The eight fold path is often emphasized as the set of practices that support us to reach liberation. It is also described as being the" possession" of those who are liberated. So we can understand that in our practice of the eight fold path, we are emulating those who are free.
The Buddha clearly described how suffering (dukkha) comes to be in the teaching of dependent origination. Understanding this teaching helps us to recognize this process at work in our own minds, which allows mindfulness and wisdom to begin to uproot the fundamental cause of dukkha: ignorance.
When the experience of vedana - of pleasant, unpleasant or neutral feeling tone - is not clearly seen with wisdom, it tends to lead on towards craving and suffering. With mindfulness of feeling, we understand feeling's nature as impermanent, which leads us towards peace.
In doing mindfulness practice we often neglect to observe mindfulness itself. We can lean a lot about our minds by watching the coming and going of mindfulness.
The Buddha encouraged us to cultivate wise mindfulness, which is more than simply being aware. This talk explores some of the qualities that support wise mindfulness.
