Cut off intoxicants

[blazer]

I've temporarily suspendend consumption of mental intoxicants since a few days, which doesn't happen since a long time.
I can report some problems to get asleep and leg pain is increased. The intention is to drastically reduce consumption, passing many days a week totally "lucid" and possibly see good effects on health and concentrtion.


 

[Johann]

Mudita

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

...“Having done a bodily action, you should reflect on it: 'This bodily action I have done — did it lead to self-affliction, to the affliction of others, or to both? Was it an unskillful bodily 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 bodily 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 bodily action with pleasant consequences, pleasant results, then you should stay mentally refreshed & joyful, training day & night in skillful mental qualities. ...

Quote from: https://sangham.net/en/tipitaka/sut/mn/mn.061.than

Sīlānussati:

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

...“[Again, the Uposatha of the Noble Ones] is the cleansing of the mind through the proper technique. And how is the defiled mind cleansed through the proper technique?

”There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones recollects his own virtues, thus: '[They are] untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished, conducive to concentration.' As he is recollecting virtue, his mind is calmed, and joy arises; the defilements of his mind are abandoned, just as when a mirror is cleansed through the proper technique. And how is a mirror cleansed through the proper technique? Through the use of oil & ashes & chamois & the appropriate human effort. This is how a mirror is cleansed through the proper technique. In the same way, the defiled mind is cleansed through the proper technique. And how is the defiled mind cleansed through the proper technique? There is the case where the disciple of the noble ones recollects his own virtues… As he is recollecting virtue, his mind is cleansed, and joy arises; the defilements of his mind are abandoned. He is thus called a disciple of the noble ones undertaking the virtue-Uposatha. He lives with virtue. It is owing to virtue that his mind is calmed, that joy arises, and that whatever defilements there are in his mind are abandoned. This is how the mind is cleansed through the proper technique....

Quote from: https://sangham.net/en/tipitaka/sut/an/an03/an03.070.than

[blazer]

Thanks for your support, Ven. Johann.

It is not easy to evaluate. After having won the stream effects changed; after having gained heaven it was so different; now, it is different again. It is also difficult to make evaluations because this pain pushes so much so the mind become defiled, and staying all time at home tends to defile too.
I'll try to investigate the effects of restraint on this point.

I agree that recollecting good qualities, good actions done in name of the good, is beneficial.
But why suggesting this very technique right now and not another one?
Thank you

 

[Johann]

Thanks for your support, Ven. Johann.

It is not easy to evaluate. After having won the stream effects changed; after having gained heaven it was so different; now, it is different again. It is also difficult to make evaluations because this pain pushes so much so the mind become defiled, and staying all time at home tends to defile too.
I'll try to investigate the effects of restraint on this point.

I agree that recollecting good qualities, good actions done in name of the good, is beneficial.
But why suggesting this very technique right now and not another one?
Thank you

 

Acting skilful is the condition for being glad about oneself, glad conditions satisfaction, satisf. calm, calm, happiness, happiness Samadhi...

That's why it's not only importand to act right, but also to use this to develop the mind right, happiness from acting right, Nyom.

And great fear to act wrong, as the way out get's destroyed by such.

[blazer]

The restrictions are giving fruits, and discontinuous usage is much more useful than continuous daily usage.
The last year i have taken the habit to use intoxicants as painkiller, not finding another effective medical drug, but it actually lowered a lot the benefits i used to find useful.
I think i will keep restrictions the next period, finding another way to manage the pain.

 

[Johann]

The restrictions are giving fruits, and discontinuous usage is much more useful than continuous daily usage.
The last year i have taken the habit to use intoxicants as painkiller, not finding another effective medical drug, but it actually lowered a lot the benefits i used to find useful.
I think i will keep restrictions the next period, finding another way to manage the pain.

 

Joy with one's virtue, Nyom, strong faith into fruits from doing skilful, makes it possible to bear out old debts without doing wrong again, having brought this kamma (acting) to it's end.