poem - [1] "I Sit Silently"

[BY]

I have 8 versions of this poem I named "I Sit Silently" (meaning, sitting in meditation).

I will send you one verse at a time .... If you don't like it , I stop sending later verses .

===========

Title : Sit Silently

1.
I sit – silently,
Contemplating my own thoughts,
Rising, then falling,
Falling, then again rising, ... :
Feelings come unthought
And last momentarily

[...]

BY.

[Catherine Lestrange]

Beautiful poem, very creative.

[BY]

2.
I sit - with no word ,
Learning to live with my heart
And see how my soul
Suffered with its secret world .
How can I depart
Sorrows that I can't control ?

[Catherine Lestrange]

There are many things happening in my life that does not make sense in the normal expectation . I stop asking "why" ..... but accept ....

I reach my inner peace through pure acceptance that everything happening now is simple a consequence of things I can no longer change . Meaning, there is nothing I can do to change the current situation , and so , I accept to live through without asking "why" anyone or anything come to me the way it does .

My focus is to increase my inner strength to withstand and accept .

Through this practice I come out with a sense of inner peace and (funny as it sounds) a compassion for suffering . Meaning , I can understand the pain of others through the pain I live through .

Await your inputs ....

Thank yọu

BY .

BY,
I love the fact that you learn to accept things, that is one of the most hardest things to do in life. Is to accept a problem, pay the consequences, and let the karma pay off your debt. I'm actually very happy that you understand the way "life" and the situations in life we can't change. But there is a way to not suffer, that is the psychological way of thinking that your not suffering. Which is letting the problems happen and not thinking of it as a problem. Meditate all the time BY, and don't worry I'm always here and writing.

[BY]

3.
I sit - in silence :
Tending my inner feeling ;
Voiding outer noise ;
Admitting experience .
How can I find joys
If my mind keeps on wishing ?

[BY]

So far there is no complaint about the poem, "I Sit Silently". So I post all 8 verses .
The poem describes what I learned through meditation about the mind, that changes from a hurtful state to a calmer state, and an state that empathizes with the hurt felt by the person (who seemingly ) hurt me at that time.


===========

Title : Sit Silently

1.
I sit – silently,
Contemplating my own thoughts,
Rising, then falling,
Falling, then again rising, ... :
Feelings come unthought
And last momentarily

2.
I sit - with no word ,
Learning to live with my heart
And see how my soul
Suffered with its secret world .
How can I depart
Sorrows that I can't control ?

3.
I sit - in silence :
Tending my inner feeling ;
Voiding outer noise ;
Admitting experience .
How can I find joys
If my mind keeps on wishing ?

4.
I sit - unshakened ,
Tolerating emotions
And understanding
The drifting-by conceptions .
Thus , I can't pretend
"I" as a lasting being .

5.
I sit - realizing
That all feelings come to cease ,
Sad tears come to dry ,
And "self" is ever-changing .
So , I sit - with ease -
Nourished by thoughts flashing by .

6.
I sit - blissfully
With thoughts drifting quietly
Like clouds in a stream .
"Now" is the truth , - the only !
"Future" is a dream !
"Past" is an obsolute lie !

7.
I sit - peacefully ,
And watch you , my friend , weep
For an illusion :
"A lifelong satisfaction ."
Where's reality
In your ever-dreaming sleep ?

8.
I sit - reflecting :
"I must see my changing thoughts ...
... to perceive your faults ."
So , I sit - contemplating :
"To sit silently ...
... is to love with empathy . "


California , April 18, 1998 @ 11: 23 p.m.

===========

the end.

BY.

[Dieu Ngan]

Thank you so much BY, such a wonderful poem. It touch my heart, deeply.

[GiacTanh]

There are many things happening in my life that does not make sense in the normal expectation . I stop asking "why" ..... but accept ....

I reach my inner peace through pure acceptance that everything happening now is simple a consequence of things I can no longer change . Meaning, there is nothing I can do to change the current situation , and so , I accept to live through without asking "why" anyone or anything come to me the way it does .

My focus is to increase my inner strength to withstand and accept .

Through this practice I come out with a sense of inner peace and (funny as it sounds) a compassion for suffering . Meaning , I can understand the pain of others through the pain I live through .

Await your inputs ....

Thank yọu

BY .

BY,
I love the fact that you learn to accept things, that is one of the most hardest things to do in life. Is to accept a problem, pay the consequences, and let the karma pay off your debt. I'm actually very happy that you understand the way "life" and the situations in life we can't change. But there is a way to not suffer, that is the psychological way of thinking that your not suffering. Which is letting the problems happen and not thinking of it as a problem. Meditate all the time BY, and don't worry I'm always here and writing.

Lestrange,

BY sees nothing I can do to change the current situation - so the "I" is equated to who "BY" is and such "thy will" has not existed then?


GiacTanh

[BY]

Hello GiacTanh,

GiacTanh wrote: "BY sees nothing I can do to change the current situation - so the "I" is equated to who "BY" is and such "thy will" has not existed then?"

Refer to verses 4 and 5 of the "Sit Silently" poem.
==========
4.
I sit - unshakened ,
Tolerating emotions
And understanding
The drifting-by conceptions .
Thus , I can't pretend
"I" as a lasting being .

5.
I sit - realizing
That all feelings come to cease ,
Sad tears come to dry ,
And "self" is ever-changing .
So , I sit - with ease -
Nourished by thoughts flashing by .
==========

I practice Vipassana Insight Meditation or the Four Foundation of Meditation and the Five Aggregates. This practice relies on the Changes or Impermanence to lead to Insight to reality of the existence of "I".  The reality of passing thoughts, no such lasting being, everything perception/understanding/thought/feeling as being temporary. Through this practice, the most and clearest thing one sees throughout the practice is Impermanence, the End of "things".

When Impermanence is readily understood from moment to moment, the mind sort of stops "fighting or reacting", the number of mind chattering or responding or reacting back the events, people, situation, feeling, etc. reduces with time.  I call the internal world being less reactive as "acceptance".  It's not acceptance but the need to react lessens with the increase of the understanding of Impermanence in everything.

As you see, the practice stresses on Impermanence, and it is so from the first moment of learning the practice. If a meditation student misunderstands this bottom line, s/he practices incorrectly. With the correct practice of observing Impermanence, the concept of "I" is demolished or does not exist when s/he meditates. When the practice matures, the clarity of Impermanence is more continuous throughout the day, so the view of "I" can not exist during such time.

Your question is based on the perception of "I", a permanent existence.

Hope that helps.

BY.

[GiacTanh]

Hello GiacTanh,

GiacTanh wrote: "BY sees nothing I can do to change the current situation - so the "I" is equated to who "BY" is and such "thy will" has not existed then?"

Refer to verses 4 and 5 of the "Sit Silently" poem.
==========
4.
I sit - unshakened ,
Tolerating emotions
And understanding
The drifting-by conceptions .
Thus , I can't pretend
"I" as a lasting being .

5.
I sit - realizing
That all feelings come to cease ,
Sad tears come to dry ,
And "self" is ever-changing .
So , I sit - with ease -
Nourished by thoughts flashing by .
==========

BY,

Refer to verse 3 of the "Sit Silently" poem to understand the question I have for Lestrange.

3.
I sit - in silence :
Tending my inner feeling ;
Voiding outer noise ;
Admitting experience .
How can I find joys
If my mind keeps on wishing ?

"Thy will" would like to tend the inner feeling, void outer noise and to admit what is

Some people have "Their will" differently.

As for your referring to verses 4 and 5:

4.
I sit - unshakened ,  (Thy body not I ?)
Tolerating emotions  (Thy will to tolerate, not I ?)
And understanding   (understand by me, not I ?)
The drifting-by conceptions . (conception recognized by me, not I ?)
Thus , I can't pretend (Thy will to pretend or not pretend, not I ?)
"I" as a lasting being . (without the ability to sense to know to recognize "I" as a lasting being or not, is it matter then ?)
 
5.
I sit - realizing
That all feelings come to cease ,
Sad tears come to dry ,
And "self" is ever-changing .
So , I sit - with ease -
Nourished by thoughts flashing by .

(realizing or recognizing is all there is when BY you still have the abilty to KNOW all the things your described, isn't it ?)

I practice Vipassana Insight Meditation or the Four Foundation of Meditation and the Five Aggregates. This practice relies on the Changes or Impermanence to lead to Insight to reality of the existence of "I".  The reality of passing thoughts, no such lasting being, everything perception/understanding/thought/feeling as being temporary. Through this practice, the most and clearest thing one sees throughout the practice is Impermanence, the End of "things".

As a chameleon changing colors (being temporary)
As you, BY, are changing from childhood until now (Changes or Impermanence)
As your emotions roller-coaster through out the years are not who you are (BY)
As seasons change through Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter then Spring,  Summer ...

One has to practice Vipassana Insight Meditation to realize all this, or you just train the subconscious mind to believe something about "I" ?

The Four Foundation of Meditation is namely: kaya (body or breath), vedana (feeling or sensation), citta (mind or consciousness), and dhamma (mind objects) practices by the perception of "I" (not permanently) right, BY ? (If you do not mind to elaborate on this further, thanks.)

When Impermanence is readily understood from moment to moment, the mind sort of stops "fighting or reacting", the number of mind chattering or responding or reacting back the events, people, situation, feeling, etc. reduces with time.  I call the internal world being less reactive as "acceptance".  It's not acceptance but the need to react lessens with the increase of the understanding of Impermanence in everything.

The glass of water get stirred up eventually get to settle down, but the there is still a glass of water (still or in motion).

You are right about it's not acceptance as the glass of water does not accept its condition (still/moving) but the environment whose stirred it up or not.

BY get stirred up by events, people, situation, feeling, etc... and yet autosuggestion that there is "no BY".

Is that how your practice in Vipassana Insight Meditation all about?

As you see, the practice stresses on Impermanence, and it is so from the first moment of learning the practice. If a meditation student misunderstands this bottom line, s/he practices incorrectly. With the correct practice of observing Impermanence, the concept of "I" is demolished or does not exist when s/he meditates. When the practice matures, the clarity of Impermanence is more continuous throughout the day, so the view of "I" can not exist during such time.

Your question is based on the perception of "I", a permanent existence.

Hope that helps.

BY.

Your feeling/realizing are ever-changing, isn't it ? Don't we all.  BY is GiacTanh, Giac Tanh is BY ?  

BY's health/sickness/fortune/unfortunate/money/penniless/happy/sorrow is GiacTanh's health/sickness/fortune/unfortunate/money/penniless/happy/sorrow ?

When the practice matures, the clarity of Impermanence is more continuous throughout the day, so the view of "I" can not exist during such time because you are busy realizing things changing/interacting without the word "I"; but then when you are out of that practice mode: the word "I" is surfaced.

As kids who get so involve into games, they only see games and no kids.

Hope that clarify the question for Lestrange.


GiacTanh

[BY]

Hello GiacTanh,

I guess you understand Vipassana practice with the idea of Big Wheel , which it does not apply at all .  "I" meditate with the ability to feel this body and know this mind . Unlike Anh HL , LeStrange , and cac Nhi , whose practice is the Big Wheel . It is important to differentiate the two techniques and set the right expectation for the results from the practices .

The verses describe the understanding as the meditation progresses. Verse 1 is definitely "I am hurt", "I", "BY" , thus "Thy will".  Verse 6 describes impermance, "things" floating by . Verses 7 and 8 describe how the compassion is developed from the understanding about impermanence of the present moment . This poem is my very first poem written in English while I used a dictionary and books of synonyms . It is my appreciation for Buddha teaching .

I can share with you what I mean for the term I selected , but I do'nt think it is useful in terms of understanding Buddha teaching or practices. We will be discussing what I think vs. what you think vs. what different ways of Buddhism would think , etc .

I like verse 4 with the words "I sit - unshakened" and also "Tolerating emotions". Insight Meditation will present Impermance which links directly with the First Noble Truth, Dukkha, which always occur all the time . The 4 First Noble Truth is the truth that occurs all the time . Verse 4 is my attempt to describe "that", Suffering linking to Changes/Impermanence . It is not hurt or pain , but it is "that". The "unshakened" word describes the status of the body . The "Tolerating emotions" describes "that" (changes, impermanenc, dukkha, all rolled into one). The last 2 lines of verse 4 is my praise to the meditation technique . It is like saying, "Oh, I am so happy that I understood "that"."

Verse 5 is another praise for the Insight Meditation technique . "Things" change and each change can be "I" or not . I don't know how to explain but I will give it a try . < "self" is ever-changing > A thought can be just a thought (Hành uẩn) thus changing or impermanence , and the very thought can be also "I" (I am the thought). Verse 5 is my attempt to describe the understanding through meditation about the clear knowledge of the First Noble Truth (dukkha, impermanence) and the Second Noble Truth (reason for dukkha, the detailed steps that form what I would refer to as "suffering").

The "ability" of knowing is there , and enlightenment or understanding of suffering does not eradicate that ability .

The Four Foundation of Meditation is the "tool", lesson # 1 if you will .

There are two views : changes or impermanence , and permanence . You talk about "childhood" , "emotions roller-coaster through out the years" , "seasons"; these are Permanence, the view that everything lasts at least for some time , and "I" is in everything . This view is a normal (of course) view without practicing to view the Present as it is (changing). 

< BY get stirred up by events, people, situation, feeling, etc... and yet autosuggestion that there is "no BY". >  This is an interesting observation!! Until enlightenment is reached, there is always "BY" attached to everything . Emotion is BY . Talking is BY . Stirred is BY . Feeling is BY . So BY is in everything that occurs from moment to moment .  Through Insight Meditation technique , this auto-linking/auto-labelling everything to BY is known in the Present moment , it is known through Impermance of the Present moment . This auto-linking is an old habit for uncountable lifetimes and this lifetime .

Is that how your practice in Vipassana Insight Meditation all about? Vipassana is the practice to guide me to  see Impermanence in everything I can comprehend in any way .  Did I anser your question ?

< Your feeling/realizing are ever-changing, isn't it ? Don't we all.  BY is GiacTanh, Giac Tanh is BY ?  >   Nope . The Insight Meditation practice is the technique to help one observe him/herself (the 4 foundations, the 5 aggregates, body & mind). If I meditate, I see "things" that this body and mind can comprehend , so there is no GiacTanh in this body and mind . Insight Meditation is the technique to help oneself (tự độ) only . Nothing about "BY = GiacTanh".

< When the practice matures, the clarity of Impermanence is more continuous throughout the day, so the view of "I" can not exist during such time because you are busy realizing things changing/interacting without the word "I"; but then when you are out of that practice mode: the word "I" is surfaced. > .... Before reaching enlightenment , there are times one will definitely feel Permanence , Suffering .  Each time one reaches a level of Sainthood , the nibbana of the sainthood removes the wrong view of I relating to certain things . Before reaching that , "I" just have to meditate and keep things at bay .

I hope my writing is helpful in some way . This discussion is not helpful for me so I will stop explaining further . I guess you can ask Anh HL and he can explain the Big Wheel to you . I don't practice the Big Wheel , and it is a choice I make .

BY .