Genuine Peace of Mind

[icy]

Genuine peace of mind is rooted in affection and compassion. There is a very high level of sensitivity and feeling involved. So long as we lack inner discipline, an inner calmness of mind, then no matter what external facilities or conditions we may have, they will never give us the feeling of joy and happiness that we seek. On the other hand, if we possess this inner quality—that is, calmness of mind, a degree of stability within—then even if we lack various external facilities that are normally considered necessary for a happy and joyful life, it is still possible to live a happy and joyful life.

[bambi]

All of our selfishness cause us our difficulties and the problems in life which are dependent on our own mind from delusions and ignorance. If we have a mind that is less selfish and more selflessness, we will definitely have less problems with ourselves and others around us. When we have a good heart and compassion, we should be happy to take on the troubles of others and help them. How to be selfish and wish for inner peace? No one wants to be with selfish people. That is why we decide the causes of happiness ourselves. With affection and compassion, it comes from our good actions and a good mind.

If we plant poisonous seeds in the ground, all the trees and fruit become poisonous plants. So, the delusions are like poisonous seeds. From our nonvirtuous thoughts, our actions become nonvirtuous and bring the result of suffering. All the undesirable, ugly objects that cause us to feel unhappiness and suffering when we meet them, come into existence as a result of our actions. It’s the same thing with all the problems in our life. Where do they come from? They come from the nonvirtuous thoughts and actions, which are like poisonous seeds. The various problems of life are like the various poisonous fruits of the tree with branches that have grown from those seeds.

In the same way, all our happiness and all the desirable and beautiful objects that make us feel happy when we meet them, come from the virtuous actions of body, speech and mind. Just as a medicinal tree grows from the medicinal root, fruit and leaves, virtuous karma or action arises from our virtuous thoughts. From this we receive a good result—happiness. So, the key to suffering and happiness depends on the mind. The whole root of suffering and happiness is within our mind.

[biggyboy]

Generally, many people seek for happiness and fulfillment in life.  In order to experience them, both lies in our mind. On worldly level, health, wealth and friends/companions are the main criteria that many look for which considered as the necessities of a happy life.  Of course, one should understand that all these are impermanent and is our cause of suffering.  Nevertheless, these are scenarios and examples of "normal worldly people" would consider it as peace of mind.

Again, having all these necessities does not warrant one to enjoy a happy and fulfilled life but rather it is in the state of the mind.  If one harbors hateful thoughts within, or intense anger somewhere deep down, then it will ruins one's health.  Even if one has all the wonderful possessions, when one is in an intense moment of anger or hatred, one feels like throwing away or breaking them.  So there's no guarantee that wealth alone can give one joy or fulfillment that one seeks.  Similarly when one is in an intense state of anger or hatred, even a close friend appears somehow "frosty", cold and distant or quite annoying.

All the above boils down to our state of mind which is crucial in determining whether we gain joy and happiness.  Let's put spiritual aside,  to enjoying a happy day to day existence one will have greater level of calmness of mind, greater peace of mind, and the greater our ability to enjoy a happy and joyful life.  Isn't all these are what many are looking for? (as I have stated above let's put spiritual aside for now).

Hence, on the spiritual side, all the worldly possessions, wealth, families and friends which are our source of suffering, one should acquire more knowledge and contemplation on the impermanence for it will not bring us any good.  Attachment, desire and greed will be our downfall should we not realise soon enough and the understanding of causes.  Calmness and peace of mind will arise when one understands, realised and accept them well.

[Vajraprotector]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama credited his own peace of mind with his ability to maintain physical health. His day, he said, begins at 3:30 a.m. and includes eight or nine hours of sleep. He said that "Peace of mind brings nice sleep."
 

Below are some quotes to share from His Holiness on this topic. It is interesting that Dalai Lama spoke about care for the environment as well.

"An affectionate disposition not only makes the mind more peaceful and calm, but it affects our body in a positive way too. On the other hand, hatred, jealousy and fear upset our peace of mind, make us agitated and affect our body adversely. Even our body needs peace of mind and is not suited to agitation. This shows that an appreciation for peace of mind is in our blood."

"Just as we should cultivate more gentle and peaceful relations with our fellow human beings, we should also extend that same kind of attitude towards the natural environment. Morally speaking, we should be concerned for our whole environment. This, however, is not just a question of morality or ethics, but also a question of our own survival. For this generation and for future generations, the environment is very important. If we exploit the environment in extreme ways, we may receive some benefit today, but in the long run, we will suffer, as will our future generations. When the environment changes, the climatic condition also changes. When the climate changes dramatically, the economy and many other
things change. Our physical health will be greatly affected. Again, conservation is not merely a question of morality, but a question of our own survival."

-- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from 'The Dalai Lama, A Policy of Kindness', published by Snow Lion Publications.


"We often speak of the external enemy.  For example, in my own case, our Chinese brothers and sisters are destroying Tibetan rights and, in that way, more suffering and anxiety develops.  But no matter how
forceful this is, it cannot destroy the supreme source of my happiness, which is my calmness of mind.  This is something an external enemy cannot destroy.  Our country can be invaded, our possessions can be destroyed, our friends can be killed, but these are secondary for our mental happiness.  The ultimate source of my mental happiness is my peace of mind.  Nothing can destroy this except my own anger."

-- His Holiness the Dalai Lama, from 'The Dalai Lama's Book of Wisdom', available from Snow Lion Publications.

[Big Uncle]

When I think of peace, I always think of equanimity, abiding in peace and clarity even amidst a storm. It's kinda like the calm eye of the storm. I believe a Buddhist definition that's given is not to be pulled by our attachments and also not to be pushed by our aversions. That means our attachments and aversions don't control us. I like that idea a lot and with Dharma practice, I can see how situations can arise that will make it the perfect occasion to practice.

Anyway, I found a very nice article that goes along with the definition of equanimity:-


The English word equanimity refers to a state of being calm and balanced, especially in the midst of difficulty. In Buddhism, equanimity (in Pali, upekkha; in Sanskrit, upeksha) is one of the Four Immeasurables or four great virtues (with compassion, loving kindness, and sympathetic joy) that the Buddha taught his disciples to cultivate.

But is being calm and balanced all there is to equanimity? And how does one develop equanimity?

Definitions of Upekkha

Although translated as "equanity," the precise meaning of upekkha seems hard to pin down. According to Gil Fronsdal, who teaches at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California, the word upekkha literally means "to look over." However, a Pali/Sanskrit glossary I consulted says it means "not taking notice; disregard."

According to Theravadin monk and scholar Bhikkhu Bodhi, the word upekkha in the past has been mistranslated as "indifference," which has caused many in the West to believe, mistakenly, that Buddhists are supposed to be detached and unconcerned with other beings . What it really means is to not be ruled by passions, desires, likes and dislikes. The Bhikkhu continues,

"It is evenness of mind, unshakeable freedom of mind, a state of inner equipoise that cannot be upset by gain and loss, honor and dishonor, praise and blame, pleasure and pain. Upekkha is freedom from all points of self-reference; it is indifference only to the demands of the ego-self with its craving for pleasure and position, not to the well-being of one's fellow human beings."

Gil Fronsdal says the Buddha described upekkha as "abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and without ill-will." Not the same thing as "indifference," is it?

Thich Nhat Hanh says (in The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, p. 161) that the Sanskrit word upeksha means "equanimity, nonattachment, nondiscrimination, even-mindedness, or letting go. Upa means 'over,' and iksh means 'to look.' You climb the mountain to be able to look over the whole situation, not bound by one side or the other."

We also can look to the life of the Buddha for guidance. After his enlightenment, he did not live in a state of indifference. Instead, he spent 45 years actively teaching the dharma to others.

[buddhalovely]

Peace of mind is the most sought after 'commodity' in human life. It appears that most of us are in a state of perpetual restlessness. On analyzing the causes of this restlessness, I have ventured to find for myself ten solutions that need to be followed religiously if we are serious about achieving perfect peace of mind.

1. Do not interfere in others' business

Most of us create our own problems by interfering too often in others' affairs. We do so because somehow we have convinced ourselves that our way is the best way, our logic is the perfect logic, and those who do not conform to our thinking must be criticized and steered to the right direction, our direction.

This kind of attitude on our part denies the existence of individuality and consequently the existence of God, for God has created each one of us in a unique way. No two human beings can think or act in exactly the same way. All men or women act the way they do because they are prompted to do so by the Divine within them. There is God to look after everything. Why are you bothered? Mind your own business and you will have your peace.

2. Forget and forgive

This is the most powerful aid to peace of mind. We often nurture ill feeling inside our heart for the person who insults or harms us. We forget that the insult or injury was done to us once but by nourishing the grievance we go on excavating the wound forever. Therefore it is essential that we cultivate the art of forgiving and forgetting. Believe in the justice of God and the doctrine of Karma. Let Him judge the act of the one who insulted you. Life is too short to waste in such trifles. Forget, forgive, and march on.

3. Do not crave for recognition

This world is full of selfish people. They seldom praise anybody without selfish motive. They may praise you today because you are rich and have power but no sooner you are powerless, they will forget your achievement and start criticizing you.

Moreover, no one is perfect. Then why do you value the words of praise of another mortal like you? Why do you crave for recognition? Believe in yourself. People's praises do not last long. Do your duties ethically and sincerely and leave the rest to God.

4. Do not be jealous

We all have experienced how jealousy can disturb our peace of mind. You know you work harder than your colleagues in the office but they get promotions, you do not. You started a business several years ago but you are not as successful as your neighbor whose business is only one year old. Should you be jealous? No, remember everybody's life is shaped by his previous Karma that has now become his destiny. If you are destined to be rich, not all the world can stop you. If you are not so destined, no one can help you either. Nothing will be gained by blaming others for your misfortune. Jealousy will not get you anywhere, but will only give you restlessness.

5. Change yourself according to the environment

If you try to change the environment single handedly, the chances are you may fail. Instead, change yourself to suit the environment. As you do this, even the environment, which has remained unfriendly for you, will mysteriously appear to be congenial and harmonious.

6. Endure what cannot be cured

This is the best way to turn a disadvantage into an advantage. Every day we face numerous inconveniences, ailments, irritations and accidents that are beyond our control. We must learn to endure them cheerfully thinking, "God will it so, so be it". God's logic is beyond our comprehension. Believe it and you will gain in patience, in inner strength, in will power.

7. Do not bite more than you can chew

This maxim should be always remembered. We often tend to take more responsibilities than we are capable to carry out. This is done to satisfy our ego. Know your limitations. Spend your free time on prayers, introspection and meditation. This will reduce those thoughts in your mind, which make you restless. Fewer the thoughts, greater is the peace of mind.

8. Meditate regularly

Meditation makes the mind thoughtless. This is the highest state of peace of mind. Try and experience it. If you meditate earnestly for half an hour every day, you will tend to become calm during the remaining twenty-three and a half hours. Your mind will not be disturbed as much as before. This will increase your efficiency and you will turn out more work in less time.

9. Never leave the mind vacant

An empty mind is devil's workshop. All evil deeds start in the mind. Keep your mind occupied in something positive, something worthwhile. Actively follow a hobby. You must decide what you value more - money or peace of mind. Your hobby, like social work may not always earn you more money, but you will have a sense of fulfillment and achievement. Even if you are resting physically, occupy yourself in healthy reading or mental chanting of God's name (japa).

10. Do not procrastinate and never regret

Do not waste time in wondering "should I or shouldn't I?" Days, weeks, months and years may be wasted in that futile mental debating. You can never plan enough because you can never anticipate all future happenings. Always remember God has His own plan too. Value your time and do things. It does not matter if you fail the first time. You can rectify your mistakes and succeed the next time. Sitting back and worrying will lead to nothing. Learn from your mistakes but do not brood over the past. DO NOT REGRET! Whatever happened was destined to happen only that way. Take it as the will of God. You do not have the power to alter the course of God's will. Why cry?

May God help you remain at peace
With yourself and the world
Om shanti shanti shanti

[Tenzin K]

Avoid wrongdoing, Do good and Purify the mind,
This is the teaching of Buddhas.~ Dhammapada 183

Buddhism teaches us how to overcome our problems and difficulties by understanding and preventing their causes.  Whereas we usually look to outward circumstances for the causes of our problems, Buddhism teaches us to look inwards. Buddha showed how our feelings of dissatisfaction arise from negative states of mind - primarily anger, attachment, and ignorance - and offered methods to eliminate these by developing generosity, compassion, wisdom and other positive states of mind.

Inner Peace - the real source of happiness
Buddhism teaches people that the real source of happiness is inner peace. If our mind is peaceful, we shall be happy all the time, regardless of external conditions, but if it is disturbed or troubled in any way, we shall never be happy, no matter how good our external conditions may be. External conditions can only make us happy if our mind is peaceful. We can understand this through our own experience. For instance, even if we are in the most beautiful surroundings and have everything we need, the moment we get angry any happiness we may have disappears. This is because anger has destroyed our inner peace.

"Mind precedes all things; mind is their chief, mind is their maker.
If one speaks or does a deed with a mind that is pure within,
happiness then follows along like a never departing shadow.
~ Dhammapada 1"

We can see from this that if we want true, lasting happiness we need to develop and maintain a special experience of inner peace. The only way we can do this is by training our mind through spiritual practice - gradually reducing and eliminating our negative, disturbed states of mind and replacing them with positive, peaceful states.


Meditation - the method for controlling the mind

Buddhism teaches that meditation is the method by which people can achieve inner peace. Meditation is a method for acquainting our mind with thoughts and feelings that are conducive to peace and happiness. When our mind is peaceful we are from worries and mental discomfort, and we experience true happiness. There are many lines of thought and feelings that Buddhists use as objects of meditation. These include love and compassion as well as special lines of reasoning that enable us to overcome negative states of mind such as self-centredness and having a biased attitude towards others. A very simple meditation used by nearly all Buddhists is breathing meditation. In this meditation we simply take the sensation of our breath as our object of meditation. Although it is only an introductory meditation, even this meditation can lead us to experiences of real inner peace and tranquillity.

[pgdharma]

Peace of mind is a state of inner calmness and tranquility, together with a sense of freedom, when our thoughts and worries cease, and there is no stress, strain or fear. How do we bring more peace of mind into our life and how to experience it in times of trouble? We need to learn to bring more moments of inner peace into our daily life. Later, we will be able to experience these moments in times of trouble or difficulties too, when we really need inner calmness and tranquility. We can turn peace of mind into a natural habit, but to do so, we need special training through concentration exercises, meditation and other means. HH. Dalai Lama has highlighted that peace of mind comes through religious faith:

Dalai Lama says, peace of mind comes through religious faith

Vadodara (Gujarat), Jan 16 (ANI): Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama emphasisng on Buddhism said attainment of peace of mind is possible through religious faith, and Buddhism could be one of the means of achieving contentment in life.
 
Speaking on the sidelines of a function in Vadodara, the Dalai Lama emphasised that technology has failed to provide genuine happiness and satisfaction.
 
The Dalai Lama, after inaugurating an exhibition called Footprints of Buddhism, said, "Genuine happiness, genuine satisfaction and peace of mind (is achieved) only through mental training and not through technology."
 
"Buddhism is one of the important ancient India's religions, which has a lot of material about human mind and how to train human mind," he added.
 
Gujarat Chief Minister Narender Modi, who was also present on the occasion, apprised the Tibetan spiritual leader about the sculptures, inscriptions, stupas and other important archaeological sites linked to Buddhism in the State. (ANI)

http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/143775

[RedLantern]

All living beings have the same basic wish to be happy and avoid suffering but few people understand the real cause of happiness and suffering.
Happiness and suffering are states of mind ,so their main causes cannot be found outside the mind,the real source of happiness is inner peace.If our mind is peaceful -we shall be happy all the time,regardless of external conditions but,if it is disturbed or troubled in any way,we shall never be happy,no matter how good .
We generally believe that external conditions such as food,friends,cars and money are the real cause of our happiness,and as the result we devote nearly all our time and energy acquiring these.
Superficially,it seems that these things can make us happy but if we look more deeply we shall see that they bring us a lot of suffering and problems.External conditions can only make us happy if our mind is calm and peaceful.

[Manjushri]

One can live happily and peacefully in whatever situation and circumstance when one has full control over one's mind and an understanding of the true nature of existence. However, without the right frame of mind, even having the 'best' conditions and environments, one may not necessarily have a genuinely peaceful and happy mind. I guess what I am trying to say is that one can be without the other but the other can't be without the one.

Seeking peace and happiness in temporary situations and conditions will culminate into nothing, for situations and conditions are ever changing. If peace and happiness is constant and long term, how can it be provided by conditions/environments that are so volatile and impermanent? For something to be permanent, the object giving that permanance cannot be unstable. It doesn't make sense. Therefore the object for permanent happiness is the mind. Right disciple and control over one's mind leads to long term peace and happiness.

Inner discipline is hard to achieve, for that requires strength, lots of mental strength. It is like having a gym. There are gyms accessible everywhere to everyone, but the discipline of the individual to consistently go to the gym to achieve their goal and continue after that is something rare and hard to find. Yes, it could be that you are motivated to achieve that result, but after achieving the result, do you continue, or do you falter? That is the real discipline. After achieving your result, do you carry on and improve or just stay where you are? It's like working towards enlightenment. You can get to many levels prior to enlightment...but can you progress further after achieving each stage? That is the discipline and effort needed to obtain a genuine peace of mind where only you yourself can reach. There ain't no physical environment or conditions that can bring you there!