Question 78: WHAT IS THE SIXTH STEP OF THE SIX MINDFULNESS STAGES?

from PRACTICE GUIDE FOR LAY PRACTITIONERS · host Janna Order Monastery

Question 78: WHAT IS THE SIXTH STEP OF THE SIX MINDFULNESS STAGES?Answer: After practicing the first five steps of the Six Mindfulness Stages, the mind often becomes more focused and calm. At this point, practitioners may become overconfident and develop a sense of pride. This is why the sixth step is needed.Even when experiencing tranquility, practitioners should remind themselves of the “deeply-ingrained ignorance and shortcomings”. This self-awareness helps prevent arrogance from arising and disrupting the long-made progress.The specific self-reminder (also known as contemplative attention) can vary depending on an individual's spiritual foundation. For instance, when experiencing calm, one might think, "This tranquility is simply of the ordinary foundation, nothing extraordinary," or "This level of mindfulness is still of the inferior foundation." By accurately acknowledging one's foundation, practitioners can avoid losing their merit. As for those who consider themselves to be of the Noble foundation, we could not help nor guide them anymore.It's important to distinguish between the tranquility of an Noble One, which is rooted in profound virtue, and that of an ordinary person, which is less stable and less assured. The tranquility experienced by an ordinary person is often fragile due to unresolved negative karma and a lack of deep-rooted virtue. It's challenging to accurately assess one's spiritual level without making mistakes. Those with the inferior foundation face a difficult situation: their practice may not yield significant results, but giving up can lead to negative consequences. Therefore, they must persevere in the hope of accumulating sufficient merit to improve their condition.#Buddha, #Buddhism, #Buddhist, #Truedharma, #Meditation, #Enlightenment, #Buddhatemple, #TheLawofKarma, #Blessing, #Goodblessing, #Janna, #JannaMonastery, #JannaOrderMonastery, #LawOfKarma, #CauseAndEffect, #UniversalTruth, #KarmicRetribution, #AxiomaticTruth, #PhilosophyOfMind,