The Wise Heart, Jack Kornfield

​

 

Bear these concepts in mind

 

“Buddhist teachings are not a religion. They are a teaching of the science of the mind.” Dalai Lama

 

People seeking wisdom cannot escape. There is a wiser way to care for the world. All problems start with human suffering. Comprehension Manual of Abhidhammad is a larger version of the Heart Sutra. 

 

Don’t seek enlightenment, seek inner freedom and liberation. Remember the power of the heart to hold all things, both positive and negative.

 

Buddhism is a science of the mind. It is not a religion, and is not about God.

​

 

Chapter breakdown

 

Chapter 1

See inner beauty of all human beings. Change the time. See all people as an innocent child or on their death bed. We forget our own and others’ original goodness.

Feel the energy of others via mood contagion or limbic resonance. We can change a room when we arrive.

Show respect and honor for all around you and see if they honor you differently.

Share with each person on paper something that you admire about them.

Nelson Mandela “It never hurts to think too highly of someone. They may act better because of it.”

Practice seeing the inner goodness of 3 people and imagine the Dalai Lama undercover. 

 

Chapter 2

Compassion is within our deepest nature. It rises when we see things clearly. Ignorance and trauma hide compassion but can be removed. Aggression and anger give way to fear and delusion. 

May you be held in compassion; may your pain and sorrow be removed. May you be at peace. 

 

Chapter 3

Change attention from experience to spacious consciousness which is wisdom. The body lives in time but consciousness does not. Mind allows changing thoughts, moods, and feelings. Pure consciousness is open, awake, clear, and tries to be aware. 

Like light behaves like a wave and particle. Who is angry? Who is doubting? Not you. Detachment is not consciousness. Listen and allow the image to expand in the sky.

 

Chapter 4

Name states that arise in the mind. See them as only mental states. Shift from unhealthy states to healthy ones. 

Use 5 senses and consciousness to see the reality. Notice all sounds and slow down. Forget about all else and be mindful of the body and the breath. Past reactions can become engraved and take time to change.

 

Chapter 5

Self is created by identification. Avoid self-clinging, it will make you freer and happier. Why identify with body or images or anything else? Where do you feel the self the strongest? How do you solve it?

 

Chapter 6

Our life has both a universal and personal nature. Our form is not from emptiness. Both the individual and collective must be respected to be happy and free. Nothing lasts. Use concepts but don’t be fooled by them.

 

Chapter 7

Mindfulness is liberating and gives perspective, balance, and freedom. Mindfulness is patient, receptive, non-judging awareness. Practice fearlessly and rejoice. Recognition, then acceptance, then investigation, and then non detachment. This is the path.

 

Chapter 8

Mindfulness of body lets us love fully. Healing, wisdom and freedom. Go forward with psychical pain, it is there. 

The young need physical activity. They cannot just sit still. We only rent our bodies. Notice how the body changes with thoughts. Eventually find compassion towards the self and then towards others. 

 

Chapter 9

Wisdom knows what feelings are present without being lost in them. 4 ways to deal with feelings: RAIN - recognize, accept, investigate, non-identification. Hold briefly and be with it—cry for example. 

 

Chapter 10

Samsara is circular, repetitive. Thoughts are often one-sided and untrue. Try to be mindful of them. The poet sees the universe as stories coming together, not atoms. Some see words, some see thoughts, some picture these thoughts. 

Regardless, be sure you 1. Acknowledge thoughts.  2. Disentangle thoughts. Can you feel the feeling without a name or ID? What is your story? What is a lie? Who are you? Is it true? See the first thought and don’t dismiss it.

​

Chapter 11

There is a personal and universal unconsciousness. Turn attention to it to bring awareness and freedom. The more often you repeat something the stronger the thought is. One is many via a mirror.

3 unhealthy roots of suffering: 1. Grasping. 2. Aversion. 3. Delusion. Anger, pride, fear, and overindulgence.

 

Chapter 12

Unhealthy parts of personality can be recognized and transformed into healthy expression of natural temperament. Accept your own quirks. I am (like Jack) goal focused and grasp towards greed. Aggression type of grasping can be always angry. Delusional type of grasping charming but not on a physical plane. Spaciousness and equanimity.

 

Chapter 13

Know the difference between healthy desires and unhealthy desires. We all have desires. Healthy desires lead to happiness and wisdom, also to abundance, generosity, love, and gratitude. Unhealthy ones lead to suffering via greed and grasping. Gratitude leads to abundance and solves anxiety.

 

Chapter 14

If we cling to anger and hatred, we will suffer. It is possible to not respond to something strong and just to be compassionate. Without hate, pain does not hurt. Healthy reaction is awareness and concern, compassion, strength, and connectedness. Be aware of your aversion. Hold fear with kindness. Sense how anger affects the body. Notice emotions.

 

Chapter 15

Delusion misunderstands the world and forgets where we are. It is unhealthy. Types of delusion include: 1. Lack of attention (can hide emotion) 2. Denial 3. Misperception (can hold onto experience). Spacious clarity and unity.

 

Chapter 16

Pain is inevitable, suffering is not. Suffering is grasping. Release the grasping and be free from suffering. Open to the sorrows of the world. What is your suffering? Can you hear it? Pain is physical. Suffering is mental.

 

Chapter 17

Be mindful of intention. Intention is the seed that creates our future. Karma comes from intention. Intention>Deed>Habit>Cluster>Destroy.  Dedication is a long-term intention. Do not do it for recognition or acceptance. How we respond creates the patterns. In the next conflict, just pause. Hold all in compassion.

 

Chapter 18

What we repeatedly visualize changes the body and consciousness. Visualize freedom and compassion. Feel Buddha and let it then become Tara. Simple rituals are the best. 

3 levels of refuse: 1. Outer (history Buddha) 2. Inner (all beings) 3. Innermost (tireless consciousness). Visualize someone else coming in and taking over your body.

 

Chapter 19

What we repeatedly think shapes our world, out of compassion. Rhyentse Rinpoche suggests samskaras and nirvanas. Change “I’m afraid” to “I’m strong.” If problem can be solved, there is no need to worry. If a problem cannot be solved, then there is no need to worry. Repeat compassion. Notice destructive thoughts, phases, judgments, shaming of others or self-destructive thoughts. Replace unhealthy patterns with healthy ones. May I trust this world. May I hold myself in compassion.

 

Chapter 20

Concentration opens consciousness to profound healing and understanding. Rapid yogic breath expands the mind. Arousing energy investigates and intensifies. Stabilizing calms the mind and concentration produces equanimity. Purification releases tension, conflict, insecurity, and anxiety. Acknowledge but don’t attack and don’t become attached.

Psychic yoga are Six Yogas from Naroh Buddhism and Path of Purification. Grasping lowers one’s abilities. With blissfulness comes extraordinary meditation, but don’t cling to it.

 

Chapter 21

Virtue and integration needed to be happy. Must be integrated. Reverence for life is a virtue for life. Virtues include Ahimsa, Cultivation of Caring, and Spontaneous Conscious Heart.

Forgiveness is needed and possible. Never too late. Forgive yourself. Ask for forgiveness of others. Grief>Range>Sorrow>Hurt>Confusion. Offer to others who hurt you.

 

Chapter 22

Boddhivisa and no separation between self and others. Be tender to self and tender to the world. We draw our family circle too small. “Sentient beings are numberless. I bring liberation to all.” 

We are not separate, we are inner dependent, torn between desire to save the world and save ourselves. Quiet the mind and don’t be born from anger, grasping, fear, or aggression.  Don’t just do it for India but for self. The enemy is delusion. Buddhism is not withdrawal. It is limited only by imagination. 

 

Chapter 23

Middle way is between extremes. Rest in the middle and find well-being. Release opinions, free yourself from the view. Be willing to leave. Plant seeds. Listen especially when near the mystery of death. Discover not a new landscape but a new set of eyes. 

 

Chapter 24

A peaceful heart gives birth to love. When loves meets suffering it turns into compassion. When love meets happiness, it turns to joy.

 

​

Conclusions

 

Who is being loved? Shining heart in ALL. Love is our true nature. Covered with fear. May I be safe, healthy, and happy. 

 

When present, joy arises. 

 

Awakening consciousness is peace, love, clarity, integrity, compassion, creativity, joyfulness, and abundance.

 

May I be at ease and happy. 

Breath in, calm the body. Breath out, calm the mind.

May you be open and beloved and peaceful.

​

I am sorry I acted from anger. I have stated that my goal moving forward is to act from a place of compassion.