Precepts of the Bodhisattva Canon

This is a useful link for the major and secondary precepts of the Bodhisattva Canon.

Thoughts Are Not VIPs

I recently asked a fellow practitioner how someone should be doing with reacting to mind-states after a period of practice. I received this in addition to his response. I liked it a lot, so I thought I would share it here.

THOUGHTS ARE NOT VIPS

Usually, if you have mental chatter, you call it your thoughts. But if you have deeply involved emotional chatter, you give it special prestige. You think those thoughts deserve the special privilege of being called emotion . Somehow, in the realm of actual mind, things don't work that way. Whatever arises is just thinking: thinking you're horny, thinking you're angry. As far as meditation practice is concerned, your thoughts are no longer regarded as VIPs, while you meditate. You think, you sit; you think, you sit; you think, you sit. You have thoughts, you have thoughts about thoughts. Let it happen that way. Call them thoughts.

From "Meditation: Touch and Go," in SMILE AT FEAR: AWAKENING THE TRUE HEART OF BRAVERY. Coming in October from Shambhala Publications.

Virtue to happiness.

Obscuring emotions and wrong actions
Cause sufferings to fall upon us like rain.
Since beginningless time you have roamed
On the immense plain of existence, which is apparent yet unreal.
Alas! Such is the power of ignorance and karma.

When undesirable things come to pass
Or simply when you wish to be rid of sufferings,
You must understand that these are proof
That their cause, non-virtue, must be eliminated.
Mustering the four powers,
Attack the one responsible: ego-clinging.

By Shechen Gyaltsap Pema Namgyal.

A website well worth your time

If you appreciate His Holiness the Dalai Lama, here is a very nice site dedicated to him. The site has so many options for blogging, networking, discussion groups, forums, sharing photos, and so on.

Please take a look: Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Sage's Harmonious Song of Truth

Your Holiness, all joyful lord of stainless being, primordial purity embodied to you we pray;
Look with compassion upon all beings and grant them the blessing of the Dharma.

_/\_


The Sage's Harmonious Song of Truth

A Prayer for the Flourishing of the Non-Sectarian Teachings of the Buddha
by His Holiness the Dalai Lama


Embodiment of the four kayas, omniscient Lord Buddha ‘Kinsman of the Sun,’

Amitayus, Amitabha, supreme and noble Avalokiteshvara,

Manjughosha, Vajrapani the Lord of Secrets, and Tara who wears a wrathful frown,

The victorious buddhas and all their bodhisattva heirs,



Seven Great Patriarchs,[1] Six Ornaments[2] and Two Supreme Ones,[3]

Eighty Mahasiddhas and Sixteen Arhats[4]—

All of you who seek only to benefit the teachings and beings,

All you great beings without exception, turn your attention towards us!



The supreme sage Shakyamuni spent countless aeons

Completing the two accumulations of merit and wisdom,

To attain perfect wisdom, love and capacity. Through the power of this truth,

Long may the complete teachings of the Buddha continue to flourish!



Khenpo Shantarakshita, Guru Padmasambhava and the Dharma King Trisong Deutsen,

Were the first to open up the land of snowy mountains to the light of Buddha’s teachings.

Through the power of their aspirations and those of all the translators, panditas, vidyadharas and disciples,

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



In the treasure-palace that is the Buddha’s extensive teachings,

The profound class of sadhanas are like great Dharma treasures,

And the profound and vast teachings of Nyingtik sparkle with brilliant light.

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



Within the vast expanse of primordial purity and the essence of luminosity,

All the phenomena of samsara and nirvana are perfectly complete—this pinnacle vehicle

Is the method for reaching the primordial stronghold of Samantabhadra.

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



The two major lineages—profound view and vast conduct—

Are both complete within the treasury of instructions mastered by Atisha,

The tradition of practical instructions passed on by Dromtön Gyalwé Jungné.

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



The Words of the Buddha gathered in the three scriptural collections were

Wonderfully arranged into instructions for beings of the three levels of spiritual capacity,

As the golden rosary of Kadampa teachings, with their four deities and three sets of texts.[5]

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



The jewel treasury of the Kagyü teachings is a source of inspiration and blessings,

Coming from the translator Marpa, Milarepa Shepé Dorje and the rest,

A marvellous system of instruction from an unrivalled succession of masters.

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



All the phenomena of samsara and nirvana are the radiance of the natural mind,

And mind itself, free from complexity, is realized as the essence of the dharmakaya.

This is the great seal, Mahamudra, pervading all that appears and exists throughout samsara and nirvana.

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



Learned masters who guard the Buddha’s teachings through explanation, debate and composition,

On the key instructions of hundreds of texts for the outer and inner sciences, sutra and mantra,

This is the Sakyapa tradition of the great compassionate teachers from the divine family of Khön.

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



The extremely profound and crucial points of the practice of Lamdré, the path and its fruit,

With its four criteria of validity,[6] have been passed on in a whispered aural lineage,

The tradition of special instructions coming from Virupa, the powerful lord of yogins.

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



Teachings of the victorious Lobzang Drakpa, skilfully combining the profound and the clear,

By perfectly uniting the profound view of the Middle Way

And the two-phase approach of the great and secret Vajra vehicle.

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



This is the supreme and noble tradition for practising,

Without mistake, the essence and gradual stages of the path,

Which incorporates all three pitakas and all four classes of tantra,

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



The combined traditions of Butön and Jonang, the transmission of instruction and realization,

For the outer, inner and alternative cycles of the Kalachakra Tantra,

Including unique explanations, not to be found in any other sutra or tantra.

Long may these teachings of the Buddha flourish in the Land of Snows!



In short, may all the teachings of the Buddha in the Land of Snows

Flourish long into the future— the ten great pillars of the study lineage,[7]

And the chariots of the practice lineage, such as Shijé (‘Pacifying’) and the rest,

All of them rich with their essential instructions combining sutra and mantra.



May the lives of the masters who uphold these teachings be secure and harmonious!

May the sangha preserve these teachings through their study, meditation and activity![8]

May the world be filled with faithful individuals intent on following these teachings!

And long may the non-sectarian teachings of the Buddha continue to flourish!



Throughout all the worlds, may war, conflict, famine and evil thoughts or actions

Be eradicated entirely, so that even their names are no longer heard!

May the minds of beings be infused with love! May signs of virtue increase throughout the environment and beings!

And may an ocean of happiness and wellbeing pervade throughout the whole of space!



From this moment on, may I follow the complete path of the teachings,

Arouse the vast motivation of bodhichitta, and exert myself

In study, reflection and meditation upon the profound view,

So that I swiftly reach the ground of temporary and ultimate happiness!



For the sake of all sentient beings, who are as infinite as space,

May I engage in the activity of the buddhas and bodhisattvas,

Without ever feeling discouraged or falling prey to laziness,

Always remaining joyful, with confidence and enthusiasm!



May my body, my possessions and all my merits,

Contribute towards the happiness of beings—my very own mothers,

And may whatever sufferings they are forced to undergo,

All ripen directly upon me!



May all who see me, hear my voice, think of me or put their trust in me,

Experience the most glorious happiness and virtue!

And may even those who insult, punish, strike or disparage me,

Gain the good fortune to set out upon the path to awakening!



In short, for as long as space endures,

And for as long as there is suffering among beings,

May I too remain, to bring them benefit and happiness,

In all ways, directly and also indirectly!

Mindfulness Meditation

I apologize for posting a huge chunk of text like this, but I found it all worthwhile. It's laid out in a very receivable way and is economical on words to get the points across. I hope you enjoy!


~Mindfulness Meditation as a Buddhist Practice~
-by Gil Fronsdal

While mindfulness can be practiced quite well without Buddhism, Buddhism cannot be practiced without mindfulness. In its Buddhist context, mindfulness meditation has three overarching purposes: knowing the mind; training the mind; and freeing the mind.

Knowing the Mind

It is easy to spend an hour, a day, or even a lifetime so caught up with thoughts, concerns, and activities as to preclude understanding deeply what makes us operate the way we do. People can easily be clueless as to what motivates them, the nature of their reactions and feelings, and even, at times, what they are thinking about. The first step in mindfulness practice is to notice and take stock of who we are. What is going on in the body, in the mind, in our emotional life? What underlying dispositions are operating?

This part of mindfulness practice is a simple process of discovery; it is not judging something as good or bad. Meditative discovery is supported by stillness. Whatever our degree of stillness, it acts as a backdrop to highlight what is going on. It doesn't take much stillness to notice a racing, agitated mind. Discovery means becoming familiar with what a racing mind is like instead of being critical of it. What is the mind itself like, and what is its effect on the body? What emotions are present? What thoughts and beliefs?

The knowing aspect of mindfulness is deliberate and conscious. When you know something this way, not only do you know it, but also a presence of mind grows in which you clearly know that you know. It is like being one of two calm people in an unruly crowd. Neither of you gets caught up in the crowd's agitation, and a spark of recognition, maybe even a smile, passes between you as you share knowing that both of you are not caught.

When the focus is on knowing, we make no attempt to try to change anything. For people who are always trying to make something happen, just observing the mind can be a radical change and a relief.

Training the Mind

The mind is not static. It is a process or, more accurately, a series of interacting processes. As such, the mind is malleable and pliable: it can be trained and shaped in new ways. An important part of Buddhist practice is taking responsibility for the dispositions and activities of our own mind so that it can operate in ways that are beneficial. When we don't take responsibility for our own mind, external forces will do the shaping: media, advertisements, companions, and other parts of society.

A good starting point is to train the mind in kindness and compassion. Even a little mindfulness will sometimes prove the cliche, "Self-knowledge is seldom good news." Mindfulness may reveal mental conflict with ourselves, others, or the inconstant nature of life. Such conflict can take the form of aversion, confusion, anger, despair, ambition, or discouragement. Meeting conflict with further conflict will only add to our suffering. Instead, we can begin exploring how to be kinder, more forgiving and spacious with ourselves.

Sometimes how one makes effort in meditation can be counterproductive. Striving too hard, trying to escape something, clinging to views and ideals, meditating as penance or obligation, and measuring every little bit of progress are some of the things that interfere with meditation. An antidote to this struggle is training the mind to be more at ease with how things are. Rather than trying to organize the conditions of the world, we can cultivate an ability to be relaxed with whatever is happening.

Once the mind experiences some ease in meditation, it is easier to train it in other ways. We can develop concentration or mental stability. We can foster the growth of generosity, ethical virtue, courage, discernment, and the capacity to release clinging. Often a Buddhist practitioner will choose one particular quality to cultivate for a period of time.

Freeing the Mind

Central to Buddhist practice is training the capacity to let go of clinging. Sooner or later, the first aspect of Buddhist meditation, knowing the mind, will reveal how and where clinging is present. Some of the more painful forms of grasping are clinging to such things as pleasure, desire, self-image and judgments, opinions and ideals, people, and possessions. All clinging limits the mind's freedom and peace.

The good news of Buddhism is that we can release clinging. We can free the mind. Or, if you prefer, you can call it "freeing the heart." The ultimate aim of Buddhist practice is to liberate the heart so there are no barriers, shackles, or constrictions to our heart's freedom. Usually freeing the heart begins in small steps, each bringing a corresponding peace. Freed completely, the heart is completely at peace. Complete freedom is not easily attained. It requires knowledge and training.

Knowing, training, and freeing the mind develop together. The more we know ourselves, the easier it is both to train ourselves and to know what needs to be released. The more our minds are trained, the easier it is to know ourselves and the more strength and wisdom we have to let go. And the more we let go, the fewer the obstructions to understanding ourselves and the easier it will be to train the mind.

Few people care for their own minds as they do their own bodies, their clothes, or their possessions. Care of the body is a daily task. The mind too needs regular care, exercise, and training. With freedom from suffering as the goal, knowing, training, and freeing are the three Buddhist ways of caring for the mind.

Source

Top Ten Misconceptions About Buddhism

Top Ten List
By Donald S. Lopez, Jr.

From the Academy Fall 1998The recent spate of interest in Buddhism in magazines (like Time) and on television (like “The Oprah Winfrey Show”) inspired the students in my BS (for Buddhist Studies) 230: Introduction to Buddhism to compile a list of the ten most common misconceptions that Americans have about Buddhism. The students were the first to admit that they themselves held many of these very misconceptions just a few months ago. Now they know better. The list is provided below, with commentary:

1.“ Buddha” is spelled “Buddah.”
Outside the temple of the Daibutsu in Kamakura, Japan (perhaps the most famous Buddha image in the world), a sign asks visitors to display a respectful attitude in the presence of the Bhudda. One of the most important rock albums of all time, Safe as Milk by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band, was released on Buddah records. The problem is the “floating h syndrome,” which often causes the leader of the Indian independence movement to be identified as Mahatma Ghandi. The culprit is the Sanskrit letter dha the aspirate d.

2. All Buddhists meditate.
Meditation has been identified as the central practice of Buddhism (Edward Conze said that meditation is for Buddhism what prayer is for Christianity). It is unclear how many Christians actually pray, but the majority of Buddhists throughout history have not meditated. Meditation has, until rather recently, been considered a monastic practice, and even then, as a practice reserved for only certain monks.

3. All Buddhists are bald.
Although the shaving of the head has come into fashion of late, the shaved head is one sign of being a monk or a nun in the Buddhist tradition, where it is considered to reduce attachment to worldly beauty and to improve personal hygiene. Anthropologists have seen hair as a symbol of sexuality. Hence, shaving the head symbolizes castration, that is, monastic celibacy. (This theory is apparently unknown to Charles Barkley.)

4. All Buddhists are vegetarians.
It seems that in the early tradition, monks and nuns were instructed to eat whatever was put into their begging bowls. (You’ve probably heard the one about the leper.) According to some sources, the bout of dysentery that hastened the Buddha’s entry into nirvana was caused by eating bad pork. It was only after the Buddha’s death that vegetarianism was promoted in Buddhist texts. It caught on in India and China, but not in Tibet or Southeast Asia.]

5. The Buddha is the fat guy.
Not simply found in ashtrays and paperweights, the fat guy sits in the central position of many Buddhist temples in East Asia. He is Pu-tai, the hemp-bag monk, a popular figure in Chinese Buddhism (especially Ch’an), a simple and jolly mendicant beloved by children, who want to see what he carries in his bag. Some say he is Maitreya. So maybe he is the Buddha.

6. All Buddhists live in monasteries.
Most Buddhists throughout history have been laypeople and hence have not lived in monasteries. They could not do so, because without the laity the monasteries could not survive. At least that’s the theory. In fact, many monasteries were self-supporting institutions, owning property and even slaves.

7. All roads lead to the same mountaintop.
Many great Buddhist figures, from Dogen to the current Dalai Lama, are emphatic on the point that enlightenment is only possible by following the Buddhist path. You can only get so far following other religions: all roads lead to Everest base camp, but from there, Buddhism is the only route to the summit.

8. All Buddhists are pacifists.
There have, of course, been wars between Buddhists (such as the war that put the fifth Dalai Lama on the throne of Tibet) as well as wars waged by Buddhists against non-Buddhists (modern Sri Lanka), and Zen masters have supported war (the Soto hierarchy in Japan during World War II).

9. Buddhism is a philosophy.
The terms “philosophy” and “religion” need to be scrutinized in applying either one to non-Western traditions. But to claim that Buddhism is not a religion because is really about no-self and nirvana is to demean the daily life of millions of Asians across the centuries. Buddhism is a religion, by any definition of that indefinable term.

10. Reincarnation is fun.
As much as anyone might like to come back to play centerfield for the Yankees, this is just not the way it works. If you are tired of people saying “Been there. Done that,” just remember that Buddhists have been saying it in so many words for a couple of millennia. There is no place you have not been reborn, no form of sentient life that you have not already been a zillion times. It all should be a tedious bore right now, and all you should want to do is get out. Unless, of course, you’re a bodhisattva.

Tricycle

The Awakened Way

Beings are numberless;
I vow to free them.
Delusions are inexhaustible;
I vow to end them.
Dharma gates are boundless;
I vow to enter them.
The Awakened Way is unsurpassable;
I vow to embody it.

HHDL

Tomorrow I see His Holiness the Dalai Lama!

Trust in each other.

Trust is a mutual recognition between people of each other's potential for goodness and the quality in integrety. This means that trust can be developped by paying attention to how our thoughts are applied.
When you trust someone you give them part of your spirit and bring that person into your life and everyone you know in Bön tradition.

I see not exactly differences when this gets a place through Buddhism. Interdependency.
When aware we can see the primordial goodness of people and the smoke- or cloudlike thoughts and emotions which are colorful dreams not changing our nature.

We should not push our head in the sand and say: all deluded deeds-speech-thought are okay in the world. But to be suspicious is taking the clouds for truth.

I think to trust eachother is open our naked being and peaceful move as a drop among many sea drops in the waves of the ocean.

The C-Street Cult

The C-Street Cult; A Buddhist Perspective

Article

Homage to Atisha.

Homage to Atisha.

http://www.lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&id=365&chid=674 = Biography
and other information.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhWGal-kAZ8 = words of wisdom.

Atisha (jo bo rje) or Dipamkarashrijñana (982-1054) was abbot of the Indian monastic university of Vikramashila.

He came to Tibet at the invitation of King Yeshe Ö to restore Buddhadharma after persecution by Langdarma.
He introduced there the Mind Training which are a synthesis of Bodhichitta tradition of Nagarjuna and Asanga; brother of Vasubandhu.

"There are abundant of things to learn about in this world. Just like a swan which can extract milk from the water, we should choose which is useful for this lifetime and future lives. Not only for oneselves but also for others.” Atisha.

Artists.

http://www.art4tibet1998.org/framep.htm


"I truly believe that individuals can make a difference in society. Since periods of change such as the present one come so rarely in human history, it is up to each of us to make the best use of our time to help create a happier world"

Tenzin Gyatso, The Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet.

All same characteristics.

This treasure I like to spread by the blog. As a genuine friend wrote it as comment. It is a very beautiful offer for contemplation:

*each diamond is unique, no one shape is the same. yet have all the same charicteristics of a diamond, but reflect the light off different surface, differnt conditions ( karma ) in many ways.*


Thank you with smile. _/\_

Practice and meditation.

Cultivate compassion.

The value of compassion, by people who are using the energy of divisive mind in their body, speech and mind, can maybe get a turn by reading this.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080326204236.htm

The following youtube, a Neuroscientist is telling her experience here which again can increase the really intelligent approach of cultivating compassion in our mind. Because of lack on words, she shows with her whole being what she means. Deep gratefulness to her. _/\_

I had an experience which is not exactly similar like her but is coming very near.

Without doubt and without hope: simple be ; in genuine compassion, is the joy to find in our human life and the way to reveal our true nature. May all be in comfort. _/\_


http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html

Tibetan medicine.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1663719623619744115#

A warm heart has importance in the evolution of recovery.

No separation.

Swimming in the suffering pool of me- conceptualization. Me, me me is the one who knows/need/desire/wish/hope.... No happiness, no peace.

When mind is like warm light from a bulb, absorbing all and all absorbing warm light ;
that light is not separated from all, all not from the light......

How can there be a separated knower? How can there be no warmth? Each harm to another is including harm to me.

All happiness comes from wishing others happiness, all suffering from wishing me is happy. So very very true.

Lesson from children

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-WNXqFKurtL4/light_from_our_grandmothers/

Lesson from children.

Twelve links of dependency.

I and most other sentient beings are suffering in this circle of interdependent origination. Its root is ignorance, which is the complete opposite of the Dharma wisdom that perceives the absolute reality.

1 Ignorance (ma-rig-pa)
The blind man shown on the wheel of life symbolizes the ignorant person, who does not see where he is going, where he will be reborn, what he has suffered or what he will suffer in rebirth. Ignorance is the cause of the 84,000 delusions.

There are two kinds of ignorance:
Ignorance of absolute truth, which binds me more strongly to samsara. The main purpose of all the teachings of Guru Shakyamuni is to remove ignorance by the realization of absolute truth, just as the main purpose of medicine is to remove sickness.

Ignorance of karma arises from ignorance of absolute truth; it causes rebirth in the three lower realms.

2 Karmic formation
Ignorance generates karmic formation. This is symbolized by a man producing clay pots. Just as a clay pot can be fashioned into many sizes and shapes, so does the creation of different karmas bring different results.
Karma may be meritorious, unmeritorious or indifferent.

3 Consciousness (nam-she)
Karmic formation generates consciousness. This is symbolized by a monkey with fruit in its hand, swinging from tree to tree, to show that consciousness, bearing karmic impressions, joins past to present and present to future. The monkey is uncontrolled, impure, because its outlook depends on its position in the tree, just as my consciousness depends on karma. Consciousness is the mind, which perceives the different aspects of objects.
There are six kinds of consciousness: those of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind.

4 Name and form (ming-zug)
Consciousness generates name (mind) and form (body). This is symbolized by a man rowing a boat, and shows that to do so, many conditions such as the boat, the oarsman, the ocean, etc., are necessary. Similarly, name and form could not exist without the five skandhas (aggregates).
The skandha of form (zug-kyi p’ung-po) is the fertilized egg, and the skandhas of feeling (tsor-wä p’ung-po), of cognition (du-she kyi p’ung-po), of compounded phenomena (volition) (du-j’e kyi p’ung-po) and of consciousness (nam-she p’ung-po), inhabiting the fertilized egg, are the name.

5 Six sense organs (kye-ch’e-dr’ug)
Name and form generate the six sense organs. This is symbolized by an empty house. From the distance the house looks full and lived in, but it is empty. Similarly, the six sense organs are empty because they are meaningless without an object.
For the six sense organs there are also six outer objects and six inner sense bases.

6 Contact (reg-pa)
Six sense organs generate contact. This is symbolized by the contact of a man and a woman, the meeting of sense organs with their objects. There are six contacts.

7 Feeling (tsor-wa)
Contact generates feeling. This is symbolized by a man with an arrow in his eye, who is suffering because of his contact with an object. Without contact there is no feeling; therefore, if my mind is uncontrolled, I am better off to avoid contact with objects that lead to more greed and further suffering. This is why Guru Shakyamuni, with great compassion, made the rule that one should be well contained and have few possessions.
There are three kinds of feeling: suffering, happiness, and indifference.

8 Craving (se.pa)
Contact and feeling generate craving. This is symbolized by a man drinking wine. Just as this man’s thirst is never satisfied, so the person deluded by greed is never satisfied and craves more things. This greed ruins the present and many future lives.
There are three kinds of craving, and all cause suffering: desiring release from fear and ugly objects, desiring no release from beautiful objects to which I am attached, and attachment to the body, fearing loss of the "I" at death.

9 Grasping (len-pa)
Craving generates grasping. This is symbolized by a monkey picking fruit from a tree. Having tasted one fruit, he clings to the tree for more and more. Grasping is created by craving and procreates becoming, just as human beings grasp at and cling to their physical bodies. This grasping causes greed, hatred and ignorance, bringing much suffering.
There are four kinds of grasping, all of which cause suffering: attachment to beauty, attachment to wrong beliefs or doctrines—such as the belief that karma, and past and future lives are non-existent—clinging to the wrong conception of the self-existent "I," and holding the belief that non-virtues, such as sacrificing living beings or using sexual happiness, are pure methods of receiving liberation.

10 Becoming (si-pa)
Grasping at the body generates becoming. This is symbolized by a pregnant woman. The greater my attachment to the physical body, the sooner will rebirth come. The becoming caused by ignorance is strengthened because craving and grasping conditioned it.
There are four kinds of becoming, all under the control of delusion and karma: the becoming of rebirth, the becoming of death, the becoming of the intermediate state, and the becoming of lifetime.

11 Rebirth (kye-wa)
Becoming generates rebirth. This is symbolized by a woman giving birth. The skandhas are determined by delusion and karma, and determine the form of the present rebirth.
There are four kinds of rebirth: in the womb, from an egg, by heat, and intuitive, i.e., not needing the bodies of parents.

12 Old age (ga-wa) and death (ch’i-wa)
Birth usually generates old age. This is symbolized by an old man walking with a cane. Becoming old is the result of delusion and karma.
Birth or old age generate death. This is symbolized by a corpse. Death ends the life, and the round of existence circles again.

I do not desire suffering, so I must stop circling in samsara. To do so I must overcome delusion and karma. Ignorance leads to action, which leaves impressions on the consciousness. The results of those may appear in this lifetime, the next, or in subsequent lives.
The complete round of the twelve links of dependent origination may be completed in two or three lifetimes. An example follows:

In this lifetime I ignorantly create the karma for rebirth as a rat, this impression being left on my consciousness. But for the rest of my life I give up attachment to the samsaric life, become celibate and keep the precepts purely. So the craving, grasping and becoming of the rat rebirth are interrupted by those of the desired perfect human rebirth.

I am reborn human, living in perfect chance, and the seven results from the dependence of a perfect human rebirth finish with this second life. But as this life is not spent in pure practice, rebirth as a rat occurs because its craving, grasping and becoming are now the strongest. In this
life the dependence of the rat finishes.

Nagarjuna said:
Two deluded actions (links 2 and 10) arise from three deluded causes (links 1, 8 and 9); seven uncontrolled results (links 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12) arise from those two deluded actions. Again three deluded causes arise from these seven results. Such a wheel of life goes round and round.

Lama Zopa.

May tears open concern for each other.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8Ow1loxpgg&feature=related Om Mani Padme Hung.

Natural essence.

Compassion is not about kindness. Compassion is about awareness. Compassion in the general sense of kindness would be an expression of awareness, but one that might not necessarily be free from the stain of ego-grasping. Genuine compassion is egoless. It is the inherent essence expressed, inseparable from awareness.

This natural essence, which is genuine compassion, does not need to be formulated or even expressed as something like "compassion." We see this exemplified in our great teachers. Their genuine compassion does not require phrases and expressions or even actions.

Just their presence, who they are, is nothing other than the quintessence of compassion. We, in contrast, have to invent and demonstrate compassion. Our contaminated compassion still requires effort and deliberation. That is conventional or general compassion.

The good thing about the use of deliberate or conventional compassion is that it matures the mind so that ego-grasping diminishes. It definitely has that effect and is therefore a skillful method for developing awareness compassion.

Genuine compassion arises as the ability to go beyond self.

This requires that we transcend our preoccupation with our own happiness and suffering. As meditators, one of the first things we can do is to look honestly at the world from behind another's eyes.

Experience that person's craving for happiness and fear of suffering with the same immediacy that we would if his heart and mind were ours. We may see that this individual's immense hope and fear are even greater than our own.

See the similarities we all share. We cannot even begin to commit ourselves to the path of selfless compassion if our mind is unable to sense the sameness of the ground we all stand upon.

By Khandro Rinpoche.

Reliance on true spiritual friend.

Inner Tantra. (nang rgyud) :

"Ignorant and proud,
Lacking in intelligence, he teaches mere words;
He cuts down others with disparaging statements;
With little learning and a lot of arrogance
He is a true evil for the disciple who fails to
recognize such a teacher."

The more one is wise, the more he-she is modest, said Sakya Pandita.

"We should take care as in bad compagny the three poisons grow stronger,
Listening reflection and meditation decline,
And loving kindness and compassion vanish
To avoid unsuitable friends is the practice of a Bodhisattva." Gyalse Ngulchu Thogme.

"Through reliance on a true spiritual friend one's
faults will fade
And good qualities will grow like waxing moon
To consider him-her even more precious
than one's own body is the practice of the Bodhisattva." Gyalse Ngulchu Thogme

The cristal clarity of mind at ease remain clear as influences like colors are not harming the cristal but can bring awareness to sleep.

Compassion and devotion.

Daily awareness.

One deluded thought-speech-act is enough to lose the clarity of awareness.

Here a story:

Once there was a practicioner who was feeding the pigeons outside with the rice he had offered on his altar, when he suddenly remembered the numerous enemies he had before devoting himself to the Dharma.

A thought came to him: "There are so many pigeons at my door now; if I had had that many soldiers then, I could easely have wiped out my enemies."

This idea obsessed him untill he could no longer control his hostility, and he left his hermitage, assembled a band of mercenaries and went to fight his former enemies.

The negative actions he then commited all began with that simple deluded thought.If we see an owner of passing thoughts - ideas; awareness is not present.

When we decide to not suffer, we should at least recognize there is no owner of thoughts and thoughts are not solid or to solidify at all.

They come and go like waves of the sea. Let them subside in vastness.

Simplicity.

If you recognize the emptiness of thoughts, instead of solidifying them, the arising and subsiding of each thought will clarify and strengthen your realization of emptiness.

When mind remains in pure awareness; no thoughts of past or future, without being attracted by external objects or occupied by mental constructions, it will be a state of primordial simplicity. In that state, there is no need for an iron hand of forced vigilance to immobilizise thoughts.

As is said: *BUDDHANATURE IS THE NATURALLY SIMPLICITY OF MIND*

Once recognized that simplicity it can be maintained effortless presence of mind. Then you will experience an inner freedom in which there is no need to block the arising of thoughts, or fear that they will spoil.

Origine teaching: Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche by verses of Padampa Sangye

What person is there?

"A person is not earth, not water,
Not fire, not wind, not space,
Not consciousness, and not all of them.
what person is there other than these?" Nagarjuna.

By investigation what a person now exactly is we cannot find such thing. this means not there is simple nothing. Eliminate the extremes of eternalism and nihilism.

"Since the person is a composite of the six elements" Nagarjuna.

In this there is only labeling and says: there is actually a person but not truly existent one. Just investigate where mind comes from, where it goes, where it dwells. Then the view "arises" here of dependency. This is showed by Prasangika middle way. the essence is primordial purity.

There is frist analytical meditation but no any analyses is in what is called unity of awareness and emptiness.

The wise by Sakya Pandita.

Wise people who have a treasury of virtue gather in jewels of wise sayings. since the great ocean is a treasury of streams, all rivers flow into.

The wise understand good sayings through their "intelligence", but others do not. when rising sun's rays shine forth, the ghost birds are blinded.

Though people of great wisdom become poor, their understanding waxes strong; when the king of the beasts, the lion grows hungry, it can destroy an elephant.

If you do not seek out and question wise people, their depths remain unfathomed. Until you beat a drum with a stick, how will you know what difference is there from others?

The world is illuminated by a single wise person who has acquired all virtues and attained the highest knowledge. But like dim stars, even whole mulitudes of people who are learned but of weak understanding cannot brighten it.

Although wise people have immeasurable learning, they accept even the petty learning of others. by always acting thus, they quickly attain the state of an Knowing "One".

Wise people protect themselves with wisdom, so none of their enemies can harm them. The brahmin son of Ujjayini destroyed all of his many enemies by himself.

You may be brave and mighty, but without wisdom you achieve no glory. You may obtain wealth, but without merit how would it last?

Everybody clearly knows what is good and bad, but only the wise can distinguish them when they are mixed together. Anyone can get milk from a cow, but only swans can separate milk from water.

If you are thoughtful, even when they don't speak you can understand others through their actions. It is well known that Nepali knows a pomegranate's flavour by its colour, without having to taste.

You are considered wise when you know that the wise know. Fools may be skilled in judging a cow's age, but this is no great accomplishment.

Wise people fully accept good sayings even from children. If from the navel of a deer there emerges a good fragrance, you should inhale the musk.

Sakya Pandita.

Wrong ways.

It is extremely base to harm a religious practicioner who dwells in peace. Who would proclaim themselves a hero for slaying someone who comes to them for refuge?

Evil people even when there is no benefit for themselves will make trouble for others. Though a poisonous snake obtains nourishment from the mind, doesn't it strike other creatures dead when it sees them?

Though you may imagine sensual desires are happiness, their gratification is only a cause for misery. To think that drinking alcohol is pleasure is to mistake madness for bliss

People pray for long life and look with fear on old age; to dread old age and to desire longevity is a perverted view of fools.

Those who even with wise people nearby, still learn nothing, are either possessed by demons or tormented because of previous deeds.

One who while having abundance, neither enjoys it nor bestows it on others, is either a victim of desease or else is actually a hungry ghost.

If you know religious theory yet do not practice it, what use is your religion? Even if the harvest is perfectly bountiful, how can it nourish carnivorous animals?

Although there are many who are skilled at telling what religion is and what it is not, those who have learned this and practice accordingly are extremely rare in this world.

You may come from a good family and be good looking and young, you're not attractive when you lack virtue. Although a peacock's feathers are gorgeously beautiful, they are not a worthy ornament for great people.

People who are ungrateful for kindness harm themselves far more than those whom they neglect. In making problems for their foes, people find they make problems for themselves instead.

Though you serve evil people dilligently they don't become your own kind of person. However much you boil water, its' impossible for it to burn a fire.

The wise accumulate merit, for only merit is fulfilling. If someone is very fortunate, that is sign of accumulated merit.

"I can decieve someone else by lying". If you think that, you are only decieving yourself. People who lies once make others doubt them, even when they speak the truth.

By Sakya Pandita.

All equal.

Only reflection.

Devotion so very deeply due to gratefulness to spiritual friends and compassion for suffering ones come in vastness. Spiritual masters and all are equal nature.

Relaxation.

Take all like it is, as it is not others.






(When something can be done, do. When not, no worry will help)

Divisity in the flower field.

" I am a Mahayana, I am Vajrayana, I am Kagyupa, Sakyapa, Jonangpa,Gelugpa, or Nyingmapa... Rangtongpa, Shetongpa....and therefore I am correct" is just an expression of ignorance.
To discuss in accordance to beneficial debat is not like that.

"We could study the great texts and get totally lost in the words, so that we don't really derive any benefit from them but instead become proud of ourselves and feel competitive toward others. But when we don't know ourselves (our nature) it's hardly the time to start pitting ourselves against others or to feel self-important. there is no reason to be conceited.

When people think they know something, they can get very full of themselves. This is known as "bringing gods down to the level of demons", or turning medicine into poison.

Learning is no guarantee of saintliness, just as being saintly is no guarantee of learning, and so our priority should be to combine all three qualities of learning, discipline and kind-heartedness."

Dalai Lama.

Save the environment for the sake of all.

The importance of a wood for many sentient beings is not seen through the view of dollars.

Here a story by Lama Surya Das: A woman called Julia Butterfly Hill, a great contemporary Boddhisattva who patiently put herself through an incredible ordeal in order to help save the environment.
On December 10 in 1997, she climbed high into a thousand year old redwood tree in the headwaters Forest of Northern California. There she set up house on a little platform barely big enough for her to lie down.

Her aspiration was to prevent a logging crew from cutting down the forest because it would be impossible to do that without killing her.

For two years, Julia lived up in that tree without ever coming down. Aided by activists who sent up food, water and other supplies, she persevered through some of the biggest storms of the decade, not to mention a great deal of cold, deprivation, fear and harassment from loggers.

Meanwhile her campaign attracted the attention of celebrities, journalists and politicians, many of whom either visited her or talked with her on her mobile phone.

Among these people were harsh critics, avid supporters and those who assumed she was simply a freak. She discovered that one of her biggest challenges was learning how to interact skillfully with each kind of individual in order to further her efforts to save the tree.

Eventually on December 18 of 1999 Julia came down the tree she had affectionately named Luna. She had finally managed to strike a deal with Pacific Lumber: Maxxam Corporation to spare not only Luna but also every tree in a three-acre buffer zone around Luna.

She created life foundations to inspire, support individuals and organisations to together create an environmental and social solutions that are rooted in deeply love and respect for the interconnectedness of life.

A trekking without hope or doubt.

Buddhahood looks like something far away from home.

Padampa Sangye said: "The four bodies, indivisible, are complete in your mind, the fruit is beyond all hope and doubt."

It is like a goal we are chasing to reach. But in truth the empiness that is essential the nature of mind is the Absolute body or Dharmakaya. The clarity is like the naturally expression and is called Sambhogakaya. And the manifestation which is all pervading compassion is called the Nirmanakaya.

These tree "bodies" are intrinsic oneness. This is called nature as it is, or Svabhavikakaya.

These "bodies" are always present in us. In dual view we cannot recognize them. To elaborate about "them" can be a help (teaching) but also running far away from home. To learn to pronounce the labels is no help. As in an elaboration is no "ultimate".

Observe the movements of thoughts and following them back to their "source" which is Dharmakaya.
Emptiness in emptiness. Water drop into water.

May thoughts ( empty) so lose their power and stop to disturb and to enslave.
In own words based on Nyingma teaching.


H.E. Tai Situpa says," ... svabhavikakaya (Tib. ngo wo nyi kyi ku) is not a further form of manifestation, but denotes the fact that the dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and nirmanakaya are not separate from each other. They are just three different aspects of the state of a buddha, which is indivisible."
If we were to compare Dharmakaya to vapor, Sambhogakaya to clouds, and Nirmanakaya to rain, then Svabhavikakaya is the essential nature of them all -- water-ness or moisture.

Grateful.

I like to offer my deep gratefulness to spiritual friends who are altruistic stimulating everyone who is open to recognize the jewel Dharma and so can remain aware.
No any given gold has higher value than this.

Deep devotion and gratefulness, _/\_ _/\_ _/\_

muni

Communication.

Our communication should be based on awareness and skill. In order to have a positive loving relationship with our human fellows; we should realize our dependency on each other.
Whether we wish others are happy or not; is in fact when we see clear the same as "we are happy or not".
People all agree to say: may all be happy but in communication it can lose its' energy.

The best way to communicate with each other is to see our nature, as is said or in any case to see others are not different at all.
Others are getting form in our thinking mind. The colors we are using for that is just minds' creativity. When we cannot see the purity in all and everyone is that only due to own delusion.

To open our mind-heart with attention to human fellows, is to open free flow of love and joy for all.

Green Tara

Every so often I like to animate Buddhist images. I think I've posted one or two before. Here's a Green Tara I just made.

The Dharmakaya and Emptiness

Thanks to Muni, who posted this at Buddhism Without Boundaries.

"When you listen to teachings, you should generate the bodhicitta mind, the desire to obtain obtain Buddhahood for the sake of others. This seems difficult, but whatever practice you do should be based on that attitude.

Even though it seems a bit artificial, you should try to have that attitude. If you do that, your practice will generate a great deal of virtue, because your practice will not be aimed for your own benefit. This is so even if the bodhicitta is not genuine. Many people confuse loving kindness and compassion with bodhicitta.

The attitude you should take is that first I will attain enlightenment so that I can lead all beings to enlightenment. We all have buddha nature. It is our fundamental mind and is originally pure.
We have many different consciousness, such as the five sense consciousnesses and the sixth mental consciousness.

These are like clouds in the sky covering our fundamental mind. Dharmakaya has two purities. Originally mind is pure. It is like gold that is hidden in the earth as ore. As we practice our negative thoughts will occur less and eventually they will be extinguished. When they are extinguished, that is the second purity.

So one purity is by nature and one is through our efforts.
The two purities are called the svabhavivakaya. The wisdom is called jnanakaya. Their union is the dharmakaya. The purity and wisdom are inseparable in the dharmakaya. Dharmakaya always has wisdom.

When the negativities are eliminated then our wisdom will manifest.
The dharmakaya cannot be spoken about or thought about, although here I am doing that. There are many great Indian and Tibetan scholars who have written down their understanding so we can have some idea of even though we haven't experienced it. There are many analogies for dharmakaya.

One is deep sleep without dreams. In the daytime we have many thoughts and activities. But in dreamless sleep all of these are gone. Dharmakaya is beyond all conceptions. Another analogy is the death state. At the time of death the five elements dissolve. That state is close to the dharmakaya. Only the mental continuum remains. One goes through the stages of the white appearance, the red appearance, and the dark appearance and emerges in a state that resembles the dharmakaya.

Another analogy used is a finger pointing to the moon. The various teachings are like a finger pointing to the moon. At the end of deity meditations, one dissolves the meditation into emptiness. This is an attempt to approach the dharmakaya.
The sambhogakaya manifests from the dharmakaya. It is like the dreaming state. Even the highest level bodhisattvas cannot directly access the dharmakaya, but they can access the sambhogakaya and receive teachings from it. Ordinary beings cannot receive teachings from the bodhisattvas.

So the nirmanakaya manifests, like the Buddha being born in India. The nirmanakaya is like the waking state.
At the time of death whatever deity you have practiced will appear to you in a dream. If you recognize the deity, you will not be reborn in the six samsaric realms. In the lower tantra you and the deity are separate and you beseech the deity. In the higher tantras there is no separation."

Chokyi Goecha

Congratulations!

Loppon la has graduated from Shang Shung Institute's class of 2009, the first class of western Doctors of Tibetan Medicine to ever graduate from a formal four year program.

Congratulations to him! It's an awesome achievement. You can read his blog post at "Studying Tibetan Medicine."

Padmasambhava

Historical background of Padmasambhava, Guru Rinpoche's life and times

From around 640 to 842 CE, Tibet was in a phase of expansion during which it absorbed the state of Zhang-zhung, and then substantial Chinese, Nepalese and other territories surrounding it. It was near the end of this period, that under royal patronage, the first Tibetan Buddhist monastery was founded at Sam'ye.

According to legend, local deities and demons opposed to the introduction of Buddhism, destroyed every at night what was being built during the day. Therefore, the king consulted Santarakshita, the Indian monastic who was going to be the first abbot of the new monastery. His advice was that the tantric mahasiddha (great adept) Padmasambhava be summoned from India to tame local deities and bind them to the service of Buddha-dharma.

It is Padmasambhava's journey through the Tibetan landscape during which he subdues and binds a succession of named deities at specific places that is at the core of accounts of his life. These events, mythical, legendary or historical have consequences for practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism today since they determine the way in which these beings are perceived and treated, in visualization, the making of representations and in other practices.

That is the most important aspect of his work, and the reason why he is referred to as Guru Rinpoche, being regarded as the "second Buddha." As a consequence, he is often considered the most important siddha or accomplished yogi, and he is the central figure in the lineages that continue to preserve and transmit the siddha tradition.

~ from 1995 paper by Prof. Geoffrey Samuel of Newcastle U., Australia
Courtesy of Khandro.net


Padmasambhava mantra

Oṃ Āh Hūṃ Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hūṃ
(Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padma Siddhi Hum)


Om Ah Hum, as we’ve seen, have no conceptual meaning. Often they’re associated with body, speech, and mind respectively (i.e. the whole of one’s being. So there’s a suggestion that we are saluting the qualities that Padmasambhava represents with all of our hearts (and minds, and bodies).

Vajra means thunderbolt, and represents the energy of the enlightened mind. It can also mean diamond. The implication is that the diamond/thunderbolt can cut through anything. The diamond is the indestructible object, while the thunderbolt is the unstoppable force. The vajra also stands for compassion. While it may seem odd to have such a “masculine” object representing compassion, this makes sense in esoteric Buddhism because compassion is active, and therefore aligned with this masculine symbol. (The term “masculine” does not of course imply that compassion is limited to males!)

Guru, of course, means a wise teacher. It comes from a root word, garu, which means “weighty.” So you can think of the guru as one who is a weighty teacher. Padmasambhava is so highly regarded in Tibetan Buddhism that he is often referred to as the second Buddha.

Padma means lotus, calling to mind the purity of the enlightened mind, because the lotus flower, although growing in muddy water, is completely stainless. In the same way the enlightened mind is surrounded by the greed, hatred, and delusion that is found in the world, and yet remains untouched by it. The lotus therefore represents wisdom. Again, while westerners would tend to assume that the flower represents compassion, the receptive nature of the flower gives it a “feminine” status in esoteric Buddhism, and to the lotus is aligned with the “feminine” quality of wisdom. And once again, there is no implication that wisdom is in any way limited to those who are female. The words masculine and feminine here are used in a technical sense that’s completely unrelated to biology.

And Siddhi means accomplishment or supernatural powers, suggesting the way in which those who are enlightened can act wisely, but in ways that we can’t necessarily understand. Padmasambhava is a magical figure, and in his biography there are many miracles and tussles with supernatural beings.


Pronunciation notes:

* a is pronounced as u in cut
* aa (ā) is long, as in father
* m in hum is pronounced ng, as in long
* j is hard, like j in judge
* u is short, as in put
* ū is long, as in school

Courtesy of Wildmind.org

The Dharmakaya ( unfabricated and uncorrupted view), Emptiness.

When you listen to teachings, you should generate the bodhicitta mind, the desire to obtain Buddhahood for the sake of others. This seems difficult, but whatever practice you do should be based on that attitude.

Even though it seems a bit artificial, you should try to have that attitude. If you do that, your practice will generate a great deal of virtue, because your practice will not be aimed for your own benefit. This is so even if the bodhicitta is not genuine. Many people confuse loving kindness and compassion with bodhicitta.

The attitude you should take is that first I will attain enlightenment so that I can lead all beings to enlightenment. We all have buddha nature. It is our fundamental mind and is originally pure.
We have many different consciousness, such as the five sense consciousnesses and the sixth mental consciousness.

These are like clouds in the sky covering our fundamental mind. Dharmakaya has two purities. Originally mind is pure. It is like gold that is hidden in the earth as ore. As we practice our negative thoughts will occur less and eventually they will be extinguished. When they are extinguished, that is the second purity.

So one purity is by nature and one is through our efforts.
The two purities are called the svabhavivakaya. The wisdom is called jnanakaya. Their union is the dharmakaya. The purity and wisdom are inseparable in the dharmakaya. Dharmakaya always has wisdom.

When the negativities are eliminated then our wisdom will manifest.
The dharmakaya cannot be spoken about or thought about, although here I am doing that. There are many great Indian and Tibetan scholars who have written down their understanding so we can have some idea of even though we haven't experienced it. There are many analogies for dharmakaya.

One is deep sleep without dreams. In the daytime we have many thoughts and activities. But in dreamless sleep all of these are gone. Dharmakaya is beyond all conceptions. Another analogy is the death state. At the time of death the five elements dissolve. That state is close to the dharmakaya. Only the mental continuum remains. One goes through the stages of the white appearance, the red appearance, and the dark appearance and emerges in a state that resembles the dharmakaya.

Another analogy used is a finger pointing to the moon. The various teachings are like a finger pointing to the moon. At the end of deity meditations, one dissolves the meditation into emptiness. This is an attempt to approach the dharmakaya.
The sambhogakaya manifests from the dharmakaya. It is like the dreaming state. Even the highest level bodhisattvas cannot directly access the dharmakaya, but they can access the sambhogakaya and receive teachings from it. Ordinary beings cannot receive teachings from the bodhisattvas.

So the nirmanakaya manifests, like the Buddha being born in India. The nirmanakaya is like the waking state.
At the time of death whatever deity you have practiced will appear to you in a dream. If you recognize the deity, you will not be reborn in the six samsaric realms. In the lower tantra you and the deity are separate and you beseech the deity. In the higher tantras there is no separation.
Chokyi Goecha

Test in own experience.

"Do not go by revelation; do not go by tradition;

do not go by hearsay; do not go on the authority of sacred texts; do not go on the grounds of pure logics;

do not go by a view that seems rational; do not go along with a considered view because you agree with it;

do not go along on the ground that the person is competent; do not go along because the recluse is our teacher."
"Come and see for yourself - Ehipassiko"

"Just as gold is tested in fire for purity, so too, test my words in the fire of your own spiritual experience." Buddha

No time to spare.

When a little baby is born is this when all is good a reason to celebrate. But it is also the start on the impermanent stream of this life.
A young one thinks he-she has plenty time, but each breath is one in impermanence.
This life is just one life preceding many lives. We should not sacrifice so many lives due to illusionary well-being of the present time.
The fruits of our daily awareness are bringing us genuine peace.

Attraction park.

I like to tell my story in an attraction park. Such a park like Disney, but it was another. That whole park was filled with moving things, all to make fun. All was temporary created fun like wet clothes by the water attraction, hematomes everywhere and dizzy head included.

There was a round big man of beton which made some metal sounds. So it invited to come closer. It had a huge hole as mouth. Someone came to throw a paper inside. Or better said: that paper was powerful swallowed before I really saw it. Then that beton friendly one said: paper here.

Ah so, that was his job! To keep the park clean. I pushed my hand in my handbag to find papers. Woooooooosh...paper here. I must have another paper.
Ha. Wooooooosh...paper here.
Other people came to bring some paper. Wooooooosh!

The papers appeared in reflection like our intellectual movements which are empty. As soon as our elaborations are experienced as being empty they dissolve. They dissolve in non arising Dharmata. They aren't separated.