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 & 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 any 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, basis & source for
the awakening of joy!
Frequently giving
careful & 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 and which also hinders any already arisen
joy from reaching sweet fulfillment by development?
There are states that
are the basis & source for the
joy link to awakening! Not giving frequent
careful and rational attention to them; not
considering them much & 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
meditative training...
Comments from the classical commentaries:
Elated & ecstatic exultation is the characteristic of
the
Joy Link to Awakening
(Pīti-sambojjhanga).
Motivated intentness upon is the purpose of the 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 &
Joy itself mainspring, basis & source of more Joy…
It is the deliberate directing attention to this, again
& again, that can produce Joy!!!
