| Contents: Practical Buddhism: Mindfulness and Skilful Living in the Modern Era by Dr. Paramabandhu Groves |
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| Acknowledgements |
xi |
| Forewords |
xiii |
Dr. Sarah Eagger
|
xv |
Vishvapani Blomfield
|
xv |
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Introduction
|
1 |
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| Chapter 1: The Buddha in Context |
3 |
| The Historical Context |
3 |
| The Four Sights |
4 |
| Going Forth |
4 |
| The Buddha's Awakening |
5 |
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The Buddha's Teaching Career
|
6 |
| The Spread of Buddhism |
6 |
Early Buddhism
|
7 |
Mahayana Buddhism
|
7 |
Vajrayana Buddhism
|
8 |
Western Buddhism
|
8 |
| The Significance of the Buddha's Life for Us Today |
8 |
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| Chapter 2: Starting with Mindfulness |
11 |
| What is Mindfulness? |
11 |
| Breath and Body |
12 |
| Patterns of the Mind |
13 |
1. Sense Desire
|
13 |
2. Aversion
|
13 |
3. Anxiety
|
13 |
4. Sleepiness
|
14 |
5. Doubt
|
14 |
| Misconceptions About Meditation |
15 |
| Mindfulness Outside of Meditation |
16 |
| Practising Mindfulness Meditation |
17 |
| Guided Meditation: Mindfulness of Breath and Body |
17 |
Preparation
|
17 |
Stage one
|
17 |
Stage two
|
18 |
Concluding the practice
|
18 |
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| Chapter 3: Working with Difficult Thoughts and Emotions |
19 |
| Rumination and Catastrophic Thinking |
20 |
| Turning Towards Our Experience |
20 |
| Ways to Help Turning Towards Our Experience |
22 |
1. Accept, Don't Reject
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22 |
2. Move Towards and Investigate
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22 |
3. Look for the Deeper Meaning
|
23 |
| Guided Meditation: Mindfulness of Breath and Body Working with Difficult Thoughts and Emotions |
24 |
Preparation
|
24 |
Stage one
|
25 |
Stage two
|
25 |
Concluding the practice
|
26 |
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| Chapter 4: Introducing Kindness |
27 |
| Why Kindness is Important |
28 |
| Kindness True and False |
28 |
Weak Kindness
|
29 |
Stupid Kindness
|
29 |
Manipulative Kindness
|
29 |
Sentimental Attachment
|
29 |
True Kindness
|
29 |
| Cultivating Kindness in Five Stages - The Metta Bhavana |
30 |
(1) Self
|
30 |
(2) A Friend
|
30 |
(3) A Neutral Person
|
31 |
(4) A Difficult Person
|
31 |
(5) All Beings
|
31 |
| Some Tips for Cultivating Kindness |
32 |
Kindness is Not Toothpaste!
|
32 |
Start with Receptivity
|
32 |
Intention is More Important Than Feeling
|
32 |
| Kindness Breathing Space |
33 |
| Practising Kindness Meditation |
33 |
| Guided Kindness Meditation |
34 |
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| Chapter 5: Living Skilfully |
37 |
| Karma and Happiness |
38 |
| The Five Precepts |
39 |
(1) Abstention from Taking Life and Practising Loving Kindness
|
39 |
(2) Abstention from Taking The Not-given and Generosity
|
41 |
(3) Abstention from Sexual Misconduct and Contentment
|
42 |
(4) Abstention from False Speech and Truthfulness
|
43 |
(5) Abstention from Intoxicants and Mindfulness
|
44 |
| Practising the Precepts and the Environment |
45 |
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| Chapter 6: Taking the Teachings to Work |
47 |
| The Buddha's Emphasis on Right Livelihood |
47 |
Right Livelihood at the Time of the Buddha
|
48 |
Right Livelihood Today
|
49 |
| Working Skilfully in Any Context |
51 |
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| Chapter 7: Friendship |
53 |
| The Third Jewel of Buddhism: Sangha |
53 |
| Gaining Guidance from More Experienced Practitioners |
54 |
| Finding Support and Understanding from Peers |
55 |
| Reaching Out to Others |
57 |
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| Chapter 8: Ritual and Devotion |
59 |
| The Language of the Imagination |
59 |
| Negative Connotations of Ritual |
60 |
| Imagining Enlightenment |
60 |
Bowing and Offerings
|
61 |
Mantras and Chanting
|
62 |
Puja
|
62 |
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| Chapter 9: Buddhism and Psychotherapy |
65 |
| Mindfulness for Mental Health |
65 |
| Buddhism, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy |
67 |
| Psychotherapy for Buddhists |
67 |
Choosing a Therapist
|
69 |
The Goals of Buddhism and Psychotherapy
|
69 |
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| Chapter 10: Wisdom and the Big Picture |
71 |
| Finding Freedom is the Final Aim of Buddhism |
71 |
| The Three Marks of Conditioned Existence |
72 |
1. Impermanence
|
72 |
2. Insubstantiality
|
72 |
3. Unsatisfactoriness
|
74 |
Cultivating Wisdom
|
76 |
| The Underlying Principle of Conditionality |
77 |
| Different Orders of Conditionality |
77 |
Acting Through the Karma Order
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77 |
Opening Up to the Dharma Order
|
78 |
| Conclusion |
78 |
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| Notes |
81 |
| Resources |
89 |
Online Resources
|
89 |
Further Reading
|
89 |
| Index |
93 |
