Understanding The Buddha's Teaching

Chapter Six

Stopping, Calming, Resting, Healing.

Buddhist meditation has two aspects - shamatha (stopping) and vipashyana (looking deeply). The tendency is to stress vipashyana because it can bring insight and free us from suffering and affliction. Howver, if we cannot stop, we cannot have insight.


 There is an old Zen story about a man riding a horse that is galloping very quickly. Seeing him, another man asks, “Where are you going in such a hurry?” To which the man replies, “I have no idea. Ask the horse!”
That is also the story of Buddhism. We are riding a horse, and we don't know where we are going and we can't stop. The horse is our habit energy pulling us along and we are powerless. We are always running - it's a habit. We struggle, even when asleep. We are at war within ourselves and that can lead to a war with others. 





We need to learn the Art of Stopping; our thinking, habit energies, forgetfulness, the strong emotions that rule us. When an emotion rushes through us like a storm, we can have no peace. We end up in a state of agitation. How can we stop our fear, despair, anger, and craving? By practicing mindful breathing, walking, smiling and deep looking. Mindfulness and deeply touching the moment can lead to understanding, acceptance, love and the desire to relieve suffering and bring joy.

But our habit energies can be strong. We say and do things that we regret, making ourselves and others suffer. We have to learn to recognise our habit energies..."Hello my habit energy, I know you are there!!" Smiling at it makes it lose its strength. Mindfulness is the what helps us recognise habit energy and not let it rule us. 

Forgetfulness is the opposite. We drink tea, but we do not know we are drinking tea. We sit with someone we love but fail to see that they are there. We walk, but we don't realise we are walking - we are somewhere else thinking about other things. The horse of our habit energy is carrying us along and we are captive. We need to stop our horse and reclaim our freedom. The light of mindfulness will vanquish the darkness of forgetfulness.

 Shamatha - to stop. The first step of meditation.
The second step is calming. We need to embrace the the ability to refrain from acting in dangerous situations. Learn the art of breathing in and out, stop our activity and calm our emotions. Be solid and stable like an oak tree in a storm. The Buddha taught many ways to help us calm our bodies and minds and look deeply into them.

The Five Stages:

1. Recognition. If we are angry, we say, "I know that anger is in me."
2. Acceptance. When we are angry we do not deny it. We accept it.
3. Embracing. We hold our anger like a mother embracing her crying child. Our mindfulness embraces our emotion and this can calm our anger and ourselves.
4. Looking deeply. When we are calm enough, we can look deeply to understand what has started this anger in us - what is causing the child's distress.
5. Insight. Looking deeply to understand what has caused our anger, the child to cry. Perhaps it has a rash or is hungry. Our anger was triggered when a friend spoke harshly and then we remember that his father has recently died. We reflect like this until we have insight into what has caused our suffering. With insight, we know what to do and what not to do to change the situation. 

After calming, the third step after shamatha is resting.
Someone standing near a river throws a pebble in the air and it falls into the river. The pebble allows itsellf to to sink slowly and effortlessly to the river bed. Once there, it continues to rest, allowing the water to pass by it.

When we practice sitting meditation, we can allow ourselves to rest just like the pebble, to sink naturally into the position of sitting - resting effortlessly. WE have to learn this art of resting, in mind and body. If we have wounds in our body or mind, rest will heal them. 

Calming allows us to rest and rest is the for-runner of healing. Animals in the forest who are wounded find a place to lie down and rest - they do not eat or move. They just rest in order to get the healing they need. Humans who get sick just worry!! We look to doctors and medicine, but we don't stop. Even on vacation, we don't rest, and we come back more tired than before. We have to learn to rest; sitting or walking meditation are good. Meditation does not have to be hard work. Allow your body and mind to rest like the animal in the forest. Do not struggle. Even reading this is resting, in a joyful and restful way.

The Buddha said, "My Dharma is the practice of non-practice. " Don't tire yourself out. Give your emotions and body and consciousness a chance to rest. That way we have a chance to heal ourselves. 

Stopping, calming and resting are preconditions for healing. They help us avoid destruction. The world needs healing.