Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Bodily Action

 

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RIGHT ACTION Reflecting Upon Bodily Action However the seed is planted, in that way the fruit is gathered. Good things come from doing good deeds, bad things come from doing bad deeds. (SN 11.10) What is the purpose of a mirror? For the purpose of reflection. So too bodily action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61) When you wish to do an action with the body, reflect upon that same bodily action thus: “Would this action I wish to do with the body lead to both my own affliction and the affliction of another?” If, upon reflection, you know that it would, then do not do it; if you know that it would not, then proceed. (MN 61)

Reflection Not only is it wise to think before you speak, it is also important to think before you act. Another way of putting this is to act consciously instead of automatically, from habit. Conscious action is mindful action, and there is no activity that can't be done mindfully rather than mindlessly. Every action is accompanied by an intention, and this practice trains us to pay attention to this aspect of experience. Daily Practice Try going through your day as if you are holding a mirror up to yourself in your mind and you are able to see what you're thinking and reflect what you're about to do. Take that extra moment to be aware of yourself, aware of your actions, and aware of their impact on the world around you. This practice involves bringing mindful awareness to intention—to the impulse to act—in the moment before you follow through into action. Tomorrow: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings One week from today: Reflecting upon Verbal Action Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via White Crane Institute \\ On this date a Gay couple in Malawi were sentenced to fourteen years of hard labor in prison

 

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Steven Monjenza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga

2010 -

On this date a Gay couple in Malawi were sentenced to fourteen years of hard labor in prison. STEVEN MONJENZA, 26, and TIWONGE CHIMBALANGA, 20, conducted a traditional engagement ceremony in late December in Chirimba, near Blantyre. After news reports surfaced of the same-sex engagement, they were rounded up by Malawi's police and charged under colonial-era sodomy laws.

The arrest received some popular support in the conservative southern African nation, but sparked outrage among Malawian and international Gay Rights campaigners. The presiding judge refused bail for the men, who are being held in Chichiru Prison in Blantyre. "It is quite outrageous," said Peter Tatchell, the Gay rights activist from Britain who is supporting the pair. "In Malawi, people facing much more serious felony charges for serious crimes usually get bail." Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called for the release of the young men. The Malawi Law Society said the case has been driven by prejudice and not jurisprudence.

Chimbalanga sent British human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell this defiant message from jail: "If people or the world cannot give me the chance and freedom to continue living with him as my lover, then I am better off to die here in prison. Freedom without him is useless and meaningless."

Subsequent to the sentencing, Malawian president, Bingu wa Mutharika, released the pair, citing humanitarian grounds, after international pressure and the eventual visit of UN secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon to the southern African country.

Peter Tatchel told media in Malawi that they were liasing with Steve and Tiwongwe about whether they want to seek asylum abroad. "If they want then we can help them stay in Britain,'' said Tatchel.

The asylum offer came after Malawi’s Minister of Gender and Children Patricia Kaliati said if the couple continues to stay together they will be re-arrested.

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Gay Wisdom for Daily Living from White Crane Institute

"With the increasing commodification of gay news, views, and culture by powerful corporate interests, having a strong independent voice in our community is all the more important. White Crane is one of the last brave standouts in this bland new world... a triumph over the looming mediocrity of the mainstream Gay world." - Mark Thompson

Exploring Gay Wisdom & Culture since 1989!
www.whitecraneinstitute.org

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Via Tricycle \\ Three Teachings

 

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May 16, 2024   Taking Shelter   The act of taking refuge is the first step that sets us on the Buddhist path.  To formally become a Buddhist, a practitioner “takes refuge” in the three jewels: the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha. We pledge to find home in the Buddha’s example, in his teachings, and in the community of fellow spiritual practitioners as we move along the spiritual path.  Taking refuge in the three jewels provides a basic sense of safety and belonging that becomes the foundation of all of our spiritual work. Whenever challenges arise, this is the place that we return to.  While taking refuge is a formal process and a religious ritual, it’s also a deeply personal act. The act of taking refuge can change us on the deepest level, with the potential to completely alter the way we engage with the world. Beyond words or formalities, the act of taking refuge reminds us that there is a home that we can always return to—no matter how turbulent or uncertain our lives become.  What does refuge look like in our lives? Perhaps the best way to discover the true meaning of refuge is to hear from Buddhist practitioners on how taking refuge has impacted them. In this week’s Three Teachings, Buddhist teachers and practitioners reflect on what refuge means to them. Join us for Aging as a Spiritual Practice, our most popular course featuring Zen teacher and author Lewis Richmond. The course offers teachings and guided practices for embracing the opportunities for spiritual transformation within the aging process.    Learn more and enroll today » A Refuge That No One Can Touch Helen Tworkov in Conversation with James Shaheen  For Tricycle founder, Helen Tworkov, practicing the dharma is a way to connect to the deepest part of her—a place that is untouched by the difficulties of life. In conversation with editor-in-chief, James Shaheen, she discusses her new book Lotus Girl and her path to the dharma.  Read more » Dwelling in the Casita of Equanimity  With Daisy Hernández During the pandemic, writer Daisy Hernández spent a lot of time thinking about refuge—a concept which, at the time, became more important than ever to many people. In this episode of Life As It Is, she shares how writing and spiritual practice offer places of sanctuary in her life.   Listen now » Teachings for Uncertain Times: Taking Refuge In Community With Tuere Sala According to Tuere Sala, a co-guiding teacher at Seattle Insight Meditation Society and retired prosecutor, taking refuge helps us develop trust during difficult times. In this video, she explains how being in community and sharing our experiences with others offers a deep courage and confidence to guide us on the path.  Watch now » Follow Us

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 “Não há nada mais brilhante do que o sol (日) e a lua. Não há nada mais puro do que a flor de lótus (蓮). Mas, o Sūtra do Lótus é mais brilhante que o sol e a lua. É tão puro quanto a flor de lótus. Por isso é chamado de “Sūtra da Flor de Lótus do Dharma Maravilhoso” ou “Sūtra do Lótus”. Eu, Nichiren (日蓮), também gostaria de ser como o sol, a lua e a flor de lótus”. Shijō Kingo nyōbō gosho (四条金吾女房御書). 

Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō

 

 

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Speech: Refraining from False Speech

 

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RIGHT SPEECH Refraining from False Speech False speech is unhealthy. Refraining from false speech is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning false speech, one dwells refraining from false speech, a truth-speaker, one to be relied on, trustworthy, dependable, not a deceiver of the world. One does not in full awareness speak falsehood for one’s own ends or for another’s ends or for some trifling worldly end. (DN 1) One practices thus: “Others may speak falsely, but I shall abstain from false speech.” (MN 8) When one knows covert speech to be untrue, incorrect, and unbeneficial, one should on no account utter it. (MN 139)

Reflection This text makes a distinction between overt and covert speech—that which is open and public and that which is whispered in private. The point is that all false speech is harmful, even if it is uttered covertly, even if nobody else hears it, and even if it is only in your thoughts. The act of speaking falsely injures the speaker, regardless of whether or not the words are spoken aloud and heard by others. Daily Practice Practice always being truthful, not only when you speak openly but also in all your private conversations. Take it even farther and speak only what is true, correct, and beneficial when you're talking to yourself or going over in your mind what you would like to say to someone, even if you remain silent. The act of false speech itself causes harm to the speaker; it is not just the effect of the words on other people. Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Bodily Action One week from today: Refraining from Malicious 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: Entering Practice

 

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Entering Practice

Science often leads me to the door of wonder, teaching me to see new things with my eyes. But practice is what trains me to enter, leaving behind my sight.

Rachael Petersen, “Zen Mind, Vegetal Mind”

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Via \\ Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation \\ Words of Wisdom - May 15, 2024 💌

 

"If you were resting in your ‘I am,’ you would look and you would see only the perfection of it all. And you would see that what we did in the ’60s is what created Ronald Reagan in the ’80s. You would see the way polarities work; you’d see the way forces polarize… You’d just see it as law unfolding right before you."

- Ram Dass -

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