Meditation is a Waste of My Time
Posted: Friday, May 13, 2011
by e
Dhammabucha Rocksprings Meditation
Our minds are so caught up in the world that even the thought of meditating is boring - sitting there doing nothing. Meditation goes against the grain of worldly life. We can’t even meditate for a few minutes a day because something inside says that it is not important, a waste of our precious time. We have more important things to do and think about. We get busier every day.
The kilesas rule the worldy mind like a dictator, saying, “Go here, go there, and you will be happy. Do this, do that and you will eventually be contented.”
But the kilesas lie.
If we look back on our lives, the kilesa’s promises have all been false, yet we continue to believe in them and worship them and keep them alive in our minds. We never doubt them. In Buddhism, this is called ignorance and delusion.
If our accomplishments and goals were the truth, then once we accomplished something we would remain contented. But we never do. The accomplishments soon become ho-hum. They change, we change, and then we create another goal to accomplish to keep the mind busy. We never reflect on the reality that this habitual pattern doesn‘t work for long before we need another fix. This is one way kilesas lie to us constantly.
The kilesas convince us that nothing will change, yet in truth, everything changes. They tell us that our suffering will stop as soon as we do this or that, accomplish this or that, yet the truth is that our suffering never stops - as long as the kilesas remain our real religion and savior to whom we devote all of our energy and time.
Meditation is a seemingly counterintuitive activity to societal and worldly busyness, but in reality, meditation fights the kilesas until they are hammered into the ground. This is not for the weak kneed! And since the worldly mind understands that meditation is the antithesis of worldly desire and delusion, few people have the interest to even sit in meditation one time, let alone make a practice of it. This is because the kilesas whisper to us, “Meditation is a waste of time. Follow me instead and I will make you happy.” But the Kilesas lie.
So, meditation is not light and love in the beginning. It is a struggle between a worldly mind and a pure mind - a worldly mind full of desire, aggression and competitiveness, full of “Me” and “Mine,” full of a delusional, inflated ego that must be continually propped up - and a pure mind, rid of all the kilesas; peaceful, fearless, deathless, and true.
Unfortunately, the worldly mind, more times than not, will win out because it is loud, forceful, and operates at crude, overbearing vibrations, while meditation is quiet and operates on subtle vibrations. The results of meditation are therefore not immediately seen. Initially we see only the pain of not being able to follow our kilesas, our desires, while practicing meditation. We crave instant gratification like a drug.
When someone new meditates, it’s usually only a matter of minutes before the kilesas authoritatively say, “This is not comfortable! Quit wasting your time! Go do something else more important!” And because the kilesas rule the worldly mind, the meditator will obediently follow the dictator kilesa and get up to do something else, anything else, rather than sitting quietly.
The kilesas fear meditation because sitting quietly, watching the mind, watching the kilesas, begins a process of transparency where we see the tricks that the worldy mind plays on us. This is the only chance of seeing the kilesas for what they are, which is our own discontent guised in false promises of happiness and love.
Without meditation, without distancing our minds from our habitual patterns, the kilesas will cleverly rule our lives until we become so enmeshed in clouded, muddy, confused views that we become, in a way, insane.
This Article has been viewed 1,649 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
More commentsVery accurate description of the mind E. The mind was once described to me as a herd of wild horses and that attempting to ride one without first calming it could be at best a failure and at worst dissastrous.
Whilst I am not familiar with this word "kilesas", is it Hindi, we do need to approach meditation gently and patiently and if we are lucky, as we slowly quieten those "wild horses" we might, just might discover the true magnificence that we truly are.
Nice to read your words again E.Thanks so much Terry. In my experience, there really is no entity behind the mind that quiets the horses, there is only mind itself that takes on the dye of one's volitions. How to change one's volitions from a mundane pursuit of worldly matters that will eventually succumb to meaninglessness, to a pursuit of an elevated consciousness that will affect our destinies dramatically, is what meditation is all about. Most minds are stuck in the transient world and see no value in, or reason to, meditate and study itself. Those rare individual minds that become disenchanted with the world and seek answers beyond that level, are the minds that do begin to study themselves, and therefore anyone who has the compulsion to meditate, even only once, is already quite advanced.
Metta......e
Good article yes meditation requires a very well disciplined mind.Hello my good friend! It's been a while. To begin a meditation practice also requires a certain amount of wisdom to begin with, like an acknowledgement that this world we find ourselves in is full of discontent, that it cannot be relied upon as everything is constantly in flux, and that somehow this self that we believe in so adamantly is somewhat suspect - is somehow a false construction of reality - and is the ground of much of our discontent. This kind of acknowledgement moves the mind onto a different track, where the mind begins to seek real answers to questions of life itself. This is the beginning of seeking. Only a handful of people at anytime in the world goes this way. Most are so caught up and entangled with existence that they don't have the time nor the interest to see deeply for themselves, and they simply believe what others tell them. There is nothing wrong with this except that it never leads to freedom, only bondage and further discontent.
Best......e
You make perfect sense and everyone who reads this will know that. But most will continue to climb the corporate ladder, and keep up with the Jones's, in order to achieve success and find happiness. The problem is their definition of success and happiness. You can't acquire it or purchase it. You must search inside for it. Another great article Raymond Rock. Always nice to see your face pop up!Thank you so much Brianna. When we are training spiritually, we can't worry about what others do or don't do, only what we ourselves are doing. So we have to look at that directly. It is this direct seeing and true acknowledgement that instigates meaningful change.
Metta......eWhat then, after climbing that very ladder, you've found that you've propped it up against the wrong wall?!
Good article my friend. Meditation the route to Spiritual union that many of all faiths never seem to comprehend. As a Christian we may differ in beliefs but certainly we are also similar in many ways. The foundation of your beliefs common to Christianity. Humbelness, mercy, charity, living in the world and not being of it. It is a true Peace and Security. I sincerly hope all is well with you.Well Robert! Good to hear from you! Yes, spiritual union - the personal experience rather than mere personal knowledge. In your faith (and previously mine - Catholicism) St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila were Christian Saints, contemplatives, and Doctors of the Church - and they certainly receive no recognition in our present world where religion is simply societal, meaning that the original search for inward truth and union has turned into a search for productivity and commercialism. Both saints taught their students how to achieve union with God (called first jhana in Buddhism) and their method was a type of meditation not too far removed from Buddhist meditation if you take our all the God, Jesus, and religious references, which (I feel) they had to profusely insert because they wrote their treatises in the middle of the Spanish inquisition where it was very easy to get hanged if you said or wrote the slightest thing considered to be heretical! So both saints had mean, ignorant people looking over their shoulders all the time while they were writing. But one can read between the lines. When I was staying in a Zen Buddhist monastery in CA many years ago (1978) their books were mandatory reading for the Zen Monks.
Glad to see you happy.
Best......eE Happy Yes and no. Hard worldy times and many struggles of the soul and life. However, I find it interesting you were once a Catholic and yet not. As a Christian, you certainly realize the dividing point between Christians and all other faiths is Jesus Christ. Yet, much of what you say and do is the essence of the Christian faith. I am somewhat disapointed, as you can see in my writings concerning professors verses believers, in those that call or identify themselves as Christians. I see more faith in other relgions expressed like the Muslim faith, or yours, then my very own. How sad. Yet, I do believe this is where I should be. It will be an interesting day when we all go to meet God. Anyway. I'm glad you are well and happy. I also understand you are out west somewhere? Frankly, if I could take me and mine I would also be far from this society and somewhere closer to nature. The very best as always, Robert.Hi Robert,
This is in part from an introduction to a book by a Buddhist nun, edited somewhat by me to fit into this context:
The true practice of Buddhism, or I believe the practice of any true religion, has always been counter cultural (turning one‘s back on society, and in Christian terms, directly communicating with God). Society’s main aim, no matter where, is its own survival and perpetuation. Its cultural values are designed to keep its members useful and productive - either directly or indirectly - in the on-going economy. Most religions allow themselves to become domesticated to these values by stressing altruism, or selflessness in helping others, as the highest religious impulse. Wherever religion has spread, it has become domesticated to the extent that the vast majority of monastics, as well as lay followers, devote themselves to social services of one form or another, measuring their personal spiritual worth in terms of how well they have loved and served others.
However, the actual practice enjoined by the Buddha for example does not place such a high value on altruism, or selflessness in helping others, at all. In fact, he gave higher praise to those who work exclusively for their own spiritual welfare than those who sacrifice their spiritual welfare for the welfare of others - a teaching that mainstream social religion has tended to suppress.
The true path of practice pursues happiness through social withdrawal - dispassion, self-effacement, unentanglement with others, contentment with little, and seclusion (40 days and 40 nights!) The goal being an underlying happiness found exclusively within, totally transcending the world (Union with God in Christian terms) and not necessarily expressed in any social function. People who have first attained this goal for themselves may teach the path of practice to others, or they may not. Those who do teach are considered superior to those who don’t, but those who don’t are in turn said to be superior to those who teach without having attained the goal themselves. The individual attainment, rather than social function, is the true measure of a person’s worth. This is true religion, true spirituality, not designer religion where we do as we please and then rationalize and justify our selfish actions.
Thus, given the limited opportunities for institutional religious reform, the only course left open to those few men and women prepared to break the bonds of mainstream Buddhism (or Christianity) in their determination to practice is to follow the example of the Buddha (or Christ) himself in engaging in what might be called personal or independent reform; to reject the general values of society, go off on their own, put up with society’s disapproval and the hardships of living on the frontier, and search for whatever reliable teachers may be living, and practicing outside of the mainstream. If no such teachers exist, individuals intent on practice must strike out on their own, adhering as closely as they can to the teachings in the texts - Buddha's or Christ's actual words - to keep themselves from being led astray by their own defilements - and taking refuge in the example of the Buddha (or Christ) in a radical way. In this way, true traditions, following the Buddha’s and Christ's original teachings, are re-established.
Hello e. So true, so true, lasting contentment does not come from accomplishments and goals, but taking time to rest. Knowing I am loved unconditionally brings me great peace and contentment in this I truly rest and not strive to impress or improve for love's sake, but only to be better because I want to love as I am loved. Blessings! THi Teresa, Thank you - and Blessings back!
Best .......e
I am very glad that my children have taken up meditation; it's far better than them sitiing around, doing nothing!Hah! Many people mistakenly think that meditating is doing nothing! Interesting how your children decided to meditate when there are endless other possibilities out there now. I read where a typical teenager texts over 70 messages a day!
Thanks Paul, Best to you and your kids.......eTexting over 100, a good example exists in my family circle too and they think it's "Einstenian"...! Good lord!
I appreciate your clarifying "our own discontent". This is a strong element that many don't grasp. Your article does a great job of pointing to the confusion that our own mind creates for us. Good job and keep writing for us.Thanks Christopher for the kind comment. I respect that very much.
Best.......e
I have never done meditation & don't think it's possible for me to do that.Our minds are so caught up in the world that even the thought of meditating is boring - sitting there doing nothing. - I agree with this. Thanks for writing this article.Thanks Oleg. Meditation is not for everyone, only for a few actually. One has to usually "hit the wall" before it makes sense, in other words, stand there and say to oneself - "Is this all there is?" With so many distractions now, that usually doesn't happen until old age, and then it is too late to do much spiritually.
Best.......e
I myself don't meditate as a habit although i have done so on occasion and i can only agree with your when you spoke of the inner thoughts of a newcomer to meditation by saying “This is not comfortable! Quit wasting your time! Go do something else more important!”. This is in fact exactly what goes through my mind when i try to meditate and I truly find it close to impossible to climb over this and let it go.Sure Matty, you are simply following your thoughts instead of noticing them and releasing them, This is because you think thoughts are you. At least you have seen how uncontrollable your thoughts are, and that is wisdom.
Best.......e
Great article! I was meditating daily and things got so much better! I found so many answers, my wonderful wife, and peace. Guess what happened then....I stopped meditating and 2 years later I am buzzing, running, and struggling to do everything again.I plan to begin again tonight Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.Thanks for the reminder.Sure, like many posts about meditation where they can't do it because of a busy mind, our mind lies to us and takes us down roads of destruction every time. Go outwards and follow the mind and see what happens, Go inward and study the mind and see the results for yourself. Meditation is not instant gratification. The results take time, but they are powerful. Sometimes people meditate for years and see no discernible difference in themselves, but their friends do. Also, sometimes after meditating for awhile, people make radical shifts in their lifestyles that keeps them from danger and brings peace and happiness. And of course if one gets serious about meditation, one becomes enlightened, and that is beyond explanation - let's just just say it is very good!
Best.......e
More comments
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.