A song of praise.

Dancer in the indestructible stream of magical illusion
Unifier of the welter of inconsistencies and absurdities,
Power-holder turning the Wheel of Bliss and Emptiness,
Hero percieving all things as deception,
Nauseous Recalcitrant disgusted with temporal attachment,
Little Yogin piercing others' illusory projections,
Vagabond selling Samsara short,
Light-traveller making his lodging his home,
Fortunate Wayfarer percieving his Mind as the Lama,
Champion understanding all appearance as the mind,
Diviner of Relativity knowing unity as multiplicity,
Naljorpa tasting the one flavour of all things-
These are some of the masks I wear!

Drukpa Kunley song this as the Adept Takrepa couldn't form a song of praise, he asked Drukpa Kunley himself to make one.

Equalizing.

We can distinguish the various parts of our bodies; hands, feet, head, inner organs and so on. Nevertheless in a moment of danger, we protect them all, not wanting any of them to be hurt, considering that they all form a single body. We think: " this is my body", and we cling to it and protect it as a whole, regarding it as a single entity.
In the same way, the whole aggregate of beings in the six realms, who in their different joys and sorrows are all like us in wanting to be happy and not wanting to suffer, should be identified as a single entity (figurative), our "I". We should protect them from suffering in just the same way as we now protect ourselves. Shantideva.

May all be in comfort.

Attachment (Monk / Young Girl)

The following story forms the basis of a well-known koan.

"Once there was a devoted old woman who built a place of retreat for a monk, arranging that he would not lack for anything, so that he could concentrate upon his meditation and practice. One day, after twenty years, she instructed her daughter: 'Today, after serving the Master his meal, take advantage of the situation to embrace him tightly, asking him at the same time, 'how does it feel to be hugged these days?' Come back and let me know his answer as faithfully as you can.'

The daughter dutifully did as she was told, putting her arms around the Master and asking the question. The Master replied, 'I am not moved in the very least by sexual desire, no different from a dried up tree leaning against a cold mass of rocks in the middle of winter, when not even a drop of warmth can be found.' The young girl repeated the answer to her mother, who said unhappily, 'I have really wasted my time and effort during the last twenty years. Little did I know that I was only supporting a common mortal!' Having said this, she went out, evicted the monk, lit a fire and burned the meditation hut to the ground.

In truth, it is rare enough these days for anyone to cultivate to the level of that monk. As far as the old woman is concerned, she is said to have been a saint in disguise. Her action of burning down the hut was to 'enlighten' the Master. Why is this so? It is because, while not moved by sexual desire, he still saw himself as pure and was still attached to the empty and still aspects of samadhi. Thus, he had not attained true and complete Awakening." Master Tam: 147

~~~~~~~~~~

I like the part in this story when the woman burns down the monk's hut.

The Dog's Tooth

The proverb comes from the tale of the pilgrim who had promised his mother a relic from the great temple. Just as he was nearing his own encampment, he remembered. He had not given a thought to the promise. There, lying in the road was the rotted carcass of a dog. With no other unusual object to hand, he wiped it off, and put it in the pouch if his chuba.

He did not look her full in the face when he presented her with his gift, but she was so overjoyed with the 'relic' that she did not notice. She placed it high on her shrine and prayed before it, inspired with a devotion she had never had before. When at an advanced age this simple woman died, it is said that she attained the rainbow body as indicative of her great realization.

Tour of the Wheel of Life

I love this Interactive Tour of the Buddhist Wheel of Life. Enjoy!

Dharma The Cat

DHARMA THE CAT SAYS: "Sometimes when you think
you're teaching others, they're teaching you!"


Dharma The Cat Cartoons

Nagarjuna--"Founder" of Mahayana Buddhism

I enjoyed this brief video, and I hope you will too.

Directing the Mind

I had a casual thought today. I was just doing my normal thing, and I thought to myself, "Where is my mind pointed?"

All of a sudden the importance of that hit me like a ton of bricks. We have a choice most of the time about this, the direction in which our mind points. It sounds simple and obvious, I know. But when you really contemplate this, you realize why you sit in meditation every day and train the mind. And it seems powerful, the potential that we may not recognize in daily activities.

I've been largely focused on my daughter and meeting her needs most of the time. And trying to find some escapism to ease the stress the rest of the time. I'd like to point my mind to dharma in all of my activities (ideally).

Where is your mind pointed right now?

Samsara isn’t a place, it’s an attitude: “I’m real and everything’s for me.” With mindfulness we become aware of this attitude and begin to change it.
--Sakyong Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche




May effort destroy the cycle of suffering
May I enter the path to liberation
And learn to cherish others

Trapped by feelings.

Instead of allowing ourselves to be led and trapped by feelings, we should let them disappear as soon as they form, like letters drawn on water with a finger.

It is only through constant training that our practice will grow steady and we will be able to control our negative tendencies. Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

Reaching a state of inner freedom as regards emotions does not mean being apathetic or insensitive nor does it mean that existence loses colour in the slighstest. It simple means that instead of always being the plaything of our negative thoughts, moods, and temperaments, we become their master. Matthieu Ricard.

As we willingly enter each place of fear, each place of defciency and insecurity in ourselves, we will discover that its walls are made of untruths, of old images of ourselves, of old fear, of false ideas of what is pure and what is not.

The Four Dignities

The Four Dignities are mythical animals which represent various aspects of the Bodhisattva attitude, like strength, protection and cheerfulness.

Dragon



The Dragon thunders in the sky with the sound of compassion that awakens us from delusion and increases what we can know through hearing. Dragons have the power of complete communication. Just as we do not see sound, we do not see dragons -- at least not usually. Displaying a dragon banner is said to protect one from slander and enhances one's reputation.
Associations: main quality is power, dominance over the sea, and the water element.

Tiger




The Tiger abides in the South, symbolizing unconditional confidence, disciplined awareness, kindness and modesty. It is relaxed yet energized; resting in a gentle state of being that has a natural sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, referring to the state of enlightenment.
Associations: main quality is confidence, dominance over forest, and the air element.

Sowlion




The Snow Lion resides in the East and represents unconditional cheerfulness, a mind free of doubt, clear and precise. It has a beauty and dignity resulting from a body and mind that are synchronized. The Snow Lion has a youthful, vibrant energy of goodness and a natural sense of delight. Sometimes the throne of a Buddha is depicted with eight Snowlions on it, in this case, they represent the 8 main Bodhisattva-disciples of Buddha Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha.
Associations: main quality is fearlessness, dominance over mountains, and the earth element.

Garuda




The Garuda is daring and fearless and abides in the north. With great strength and power it soars beyond without holding back. It symbolizes freedom from hopes and fears, the vast mind without reference point. It is a powerful antidote to the negative influences of Nagas (spirits) which can cause disease and all kinds of harm.
Associations: main quality is wisdom, dominance over the sky, and the fire element.

Source

Gratitude and Impermanence

The Internet can be a strange world. There's a lot of non-sense out there, and people who are full of nonsense.

But then sometimes we have the marvelous good fortune to meet really genuine people. I've made some friends in the last few years out in cyber space. Even though on the surface it's not much more than pixels on a screen, these are real people, and real friends.

Today I'm feeling so much gratitude that I hardly know how to express it. I'm grateful for so many things that I rarely stop to really appreciate.

I had a head injury a couple of weeks ago and it produced some really weird symptoms. Until that experience, I don't think I had ever spent time truly reflecting on how fortunate I am to have a brain that works right most of the time. All it takes is a bad crack on the head for our opportunity to practice dharma to go up in smoke. Or a traffic accident, or a million other things.

Today I'm so grateful for friends, and for a body and brain that's working at the moment.

All is liberation.

See demons as demons: that is the danger.

Know that they are powerless: that is the way.

Understand them for what they are: that is deliverance.

Recognize them as your father and mother: that is their end.

Realize that they are creations of the mind: they become its glory.

When these truths are known, all is liberation.

Milarepa.

A happy child.

Now in this precious moment, may all have the grace and freshness of a child, capable to feel pure joy, who makes everything not more complicated then it just is so that what is really important in this life is clear. Mindful without spreading suffering everywhere and not be afraid of being happy. The door of the prison is only in the dream when joyful light is spread in each direction.
To be a happy child in the simple play of freedom.

Enhancement of practice.

I love investigations like His Holiness does in different branches of science which are not contradicting Dharma.
But I cannot cling to expensive words and express the Dharma by them when I cannot overcome the attitudes and habits that so often contradict practice. Even I can smoothly tell you in high speed many sutras, but I am not able to act without the poisons I have only understood how to read music notes but music is not present.
I bow in devotion for all those noble ones who have already developped qualities I respect so deeply and should like to "dwell" in there wisdom "forever" so that I can help many many others in Dharma.
I put my completely trust in those noble ones; wise, humbly and warm acting; love-joy is entering each cel of space.
All merits from the day offered for the benefit, happiness, joy, peace of others. They are with so many.
May all beings develop Boddhichitta, vast enlightened mind!
May they be free, free in the vastness and so in completely comfort!
With confidence and by the great kindness of others I walk the path in joy.

Solar Eclipse

On July 22, 2009 there will be a total solar eclipse.
You can read about it at this site.

Here is an short animation of the anticipated event.

Blue pines and green bamboos

<!-- --> Blue pines and green bamboos
Shade my window,
Flowers smile,
Warblers sing by my hermitage.
As I climb the stone steps,
I see the strengths of cedars;
At the pure cool mountaintop,
Buddha is bright and vivid.

- Deiryu

Slowly, slowly. Settling Down.

I was tonight reflecting on some writings by the excellent precious teacher Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. I would like to share if I may this quote of his. Please slowly read over and over until it has taken root in the mind. I think this is very insightful, simple, but powerful in its subtle undertones of unlimited compassion for sentient beings. If you cannot see what I can see in this short passage, the unfolding of realization/ignorance, of samsara/nirvana, then surely my vision is clouded, and I am in a fog of ignorance. Apologies for my lack of understanding. The fault is all mine, and mine alone

Sherab


Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

"Out of his limitless compassion, the Buddha has sent forth many emanations. Kings, ministers, normal people, prostitutes, even animals.

Due to individual karma and pure perception, beings could meet them.

Others were not able to recognize these emanations because they lacked the karma and merit.

Instead they would become envious and angry, and so rob and kill the normal people, have intercourse with the prostitutes, worship the kings and ministers, and use the animals for their own benefit."

Sacred Lotus

Daily Meditation

Sentient beings are all around us. Those in the Hell realms are suffering especially much worse than one can ever imagine.

May I take on the vows of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, and go there myself to alleviate the sufferings of the hell-beings. May I take on their pain and suffering of extreme heat and cold, of mutilation, of decapitation, of amputation, of being forced to swallow glowing embers of stone, of being forced to drink liquids with temperatures billions of times much colder than ice, of enduring the boils and cracks and splits of the skin due to the extreme heat and cold.

May these sentient beings receive all my merit I have accumulated so far, and be liberated from the hell realms so that they are reborn in the 3 higher realms. And may they attain Buddhahood in these realms before I do, or I will never become a Buddha.

Cheerful.

On account of strenght of mind training, the Kadampa Masters were always able to look an the bright side of all, whatever happened.
Even if they contracted leprosy, they would continue to be cheerful, happy in the knowledge that leprosy brings a painless death. Of course leprosy is awful disease, but we should be resolved that even we were to catch that, we would continue to practice exchange of happiness for sorrow, taking upon us the suffering of all poor ones who have fallen victim to afflictions! Sthrenghtened by this attitude, by virtue of mind training, we will be able to take onto the path whatever difficulties arise. If we are able to do this with confidence is it a sign we are experienced in practice and we will not be a slave of health problems, being in such situation. In addition we must take upon us the suffer of other beings; when they endure physical or mental illness, or are confronted with adversity, we should want to take upon ourselves. This without any hope or expectation or fear. And when a thought is visiting us like: Oh, imagine that suffer of others is coming really upon me; that thought is completely to be banished from mind. As who is home and called "me"?

Classification of Buddhist Tantras

Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche's Essence of Buddhism includes Levels of Tantra (138) from a Kagyu point of view:

Levels of Tantra

Vajrayana practices, or tantric teachings, have been systematized into four categories, and practitioners are encouraged to follow them in a systematic and gradual way. The relationship that exists between the visualized deities and the practitioner will go through different transitions, depending upon the level of Tantra with which the person engages. Even the natures of the visualized deities are different; they may be wrathful or peaceful, for example.

Kriya Tantra

The first level of Tantra is Kriya Tantra, or bya gyü in Tibetan. Kriya emphasizes the performance of rituals. Three different Buddha families are mentioned at the Kriya tantric level: the Padma, or Lotus family; the Vajra family; and the Tathagathas or family of the Buddhas. At this level, the relationship between practitioner and deity is essentially unequal. We see ourselves as being deluded, while the deity is worshipped as having all the power to impart wisdom.

Charya Tantra

The next stage is Charya Tantra, or chö gyu. Charya emphasizes the importance of both meditative states and ritual observances. At that level, there is no longer the same sense of inequality as with Kriya Tantra. The deities are seen as friends more than exalted beings, even while having little in common with the practitioner in terms of qualities. At that Charya level, deities are visualized as having two aspects, relative and absolute. The absolute nature of visualized deities is understood to be no different from one's own Buddha-nature, or the nature of Mind. The basic point is that the visualizations are not absolute since they are understood as projections of the mind.

Anuyoga Tantra

The next level is Anuyoga Tantra, or jesu naljor gyü. Here one relies less and less on relative truth and aims towards absolute truth. At the Anuyoga level, it is said that one must have developed bodhichitta and taken the Bodhisattva vow, for without it one cannot continue the practice. Anuyoga deals with delusions and defilements directly, so that they can be transformed into the Five Wisdoms.

When understood properly, these very delusions can be transformed into wisdom, and therefore the delusions are the very material that constitutes what is meant by wisdom. There is no sharp distinction between what should be abandoned and what should be cultivated at this stage. If one knows how to deal with things that normally give rise to delusions, one can gain insight and wisdom instead

Supreme Yoga Tantra: Becoming a Total Person

The final level of Tantra is Mah'anuttarayoga Tantra, or la-me chenpo'i gyü, is considered to be the supreme level. It is also the most difficult one to practice. Unlike the other Tantras, on this level the practitioner deals directly with his or her conflicting emotions through practices such as the visualization of wrathful deities ... .

~ edited from LM's messages to the Kagyu email list.

Anuttarayoga Tantras are classified as either Mother, Father or Non-dual

Father Tantra [comprises]: Anuttarayoga Tantra practices utilizing mainly aggression as the path, focusing on the emptiness aspect of Buddhanature. Examples of Father Tantras include Guhyasamaja and Yamantanka, as well as the practices of "illusory body" and of dream yoga.

Mother Tantra: Anuttarayoga Tantra which utilize desire as the path, focus on the luminosity of Buddha-nature. Examples include Chakrasamvara, tummo [heat/energy generation], and clear light yoga.

Non-dual Tantra: Anuttarayoga Tantra practices utilizing equally, desire and anger, act as an antidote to the 3rd poison which is ignorance. They place equal focus on the luminosity and emptiness aspects of Buddha-nature. Examples include Kalachakra, Hevajra and the yoga of the Bardo.

So, for example, if you are a person with a short fuse, who gets angry all the time, it is sometimes beneficial to take advantage of that "natural" propensity by pursuing the Father Tantras. Then, in some of the illusory body practices, ... , you don't have to exert yourself too much to gain accomplishments.

When it gets to the top [advanced tantras] however, there is little if any difference between taking the aggression path versus taking the passion path -- it is all the same: non-duality of luminosity and emptiness.

--khandro.net

HH Dalai Lama: The Chinese are Awaiting My Death

13 June, 2009

"...the Chinese are awaiting my death ..."

I am getting old, and the Chinese are especially preoccupied with that!
They are awaiting my death...

During his recent Europe tour, the Dalai Lama gave talks on "Compassion in Turbulent Times" to large gatherings. Speaking to the press, however, he bluntly decried conditions in Tibet as a "hell on earth," and spoke of official Chinese "cruelty." He repeated a statement he made in Rome in February that now is the "darkest period in Tibetan history."

Yet, with reporters asking about Tibet and China, he offered that: "'I am getting old, and the Chinese are especially preoccupied with that! They are awaiting my death.... I have little hope of reaching a negotiated solution with the Chinese government. My trust in that government is very thin, because the whole communist political system is based on lies and hypocrisy. The local authorities lie to the regional leaders, who lie to Beijing, who then broadcasts those lies to the rest of the world!"

Pico Iyer, author of "The Open Road: The Global Journey of the 14th Dalai Lama," noted in a recent New York Review of Books article that "in the 34 years I've been regularly talking and listening to him, I've grown used to seeing the [Dalai Lama] begin each day by praying for his 'Chinese brothers and sisters,' and constantly asking his fellow Tibetans to 'reach out to the Chinese people and make better relations,'" but that "for the first time … he could no longer contain his impatience and disappointment with Beijing."


--The article posted above is borrowed directly from The Dalai Lama Blog

--Read the entire article at Phayul.com

Daily Meditation

All beings are suffering terribly.

May I take on the vows of Avalokiteshvara, and attain the ability to emanate countless versions of me in all the sentient realms, so that I would be able to help as many sentient beings as possible. May all sentient beings, who have been so kind as to be my own mother once, nurturing me, feeding me, putting me above themselves, sacrificing their lives and happiness so that I might live and be happy, attain the supreme bliss of Buddhahood before I do, or I will never become a Buddha.

Refuge

I'm the mother of a three-year old. I'm her Person. When her stomach feels hungry and dissatisfied, she runs to me. When her skin is scraped and she feels pain, she runs to me. When tears flow out of frustration, anger, or pain that she can't have what she wants, she needs her Person. For the moment, I'm functioning as someone's refuge. This will change.

I'm 37. My desires and frustrations have matured some as I've grown used to samsara. But fundamentally dukkha is dukkha, is dukkha. When the outer and inner are in conflict, pain and dissatisfaction arise. From the moment we leave the womb we encounter a cold, exposed world, we reach for the Person for refuge. For most of my 37 years I tried to find relief in easy, self-serving ways. Alcohol provided some temporary relief but lead to more pain. I tried using love relationships, distractions, sex, entertainment, philosophy, family, anything to serve as a little band-aid for the dukkha that always returned.

My Person is the Buddha now. The soothing words, like those I give to my daughter, can be found in his teachings. His teachings tell us, "I did this, and you can do it too. Things can get better." My People are his followers. I am pretty sure that I'm religious.

When my mind is scraped and feels pain, I look to my Person. When my body and mind has their failings, I look to my Person. We never exactly outgrow our primal needs that we encounter in our first moments in this realm, before we can even focus our eyes to see.

But these categories such as religious, non-religious, philosophical, emotional, rational, whatever. In the moment of pure and honest refuge, when you close your eyes direct your mind to the triple gem, and your heart feels pure hope and gratitude, all those categories aren't worth very much. There's nothing categorical about reaching out for the Person. I don't have any wisdom. I only have the wisdom to reach for something more practical now.

In the depths of meditation when there's nothing to defend or represent, you know that your refuge will help you to awaken. And that's the direction your heart takes. Perhaps some people would call this weak, impulsive, reactive, ordinary, primal, or unawakened. I would say that's true. That's why I look to my Person, his followers, and his teachings to begin with. We have to start from somewhere. But unlike that newborn who can't focus yet, at least I can focus my sight in a direction that seems wise.

Nectar of the mind.

*Nectar of the mind.*

I bow to the Spiritual Friends of the Supreme Vehicle,
Source of everything good in samsara and nirvana.
By the gracious Lama's blessings
May my mind be purified with the three kinds of faith.


By the gracious Lama's blessings,
Knowing how hard to obtain and how easely destroyed is this precious human life,
In all my actions, according to their karmic effect, mat I try
to do what is right and avoid what is wrong
And develop a genuine determination to be free from
samsara, as I train in the preliminaries.

By the gracious Lama's blessings,
May I purify the untruth of duality into the space of voidness
And practice the profound exchange of my own and others'
happiness and suffering;
Meditating continually on the two aspects of Bodhichitta.

By the gracious Lama's blessings,
May I see whatever adverse events and sufferings befall me
As trick of the evil spirit of ego-clinging
and use them as the path of Bodhichitta.

By the gracious Lama's blessings,
May I condense my lifetime's practice into a single essence
By applying throughout my life the five powers of pure
determination, pure practice,
Accumulation of merit, purification of obscurations, and prayers of aspiration.

By the gracious Lama's blessings,
When everything arises as the antidote to ego-clinging
And my mind finds freedom, with happiness and confidence
May I take all adverse circumstances as the path.

By the gracious Lama's blessings,
May I keep my promises, be free of hypocrisy
Have no partiality and little outward show;
Protecting the commitments of the mind training as I would
my own life.

In essence, by the gracious Lama's blessings,
May I genuinely train my mind
According to all precepts which further the two aspects
of Boddhichitta
And attain realisation of the Supreme Vehicle within this very lifetime.

By the merit of this heartfelt aspiration
To practice the Seven Point Mind Training,
Essence of the minds of the peerless Lord and his disciples,
May all beings accomplish enlightenment.

Written by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo at Kyishö Nyethang in front of precious image of glorious Atisha. _/\_

What unavoidable is.

Constantely in daily being, there should be "meditation" on difficulties that we cannot escape. Like towards people who do us harm, who want to compete with us, who are at one moment friendly but who suddenly turn against us unprovoked, or towards people who for no apparent reason (due to their karma) we simply do not like, we should try to generate the Bodhichitta even more intensely especially when things are difficult.
Watch the chemistry of thoughts and feelings and look with heart-mind.
We should serve and reverence our elders, parents, teachers...
Guru Padmesambhava: do not be a sorrow to your elders; serve them with respect.
If we help them and those in need of help, we are treading the path of the Boddhisattvas and we should give up what is at variance with that atitude.
Or be aware.

Daily Meditation

All my possessions and belongings cannot be brought over to the next life.

May I use them to the best of my abilities to help all those who are suffering. May those who need it more than I do benefit from them. May all my possessions be brought to full use for the Buddhadharma, and may all merit I gain from this act be passed on to all the suffering sentient beings.

Daily Meditation

This life is so precious.
To be born human and with our faculties intact and to meet and be able to practice the Dharma freely is like finding a tiny diamond in a huge ocean of waste as deep as the oceans themselves.
I must make use of this opportunity and ensure I do not become part of that waste ever again, but become a buddha and transform the waste into diamonds.

What development?

During many centuries we humans are discussing and writing in the most colorful and expensive elaborations how to make life worthfull, how to have some insight in the meaning of life. We are filling that life with self importances, school, university and proudly we show our great insights.
COMPASSION.

What is the result? Great development! Woohoo!

Now people have bombs to attach at their body, to kill many around them. Our aggressivity nice wrapped in technology. COMPASSION

Do you have a jaguar in front of your house? Okay! You are a good one! Money money. Poor are stealing, rich never have enough. COMPASSION.

A world where people are acting as beast, manipulating other fellows. COMPASSION

Is it so that our stages of development are only idea? How far we can speak of development for the welfare of each other? How it is possible humans talk proudly about their political seat, their university title while being totally blind for the kindness of others, blind for the genuine happiness by giving the "self" and to be there for others?

What kind of development is there when only "me" is in this dream world?
I must conclude: intelligence only is not bringing peace. To see afflictions and innate nature!


Each of us should take his/her responsability in the performance of life with warm heart in whatever which religion or non religion. Warm heart. People are innately, basically good.

How can I not bow for a simple kindhearted act by a small child? _/\_

The Mind is the Base

I just read this at a blog called Studying Tibetan Medicine owned by Kunga Namdrol and I thought it was very interesting. It seems that the mind is at the base of the state of our health.

"...just as we are generally unaware of our bodies until they become ill, likewise, we are generally unaware of the separation of the states of samsara and nirvana until we suffer. Likewise, we need a diagnosis to understand this condition, and further we need to do something i.e. use a treatment, we need to know what to do so that we can return in the end to that state of health. And finally, the metaphor is tied up with the fact that the basis is the mind, which is either in a state of knowledge or delusion, likewise, the body, being the gross expression of the ripening of the actions instigated by the mind, is in a state of health or illness depending on the three humors that ultimately arise from knowledge obscuration of ignorance."

--Loppon Kunga Namdrol

Maybe

Once upon a time a peasant had a horse. This horse ran away,so the peasant's neighbours came to console him for his bad luck. He answered: "Maybe".

The day after the horse came back, leading 6 wild horses with it. The neighbours came to congratulate him on such good luck. The peasant said: "Maybe".

The day after, his son tried to saddle and ride on one of the wild horses, but he fell down and broke his leg. Once again the neighbours came to share that misfortune. The peasant said: "Maybe".

The day after, soldiers came to conscript the youth of the village, but the peasant's son was not chosen because of his broken leg. When the neighbours came to congratulate, the peasant said again :"May be".

(Huai Nan Tzu)

Seduced by Whims

Without mindfulness, we are seduced by every whim that walks through the door.
--Sakyong Jamgon Mipham Rinoche

Settling thoughts fly now.

No fixation, thoughts freed from themselves. Wind in the sky is freed from taking seat in the garden. No flowers are obstructing.

What is existing? What is not existing?

Mute-like.

Help Stop Executions of Tibetan Activists

On April 8 two Tibetans, Lobsan Gyaltsen and Loyak, were sentenced to death by the Municipal Intermediate People’s Court in Lhasa. They are protesters who speak out for a free Tibet. Their trials took place in secret and it's highly doubtful that they received a fair trial. Both men were convicted of committing arson that caused death against Chinese owned businesses. A third activist, Dawa Sangpo, was sentenced by the same court to life imprisonment.

The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) expresses its serious concern for their fates. Please watch the short Youtube video below when you have time, and visit Students for a Free Tibet for information about how you can help.

Eight Verses for Training the Mind

Verse 1

By thinking of all sentient beings
as even better than the wish-granting gem
for accomplishing the highest aim
may I always consider them precious.

Verse 2

Wherever I go, with whomever I go
may I see myself as less than all others, and
from the depth of my heart
may I consider them supremely precious.

Verse 3

May I examine my mind in all actions
and as soon as a negative state occurs,
since it endangers myself and others,
may I firmly face and avert it.

Verse 4

When I see beings of a negative disposition
or those oppressed by negativity or pain,
may I, as if finding a treasure, consider them precious
for they are rarely met.

Verse 5

Whenever others, due to their jealously,
revile and treat me in other unjust ways,
may I accept this defeat myself,
and offer the victory to others.

Verse 6

When someone whom I have helped
or in whom I have placed great hope
harms me with great injustice,
may I see that one as a sacred friend.

Verse 7

In short, may I offer both directly and indirectly
all joy and benefit to all beings, my mothers,
and may I myself
secretly take on all of their hurt and suffering.

Verse 8

May they not be defiled by the concepts
of the eight mundane concerns,
and aware that all things are illusory,
may they, ungrasping, be free from bondage.

Gatha to the Four Elements

We raise our banners high
Unfurl the billowing heart
Place the seat of practice
Before form and formless part
Gather our karmic blooms
In transformation’s fiery vase
Swim through all the mindstreams
To find Ocean Reality’s One Taste

-By Diane Martin

Daily Necessities

I stumbled across this list and I like it.

Daily Necessities--Tips & pointers for building a spiritual life from scratch

Pray
Meditate
Be aware/Stay awake
Bow
Practise yoga
Feel
Chant and sing
Breathe and smile
Relax/Enjoy/Laugh/Play
Create/Envision
Let Go/Forgive/Accept
Walk/Exercise/Move
Work/Serve/Contribute
Listen/Learn/Enquire
Consider/Reflect
Cultivate oneself/Enhance competencies
Cultivate contentment
Cultivate flexibility
Cultivate friendship and collaboration
Lighten up
Celebrate and appreciate
Dream
Give thanks
Evolve
Love
Share/Give/Receive
Walk softly/Live gently
Expand/Radiate/Dissolve
Simplify
Surrender/Trust
Be born anew

from Awakening The Buddha Within by Lama Surya Das
Pearls of Wisdom website

The Scorpion and the Old Man

The scorpion and the old man

One morning, after he had finished his meditation, the old man opened his eyes and saw a scorpion floating helplessly in the water. As the scorpion was washed closer to the tree, the old man quickly stretched himself out on one of the long roots that branched out into the river and reached out to rescue the drowning creature. As soon as he touched it, the scorpion stung him. Instinctively the man withdrew his hand. A minute later, after he had regained his balance, he stretched himself out again on the roots to save the scorpion. This time the scorpion stung him so badly with its poisonous tail that his hand became swollen and bloody and his face contorted with pain.

At that moment, a passerby saw the old man stretched out on the roots struggling with the scorpion and shouted: "Hey, stupid old man, what's wrong with you? Only a fool would risk his life for the sake of an ugly, evil creature. Don't you know you could kill yourself trying to save that ungrateful scorpion?"

The old man turned his head. Looking into the stranger's eyes he said calmly, "My friend, just because it is the scorpion's nature to sting, that does not change my nature to save."

A Few Buddhist Stories

Daily Meditation

I am a scrooge, holding on to things which I cannot bring to the next life.
I am a tyrant, enjoying comfort at the expense of others, who may die for my comfort.
I am haughty, thinking about how good I am and how others are insignificant.
I am deluded, not knowing that I am the least important among others.
I am a fool, not knowing that I am the deluded one instead of others.
I am a beggar, begging to be pulled out of this cyclic existence.

May someone take pity on me!

Prayer for the Happiness of Tibet

To our never-failing refuge place, the Three Precious, and [1]

More particularly to the Lord of the Snowlands Avalokiteshvara,

To Reverend Tara, to Guru Padmasambhava, I pray.

Grant the fulfilment of our highest aspirations.

Bless us to fully achieve our Bodhisattva aspirations.

In this age of polluting byproducts we find [2]

As primary and contributing causes both misguided schemes

And disturbances of outer and inner elements,

Resulting in previously unheard-of epidemics of man and beast,

Afflictions by elementals, demons of the dark side — king, snake & planet spirits.

Blight, frost and hailstorms. Failing crops. Battling armies.

Unreliable rain and water supplies. Snowstorms, marmots, mice, droughts,

Earthquakes, fires, oppositions and other types of destruction by the four elements.

And especially troops on the border intent on harming the Teachings.

May these and all other types of damage or harm to our Snowland

Be swiftly alleviated,

vanquished to their very roots.

May all the humans and other inhabitants, the asuras and animals,

As a matter of course give rise to the precious supreme aspiration for Awakening,

And while free of any injurious schemes,

Be filled with thoughts of mutual love.

All the while may the country of Tibet (Bod-yul)

From its center to its boundaries

Be gloriously wealthy in happiness and comfort

And may the Teachings of Buddha flourish and long endure.

By the power of truth invested in the Three Roots, [3] the Victors and Bodhisattvas,

And through the magical force of our purely good higher intentions

Along with all the roots of virtue [4] to be found in nirvana and sangsara,

May we attain the results of this our wish and our prayer.

_/\_

This was written by Lodrö Thayé [Kongtrul] at Tsandra Rinchen Drag in the waxing phase of the moon in the morning hours. Just so may it be achieved.

--EarlyTibet.com

Interesting conceptual game.

Looking with curiosity to western philosophy, I jump in a teaching. My head now is like a soup bowl filled with philosophy of so many visions during centuries. Only Spinoza and Kant are a bit classified in that bowl but all those poor others are all nicely mixed.
Anyway, whether classified or a tangle of all different concepts together, I see conceptual game. And that seeing is included in the game.

This means not I have no respect for their research, oh no. Like Spinoza ( 17 th century) who saw the "I" not as center of the world but reasonable thinking and love was his approach. Then he is talking about a no creating "God" from which all is arising. This God he calls the substance which is permanent and never ending. While all things (humans, animals, plants,...) coming out of God are impermanent and arising-dying.
He was pointing to the importance of coming closer wit insight by permanent love and not clinging in passion in impermanent worldly affairs but coming as much as possible closer by the wise high love.

I was very surprised to read that. Of course no mix with Dharma but still behind this vision is appearing Dharmakaya for me.

During centuries people are playing with conceptualization in order to have more clarity in our being, related to what we seems to see as our truth in our world. The key is to see the interesting game, which need really respect but to recognize the conceptual elaboration-spoon for the soup. That spoon we don't need in the digestion of our natural state.
Me in soup-state.

Dharmakaya. _/\_

Daily Meditation

When faced with adversities and setbacks, I will turn them into blessings and motivation.
When faced with anger and hostility, I will turn them into joy and friendship.
When faced with fear and aversion, I will turn them into courage and acceptance.

Meditation of Great Perfection.

Poet to Drukpa Kunley:

"The emptiness in the seeing which is called Vision
Transcends definition as something or nothing;
When "seeing"; is there nothing there?
But if there is an object of sight, there is no Vision.

The profoundity that is called Meditation
Lies beyond both the presence and absence of mental images;
When there is no mental image, there is no object of meditation,
And when there is a point of reference, there is no meditation.

He whose moral action is called Spontaneous Activity
Has gone beyond the possibility of choice;
When there is bias and discrimination, there is no perfect action,
And when there is no accepting and rejecting, where is moral action?"

Drukpa Kunley La:

"Realizing this Vision of sublime sameness
Ultimate compassion is discovered.
This Meditation which is illusion-free non-meditation
Centres you in mind's original disposition.
This Spontaneous Activity embracing each moment
Does not discriminate between good and bad situations."

_/\_ _/\_ _/\_

Daily Meditation

Are we fully aware of every single thing we do, and does it benefit anyone in doing so?

Dharma Armor

when an external enemy is suspected of approaching, one puts on armor for protection, readies arrows for battle and prepares for when his enemy appears. Since the time of death is uncertain, its approach is suspected, but its actual arrival is unknown. Why not put on the armor protection of the dharma, why not ready, prepare, and practice with the arrows of insight and penetrating realization. So when the time of death arrives you have trained, and are ready to put the essence of dharma instructions into concrete action.

Meditation for the Day

Why is it that we have time to make ourselves happy when there are so many other sentient beings out there, who had, in one lifetime or another, been our mothers, suffering out there? Is it so difficult to lift even help one being a day to relieve his/her/its suffering, even if it is just for 5 minutes, without thinking of how our selves can benefit from that?

Simple reflections.

In the dark and narrow cage of our created mind,
looking like a desiring jachal hungry around
Out of the cage are things I like to get
Hey! Look at me! Me! Don't you see me?

Escape of the dark self created prison-world,
penetrating happiness all around
In the sea many drops and beloved beings
Where were they before?

Ah! Now I can be a servant of them,
See! Sparkling freedom shines
On the tones of harmony
My loving melody is naturally born.

Floating on loving kindness
the icy melting me -rock
Offering the clarity of fresh space
In equanimity of minds' creations.

Whale Wars

"Whale Wars" is starting its new season on Friday, June 5th at 9:00pm. It's on Animal Planet (Discovery Channel) on cable in the US. Watch a sneak peek here.

These people risk their lives regularly to save whales. I wish I was in a position at the moment to donate to their efforts. They're so brave.

Messages in space

Back in the day, long long ago, I had a blog before blogs were popular. I can't remember the name of the publisher, but it was sort of a pre-blog without the features they have today. I kept this poetry journal. The style I chose to write in was simple, four line poems. They were very raw and real. I wrote for a long time and then tired of it. So I closed the journal down when I felt done.

All of a sudden I got swamped with messages! People asked me to put it back up and keep writing. Evidently I had a lot more readers than I realized. The common theme in the messages I received was that the readers could relate to what I was writing. And they felt touched and connected. I was just this depressed, lonely voice out in space but people heard me. So I put the journal back up, and aspiring poets started networking with me.

I was remembering the experience today. Sometimes we think we're just dangling out in space and all the while there's others around us. It feels like a solitary path, and the Buddha described it as a solitary path in the sense that we have to do the work for ourselves. Of couse I agree, but there's other solo-travelers around us too. They're dangling around and I think the obstacle is a lack of awareness.

Looking in the wrong direction

All the things I've been trying to "find" all this time, I need to "create."
Assurances, security, the prize in the Cracker Jack box. Whatever I think it is, it can't be found in the outside world, or in my projections.

And all my disappointments and suffering are because expectations I had for a world that I thought was separate from myself, haven't been met. Dukkha=craving and craving=dukkha. He who sees dependent origination sees the dharma. (D.N. Maha Nidana Sutta)

May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness, including me.
May we all never be separate from the sources of happiness.

_/\_

Meditation for today...

What is the difference between me and my hand?

Love.

The music and colors where overwhelming beautiful. The love I experienced could not have any description. The light was appearing. Happiness without a possible description. Then suddenly my being stopped. I could almost touch the white light with the tops of my fingers. But I had no fingers.

A voice, very softly, very warm said: "now you have to go back. You continue your work. "
What work that could be? The voice full of compassion said: "give love".
Protest arised: "What more love can I give, I did never others than giving love! I really did!"
The compassioneted appearance only smiled. It was alright. And I returned to the body.

Some time after this experience, I walked in the grass, surrounded by the sky which was just wonderful! And I understood: if I cannot give the self completely away, my love is not pure. If I can love in understanding, I will reach the light.
May all do so!