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Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

unreadyandwilling.com

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Re: Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

#81

Post by kinleyd »

twok wrote: post #36

I like the article, but I think the practice here is lacking something. I realize that there are many meditation practices, but the writer here mentions Buddhism, and so I'm assuming insight, or vipassana, meditation. The practice of vipassana is not to focus everything on the sensations that you have, but only to note that they are there, and move on. I sort of say "that's interesting", when I notice a sensation, an…

"The practice of vipassana is not to focus everything on the sensations that you have, but only to note that they are there, and move on." Exactly. Continuing to focus on it is a fixation of thought. From what I'm learning, meditation is letting the thoughts flow by without judgment. Focusing on pain, hurt etc for extended periods is no better than psychotherapy: it just reinforces it.

Re: Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

#82

Post by Produce »

blueprint wrote: post #38
awakeasleep wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does anyone know the simple principle? Is it the golden rule?

Yes, I have some understanding about it so I can explain a little, but it's necessary to learn from an Enlightened being directly to get perfect understanding. The good news is that it is indeed simple, but it's not easy for everyone to accept, no matter their age or educational career. The principle means that something is determined - like the formula in arithmetic whereby 1 + 1 = 2; as long as the question (and de…

To condense that long explanation, the principle is that the universe is a chaotic system. It is: self similar, inherently unpredictable and deterministic. Seriously dude, read up on Chaos Theory.

Now here's where it gets interesting. The mind is fully contained in the universe - it is physical. So emotions, thoughts and feelings are all things. They are emergent behaviors of this physical reality. Hence the dual mode of thought being incorrect - there is no distinction between objective and subjective, they are one and the same. So if the universe is deterministic and our experience is physical, then there is no free will.

Re: Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

#83

Post by kinleyd »

blueprint wrote: post #22
spoxaka wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

what you say makes sense to me. I too doubt that by some chance Buddhism teachings turned out to be better preserved throughout millenia then any other "very old teachings" whatever it may be - Christianity or something else. Any information has the tendency to be misrepresented. where can I read more about your point of view?

Thanks for having an open mind. :) It's hard to meet someone like you. I learned like this from my teacher, a man who claims Supreme Enlightenment. He says that he is a Tathagata. It's the same name that Gautama Buddha said others should call Him while he is alive. All His teachings are free and for a while before he passed away he was available for answering the public's questions. Here's one site with some decent E…

Oh come on, blueprint, that is the Tathagata[1], the only other enlightened being besides the original Tathagata to have graced earth? And the bump on his forehead is the Third Eye? You've got to be kidding me!

"Therefore, being diligent, frugal and honest are just right way and law to get happiness."[2] I think someone really missed the point here - this is probably taken directly out of the Protestant work ethic; definitely doesn't come from Buddhism.

[1] http://www.members.tripod.com/tathagata2000/

[2] http://www.members.tripod.com/tathagata2000/happiness_and_pe...

Re: Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

#84

Post by Evgeny »

blueprint wrote: post #48
Alex3917 wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"No one has attained Enlightenment through Zen nor meditation in human history." Not sure what basis you have to say that. There are plenty of people who claim to have attained enlightenment who are alive today. There are even how-to guides that tell you exactly what to do down to the tiniest detail, e.g.: http://thehamiltonproject.blogspot.com/2010/11/going-for-str...

There are huge numbers of claims, but who among the multitudes has the evidence? If any Buddhist monks or temple has Buddha's teachings, they should also have the ways of life from the problems to the resolutions. But they don't have them, and instead they use meditation to trick people into giving up the real answers. It's the same thing as giving themselves up. This is an important point and the root cause of this…

There are huge numbers of claims, but who among the multitudes has the evidence? If any Buddhist monks or temple has Buddha's teachings, they should also have the ways of life from the problems to the resolutions. But they don't have them

I would really like to know how you test this - how do you approach the evaluation if someone is enlightened or just pretending?

Re: Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

#85

Post by SeppoErviala »

omarchowdhury wrote: post #51
blueprint wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, I have some understanding about it so I can explain a little, but it's necessary to learn from an Enlightened being directly to get perfect understanding. The good news is that it is indeed simple, but it's not easy for everyone to accept, no matter their age or educational career. The principle means that something is determined - like the formula in arithmetic whereby 1 + 1 = 2; as long as the question (and de…

Those who know do not speak, those who speak do not know.

The Way that can be told is not the eternal Way.

Re: Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

#86

Post by theorique »

rosstafarian wrote: post #74
omarchowdhury wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since when was enlightenment equal to having perfect phenomenal knowledge? You seem to be equating enlightenment with omniscience. Are you not? Please tell us what questions you are asking as a qualifier on whether or not someone is enlightened.

Why do hot dogs come in packages of ten and hot dog buns come in packages of eight?

Mu.

Re: Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

#87

Post by naitbit »

ChrisNorstrom wrote: post #65

Should be Titled: "Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase MY Happiness". For me it does but I practice a very different and rare form of meditation. I can only call it "Sleeping Awake". Which took a while to achieve. Basically, when you go to sleep at night your body slows its breathing & heart rate and you loose feeling of your limbs, while your mind looses consciousness and you black out. Your body and mind shut…

Well even though I agree that what we do is "worthless, useless, meaningless, purposeless" in universe scale it does not make me happy. I can be happy by thinking for example that universe defaults to not-existence (since most of it is empty/dead/not alive) and I'm lucky enough to experience life(even for short time), but I'm rather being happy despite worthlessness of my life rather than thanks to it. Could you explain your thought process that led do you to happiness from being meaningless?

Re: Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

#88

Post by soup10 »

naitbit wrote: post #87
ChrisNorstrom wrote: post #65

Should be Titled: "Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase MY Happiness". For me it does but I practice a very different and rare form of meditation. I can only call it "Sleeping Awake". Which took a while to achieve. Basically, when you go to sleep at night your body slows its breathing & heart rate and you loose feeling of your limbs, while your mind looses consciousness and you black out. Your body and mind shut…

Well even though I agree that what we do is "worthless, useless, meaningless, purposeless" in universe scale it does not make me happy. I can be happy by thinking for example that universe defaults to not-existence (since most of it is empty/dead/not alive) and I'm lucky enough to experience life(even for short time), but I'm rather being happy despite worthlessness of my life rather than thanks to it. Could you expl…

For something to have meaning, it has to have context. For instance getting a high score in tetris has meaning to me. But for most people it's meaningless. For some people, "the big bang theory" is meaningful. For others, it's completely meaningless.

To truly feel everything is meaningless, sounds like depression.

Re: Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

#89

Post by theorique »

blueprint wrote: post #22
spoxaka wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

what you say makes sense to me. I too doubt that by some chance Buddhism teachings turned out to be better preserved throughout millenia then any other "very old teachings" whatever it may be - Christianity or something else. Any information has the tendency to be misrepresented. where can I read more about your point of view?

Thanks for having an open mind. :) It's hard to meet someone like you. I learned like this from my teacher, a man who claims Supreme Enlightenment. He says that he is a Tathagata. It's the same name that Gautama Buddha said others should call Him while he is alive. All His teachings are free and for a while before he passed away he was available for answering the public's questions. Here's one site with some decent E…

I learned like this from my teacher, a man who claims Supreme Enlightenment.

No offense intended, but where's the evidence? Yes, enlightenment is a personal and subjective experience, but do you have any independent citations or accounts of your teacher's enlightenment.

e.g. his name, other followers, etc.

Extraordinary clams require extraordinary evidence.

Re: Why Meditation Doesn't Directly Increase Happiness

#90

Post by naitbit »

soup10 wrote: post #88
naitbit wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well even though I agree that what we do is "worthless, useless, meaningless, purposeless" in universe scale it does not make me happy. I can be happy by thinking for example that universe defaults to not-existence (since most of it is empty/dead/not alive) and I'm lucky enough to experience life(even for short time), but I'm rather being happy despite worthlessness of my life rather than thanks to it. Could you expl…

For something to have meaning, it has to have context. For instance getting a high score in tetris has meaning to me. But for most people it's meaningless. For some people, "the big bang theory" is meaningful. For others, it's completely meaningless. To truly feel everything is meaningless, sounds like depression.

Well personally I'm quite happy with my life. For my helping other live better lives* is meaningful(but if everyone had same purpose it would be uncomfortably circular). I found it interesting that ChrisNorstrom can be happy when he reminds himself that he does not matter. Either I misunderstood something or there is a way to be happy even about that.

*happier/longer/leading to total higher number of happy people in the future etc(Although obviously my success in this goals is very limited)

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