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Skillful Pleasure The Buddha's Path for Developing Skillful Pleasure In Skillful Pleasure Peter Doobinin describes how, by following the Buddha's path, we're able to establish a skillful relationship to pleasure. The truth, the Buddha understood, is that human beings have a basic need for pleasure. Indeed, if we’re going to find a true happiness in this life, our experience must include pleasure. We need pleasure and, to some degree, we know this. Our problem, if you will, is not pleasure. Our problem is that we look for pleasure in the wrong places. The way out of our dilemma is to learn to cultivate skillful pleasure. Skillful pleasure is pleasure that leads us to true happiness. In the dharma book Skillful Pleasure Peter Doobinin shows us how we develop skillful pleasure and how, by doing so, we're able live more effectively, with greater wisdom and compassion. Developed in skillful pleasure, we're able to thrive. We're able to make the most of our lives. |
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from Skillful Pleasure When we establish and maintain skillful internal pleasure, we’re able to remain in the present moment. We’ve made this point again and again. Our capacity to keep ourselves in the present moment is dependent on the degree to which we have a pleasant abiding in the moment. If we’re going to stay in the present moment our experience of the present moment must include pleasure. It was true for the Buddha; surely it must be true for us. To be in the present moment means to be “in the body.” Most of us spend a good portion of our lives far from the body. And, thusly, far from the moment. Most of us seek to avoid the body, in large part due to the pain (physical and mental) that afflicts the body. By developing a pleasurable inner abiding, a good home for the mind, we’re able keep the mind in the body. We’re able to keep ourselves in the moment. Over time, the dharma student, developed in skillful internal pleasure, finds herself more and more in the present moment. She’s in the present moment more often, and she stays in the moment for longer periods. She is present for her life. She is alive. She is awake. We should never underestimate what it is to be awake. Thoreau put it well when he said, “To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake. How could I have looked him in the face?” |
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from the Dhammapada
How very happily we live,
free from hostility
among those who are hostile.
Among hostile people,
free from hostility we dwell.
How very happily we live,
free from misery
among those who are miserable.
Among miserable people,
free from misery we dwell.
How very happily we live,
free from busyness
among those who are busy.
Among busy people,
free from busyness we dwell.
How very happily we live,
we who have nothing.
We will feed on rapture
like the Radiant gods.
(Dhp 197)
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"As dharma students, following the Buddha’s instructions, we learn to keep our mind on the body, in the present moment. But not only that. We also learn to shape our experience of the present moment." from "Reclaiming Our Agency" by Peter Doobinin (from Tricycle) Read the Article Here |
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