A Friend
16 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in awake nc, Words of the Buddha
The friend who is a helpmate,
the friend in happiness and woe,
the friend who gives good counsel,
the friend who sympathises too –
these four as friends the wise behold
and cherish them devotedly
as does a mother her own child.
Dīgha Nikāya 3.265
Experiencing Disillusion Releases all Longing for the Entire World!
16 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
Experiencing Disillusion Releases all Longing for the Entire World!
The Buddha once said:
What, Ānanda, is the experience of Disappointment with this entire World?
Whatever there is in the mind of clinging to the world, craving for the world,
concern for the world, longing for the world, tendency & inclination towards
the world, adherence & devotion to the world, bias, all this a Bhikkhu leaves,
gives up, keeps away, above & aloof, by relinquishing & releasing detachment!
This itself is the very experience of Disappointment, Disillusion, Discontent,
Disenchantment, Dislike, Distress & Dissatisfaction with this entire World…
http://what-buddha-said.net/drops/IV/Experiencing_Disappointment.htm
also re:http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an10/an10.060.than.html
An oak tree a bodhi tree
05 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in awake nc, meditation & reflection
an oak tree in the yard is a bodhi tree
not concerned with how tall it grows
its roots spread deep so that it can tower reaching high
leaves fall in the autumn sprout green in the spring
an oak tree in the yard is a bodhi tree
not concerned if it is too hot nor too cold
its bark seals it rough
and breathes
an oak tree in the yard is bodhi
Five Fingers
12 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
A couple, upon their commitment to one another, can go, as many do, to a monastic and ask for her or his blessing, which usually consists in a relaxed word of advice about how to make the match actually work.
Ajahn Chah, the great Buddhist monk and meditation master of modern Thailand, had a stream of couples come to his monastery for this purpose. He would tell them: ‘You have given your hand in commitment. Your hand has five fingers. Think of them as the five precepts. Practice the precepts in your relation, and it will be a happy one. That is all you need.’
The five precepts are:
1. Refraining from harming living beings/practicing loving kindness
2. Refraining from taking the non-given/practicing generosity
3. Refraining from committing sexual misconduct/practicing contentment
4. Refraining from false speech/practicing truthful communication
5. Refraining from intoxicants/practicing mindfulness
Path
28 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
As part of meditation this morning, I got off the cushion and got on the path again, the greenway to be less esoteric and more specific. I was holding the sound of Avalokiteshvara (Guan Shi Yin Pusa, the Bodhisattva of Compassion) in my mind; the Heart Sutra and Metta, well, in my heart. Focusing on my breath with steady concentration, an unexpected event happened. Sense gates opened. Duality in perception judgement and discernment, tension and stress were swept away like the black dust out of a stove after the firewood has burned. Indeed form is no different than void; void is no different than form. Equanimity.
In this opening up there was the profound sweet taste of authenticity. The teacher, the teachings and the community do not reside within nor without. I am all of these, you are all of these there is no difference. Desire is not necessarily bad, satiation is not necessarily good.
There are countless paths, countless moments. This moment I share with you.
gone, gone, gone beyond, gone completely beyond
Leaving
20 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
in awake nc, meditation & reflection, Words of the Buddha
Once the Blessed One was staying at Kosamb in the sirhsap forest. Then, picking up a few sirhsap leaves with his hand, he asked the monks, “What do you think, monks: Which are more numerous, the few sirhsap leaves in my hand or those overhead in the sirhsap forest ?”
“The leaves in the hand of the Blessed One are few in number, lord. Those overhead in the forest are far more numerous.”
“In the same way, monks, those things that I have known with direct knowledge but haven’t taught are far more numerous [than what I have taught]. And why haven’t I taught them? Because they aren’t connected with the goal, don’t relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and don’t lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. That’s why I haven’t taught them.
“And what have I taught? “This is stress … This is the origination of stress … This is the cessation of stress … This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress’: This is what I have taught. And why have I taught these things? Because they are connected with the goal, relate to the rudiments of the holy life, and lead to disenchantment, to dispassion, to cessation, to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding. This is why I have taught them.”
mSN LVI.31 (Trans – Thanissaro Bhikkhu 2001)
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So I carefully lift a leaf and study color, shape, veins, smell, weight and taste. With deep appreciation love and gratitude, I gently place the leaf back in the teacher’s hand.
These leaves are empty.
May all beings be free.
The importance of compost
17 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
let your heart bloom fully and brightly
remember shit is a fertilizer
(Important update : an urban farmer says, ” I hope you’re recommending the manure be completely broken down so it doesn’t burn the plants”. I recommend that and I extend the metaphor.)
