Maintain Interest In The Meditation Object -- by Siew Ching

Although I have gone for several meditation retreats (from a few days to a few months) yet didn't get into deep concentration, I have indeed learnt many things about myself - how restless my mind is, how it clings from one things to anything, how it gets bored easily when trying to focus on a single object ... This untamed mind is discontented to stay with the meditation object. It constantly looks for something else to be attracted to, creates wandering thoughts to entertain itself, switches to sleeping mood when bored, and tempts itself to go home where there's TV, delicious food and comfortable bed. In this article, I wish to share various ways used - from my meditation teachers, Dharma books and personal experiences- in motivating myself and trying to stay with the meditation object.

Maintain interest in the meditation object :

1) Reflect on the Four Noble Truths

In understanding that life is unsatisfactory, we wish to get out of Samsara. In order to do that, we need to practice the Noble Eightfold Path and meditation is one of the important factor in the Noble Eightfold Path

2) Reflect on the danger of rebirth

We can never guarantee what we will become in our future lives, that we can still get to practice the Dharma & meditation then. We might not even come across the Dharma or meditation in our these rebirths. Thus, since we now have the opportunity to meditate and learn the Dharma, treasure it.

3) Inspiration from the Sangha

The monks / nuns have been practicing for a much longer time than us and have never given up their meditation. We have been meditating for only some time, yet we want to stop meditating to do other things or leave a meditation retreat. Thus, let's be inspired by the monks' / nuns' diligence and determination to continue to practice.

4) Gratitude to others

Many people have helped us in our lives. Our parents have given us the body with the complete six faculties, our teachers who have given us knowledge, the farmers have provided us food to stay alive, the bus/cab/MRT drivers who have brought us to the places with Dharma, etc. Many conditions need to be fulfilled before we get to know the Dharma or get to practise meditation. Thus, we're grateful that these conditions arise and should put in the efforts to practise.

In a meditation retreat, the food and lodging places are dana by other people. Although they might have financial difficulties, they are willing to offer the dana as they believe / trust that we are doing wholesome deeds by going for retreat, holding precepts & virtues, and putting efforts in practising and meditating. They might not have enough to eat, yet they are willing to dana their best things to us. Thus, a way to show our gratitude to them and the trust they have given us is by putting efforts in our meditation and meditation objects.

5) Impermanence

We won't even know what will happen to us tomorrow as things are impermanent. With each minute passes by, we are a minute closer to our death. With each meal we have eaten, we have a meal less in our lifespan. Thus, please do not be negligent. Treasure each moment we have to practise so that we will not regret later. In understanding impermanence, we should lead our life more meaningfully and wisely.

"Just as a man whose turban or hair is on fire would resolutely apply all his effort, vigour and exertion, together with mindfulness and clear comprehension, to extinguish the fire, even so should one resolutely apply all his effort to abandon those evil, unwholesome qualities which will be a hindrance if he is to pass away now."

6) Joy and happiness

When we wander off from our meditation object, we're actually giving importance to our wandering thoughts instead of the meditation object. We choose not to pay attention to the meditation object, taking it as something unimportant or boring. The mind is feeling uncontended and dissatisfactory.

A method to let the mind be attracted to the meditation object is to make the object as something interesting, nice and fun, For example if the meditation object is the breath, we can perceive the breath as something beautiful - the beautiful breath. When breath in, it's a gift from the nature to you (oxygen); when breath out, it's a gift from you to the nature (carbon dioxide). The breath is also your good friend, never leave you, always stay and hand-in-hand with you. Have joy, have fun, in meditating!!!

7) Balanced effort

If energy is applied too forcefully. it will lead to restlessness. If energy is too lax, it will lead to drowsiness. Just like the lute being badly tuned when its strings are too taut or too loose, one's energy should be kept balanced to avoid both extremes.

When meditating, the effort should be used in maintaining continuous awareness of the meditation object instead of straining the meditation object to make it more obvious. For example, in order to feel the hardness of a pen, we simply press the pen gently and we can feel its hardness. We don't have to use the effort to press it very hard in order to know it is hard. Similarly, when doing breathing meditation, we don't have to strain the breath in order to make it obvious on whether it is coming in or going out. The effort should be used gently on allowing the mind to stay continuously at the contact area of the breath.

Concentration = continuous mindfulness of the meditation object. The effort should be used for the 'continuous mindfulness' instead of on the 'meditation object'.

8) Without expectation

Meditation brings great inner peace and joy. If we have lots of negative thoughts, taking meditation as something boring, feeling disheartened when concentration hasn't arise or craving for results, we're moving in the opposite direction.

The Noble Eightfold Path, the path leading to the Cessation of Dissatisfactory (Dukkha), is categorised into: Morality, Concentration and Wisdom.

When one is endowed with virtures ( morality)

* non-remorse arises

* gladness arises

* joy arises

* serenity of the body arises

* happiness arises

* concentration arises

With the use of deep concentration to penetrate phenomena, one realises all phenomena as unsatisfactory, impermanent and non-substantial

* wisdom arises

Thus, one no longer clings nor craves for anythings (including rebirth) since they are all unsatisfactory, impermanent and non-substantial.(Anguttara Nikaya: 183. Lawfulness of Progress)

Thus, for concentration to arise, one should remain happy, contented and positive. When practising the Dharma or meditating, we just try your best. When you just try your best, it's without worries, without disappointment, without expectation. You just do it, you just try your best.

May all beings be well and happy

May all beings be free from all physical and mental sufferings

May all beings take care of themselves happily,and be free from all dangers and enmity