2022-01-19 Satipaṭṭhāna (12) Abiding Observing Change
IInsight Meditation CenterJan 19, 2022 at 3:51 pm12min
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00:07Gil Fronsdal
In our continued exploration of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, we are spending time now with the refrain. There are thirteen exercises in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta. We are staying now with the first one which has to do with breathing. But as this practice of breathing becomes more focused and more awareness grows, then that awareness is available for insight. And that is what the refrain is about.
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00:41Gil Fronsdal
So let me repeat what I have said a number of times now. The exercises are an engagement, a way of practicing, that is meant to heighten our sense of awareness, to bring more clear, stable awareness, into the present moment.
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01:05Gil Fronsdal
In this case, breathing helps us establish present moment awareness. And the practices of knowing, feeling, and relaxing are all there to support our ability for awareness to become stable in the present moment – soft awareness, open awareness, clear awareness.
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01:29Gil Fronsdal
When our awareness starts becoming stable – the description of the way we know we are ready for the insights of the refrain is that we are able to abide, observing our experience. The Pali is viharati. It means "to abide," or "to dwell."
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02:06Gil Fronsdal
It is used in the teachings of the Buddha to describe when awareness is strong. Once our capacity to stay present is really stable, then we can abide in different things. We can abide in equanimity. We can abide in calm. We can abide in deep concentration states. We can abide in mindfulness. We can abide in awareness.
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02:36Gil Fronsdal
The word "abide" is actually a very rich, important, word in the suttas. It is pointing us –indicating where we are going with mindfulness practice. It is not only about being mindful of our experience, seeing it clearly for what it is. That is very important. But it is also about developing the capacity to have present moment awareness so we can abide in it. And we can abide in our experience.
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