Via Daily Dharma: True Understanding of the Mind

 The true understanding is that the mind includes everything; when you think something comes from outside it means only that something appears in your mind.

Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, “Small Mind, Big Mind”

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LGBTQ Baha'i Experience Q and A, Dec 2022

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Speech: Refraining from Frivolous Speech

 

RIGHT SPEECH Refraining from Frivolous Speech Frivolous speech is unhealthy. Refraining from frivolous speech is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning frivolous speech, one refrains from frivolous speech. One speaks at the right time, speaks only what is fact, and speaks about what is good. One speaks what is worthy of being overheard, words that are reasonable, moderate, and beneficial. (DN 1) One practices thus: "Others may speak frivolously, but I shall abstain from frivolous speech." (MN 8) When a person commits an offense of some kind, one should not hurry to reprove them but rather should consider whether or not to speak. If you will not be troubled, the other person will not be hurt, and you can help them emerge from what is unhealthy and establish them in what is healthy, then it is proper to speak. (MN 103)

Reflection The fourth category of right speech is refraining from frivolous speech. This is not meant to stifle us entirely or to reduce human expression to essential facts and nothing more; rather, it is an invitation to pay more careful attention to what we say. It is healthy to speak what is true, to speak about what is good, and to be moderate in our speech, even if other people are not. What can you say that is helpful? Daily Practice Has it ever occurred to you that some people speak just for the sake of speaking, or say anything and everything that comes to mind, or go on indefinitely repeating the same stories? See if you can notice yourself doing this from time to time. Practice being aware enough of your own speech patterns to notice whether you are always saying something useful or necessary or valuable. Sometimes it is better to stay silent. Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Social Action One week from today: Refraining from False Speech Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Daily Dharma: Lovingkindness Is an Antidote

The classical antidote for fear in Buddhist teachings is metta, or lovingkindness. With lovingkindness, we instill a sense of kindness, care, and connection into our way of being that is profound in terms of shifting the energy of fear both within us and around us. 

Sebene Selassie, “Meditation Q&A with Sebene Selassie”

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Via White Crane Institute // WINTER SOLSTICE in the north

 

Yule Santa with Antlers 2021 - WINTER SOLSTICE - In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice, sometimes known as Yule, occurs on or very close to this date. In the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the first official day of Winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs around this time. YULE is a winter festival celebrated in Northern Europe since ancient times. In pre-Christian times, Germanic pagans celebrated Yule from late December to early January on a date determined by a lunar calendar. During the process of Christianization and the adoption of the Julian calendar, Yule was placed on December 25, in order to correspond with the Christian celebrations later known in English as Christmas. Thus, the terms "Yule" and "Christmas" are often used interchangeably, especially in Christmas carols. In Denmark, Norway and Sweden the term jul is the common way to refer to the celebration, including among Christians. In these countries the highlight of the yule celebrations is the Yule Eve or Christmas Eve on December 24, which is when children get their Yule or Christmas presents by a character resembling Father Christmas called julemanden (Denmark), julenissen (Norway), or jultomten (Sweden). In Finland, it is called joulu, in Estonia jõulud, and in Iceland and the Faroe Islands jól. Yule is an important festival for Germanic neopagans, Wiccans and various secular groups who observe the holiday at the winter solstice (December 21 or 22 in the Northern Hemisphere, June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere). As with other holidays at this time of the year, it is about the shortness of the day and the long dark night, and it is celebrated, traditionally, with the burning of a log all night to keep the light or carry the light over the divide of the old year to the new. The burning of the Yule log, the decorating of Christmas trees, particularly with lights, the eating of ham, the hanging of boughs, holly, mistletoe, etc. are all historically practices associated with Yule. When the Christianization of the Germanic peoples began, missionaries found it convenient to provide a Christian reinterpretation of popular pagan holidays such as Yule and allow the celebrations themselves to go on largely unchanged, versus trying to confront and suppress them. The Scandinavian tradition of slaughtering a pig at Christmas (see Christmas ham) is probably salient evidence of this. The tradition is thought to be derived from the sacrifice of boars to the god Freyr at the Yule celebrations. Halloween and aspects of Easter celebrations are likewise assimilated from northern European pagan festivals.

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Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation // Words of Wisdom - December 21, 2022 💌

 

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. 

- Ram Dass- 

Via Daily Dharma: Fostering Peace

 If our minds are agitated by anger and resentment, our efforts to promote peace are more likely to create more conflict and perhaps ignite more violence. An angry mind is not a reliable instrument for promoting peace.

Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, “Fostering Peace, Inside and Out”

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Intention: Cultivating Equanimity

RIGHT INTENTION Cultivating Equanimity Whatever you intend, whatever you plan, and whatever you have a tendency toward, that will become the basis on which your mind is established. (SN 12.40) Develop meditation on equanimity, for when you develop meditation on equanimity, all aversion is abandoned. (MN 62)  The characteristic of equanimity is promoting objectivity toward beings. (Vm 9.93) Having seen a form with the eye, one is neither glad-minded nor sad-minded but abides with equanimity, mindful and fully aware. (AN 6.1)

Reflection Equanimity is the quality of mind in which we are neither drawn toward something that is enticing nor pushed away from what is repellent. Like a plate balanced on a stick, the mind does not tilt forward or backward but remains poised in the middle. We can still act from this state, and in fact our actions tend to be more balanced when we are grounded in the equipoise of equanimity rather than carried off by passion for or against something. Daily Practice Equanimity is cultivated with the practice of mindfulness. Being aware non-judgmentally means being aware of an object of experience without the mind being biased in favor of it or against it, without favoring or opposing what it is or what is happening. Practice bringing an attitude of "this is simply what is happening now" toward whatever occurs, instead of "I like [or don’t like] this," or "I approve [or don't approve] of this." Tomorrow: Refraining from Frivolous Speech One week from today: Cultivating Lovingkindness Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right View: Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering

 

RIGHT VIEW Understanding the Noble Truth of the Way to the Cessation of Suffering And what is the way leading to the cessation of suffering? It is just this noble eightfold path: that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right living, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. (MN 9) This is one thing proclaimed by the Buddha who knows and sees, accomplished and fully awakened: If a person abides diligent, ardent, and resolute, their unliberated mind comes to be liberated, their undestroyed toxins come to be destroyed, and they attain supreme security from bondage. (MN 52)

Reflection We come now to the fourth noble truth, the path. Defining suffering, understanding its source, and recognizing that it can be stopped (the first three noble truths) are relatively straightforward, but the path to accomplish the end of suffering is infinitely varied. Eight path factors are enumerated, but each culture, each generation, perhaps even each individual treads this eightfold path in a unique way. Daily Practice The promise of the path leading to the end of suffering is that the transformation of suffering is possible and attainable. Here we are told quite directly that the path is there and that it does lead to the goal of liberating the mind. But it takes effort, and a large part of the practice is learning to "abide diligent, ardent, and resolute." See what these words mean in your own experience and bring this commitment to all you do. Tomorrow: Cultivating Equanimity One week from today: Understanding the Noble Truth of Suffering Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via Daily Dharma: The Benefits to Meditation

 The only way one really gets any of the most important benefits of meditation practice is by giving up on the notion that there are any benefits to meditation practice.

Brad Warner, “Goalless Practice”

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6 Buddhism & Science - The Buddhist Catuṣkoṭi - Priest