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 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 true, correct, and beneficial, one may utter it, knowing the time to do so. (MN 139)

Reflection There is nothing wrong with speaking privately and even secretly to someone as long as what is said is true and beneficial. There are times when discretion is entirely appropriate. The thing to guard against is resorting to covert speech as a way of hiding something that is not worthy of being spoken in the open. A good rule of thumb is to refrain from saying anything in private you would be ashamed of saying publicly. Daily Practice The restraint of false speech is important because what you say has an effect not only on other people but also on yourself. Pay attention to the quality of your mind when you speak covertly to someone and check to make sure that you are not drifting into states of mind that are harmful, such as ill will, hatred, or cruelty. You can learn to be intuitively aware of the quality of your emotions as you speak.  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: Nirvana Is Right Here

 

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Nirvana Is Right Here Maybe we think that nirvana is a place where there are no problems, no more delusions. Maybe we think nirvana is something very beautiful, something unattainable. We always think nirvana is something very different from our own life. But we must really understand that it is right here, right now. Maezumi Roshi, “Appreciate Your Life” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Past, Present, and Future on the Tip of a Hair By Thich Nhat Hanh In this excerpt from The Sun My Heart, Thich Nhat Hanh explores the connections between the Avatamsaka Sutra and Einstein’s theory of relativity. Read more »

Via Ram Dass - Love Serve Remember Foundation \\ Words of Wisdom - July 9, 2025 💠

 

You've got to remember that the ego is built on fear, it's not built on love. It's built on fear of non-survival, so you create a structure to make you safe. And it's a beautiful instrument, but if you're identified with it, you're fearful all the time. And because you're fearful you're always going to overcompensate and make ego decisions that are a little inappropriate, because they'll be colored by your looking from inside this place. When you're outside of it, you see that you use your ego as you need to make decisions. You come back into somebody-ness. You and I are meeting behind this dance that we're doing, which is charming and fascinating. That's the beauty of playing with the ego and the higher consciousness. It's only when those two planes work that the ego becomes functional.

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 have done an action with the body, reflect upon that same bodily action thus: “Has this action I have done with the body led to both my own affliction and 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 Here we have a rare invitation to reflect on the past in a tradition that generally encourages us to keep our attention focused on the present moment. This is not an ancient form of psychotherapy but rather the recognition that reflecting on all our actions of body, speech, and mind in the past, present, and future can be a valuable learning tool. We refine our understanding of cause and effect in this way. Daily Practice See if you can get in the habit of looking at what you have done immediately after you do it. Notice the effect your actions have on your surroundings and particularly on other people. Notice if you seem to have caused someone harm or if you have hurt yourself in some way. If you are aware of causing affliction, be honest in admitting that and undertake a commitment to refrain from such an action in the future. 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 Daily Dharma: Spiritual Work Against Oppression

 

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Spiritual Work Against Oppression The structures that are not compatible with life on Earth will end. Our spiritual work is either shaking the foundations of injustice, or letting go of our reliance on anything that results from oppression. adrienne maree brown, “Breaking Is a Part of Healing” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

On Not-Knowing and Making This Place Beautiful Ann Tashi Slater in conversation with Maggie Smith Ann Tashi Slater talks with best-selling author Maggie Smith about finding possibility in intermediate states and the freedom of having your life implode. Read more »

Via The Tricycle Community \\ Three Teachings on Slowing Down

 

Browse our online courses » July 10, 2025 There’s No Need to Be Busy   “I’m too busy to meditate” is an excuse we’ve all heard and may have even said ourselves. Putting aside the value of five minutes, or one minute, or even one breath, of meditation, which can help us move past this unproductive thinking, the problem isn’t just that we believe we’re too busy to practice. It’s that we’re too busy, period. “There’s no need to be busy,” Theravada Buddhist nun and teacher Ayya Khema says succinctly.  If we can pause for a moment, mindfully tune into the senses and the breath, and ask ourselves why we’re rushing around, we may surprise ourselves. Rushing creates a sense of urgency, panic at the extreme, but a sense of ease lies beneath. Busyness can be a habit. But if we release ourselves from autopilot, we might be more apt to prioritize, freeing up time and energy to find deeper meaning in our choices and deeper satisfaction.  This week’s Three Teachings prompts us to consider why we’re so busy and offers practices to help us slow down. Forward today's teachings to a friend » The Art of Slowing Down By Martin Aylward Urging us to reflect on the pace of our actions and capacity for ease, meditation teacher Martin Aylward reminds us of the counterintuitive truth that when we slow down, we have more time. Read more » There’s No Need to Be Busy By Ayya Khema Theravada Buddhist nun and teacher Ayya Khema encourages us to assess the motives behind our actions, advising us to stick to activities inspired by compassion and eliminate those that reify our egos or avoid the source of our suffering. “The more we try to prove that we are somebody, the less we have a chance to become nobody,” she says. Read more » A Reminder to Pause By Kathy Cherry Meditation teacher and Dharma Punx NYC founding member Kathy Cherry offers a series of short practices that can help us work with our nervous systems, unhook from our own stories, and slow down throughout the day. Read more »

Via NYTimes