12 Mindfulness of the body (5)
Teaching: Alan begins the session by presenting the 2nd and 3rd marks of existence. In the 2nd mark of existence, dukkha can be understood to mean the unsatisfactory nature of looking at any experience and thinking, „This will make me happy.“ The 3rd mark of existence: all phenomena are empty and non-self. This means that „me“ and „mine“ are conceptual designations empty of intrinsic entity (=self). Meditation: mindfulness of the body focusing on the 3rd mark of existence emptiness and non-self. Use discerning mindfulness on each of the following sense domains in turn: 1) visual, 2) auditory, 3) tactile, and 4) all 5 senses. Ask: 1) is any appearance „yours“ or „you“?, and 2) do you have any control over appearances arising? Q1. When I focus on the breath, it gets tight and uneasy. Why and what can I do about it? Q2. Within the course of a single session, is it possible to shift from mindfulness of breathing at the abdomen to the nostrils, or vice versa? Q3. It’s difficult for me to feel sensations of the breath at the upper lip, so I force a stronger breath to make it perceptible. Once I lay off, it becomes imperceptible again. What should I do? Q4. Is there a gradient of conceptualization? (cont. from 120830) Q5. How many people have attained shamatha in this century? Q6. How long does it take for people of varying faculties to attain shamatha? Q7. What makes thoughts and images in the mind appear seemingly out of nowhere? Q8. During meditation, random and sometimes disturbing thoughts arise. Where do they come from? Meditation starts at 21:00
