Via Daily Dharma: Innate Buddhanature

 

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Innate Buddhanature  The Pure Land is neither inside us nor outside but both; it discloses to us the sacred context of our lives. Nagapriya, “Demythologizing Amida”  CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

The Dancing Skeletons By Jeff Watt A Himalayan art expert explains the meaning and ritual uses of the image of the dancing skeletons, or “Revered Lords of the Cemetery.” Read more »

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Via Daily Dharma: Facing Karma

 

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Facing Karma

Buddhism taught me that the way to change your karma is not to respond, but to feel the feeling without responding. Then it is passed on. It does no harm.

David Guy, “Trying to Speak: A Personal History of Stage Fright” 

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Via [GBF] New Talk: "Integrating the Kind Heart with Wisdom"

Part 2 from the GBF 2023 Fall Retreat is now available:

"Integrating the Kind Heart with Wisdom"

Most spiritual traditions and religions speak about the value of compassion, but Buddhism seems to be the only one with specific practices for developing this quality and opening our hearts.

In this talk, Donald Rothberg explores the challenges we face when opening our hearts. Once we do, how do we integrate this compassion with wisdom? What challenges do we face when we try this? 

He also identifies how traditional gender roles can hinder opening our hearts and developing compassion. A rich Q&A dialogue follows.

Listen on your favorite podcast player or on the GBF website:
https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/integrating-the-kind-heart-with-wisdom-donald-rothberg/

Via [GBF] New Talk: "Extending the Retreat into Your Daily Life"

Part 3 from the GBF 2023 Fall Retreat is now available:

"Extending the Retreat into Your Daily Life"

How do we embody in our lives the practices we learn and the qualities we develop on retreat?

In this talk, Donald Rothberg examines how we can 'bring the retreat home' with us and make our practice real in everyday life. He suggests key methods for accomplishing this, including:

• Become grounded in one's body.
• Meditate on a different quality each week, such as impermanence, reactivity, non-self,
• Commit to engaging in one heart practice daily: loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, or equanimity (the Four Immeasurables). 
• Set an intention before each interaction with others, such as kindness, empathy, or presence.
• Examine the priorities in one's life and then commit to following one each week.

A rich Q&A dialogue follows.

Listen on your favorite podcast player or the GBF website:

https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/extending-the-retreat-into-your-daily-life-donald-rothberg/

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Effort: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States

 

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RIGHT EFFORT Maintaining Arisen Healthy States Whatever a person frequently thinks about and ponders, that will become the inclination of their mind. If one frequently thinks about and ponders healthy states, one has abandoned unhealthy states to cultivate the healthy states, and then one’s mind inclines to healthy states. (MN 19) Here a person rouses the will, makes an effort, stirs up energy, exerts the mind, and strives to maintain arisen healthy mental states. One maintains the arisen investigation of states awakening factor. (MN 141)

Reflection Practice is not just about abandoning the mental and emotional states that get in the way of a peaceful mind; it has equally to do with encouraging and supporting all the beneficial states. When kindness, generosity, compassion, or wisdom arises, this is a good thing, partly because it encourages further healthy states and partly because it blocks out unhealthy states. Only one state at a time can occupy the mind. Daily Practice When you are able to arouse the interest and curiosity that characterize the awakening factor of the investigation of states, see what you can do to maintain or sustain such interest. Mindfulness is a supporting condition, as is energy or relaxed effort. It is a matter of taking interest in the phenomenology of the inner life and inquiring deeply into the texture, not the content, of experience. What does it feel like to be aware of what is actually going on? Tomorrow: Establishing Mindfulness of Mental Objects and the Fourth Jhāna One week from today: Restraining Unarisen Unhealthy States 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 Living: Abstaining from Intoxication

 

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RIGHT LIVING Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Intoxication Intoxication is unhealthy. Refraining from intoxication is healthy. (MN 9) What are the imperfections that defile the mind? Negligence is an imperfection that defiles the mind. Knowing that negligence is an imperfection that defiles the mind, a person abandons it. (MN 7) One practices thus: "Others may become negligent by intoxication, but I will abstain from the negligence of intoxication." (MN 8) One of the dangers attached to addiction to intoxicants is increased quarreling. (DN 31)

Reflection Diligence is one of the mental states most highly valued in Buddhist teachings, and negligence, its opposite, is one of the greatest dangers. The argument against intoxication is not the substance itself (alcohol, drugs, and the like) but the state of negligence it invites. The mind is "defiled" or poisoned by these dispositions, and they lead to a host of secondary problems, such as diminishing health and increased quarreling. Daily Practice Practice diligence of mind at every opportunity and in any creative way you can. This is not a practice of what you put into your body in the way of food or drink but of how alert, clear, and balanced you can be in your life every day. So many modern activities involve a sort of mental intoxication that makes us negligent in various ways. As a practice, notice what effect different activities have on your mental clarity. Tomorrow: Maintaining Arisen Healthy States One week from today: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings 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: Fuel For Awakening

 

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Fuel For Awakening We cannot ignore this life, especially the painful, embarrassing, and frustrating parts of it. But through practice, we can transform these experiences into fuel for awakening—and not an awakening somewhere else beyond the rough edges of modern human life—but right here in the middle of it. River Shannon, “My Foxy Body” CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE