The Removal of Distracting Thoughts (sutra)

Soma Thera (trans.), Vitakka-Santhana Sutra; Dhr. Seven, Ananda (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Sutra: The Removal of Distracting Thoughts

This is how to master the mind and be free.

Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was residing in Savatthi, in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's park. Then he addressed the monastics, "meditators," and they replied to him, "venerable sir." And he said:

"Five things should be reflected on, from time to time, by a meditator intent on higher consciousness. What five?

"When unskillful thoughts connected with lust, hate, and delusion arise in a meditator through reflection on an adventitious object, one should (in order to get rid of that) reflect on a different object connected with skill.

"Then the unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind (heart) stands firm, settles, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (one's subject of meditation).

"Like an experienced carpenter or carpenter's apprentice strikes, pushes out, and replaces a coarse peg with a new one, a meditator in order to get rid of an adventitious object reflects on a different object that is connected with skill.

"Then the unskillful thoughts connected with lust, hate, and delusion are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination the mind stands firm, settles, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (one's subject of meditation).

"If the unskillful thoughts continue to arise in a meditator, who in order to get rid of an adventitious object reflects on a different object connected with skill, one should ponder the disadvantages of unskillful thoughts in this way:

"In truth these thoughts are unskillful, blameworthy, and produce misery.'

"Then unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (one's subject of meditation).

Don't hang any of those on me. They're disgusting!

"Just as a well-dressed youth would feel disgusted, humiliated, and horrified because of a carcass of a snake, dog, or human hung around his or her neck, just so would a meditator feel disgusted, humiliated, horrified if unskillful thoughts continue to arise in spite of the skillful reflection pondering the disadvantages of unskillful thoughts.

"Then unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (one's subject of meditation).

"If unskillful thoughts continue to arise in a meditator who ponders their disadvantages, one should endeavor to deprive them of attention or reflection.

"Then unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (one's subject of meditation).

If I just look away, no more catnip cravings?

"Just as a keen-eyed person shutting her or his eyes and looking away to avoid seeing visible objects that have come into view, so a meditator in whom unskillful thoughts continue to arise in spite of pondering their disadvantages and endeavoring to deprive them of attention and reflection turns away.

"Then unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (one's subject of meditation).

I think what I want to think, not otherwise.

"If unskillful thoughts continue to arise in a meditator in spite of the endeavor to deprive them of attention or reflection, one should reflect on the removal of the (thought-) source of those unskillful thoughts.

"Then unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (one's subject of meditation).

"Just as a person finding no reason to walk quickly walks slowly, finding no reason to walk slowly stands, finding no reason to stand sits, finding no reason to sit lies down -- and so getting rid of a stressful posture resorts to a restful posture -- a meditator in whom unskillful thoughts arise in spite of the endeavor to deprive them of attention or reflection should reflect on the removal of the source of those unskillful thoughts.

"Then unskillful thoughts are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (one's subject of meditation).

The last ditch effort

Ah, I will succeed and overcome the unskillful by removing distractions!!!

.

"Finally, if unskillful thoughts continue to arise in a meditator in spite of reflection on the removal of the source(s) of unskillful thoughts, one should with clenched teeth and tongue pressing on the palate restrain, subdue, and hold (unskillful) mind with (skillful) mind.

"Then unskillful thoughts connected with lust, hate, and delusion are eliminated; they disappear.

"By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (one's subject of meditation).

"Just as a stronger man might take a weaker man by the head and shoulders and restrain, subdue, and hold him down, so a meditator in whom unskillful thoughts continue to arise in spite of reflection on the source of unskillful thoughts, should restrain, subdue, and hold (unskillful) mind with (skillful) mind, clenching teeth and pressing tongue on palate.

"Then unskillful thoughts connected with lust, hate, and delusion are eliminated; they disappear. By their elimination, the mind stands firm, settles down, becomes unified and concentrated, just within (one's subject of meditation).

Summary

Craving's the worst distraction.

"Indeed, meditators, when unskillful thoughts due to reflection on an adventitious object are eliminated, when they disappear, the mind stands firm, settles, becomes unified and concentrated just within (one's subject of meditation) through:

• reflecting on an object connected with skill,
• pondering the disadvantages of unskillful thoughts,
• endeavoring to deprive some thoughts of attention or reflection,
• restraining, subduing, and holding unskillful mind with skillful mind with clenched teeth and tongue pressed on palate.

"In these ways a meditator comes to be called a 'master of the paths along which thoughts travel.'

"The thoughts one wants to think one thinks. The thoughts one does not want to think one does not think. One has uprooted craving, removed the fetter, rightly mastered pride, and thereby made an end of all suffering."

The Blessed One said this, and the meditators were glad at heart and approved of his words. Commentary: ... More

Law of Atraction "Guru" Charged in Deaths

How the hopes and expectations of Spiritual Materialism are shaping many lives: J.A. Ray wishes he were dreaming now so he could awaken from this nightmare.

"Spiritual Warrior" Charged with 3 Counts of Manslaughter
Roger Butow (Salem-News.com's "Odd Man Out")

LAGUNA BEACH, California - "Jesus was [allegedly] saying to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free'" (John 8:31-32).

Many Americans are shaking their heads and “Tsk-tsking” about the avoidable deaths of three people who attended self-help guru James A. Ray’s retreat in Sedona, Arizona last October. Who knows where the grand jury manslaughter indictment of Mr. Ray will lead. But one thing is for sure: He’s got enough in the bank to fend off the accusations, funds provided by his incensed supportive entourage. And the "if it bleeds it leads, film at 11" media will go into a feeding frenzy mode.

James Arthur Ray speaks about "the secret" to achieving financial and spiritual wealth.

With about 50 people total in that makeshift sweat lodge, another 18 were treated for burns, dehydration, respiratory arrest, or kidney failure, look for them to seek their own trials and punitive damages. This will become a veritable cottage industry for Gloria Allred and other celebrity ambulance chasers that will also become rich off the publicity and legal fees. Look for phony populist Nancy Grace to cry, dab her make-up with her hanky, and milk it dry on her show. More>>

• NY Times: Sweat Lodge Leader is Indicted in Deaths
• ABC News: Ray "Accepts Responsibility"
• James Arthur Ray (Wikipedia)

Love of God Drives Austere Existence for Monks
To conquer lust, Saint Benedict threw himself into a briar patch, naked. At least, that's the story. This monkish mentality of extreme self-denial is pretty far from most college students' lines of thought. But we at Geneseo have a monastery five miles away -- the Abbey of the Genesee. Is it more than just robes and briar patches? One of the monks, Brother Anthony Weber, was happy to tell all.

Riots in China's Xinjiang region

Many die during riots in China's Xinjiang region: state media
Marianne Barriaux (AFP)

BEIJING, China — Three people were killed and more than 20 others injured as rioters swept through the capital of China's mainly Muslim Xinjiang region on Sunday, state media reported.

• China says 140 killed in riots in west
  
  The dead were from China's majority Han Chinese ethnic group, according to the official Xinhua news agency, with activist groups and a witness saying the violence in Urumqi city pitted thousands of Muslim Uighurs [prounounced wee-gurs] against police. The unrest is the latest in more than a year of violence to hit Xinjiang, home to about eight million Uighurs -- many of whom say they have suffered political and religious persecution under Han Chinese rule for decades.
  
  Citing local government officials, Xinhua said the rioters "illegally gathered in several downtown places and engaged in beating, smashing, looting, and burning." It said many motor vehicles were burned in the unrest on Sunday afternoon.

In a parallel to accusations about the Dalai Lama, the regional government said the unrest was "masterminded" by the World Uighur Congress led by Rebiya Kadeer, who lives in exile in the United States, Xinhua reported early Monday. The government did not say how many people were involved or how many had been arrested, it said.

But the eyewitness, a Han Chinese bar owner in the city center where the riots took place, who refused to be named, told AFP there were around 3,000 Uighur protesters and some were armed with wooden batons and knives. More>>