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Echoes of Lineage - a common experience

People find their way to a meditation practice or “spiritual path”  (spiritus means breathing in Latin) in as many ways as there are seekers.

For the Buddha, the realisation that birth inevitably brings unsatisfactoriness, unease, stress, pain, illness, old age and death motivated his search for freedom from these conditions.

For some there are particular pleasant or unusual experiences in life - as a child, teenager, adult or in older age - that evoke the need to do something about their condition.

For others a shock, or feeling that something is missing, something needs to be done: a sense that, surely there is more to life than this!

It’s as if one senses Echoes resounding from truths understood deep within one’s being - the realisation that, "Yes, there is a Way!”  - "There must be authentic Lineages of practice to be found in the world!”  -  Echoes of Lineage...

Such experiences can give rise to a resolve to do something about it. In the Buddhist tradition such experiences can give rise to “saṃvega" - a heart-felt sense of stirring, a sense of shock, dismay, or awakening that may come with experiencing something of the futility or instability of life along with a “turning around” in one’s being that prompts action - an  adhiṭṭhāna - a deeply felt wish or determination to do something about it!

The Echoes of Lineage website offers contributions from more that 50 meditators sharing moments of experience that led them onward to find and develop meditation in an authentic practice lineage in response to experiences like these.

This site is about meditators’ experience in coming to Samatha Meditation. A traditional Buddhist path from calm (samatha) to insight (Vipassanā)  followed by the Buddha himself: a central tradition of Buddhist meditation. Samatha breathing mindfulness meditation is based on attention to the breath, a subject which is said to be suitable for all types of people.

Living lineages can be found many religious traditions - Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim etc. - as well as in goups working with Gurdjieffian, Kabbalistic or Western esoteric paths.

The trick is to find an authentic path that works for you and stay with it.

How the site is organised

The contributions are arranged in seven sections, each corresponding to one of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment.

1satimonday

Awareness, or Mindfulness - Sati in Pali, the language in which the earliest teachings of the Buddha are written and remembered.

Mindfulness is associated with the posture, or mudra above, the Abhaya mudra. Try it out, what's the effect?

The gesture was used by the Buddha to calm an attacking elephant.

If you were born between dawn on a Monday and dawn on a Tuesday Sati, Mindfulness is said to be your special factor in the Thai tradition - perhaps you have something of it already, or perhaps you need to develop it!

1dhammavicayatuesday

Searching, or Investigation of Realities - Dhammavicaya in Pali, the language in which the earliest teachings of the Buddha are written and remembered.

Investigation is associated with the posture, or mudra above. It’s known as the sleeping lion posture in the Tibetan tradition. Subtly different from the posture in which the Buddha passed away which has one foot turned downward. Try it out, what's the effect?

The gesture was used by the Buddha to make himself bigger than the evil Asura Rahu (a “demon” who swallows the sun, thereby causing an eclipse). The Buddha took up a reclining position so as to lower the pride of Asura Rahu. Seeing the sheer magnitude of Buddha in this relaxed position led to Asura Rahu succumbing to the Buddha and accepting his teachings.

If you were born between dawn a Tuesday and dawn on a Wednesday Dhammavicaya, Investigation is said to be your special factor in the Thai tradition - perhaps you have something of it already, or perhaps you need to develop it!

Persiting or skilful effort - Viriya in Pali, the language in which the earliest teachings of the Buddha are written and remembered.

Viriya, right effort has 2 postures - one from dawn to dusk on a Wednesday and one for dusk on a Wednesday to dawn on Thursday.

Maybe this has something to do with the 2 and 4 fold qualities of right effort:

And what is right effort?
Here a meditator, skilfully uses their efforts to prevent the arising of unwholesome mental states that are not yet arisen.
a meditator, skilfully uses their efforts to end unwholesome mental states that have arisen.
a meditator, skilfully uses their efforts to encourage the arising of wholesome mental states that are not yet arisen.
a meditator, skilfully uses their efforts to maintain and develop wholesome mental states that have arisen.
This is called right effort.


1virya1weds

Right effort is associated with the posture, or mudra abovebetween from dawn and dusk on a Wednesday  Try it out, what's the effect?

The gesture was used by the Buddha when being offered dāna - gifts of food. His father was appalled that his son, now a Buddha, was “begging” for food. The Buddha calmed his father, explaining that Buddhas perform ‘Pindabat’ - walking out on alms round - to be available to followers who devotedly bring food and thereby accrue wholesome qualities through their generosity.

If you were born between dawn a Wednesday and dusk on a Wednesday Viriya, right effort is said to be your special factor in the Thai tradition - perhaps you have something of it already, or perhaps you need to develop it!

1viriya2weds

Right effort is associated with the posture, or mudra above between dusk on a Wednesday and dawn on Thursday Try it out, what's the effect?

The gesture was used by the Buddha when being offered dāna - gifts of food.commemorates the service and sustenance provided by animals to the Buddha during his 10th rains retreat at Parileyya Forest. According to legend, during his retreat a monkey brought a honeycomb for the Buddha to eat, while an elephant brought fruit and protected the Buddha from fierce animals. Buddha spent the rain retreat on his own in the Parileyya (Palelai) forest because the monks of Kosambi  had split into two groups and were not in harmony.

If you were born between dawn a Wednesday and dusk on a Wednesday Viriya, right effort is said to be your special factor in the Thai tradition - perhaps you have something of it already, or perhaps you need to develop it!

1pitithurs

Energisation - Pīti in Pali, the language in which the earliest teachings of the Buddha are written and remembered.

Energisation, or pleasant bodily feeling is associated with the posture, or mudra above. The Buddha sits upright, with legs crossed, the meditation posture  described in the Sutta on Breathing Mindfulness Meditation. The hands rest in the lap, right above left with palms upward. After recalling the pleasant feeling (pīti) of the first jhana - a deeply pleasant place of balanced mindfulness and concentration - which he experienced as a boy. The buddha decided to develop and refine that pleasant feeling, balancing mindfulness and concentration through the rupa and arupa jhanas to knowledge of the 4 noble  truths and nibbāna.

If you were born between dawn a Thursday and dawn on a Friday Energisation, joy, or pleasant bodily feeling is said to be your special factor in the Thai tradition - perhaps you have something of it already, or perhaps you need to develop it!

1passadhifri

Stilling or Tranquilisation - Passaddhi in Pali, the language in which the earliest teachings of the Buddha are written and remembered.

Stilling or Tranquilisation is associated with the posture, or mudra above, the Abhaya mudra. Try it out, what's the effect?

Hands are crossed over the chest, right hand in front of the left. The Buddha stands before the Bodhi Tree, pondering how he can explain the path to freedon and understanding of the 4 noble truths to others.

If you were born between dawn on  Friday and dawn on a Saturday Passaddhi, Stilling or Tranquilisation is said to be your special factor in the Thai tradition - perhaps you have something of it already, or perhaps you need to develop it!

1samadhisat

Absorption or Concentration - Samādhi in Pali, the language in which the earliest teachings of the Buddha are written and remembered.

Absorption or Concentration is associated with the posture, or mudra above, the Buddha protected by the Nāga King Mucalinda. Try it out, sit and visualise yourself protected by a great Nāga king! what's the effect?

In the 6th week following his enlightenment the Mucalinda Sutta describes the naga king protecting the Buddha from the elements by encircling Buddha's body seven times with his coils and standing with his hood spread above him. After Buddha finished meditating and the sky cleared, Mucalinda adopted the form of a youth and bowed before him.

At the end of 7 days, when the storm abated, the Buddha said these words:
"Happy are they who are contented. Happiness is for those who hear and know the truth. Happy are they who have good will in this world towards all sentient beings. Happy are they who have no attachments and have passed beyond sense-desires. The disappearance of the word "I AM " is indeed the highest happiness."

If you were born between dawn on  Saturday and dawn on a Sunday Passaddhi, Stilling or Tranquilisation is said to be your special factor in the Thai tradition - perhaps you have something of it already, or perhaps you need to develop it!

1upekkhasun

Balance or Equanimity - Upekkhā in Pali, the language in which the earliest teachings of the Buddha are written and remembered.

Balance or Equanimity is associated with the posture, or mudra above,  Try it out, what's the effect?

The gesture was taken up by the Buddha during the second week after his enlightenment as he contemplates NIbbāna and in thanks and gratitude to the Bodhi tree that sheltered him. The Buddha stands gazing unblinking as he meditated on the Bodhi Tree.

If you were born between dawn on  Sunday and dawn on a Monday Upekkhā, Balance or Equanimity is said to be your special factor in the Thai tradition - perhaps you have something of it already, or perhaps you need to develop it!

Bojjhaṅgaparitta audio file

Bojjhaṅgaparitta

Bojjhaṅgo sati-saṅkhāto
Viriyam pīti passaddhi
Samādh’upekkha-bojjhaṅgā
Muninā sammad-akkhātā
Saṃvattanti abhiññāya
Etena sacca-vajjena

Ekasmiṃ samaye nātho
Gilāne dukkhite disvā
Te ca taṃ abhinanditvā
Etena sacca-vajjena

Ekadā dhamma-rājā pi
Cunda-ttherena taññeva
Sammoditvā ca ābādhā
Etena sacca-vajjena

Pahīnā te ca ābādhā
Maggāhata-kilesā va
Etena sacca-vajjena

dhammānaṃ vicayo tathā
bojjhaṅgā ca tathāpare
satt’ ete sabba-dassinā
bhāvitā bahulī-katā
nibbānāya ca bodhiyā.
sotthi te hotu sabbadā.

Moggallānañ ca Kassapaṃ
bojjhaṅge satta desayi
rogā mucciṃsu taṅ-khaṇe.
sotthi te hotu sabbadā.

gelaññenābhipīḷito
bhaṇāpetvāna sādaraṃ
tamhā vuṭṭhāsi ṭhānaso.
sotthi te hotu sabbadā.

tiṇṇannam pi mahesinaṃ
pattānuppatti-dhammataṃ.
sotthi te hotu sabbadā.

Bojjhaṅgaparitta

The Enlightenment factor called mindfulness, investigation of dhammas too, and the Enlightenment factors vigour, joy and tranquillity, also the two remaining Enlightenment factors of concentration and equanimity — these seven were taught perfectly by the all-seeing Sage and, when developed and frequently practised, bring about higher knowledge, Nibbāna and Enlightenment — by the speaking of this truth, may you ever have safety.

On one occasion, when the Lord saw that Moggallāna and Kassapa were ill and in pain, he taught to them the seven Enlightenment factors. They felt delight in that and were at that moment freed from their sickness — by the speaking of this truth, may you ever have safety.

Once when the King of Dhamma himself was afflicted by an illness he got the Elder Cunda to chant the same seven factors with devotion. He rejoiced and immediately arose from that disease — by the speaking of this truth, may you ever have safety.

Those diseases were abandoned by those three Great Sages, just as defilements destroyed by the Path can arise no more — by the speaking of this truth, may you ever have safety.