Full Moon – Intentional Composure

Published September 17th, 2024

“Those who are energetically
committed to practising dhamma,
who are pure and considerate in effort,
composed and virtuous in conduct,
steadily increase in radiance.”

DHAMMAPADA v 24

We all know it takes effort to maintain a practice committed to integrity, compassion and wisdom. How do we make the right kind of effort in this not-always-easy practice? One specific virtue often mentioned by the Buddha is ‘intentional composure’. In the Pali language this is indriya samvara, usually translated as sense restraint. It is a kind of spiritual muscle that once developed means there is the capacity to contain the intensity of our reactions to life’s challenges. If this muscle remains undeveloped, the only options we have when we encounter intensity, are either acting outwardly, projecting our wild reactivity onto the world, or inwardly, by way of denial – both having painful consequences. With the spiritual competence that is intentional composure, there is another option – that of skilfully containing the energetic reactions. This kind of effort helps sustain us at the same time as contributing to clarity of contemplation.

(This post is also available to view at dhammakatha.org)