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Via Daily Dharma: Magical Illusions

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Magical Illusions No one lives and no one dies. Life and death, beginnings and endings, gains and losses are like dreams or magical illusions. Pema Chödrön, “What Goes Through the Bardos?” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

‘Voice for the Voiceless’ By Bhuchung D. Sonam The Dalai Lama’s new book offers a searing political account of Tibet’s fate—and a vision of compassion-based resistance. Read more »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Mental Action

 

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RIGHT ACTION Reflecting Upon Mental 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 mental action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61) When you have done an action with the mind, reflect upon that same mental action thus: “Has this action I have done with the mind led to the affliction of another?” If, upon reflection, you know that it has, then tell someone you trust about it and undertake a commitment not to do it again. If you know it has not, then be content and feel happy about it. (MN 61)

Reflection We are used to hearing that Buddhist teachings encourage us to stay in the present moment, and this is true of meditation generally. But it is also appropriate to learn from the past, and reflecting on your past actions is one way to do this. Notice that actions include mental actions, so even what you have thought in the past is to be investigated to see if any of it has caused harm to another person. Daily Practice Think back on the quality of your thoughts directed toward other people in the recent past. Have you felt jealousy, ill will, or repressed anger, for example? Have you plotted in some small way to undermine the success of someone, even if you did not put the plan into action? This is intrinsically unhealthy and potentially harmful behavior, and bringing such thoughts to light by confessing them to a friend can be helpful. Tomorrow: Abstaining from Misbehaving Among Sensual Pleasures One week from today: Reflecting upon Social Action Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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May 1, 2025 Right Speech (By Way of Right Listening)   These days the Buddhist concept of right speech might bring to mind political discourse or the media—social or mainstream—and the lack of right speech therein. But this quality, part of the eightfold path and also one of the five precepts, starts on a personal level.  The four kinds of verbal misconduct to avoid are false speech (or lying), harsh speech, useless speech, and idle speech (or gossip). But refraining from this kind of unwholesome communication can be difficult; patterns of speech, often rooted in long-held habits or beliefs, can be hard to overcome.  It might be helpful to start with close listening and recognizing positive intentions. After all, as nurse practitioner and mindfulness teacher Beth Roth says, “Without the capacity to listen deeply, all the right speech in the world was of little use.” Practicing right listening and focusing on intentions won’t just help with receiving the wrong, or right, speech of others, but will also help illuminate what effective and positive speech looks like.  This week’s Three Teachings shares advice for developing and sticking to right speech, by way of right listening. Forward today's teachings to a friend » Right Speech Reconsidered By Beth Roth In a teaching and personal reflection on attempting to communicate with her teenage son, a nurse practitioner and mindfulness teacher realizes the importance of right listening in the context of right speech, which she calls a lifelong kind of mindfulness practice. Read more » What Do You Say? By Mudita Nisker Drawing on systems theory and Buddhist principles, a communication coach shares guidance on developing skillful communication habits, focusing first on how to respond to other people’s speech. Read more » The Buddha’s Communication Toolbox With Oren Jay Sofer ​​In this four-part Dharma Talk, insight meditation teacher and nonviolent communication trainer Oren Jay Sofer shares three foundations of mindful communication to bring your deeper values and intentions into every interaction. Learn to create the conditions for understanding, use basic building blocks of good conversation, and identify and skillfully express your needs. Watch now »

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A look at the history of public media in the U.S. as Republicans target ...

Via GBF // "Practicing with Suffering" – JD Doyle

Another dharma talk has been added to the GBF website and podcast: 

Practicing with Suffering – JD Doyle 

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Rather than constantly trying to escape discomfort, can we engage with suffering as a gateway to insight and connection?

In this talk, JD Doyle helps us turn directly toward the ever-present reality of suffering in our lives. Drawing from Joy Harjo’s poetry and personal anecdotes, JD invites us to reflect on how we orient ourselves in a world that often feels destabilizing. They compare the cycle of samsara to bumper cars at an amusement park, where we continually crash into each other through our reactive habits. JD explains that instead of merely surviving these crashes, we can choose to investigate them with compassion and wisdom.

JD skillfully unpacks the Buddhist concept of dukkha—commonly translated as suffering—by outlining its three types:

1. Dukkha-dukkha – Direct physical or emotional pain (e.g., illness, heartbreak, mental anguish).

2. Viparinama-dukkha – Suffering from impermanence (e.g., things changing against our will).

3. Sankhara-dukkha – The suffering embedded in conditioned existence, shaped by past actions and systems (like societal structures or inherited trauma).

They emphasize that wise reflection helps us meet these forms of suffering not with blame or avoidance, but with inquiry and compassion. JD also highlights the importance of community—how even crises, like a scary moment on a flight, can bring strangers together as a spontaneous sangha. Ultimately, they call us to meet suffering not with fear but with courage—a word rooted in the heart—and to help others find their way through the dark.

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Enjoy 850+ free recorded dharma talks at https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/ 

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Speech: Refraining from Harsh Speech

 

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RIGHT SPEECH Refraining from Harsh Speech Harsh speech is unhealthy. Refraining from harsh speech is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning harsh speech, one refrains from harsh speech. One speaks words that are gentle, pleasing to the ear, and affectionate, words that go to the heart, are courteous, and are agreeable to many. (DN 1) One practices thus: “Others may speak harshly, but I shall abstain from harsh speech.” (MN 8) When one speaks hurriedly, one’s body grows tired and one’s mind becomes excited, one’s voice is strained and one’s throat becomes hoarse, and the speech of one who speaks hurriedly is indistinct and hard to understand. (MN 139)

Reflection This is a simple and straightforward suggestion for how to speak more effectively. Hurried speech is a form of harsh speech and is to be abandoned whenever possible. When you look, you can see how strained people can get when they rush their words, and you know what this feels like when you do it. Speedy action of body, speech, or mind supports restlessness, while taking your time is conducive to calming body and mind.  Daily Practice Put this guideline for right speech into action today and see what effect it has on your mind and body and on the people with whom you speak. Slow down your speech. Take your time to say what you mean with care. See if you can craft words that “go to the heart” rather than speaking harshly. Notice also when the speech of others is indistinct or hard to understand, and learn from this the effect of your own speech. Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Mental Action One week from today: Refraining from Frivolous 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: Luminous Openness

 

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Luminous Openness Meditation is the only way you can truly see yourself and come to know your inner world. Sometimes on the surface what you see as your self might not be that pleasant, but underneath there is a true nature of luminous openness and love. Tsoknyi Rinpoche, “Finding Our Way to the Feeling World” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

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