【Description】
Meditation is full of wonders. When you encounter a problem or affliction that seems too hard to solve, calm down and meditate for a while. A way to solve your current problem may rise from the depths of your consciousness.
Can one also use meditation for self-reflection, as a way to receive spiritual inspiration and reflect upon bad habits such as greed and hatred? Grandmaster JinBodhi recommends a particular method to everyone. What are the benefits of this method? How should one use it? Please watch the video and listen to Grandmaster JinBodhi’s analysis and experiences.
【You will learn】
- Ways to self-reflect
- Ways to solve afflictions
【Featured aphorisms】
- The process of meditation is wonderful. Sometimes, during the process, you suddenly get an idea without reasoning or thinking at all. Usually, this idea is the answer to the problem that is bothering you.
- Without correct thoughts, damaging thoughts arise; without compassion, harm occurs.
【Content】
Q&A on Cultivation:
Introspecting Ourselves in Cultivation:
“Hello, Master. I have many bad habits, such as greed and hatred. What is an effective way to practice introspection?”
Thinking. It sounds like joking, but this is what I think. When you are busy doing things, you cannot think of other things. If you do, you will make mistakes. Many occasions allow me to practice introspection, such as when I chant, prostrate, or do sitting meditation. When I am meditating, my mind focuses on examining my behavior during this day, week, or even longer. What mistakes have I made related to the five poisons? Before you start meditating, ask yourself the question. Then stop thinking about it. You calm down. You are not thinking about it.
When you are meditating & listening to The Meditation of Purity or chanting, this occurs. Meditation is not about thinking, but allowing a solution to emerge spontaneously. My understanding about important things doesn’t come from rationalizing or thinking. It emerges on its own, not through thinking, suddenly popping up. Often things that pop up are the best, most wonderful, and useful. So, I teach you this method to find a solution.
Say, recently you have trouble, known or unknown. You don’t know if you have made mistakes related to the five poisons. Do you still remember the five poisons? They are greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. Three of the five are often mentioned: greed, hatred, and ignorance. Either five or three, which did I do? Or you have trouble that needs to be solved. Before meditating, prostrating, or chanting, question yourself. Then quickly forget about it. Chant, meditate, or be calm, but don’t think about it. Sometimes, within five minutes, you will have the answer. It just occurs in your brain. A solution arises. We don’t know how it came. Many things are given by the Buddha. It tends to be the most effective solution, even though it is not logical or rational.
We should practice introspection this way. Often we have an impression about our behaviors, right? Say, yesterday you lost your temper at someone. It seemed you experienced the poison of hatred, one of the three. Or maybe you were greedy for something. Because of greed, I was a bit excited. Sometimes, through analyzing, we can sort it out clearly. However, the method I often use is not analysis or sorting it out. Simply internalize the issue, and then don’t think about it. Continue meditating. The Meditation of Greater Illumination (GI) can achieve this purpose. We must practice meditation, such as GI, prostration, meditating, or chanting. These all work. When you practice, the answer will jump out.
As for issues related to your behavior, you can learn to analyze and judge them. Let’s put it this way: Mistakes related to the five poisons are made unconsciously. Say, women love watching soap operas. Wow, there are so many handsome men. They are shy to tell others about this. The husbands asked what they were doing. “Watching TV. This TV show is very meaningful.” In fact, they couldn’t say they were watching handsome men. What attracted you? Beauty. Because of his appearance, you like reading his stories. Afterward you are really inspired. So, sometimes our behaviors can be analyzed.
When you are attracted, you forget about your responsibilities like taking care of your child, cooking, or finishing your homework. You are attracted by a TV show with handsome men in it. You just cannot face or admit it. If you want to truly solve your problems, courageously dig into your issues.