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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Living: Abstaining from Harming Living Beings

 

RIGHT LIVING Undertaking the Commitment to Abstain from Harming Living Beings Harming living beings is unhealthy. Refraining from harming living beings is healthy. (MN 9) Abandoning the harming of living beings, one abstains from harming living beings; with rod and weapon laid aside, gentle and kindly, one abides with compassion toward all living beings. (MN 41) One practices thus: "Others may harm living beings, but I will abstain from the harming of living beings." (MN 8) A person reflects thus: "I am one who wishes to live, who does not wish to die. If someone were to take my life, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to me. Now if I were to take the life of another, that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. How can I inflict upon another what is displeasing and disagreeable to me?" Having reflected thus, one abstains from the destruction of life, exhorts others to abstain from it, and speaks in praise of abstinence from it. (SN 55.7)

Reflection This is one way of stating the Golden Rule found the world over: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." It requires that we consider the feelings of another to be as important as our own. Once this insight is well understood, it becomes a matter of following your own nature rather than following a rule. You become incapable of cruelty or selfish exploitation. Daily Practice The practice of non-harming (Sanskrit: ahimsa) consists first and foremost of caring for others to the extent that we cannot consciously want to harm them. But notice that this teaching goes farther, also encouraging us to speak openly about the value of abstaining from causing harm. The challenge is to do this with a mind of lovingkindness. How can we condemn the causing of harm without wishing harm to those who cause it?  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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Continuity of mindfulness allows us to course-correct throughout our day. We become familiar with the places where we get caught, and over time, we start to pause more naturally.

Kathy Cherry, “A Reminder to Pause”

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Via Buddhadharma // Affinity Sanghas and the Practice of Refuge

 

Conference on Religious Trauma

 

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Via White Crane Institute // WILSON CRUZ

 This Day in Gay History

December 27

Born

1973 -

WILSON CRUZ (born Wilson Echevarría) is an American actor , born on this date, known for playing Rickie Vasquez on My So-Called Life, Angel in the Broadway tour production of Rent, Dr. Hugh Culber on Star Trek: Discovery, and the recurring character Junito on Noah's Arc. As an out gay man of Afro-Puerto Rican ancestry, he has served as an advocate for gay youth, especially gay youth of color.

Cruz went to Hollywood to seek work as an actor, intending to be open about his sexuality from the beginning of his career. In 1994 he was cast as Enrique "Rickie" Vasquez, a troubled, gay teen, in the short-lived, critically acclaimed cult classic TV series My So-Called Life. This made Cruz the first out gay actor to play an openly gay character in a leading role in an American television series.

Cruz works with and advocates on behalf of LGBT youth, especially youth of color. He has volunteered his time as host for the Youth Zone, an online community at Gay.com for LGBT youth. He was the Grand Marshal of the 1998 West Hollywood Gay Pride parade, the 2005 Chicago Pride Parade and the 2019 Fierté Montréal Pride Parade in Québec. In 2008, he was the keynote speaker at the University of Illinois at Chicago's Lavender Graduation and Rainbow Banquet honoring graduating LGBT students.

Cruz joined the board of directors of GLAAD in 1997 in order to assist the organization through a leadership transition, and joined the staff of GLAAD in 2012 as a National Spokesperson and Strategic Giving Officer.

In 2020, Wilson was honored on one of the covers of Out magazine's annual Out100 issue, saying Wilson "beautifully weaves his activism inside every aspect of his work".

 

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Gay Wisdom for Daily Living from White Crane Institute

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Via Dhamma Wheel | Right Action: Reflecting upon Bodily Action

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 are doing an action with the body, reflect on that same bodily action thus: "Does this action I am doing with the body lead to my own affliction?" If, on reflection, you know that it does, then stop doing it; if you know that it does not, then continue. (MN 61)

Reflection Here we have a plain appeal for continuous mindfulness of the body. It is not a practice only for the meditation hall or focused only on breathing but is a habit of conscious living, of conscious awareness of how the body is disposed and moves. When doing something, know that you are doing it. Do one thing at a time. You might say, "Anything worth doing is worth doing deliberately." Daily Practice Every single thing we do can be done with greater awareness. We are so accustomed to allowing our behavior to be guided by unconscious habit so the mind can be wrapped up in something else. But this deprives us of the opportunity to guide our actions ethically. As you become consciously aware of what you do unconsciously, notice that you can intervene when necessary and tell yourself to stop any action that is unethical. 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: Creative Problem-Solving

We have to see with fresh eyes all of the conflicts that create suffering in our world. We don’t want to lose our heads. Instead we’re looking for new and imaginative ways to approach the suffering we behold.

Roshi Pat Enkyo O’Hara, “Bodhisattvas Have More Fun”

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Matthieu Ricard: How to let altruism be your guide

Matthieu Ricard 2004 Sobre los hábitos de la felicidad subtitulado español

Matthieu Ricard - Memorias de un monje budista (en español)

Via Lions Roar // The Practice of No Practice

 

“How do we come to trust in Amida Buddha’s generosity and compassion?” asks Nagapriya. He explores Shinran’s teachings and the practice of nembutsu.

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