A friend passed on a copy of a real treasure of an eBook "The Art of Dying" by Vipassana Meditation Teacher S.N. Goenka and others.
You can get a free copy here along with other resources at Pariyatti.org
The Art of Dying
Not to be taken back by the title, which may sound rather morose, it is anything but that. It is very uplifting, inspiring and has deepened my understanding of our existence plus covers ways to enhance daily existence.
It shares many wisdoms and insights from folks who had incorporated Vipassana meditation (insight meditation) into their lives. This is a practice which plays a big part in my life too and from reading this book it has strengthened my practice.
Although I am only part way through the book I thought I'd share some of the pertinent points I gained referring back to the development of Vipassana meditation and how it can make for a better life.
By having a life of virtue, awareness and equanimity this will enhance daily existence.
So if you are ready to learn and make changes in your life, you can begin to dismantle the patterns of reaction that often come about through ignorance.
Can you stop living in the reactive blindness to the reality within?
Begin by developing a balanced moment to moment awareness of the impermanence of the physical sensations.
Learn to establish a balanced mind. Even if you do not have peace of mind and can't maintain that balance of mind, equanimity, then at least be aware that you do not have that balance and you will still move forward.
These teachings are not meant for immediate success but when things are going badly you can look at reality as it is, aware of it's ultimate impermanent nature that will give you a base to move from.
This being aware of the impermanent nature, the coming into being and passing away, rising and falling - knowing anicca, can help you through difficult situations, life's many challenges. I know it has helped me through some tough times remembering -
That this too will pass!
Anicca - definition from the Collins English Dictionary -
(ˈænikə ) (in Theravada Buddhism) the belief that all things, including the self, are impermanent and constantly changing: the first of the three basic characteristics of existence.
Another good book on this is Knowing Anicca and the Way to Nibbāna by U Chit Tin get a free copy here
A good example of this was given in the book from Susan Babbit, who faced terminal cancer and the inevitability of death, lose of her life.
She look back on her former self ( before coming to the Dhamma), it is a collection of memories, fears. What happened to that former self? Did it just disappear? It never existed except for that bundle of miseries and false hopes. What disappeared was the sufferings of yesterday and what remains are the sufferings of today, the decay into old age, the inability to adjust to reality, the shoddy burden of failed ambitions, the passions, the talkativeness.
That it is an "ego" death.
Who gives in willingly to an ego death?
Is that why there is so little love in the world
All we know are two phantoms "you" and"I" and not the dissolution of both, which is love!
OH! Once the silent mind can see things as they are and that this is the one and only thing to do -
THE LETTING BE OF BEING!
With that the ordinary things of life can become miraculous and miraculous things become ordinary, with the biggest miracle being that of awareness!
We can make our own futures, we create our own miseries or well being,plus we are responsible for our own liberation!
The book goes on to talk about Kamma, understanding Kamma (Sanskrit, also karman, Pāli: kamma) Wikipedia's definition -
a Sanskrit term that literally means "action" or "doing". In the Buddhist tradition, karma refers to action driven by intention (cetanā) which leads to future consequences.
How we are responsible for our futures and if we can master our minds we can shape it.
It speaks about the law of dependent origination and that the present is the fruit of our past thoughts, words and deeds. If we can understand and accept this law it can make for a more peaceful mind and opens the way to liberation!
I really grew in my understanding of the Law of Dependent Origination with the section in the book - the Day 5 summary of discourses given by S.N. Goenka during his Vipassana course, which was easy to understand, describing something I had a bit of struggle with of how to break that chain/cycle which is expressed in the Law of Dependent Origination
Excerpt from S.N. Goenka Day 5 Discourse Summary on Law of Dependent Origination
This is just the beginning part of the book and there is so much more - definitely on the must read list!
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