Feeding the
Joy Link to Awakening
:-)
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus,
just as this body, is sustained by feeding, exists in
dependence on
feeding
and cannot survive without food, even so are
the 7 Links to Awakening also sustained
by feeding,
they also can only exist in dependence on feeding
and they cannot survive
without feeding... And what, Bhikkhus, is the
feeding of the emergence of yet unarisen
joy and
also feeding of the completion by increase of any
already arisen joy?
There are mental states that are the
originator, maker, producer, root,
propagator,
and source for
the awakening of joy! Frequently giving
careful
and rational attention
to them, is feeding the
arising
and gradual fulfillment of joy...
And what is the
starving that obstructs the emergence of any yet
unarisen joy which
also hinders any already arisen joy from reaching sweet fulfillment by development?
There are states that are the basis and source for the
joy link to awakening!
Not giving frequent
careful and rational attention to them; not
considering them much
and often; is the starving that
prevents any unarisen joy from arising, and also blocks
any already arisen joy from reaching any complete
fulfillment by mental training...
Comments from the classical commentaries:
Elated
and ecstatic exultation is the characteristic of
the Joy Link to Awakening
(Pīti-sambojjhanga).
Motivated intentness upon is the purpose of this quality
of Joy.
Satisfaction lifting any depression is the
manifestation of the Joy Link to Awakening.
Thinking
of Joy makes this state return! This can be utilized by
training it! Try now!
This reinforcement - in itself
- has the capacity to gradually elevate, and induce Joy!
Therefore is the state of gladness and
Joy
itself mainspring, and source of more Joy...
It is the deliberate directing attention to
joy, again and again, that can produce Joy!
