Thanks Richard. That's often translated as NON-attachment which I think misleads a lot of people. We should be IN the world and also apart from it. Tough balance to maintain.
Very nice essay Baird, the issue if words and meanings us an important in and have vexed translators for a long time. An eminent french translator of Buddhist texts is very vexed by how often significant terms are mistranslated. Especially the use of the word "Presence". "Cuktivation" is a very useful term as it implies a telos. I do not cultivate my kitchen floor, but I do my garden. Yet it can be part of my self-cultivation that I'm mindful when working in either.
Here's an interesting passage on cultivation (in the Buddhist sense of the word) from Professor Daniel P. Brown in his book, Pointing Out the Great Way, page 113.
"Cultivating Virtue:
Removing weeds and rocks doesn't guarantee that a seed will grow into a tree. It is far more important to supply the right positive conditions for the seed's development such as water, sunlight and nutrition. Likewise, eradication of obstacles to spiritual development does not automatically lead to progress in spiritual development, but simply the removal of conditions that prevent progress. Genuine progress is a function of active cultivation of positive mental factors that have the ability to potentiate spiritual development... Active cultivation of these virtuous (dga ba) mental factors over time gradually shifts the balance within the unfolding mental continuum in the direction of predominantly positive states, which in turn lays the foundation for genuine spiritual progress..."
Thanks Michael. I thought you might have something valuable to contribute on the matter. The quote from Prof. Brown captures what I was going after for sure. Glad you commented with your greater knowledge of all this!
Hi Baird, I have to admit that my mind is not what it was and I increasingly find myself at sea in discussions of what is best when it comes to the Dharma! All I will do is serve it for the rest of this life and all future lives as best as I'm able and put my boney bottom on the ground and meditate until I need do so no longer. 🙂 I truly wish you well in all your endeavors,!
Replacing meditation with cultivation with the meaning of personally centering and flourishing speaks to me. I also own my prejudice of being a gardener, but I suspect nongardeners can also identify with your reframing of the construct.
I love the word "cultivation", the idea of cultivating your own inner garden" metaphor.
If only people possessed the counter-intuitive thinking needed to embrace the adage , " "Don't believe everything you think". Unfortunately, that would require the type of unemotional scientific detachment we rarely see practiced in the world.
I read your link which provides further details on the subject.
I like the "separateness" concept
Thanks Richard. That's often translated as NON-attachment which I think misleads a lot of people. We should be IN the world and also apart from it. Tough balance to maintain.
Very nice essay Baird, the issue if words and meanings us an important in and have vexed translators for a long time. An eminent french translator of Buddhist texts is very vexed by how often significant terms are mistranslated. Especially the use of the word "Presence". "Cuktivation" is a very useful term as it implies a telos. I do not cultivate my kitchen floor, but I do my garden. Yet it can be part of my self-cultivation that I'm mindful when working in either.
Here's an interesting passage on cultivation (in the Buddhist sense of the word) from Professor Daniel P. Brown in his book, Pointing Out the Great Way, page 113.
"Cultivating Virtue:
Removing weeds and rocks doesn't guarantee that a seed will grow into a tree. It is far more important to supply the right positive conditions for the seed's development such as water, sunlight and nutrition. Likewise, eradication of obstacles to spiritual development does not automatically lead to progress in spiritual development, but simply the removal of conditions that prevent progress. Genuine progress is a function of active cultivation of positive mental factors that have the ability to potentiate spiritual development... Active cultivation of these virtuous (dga ba) mental factors over time gradually shifts the balance within the unfolding mental continuum in the direction of predominantly positive states, which in turn lays the foundation for genuine spiritual progress..."
"
Thanks Michael. I thought you might have something valuable to contribute on the matter. The quote from Prof. Brown captures what I was going after for sure. Glad you commented with your greater knowledge of all this!
Hi Baird, I have to admit that my mind is not what it was and I increasingly find myself at sea in discussions of what is best when it comes to the Dharma! All I will do is serve it for the rest of this life and all future lives as best as I'm able and put my boney bottom on the ground and meditate until I need do so no longer. 🙂 I truly wish you well in all your endeavors,!
Replacing meditation with cultivation with the meaning of personally centering and flourishing speaks to me. I also own my prejudice of being a gardener, but I suspect nongardeners can also identify with your reframing of the construct.
Thanks Julie. Your garden has expanded with new growth of late. I bet you're appreciating and meditating on that a lot!
Great stuff Baird...
I love the word "cultivation", the idea of cultivating your own inner garden" metaphor.
If only people possessed the counter-intuitive thinking needed to embrace the adage , " "Don't believe everything you think". Unfortunately, that would require the type of unemotional scientific detachment we rarely see practiced in the world.
I read your link which provides further details on the subject.
Thanks for this... thanks for taking the time.
Thanks for reading both pieces and commenting Mark. You're a master garden designer and cultivator, so the metaphor must resonate well with you!