1. Frist Traininglevel „Off-Topic - On-Topic“
In this first step of training, one tries to investigate own text if it is relevant to the topic and in the stream of the discussion to it and text passages which are not on topic and
simply color them blue.
At the beginning it might be that there are very less text passages which one realizes as
offtopic and most of the text will stay black. With continuing practice and “reminder of others”, the mindfulness will increase and the determination will grow better. There is no need to abstain from the
blue text passages but it is useful to just note/mark them. For others it would not contain a reason for quarrel as these text is marked and so not needed to be read if one does not wish to be involved in side talks.
This training will lead like a flow into the second training level as sooner or later the motivation and reason would be requested by others or by one self.
Note:
Text in black does not contain any subjective discrimination, it could be that the text is very mindful or lacks of any mindfulness, so there is no danger if somebody keeps passages just black.
Technical:
Mark the text you like to color, for example I am not sure with your courser and select in the toolbar "Change Color" the color "blue"or type:
[color=blue]I am not sure[/color]
The text selected text needs to have [color=blue]
at the beginning and [/color]
at its end. It would appear like that: I am not sure as soon you post it. For undo it, you need to delete this codes manually.2. The secound Training level „Emotions“ (or better feelings)It’s actually a refinement of the first step. After looking for On-Topic and Off-Topic one needs to look for the reasons behind (in the black text as well as in the blue text) and colors the passages with Emo-colors or colors which sign the feelings (vedana) behind. To be able to do so, one needs to observe feelings and get some knowledge about them. There is no problem to color them in advance, knowing that a feeling is present but one should also reflect on this before finally posting the post. It’s important that one does only focus on his own text and do not mix his own text up which preceded post’s, even use them as a tool. This does not mean that one more time reading of a posting of others is not useful. Actually it would increases mindfulness. It’s important to remember that this mindfulness training has not the purpose to conquer others but to conquer one self. So watch as well as possible your own mind and do not speculate on others even use this meditation tool as a mad tool.
Step by step!
Choosing the right color: As all joy (worldly) and suffering contains greed (lobha) and harded (dosa) I choose to differ not in greed and hatred (bad or good) as they have the same nature but are only two sides of a coin, but in the intensity of this mind phenomena's.
Note: defuse feelings (uppeka vedana) as well as expressions of equanimity (uppeka) are contained in the color black and do not need a separation.
I gave them four levels of intensity and like to describe the fictive level and its opposite on the other side of the coin.
Hate (dosa)_______________Greed__________________ColorAngry____________________smitten__________________red (attributes of hate and greed very evident) Cynically(high-spirited)_______arrogating (claiming)_______orangeApolicatically_______________subliantly________________pinkShyly_____________________sad____________________green(attributes of hate and greed very less evident)So the color (attachment) spectrum starts with
black (unaware - defuse)
to
red (heavy attached)
orange (good attached)
pink (attached)
green (less attached)
back to
black again.
With these levels the grade of attachment could be graduated. It’s useful to do it in that way even at least there is no real graduation. Greed is greed and hatred is hatred. At least there is attachment or no attachment, but for the first steps this kind of graduating would be to row.
If a group wishes to practice together in this way, it is useful to adopt the same color system. With this color schedule one is able to practice fast and effect as one can use statements of others later on and reflect on them (normally there is a long correspondence and a use of many posts till one gets some messages).
With this practice the pendulum of taking (accepting - loose) and giving (dish - win) grows slower or does not have big attitudes soon. A
Forhara with many honestly practicing
Googlyanis would grow soon to a colorful place and many meta – discussions would disappear with time even they are not offensively displaced. All Dharma’s have their room.
Even for visitors or those who use the
Forhara (forum) as a place of socializing and meeting point of relations, the strange expressions through the colors would have its teaching and learning effects. For those who are straight seekers and who use to abstain from involvements of worldly character, it would be also easy to avoid them by “ignoring” the colored passages.
Googlyana is useful for everyone and does not discriminate different practitioner or people with different levels of insight!
3. The third training level „later dye“ (longtime investigation)
While the first and second step focus on the investigation before doing a verbal-physical act in by typing a new post, the third step invites to investigate historical posts and review their results.
This practice is recommended in times if there is no intention for new topics or posts (no questions or answers) but the time to practice online.
If we see older pictures of our self, we can realize the change of our body. If we look at our old posts and try to remember our intentions and emotions, we realize not only the change of our mind states but also our old failures as well as our progress in practice. We learn to understand cause and effects and will understand much more as before. So to read the own text one more time and try to color it is not just a waste of time but a very good opportunity to investigate longtime effects of our actions and the impermanence of feelings what ever they might have caused (wholesome or unwholesome effects)
Also regarding the third level, it’s important to focus on one’s own actions even the interactional situations are useful to understand. Just correct your self and color your own text.
So with this three steps adopted we can follow easy and in interaction with others the advice like Buddha had taught to his son Rahula (from
Instructions to Rahula at Mango Stone :
"What do you think, Rahula: What is a mirror for?"
"For reflection, sir."
"In the same way, Rahula, bodily actions, verbal actions, & mental actions are to be done with repeated reflection.
"Whenever you want to do a verbal action, you should reflect on it: 'This verbal action I want to do — would it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Would it be an unskillful verbal action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know that it would lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both; it would be an unskillful verbal action with painful consequences, painful results, then any verbal action of that sort is absolutely unfit for you to do. But if on reflection you know that it would not cause affliction... it would be a skillful verbal action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results, then any verbal action of that sort is fit for you to do.
So before posting, one can prove (recalling his experiences of the past) if this would lead to harm. There is no need to abstain from writing such things at the beginning of the practice, but its good for the training to color them.
"While you are doing a verbal action, you should reflect on it: 'This verbal action I am doing — is it leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Is it an unskillful verbal action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know that it is leading to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both... you should give it up. But if on reflection you know that it is not... you may continue with it.
So while you are writing one post of the other you can carefully watch if a harm arises and stop or change the way you do.
"Having done a verbal action, you should reflect on it: 'This verbal action I have done — did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful verbal action, with painful consequences, painful results?' If, on reflection, you know that it led to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both; it was an unskillful verbal action with painful consequences, painful results, then you should confess it, reveal it, lay it open to the Teacher or to a knowledgeable companion in the holy life. Having confessed it... you should exercise restraint in the future. But if on reflection you know that it did not lead to affliction... it was a skillful verbal action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results, then you should stay mentally refreshed & joyful, training day & night in skillful mental qualities.
The third training step covers this advice.
The whole mindfulness training taking the coloring of text passages as the tool for practice would lead to the kind of improvement the Buddha advised for a happy existence where ever you are and to purify your mind for further trainings and insight meditation.
It also would cover big parts of the fourfold mindfulness the Buddha had advised in the
Satipatthana Sutta but gives also possibilities for practicing experiences while following other meditation practices to understand the second noble truth better.
A discussion forum is a relative long lasting mirror, which allows easier longtime investigations as the foot prints do not disappear very fast.
This kind of practice is not one very useful for one self but also gives others the possibility to learn form your honest practice and can be quoted as a practice for one self and others which will never be criticized by the wise. So it covers also much Bodhisattva practice.
For oneself, for others
"Of two people who practice the Dhamma in line with the Dhamma, having a sense of Dhamma, having a sense of meaning — one who practices for both his own benefit and that of others, and one who practices for his own benefit but not that of others — the one who practices for his own benefit but not that of others is to be criticized for that reason, the one who practices for both his own benefit and that of others is, for that reason, to be praised."
— AN 7.64
side information:
The origin of the Googlyana