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Tricycle Daily Dharma January 2, 2013

Developing Inner Wealth

It looks like only one thing can save us: the development of inner wealth. Then there’s a perfect circle, everything is good. When we’re in tune with our inner wealth—the qualities of compassion, contentment, patience, and so on—it’s endless, it’s timeless. Those are the qualities that we’re born with. Everybody. The whole process of meditation is all about trying to dig into this inner wealth, to access it.

- Trinlay Thaye Dorje, “Diamond-like Resolve”

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Tricycle Daily Dharma January 1, 2013

A New View for the New Year

We have to look at what’s important in life, develop a strong sense of priorities, and be willing to say no to the currents that would lead to less worthwhile pleasures. As the Buddha said, if you see a greater pleasure that comes from forsaking a lesser pleasure, be willing to forsake that lesser pleasure for the greater one.

- Thanissaro Bikkhu, “The Dignity of Restraint”

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Buddhism on Beliefnet:

	Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourselves. The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind. I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I would have were I giving the baby Buddha or Jesus a bath. Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant, and teapot are all sacred. - Thich Nhat Hanh, "Miracle of Mindfulness" More Buddhism Quotes >>

Via Buddhism on Beliefnet:

	Daily Buddhist Wisdom
	There is, O monks, a realm, where there is neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor wind, neither the sphere of boundless consciousness, nor the sphere of nothingness, nor the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, neither this world nor the next world, nor both together, nor moon and sun. This, O monks, I call neither a going, nor a coming, nor a standing, nor dying, nor being born. It is without a foothold, without a beginning, without a foundation. This indeed is the end of suffering. - Udana 8.1 More Buddhism Quotes >>

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Tricycle Daily Dharma December 31, 2012

Deeper than Thought

It is undeniable that others and the larger world, so beleaguered at this moment in history, need everything that we have to give. But what to give is the problem. It seems finally clear that we cannot find out what to do simply by thinking about it. We need to gain our inspiration and our direction from much deeper sources.

- Reginald Ray, “Looking Inward, Seeing Outward”

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Via AmericaBlog Gay:Interview with the gay military couple whose iconic “kiss” photo went viral this year (video)

You may recall the photo of the gay kiss, showing a Marine jumping into his boyfriend’s arms on coming home from Afghanistan. 

 

Well, DepFox has done a great interview with them, on YouTube. Here’s the description, video is below:

  

Via Nalanda LGBT Buddhist Cultural and Resource Center / FB:

Nalanda LGBT Buddhist Cultural and Resource Center

‎"Buddism is not a spirituality. Buddhism is all about how to balance our social life that comes with a understanding and appreciation to our inner quality." - Kalu Rinpoche

Via JMG: Obama Backs Illinois Marriage

Through his spokesman, President Obama has issued a statement in support of same-sex marriage in his home state of Illinois.

"While the president does not weigh in on every measure being considered by state legislatures, he believes in treating everyone fairly and equally, with dignity and respect," White House spokesman Shin Inouye told the Chicago Sun-Times on Saturday.
"As he has said, his personal view is that it's wrong to prevent couples who are in loving, committed relationships, and want to marry, from doing so. Were the President still in the Illinois State Legislature, he would support this measure that would treat all Illinois couples equally," Inouye said.
The lead sponsors of the "Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act," state Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago) and state Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), intend to put the measure up for a vote during the upcoming January lame-duck session. The toughest challenge for gay marriage backers will be winning passage in the Illinois House. Prospects for approval in the Illinois Senate--where Obama once served--are brighter.

As noted above, the current bill will be presented during the lame duck session which ends in just a few weeks.  When the new legislature is seated, Democrats will hold a super-majority in both chambers.

Labels: Barack Obama, Illinois, marriage equality

Reposted from Joe

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Tricycle Daily Dharma December 30, 2012

Self-arising Happiness

The more clearly we see the lack of worth in mental and physical sensations, the less desire we'll have for them until, thoroughly disenchanted, craving will be snuffed out automatically. As soon as that occurs, pure happiness will arise by itself.

- Cynthia Thatcher, "What's So Great About Now?"

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Tricycle Daily Dharma December 29, 2012

Do Not Seek Anything Else

There is a simple way to become a buddha: When you refrain from unwholesome actions, are not attached to birth and death, and are compassionate toward all sentient beings, respectful to seniors and kind to juniors, not excluding or desiring anything, with no designing thoughts or worries, you will be called a buddha. Do not seek anything else.

- Eihei Dogen, “Birth and Death”

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