Wholesome/ Unwholesome & Skillful/ Unskillful
Wholesome/ unwholesome & skillful/ Unskillful:
Unwholesome & Unskillful habits and and decisions create dukkha by facilitating ignorance toward "reality" and it's conditions.
Wholesome & Skillful habits and decisions develop through recognition of conditions and dukkha in life and concept such as ICA, anicca, and anatta. These habits end dukkha (suffering and dissatisfaction) through ending it.
These habits will lead to Nirvana.
Feldman, Jay. "Buddhism" University of Idaho, 2013.
My Definition:
Wholesome & skillful habits develop through a recognition of conditions and an understanding of dukkha. These habits develop through attention to "what is" in life and eventually faciliate the end of dukkha. Wholesome and skillful habits can be understood on a basic level as "healthy" or "good" habits.
Unwholesome & Unskillful habits create dukkha by facilitating ignorance toward what "really is" in the world and through the creation of stories and illusions. These habits can be understood simply as "unhealthy" or "bad" habits in a western sense. Unwholesome and Unskillful habits lead to dukkha and suffering.
My Journal:
Unskillful and unwholesome habits lead to dukkha in life through lack of recognition of conditions which leads to a denial of the "way things are." However, these habits are often valued by Western Society and are cultivated in the individual through a series of conditions. Habits such as grasping (for example good grades, skinny body etc... ) that lead to attachment often have social benefit. It is difficult for the individual cultivated in these conditions to recognize that these habits cause dukkha as they receive positive feedback from society. It is necessary to use self-reflection and attention to recognize the dukkha as it occurs in life in order to understand and rectify it.
Recently, I have noticed that wholesome and skillful habits are developed in my life through experience with poor outcomes of unskillful or unwholesome habits. For example, I now pay attention to the conditions which create a negative outlook toward my physical body because of my experiences in anorexia that cause dukkha and suffering in my life. I need to use this experience to better understand conditions which cause dukkha and create habits of attention and patience.
Wholesome vs Unwholesome and Skillful vs Unskillful definitions create duality in the mindset of a Western practitioner. In actuality, many of habits fall under both categories and the conditions determine whether or not they create dukkha. It is up to the individual to recognize which habits cause dukkha in their life and eradicate them through better attention and decisions. For example, fulfilling the desire to eat ice cream can make a person fat - recognizing this unwholesome habit allows the individual the chance to acknowledge the condition and recognize the conditions which influenced its creation. Thus, the individual can create habits of attention and self-restraint to avoid becoming fat and experiencing dukkha.
The attainment of awakening or Nirvana is due to the development of wholesome and skillful habits. These habits do not mean there there are no flaws in the individual but rather that the individual recognizes these flaws before they create dukkha in his or her life. With Nirvana wholesome and skillful habits and decisions become the hallmark for the personality or sense of self, yet they are not necessarily conscious creations but rather the solution to recognized problems.
In experience, habits can be both wholesome and unwholesome in regards to the outcome they produce. For example, if I choose to avoid eating fatty foods, I develop wholesome habits of diet that will help keep me healthy. However, if I choose to avoid eating fatty foods because of a fear of becoming fat- I prolong that fear and encourage delusions and discomfort (dukkha) in my life. Thus, this "wholesome" habit becomes "unwholesome." With this, individuals recognize the importance of choosing the "Middle Way" in all decisions and paying attention to the moment as it occurs. Unless I pay attention to the moment, it is likely I will look beyond this dual condition and merely see the "good" or "bad" aspects of it- giving me an unclear view of reality.
Today, I recognized an unskillful habit that I have developed in the speech of another person. This individual, a friend from band, has an unskillful habit of worrying allowed to individuals near her. Though she does not mean it badly, she is merely looking for sympathy, she causes dukkha for herself and others by strengthening her fear of failure by vocalizing it- other individuals also become annoyed and develop unskillful habits such as a lack of patience towards her. By being aware of this moment, I was able to recognize an unskillful habit I possess (verbally vocalizing my worries) as well as a skillful habit I posses- patience toward other individuals.
For me, I believe that Zen Buddhism or a form of Theravadin Buddhism is the most skillful and wholesome practice for me to use while approaching buddhism as a practice. Though I enjoy some of the theories of Vajaryana Buddhism, I feel uncomfortable applying it to my own metaphysical beliefs.This discomfort causes urges to "throw away" Buddhism in order to return to my native family beliefs- this is an unskillful habit of "abandoning" things that make me uncomfortable. However, I simultaneously need to recognize that Buddhist beliefs are only valuable so long as they help me as an individual and as a member of creation to attain awakening for myself and others. Recognizing that I am able to "do without" certain beliefs in Buddhism without being untrue to its core nature allows me a freedom that I had not expected in the practice- this recognition allows for "skillful" beliefs and practices that allow me to continue my practice without religiously suffering.
Tonight at the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Concert, Macklemore performed "Same Love." While listening and enjoying the music, I found myself uncomfortable at the religious and political insinuations of the song in the very crowded area due to possible problems in between individuals. This discomfort made me feel ashamed before I realized that it was not something that I could have helped in the moment- I am a very cautious individual in crowds and I attempt to avoid conflict. This recognition of conditions allowed me to step back and take blame away from myself as an individual; I no longer felt ashamed for my discomfort of the crowd. From this, I believe Buddhism has been a skillful practice for me as I am able to now recognize the blame that was causing me dukkha, as merely a result of conditions. I am less critical of myself and more aware of my actions- thus creating a more objective reality.
Unwholesome & Unskillful habits and and decisions create dukkha by facilitating ignorance toward "reality" and it's conditions.
Wholesome & Skillful habits and decisions develop through recognition of conditions and dukkha in life and concept such as ICA, anicca, and anatta. These habits end dukkha (suffering and dissatisfaction) through ending it.
These habits will lead to Nirvana.
Feldman, Jay. "Buddhism" University of Idaho, 2013.
My Definition:
- Jan 26, 2013:
Wholesome & skillful habits develop through a recognition of conditions and an understanding of dukkha. These habits develop through attention to "what is" in life and eventually faciliate the end of dukkha. Wholesome and skillful habits can be understood on a basic level as "healthy" or "good" habits.
Unwholesome & Unskillful habits create dukkha by facilitating ignorance toward what "really is" in the world and through the creation of stories and illusions. These habits can be understood simply as "unhealthy" or "bad" habits in a western sense. Unwholesome and Unskillful habits lead to dukkha and suffering.
- March 10, 2013:
My Journal:
- Jan 26, 2013:
Unskillful and unwholesome habits lead to dukkha in life through lack of recognition of conditions which leads to a denial of the "way things are." However, these habits are often valued by Western Society and are cultivated in the individual through a series of conditions. Habits such as grasping (for example good grades, skinny body etc... ) that lead to attachment often have social benefit. It is difficult for the individual cultivated in these conditions to recognize that these habits cause dukkha as they receive positive feedback from society. It is necessary to use self-reflection and attention to recognize the dukkha as it occurs in life in order to understand and rectify it.
- Feb 7, 2013:
Recently, I have noticed that wholesome and skillful habits are developed in my life through experience with poor outcomes of unskillful or unwholesome habits. For example, I now pay attention to the conditions which create a negative outlook toward my physical body because of my experiences in anorexia that cause dukkha and suffering in my life. I need to use this experience to better understand conditions which cause dukkha and create habits of attention and patience.
- Feb 16, 2013:
Wholesome vs Unwholesome and Skillful vs Unskillful definitions create duality in the mindset of a Western practitioner. In actuality, many of habits fall under both categories and the conditions determine whether or not they create dukkha. It is up to the individual to recognize which habits cause dukkha in their life and eradicate them through better attention and decisions. For example, fulfilling the desire to eat ice cream can make a person fat - recognizing this unwholesome habit allows the individual the chance to acknowledge the condition and recognize the conditions which influenced its creation. Thus, the individual can create habits of attention and self-restraint to avoid becoming fat and experiencing dukkha.
- Mar 3, 2013:
The attainment of awakening or Nirvana is due to the development of wholesome and skillful habits. These habits do not mean there there are no flaws in the individual but rather that the individual recognizes these flaws before they create dukkha in his or her life. With Nirvana wholesome and skillful habits and decisions become the hallmark for the personality or sense of self, yet they are not necessarily conscious creations but rather the solution to recognized problems.
- March 14, 2013:
In experience, habits can be both wholesome and unwholesome in regards to the outcome they produce. For example, if I choose to avoid eating fatty foods, I develop wholesome habits of diet that will help keep me healthy. However, if I choose to avoid eating fatty foods because of a fear of becoming fat- I prolong that fear and encourage delusions and discomfort (dukkha) in my life. Thus, this "wholesome" habit becomes "unwholesome." With this, individuals recognize the importance of choosing the "Middle Way" in all decisions and paying attention to the moment as it occurs. Unless I pay attention to the moment, it is likely I will look beyond this dual condition and merely see the "good" or "bad" aspects of it- giving me an unclear view of reality.
- March 28, 2013:
Today, I recognized an unskillful habit that I have developed in the speech of another person. This individual, a friend from band, has an unskillful habit of worrying allowed to individuals near her. Though she does not mean it badly, she is merely looking for sympathy, she causes dukkha for herself and others by strengthening her fear of failure by vocalizing it- other individuals also become annoyed and develop unskillful habits such as a lack of patience towards her. By being aware of this moment, I was able to recognize an unskillful habit I possess (verbally vocalizing my worries) as well as a skillful habit I posses- patience toward other individuals.
- April 25, 2013:
For me, I believe that Zen Buddhism or a form of Theravadin Buddhism is the most skillful and wholesome practice for me to use while approaching buddhism as a practice. Though I enjoy some of the theories of Vajaryana Buddhism, I feel uncomfortable applying it to my own metaphysical beliefs.This discomfort causes urges to "throw away" Buddhism in order to return to my native family beliefs- this is an unskillful habit of "abandoning" things that make me uncomfortable. However, I simultaneously need to recognize that Buddhist beliefs are only valuable so long as they help me as an individual and as a member of creation to attain awakening for myself and others. Recognizing that I am able to "do without" certain beliefs in Buddhism without being untrue to its core nature allows me a freedom that I had not expected in the practice- this recognition allows for "skillful" beliefs and practices that allow me to continue my practice without religiously suffering.
- May 3, 2013:
Tonight at the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Concert, Macklemore performed "Same Love." While listening and enjoying the music, I found myself uncomfortable at the religious and political insinuations of the song in the very crowded area due to possible problems in between individuals. This discomfort made me feel ashamed before I realized that it was not something that I could have helped in the moment- I am a very cautious individual in crowds and I attempt to avoid conflict. This recognition of conditions allowed me to step back and take blame away from myself as an individual; I no longer felt ashamed for my discomfort of the crowd. From this, I believe Buddhism has been a skillful practice for me as I am able to now recognize the blame that was causing me dukkha, as merely a result of conditions. I am less critical of myself and more aware of my actions- thus creating a more objective reality.
Wisdom/ Insight
Wisdom/ Insight:paññá: 'understanding, knowledge, wisdom, insight', comprises a very wide field. The specific Buddhist knowledge or wisdom, however, as part of the Noble Eightfold Path (magga, q.v.) to deliverance, is insight (vipassaná, q.v.), i.e. that intuitive knowledge which brings about the 4 stages of holiness and the realization of Nibbána (s. ariyapuggala), and which consists in the penetration of the impermanency (anicca, q.v.), misery (dukkha, s. sacca) and impersonality (anattá) of all forms of existence.
Urbandharma.org
My Definition:
Wisdom/ Insight: Characteristic of the awakened mind along with compassion. Recognition of "What is" in life and the conditions and causations that create it. This is combined with the development of skillful habits and behaviors to understand and end dukkha.
Penetration into the true nature of reality.
Urbandharma.org
My Definition:
Wisdom/ Insight: Characteristic of the awakened mind along with compassion. Recognition of "What is" in life and the conditions and causations that create it. This is combined with the development of skillful habits and behaviors to understand and end dukkha.
Penetration into the true nature of reality.