Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond : A Meditator's Handbook

by Brahm, Ajahn; Kornfield, Jack

• ISBN13: 9780861712755
• ISBN10: 0861712757
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-08-11
• Publisher: Wisdom Publications

Summary

"Better than sex!" That's how Ajahn Brahm describes meditation, and hisnthusiasm is contagious. A self-described meditation junkie, Brahm sharesis recipe for bliss in this practical, energising new book. "Mindfulness,liss and Beyond" is a complete, stem-to-stern guide to the subject, withrecise step-by-step instructions for traversing the stages of practice andvercoming obstacles. Drawing on his working-class roots, Brahm explainsifficult concepts clearly and easily, so that beginners understand them,hile those who already meditate gain new insight. Full of surprises,elightfully goofy humour and entertaining stories that inspire, instruct andlluminate, this meditator's handbook encourages novices and gives a shot inhe arm to more experienced practitioners.

Author Biography

Ajahn Brahmavamso Mahathera (known to most as Ajahn Brahm), born Peter Betts in London in 1951, is a Theravada Buddhist monk. Ajahn Brahm grew up in London and earned a degree in Theoretical Physics from Cambridge University. Disillusioned with the world of academe, he trained as a monk in the jungles of Thailand under Ajahn Chah. A monk for over thirty years, Ajahn Brahm is a revered spiritual guide and the abbot of Bodhinyana Monastery, in Serpentine, Western Australia-one of the largest monasteries in the southern hemisphere. He is also the Spiritual Director of the Buddhist Society of Western Australia, and spiritual adviser and inspiration for Buddhist centers throughout Asia and Australia. His winning combination of wit and wisdom makes his books bestsellers in many languages, and on his teaching tours Brahm regularly draws multinational audiences of thousands.

Jack Kornfield co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, in 1975 and later the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California. He holds a PhD in clinical psychology. His books include After the Ecstasy, the Laundry and the national bestseller A Path with Heart.
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Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
Abbreviations	xi
Introduction: The Big Picture	1	(6)
Meditation and its goal. How to use this book
Part 1: The Happiness of Meditation
1. The Basic Method of Meditation I	7	(12)
A solid foundation using the first four stages of meditation
2. The Basic Method of Meditation II	19	(10)
Three advanced stages of meditation, in which the breath becomes beautiful
3. The Hindrances to Meditation I	29	(10)
The first two of the five hindrances standing between us and deeper states of meditation—sensory desire and ill will
4. The Hindrances to Meditation II	39	(14)
The remaining three hindrances—sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, and doubt
5. The Quality of Mindfulness	53	(12)
Mindfulness, the gatekeeper, and how we can succeed in meditation
6. Using Variety to Freshen Up Our Meditation	65	(16)
Meditations that entertain the mind, relieve boredom, and create joy
7. The Beautiful Breath	81	(22)
Gaining deep states of meditation—the jhanas-and the insights of enlightenment
8. The Four Focuses of Mindfulness	103	(24)
Using the focuses of mindfulness to arrive at the jewel in the heart of the lotus
Part 2: To Bliss and Beyond
9. The Jhanas I: Bliss	127	(10)
The "beautiful breath" that begins the journey
10. The Jhanas II: Bliss upon Bliss	137	(16)
Nimittas, the doorway to the jhanas
11. The Jhanas III: Bliss upon Bliss upon Bliss	153	(20)
How to enter a jhdna, and what it is like inside
12. The Nature of Deep Insight	173	(12)
What keeps us from seeing things as they truly are
How a mind empowered by deep meditation discovers truth
13. The Deep Insight That Liberates	185	(26)
Deep insights that change everything and lead us to the experience of enlightenment
14. Enlightenment: Entering the Stream	211	(20)
What nibbana (enlightenment) is, and the first experience of nibbana—stream winning
15. Onward to Full Enlightenment	231	(24)
The four stages of enlightenment, and how to tell if someone is enlightened
Conclusion: Letting Go to the End	255	(18)
The importance of letting go, the attachments or hurdles we may encounter, and how to develop peace and happiness in our busy lives
Notes	273	(4)
Bibliography	277	(4)
Index	281