Xue in regards to the 4 noble truths we can see how mindfulness can relief suffering. By comtemplating the 4 noble truths we are practicing mindfulness and keeping an eye on our altruistic goal.
Makes sense and they are, or at least appear to be to me, connected and interdependent on one another and/or one leads to another
In regards to the 8 fold path IMO each one can generate the other for example: If you have right mindfulness you will have right speech which will produce right concentration and so on.
Example: If you have right speech you have right concentration resulting in right mindfulness.
This also makes sense…now
I read through the 4 noble truths and the eightfold path again yesterday and it is fairly obvious, or at least it appeared to be to me, how the 4 noble truths (life means suffering, the origin of suffering is attachment, the cessation of suffering is attainable, and the path to the cessation of suffering) helped one practice or work towards mindfulness. But I found myself having a bit of a problem with the eightfold path (Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration) I was having a problem with a few as to how they applied until I realized I had narrowed my view and was looking at them from the point of view as to how they helped Santi Shi and Zhan Zhuang and not thinking of mindfulness in the bigger picture as it comes form Buddhism. Basically Right View, Right Intention, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration were making sense and Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood were not. But then I realized I was limiting the scope and when I took that to the wider view of Buddhism and not just the view of Xingyiquan/Yiquan it made sense finally, not that I have actually achieved any of it, it just made sense.
The Heart sutra is an excellent way to see the mind for what it is.
In regards to Santi and Zhan Zhuang I think you become mindful of what is going on in the body as it relaxes, the mind becomes free of thought and reacts clearly and precise. I am not suprised that Hsing yi or any internal arts would alluded to the Heart sutra and the connection of Yi and
form. Kukai wrote a treaty on the Heart sutra and explained it with quite alot of Esoteric Buddhism ala Shingon.
I can feel, or at least I think I feel, where training Santi or Zhan Zhuang one becomes or at least approaches mindfulness. After standing for a while I seem to no longer be lost in any thoughts and much more aware of what is going on both inside and outside of my body. And much more aware of the flow of things, however I will admit in Santi that is brief at best and generally ends up overpowered by pain in my legs and sometimes shoulders.
Thanks
And if I am off the point here please feel free to let me know. Like I said I appear to be limiting the scope of my thinking about this to things Zhan Zhuang and Santi Shi.
