Anapanasati: Formal and Informal | James H #1 | 2.17.22

James and Dhammarato discuss control of the breath and gladdening the mind as the route to a change of attitude and fulfilment of the factors of awakening.

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What do the numbers in the title mean? The number by the name of the student indicates the total amount of recorded calls with Dhammarato. The date in the title indicates the date the call was recorded.

00:00:00 Western Buddhists miss the central points of ānāpānasat; the breath of life; discursive thought; mind moments

00:16:41 The purpose is the fulfilment of other things especially a change of attitude (samma sankappa)

00:20:54 Understand first; fill the gaps in afterwards; everything is ok now; we are safe and secure

00:30:57 Develop wholesome thoughts rather than trying to drop thoughts altogether

00:35:45 Western Buddhism misses “gladdening the mind” which appears in so many suttas

00:39:10 Always look on the bright side of life; the first knowledge: “I can handle it”

00:45:12 Changing the mind from unwholesome thoughts to wholesome thoughts is gladdening the mind

00:57:22 We have to learn to control the mind; right effort is the stick

01:09:18 Master sukha; samādhi is the quality of a mind fit for work