The practice of Vajrakilaya is famous in the Tibetan Buddhists world as the most powerful for removing obstacles, destroying the forces, hostile to compassion and purifying the spiritual pollution so prevalent in this age.The wrathful Heruka Vajrakilaya is the Yidam deity who embodies the enlightened activities of all Buddha, manifesting in an intensely Wrathful yet compassionate form in order to subjugate the delusion and negativities that can arise as obstacle to the practice of Dharma.
*Mantra : Om Benzar Kilikilaya Sarwa Bignan Bam Hung Phat
*Vajrakilaya dance.
The dance of the three side dagger.
King Trisong Deutsen asked the help of a skilful monk called Shantarakshita to destroy the negative forces from the Bön tradition, which was at that time not like Bön now is known. But Shantarakshita hadn't enough power to do so. He could not undo the magic of Bön and asked the help of an in that time welknowed tantric adept who was living in Uddiyana and who was called Padmasambhava, the lotus Born.
He could subdue what needed to be subdued, could destroy what needed to be destroyed. He was skillful in secret teachings which were called terma's, could neutralize poisons, had very clear visions, was great in tumo or generating heat for the body and had no any problem with lung gom pa or yogic running.
When he arrived in Tibet he decided to build up the monastery Samye. Before doing so, he performed his dance to pacify the area and so the powers of the Bön mountain god and spirits. The purifying energy of the Vajrakilaya dance chased the bad spirits into a skull on the top of a pyramid made of dough.
Padmasambhava, or Guru Rinpoche, cleared with his dance all obstacles away and he could build the monastery.
the dansers are keeping a skull and scarf, tied to eachother and attached at the purba, a dagger of three sides. The scarf is symbol for compassion, the skull is showing the impermanence of all appearances. The purba itself is for the qualities of body, speech and mind and it's three sides are symbols for passion, aggression and ignorance.
In the Bön tradition was there use of animal offering. These offerings aren't erased but are only symbolic like by the use of some urine, semen and so on. Also as symbol of these offerings to undo negativities, is the torma, a ritual cake made by roasted barley and beautiful sculpted forms of butter.
Many Cham dances followed.
*Drubchen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd_ySeJg2CM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtmLWCV88-w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApeFRFo54Zk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifq9lCoANuQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRKXdq3dU9M&feature=related
March 31, 2010
March 30, 2010
Wisdom by Atisha.
The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the world's ways.
The greatest action is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the world's ways.
The greatest action is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.
March 25, 2010
Simplicity.
“If one's life is simple, contentment has to come. Simplicity is extremely important for happiness. Having few desires, feeling satisfied with what you have, is very vital: satisfaction with just enough food, clothing, and shelter to protect yourself from the elements. And finally, there is an intense delight in abandoning faulty states of mind and in cultivating helpful ones in meditation.” By His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
When I posses something, is this what I give.
When I think to know, is it prostration time.
When there is a me who need, is there duality.
Let me be caring wind in the sky of simplicity.
When I posses something, is this what I give.
When I think to know, is it prostration time.
When there is a me who need, is there duality.
Let me be caring wind in the sky of simplicity.
March 19, 2010
Careful with practices.
As regards the method of acquiring practical spiritual knowledge, if you find a certain practice increases your evil passions and tends you toward selfishness, abandon it, though it may appear to others virtuous.
And if any course of action tends to counteract your evil passions, and to benefit sentient beings, know that to be the true and holy path, and continue it, even though it should appear to others to be sinful.
Milarepa.
And if any course of action tends to counteract your evil passions, and to benefit sentient beings, know that to be the true and holy path, and continue it, even though it should appear to others to be sinful.
Milarepa.
March 12, 2010
People's Aspirations for Peace are considerable stronger.
His Holiness The Dalai Lama during a visit in Ukraine.
The beginning of the 21st century has shocked humankind with its events. Increasingly often we hear about terrorism, local conflicts in various parts of the world, and the world economic crisis. How do you think we should preserve our inner strength without losing the opportunity to be happy? What is your philosophy of happiness?
“In certain periods in our life we may experience good fortune, but there is no guarantee that it will always be so. Moments of happiness are always followed by more complicated periods.
There is always this sequence, such is life.“Similar ups and downs were observed in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The world is inhabited by the same living beings in the 21st century, so there will be these ups and downs. If we become euphoric over some success and allow ourselves to think that this will last forever, we will make a mistake. On the other hand, it is also a mistake to lose hope and become pessimistic when experiencing a difficult period.
“Terrorism is, of course, big news for our times, but it is perpetrated by a handful of people. Yet there is always a handful of people who behave inappropriately. It’s just that today, with the development of modern technologies, people like this find it considerably easier to act that way.
In fact, such people existed three or four hundred years ago. Even at the time of Buddha there were people in India who behaved inappropriately. There were people of this kind also among Buddhists. Quite a few such people existed at the time of Jesus Christ and He suffered at their hands.
“However, if you look at the whole picture, people’s aspirations for peace are considerably stronger.
When Americans attacked Iraq, millions of people from Australia to the United States actively protested against the hostilities. The war of Kosovo is another example. Remember how many people campaigned against it. The recent military conflict between Russia and Georgia also drew serious criticism. This is a very obvious sign that people do not want any more violence, regardless of its cause. I think it is a sign that the situation in the world is getting healthier.”
“INCLINATION TOWARD TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND CHARITY RUNS IN OUR BLOOD”Talking of trust, we people build our relations primarily on trust. What should be done to enhance such confidence among people?
“Honesty and truthfulness are the basis of trust. Here you find a direct connection with charity. Charity means that you care for your fellow humans. If this care is sincere, it leaves no room for falsehood, oppression, or any attempts at deceit.
If you cheat and oppress fellow humans, it means that you neglect their well-being and rights; that you care only about yourself while exploiting others.
“This is where my major concern lies. We have a collective way of life. It doesn’t matter what degree of strength and power an individual has achieved because this individual’s future and happiness depend to a considerable extent on another community of people.
The rest of humankind is the basis of that individual’s well-being and future. When we cheat and oppress others, we thus undermine the basis of our own future. This means that we are not using our intellectual capacity in full measure. All we can see is our self-admiring ego. We look at the world through a very narrow window. We do not consider the consequences on a broad scale. Such is my view. Honesty, openness, and transparency — such is the foundation of trust.
”Your Holiness, it seems that religion is getting increasingly less important in the modern world, and that fewer and fewer people protect other people’s rights, oppose violence, or care for the environment.
Perhaps in our times some humanistic, altruistic movement can change this world for the better, rather than religion?
“A very good question. On the whole, as I said before, charity and care for others’ well-being are the key factor. If we take this as the foundation, politics becomes constructive, while business — more reliable.
Look at the big-time American businessmen. Many of them are liars. One of the reasons behind the great damage America recently sustained is that some of these businessmen and bankers resorted to falsehood and deceit. In the end this led to a collapse.
“Any action rooted in charity and care for others’ well-being will be constructive. Without such motivation, if we try, for example, to teach a religious doctrine, this religion will be dirty.
This kind of politics will be dirty. This kind of economy will be dirty. Is this not so? Take corruption. Corruption makes people rich, but this method is dirty.
“Therefore, charity and honesty are the key factors. The question is how to go about developing charity in this world. I usually say that there are several ways. The first one is to develop empathy with the aid of theistic religions.
The second one is an approach offered by non-theistic religions, using the cause-and-effect law whereby you benefit from doing good things and suffer from doing bad things. Such is the cause-and-effect law. Both these methods have to do with religious traditions. Yet there must be a third method; there are so many people who are essentially nonbelievers. There must be a secular way to advance these values.
“These values per se belong to the secular sphere and nonreligious ethics. I usually refer to them as universal human values. Without doubt, all religions also have to do with universal human values, yet the latter have actually nothing to do with religion. They belong to secular ethics, so it is necessary to promote them with the aid of secular rather than religious methods — in other words, by applying common sense and relying on emotions common to and uniting all people.
“If we start speaking with each other in this audience, putting warmth and charity in our words, everybody will be happy. Inclination toward truth, justice, and charity runs in our blood. There is yet another important aspect. The latest scholarly findings indicate that charity and empathy help strengthen our immune system whereas anger and hatred destroy this system. Accepting this as a basis, tell people that you and others benefit from charity and empathy.
“I often visit various countries and places. Wherever I go, I always stress the importance of these values. I am not talking about religion. I am a Buddhist, but I have never undertaken to spread Buddhism. Never. I have always tried to share with people what I know about universal human values; I apply secular methods. Human rights and environment protection — all this is closely connected with charity, a sense of responsibility, and awareness of common interests.”
“THINK ABOUT THE GOOD OF OTHERS
”The current situation in Ukraine is such that the main political forces cannot divide power among themselves, with each trying to get it all, refusing to make concessions.
As a result, this country is sinking ever deeper into the political crisis. How do you think we can overcome this impasse?
“More often than not people who use the struggle for power as a method are shortsighted. It is necessary to bear in mind the interests of the state, not one’s own. Here you also find the absence of a sense of responsibility and care for others’ well-being. People of this kind are only concerned about [saving] their name, about their families and their power.
“Let me tell you a story. Once I met with a group of scholars in America. One of them made a presentation, showing his research’s findings.
He said that people who often use words like ‘I,’ ‘my,’ and ‘for me’ are more susceptible to cardiac diseases and heart attacks. Why? Because if one keeps thinking of himself and keeps saying ‘I’ time and again, one’s worldview becomes very narrow. Given this narrow worldview, even a small problem appears to be a very big and intolerable one. Then you become even more concerned, you are under stress, you feel lonely, depressed, and then you have a heart attack.
“Think about the good of others. Think about Ukraine as a whole. Remember your past and look into the future. Then your own problems will seem very small and there will have a lower risk of suffering a heart attack.”
THE INSTITUTION OF THE DALAI LAMA MAY CEASE TO EXIST
Since 1999 you have been saying that your current reincarnation may be the final one. Recently the press published your prophetic message that this reincarnation may be the last one. Does this mean that you will transfer to an entirely new level of existencen or that your mission as Dalai Lama will be accomplished?
“From the standpoint of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama institution does not have a crucial meaning. It has existed for approximately 500 years, while Tibetan Buddhism has been around for over 1,000 years. The same applies to the Tibetan nation. Archaeological excavations show that the Tibetan nation is 8,000–9,000 years old; some researchers mention 30,000 years. As I said, the institution of the Dalai Lama is only 500 years old.
“This institution emerged under certain conditions and it my cease to exist in certain circumstances. Back in 1969, in an official statement, I clearly emphasized that it is the Tibetan people that must determine whether the Dalai Lama will continue to exist.
“Therefore, I always say that if the majority of Tibetans decide that they no longer need the institution of the Dalai Lama, it will cease to exist. In that case I will be the last Dalai Lama. But this does not mean that my life will be the last one. I will continue to reincarnate. Naturally, I do not possess any special abilities that would allow me to control my
future. I have no such abilities, but I have determination. My favorite prayer reads as follows:
For as long as space exists,
For as long as the living live,
Let me remain in this world
To disperse the darkness
of suffering.
“This is my favorite prayer. I always offer it up and it becomes the source of my strength and inner resolve. This entire universe may disappear, but it will be replaced by a new one, and I shall be there.
“From the Buddhist point of view, all of us face reincarnations. There will appear a new universe, without Russia or Tibet, but with new place names and new nations. Perhaps the living beings will acquire a new form, yet they will remain the same living beings, with the same emotions. Their consciousness will be a continuation of our current consciousness. As before, they will have an inherent striving for happiness and a desire to avoid sufferings.”
The beginning of the 21st century has shocked humankind with its events. Increasingly often we hear about terrorism, local conflicts in various parts of the world, and the world economic crisis. How do you think we should preserve our inner strength without losing the opportunity to be happy? What is your philosophy of happiness?
“In certain periods in our life we may experience good fortune, but there is no guarantee that it will always be so. Moments of happiness are always followed by more complicated periods.
There is always this sequence, such is life.“Similar ups and downs were observed in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The world is inhabited by the same living beings in the 21st century, so there will be these ups and downs. If we become euphoric over some success and allow ourselves to think that this will last forever, we will make a mistake. On the other hand, it is also a mistake to lose hope and become pessimistic when experiencing a difficult period.
“Terrorism is, of course, big news for our times, but it is perpetrated by a handful of people. Yet there is always a handful of people who behave inappropriately. It’s just that today, with the development of modern technologies, people like this find it considerably easier to act that way.
In fact, such people existed three or four hundred years ago. Even at the time of Buddha there were people in India who behaved inappropriately. There were people of this kind also among Buddhists. Quite a few such people existed at the time of Jesus Christ and He suffered at their hands.
“However, if you look at the whole picture, people’s aspirations for peace are considerably stronger.
When Americans attacked Iraq, millions of people from Australia to the United States actively protested against the hostilities. The war of Kosovo is another example. Remember how many people campaigned against it. The recent military conflict between Russia and Georgia also drew serious criticism. This is a very obvious sign that people do not want any more violence, regardless of its cause. I think it is a sign that the situation in the world is getting healthier.”
“INCLINATION TOWARD TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND CHARITY RUNS IN OUR BLOOD”Talking of trust, we people build our relations primarily on trust. What should be done to enhance such confidence among people?
“Honesty and truthfulness are the basis of trust. Here you find a direct connection with charity. Charity means that you care for your fellow humans. If this care is sincere, it leaves no room for falsehood, oppression, or any attempts at deceit.
If you cheat and oppress fellow humans, it means that you neglect their well-being and rights; that you care only about yourself while exploiting others.
“This is where my major concern lies. We have a collective way of life. It doesn’t matter what degree of strength and power an individual has achieved because this individual’s future and happiness depend to a considerable extent on another community of people.
The rest of humankind is the basis of that individual’s well-being and future. When we cheat and oppress others, we thus undermine the basis of our own future. This means that we are not using our intellectual capacity in full measure. All we can see is our self-admiring ego. We look at the world through a very narrow window. We do not consider the consequences on a broad scale. Such is my view. Honesty, openness, and transparency — such is the foundation of trust.
”Your Holiness, it seems that religion is getting increasingly less important in the modern world, and that fewer and fewer people protect other people’s rights, oppose violence, or care for the environment.
Perhaps in our times some humanistic, altruistic movement can change this world for the better, rather than religion?
“A very good question. On the whole, as I said before, charity and care for others’ well-being are the key factor. If we take this as the foundation, politics becomes constructive, while business — more reliable.
Look at the big-time American businessmen. Many of them are liars. One of the reasons behind the great damage America recently sustained is that some of these businessmen and bankers resorted to falsehood and deceit. In the end this led to a collapse.
“Any action rooted in charity and care for others’ well-being will be constructive. Without such motivation, if we try, for example, to teach a religious doctrine, this religion will be dirty.
This kind of politics will be dirty. This kind of economy will be dirty. Is this not so? Take corruption. Corruption makes people rich, but this method is dirty.
“Therefore, charity and honesty are the key factors. The question is how to go about developing charity in this world. I usually say that there are several ways. The first one is to develop empathy with the aid of theistic religions.
The second one is an approach offered by non-theistic religions, using the cause-and-effect law whereby you benefit from doing good things and suffer from doing bad things. Such is the cause-and-effect law. Both these methods have to do with religious traditions. Yet there must be a third method; there are so many people who are essentially nonbelievers. There must be a secular way to advance these values.
“These values per se belong to the secular sphere and nonreligious ethics. I usually refer to them as universal human values. Without doubt, all religions also have to do with universal human values, yet the latter have actually nothing to do with religion. They belong to secular ethics, so it is necessary to promote them with the aid of secular rather than religious methods — in other words, by applying common sense and relying on emotions common to and uniting all people.
“If we start speaking with each other in this audience, putting warmth and charity in our words, everybody will be happy. Inclination toward truth, justice, and charity runs in our blood. There is yet another important aspect. The latest scholarly findings indicate that charity and empathy help strengthen our immune system whereas anger and hatred destroy this system. Accepting this as a basis, tell people that you and others benefit from charity and empathy.
“I often visit various countries and places. Wherever I go, I always stress the importance of these values. I am not talking about religion. I am a Buddhist, but I have never undertaken to spread Buddhism. Never. I have always tried to share with people what I know about universal human values; I apply secular methods. Human rights and environment protection — all this is closely connected with charity, a sense of responsibility, and awareness of common interests.”
“THINK ABOUT THE GOOD OF OTHERS
”The current situation in Ukraine is such that the main political forces cannot divide power among themselves, with each trying to get it all, refusing to make concessions.
As a result, this country is sinking ever deeper into the political crisis. How do you think we can overcome this impasse?
“More often than not people who use the struggle for power as a method are shortsighted. It is necessary to bear in mind the interests of the state, not one’s own. Here you also find the absence of a sense of responsibility and care for others’ well-being. People of this kind are only concerned about [saving] their name, about their families and their power.
“Let me tell you a story. Once I met with a group of scholars in America. One of them made a presentation, showing his research’s findings.
He said that people who often use words like ‘I,’ ‘my,’ and ‘for me’ are more susceptible to cardiac diseases and heart attacks. Why? Because if one keeps thinking of himself and keeps saying ‘I’ time and again, one’s worldview becomes very narrow. Given this narrow worldview, even a small problem appears to be a very big and intolerable one. Then you become even more concerned, you are under stress, you feel lonely, depressed, and then you have a heart attack.
“Think about the good of others. Think about Ukraine as a whole. Remember your past and look into the future. Then your own problems will seem very small and there will have a lower risk of suffering a heart attack.”
THE INSTITUTION OF THE DALAI LAMA MAY CEASE TO EXIST
Since 1999 you have been saying that your current reincarnation may be the final one. Recently the press published your prophetic message that this reincarnation may be the last one. Does this mean that you will transfer to an entirely new level of existencen or that your mission as Dalai Lama will be accomplished?
“From the standpoint of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama institution does not have a crucial meaning. It has existed for approximately 500 years, while Tibetan Buddhism has been around for over 1,000 years. The same applies to the Tibetan nation. Archaeological excavations show that the Tibetan nation is 8,000–9,000 years old; some researchers mention 30,000 years. As I said, the institution of the Dalai Lama is only 500 years old.
“This institution emerged under certain conditions and it my cease to exist in certain circumstances. Back in 1969, in an official statement, I clearly emphasized that it is the Tibetan people that must determine whether the Dalai Lama will continue to exist.
“Therefore, I always say that if the majority of Tibetans decide that they no longer need the institution of the Dalai Lama, it will cease to exist. In that case I will be the last Dalai Lama. But this does not mean that my life will be the last one. I will continue to reincarnate. Naturally, I do not possess any special abilities that would allow me to control my
future. I have no such abilities, but I have determination. My favorite prayer reads as follows:
For as long as space exists,
For as long as the living live,
Let me remain in this world
To disperse the darkness
of suffering.
“This is my favorite prayer. I always offer it up and it becomes the source of my strength and inner resolve. This entire universe may disappear, but it will be replaced by a new one, and I shall be there.
“From the Buddhist point of view, all of us face reincarnations. There will appear a new universe, without Russia or Tibet, but with new place names and new nations. Perhaps the living beings will acquire a new form, yet they will remain the same living beings, with the same emotions. Their consciousness will be a continuation of our current consciousness. As before, they will have an inherent striving for happiness and a desire to avoid sufferings.”
March 08, 2010
The Psychology of Trolls
This is an article that Muni posted at Dharma Wheel
For any of us who frequent web forums it's of interest.
The Psychology of Trolls.
Once upon a time, there existed creatures called Trolls, or so the legends and folktales say. According to my reference works on these subjects, Trolls of Scandinavian folklore are usually huge ogres with great strength and little wit. The most famous tales of them have them lurking under bridges to demand payment of those who would cross, killing those who would make the attempt without paying the toll. Later, so the texts say, the stories told that they shrank to a smaller, dwarfish folk who inhabited caves. Eventually, they apparently left our world altogether, and were never seen or heard from again.
But those reports are wrong, for Trolls do indeed exist, even today. They are alive and well and wreaking new havoc on the Internet.
Do you wish to enter a chatroom or participate on a message board? Beware the Trolls! They will appear when you least expect it, and demand a different kind of payment from you. They will assail you with insults, obscenities, and anything offensive they can think of to get you give them what they really want: attention. They will keep up these attacks to watch you cry out in protest and pain, and the more you do so, the more they will keep it up. That's what they really want, after all: a reaction, any reaction, for that is the coin by which they measure their success. The more they receive, the more they will continue the behavior that is giving them what they want. That it upsets others is of no concern to them -- or, rather, it is of primary concern for them, for upsetting people is their business.
Like the Trolls of old, they seem to have great strength, given the kinds of trouble they can cause; but ultimately, also like the Trolls of old, they have little wit. They all use the same tactics, and they all resort to the same ways of provoking people. First insult members of the chatroom or board by calling them names, ridiculing their comments and questioning their intelligence. Then start insulting the subject for which the board or chatroom was created. If that doesn't get enough reaction, start upping the ante by bringing in completely unrelated subjects. Tell the other participants that they (or the subject under discussion) are prejudiced racially, sexually, ethnically, religiously -- take your pick, they'll eventually hit 'em all, and then go for the jugular: doing all this while throwing in obscene language and casting other foul aspersions on anyone who happens to be within range. This is, of course, incredibly inflammatory behavior to any marginally civilized person, and a normal sense of justice and fair play naturally demands defense and protest.
Which is exactly what the Troll is hoping for, because they don't play fair. They don't care about the same things that brought the other participants to the site; they only want to get people riled up and see the trouble they created so they can feel big and strong and powerful because they created such a fuss. And while they're watching the outrage and anger fly, they're sitting under the bridge, laughing while they chew on the bones of their victims. All that public indignation has served only one purpose: it fed the Troll's hunger for power and made him happy. It certainly did nothing for the people who got upset.
Tales tell us that warning signs were put up near bridges where Trolls were believed to be living, to keep unsuspecting folk away so that they would not be robbed or killed. You could not cross that bridge without losing either your money or your life, so it was better to turn around and ignore that bridge. Not especially convenient if that was one of few bridges around and you needed to get to the other side, but eventually, the Troll would either starve to death or leave, and the bridge would be safe again. Until the next Troll moved in, and then the same warnings and behavior would apply.
Simply put, Trolls are bullies. They are at heart small and mean people who have a need to make themselves feel big and strong, and the easiest way they can find to do that is by mistreating other people and taking pleasure in their pain. It's not healthy, but it's also not something that will be made better by giving in to the bully. It is far better to walk away from him, to ignore him, and even suffer a few punches rather than give him what he wants by crying and begging for mercy or even fighting with him. If you are not a "good victim," he will look elsewhere to get what he wants. And ultimately, if direct action needs to be taken against any bully, it has to come from the proper authorities: in the case of school bullies, the administration and faculty, or even the police, in the case of Internet bullies, the persons on the site who have the power to block or remove their inflammatory and offensive remarks.
Because if you look closely at what these Internet Trolls say, you will eventually see the truth: They may look like big nasty ogres, but theyre really just sorry little people hiding in their dark caves, coming out to make mischief before running back into hiding where they can watch the trouble they made and laugh all alone in the dark. They're emotional terrorists. Ignoring them isn't easy because it hurts to see them say and do things designed to make people feel upset and angry, but it's the only thing that will make them go away. Ignoring them completely creates an environment that simply does not give them what they're looking for. It's like soaking the woodpile with water: when the match comes along looking for something to burn, it wont catch, so it must go elsewhere to have its fun. But everyone must turn their backs and not respond, or the Troll will have the hope that if he keeps at it and tries hard enough, he'll get a big enough reaction to start a real fire.
Be it a Troll under a bridge or a Troll on the Internet, the warning sign is the same:
DO NOT FEED THE TROLL.
For any of us who frequent web forums it's of interest.
The Psychology of Trolls.
Once upon a time, there existed creatures called Trolls, or so the legends and folktales say. According to my reference works on these subjects, Trolls of Scandinavian folklore are usually huge ogres with great strength and little wit. The most famous tales of them have them lurking under bridges to demand payment of those who would cross, killing those who would make the attempt without paying the toll. Later, so the texts say, the stories told that they shrank to a smaller, dwarfish folk who inhabited caves. Eventually, they apparently left our world altogether, and were never seen or heard from again.
But those reports are wrong, for Trolls do indeed exist, even today. They are alive and well and wreaking new havoc on the Internet.
Do you wish to enter a chatroom or participate on a message board? Beware the Trolls! They will appear when you least expect it, and demand a different kind of payment from you. They will assail you with insults, obscenities, and anything offensive they can think of to get you give them what they really want: attention. They will keep up these attacks to watch you cry out in protest and pain, and the more you do so, the more they will keep it up. That's what they really want, after all: a reaction, any reaction, for that is the coin by which they measure their success. The more they receive, the more they will continue the behavior that is giving them what they want. That it upsets others is of no concern to them -- or, rather, it is of primary concern for them, for upsetting people is their business.
Like the Trolls of old, they seem to have great strength, given the kinds of trouble they can cause; but ultimately, also like the Trolls of old, they have little wit. They all use the same tactics, and they all resort to the same ways of provoking people. First insult members of the chatroom or board by calling them names, ridiculing their comments and questioning their intelligence. Then start insulting the subject for which the board or chatroom was created. If that doesn't get enough reaction, start upping the ante by bringing in completely unrelated subjects. Tell the other participants that they (or the subject under discussion) are prejudiced racially, sexually, ethnically, religiously -- take your pick, they'll eventually hit 'em all, and then go for the jugular: doing all this while throwing in obscene language and casting other foul aspersions on anyone who happens to be within range. This is, of course, incredibly inflammatory behavior to any marginally civilized person, and a normal sense of justice and fair play naturally demands defense and protest.
Which is exactly what the Troll is hoping for, because they don't play fair. They don't care about the same things that brought the other participants to the site; they only want to get people riled up and see the trouble they created so they can feel big and strong and powerful because they created such a fuss. And while they're watching the outrage and anger fly, they're sitting under the bridge, laughing while they chew on the bones of their victims. All that public indignation has served only one purpose: it fed the Troll's hunger for power and made him happy. It certainly did nothing for the people who got upset.
Tales tell us that warning signs were put up near bridges where Trolls were believed to be living, to keep unsuspecting folk away so that they would not be robbed or killed. You could not cross that bridge without losing either your money or your life, so it was better to turn around and ignore that bridge. Not especially convenient if that was one of few bridges around and you needed to get to the other side, but eventually, the Troll would either starve to death or leave, and the bridge would be safe again. Until the next Troll moved in, and then the same warnings and behavior would apply.
Simply put, Trolls are bullies. They are at heart small and mean people who have a need to make themselves feel big and strong, and the easiest way they can find to do that is by mistreating other people and taking pleasure in their pain. It's not healthy, but it's also not something that will be made better by giving in to the bully. It is far better to walk away from him, to ignore him, and even suffer a few punches rather than give him what he wants by crying and begging for mercy or even fighting with him. If you are not a "good victim," he will look elsewhere to get what he wants. And ultimately, if direct action needs to be taken against any bully, it has to come from the proper authorities: in the case of school bullies, the administration and faculty, or even the police, in the case of Internet bullies, the persons on the site who have the power to block or remove their inflammatory and offensive remarks.
Because if you look closely at what these Internet Trolls say, you will eventually see the truth: They may look like big nasty ogres, but theyre really just sorry little people hiding in their dark caves, coming out to make mischief before running back into hiding where they can watch the trouble they made and laugh all alone in the dark. They're emotional terrorists. Ignoring them isn't easy because it hurts to see them say and do things designed to make people feel upset and angry, but it's the only thing that will make them go away. Ignoring them completely creates an environment that simply does not give them what they're looking for. It's like soaking the woodpile with water: when the match comes along looking for something to burn, it wont catch, so it must go elsewhere to have its fun. But everyone must turn their backs and not respond, or the Troll will have the hope that if he keeps at it and tries hard enough, he'll get a big enough reaction to start a real fire.
Be it a Troll under a bridge or a Troll on the Internet, the warning sign is the same:
DO NOT FEED THE TROLL.
March 05, 2010
Precious jewels of Jetsun Milarepa
March 01, 2010
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Vajrakilaya.
>> March 31, 2010
The practice of Vajrakilaya is famous in the Tibetan Buddhists world as the most powerful for removing obstacles, destroying the forces, hostile to compassion and purifying the spiritual pollution so prevalent in this age.The wrathful Heruka Vajrakilaya is the Yidam deity who embodies the enlightened activities of all Buddha, manifesting in an intensely Wrathful yet compassionate form in order to subjugate the delusion and negativities that can arise as obstacle to the practice of Dharma.
*Mantra : Om Benzar Kilikilaya Sarwa Bignan Bam Hung Phat
*Vajrakilaya dance.
The dance of the three side dagger.
King Trisong Deutsen asked the help of a skilful monk called Shantarakshita to destroy the negative forces from the Bön tradition, which was at that time not like Bön now is known. But Shantarakshita hadn't enough power to do so. He could not undo the magic of Bön and asked the help of an in that time welknowed tantric adept who was living in Uddiyana and who was called Padmasambhava, the lotus Born.
He could subdue what needed to be subdued, could destroy what needed to be destroyed. He was skillful in secret teachings which were called terma's, could neutralize poisons, had very clear visions, was great in tumo or generating heat for the body and had no any problem with lung gom pa or yogic running.
When he arrived in Tibet he decided to build up the monastery Samye. Before doing so, he performed his dance to pacify the area and so the powers of the Bön mountain god and spirits. The purifying energy of the Vajrakilaya dance chased the bad spirits into a skull on the top of a pyramid made of dough.
Padmasambhava, or Guru Rinpoche, cleared with his dance all obstacles away and he could build the monastery.
the dansers are keeping a skull and scarf, tied to eachother and attached at the purba, a dagger of three sides. The scarf is symbol for compassion, the skull is showing the impermanence of all appearances. The purba itself is for the qualities of body, speech and mind and it's three sides are symbols for passion, aggression and ignorance.
In the Bön tradition was there use of animal offering. These offerings aren't erased but are only symbolic like by the use of some urine, semen and so on. Also as symbol of these offerings to undo negativities, is the torma, a ritual cake made by roasted barley and beautiful sculpted forms of butter.
Many Cham dances followed.
*Drubchen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd_ySeJg2CM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtmLWCV88-w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApeFRFo54Zk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifq9lCoANuQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRKXdq3dU9M&feature=related
Wisdom by Atisha.
>> March 30, 2010
The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the world's ways.
The greatest action is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.
Simplicity.
>> March 25, 2010
“If one's life is simple, contentment has to come. Simplicity is extremely important for happiness. Having few desires, feeling satisfied with what you have, is very vital: satisfaction with just enough food, clothing, and shelter to protect yourself from the elements. And finally, there is an intense delight in abandoning faulty states of mind and in cultivating helpful ones in meditation.” By His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
When I posses something, is this what I give.
When I think to know, is it prostration time.
When there is a me who need, is there duality.
Let me be caring wind in the sky of simplicity.
Careful with practices.
>> March 19, 2010
As regards the method of acquiring practical spiritual knowledge, if you find a certain practice increases your evil passions and tends you toward selfishness, abandon it, though it may appear to others virtuous.
And if any course of action tends to counteract your evil passions, and to benefit sentient beings, know that to be the true and holy path, and continue it, even though it should appear to others to be sinful.
Milarepa.
People's Aspirations for Peace are considerable stronger.
>> March 12, 2010
His Holiness The Dalai Lama during a visit in Ukraine.
The beginning of the 21st century has shocked humankind with its events. Increasingly often we hear about terrorism, local conflicts in various parts of the world, and the world economic crisis. How do you think we should preserve our inner strength without losing the opportunity to be happy? What is your philosophy of happiness?
“In certain periods in our life we may experience good fortune, but there is no guarantee that it will always be so. Moments of happiness are always followed by more complicated periods.
There is always this sequence, such is life.“Similar ups and downs were observed in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The world is inhabited by the same living beings in the 21st century, so there will be these ups and downs. If we become euphoric over some success and allow ourselves to think that this will last forever, we will make a mistake. On the other hand, it is also a mistake to lose hope and become pessimistic when experiencing a difficult period.
“Terrorism is, of course, big news for our times, but it is perpetrated by a handful of people. Yet there is always a handful of people who behave inappropriately. It’s just that today, with the development of modern technologies, people like this find it considerably easier to act that way.
In fact, such people existed three or four hundred years ago. Even at the time of Buddha there were people in India who behaved inappropriately. There were people of this kind also among Buddhists. Quite a few such people existed at the time of Jesus Christ and He suffered at their hands.
“However, if you look at the whole picture, people’s aspirations for peace are considerably stronger.
When Americans attacked Iraq, millions of people from Australia to the United States actively protested against the hostilities. The war of Kosovo is another example. Remember how many people campaigned against it. The recent military conflict between Russia and Georgia also drew serious criticism. This is a very obvious sign that people do not want any more violence, regardless of its cause. I think it is a sign that the situation in the world is getting healthier.”
“INCLINATION TOWARD TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND CHARITY RUNS IN OUR BLOOD”Talking of trust, we people build our relations primarily on trust. What should be done to enhance such confidence among people?
“Honesty and truthfulness are the basis of trust. Here you find a direct connection with charity. Charity means that you care for your fellow humans. If this care is sincere, it leaves no room for falsehood, oppression, or any attempts at deceit.
If you cheat and oppress fellow humans, it means that you neglect their well-being and rights; that you care only about yourself while exploiting others.
“This is where my major concern lies. We have a collective way of life. It doesn’t matter what degree of strength and power an individual has achieved because this individual’s future and happiness depend to a considerable extent on another community of people.
The rest of humankind is the basis of that individual’s well-being and future. When we cheat and oppress others, we thus undermine the basis of our own future. This means that we are not using our intellectual capacity in full measure. All we can see is our self-admiring ego. We look at the world through a very narrow window. We do not consider the consequences on a broad scale. Such is my view. Honesty, openness, and transparency — such is the foundation of trust.
”Your Holiness, it seems that religion is getting increasingly less important in the modern world, and that fewer and fewer people protect other people’s rights, oppose violence, or care for the environment.
Perhaps in our times some humanistic, altruistic movement can change this world for the better, rather than religion?
“A very good question. On the whole, as I said before, charity and care for others’ well-being are the key factor. If we take this as the foundation, politics becomes constructive, while business — more reliable.
Look at the big-time American businessmen. Many of them are liars. One of the reasons behind the great damage America recently sustained is that some of these businessmen and bankers resorted to falsehood and deceit. In the end this led to a collapse.
“Any action rooted in charity and care for others’ well-being will be constructive. Without such motivation, if we try, for example, to teach a religious doctrine, this religion will be dirty.
This kind of politics will be dirty. This kind of economy will be dirty. Is this not so? Take corruption. Corruption makes people rich, but this method is dirty.
“Therefore, charity and honesty are the key factors. The question is how to go about developing charity in this world. I usually say that there are several ways. The first one is to develop empathy with the aid of theistic religions.
The second one is an approach offered by non-theistic religions, using the cause-and-effect law whereby you benefit from doing good things and suffer from doing bad things. Such is the cause-and-effect law. Both these methods have to do with religious traditions. Yet there must be a third method; there are so many people who are essentially nonbelievers. There must be a secular way to advance these values.
“These values per se belong to the secular sphere and nonreligious ethics. I usually refer to them as universal human values. Without doubt, all religions also have to do with universal human values, yet the latter have actually nothing to do with religion. They belong to secular ethics, so it is necessary to promote them with the aid of secular rather than religious methods — in other words, by applying common sense and relying on emotions common to and uniting all people.
“If we start speaking with each other in this audience, putting warmth and charity in our words, everybody will be happy. Inclination toward truth, justice, and charity runs in our blood. There is yet another important aspect. The latest scholarly findings indicate that charity and empathy help strengthen our immune system whereas anger and hatred destroy this system. Accepting this as a basis, tell people that you and others benefit from charity and empathy.
“I often visit various countries and places. Wherever I go, I always stress the importance of these values. I am not talking about religion. I am a Buddhist, but I have never undertaken to spread Buddhism. Never. I have always tried to share with people what I know about universal human values; I apply secular methods. Human rights and environment protection — all this is closely connected with charity, a sense of responsibility, and awareness of common interests.”
“THINK ABOUT THE GOOD OF OTHERS
”The current situation in Ukraine is such that the main political forces cannot divide power among themselves, with each trying to get it all, refusing to make concessions.
As a result, this country is sinking ever deeper into the political crisis. How do you think we can overcome this impasse?
“More often than not people who use the struggle for power as a method are shortsighted. It is necessary to bear in mind the interests of the state, not one’s own. Here you also find the absence of a sense of responsibility and care for others’ well-being. People of this kind are only concerned about [saving] their name, about their families and their power.
“Let me tell you a story. Once I met with a group of scholars in America. One of them made a presentation, showing his research’s findings.
He said that people who often use words like ‘I,’ ‘my,’ and ‘for me’ are more susceptible to cardiac diseases and heart attacks. Why? Because if one keeps thinking of himself and keeps saying ‘I’ time and again, one’s worldview becomes very narrow. Given this narrow worldview, even a small problem appears to be a very big and intolerable one. Then you become even more concerned, you are under stress, you feel lonely, depressed, and then you have a heart attack.
“Think about the good of others. Think about Ukraine as a whole. Remember your past and look into the future. Then your own problems will seem very small and there will have a lower risk of suffering a heart attack.”
THE INSTITUTION OF THE DALAI LAMA MAY CEASE TO EXIST
Since 1999 you have been saying that your current reincarnation may be the final one. Recently the press published your prophetic message that this reincarnation may be the last one. Does this mean that you will transfer to an entirely new level of existencen or that your mission as Dalai Lama will be accomplished?
“From the standpoint of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lama institution does not have a crucial meaning. It has existed for approximately 500 years, while Tibetan Buddhism has been around for over 1,000 years. The same applies to the Tibetan nation. Archaeological excavations show that the Tibetan nation is 8,000–9,000 years old; some researchers mention 30,000 years. As I said, the institution of the Dalai Lama is only 500 years old.
“This institution emerged under certain conditions and it my cease to exist in certain circumstances. Back in 1969, in an official statement, I clearly emphasized that it is the Tibetan people that must determine whether the Dalai Lama will continue to exist.
“Therefore, I always say that if the majority of Tibetans decide that they no longer need the institution of the Dalai Lama, it will cease to exist. In that case I will be the last Dalai Lama. But this does not mean that my life will be the last one. I will continue to reincarnate. Naturally, I do not possess any special abilities that would allow me to control my
future. I have no such abilities, but I have determination. My favorite prayer reads as follows:
For as long as space exists,
For as long as the living live,
Let me remain in this world
To disperse the darkness
of suffering.
“This is my favorite prayer. I always offer it up and it becomes the source of my strength and inner resolve. This entire universe may disappear, but it will be replaced by a new one, and I shall be there.
“From the Buddhist point of view, all of us face reincarnations. There will appear a new universe, without Russia or Tibet, but with new place names and new nations. Perhaps the living beings will acquire a new form, yet they will remain the same living beings, with the same emotions. Their consciousness will be a continuation of our current consciousness. As before, they will have an inherent striving for happiness and a desire to avoid sufferings.”
The Psychology of Trolls
>> March 08, 2010
This is an article that Muni posted at Dharma Wheel
For any of us who frequent web forums it's of interest.
The Psychology of Trolls.
Once upon a time, there existed creatures called Trolls, or so the legends and folktales say. According to my reference works on these subjects, Trolls of Scandinavian folklore are usually huge ogres with great strength and little wit. The most famous tales of them have them lurking under bridges to demand payment of those who would cross, killing those who would make the attempt without paying the toll. Later, so the texts say, the stories told that they shrank to a smaller, dwarfish folk who inhabited caves. Eventually, they apparently left our world altogether, and were never seen or heard from again.
But those reports are wrong, for Trolls do indeed exist, even today. They are alive and well and wreaking new havoc on the Internet.
Do you wish to enter a chatroom or participate on a message board? Beware the Trolls! They will appear when you least expect it, and demand a different kind of payment from you. They will assail you with insults, obscenities, and anything offensive they can think of to get you give them what they really want: attention. They will keep up these attacks to watch you cry out in protest and pain, and the more you do so, the more they will keep it up. That's what they really want, after all: a reaction, any reaction, for that is the coin by which they measure their success. The more they receive, the more they will continue the behavior that is giving them what they want. That it upsets others is of no concern to them -- or, rather, it is of primary concern for them, for upsetting people is their business.
Like the Trolls of old, they seem to have great strength, given the kinds of trouble they can cause; but ultimately, also like the Trolls of old, they have little wit. They all use the same tactics, and they all resort to the same ways of provoking people. First insult members of the chatroom or board by calling them names, ridiculing their comments and questioning their intelligence. Then start insulting the subject for which the board or chatroom was created. If that doesn't get enough reaction, start upping the ante by bringing in completely unrelated subjects. Tell the other participants that they (or the subject under discussion) are prejudiced racially, sexually, ethnically, religiously -- take your pick, they'll eventually hit 'em all, and then go for the jugular: doing all this while throwing in obscene language and casting other foul aspersions on anyone who happens to be within range. This is, of course, incredibly inflammatory behavior to any marginally civilized person, and a normal sense of justice and fair play naturally demands defense and protest.
Which is exactly what the Troll is hoping for, because they don't play fair. They don't care about the same things that brought the other participants to the site; they only want to get people riled up and see the trouble they created so they can feel big and strong and powerful because they created such a fuss. And while they're watching the outrage and anger fly, they're sitting under the bridge, laughing while they chew on the bones of their victims. All that public indignation has served only one purpose: it fed the Troll's hunger for power and made him happy. It certainly did nothing for the people who got upset.
Tales tell us that warning signs were put up near bridges where Trolls were believed to be living, to keep unsuspecting folk away so that they would not be robbed or killed. You could not cross that bridge without losing either your money or your life, so it was better to turn around and ignore that bridge. Not especially convenient if that was one of few bridges around and you needed to get to the other side, but eventually, the Troll would either starve to death or leave, and the bridge would be safe again. Until the next Troll moved in, and then the same warnings and behavior would apply.
Simply put, Trolls are bullies. They are at heart small and mean people who have a need to make themselves feel big and strong, and the easiest way they can find to do that is by mistreating other people and taking pleasure in their pain. It's not healthy, but it's also not something that will be made better by giving in to the bully. It is far better to walk away from him, to ignore him, and even suffer a few punches rather than give him what he wants by crying and begging for mercy or even fighting with him. If you are not a "good victim," he will look elsewhere to get what he wants. And ultimately, if direct action needs to be taken against any bully, it has to come from the proper authorities: in the case of school bullies, the administration and faculty, or even the police, in the case of Internet bullies, the persons on the site who have the power to block or remove their inflammatory and offensive remarks.
Because if you look closely at what these Internet Trolls say, you will eventually see the truth: They may look like big nasty ogres, but theyre really just sorry little people hiding in their dark caves, coming out to make mischief before running back into hiding where they can watch the trouble they made and laugh all alone in the dark. They're emotional terrorists. Ignoring them isn't easy because it hurts to see them say and do things designed to make people feel upset and angry, but it's the only thing that will make them go away. Ignoring them completely creates an environment that simply does not give them what they're looking for. It's like soaking the woodpile with water: when the match comes along looking for something to burn, it wont catch, so it must go elsewhere to have its fun. But everyone must turn their backs and not respond, or the Troll will have the hope that if he keeps at it and tries hard enough, he'll get a big enough reaction to start a real fire.
Be it a Troll under a bridge or a Troll on the Internet, the warning sign is the same:
DO NOT FEED THE TROLL.
Precious jewels of Jetsun Milarepa
>> March 05, 2010
Song to the Rock Demoness
The Profound Definitive Meaning
The Song of Food and Dwelling
The Song of the Twelve Deceptions
The Song of View, Practice, and Action
The Song on Reaching the Mountain Peak
Upon this earth, the land of the Victorious Ones
The Song of Perfect Assurance (to the Demons)
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