What does Buddhism say about boredom?
score:16
Well, technically boredom is a form of tanha, craving. We crave for excitement, for fun, for an external source of energy. And according to principle of "this-that conditionality" craving is also a form of aversion -- meaning, when we are bored we have an inner conflict against "this". For some reason we think that "this", "here", "now" is not good enough.
My teacher explained, that every time we feel bored - that's really a signal from our "heart" that we have alienated. It's a reminder that we lost connection or integration. Because we lost connection, we feel something's missing.
From this perspective, every time we feel bored we should stop all activities, pause and look inside. Basically, meditation.
When we get more advanced on this path, we can learn to maintain this connection at all times, and then we don't feel boredom, we never have the sense of dissatisfaction, we learn to live in suchness more or less at all times.
Upvote:0
Surely there is only one answer: watch this thing you call 'boredom', without resistance, because is boredom anything at all? Surely the actual problem is not this non-existant 'feeling' we call boredom, but the mind's resistance to what is, because for the mind 'it' is not 'enough'. Or whatever words you use - or whatever 'what is' you find under that label of boredom. The more you scrutinize it the more the question dissappears, becoming meaningless, and again we've eaten away the illusory whisps of mind. Is there any mind at all?
Upvote:1
There are some advices on "RESTLESSNESS AND REMORSE"
When the mind is restless, it is the proper time for cultivating the following factors of enlightenment: tranquillity, concentration and equanimity, because an agitated mind can easily be quietened by them.
— SN 46:53
[Note: This is a gift of Dhamma, not meant for commercial use or other lower wordily gains by ways of exchange or trade]
Upvote:1
You can establish mindfulness by discerning the arising and passing of "boredom" and reflect on how that very boredom is conditioned.
Also one needs some patience because eventually boredom comes and goes, have to wait it out and keep looking at its arising and ceasing, eventually perception and discernment will be appropriately conditioned by such reflection and mindfulness.
Take it one moment at a time, meditating on a moment-to-moment basis if you find yourself impatient and bored. Recognizing, discerning, perceiving and learning about those phenomena. Noticing the states of mind that are of likes and dislikes, wanting and restlessness in particular.
Upvote:3
Boredom is the feeling of your small mind drowning in emptiness. Like most negative sensations, it is fleeting and only as powerful as your resistance to it. Embrace your boredom. Let it wash over you. The space that is left behind is the beginning of wisdom.
Upvote:3
The neither-pleasant-nor-painful feelings also known as neutral feelings is one of three types of feeling including pleasant and painful. Feelings here means sensations experienced by the six senses (including the mind).
The definition of neutral feeling comes in MN 44 and also states its relationship to ignorance:
Neutral feeling is pleasant when there is knowledge, and painful when there is ignorance.”
“The underlying tendency for greed underlies pleasant feeling. The underlying tendency for repulsion underlies painful feeling. The underlying tendency for ignorance underlies neutral feeling.”
In Contemplation of Feeling, Nyanaponika Thera explained this:
Pleasant feeling is habitually linked with enjoyment and desire; unpleasant feeling with aversion; neutral feeling with boredom and confusion, but also serving as background for wrong views.
Also in SN 36.5:
“Mendicants, there are these three feelings. What three? Pleasant, painful, and neutral feeling. Pleasant feeling should be seen as suffering. Painful feeling should be seen as a dart. Neutral feeling should be seen as impermanent. When a mendicant has seen these three feelings in this way, they’re called a mendicant who has cut off craving, untied the fetters, and by rightly comprehending conceit has made an end of suffering.
The neither-pleasant-nor-painful feelings also known as neutral feelings, normally make us bored or dissatisfied. Cravings would lead one to seek pleasures (kama tanha) or to become something or achieve something (bhava tanha) rather than sit around all day experiencing neutral feelings that don't bring satisfaction.
No feelings at all, would also be a cause for boredom and dissatisfaction. From the same article by Nyanaponika Thera, we read the commentary of the suttas and his comment:
Comy.: "From the fourth Jhana onwards, it is the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling (that is present in these meditative states). But this neutral feeling, too, is called 'pleasure' (sukha), on account of its being peaceful and sublime. What arises by way of the five cords of sensual desire and by way of the eight meditative attainments is called 'pleasure as being felt' (vedayita-sukha). The state of Cessation of Perception and Feeling is a 'pleasure, not being felt' (avedayita-sukha). Hence, whether it be pleasure felt or not felt, both are assuredly 'pleasure,' in the sense of their being painfree states (niddukkhabhava-sankhatena sukhena)."
In AN 9.34, the venerable Sariputta exclaims: "Nibbana is happiness, friend; Nibbana is happiness, indeed!" The monk Udayi then asked: "How can there be happiness when there is no feeling?" The venerable Sariputta replied: "Just this is happiness, friend, that therein there is no feeling."
To the arahant, neutral feelings, no feelings and Nibbana are all pleasant.
More post
- 📝 The importance of NOW
- 📝 If there is no soul or self, why did the Buddha speak of his past lives?
- 📝 What are proper expectations to have about a Sangha?
- 📝 It is said that arahants never dream. What are the textual sources for this claim?
- 📝 How Am I not the owner of the mind?
- 📝 Sutta request: dedication of offerings in another ones name
- 📝 Karma, right effort, letting go, heroic sacrifices: what's the right thing to do?
- 📝 Stages of equanimity and the end
- 📝 When you see The Light (according to textual sources)
- 📝 Is the Chinese/Lunar New Year a Buddhist religious holiday?
- 📝 Can I adapt Buddha’s teachings into science?
- 📝 Is it me or someone else paying karma for my sins?
- 📝 what is a luminous realm?
- 📝 How do you understand Ananda Sutta?
- 📝 What kind of vipassana retreats do you recommend in South East Asia?
- 📝 Opposite of buddhism
- 📝 Type of Meditation and Mood
- 📝 In the top left corner there is a Tibetan Buddhist praying. Can you translate this prayer?
- 📝 Buddhist Brahmachariya, Brahmin Brahmachariya, celibacy, chastity
- 📝 Applied Meditation
- 📝 Selling and use Dhamma as advertising
- 📝 How do Buddhists justify or explain that monks and/or temples amass and use wealth?
- 📝 Is non-emptiness empty?
- 📝 What is the name in Pāli and Sanskrit for the ‘body scanning’ meditation technique?
- 📝 "Switching focus"
- 📝 a good definition of consciousness
- 📝 Which Buddhist sect do I belong to?
- 📝 How can we know if a dharma teaching is really what the Buddha taught? Is there some sort of test?
- 📝 What constitutes virtue and how to train myself in virtue?
- 📝 Was Buddhism a rebellion against the Aryans?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 What does Buddhism literature and tradition say about transgender folks?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about boredom?
- 📝 What does buddhism say about bodybuilding (and weights training)?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about how to manage other people's anger?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about dealing with negative people?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about creativity and spiritual development?
- 📝 What does Buddha and Buddhism say about fighting against enemy of dharma?
- 📝 What does Diamond Way Buddhism say about obstacles at times of becoming more conscious?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about the consequences of good and bad behaviour?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about practicing Spiritism?
- 📝 What does Buddhism teach or say about Tolerance and accepting differences in general?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about intentionally killing dangerous insects and beings?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about the "self"?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about the existence of a self?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about success?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about pragmatic retribution?
- 📝 What does buddhism say about mind and heart?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about Antinatalism?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say about events that cannot be explained through rational thought?
- 📝 What does Buddhism teach about fear of success?
- 📝 What does the Abhidhamma say about impermanence?
- 📝 What does Buddhism teach about energy?
- 📝 What does Buddhism teach about anger?
- 📝 What does Buddhism teach about healing others through the mind
- 📝 What do different schools of Buddhism say about Mara
- 📝 What does Buddhism teach about abusive parents?
- 📝 What does the Pali canon say about "death"?
- 📝 What does Buddhism teach about the start and end of world?
- 📝 What does Buddhadasa say about rebirth after the break-up of the body?
- 📝 What does Buddhism say that the laity should do when someone injuries them?
