STAGE II: CULTIVATION OF GOOD THOUGHTS
PRACTISING PENETRATIVE AWARENESS
General ‑ Personal
This is to apply the Harmonious Perspective in detail on everything we have personalized.
1. I am subject to aging. I have not transcended aging.2. I am subject to disease. I have not transcended disease.
3. I am subject to death. I have not transcended death.
All that is near and dear to me is subject to change and separation. When these things are changing and separating all that is left is my emotional state (kamma). My emotional state makes me unhappy. By depending on changing external conditions for happiness I experience sorrow and unhappiness. While not depending on these external conditions for my happiness, I cultivate dispassion, compassion, happiness and tranquillity, I gain true happiness. Pleasure is stimulation of the senses. Happiness is a state of mind free from selfish emotions.
Specific ‑ Personal
1. My job is dependent on conditions,
Because it is dependent on conditions, it is unstable,
Because it is unstable, it is uncomfortable,
Because it is uncomfortable, it is not under my control,
Because it is not under my control, it is not mine,
Because it is not mine, it is not my “self”, nor a part of my “self”.
2. My social status is dependent on conditions,
Because it is dependent on conditions, it is unstable,
Because it is unstable, it is uncomfortable,
Because it is uncomfortable, it is not under my control,
Because it is not under my control, it is not mine,
Because it is not mine, it is not my “self”, or a part of my “self”.
3. My wealth (bank account, house, car and other properties) is dependent on conditions,
Because it is dependent on conditions, it is unstable,
Because it is unstable, it is uncomfortable,
Because it is uncomfortable, it is not under my control,
Because it is not under my control, it is not mine,
Because it is not mine, it is not my “self”, or a part of my “self”.
4. My family members (parents, spouse, children and other relatives) are dependent on conditions,
Because they are dependent on conditions, they are unstable,
Because they are unstable, they are uncomfortable,
Because they are uncomfortable, they are not under my control,
Because they are not under my control, they are not mine,
Because they are not mine, they are not my “self”, or a part of my “self”.
5. My friends and associates are dependent on conditions,
Because they are dependent on conditions, they are unstable,
Because they are unstable, they are uncomfortable,
Because they are uncomfortable, they are not under my control,
Because they are not under my control, they are not mine,
Because they are not mine, they are not my “self”, nor a part of my “self”.
6. My self (body, sensations, emotions, and thoughts) is dependent on conditions,
Because it is dependent on conditions, it is unstable,
Because it is unstable, it is uncomfortable,
Because it is uncomfortable, it is not under my control,
Because it is not under my control, it is not mine,
Because it is not mine, it is not my “self”, or a part of my “self”.
General ‑ Personal
1. I am subject to aging. I am not free from aging.
2. I am subject to disease. I am not free from disease.
3. I am subject to death. I am not free from death.
All that is desirable and pleasant to me will change and separate from me. Therefore, there is nothing to desire or personalize. All that is left for me is my emotional state. This emotional state is my kamma. My kamma is the emotions I live with. It is this kamma that gives me happiness or unhappiness. It is due to these emotions that I will be reborn. Therefore, I will not hold onto things that are unstable (what is subject to old age, disease and death). My only purpose in life therefore is to purify my thoughts. Kamma is my only inheritance. I am born of kamma. My friends, relatives, parents are also kamma. My only refuge is my kamma. Whatever I do, whether good or bad, it becomes my inheritance. This is the way of life, not only for me, but for all beings.
(This last thought should lead to dispassion within oneself, as well as compassion for all beings. This also leads to the loss of self-consciousness, which results in the disappearance of unhappiness and calmness of mind)
Specific ‑ Universal
1. For all human beings, their jobs are dependent on conditions,
Because they are dependent on conditions, they are unstable,
Because they are unstable, they are uncomfortable,
Because they are uncomfortable, they are not under their control,
Because they are not under their control, they are not theirs
Because they are not theirs, they are not themselves or parts of themselves.
2. For all human beings, their social status is dependent on conditions,
Because it is dependent on conditions, it is unstable,
Because it is unstable, it is uncomfortable,
Because it is uncomfortable, it is not under their control,
Because it is not under their control, it is not theirs,
Because it is not theirs, it is not themselves or a part of themselves.
3. For all human beings, their wealth (bank account, house, car and other properties) is dependent on conditions,
Because it is dependent on conditions, it is unstable,
Because it is unstable, it is uncomfortable,
Because it is uncomfortable, it is not under their control,
Because it is not under their control, it is not theirs,
Because it is not theirs, it is not themselves or a part of themselves.
4. For all human beings, their family members (parents, spouse, children, and other relatives) are dependent on conditions,
Because they are dependent on conditions, they are unstable,
Because they are unstable, they are uncomfortable,
Because they are uncomfortable, they are not under their control,
Because they are not under their control, they are not theirs,
Because they are not theirs, they are not themselves or parts of themselves.
5. For all human beings, their friends and associates are dependent on conditions,
Because they are dependent on conditions, they are unstable,
Because they are unstable, they are uncomfortable,
Because they are uncomfortable, they are not under their control,
Because they are not under their control, they are not theirs,
Because they are not theirs, they are not themselves or parts of themselves.
6. For all beings, their selves (bodies, sensations, emotions, and thoughts) are dependent on conditions,
Because they are dependent on conditions, they are unstable,
Because they are unstable, they are uncomfortable,
Because they are uncomfortable, they are not under their control,
Because they are not under their control, they are not theirs,
Because they are not theirs, they are not themselves or parts of themselves.
General ‑ Universal
1. All beings are subject to aging. All beings are not free from aging.
2. All beings are subject to disease. All beings are not free from disease.
3. All beings are subject to death. All beings are not free from death.
All that is near and dear to them are subject to change and separation. When these things are changing and separating all that is left is the emotional state (kamma). This emotional state makes them unhappy. By depending on these changing conditions for happiness, they experience sorrow and unhappiness. While not depending on these external conditions for their happiness, they cultivate dispassion, compassion, happiness and tranquillity. This brings them true happiness.
Gain and loss, fame and notoriety, praise and blame, pleasure and pain are all unstable, and changing, vicissitudes of life. Changes come in the form of:Gain or loss (laba, alaba)
Social status or loss of social status (yasa, ayasa)
Praise or blame (pasansa, ninda)
Pleasure or pain (sukha, dukkha)
May my mind be unshaken by these vicissitudes of life. May the minds of all beings be unshaken by these vicissitudes. May all beings be well and happy!
(Note: Try to maintain the above thoughts in your mind constantly, by repeating them regularly)