True
forgiveness does not deny the suffering of the past but has a
tremendous dignity and courage and power of love in it that says we
will, and can, start again.
—Jack Kornfield, "A Change of Heart"
—Jack Kornfield, "A Change of Heart"
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Via Daily Dharma / December 13, 2016: The Revolution of Enlightenment
Buddhism is inherently revolutionary. I can’t think of anything more radical than enlightenment.
—Daisaku Ikeda, "Faith in Revolution"
—Daisaku Ikeda, "Faith in Revolution"
Monday, December 12, 2016
Via Daily Dharma / December 12, 2016: The Big Questions
When
we are willing to hold our life questions as mysteries rather than as
problems that have to be fixed or solved, we become more comfortable
with the creative energy of not knowing.
—Narayan Liebenson Grady, "Questioning the Question" |
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Via Ram Dass
Bring
your awareness back to the rising and falling of the breath, and just
note the rising and falling. Because the ego is so clever, in which it’s
constantly judging, so just sit and do the practice, holding only that
awareness.
Via Daily Dharma / December 11, 2016: A Dearth of Compassion
|
When
there isn’t enough compassion being generated (either for ourselves as
individuals or in the world in general), we become unbalanced; we suffer
from it as we would from a lack of fresh air and clean water.
—Patricia Anderson, "Real or Pretend" |
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Via Daily Dharma / December 10, 2016: A Cog in the Machine of the Universe
Realizing
one is simply part of the machinery, or the music, of the universe,
with its resonating structure of wave patterns: this one giving rise to
this one, giving rise to this one . . . to hear this music, piercing as
it is, restores a measure of order in the havoc of pain.
—Noelle Oxenhandler, "A Streetcar in Your Stomach"
—Noelle Oxenhandler, "A Streetcar in Your Stomach"
Friday, December 9, 2016
A few links from Lion's Roar: Weekend Reader: How to deal with a difficult person
Photo by Ian Evenstar.
It’s
one thing when we hear, as Buddhism so often teaches us, that our ideas
about self and other are really just ideas. It’s another thing to live
as though it’s true. With work, though, we can realize that even those
we find difficult have much to offer, much to teach us, and that our
connections to others are much more than some lovely philosophical
concept. May the teachings here rouse us to open our hearts and minds to
all.
—Rod Meade Sperry, editor, LionsRoar.com
---
Karen Kissel Wegela introduces a tool to help you skillfully focus on and work with a challenging person in your life.
...
In Buddhism, particularly in the Mahayana teachings, the cultivation of
compassion is pivotal. Compassion refers to our desire to alleviate the
sufferings of all beings. In order to do this, the first step is to
recognize, acknowledge and open to the reality of suffering both in our
own lives and in the lives of others. [...]
---
“There are no human enemies,” says Sylvia Boorstein, “only confused people needing help.”
...
Shantideva, the sixth-century Buddhist commentator, gives this example in A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life:
Suppose a person hits you with a stick. It does not make sense to be
angry at the stick for hurting you, since the blows were inflicted by a
person. Neither, he continues, does anger toward the person make sense,
since the person is compelled by anger (or greed or delusion). Ignorance
becomes the villain, overwhelming reason and creating suffering. Is
Shantideva still relevant in this 21st-century world? [...]
---
In Vietnam during the French Indochina War, the famed Zen teacher made an unlikely but meaningful connection.
...
One
morning I set out from Bao Quoc for my monthly visit back to my root
temple. I felt light and joyful at the thought of seeing my teacher, my
monastic brothers, and the ancient, highly venerated temple.
I had just gone over a hill when I heard a voice call out. Up on the hill, above the road, I saw a French soldier waving. Thinking he was making fun of me because I was a monk, I turned away and continued walking down the road. But suddenly I had the feeling that this was no laughing matter. Behind me I heard the clomping of a soldier’s boots running up behind me. Perhaps he wanted to search me; the cloth bag I was carrying could have looked suspicious to him. I stopped walking and waited. [...]
I had just gone over a hill when I heard a voice call out. Up on the hill, above the road, I saw a French soldier waving. Thinking he was making fun of me because I was a monk, I turned away and continued walking down the road. But suddenly I had the feeling that this was no laughing matter. Behind me I heard the clomping of a soldier’s boots running up behind me. Perhaps he wanted to search me; the cloth bag I was carrying could have looked suspicious to him. I stopped walking and waited. [...]
Via Daily Dharma / December 9, 2016: You Have Nothing to Renounce
Think
of the benefits of renunciation. Or if you prefer, contemplate the
illusory nature of samsara, and appreciate that you have nothing to
renounce.
—Amie Barrodale, "The Night Report"
—Amie Barrodale, "The Night Report"
Via Buddhist Churches of America (BCA) Bookstore / FB: December 8th - is Bodhi Day
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Via Ram Dass / Words of Wisdom
The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly
themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If in
loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential
likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the
reflection of ourselves we find in them.
Thomas Merton
Via Ram Dass / Words of Wisdom
Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.
- Anne Lamott
Via Daily Dharma / December 8, 2016: Fear of Pain
If we’re afraid of pain and always try to change it to pleasure, we’ll end up even more ignorant than before.
—Upasika Kee Nanayon, "A Glob of Tar"
—Upasika Kee Nanayon, "A Glob of Tar"
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Via Ram Dass
As
I have explored my own and others' journey towards love, I've
encountered different kinds of happiness. There's pleasure, there's
happiness, and then there's joy. Addiction, even in the broad sense of
just always wanting more of something, gives only pleasure. Pleasure is
very earthbound when you're getting it from sensual interaction, and it
always has its opposite; also, the need for satisfaction is never
ending. Happiness is emotional, and emotions come and go. It may play
into the complex of other emotional stuff that we all carry. But there
is also spiritual happiness, which gets very close to joy.
As it becomes less personal, spiritual happiness becomes joy. Joy is being part of the One. It's spiritual, the joy-full universe, like trees are joyful. It's bliss, or ananda. It's all those things. The difference is that it comes from the soul.
As it becomes less personal, spiritual happiness becomes joy. Joy is being part of the One. It's spiritual, the joy-full universe, like trees are joyful. It's bliss, or ananda. It's all those things. The difference is that it comes from the soul.
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