Hi everyone,
I would like to share something that I've learnt. Its taken from a book. I really learnt alot and I'm trying to apply it. The chapter goes as follows : have a good reading :)



Insight isn't something tat can be taught. It's something you have to give rise to within yourself. It's not something you simply memorise and talk about. If we were to teach it just so we could memorise it, I can guarantee that it wouldn't take five hours. But if you wanted to understand one word of it, three years might not even be enough. Memorising gives rise simply to memories. Acting is what gives rise to the truth. This is why it takes effort and persistence for you to understand and master this skill on your own.

When insight arises, you'll know what's what, where it's come from and where it's going -- as when we see a lanern burning brightly: we know that, 'That's the flame... That's the smoke... That's the light.' We know how these things arise from mixing what with what, and where the flame goes when we put out the lantern. All of this is the skill of insight.

Some people say that tranquility meditation and insight meditation are two separate things -- but how can that be true? Tranquility mediation is 'stopping', insight mediation is 'thinking' which leads to clear knowlege. When there's clear knowledge, the mnd stops still and stays put. They're all part of the same thing. Knowing has to come from stopping. If you don't stop, how can you know? 1 mistake I have made is this. My mind cannot stay put, i'm always fidgeting and my mind is always in a rush. Nervous syndrome. For instance, if you're sitting in a car or a boat which is traveling fast and you try to look at the people or things passing by right next to you along the way, you cant see clearly who's who and what's what. But if you stop still in one place, you'll be able to see things clearly.

Or even close to home: When we speak, there has to be a pause between each phrase. If you tried to talk without any pauses at all, would anyone be able to understand what you said? As human beings, we are always mostly caring about ourselves and "assumingly about others" - tend to say in words that we care. But do we take note of the slightest thing that we say or even be conscious of what we are saying? the tone and the force of our voice? No wonder they say learning is a continuous journey. Learning in this case not only apply to maths etc or the upgrading of one's skills. But also to ourselves, self-enlightenment of how things around us works, how one thing, or a small single action or words can lead to whatever will happen next. *guilty again.. :( i will continue to learn, train myself to do stop and do things a step at a time, and to continue self-enlightenment *smilez

This is why we first have to make the mind stop to be quiet and still. When the mind stays still in a state of normalcy, concentration arises discernment follows. This is something you have to work at and do for yourself. Don't simply believe what others say. Get so that you know 'Oh! Oh! Oh!' from within, and not just 'Oh? Oh? Oh?' from what people say. Don't take the good things they say and stick them in your heart. You have to make these things your own by getting them to arise from within you. Spending one dollar of your own money is better than spending 100 dollars you've borrowed from someone else. If you use borrowed money, you have to worry because you're in debt. If you use your own money, there's nothing to worry about.

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Stopping is what gives rise to strength. If a man is walking or running, he can't put up a good fight with anyone, because the advantage lies with the person standing still, not with the person walking or running. This is why we're taught to make the mind stop still, so that it can gain strength. Then it will be able to start walking again with strength and agility.

It's true that we have two feet, but when we walk we have to step with one foot at a time. If you try to step with both feet at once, you won't get anywhere. Or if you try to walk with just one foot, you can't do that either. When the right foot stops, the left foot has to take a step. When the left foot stops, the right foot has to take a step. You have to stop with one foot and step with the other if you're going to walk with any strength, because the strength comes from the foot which has stopped, not from the foot taking a step. One side has to stop while the other side takes a step. Otherwise, you will have no support and are sure to fall down. If you don't believe me, try stepping with both feet at once and see how far you get.

In the same way, tranquility and insight have to go together. You first have to make the mind stop in tranquility and then take a step in your investigation: This is insight meditation. How do we make the mind stop in tranquility?.. If you know, mayb can leave a comment? :) thanks. The understanding which arises is discernment. To let go of your attachment to that understanding is release.

So stopping is the factor which gives rise to strength, knowledge an discernment -- the fixed mind which knows both the world and the Dhamma in a state of heightened virtue, heightened consciousness and heightened discernement leading on to the transcendent. My greatest flaw is "kan cheongness" - but sadly, its not towards other external things, its in myself; in my mind and every min i can really feel 'slight vibrations in my body' :( everyday i can feel stress building up in my head :S Especially now in this hectic country, we tend to often multi-task, this will affect our mind in the long-run and our physical state. So please take good care of yourself, try to refrain from stimulants lik coffee or choc (but once a while, if you hav a sweet tooth, you may reward yourself with it :D) and other sweet stuffs which will tend to make us fidgeting/not conscious abt things *oops, guility again :x

*** To hav discipline..

") sorry if this content is too long, its something i would like to pass on :)


Goals I want to achieve for this week (till sunday) ; and to have a check-list at the end of the week
-refrain from caffeine (coffee) and sweets
-for tomorrow : to finish swimming 50 laps (in the morning) and jogging (evening)
- To start studying esap

hope all these works - for making my mind to be less nervous.. will do another checklist at the end of the month.. today I watch The Earth Stood Still , not up to expectations. Goodnight.