Upload
others
View
5
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The real problem with
DistractionIt keeps you from enlightenment
shambhala sunB u d d h i s m c u lt u r e m e d i tat i o n l i f e m ay 2 0 1 4
G e o r G e S a u n d e r S o n K I n d n e S S • T h e W a y o f f r e e r u n n I n G • G o I n G f u l l S u p e r m a n
Judy lIef, ThIch nhaT hanh, Sharon SalzberG and John TarranT offer buddhism’s deeper take on a modern obsession
the dharma of
distractionIt goes a lot deeper than how many times
a day you check your phone. According to
Buddhist teacher Judy Lief , distraction
is the very foundation of ego, the way we
protect ourselves against both the pain of life
and the open space of awakened mind. You
could even say that letting go of all distraction
is the path to enlightenment.
43SHAMBHALA SUN MAy 2014
distractions are everywhere, all the time. Little screens, middling
screens, gigantic screens. Instead of Plato’s cave, we each create our own little cave and live in a
world of flickering images devoid of real substance. We literally screen off our actual world, with all
its ruggedness and rawness, and fit whatever is happening into a virtual world of sound, pictures,
and videos we carry in our pockets.
We are so easily distracted, we complain to ourselves. But what is really behind all this distractedness? It is easy to
think the relentless external stimuli are the problem, but what we are surrounded by are just phenomena, nothing more.
The objects of our world are just there, innocently, just being what they are. Noises are just noises, sights are just sights,
objects are just objects, smartphones are just smartphones, computers are just computers, thoughts are just thoughts.
That is why the Buddhist teachings talk more in terms of
wandering mind than distractions. When we think in terms of
distractions, we look outward and blame external conditions for
our jumpiness. When we think in terms of wandering mind, we
look inward for the source of our problem. We take responsibility.
Monkey Mind
The fact is that distractions won’t ever disappear. You may run
away to a little cave and stay there all alone, but distractions
will follow you wherever you go. You can’t get rid of distrac-
tions, but through meditation practice, you can change how
you react to them. It is like the story of Odysseus and the
Sirens, who enticed seamen off their course and onto the reef
to their deaths. To survive, Odysseus had himself tied to the
mast and told his crew to seal their ears.
Like the sirens, distractions pull us off course. The word “dis-
traction” means to be pulled away. When you are distracted, it
feels as if something outside of you has captured your attention.
Distraction is also referred to as desultoriness, from the Latin root
meaning “skipping around.” So another aspect of distraction is to
be scatterbrained, mentally jumpy. Buddhism calls this “monkey
mind.” In response, like Odysseus, we can bind ourselves to the
mast of discipline by means of mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness meditation, also known as calm abiding,
helps us develop a more calm and stable mind. It gives us
greater focus and concentration and is an effective way of
overcoming ordinary distractedness. However, in terms of
the spiritual path, this pragmatic application of meditation
practice is only a start.
It is important to realize that in the buddhadharma, the
point of working with your distractedness or wandering
mind is not just to be more focused on whatever you are
doing. Although that is extremely useful, it is only the first
step. Getting a better handle on your mind so you are not
tossed about by distractedness is just a palliative measure.
Basically, we tend to like spiritual practices that are not
too threatening, practices that confirm what we are doing
and help us do it better. Instead of looking into our fun-
damental being, we prefer to relate to meditation as a self-
improvement exercise, like going to the gym and working
out. We can then bask in the satisfaction of becoming more
mentally and physically fit. This is great, but it does not
come close to addressing the depths of what distraction is
really about.
When distractions come up we can deal with them, but
we need to look deeper. What really fuels our distractedness?
What is behind this ongoing restlessness? Embarking on the
dharmic path requires that we develop the courage to look
beyond our distractedness to what lies behind it. It requires
us to question what distraction is really about, what we are
distracting ourselves from and why. On this path we need to
pare away, layer by layer, every level of distraction until we
reach a kind of ground zero.
Entertainment Mind
According to Buddhist psychology, distraction is classified,
along with such things as laziness and inattentiveness, as one
of the twenty destabilizing factors of the mind. In Sanskrit
this factor is called vikshepa. It arises when the natural flow of
sense perceptions is joined with and tainted by our emotions.
it’s easy to think external stimuli are the problem. But noises are just noises, sights are just sights,
smartphones are just smartphones.
Megatron Matrix by Nam June Paik
Left: A South Korean man uses a mobile phone to take a picture of The More, the Better, by the late Korean-American video artist Nam June Paik, at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Kwachon, south of Seoul.
Previous spread: Taken at the Nam June Paik Art Center, Gyeonggi-do, Seoul, South Korea. PHOTO BY ANA NANcE / REDux P
HO
TO
BY
SM
ITH
SO
NIA
N A
ME
RIc
AN
AR
T M
uS
Eu
M,
WA
SH
ING
TO
N,
D.c
. /
AR
T R
ES
Ou
Rc
E,
N.Y
.P
HO
TO
BY
RE
uT
ER
S / Y
Ou
Su
NG
-HO
SHAMBHALA SUN MAy 2014 45
In other words, distraction is fueled by the usual suspects:
grasping, rejecting, and denial. So distraction is not just
some mental tic. It is highly emotional.
Although vikshepa is often translated as “distraction” or
“mental wandering,” it refers more specifically to the wan-
dering mind being drawn to objects that cause it to lose its
ability to remain one-pointedly focused on virtue. So this
term points to a specific kind of distraction—distraction
from keeping your attention on what matters, on what is
genuine and virtuous.
The approach of learning how to pull our mind back when
it wanders is a reactive one: we are learning how to respond
to distractions. But as we get a little better at responding
to external distractions, we discover an even more gigantic
mountain of internal distractedness. We begin to notice how
it is not just a matter of reacting to something outside us—
we ourselves are continually creating distractions. We find
that we need distractions, so we continually cook them up
and keep them going. They are our companions, our pets.
chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche called our continual inner
distractedness “subconscious gossip,” a kind of ongoing
drone of thought fragments and opinions. As a corollary,
he talked about what he called “entertainment mind.” This
entertainment mind needs to be fed constantly. If there are no
immediate distractions, it will manufacture new distractions
on the spot. So we are engaged in a continuous distraction
project, keeping the distractions and entertainments flowing
without interruption. There is an air of desperation about
both of these self-created rivers of distractedness.
Our hope is that if we keep all this distractedness going,
we will not have to look at who we are, we will not have to
feel what we feel, we will not have to see what we see. But the
spiritual path is one of removing these smoke screens and
facing facts. It is an unmasking process. It is pretty scary to
realize how reliant we are on this whole scheme, and even
scarier when we realize that this continual distraction proj-
ect may collapse at any time.
Distraction is fueled by our constant struggle to secure our-
selves in relationship to others and to the environment. That
project in turn is fueled by our fear of letting go and our lack
of trust in ourselves. It is as if we are on guard all the time,
afraid to miss an opportunity to strike and continually wary
of potential threats or attacks. Based on these emotions, our
mind is pulled this way and that. To relate to this level of dis-
tractedness, we need not only to pull back the wandering mind
but also to lessen its fuel supply: the push and pull of emotions.
Wisdom Mind
Working with distractions is a long-term project. We may begin
with a romantic idea of embarking on the spiritual journey. But
as we stick with the practice, that romanticism fades away and
we are left with a gradual wearing-down process. We find we
have less and less wiggle room. It is a shock to realize that we
cannot just take our good old self and improve it, but that we
have to start over completely. It’s like a major liquidation sale.
All our distractions and entertainments—everything’s gotta go.
As our edifice of distractedness begins to crumble, we are
faced with disappointment and pain. Our dreams and illu-
sions begin to evaporate. Everywhere we turn, we get thrown
back on ourselves. There is no escape. No matter what is
happening, we have become used to being able to fabricate
alternate scenarios, so we could never be pinned down. We
did not have to fully commit to anything; there was always a
way out. But now we are stuck. We are confronted with our
own pain and disappointment.
With no one to keep us company—we can’t even keep
ourselves company—we are confronted with our utter
aloneness. There is nothing to do and nothing to hang on
to. We are alone, lonely, it is bleak. Everything we relied on
turns out to be a sham, a mental construct. We hit a wall.
But when we reach the point where we can no longer cover
up what we have been doing or force our experience to bend
to our will, something happens. We begin to relax. Although
at first the notion of utterly abandoning our smoke screen of
TV Buddha by Nam June Paik
Technology by Nam June Paik
PH
OT
O B
Y P
AT
RIc
k P
OS
T / H
OL
LA
ND
SE
HO
OG
TE
/ RE
Du
x
What lies behind these endless distractions is the boundless space of awakened mind.
PH
OT
O B
Y S
MIT
HS
ON
IAN
AM
ER
IcA
N A
RT
Mu
SE
uM
, W
AS
HIN
GT
ON
, D
.c.
/ A
RT
RE
SO
uR
cE
, N
.Y.
We don’t just react to things outside us— we ourselves are continually creating distractions. We cook them up and keep them going. They are our companions, our pets.
SHAMBHALA SUN MAy 2014 SHAMBHALA SUN MAy 2014 4746
begins. It is there that the teachings can begin to take hold,
not as ego’s accouterment nor as a surface adornment but as
a deep-rooted transformative energy reaching right down to
our bones.
So like the christian mystics, we too need to abandon our
familiar world, leave everything behind, and go to the des-
ert. In this case, the desert is our own mind. This desert mind
is what is left when our project of continual distraction has
fallen apart.
We can learn a lot by observing how we oscillate between
distraction or entertainment and boredom. Boredom has an
edge to it. We feel our ground slipping away; we struggle to
find some way to secure ourselves. There is too much space;
we need to fill it. There is nothing happening; we need to do
something. It is too quiet; something must be wrong.
Paying attention to these kinds of responses to boredom
is extremely valuable. It is a great practice. And when you
feel that you absolutely must do something about it, stay
with the boredom a bit longer! Let yourself feel bored com-
pletely. In this way you might be able to get a glimpse of
what Trungpa Rinpoche called “cool boredom,” an experi-
ence refreshingly free of grasping, pretense, and struggle. In
cool boredom, you can finally let go of the burden of trying
to be someone. You can have a break from the project of “I.”
Going further, we need to address an even more funda-
mental level of distractedness. According to the Vajrayana
teachings, what we are fundamentally distracting ourselves
from is awakening. We are habitually distracting ourselves
from the challenge of confronting our own wisdom. We dis-
tract ourselves from the intensity of the present moment,
the immediacy of the teachings, and our own genuineness.
As soon as we have even a little glimpse of this potential, we
panic and scramble to get away. We can handle an arm’s-
length relationship to the dharma, which is inspiring yet
somewhat manageable. But when that comfortable distance
collapses and we face the full intensity of the teachings, we
cop out by manufacturing distractions on the spot. For most
of us, this level of distraction is more or less continuous.
Throughout the Buddhist path, we are working with dis-
tractions at many levels of depth. In fact, distractions and
the path pretty much go hand in hand. You could even con-
sider distractions to be your best teachers.
Like good teachers, distractions humiliate us and shake us
up. They abruptly cut through our pretensions. It is shock-
ing to see how out of it we are so much of the time. At any
level, distractions can be annoying, frustrating, and arise
willy-nilly. But, like good teachers, they also spur us for-
ward. The very moment a distraction arises, there also arises
a chance to break through to what lies behind it. And what
lies behind these endless distractions is the boundless space
of awakened mind. ♦ “Cliffhanger” retreat cabin, Gampo Abbey, Nova Scotia
PH
OT
O B
Y A
AR
ON
kL
Ok
EID
Robot k 456 by Nam June Paik
PH
OT
O B
Y H
AN
S-c
HR
IST
IAN
PL
AM
BE
ck
/ LA
IF / R
ED
ux
distractions is threatening, even terrifying, if we stay with that
experience even a little, the smoke begins to clear and we can
start to see in a completely new way.
christian mystics say that you need to go through a dark night
of the soul before entering into the presence of God. It is like the
analogy of the light at the end of the tunnel. No dark night, no
union with God; no tunnel, no light. Trungpa Rinpoche also
talked about the importance of this stage of development. He
taught that when students have become completely frustrated—
when their practice has brought them to the point of giving
up hope and thinking of abandoning the whole path—that
is precisely the point where the real journey of awakening
Distraction: A Contemplation in Four Parts
In t h i s c o n t E M p l at i v E E x E r c i s E , you
are invited to embark on an imaginary retreat.
In this retreat, you have the chance to look more
deeply into the whole distraction project, and get a
glimpse of the power of simplicity and aloneness. It is a
reminder that we can view every meditation session as a
mini-retreat, no matter where we are.
Part 1: External DistractionsImagine going to a small cabin in the woods, where you
plan to spend some time alone. The cabin is simple, with
a bed, a chair, and a small kitchen area. You bring some
clothes, your bedding, food, and water.
But there is a lot that you do not bring. You bring no
clock or watch. You leave at home any books or reading
material. You bring no paper or journal or anything to
write with, no musical instruments. Staying at home are
your laptop, desktop, home phone, cell phone, iPod, iPad,
camera, recorder, radio, television, newspapers, magazines,
appointment book, calendar—every bit of electronica.
As you unpack and settle in, you are aware of all that
you left behind. This may feel refreshing, or it may make
you feel slightly uneasy.
Part 2: Internal DistractionsHere you are in your cabin, but now what? You wonder,
shouldn’t I be doing something? Maybe I should do some
meditation or contemplate something. Maybe I should
go on a walk. The cabin could use a little cleaning and
straightening, maybe I should clean it up. Might want to
do some yoga.
As you are figuring out what you want to do, you begin
to notice not only what you left behind, but how much
you have brought along with you. You realize how hard it
is simply to just be, without a plan or agenda.
Part 3: Fear of StoppingIn your little cabin, not much is happening. You try to
cook up something, but you don’t have a lot of material
to work with. Streams of thoughts, fantasies, and
daydreams help. Floods of memories provoke moods and
emotions and trigger further streams of thoughts and
reactions. You laugh, you cry. You begin to wonder what
will happen if you can’t keep up this constant stream
of thoughts and feelings. It is like a horror movie: you
wonder, “What lies beneath?” You feel a bit of desperation
in your attempts to prop up this pattern.
Part 4: cutting Through to SimplicityOver time it becomes obvious that the fewer external
distractions you have, the more internal distractions you
cook up to replace them. The effort to keep this distraction-
thing going wears you down. It is tiresome, but it is clear
that you are doing this for a reason. You are using these
distractions to avoid facing something scary but essential.
You realize that this gigantic, self-created cover-up has
kept you from facing what is most heartfelt, raw, and true
about yourself. You see that when you’re less afraid, you
disempower this pattern of continual distractedness. And
you find that when you do so, you are capable of going
about your life with greater ease and simplicity. ♦
— j u d y l i E f
SHAMBHALA SUN MAy 2014 SHAMBHALA SUN MAy 2014 4948
We’re pleased to offer you this article from the new issue of Shambhala Sun magazine.
Like what you see? Then please consider subscribing.
$6.99 US / $7.99 Canada
Simple, powerful techniques for real relief
from what puts you on edge—at work, at home,
in relationships, and more. A special section
for living in a stressed-out world.
Always Beginner’s Mind
San Francisco Zen
Center at 50
The Novelist’s Path
Kim Stanley Robinson,
Susan Dunlap, Cary Groner
SHAMBHALA SUNB U D D H I S M C U LT U R E M E D I TAT I O N L I F E S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 2
D I A N E A C K E R M A N • C H Ö G YA M T R U N G PA O N M A H A M U D R A • T H E V I R T U E S O F B O R E D O M • W A B I S A B I
Real Peacein Times of Stress
abacuswealth.com/shambhala888-422-2287
GRAND OPENING NEW YORK CITY SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA • LOS ANGELES • PHILADELPHIA
We’d like to think he would help people dedicate more time, money and energy to what matters most, and invest in a way that reduces suffering.
Our fi nancial advice is based on Nobel-prize winning research and the Buddhist practices of awareness, simplicity, equanimity, and non-harming.
Located at Rockefeller Center, our newest offi ce is close to Wall Street.
But not too close.
How WouldBuddhaOccupyWall St�eet?
$6.9
9 U
S /
$7.
99 C
anad
a
3 STEPS TO CREATIVE POWER • HOW TO LIVE IN OUR TOPSY-TURVY WORLD • NO-SELF 2.0
Pema Chödrön
Feminine PrincipalWomen teachers changing Buddhism
ICU for the SoulPico Iyer on the healing power of retreat
Don’t Go ThereA Jewish Buddhist in Germany
B U D D H I S M C U LT U R E M E D I TAT I O N L I F E N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2
A Greater HappinessThe compassionate life of the bodhisattva-warrior
B U D D H I S M C U LT U R E M E D I TAT I O N L I F E J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 4
RAM DASS • HOW TO PRACTICE MET TA • ARE YOU TRULY L ISTENING? • ANYEN RINPOCHE
Joyful Giving’Tis always the seasonWhat Makes Us Free?Practical and profound guidance from
Jack Kornfield & Joseph GoldsteinBe a Lamp Unto Yourself Unpacking the Buddha’s famous exhortation
Thich Nhat HanhSit in on a transformational retreat—and exclusive interview—with this masterful teacher of Zen and mindfulness.
ABOUT USThe Shambhala Sun is more than today’s most popular Buddhist-inspired magazine. Practical, accessible, and yet profound, it’s for people like you, who want to lead a more meaningful, caring, and awakened life.
From psychology, health, and relationships to the arts, media, and politics; we explore all the ways that Buddhist practice and insight benefit our lives. The intersection between Buddhism and culture today is rich and innovative. And it’s happening in the pages of the Shambhala Sun.
JOIN US ONLINEShambhalaSun.com | Facebook | Twitter
CLICK HEREto subscribe and save 50% immediately.