Few more books on mindfulness and Buddhism

 The Quiet Mind: John E. Coleman

Hypnotism and ESP (extrasensory perception) intrigued Coleman (Then an FBI agent), leading him towards meditation.

U Ba Khin and his meditation center in Yangon, the capital of Burma: U Ba Khin was a senior Burmese government official and a meditation teacher. Although he was constantly busy, whenever he felt overwhelmed, he would pause, adopt the lotus position, and meditate for a few minutes to relieve his stress. For Coleman, this demonstrated that meditation could be integrated into daily life. This practice allows him to understand his own inner workings, leading to clear insight and freedom from suffering.

Coleman committed himself fully to the course. In fact, he was overly zealous about it, dedicating a significant amount of time to taking notes and analyzing every aspect of the practice. Clearly, he still wasn't any closer to quieting his mind.

Krishnamurti: One day, Krishnamurti's brother, Nityananda, died. Despite his profound grief, Krishnamurti recognized that there was still joy in the experience. He realized then that death is simply another aspect of life and that no part of life should lead to grief. From that point on, Krishnamurti understood that his true mission was to help others reach this same realization and its accompanying happiness, not through organized religion, but through direct experience.

Tibetan Buddhism (via Tenjin Norgey Sherpa) serves more as a symbol. Mantras and merits arise from spinning wheels.

Tantrism in Kathmandu: The goal-oriented process of seeking spiritual enlightenment through sex appeared to exclude love from the equation.

Thailand Buddhadasa Bhikkhu: Orthodox Buddhism (Theravada) and Zen. He compared humans to fish who do not see the water surrounding them. He stated that life is continually unfolding around us, which we've become accustomed to, resulting in a lack of active awareness of each moment. Like Krishnamurti, Buddhadasa believed that understanding comes through direct life experiences. He also strongly opposed dualism in all its forms, such as the dichotomy between right and wrong.

Kyoto Zen monastery, as suggested by D.T. Suzuki: However, the discipline was rigid, and to Coleman, the students seemed to be living under a reign of terror. Prospective monks were often punished for seemingly minor misdemeanors, and instructors wandered the meditation halls with sticks to hit sleepy students.

After a long search for a quiet mind, he finally returned to U Ba Khin:

The last time, he had spent too much time intellectualizing the practice of meditation. This time, he was determined to free his mind. Coleman's meditation teacher instructed him to become aware of his body and to gradually apply deep concentration to each part individually.Soon, focusing on one body part began to cause tingling sensations to arise in that area. Being able to summon sensations at will led Coleman to realize the impermanence of all bodily sensations. After a few days of this practice, Coleman began to experience significant physical discomfort. His body felt extremely hot, even though the temperature at the temple remained unchanged. The pain persisted for days, as did his desire to escape it. Eventually, he realized that his wish to get rid of the pain was, in fact, perpetuating it.

S.N. Goenka is another particularly famous student of U Ba Khin's.

The Art of Living -William Hart

Vipassana  as taught by S.N. Goenka

Geology, meteorology, and oceanography vs. swimology: Buddhism is a tool to be practiced every day.

Kalappa, anicca, and flux.

The self and the world are phenomena and unreal.

These are consciousness, perception, sensation, and reaction. First, consciousness is simply the receiving part of the mind. It doesn't pass judgment on anything. Second, our perception identifies what has been seen and judges it as positive or negative. Third, sensation arises. It's either pleasant or unpleasant, depending on our perception.

Finally, a reaction occurs, and we act to prolong the sensation if it's pleasant or to avoid it if it's unpleasant. According to the Buddha, because these processes occur rapidly and continuously, our mind has an even more ephemeral nature than our body. And because it is ephemeral, there is no stable 'I' or permanent identity. In a way, we're like a river.

To alleviate suffering, become less attached to yourself and the world.

This attachment takes several forms. 

First, there is the attachment to the ego and the image we have of ourselves. For most of us, the 'I' is the most important person in the world. We think of ourselves as magnets, surrounded by iron filings. We arrange the world, like those filings, in a pattern centered around ourselves. Unfortunately, everyone else acts like they're magnets too, leading to conflicts with others and the patterns they impose on the world.  The second form of attachment is to what we consider ours. We become attached to our possessions because they're associated with us. They help support the image we have of ourselves. Lastly, there's attachment to our views and beliefs. Regardless of what those beliefs are, we cling to them because they too bolster our self-image.

By acting, speaking, and working in ways that do not bring harm to ourselves or others, we halt the spread of suffering in the world. However, our problems often begin as turmoil in the mind. We can try to control our actions and speech all we like, but if our minds remain filled with anxieties and cravings, then our efforts will all be in vain. At some point, this imbalance will reveal itself.

Tranquility and equanimity.

Mindfulness: - Joseph Goldstein (Peace Corps in Thailand)

Ananda had a legendary memory and understood the lessons of the Buddha, known as the Dhamma, better than anyone. Yet, to his embarrassment, Ananda had never achieved enlightenment; it had always eluded him. Ānanda, the Buddha’s devoted attendant, attained enlightenment the night before the First Buddhist Council, despite decades of close companionship with the Buddha and deep knowledge of the Dhamma. Though not yet an arahant at the time of the Buddha’s passing, he was determined to join the council, which only allowed fully enlightened monks. After meditating tirelessly through the night, Ānanda finally let go of striving; as he mindfully lay down to rest, just before his head touched the pillow ( others say raising his feet to lie down), he realized arahantship. His awakening, occurring in the transitional moment between movement and stillness, symbolized the profound truth that liberation arises not merely from effort, but from deep mindfulness and the relinquishing of all clinging.

Ajahn Chah, a 20th-century teacher of a form of Buddhism known as the Thai Forest Tradition, once traveled into the woods to spend a few days in solitude in a hut. On the first night, as he settled into the stillness, a loud sound erupted through the trees. Nearby, villagers were partying and playing music through loudspeakers. At first, Ajahn Chah was annoyed. Didn't the villagers know that a celebrated monk was in the woods contemplating nirvana? He feared his retreat was ruined. But then he caught himself. The key message here is to use mindfulness to interrupt the thoughts and feelings that trap you in suffering. For a moment, Ajahn Chah had allowed himself to suffer what the Buddha described as the same dart twice: he suffered the shock of the noise, and then he suffered a greater injury, the pain of his own discontent. When you fail to be mindful of your feelings, a pleasant feeling can awaken greed, an unpleasant one can stir distaste or even hatred, and when a feeling is neutral, you may fail to recognize it at all.

Ask yourself, what's the attitude of my mind right now? Or simply, what is happening? In response, avoid attaching yourself to the thought or feeling. Instead of saying, for example, I am angry, try saying, the angry mind is like this. Don't judge yourself harshly for ugly thoughts and feelings; shame only digs you deeper into yourself.

An ugly thought or feeling is just a visitor. Acknowledge it, let it exist independently, and allow it to pass. Of course, not all thoughts and feelings are traps made of misery. Soon, you'll discover how mindfulness of goodwill, generosity, and compassion can foster a liberating mindset. But before you reach that point, it's important to explore how your mind itself may obstruct you on the path to self-liberation.

When you're mindful, the pool is clear and calm, faithfully reflecting the reality of its surroundings. However, certain states of mind can disturb the water. Greed acts like a dye, tainting your perceptions.

Distaste and hatred heat the water to a boil. Laziness appears as algae growing across the surface. Restlessness manifests as ripples caused by the wind. Doubt and indecision create thick mud that blocks the light. Mindfulness, the Buddha said, is the key to clearing away these hindrances.