How does the therevadan system recommend guilt for past actions be handled when it arises during meditation

Guilt is going to be a combination of thoughts, and sensations in the body.

Notice the story around the guilt as thought, just be aware that thought is arising and passing away.

Notice the physical feelings and sensations in the body, just be aware that sensations and feelings are arising and passing away.

Being able to observe these processes as impermanent, and selfless processes is the first step in gaining freedom from them.

When you practise Anapanasati (Mindfullness with Breathing) it happens very often at the first steps that you you are confronted with fractions of your memory, parts of your personal "neurosis" , repressed to"survive" (S.Freud) or only

actions in the past who give you a guilty conscience.

In the next steps of Anapanasati you can learn what Bruce said.

If you feel guilty you are in the trap of Christianism, if you accept that you are highly responsible for your "bad deeds", you have the possibility to see what is your duty to do now.

If you feel guilty you are in the trap of Christianism, if you accept that you are highly responsible for your "bad deeds", you have the possibility to see what is your duty to do now.

Lungmi.

Your statement appears to imply that guilt is due to Christianism or Christianity.

Guilt is not exclusive to Christianity.

Does your self awareness reveal attachment to a strong aversion of Christianity?

I have a strong aversion against notions like "(original) sin, guilt" as part of Christian teaching.

1. " You are a bad boy, you hit your sister" . It's a sin, you are guilty. God and me will punish you.

2. " You hit your sister, this is a bad deed". I will explain why (insight) and then you can see what you can do now.

You see the two ways of education? Western education was longtime dominated by 1.

Hard stuff, but David Loy (a Zen-Master) explains at a high level the origin of guilt.

http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/loy8.htm

i dont agree with your reference to christianity. christians too can accept responsibility and take steps to "do" something.

If you feel guilty you are in the trap of Christianism, if you accept that you are highly responsible for your "bad deeds", you have the possibility to see what is your duty to do now.

I agree, I was not correct in using the term "Christianity", I meant the part of Christianity who use "guilt, sin" as justification for their disastrous

educational principes.

I exlude the part of Christianity who can sign this.

http://www.parliamentofreligions.org/_includes/FCKcontent/File/TowardsAGlobalEthic.pdf

One hears a lot about "atonement" with respect to Japanese guilt over wartime actions, but when I checked last year I couldn't find anything about atonement in Theravada or Mahayana texts (or even related to Shinto). I'd be interested if anyone knows of a sutta or teaching where this is mentioned. It seems to me that atonement is simply something that is psychologically satisfying (i.e. it works in bringing some relief from guilt) but it isn't specific to Buddhism.

The beings in the heaven and Deva realms also have precepts....... Hiri Otapa

One being shame at doing wrong and the other being determined not to do wrong.

Guilt is as useless as tears at a funeral. Use our sense of shame to warn ourselves not to err in the future.

One hears a lot about "atonement" with respect to Japanese guilt over wartime actions, but when I checked last year I couldn't find anything about atonement in Theravada or Mahayana texts (or even related to Shinto). I'd be interested if anyone knows of a sutta or teaching where this is mentioned. It seems to me that atonement is simply something that is psychologically satisfying (i.e. it works in bringing some relief from guilt) but it isn't specific to Buddhism.

right, the misuse of religion is a political topic.