Table of Contents

Preface xv

Acknowledgments xvii

1 Joining the Great We 1

Four Pure Insights 4

Releasing the Delusion of Separateness 6

Admitting Our Suffering, Opening to Community 9

Entering the Field in the Fellowship of Others 10

Mindfulness Practice for Step One: Resting in the Field of Awakened Ones 11

2 Coming To 15

Seeing Our Internal Response to Events 17

Awakened Beings Are Just like You and Me 20

Restored to Sanity by Touching Our "True Face" 21

Accessing Our True Nature through a Still Mind 22

Mindfulness Practice for Step Two: Prepare for Sitting 24

Mindfulness Practice for Step Two: Breathing and Noting Meditation 25

3 Taking Refuge 27

Step Three as Taking Refuge in the "Three Gems" 29

Taking Refuge in Awakening (Buddha) 31

Taking Refuge in the Path of Mindfulness, Understanding, and Love (Dharma) 34

Taking Refuge in Community (Sangha) 36

Mindfulness Practice for Step Three: Three Refuges Prayer 40

4 Entering the Green Dragon's Cave 43

Three Sources of Shame 45

Entering the Dragon's Cave-a Path beyond Shame 48

Facing Our Ambivalence about Step Four 49

The Eightfold Path as a Moral Inventory 53

Mindfulness Practice for Step Four: Inventory of the Eight Gates 55

5 Placing Ourselves in the Cradle of Kindness 63

A Release from the Burden of Self 65

Step Five as Loving Kindness 67

Growing Loving Kindness through Meditation 70

The Ancient Structure of Call-and-Response 71

Mindfulness Practice for Step Five: Loving Kindness Meditation 72

6 Turning Over a New Leaf 77

Cutting through Confusion with Awareness 78

Seeing the Anatomy of a Character Defect 79

Defects as Delusions-the "Daughters of Mara" 82

The Delusion of Skandha-Mara-a Distorted Sense of Self 83

The Delusion of Klesfia-Mara-Unskillful Responses to Emotions 84

The Delusion of Devaputra-Mara-Escaping into Pleasure 87

The Delusion of Yama-Mara-Thinking We're in Control 88

Recognizing Our Delusions 89

Asking God to Remove Defects Starts with Mindfulness 93

Mindfulness Practice for Step Six: How Does Mara Hook You? 93

7 Vowing with the Help of All Beings 97

Hitting the Pause Button 98

Step Seven as Touching Our Buddha Nature 99

The Power of Aspiration 100

Aspiration and Determination Create Our Vow 102

Releasing Shortcomings through Vows 103

Examples of Vows 104

Mindfulness Practice for Step Seven: Write a Personal Vow 106

8 Finding Pearls in the Dust-Bin 109

Seeing Our Shadow, Ending our Isolation 111

Just the Right Amount of Remorse 113

Starting with the Smallest Desire to Make Amends 116

Making Direct Amends Wherever Possible 118

Making Amends by Speaking Up 120

Experiencing the Grace of Forgiveness 121

Mindfulness Practice for Steps Eight and Nine 122

9 Standing on the Ground of Our Deeds 125

Three Times to Reflect on Our Actions 126

Taking an Evening Inventory with Naikan Practice 132

Mindfulness Practice for Step Ten: Taking a Naikan Inventory 139

10 Making Conscious Contact 143

Breathing into Prayer and Meditation 145

Going against the Grain of Unmindful Living 146

Watering the Seeds of Our Buddha Nature 147

Living from a Full Cup 148

No Striving-Just Sit 152

Conscious Contact Lets Our True Self Emerge 153

Mindfulness Practice for Step Eleven 155

11 Remembering Our True Face 163

Awakening the Mind of Love 164

Two Levels of Bodhichitta 166

Awakening in the Space between Thoughts 167

Notes 171

About the Author 183