The inner sound carries on in the background, reminding us that everything is Dhamma, that everything is coming and going, changing. It helps us sustain an objective, unattached, unentangled participation in the present, amid the feeling of the weight of our body and the flow of our moods, whether they be tiredness, doubt, understanding, or inspiration. If something is formed, if it’s a “thing,” there is a quality of dukkha in its very impermanence, in its very “thing-ness.” The sound’s presence can support the ease with which we see every sankhara as empty and ownerless-whether it’s a physical sensation, a visual object, a taste or smell, or a refined state of happiness. Listening to the inner sound helps you recollect that all mental formations, or sankharas, are unsatisfactory. The inner sound’s presence in the background helps remind you that “this is just a movie this is not reality.” It’s like watching a movie: if you pay attention, you are aware that there’s a screen on which light is being projected. ![]() It doesn’t confuse or interfere with other objects that are arising. And because of its plainness, uniformity, and steadiness, it’s a very good screen. It then becomes like a screen on which all other sounds, physical sensations, moods, and ideas are projected. If you focus on the inner sound for a length of time sufficient to bring stability, in which your mind is resting easily in the present, you can allow the sound to fall into the background. Very consciously, you leave everything else-the feelings in your body, the noises you hear, the thoughts that arise-on the periphery, allowing the inner sound to completely fill the focus of your attention. ![]() You can use the inner sound just as you would use the breath to directly support the establishment of samatha, making it the primary object of attention and letting it fill the whole space of your present experience. Using the broad-focus beam of the same adjustable flashlight, all the various aspects of the present-not just a single, brightly lit spot-are encompassed in the light of awareness. The second way, the basis of vipassana, can be described as “the point that includes.” The one-pointedness expands into an awareness that makes the whole experience of the present moment the object of meditation. The first, which is the basis of samatha, can be thought of as “the point that excludes.” It’s like using the spot-focus beam of an adjustable flashlight to lock onto a single object and block out everything else. And this singleness of focus, or one-pointedness, can function in two distinct ways. ![]() Samadhi can be described as the fixing of the mind on a single object for a period of time. One of the great virtues of meditating on the inner sound is that it easily supports both aspects of samadhi (meditative concentration): samatha (“shamatha” in Sanskrit, meaning calmness or tranquillity) and vipassana (insight). In these cases, inner listening is unlikely to be helpful as a meditation practice, since the subjective intensity of the sound makes it less useful as an object to encourage peace and clarity. In a small number of people, the inner sound is oppressively loud, usually for an organic reason. Just bring your attention to the inner sound and allow it to fill the whole sphere of your awareness. If you’re able to hear this inner sound, you can use the simple act of listening to it as another form of meditation practice, in the same way one uses the breath as an object of awareness. There’s no need to theorize about this inner vibration in an effort to figure out exactly what it might be. It is a sound that is beginningless and endless. If you listen carefully to the sounds around you, you’re likely to hear a continuous, high-pitched inner sound like white noise in the background. To detect the nada sound, turn your attention toward your hearing. (Interestingly, nada is also the Spanish word for “nothing.”) Nada is the Sanskrit word for “sound,” and nada yoga means meditating on the inner sound, also referred to as the sound of silence. Ajahn Amaro explains how to practice nada yoga and why this simple act of listening to inner sound can help you realize emptiness.Īlong with the more well-known methods designed to help practitioners of Buddhist meditation ground their attention in the present moment- such as focusing on the rhythm of the breath, paying attention to the feeling of footsteps, or internally repeating a mantra-is a less familiar method known as nada yoga.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |