MEDITATIONS TO REDUCE DELUSIONS

PRELIMINARIES AND DEDICATION

In order to make the most out of the following analytical meditations, it is important to realise that one should not only observe the analytical mind, but also the emotions and feelings that come up. It is adviseable to read the pages on Meditation Theory (chapter on Vipashyana) and Meditation Practice if you are not used to (analytical) meditation..
It is strongly advised to start with a good motivation beforehand, to take a few minutes to calm down (doing e.g. a brief breathing meditation is very good) and to dedicate the positive energy afterwards.
For this, the following traditional prayers can be used, but feel free to use any other positive and unselfish thoughts:

Taking Refuge

I go for refuge to the Buddha,
I go for refuge to the Dharma,
I go for refuge to the Sangha. (3x)

Setting the Mind to Enlightenment

By virtue of giving and so forth,
may I become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings. (3x)

4 Immeasurables

May all sentient beings have equanimity, free from attachment, aggression and prejudice.
May they be happy, and have the causes for happiness.
May they be free from suffering and causes for suffering.
May they never be separated from the happiness that is free from suffering. (3x)

7-Limbed Prayer

Respectfully I prostrate with body, speech and mind;
I present clouds of every type of offerings, actual and imagined;
I declare all the negative actions I have done since beginningless time,
and rejoice in the merit of all Aryas and ordinary beings.
Please teacher, remain until cyclic existence ends
and turn the wheel of Dharma for all sentient beings.
I dedicate the virtues of myself and others to the great Enlightenment.

Dedication

By this virtue may I soon
reach a Guru-Buddha-state,
and lead each and every being
to that state of Buddhahood.

May the precious Bodhicitta
not yet born, arise and grow
may that born have no decline
but increase forever more.

ATTACHMENT: FOCUS ON IMPERMANENCE

Note that every time you get a strong feeling of the changing nature of things; hold it as long as you can!

- Think of landscape outside; trees, birds, clouds; all are made up of moving atoms; try to imagine this and concentrate on the feeling.
- Think of this room and everything in it; is it all permanent?
- Think of your body; is it the same as yesterday, last month, 10 years ago?
- Think of the mind; is it static or changing every moment? Concentrate on the experience.
- Is it realistic to value things so high if they do not last forever?
- Is it realistic to expect friends not to change?
- Is it realistic to expect my friends will live forever?
- Will I live forever?
- What will last longer; my possessions and friends or I myself?

ATTACHMENT TO A PERSON

- Bring to mind person you feel very attached to, a lover or good friend.
- How does it feel if you think of him or her?
- Is it a feeling of freedom or bondage to think of this person?
- Is he or she as perfect as I want to be?
- Am I sure this person will forever be a good friend of mine? Am I actually such a perfect friend?
- Am I attached to this human being or to a fantasy of the perfect friend?
- Is this person an ordinary human being like me, with some good and some bad qualities?
- In what way is this person really different from any other, with some good and some bad qualities?
- Do I tend to exaggerate this persons good qualities, is he / she always nice, warm, friendly?
- Does exaggeration not always lead to disappointment?
- What is the essence of this person who I like? Is it the mind that I will never fully understand, or the body; a skin, holding blood, flesh and bones together?

PRIDE

- What can I do alone, without any past or present help of others?
- What did I learn by myself that did not depend on others: reading, enjoying music or a movie, driving a car, anything beyond what an animal can do?
- Could I eat, wear clothes, sleep under a roof, go on holiday without the help of others?
- Where did my body come from?
- Who paid for my education, and who taught me the things I know?
- Is being pride not the same as attachment, only this time exaggerating my own good qualities?
- Do I know of anyone who is very proud that I like?
- Is my pride maybe just caused by a lack of self-confidence or self-esteem? Trying to be more than I actually am?
- What is harder to do: to be a fool and think myself better than others or be wise and humble?

FEAR

- Remember a fearful situation you have been in.
- How does it feel to be afraid? How do the body and the mind react?
- Are there any thoughts that keep on repeating themselves in my mind?
- Was the situation really dangerous?
- Did I exaggerate the danger of the situation?
- Did it end the way I feared?
- Did it help me to be very afraid? Or did it just increase the problem?
- Was I afraid to lose possessions or die?
- Can I escape losing my possessions and body when I die?
- Do I expect the worse of situations or project negativity in general?
- Do these negative expectations keep me tense and rigid - does that help me?
- Do I dare to listen to my heart and logic instead of these negative projections?
- Can I really enjoy the moment when I only focus on things that could go wrong?
- Do I dare to live here and now and enjoy what happens?

DOUBT

- How does doubt feel?
- Is it pleasant or unpleasant?
- Are there any thoughts that keep on repeating themselves in my mind?
- Am I just afraid of the most negative outcome?
- Is it realistic to just expect the worse?
- Do I dare to just do something and hope for the best?
- Not making a choice is like a choosing to delay a decision, does it really help?
- Do I dare to trust my own decisions?
- Do I trust myself and dare to follow my heart and logic?
- Can I accept making a mistake instead of never deciding?

JEALOUSY

- Think about a situation that makes me feel jealous
- How does jealousy feel?
- Are there any thoughts that keep on repeating themselves in my mind?
- What is the object I really want to have, that the other has no right to?
- Why do I have more right to this than the other?
- Does my jealousy help me in getting it?
- Is this object really that important in my life?
- Would I be really happy when I had it, and could I remain happy?
- Why is it so difficult to feel happy that this other person has it?
- When I rejoice in the good fortune of the other, both of us will be happy!
- Try to really give the object to the other, and feel happy about your generosity!

DEPRESSION

- Imagine the state of mind when in depression - everything is black, hopeless, cold - try to really feel it in the heart.
- What am I so concerned about?
- Are there thoughts that keep on repeating themselves in my mind?
- Am I only concerned about myself, my own problems and pain?
- Am I realistic about my own situation?
- Am I really helpless, hopeless, hungry, completely alone, poor and cold?
- How many people in the world are really helpless, hopeless, hungry, alone and cold?
- Try to feel some compassion for their suffering.
- Imagine a little light in your heart that becomes brighter and brighter.
- Open the heart and let the light shine out to other people that really need some love and affection.
- Imagine that their suffering decreases because of your light.
- Now realise that you can use this light also for yourself, and radiate love and affection to yourself.
- Fill the whole body with light and simply enjoy it.

UNVEILING THE BUDDHA-NATURE

- Is it possible to develop myself, change and transform into someone to admire?
- Is there a potential in me for wisdom and compassion?
- Do I want to use that potential?

"May I be free of anger, free of attachment, free of confusion, free of pride.
May I be free of the problems that arise from such distortions of my mind.
May I recognise and cultivate my potential of loving kindness, compassion, wisdom, patience and all other good qualities.
May these good qualities grow for my well-being and the well-being of others.
May my fears, worries and sorrows fall away.
May I find the joy of love and peace in my heart."

- Feel this joy and peace right now.

"May all people, especially my enemies, discover and develop their potential for loving-kindness, compassion, patience and so forth.
May all people, especially my enemies be free from all the problems caused by their confusion.
May all people, especially my enemies find love and peace in their hearts."

- Imagine they all experience love and peace right now.
- Imagine a drop of brilliant white light at your heart; it is our pure nature
- This light of purity and love fills my entire body.
- Now open the heart and let the light emerge in all directions; sending out love and purity to all beings.
- Imagine every being who is touched by it is purified of suffering and experiences love and peace.

LACK OF SELF-CONFIDENCE

- Who am I really; what are all my negative qualities?
- Does this mean I am the worst person in the world?
- How many people do I know in this world without any negative qualities?
- Can I expect myself to be perfect, without any faults?
- What are my positive qualities.
- Can I not at least help people, care about them, generate compassion?
- Does not everybody have good and bad qualities?
- Do I therefore have to hate everybody?
- Why do I have to judge so hard on myself for being human, with good and bad qualities?
- Can I forgive myself for all my negative qualities?
- Do I believe I can improve myself, or am I an absolutely hopeless case?
- I have my own inner wisdom and know what is good and bad. Therefore I can make my own decisions and handle my own problems.
- Even if my problems become too overwhelming, I can always decide to ask others for advise.
- Having self-confidence, I do not feel better than others, but I know I can do something by myself, and have the courage to follow my own inner wisdom.

A special dedication prayer to counter a lack of self-confidence:

May I be equanimous, free from attachment, anger and prejudice.
May all living beings be equanimous, free from attachment, anger and prejudice.
May I be able to help all living beings to become free from attachment, anger and prejudice.
I will help all living beings to become free from attachment, anger and prejudice.

May I be happy and have the causes for future happiness.
May all living beings be happy and have the causes for future happiness.
May I be able to help all living beings to become happy and have the causes for future happiness.
I will help all living beings to become happy and have the causes for future happiness.

May I be free from suffering and the causes for suffering.
May all living beings be free from suffering and the causes for suffering.
May I be able to help all living beings to become free from suffering and the causes for suffering.
I will help all living beings to become free from suffering and the causes for suffering.

May I never be separate from the ultimate happiness, free from all suffering.
May all living beings never be separate from the ultimate happiness, free from all suffering.
May I be able to help all living never to be separate from the ultimate happiness, free from all suffering.
I will help all living never to be separate from the ultimate happiness, free from all suffering.

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