or by getting into the history books or onto the talk shows. We even cling to unhappy lives because change is too frightening.

Another aspect of attachment is dvesha, which means avoidance or hatred. To Buddha, hatred was every bit as much an attachment as clinging. Only by giving those things which cause us pain permanence and substance do we give them the power to hurt us more. We wind up fearing, not that which can harm us, but our fears themselves.

The most frightening things we've seen in this century are the mass movements -- the Nazis, the Red Guard, the Ku Klux Klan, terrorist groups, and on and on. The thought seems to be that, if I'm just a little puff of wind, maybe by joining others of my kind, I can be a part of a hurricane! Beyond these are all the petty movements -- political ones, revolutionary ones, religious ones, antireligious ones, ones involving nothing more than a style or fashion. And hatred is the glue that holds them together.

A third aspect of attachment is avidya, meaning ignorance. At one level, it refers to the ignorance of these Four Noble Truths -- not understanding the truth of imperfection and so on. At a deeper level, it also means "not seeing," i.e. not directly experiencing reality, but instead seeing our personal interpretation of it. More than that, we take our interpretation of reality as more real than reality itself!

In some sutras, Buddha adds one more aspect of attachment: anxiety. Fear, like hatred, ties us to the very things that hurt us.

3. Suffering can be extinguished. At least that suffering we add to the inevitable suffering of life can be extinguished. Or, if we want to be even more modest in our claims, suffering can at least be diminished.
With decades of practice, some monks are able to transcend even simple, direct, physical pain. I don't think, however, that us ordinary folk in our ordinary lives have the option of devoting those decades to such an extreme of practice. For most of us, therapy is a matter of specifically diminishing mental anguish rather than eliminating all pain.

Nirvana is the traditional name for the state of being (or non-being, if you prefer) wherein all clinging, and so all suffering, has been eliminated. It is often translated as "blowing out," with the idea that we eliminate self like we blow out a candle. Another interpretation is that nirvana is the blowing out a fire that threatens to overwhelm us, or even taking away the oxygen that keeps the fires burning. By "blowing out" clinging, hate, and ignorance, we "blow out" unnecessary suffering. Perhaps an even more useful translation for nirvana is freedom!

4. And there is a way to extinguish suffering. This is what all therapists believe -- each in his or her own way. Buddha called it the Eightfold Path.

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The Eightfold Path

The Eightfold Path is the equivalent of a therapy program, but one so general that it can apply to anyone. The first two segments of the path are refered to as prajña, meaning wisdom:

Right view -- understanding the Four Noble Truths, especially the nature of all things as imperfect, impermanent, and insubstantial and our self-inflicted suffering as founded in clinging, hate, and ignorance.

Right aspiration -- having the true desire, the dedication, to free oneself from attachment, hatefulness, and ignorance. The idea that improvement comes only when the sufferer takes the first step of aspiring to improvement is apparently 2500 years old.

Therapy is something neither the therapist nor the client takes lying down -- if you will pardon the pun. The therapist must take an assertive role in helping the client become aware of the reality of his or her suffering and its roots. Likewise, the client must take an assertive role in working towards improvement -- even though it means facing the fears they've been working so hard to avoid, and especially facing the fear that they will "lose" themselves in the process.

The next three segments of the path provide more detailed guidance in the form of moral precepts, called sila:
Right speech -- abstaining from lying, gossiping, and hurtful speech generally. Speech is often our ignorance made manifest, and is the most common way in which we harm others. Modern psychologists emphasize that one should above all stop lying to oneself. But Buddhism adds that by practicing being true to others, and one will find it increasingly difficult to be false to oneself.

Right action -- behaving oneself, abstaining from actions that hurt others such as killing, stealing, and irresponsible sex. Traditionally, Buddhists speak of the five moral precepts, which are...

Avoid harming others;
Avoid taking what is not yours;
Avoid harmful speech;
Avoid irresponsible sex;
Avoid drugs and alcohol.
A serious Buddhist may add five more:

One simple meal a day, before noon:
Avoid frivolous entertainments:
Avoid self-adornment:
Use a simple bed and seat:
Avoid the use of money.
Monks and nuns living in monastic communities add over 100 more rules!

Right livelihood -- making one's living in an honest, non-hurtful way. Here's one we don't talk about much in our society today. One can only wonder how much suffering comes out of the greedy, cut-throat, dishonest careers we often participate in. This by no means means we must all be monks: Imagine the good one can do as an honest, compassionate, hard-working business person, lawyer, or politician!

This is a good place to introduce another term associated with Buddhism: karma. Basically, karma refers to good and bad deeds and the consequences they bring. In some branches of Buddhism, karma has to do with what kind of reincarnation to expect. But other branches see it more simply as the negative (or positive) effects one's actions have on one's integrity. Beyond the effects of your selfish acts have on others, for example, each selfish act "darkens your soul," and makes happiness that much harder to find. On the other hand, each act of kindness, as the gypsies say, "comes back to you three times over." To put it simply, virtue is its own reward, and vice its own hell.

The last three segments of the path are the ones Buddhism is most famous for, and concern samadhi or meditation. For simple instructions, go to my page on meditation.

Right effort -- taking control of your mind and the contents thereof. Simple, direct practice is what it takes, the developing of good mental habits: When bad thoughts and impulses arise, they should be abandoned. This is done by watching the thought without attachment, recognizing it for what it is (no denial or repression!), and letting it dissipate. Good thoughts and impulses, on the other hand, should be nurtured and enacted. Make virtue a habit, as the stoics used to say.

Right mindfulness -- mindfulness refers to a kind of meditation involving an acceptance of thoughts and perceptions, a "bare attention" to these events without attachment. This mindfulness is also extended to daily life. It becomes a way of developing a fuller, richer awareness of life, and a deterent to our tendency to sleepwalk our way through life.

One of the most important moral precepts in Buddhism is the avoidance of consciousness-diminishing or altering substances -- i.e. alcohol or drugs. This is because anything that makes you less than fully aware sends you in the opposite direction of improvement into deeper ignorance.

But there are other things besides drugs that diminish consciousness. Some people try to avoid life by disappearing into food or sexuality. Others disappear into work, mindless routine, or rigid, self-created rituals. Others still drown themselves in television and other entertainment.

We can also drown awareness in material things -- fast cars, extravagant clothes, and so on. Shopping has itself become a way of avoiding life. Worst of all is the blending of materiality with entertainment. While monks and nuns avoid frivolous diversions and luxurious possessions, we surround ourselves with commercials, infomercials, and entire shopping networks, as if they were effective forms of "pain control!"

Right concentration -- meditating in such a way as to empty our natures of attachments, avoidances, and ignorance, so that we may accept the imperfection, impermanence, and insubstantiality of life. This is usually thought of as the highest form of Buddhist meditation, and full practice of it is pretty much restricted to monks and nuns who have progressed considerably along the path.

But just like the earlier paths provide a foundation for later paths, later ones often support earlier ones. For example, a degree of "calm abiding" (shamatha), a version of concentration, is essential for developing mindfulness, and is taught to all beginning meditators. This is the counting of breaths or chanting of mantras most people have heard of. This quieting of the mind is, in fact, important to mindfulness, effort, all moral practice, and even the maintaining of view and aspiration. I believe that this simple form of meditation is the best place for those who are suffering to begin -- though once again, the rest of the eightfold path is essential for long-term improvement.

Most therapists know: Anxiety is the most common manifestation of psychological suffering. And when it's not anxiety, it's unresolved anger. And when it's not anger, it's pervasive sadness. All three of these can be toned done to a manageable level by simple meditation. Meditation will not eliminate these things -- that requires wisdom and morality and the entire program -- but it will give the sufferer a chance to acquire the wisdom, morality, etc!

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Bodhisattvas

A Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who have chosen not to leave the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, but rather to remain in samsara (this existence) until they can bring all of life into nirvana with them. Think of them as the Buddhist version of saints. In northern Buddhism, they believe we all should strive to become Bodhisattvas.

How can you tell a bodhisattva from ordinary beings? They will have four outstanding qualities, called the Brahma Vihara:

Loving kindness to all creatures;
Compassion for all who suffer;
Sympathetic joy for all who are happy;
And equanimity, a pervading calm.

In northern Buddhism, the Bodhisattva has achieved "emptiness," sunyata. What this means is that they have gone beyond the usual dualistic mind. You and I think in terms of "this and that," "you versus me," "us and them," "either-or" and so on. The enlightened person sees that all things blend into each other, we are all human, everything is one. We are "empty."

In one form of Zen Buddhism, there is a tradition that involves asking young monks and nuns unusual questions called koans. The monk or nun meditates on the koan in the hopes of achieving a breakthrough into nondualistic mind. These questions are designed to frustrate our usual way of thinking and perceiving the universe. The most famous of them is "what is the sound of one hand clapping?"

The question has no answer in the ordinary sense: Any sound would, of course, be incorrect, but then silence isn't really the answer either, because one hand clapping is not just silent, it is a Silent beyond silence. The dimension from silence to sound doesn't apply to something that cannot have either. It is like asking for the taste of blue or the smell of an E minor chord. If you like, you could say that the answer is emptiness.

The "answer" that the master is looking for from his students is some clear indication that they understand this emptiness. In Zen tradition, there are stories about how monks and nuns responded correctly (or incorrectly) to these questions, which stories then become new koans themselves. Some of these students respond by knocking over their master, by walking away, by putting their shoes on top of their heads, quoting Buddhist sayings, or remaining quiet. For all the apparent nonsense, their responses indicate their understanding.

Another koan is "if you speak, I will hit you; if you don't speak I will hit you." Perhaps you can see that there is no answer to this dilemma, no way out. But that means it is not a dilemma at all! There is no either-or. You will get hit. It is inevitable. And so it is nothing at all. You are totally free to do whatever it is you would do if you had never been confronted by the koan at all. The trick, of course, is to show that freedom. That's not so easy!

Buddhists have an expression: "nirvana is samsara." It means that the perfected life is this life. While there is much talk about great insights and amazing enlightenments and even paranormal events, what Buddhism is really all about is returning to this life, your very own little life, with a "new attitude." By being more calm, more aware, a nicer person morally, someone who has given up envy and greed and hatred and such, who understands that nothing is forever, that grief is the price we willingly pay for love.... this life becomes at very least bearable. We stop torturing ourselves and allow ourselves to enjoy what there is to enjoy. And there is a good deal to enjoy!

Buddhists often use the term "practice" for what they do. They encourage each other to "keep on practicing." Nobody is too terribly concerned if they aren't perfect -- they don't expect that. As long as you pick yourself up and practice a little more. A good basis for therapy.

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©Copyright 2004, C. George Boeree.
ref: http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/buddhapers.html

Buddhist Meditation in Ljubljana, Slovenia. A few highlights of the program. Theravada Buddhist Meditation Instructor : Mr. Shilarakkhit.

2006-04-05T18:28:00.000+02:00

Buddhist Meditation Course in Ljubljana, Slovenia

2006-02-28T10:43:00.000+01:00

Buddhist Meditation Course in Ljubljana
Tel: 031-684942
E-pošta: shilarakkhit@yahoo.com
http://shilarakkhit.blogspot.com/

Se želiš smejati…
Želiš imeti zdravo življenje…
Želiš izboljšati svojo koncentracijo za boljše učenje…
Želiš imeti uspešno študijsko življenje…
Želiš izboljšati svojo psihično moč…
Želiš izvedeti kako dobro si sposoben reševati svoje probleme…
Želiš živeti življenje brez stresa…
Rabiš več koncentracije…
Se želiš zavedati svojih misli in dejanj…
Želiš izvedeti, kako si lahko nevtralen pri svojih uspehih in neuspehih…
Želiš polepšati svoje notranje življenje…
Želiš polepšati svoj dom…
Želiš vedeti, kako si lahko bolj uspešen pri svojem delu…
Želiš vedeti, kako si lahko dober prijatelj?

ČE… DA…

Potem se nam pridruži, spoznaj pravi pomen meditacije. Pokazali ti bomo čudovito, uspešno, plemenito pot, ki jo je odkril Gotama Buddha več kot 2500 let nazaj. Uporabnost te poti je večna, za vse in v katerikoli družbi. Užival boš v trenutnih prepričanjih, ko boš sledil tej poti in jo udejanjal sam ali z drugimi.

KAJ JE MEDITACIJA?

V jeziku Pali je beseda za meditacijo 'bhavana', kar pomeni 'razvoj', 'gojenje'. Kaj lahko razvijamo ali kaj lahko gojimo? Kot navadni ljudje potrebujemo določene stvari za srečno življenje. Ne glede na to, da imamo stvari okoli nas, potrebujemo istočasno vedno več in več. Nikoli ni dovolj. Čutimo, da imamo dovolj, ko imamo določeno količino moči v sebi. Določene stvari lahko dosežeš sam, ko razvijaš in gojiš potrebno moč. Za zdravo življenje je meditacija pomembna in ko začneš izvajati meditacijo, boš sam vsekakor našel tako imenovano 'moč' za različne namene.

RAZLIČNE VRSTE MEDITACIJE…

Poznamo številne metode meditacije, ki jih dostikrat srečujemo. Mi vas učimo starodavno metodo meditacije, ki jo je odkril Buddha. Poznamo 42 vrst meditacije, ki jih je odkril Gotama Buddha. V večini so te metode razvrščene v dve glavni kategoriji: Samatha in Vipassa. Uporabni vidik teh meditacijskih metod se razlikuje glede na posameznika, njegove osebnosti in drugih faktorjev. Med temi meditacijskimi metodami lahko sam izbereš najbolj primerno zate, med učenjem.

PREDNOSTI MEDITACIJE…

sposobnost koncentracije
večja svoboda pred motnjami
večja toleranca do sprememb in nemira okoli nas
ostrejša zavednost
boljša pazljivost do lastnih signalov, tako na fizični kot psihični ravni
večja pomirjenost in sproščenost
zmanjšanje v porabi kisika
pomanjšan srčni utrip
umirjeno dihanje in zmanjšanje krvnega pritiska
zmanjševanje na nivoju seruma lactic acid
povečana odpornost kože in spremembe v krvnem toku
določene centralne spremembe, ki se kažejo pri valovanju v možganih

TEČAJ MEDITACIJE

Prvič v Ljubljani, bomo začeli z sistematično razporejenim tečajem budistične meditacije. Inštruktor se je učil in prakticiral meditacijo na Šri Lanki od dobro zananih učiteljev več kot 10 let. Istočasno je študiral budistično in zahodno psihologijo. Imel predavanja o budizmu in budističnih meditacijah ob različnih priložnostih in v različnih državah. Do sedaj je zaključil študij magisterija iz izobraževalne, organizacijske in diferencialne psihologije.
Glede na vsako vašo in individualno potrebo, vsak kdo lahko pride in dobi koristi z učenjem in prakticiranjem. Naučili vas bomo teorijo in uporabni vidik meditacije. Naučili se boste teorijo in istočasno boste vadili v dvorani z drugimi. Zgrabite priložnost in pridobite si prostor za vas čimprej.

Za nadaljne informacije pokličite ali pišite naslednjim predstavnikom:

v Ga. Vida - Tel : 040-733660
E-pošta: vida.sb@vigres.si
v Ga. Maja - Tel: 031-386606
E-pošta: maja_najdic@yahoo.com

Buddhist Meditation Course in Ljubljana
Tel: 031-684942
@-mail: shilarakkhit@yahoo.com
http://shilarakkhit.blogspot.com/

Do you like to have smile in your face…
Do you wish to have a healthy life
Do you need to improve more concentration for your study…
Do you wish you have a successful study life…
Do you want to improve your won psychological strength…
Do you want to know how well you can face to your problems…
Do you like to live a stress less life…
Do you need more concentration…
Do you want awareness about your thought and actions…
Do you wish to know how to be neutral in your successes and failures…
Do you want to make beautiful your inner life…
Do you like to make you home more beautiful…
Do you want to know how to deal well at your working place…
Do you know how to be a good friend?

IF… YES…

Then joint with us, learn the real meaning of meditation. We will show you that wonderful, successful, Nobel Path which was discovered by the Gotama Buddha more than 2500 years ago. The applicability of the path is forever, and for all in any kind of society. You will enjoy the instant benefits by following the path and practicing it with others and alone.

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

The Pali word for meditation is 'bhavana' which means 'development', 'cultivation'. What to develop or what to cultivate? As ordinary people, we need certain things for our happy life. At the same time though we have things around us, still we need more and more. Nothing is enough but you will feel enough when you have certain amount of strength in you. Or you can gain certain things by yourself when you develop or cultivate the necessary strength or power within you. For these and for a healthy life meditation is important and when you start to do meditation you will certainly find it 'so called the power' for various purposes by yourself.

VARIOUS TYPES OF MEDITATION…

There are numerous meditation methods that you often come in across. But we are teaching you the ancient meditation methods which were discovered by the Buddha. There are 42 types of meditation which were discovered by Gotama the Buddha. Mainly these methods are categorized into two main categories: Samatha and Vipassa. The practical aspects of these meditation methods vary according to the individual, his personality and other factors. Among these meditation methods, you yourself could choose the most suitable one for you when you learn them.

BENEFITS OF MEDITATION…

 ability to concentrate
 greater freedom from distraction
 greater tolerance of change and turmoil around oneself
 sharper awareness
 greater alertness about one's own responses, both physical and psychical
 greater calmness or tranquility.
 reduction in oxygen consumption
 lowered heart rate
 decreased breathing rate and blood pressure
 reduction in serum lactic acid levels
 Increased skin resistance and changes in blood flow.
 There are also certain central changes, as shown by brain wave patterns.

MEDITATION COURSE

For the first time in Ljubljana, we are going to start a systematic, scheduled course of Buddhist Meditation. The instructor learned and practiced meditation in Sri Lanka from well-known teachers for more than 10 years. At the same time he studied Buddhist and Western Psychology. Delivered lectures on Buddhism and Buddhist Meditation in different occasions and in different countries. Finally he has completed his Master Degree in Educational, Organizational and Differential Psychology.

According to your each and individual necessity, everybody can come and get the benefits by learning and practicing it. We will teach you the theory and the practical aspects of meditation. You will learn the theory and at the same time will practice it in the class with others. Get your chance and reserve a place for you as early as possible.

For further information contact the following representatives:

 Ms. Vida – Tel : 040-733660
@-mail: vida.sb@vigres.si
 Ms. Maja - Tel: 031-386606
@-mail: maja_najdic@yahoo.com

Highlights of the lecture held on 22nd of February,2006 at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

2006-02-28T10:31:00.001+01:00

This lecture was organized by the Students' Psychology Association of the University of Ljubljana on the 22nd of February, 2006. The topic of the lecture was "Psychological Aspects of Buddhism and it's application". This lecture was held by Mr. Shilarakkhit (M.A. in Educational, Organizational and Differential Psychology; University of Munich, Germany).

Buddhist Psychology...

2005-12-08T11:11:00.000+01:00

One of the most common thing in the present day is talking about Buddhist Psychology in the European Countries. What do we know about Buddhist Psychology... Many of us ask questions from us about this. So, let's talk about Buddhist Psychology today. I think this is one of the interesting and important topic that we should know in details. Because Buddhism was spreading up all over the world now a days as it was in the past. So, as soon as we know more about Buddhism so soon we will know about the Buddhist Psychology, too. Things that are talked so called in the western psychology we can see that 2500 and more years ago the Buddha talked about these things with his disciples and devotees. Topics such as Emotion, Motivation, and Personality are common topics that are talked in Buddhist discourses. A person when she or he is choosing meditation methods of Buddhism, it should be suited to her or his personality. Many things were talked about emotions such as anger and fear, etc and about motivation such as encouraging the effort to gain the goal in meditation.