Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Verbal Action

 

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RIGHT ACTION Reflecting Upon Verbal 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 verbal action is to be done with repeated reflection. (MN 61) When you wish to do an action with speech, reflect upon that same verbal action thus: "Would this action I wish to do with speech lead to 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 Often a conversation is like a chess game, in which it is beneficial to be able to think a few moves ahead. Are you just expressing what is on your mind, or do you want to have the other person hear you so you can have an impact on what they are thinking? Considering the impact your words have on others is a skill that can be learned, and it increases the effectiveness of your speech. It is good to be aware of what you are saying. Daily Practice Try slowing down your speech pattern and taking that extra moment to pause and check in on your emotional and mental state before you respond. With what quality of mind will you speak the next words: annoyance? agitation? benevolence? equanimity? Normal speech patterns are often very rapid, not giving us much time for reflection, but being more reflective is an extremely valuable practice.    Tomorrow: Abstaining from Taking What is Not Given One week from today: Reflecting upon Mental 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: Life’s Contradictions

 

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Life’s Contradictions The beauty of the Buddhist path is that it makes room for all of life’s contradictions. It begins by acknowledging an underlying truth: Yes, there is suffering. Nina Müller, “The Same Heart” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Insight Meditation Teacher Steve Armstrong Has Died By Wendy Biddlecombe Agsar Armstrong cofounded a vipassana community in Hawaii and edited the English translation of Mahasi Sayadaw’s Manual of Insight. Read more »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Speech: Refraining from Malicious Speech

 

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RIGHT SPEECH Refraining from Malicious Speech Malicious speech is unhealthy. Refraining from malicious speech is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning malicious speech, one refrains from malicious speech. One does not repeat there what one has heard here to the detriment of these, or repeat here what he has heard there to the detriment of those. One unites those who are divided, is a promoter of friendships, and speaks words that promote concord. (DN 1) One practices thus: "Others may speak maliciously, but I shall abstain from malicious speech." (MN 8) When others address you, their speech may be connected with good or with harm … One is to train thus: "My mind will be unaffected, and I shall utter no bad words; I shall abide compassionate for their welfare, with a mind of lovingkindness, without inner hate." (MN 21)

Reflection Malice is the desire to do harm, and when we look closely and honestly we may notice that much of what we say is laced with this intention. One text calls a dispute “stabbing one other with verbal daggers.” Here we are being encouraged to receive the wound without striking back. It is ultimately an expression of freedom from compulsion when you are able to say, “Others may speak maliciously, but I choose not to.” Daily Practice Not being provoked to malice by the malice of others is a difficult but important practice. Try to do this in small ways and gradually build up to more difficult situations. If someone slights you in some small way, practice noticing this, understanding it as an aggressive verbal act and then deliberately choosing to not be provoked by it into some form of retaliation. Do this again and again, and you will gradually get the hang of it. Tomorrow: Reflecting upon Verbal Action One week from today: Refraining from Harsh Speech Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Dra Yang Project - Plegaria a Amitaba (HD)

 

Via White Crane Institute /// NPR

 

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|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8| 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 |8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|O|8|

Via Daily Dharma: Coloring Your Future

 

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Coloring Your Future With your reaction to each experience, you create the karma that will color your future. It is up to you whether this new karma is positive or negative. You simply have to pay attention at the right moment. Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche, “The Power of the Third Moment” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Meet a Teacher: Reverend Eko Noble By Philip Ryan The founder of Radiant Light Sangha discusses preserving Shingon Buddhism while bringing its wisdom to the West.  Read more »

Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Intention: Cultivating Compassion

 

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RIGHT INTENTION Cultivating Compassion 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 compassion, for when you develop meditation on compassion, any cruelty will be abandoned. (MN 62) The manifestation of compassion is non-cruelty. (Vm 9.94)

Reflection We are all born with the innate capacity for compassion, but that does not mean we will naturally express compassion. Like everything else, expressing compassion is something we learn to do or not do. The practice of right intention involves the deliberate development of benevolent states of mind such as compassion, and that will only happen when we do so again and again. Seeking out opportunities to be compassionate, we strengthen that muscle.  Daily Practice Each of the brahma-viharas, the sublime states of mind, is paired with an opposite to which it is the antidote. Compassion is the antidote to cruelty, one of the most heinous human emotions. Cruelty is the wish for beings to experience greater suffering; compassion is the wish for them to be relieved of their suffering. Look for instances of suffering around you and direct to each the healing power of a compassionate mind. Tomorrow: Refraining from Malicious Speech One week from today: Cultivating Appreciative Joy Share your thoughts and join the conversation on social media #DhammaWheel Questions? Visit the Dhamma Wheel orientation page.

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Via GBF -- "Cultivating Equanimity" with Beth Mulligan

Our latest dharma talk is now available on the GBF website, podcast and YouTube channel:

Cultivating Equanimity – Beth Mulligan

How can we cultivate a mind that stays steady, open, and responsive even when life becomes unpredictable?

In this talk, Beth Mulligan explores equanimity as a living practice rather than a distant ideal. She frames equanimity as the quiet strength that allows a person to meet experience without collapsing into overwhelm or tightening into resistance. Speaking with warmth and clarity, she describes how this quality grows not through detachment, but through intimacy with our own moment‑to‑moment experience—especially the parts we’d rather avoid.

Beth highlights several practical doorways into equanimity, each grounded in mindfulness and compassion. She explains how the mind’s habitual reactions can soften when we learn to recognize them early, and she offers simple ways to steady attention when emotions surge. Key themes include:

• Understanding the difference between indifference and balanced presence
• Recognizing the “eight worldly winds” and how they shape reactivity
• Using the body as an anchor when the mind becomes turbulent
• Allowing joy and difficulty with equal care

The result is a talk that invites listeners to see equanimity not as a final achievement, but as a trustworthy companion that grows each time we meet our lives with honesty and kindness.

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Enjoy 900+ free recorded dharma talks at https://gaybuddhist.org/podcast/

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