Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Crazy Monkey Mind

The mind is like a crazy monkey, which leaps about and never stays in one place. It is completely restless and constantly paranoid about its surroundings. The training,or the meditation practice, is a way to catch the monkey, to begin with. That is the starting point. Traditionally, this training is called shamatha in Sanskrit, or shi-ne inTibetan, which means simply "the development of peace." When we talk about the development of peace, we are not talking about cultivating a peaceful state, as such,but about simplicity.

From "Trapping the Monkey" in THE TEACUP AND THE SKULLCUP: CHOGYAM TRUNGPA ON ZEN AND TANTRA. Page 72.

OF INTEREST TO OUR READERS: New from Vajradhatu Publications: THE TEACUP AND THE SKULL CUP: CHOGYAM TRUNGPA ON ZEN ANDTANTRA. Edited by Judith Lief and David Schneider. Getting rave reviews from both Zen and Tibetan Buddhist practitioners. Available from shambhalashop.com.

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