Foreword by Claudio Naranjo ix
Introduction xi
1. IT'S SIMPLE TO BE HAPPY 1
Invitation to an Experiment 2
More Than Thinking 6
Our Biocomputer 9
Elements of Strategies That Promote Happiness 12
Prospects 15
2. NEW AGE POLITICS: PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED? 17
The Facts of Suffering and Transcendence 19
A Common Denominator: Abhidhamma 22
Myths, Stories, Sciences 24
Self-Realization 27
Dangers of Anomy Overcome by Sila 30
Saddha: Questioning Trust 36
The Bottom Line 39
3. THREEFOLD KNOWLEDGE AND THE ECONOMY OF THE MIND 41
Powers of Mind 42
The Mental Household 45
Matrices of Knowledge 50
Conditioned Arising 52
Wise Apprehension 66
Akkheyya: The Algebra of Wise Apprehension 69
Basic Exercise in Wise Apprehension 74
4. INTELLIGENCE OF THE BODY AND JOY 77
Betraying the Body Drives Us Crazy 78
Cheerful Detachment from the Body 81
Levels of Experiencing 87
Stream of Feelings 96
Joy and the Sense of Urgency 100
Sex without Sensuality? 103
Catharsis: More than Knowledge 107
5. STRATEGIES OF REALITY ANCHORING 111
Truthfulness in Thinking and Speaking 112
Exercises in Mindfulness of Body 114
1. Anapana-Sati: Mindfulness of Breathing 114
How to Deal with Distractions 116
"Rising" and "Falling": Advanced Stage 118
"Breathing In" and "Breathing Out": Advanced Stage 119
Mindfulness of Breathing: Superior Stage 120
2.Dhatu-Manasikara: Apprehension of Elements 123
3. Iriya-Patha: Noting Bodily Postures 124
4. Cankamana: Walking Meditation 127
Cankamana: Preliminary Exercise 129
Cankamana: Complete Exercise 129
Reality Anchoring through Labeling 130
Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension in Action 132
Exercises in Clear Comprehension 139
Clear Comprehension of Bodily Postures 142
Clear Comprehension of Going to Sleep and Waking Up 142
Clear Comprehension of Eating and Elimination 145
The Value of Ritual 146
6. STRATEGIES OF SYMPATHY 149
Cultivating Sila 152
Uplifted States and Sympathetic Action 156
The Structure of Action Strategies 162
Exercises in the Brahma-Vihara 163
1. Preliminary Exercise in Metta: Development of Kindness 164
Apprehension of Well-Being 164
Apprehension of Goodwill 164
2. Metta-Bhavana: Radiating Kindness 165
Directed Kindness-Radiation 165
Immeasurable Radiation of Kindness 168
3. Brahma-Vihara Strategies 171
Brahma-Vihara as Meditative Reflection 176
Brahma-Vihara Strategy in Daily-Life Situations 177
Brahma-Vihara in Community Life 183
7. STRATEGIES OF ECSTASY 186
Concentration with Composure 187
Overcoming Disturbances to Concentration 188
Transforming Distractions into Supports of Concentration 192
Objects of Meditation: The Gates to Ecstasy 196
Stages of Concentration 200
Hindrances and Elements of Ecstasy 201
Concentration Exercises 208
1. Sayana: Relaxation 209
2. Yoga-Nidda: Yogic Sleep 212
3. Anapana-Sati as a Concentration Exercise 215
4. Nila-Kasina: The World in Blue 218
5. Marana-Sati: Contemplation of Death 221
Departure from the World of Mortality 225
8. STRATEGIES OF POWER 231
Sicknesses of the Will: Impotence and Caprice 232
The Path of Seeing and the Path of Power 236
The Will: Intention, Resolve, Effort 240
The Four Magical Roads to Power 242
The Road to Power of Intention 246
The Road to Power of Willpower 247
The Road to Power of Consciousness 249
The Road to Power of Investigation 251
Satipatthana-Vipassana Exercises 254
1. The Basic Exercise: Contemplation of Impermanence 257
2. Guarding the Sense Gates 259
3. Reshaping Suffering-Producing Processes 262
4. Turning Away from Suffering 270
5. Experiencing Emptiness 272
The Conditioned Arising of Freedom 274
APPENDIX: Basic Concepts 285
Notes 287
Index of Technical Terms 297
