What is the Middle Way?

What Is The Middle Way?

And what, monks, is the Middle Way realized by the Thus-Come-One, which gives vision and understanding, which leads to calm, penetration, enlightenment, to Nirvana?

It is just this Noble Eightfold Path, namely: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. – The Buddha, Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta


Since starting this site I’ve always felt too close to write about The Middle Way. I asked a friend, Gary over at Buddha Space, if he’d share what The Middle Way meant to him. This is his fantastic reply. 108 bows to you Gary.

The Middle Way lies at the very heart of Buddhism, as indicated in the words above, taken from the Buddha’s first sermon, given by the Thus-Come-One over two-and-a-half thousand years ago in North India. Since then, Buddhism has transformed itself many times as it has spread all over the Orient from Sri Lanka to Japan, and has now taken root in the Occident, from England to Australia. Yet, despite the global nature of the Buddhadharma these days, and its diverse forms such as the orthodox Theravada, the devotional Pure Land, the esoteric Vajrayana, and the prosaic Zen, the Middle Way remains a central theme that all Buddhists take heed of, one way or another.

According to the Buddha, the Middle Way is a life lived between the extremes of self-denial and self-indulgence. Neither hedonist nor ascetic are to be imitated, for the Noble Eightfold Path weaves its way through life avoiding both these unenlightened lifestyles. To see the world in the light of the Buddhadharma is to have Right View, not only recognizing the suffering that is caused by desire, but also the Path that leads to the ending of all such suffering, based in the Right Intention to let go of lust, ill-will, and cruelty. In other words, to lead a harmless life. Right Speech, Action, and Livelihood grow out of such an intention, directing one’s lifestyle in a more selfless, rather than selfish, direction. Right Effort is the avoidance of unwholesome states and the cultivation of wholesome ones. Right Mindfulness and Concentration take this well-directed mind and hone it to the point where it is on the precipice of the great void that is known as Nirvana. The perfection of the Path (that is, the Middle Way), is the ripening of the spiritual life; it becomes a fruit ready to drop into the infinity of enlightenment…forever.

Living the Middle Way can take many different forms – not surprising when the many strands of the Buddhadharma are taken into account, along with the many types of people there are – but all are ultimately intent on its original and continuous objective: Nirvana. To cultivate a moral lifestyle hand in hand with a mindful meditative practice is to walk the Middle Way, which gives vision and understanding, as the Buddha put it. This vision is to see things as they are, rather than as we think or want them to be, and this understanding is the knowledge that in the things of the world there is no salvation or enlightenment; awakening to the silent wisdom within is to experience the calm mind that penetrates to the core of our being: the Buddha.

The Middle Way is not only the recommended manner of living given us by the Buddha; it is also the realization that beyond these limited erroneous egos and puffed-up personalities we are the Buddha. To truly walk the Middle Way is to traverse this world in the knowledge that we are already enlightened – we just have to enlighten ourselves to the fact! Openly reflecting on the Way is to share with all sentient beings this wondrous hidden truth, helping us to let go a little of our greed, hatred, and delusion, the three poisons that tie us to a life of suffering. For, as the Buddha so wisely taught all those centuries ago, it is in the walking of this Middle Way that one discovers Nirvana, releasing the pain and anguish of the ego into the serenity of our Buddha-nature.

The Middle Way

Absolute Delusion/ Perfect Buddhahood

The following is an excerpt from Buddha Forum. Venerable Dharmakara posted this.

In spite of the common view of Buddhism as non-dogmatic and tolerant, the historical record preserves many examples of Buddhist thinkers and movements that were banned as heretical or subversive. The San-chieh (Three Levels) was a popular and influential Chinese Buddhist movement during the Sui and T'ang periods. "Absolute Delusion, Perfect Buddhahood" uses manuscripts discovered at Tun-huang to examine the doctrine and institutional practices of this movement in the larger context of Mahayana doctrine and practice. By viewing San-chieh in the context of Mahayana Buddhism, Hubbard reveals it to be far from heretical and thereby raises important questions about orthodoxy and canon in Buddhism. He shows that many of the hallmark ideas and practices of Chinese Buddhism find an early and unique expression in the San-chieh texts.

Absolute Delusion, Perfect Buddhahood
http://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/publications/nlarc/Absolute_delusion.htm

The Refuge of the Four Buddhas of the Universal Dharma

I. The Buddha as the Matrix of Enlightenment

[Truth and untruth] are neither different nor the same. [Nonetheless, truth and untruth] are one as well as different, while being neither one nor different. Although separated from attachments, the truth of the universe produces the untruth of the universe; therefore, untruth is dependent upon truth. But truth is not independent, because it is forever dependent on untruth; neither does untruth arise independently, because it is necessarily dependent upon truth. Again, the matrix of enlightenment and all of samsara, the essence and the forms, are also like this, neither the same nor different. Like gold and the ornaments made from gold, the essence and forms are forever the same. Again, the matrix of enlightenment and the phenomenal forms of the universe, the essence and forms, are forever different, as dust and moisture are always distinct; thus they are neither different nor not different. The Scripture of the Lion’s Roar of Queen Srimala says: "If there is no doubt about the matrix of enlightenment when it is covered by the innumerable stores of defilements, then there will be no doubt concerning the body of truth that is free of those innumerable stores of defilements."

Further, the Scripture of the Lion’s Roar of Queen Srimala teaches that "the matrix of enlightenment is the basis of the repeated cycles of birth and death; because of this matrix of enlightenment the original limits are taught to be unknowable. Because the matrix of enlightenment is the basis, we speak of the cycle of birth and death, and this is well spoken. There is birth and death because of worldly convention, but neither birth nor death is found in the matrix of enlightenment. The matrix of enlightenment is the matrix of the universe, the matrix of the truth-body, the supreme matrix of the transcendent, the matrix whose self-nature is pure." It is wholly quiescent, truly ultimate, and forever separated from all false thoughts and delusion. Yet the untruth of the universe continues to be dependent upon the truth of the universe. The phenomenal forms of the universe continue to be dependent upon the matrix of enlightenment, just as water is the basis of the many waves. Because there is the matrix of enlightenment there are the phenomenal forms of the universe, as there are many waves because of the water.

The matrix of enlightenment has the form of samsara, the repeated cycle of birth and death. "Birth" is the arising of new phenomenal form; "death" is the extinction of old phenomenal form. As with the water and the waves, [the matrix of enlightenment and the repeated cycles of birth and death] arise together and end together. Nonetheless, the water neither arises nor comes to an end. Dependent upon the water, the form of the wave arises and falls. When the new wave arises, the old wave ceases. The phenomenal forms of the universe, therefore, are none other than the matrix of enlightenment, and there is no other essence outside of this essence and these forms. It is like the waves that are nothing other than the water, yet outside of those waves there is no other water.

However, the myriad phenomenal forms of the universe arise because of good and evil actions, not because of the matrix of enlightenment, as the true cause of the arising of the many waves is the wind, not the water. Again, the virtues of the matrix of enlightenment function throughout the universe together with the phenomenal forms as their base, support, and foundation. It is like the virtue of the water whose essence and function permeate thewaves as the basis of all of the waves. Nonetheless, the matrix of enlightenment is different from the myriad phenomenal forms that arise dependent upon it --- the matrix of enlightenment alone is the essence, the phenomenal forms are not the essence, as the essence of water is different from the many waves. Only the water is water, the waves are not the water. Similarly, the truth of the essential nature of the matrix of enlightenment both functions and does not function in relation to the myriad phenomenal forms. It is like the purity of the essence of the water, which both functions and does not function with respect to the waves.

Again, this essence is called the storehouse consciousness. Therefore the last book of the Ghanavyuha Sutra says, "the Buddha has taught the matrix of enlightenment as the storehouse consciousness. Delusory thinking cannot know that this matrix is the storehouse consciousness." There are two basic explanations with regard to this, that of the principle and the mind. The matrix of enlightenment is the principle, and worldly consciousness is the mind. The matrix is true, and consciousness provisional. It is also called the four unconditioned noble truths: although suffering and its cause are destroyed, nothing is actually destroyed. Although the truths of extinction and the path are obtained, nothing is actually obtained. Therefore, because nothing is actually destroyed or obtained, there is neither increase nor decrease. It is also called the one truth because it is ultimate and true, with neither destruction nor attainment. It is also called the one foundation because it is the unsurpassed foundation of all practice and understanding inthe universe. It is also called suchness in itself, because it is equal and non-dual. It is also called the totality of the universe because there is neither increase nor decrease. It is also called the store-consciousness because it appropriates and stores all the various phenomena.

The matrix of enlightenment and the conditions and forms have no beginning or end, and thus truth and untruth are dependent upon eachother, neither separate nor distinct. Therefore the Lankavatara Sutra states in a simile that "the storehouse consciousness is like the expansive ocean and waves. Because of violent winds the great waves arise, which roll ceaselessly over the depths. The ocean of the store-consciousness is eternally abiding, and that which is aroused by the wind is the world of objects. It is the waves of consciousness that arise, jumping and dancing about." Sometimes the true is changed into the untrue, like a multitalented actor. Sometimes the untrue is transformed into the true, like a golden ornament [that can return to its original state of pure gold]. The true cause [that is, matrix of enlightenment] and the conditioned cause [that is, conditioned phenomena] are both the same and different like milk, cream, and clarifed butter.

Truth and untruth both take shape within the same matrix, like the ocean and the waves. The One Vehicle [of the Buddhas] and the Three Vehicles [of the bodhisattva, the sravaka, and the pratyekabuddha] are both the same and different, like the Anavatapta Lake and the eight rivers that flow from it. All of these causes and conditions are thoroughly explained in various similes within the sutras. Therein it is taught that the matrix of enlightenment gives rise to the cause and fully ripens the fruit, changing the small into the great and transforming the common into the noble. All this is due to the efficacious power of the Buddha as the matrix of enlightenment.

II. The Buddha-Nature Buddha

The second item is the Buddha that exists within all living beings as the nature of a Buddha. Some texts talk of this Buddha-nature as a principle, while others speak of it as something acquired through practice. Some speak of this nature as the cause of enlightenment and others as a result. Now, in clarifying this we only rely on the thirty-eighth book of the Nirvana Sutra, which illuminates the Buddha-nature as the "true cause". Therein it states that all of the living beings of the universe, ordinary persons as well as sages, have this nature, as do all of the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Thus, from the perspective of the result, the name is established and called Buddha-nature. However, this Buddha-nature is neither cause nor result. Existing as the cause it is termed cause, existing as the result it is termed result.

Related to the former concept of the matrix of enlightenment, just as "observe" and "watch" are different words [but both mean "to see"], with regard to conditions there is a slight difference in meaning [between the Buddha as the matrix of enlightenment and the Buddha as the nature of the Buddha in all living beings]. Buddha-nature is so called because it includes the permanence of the fruits of Buddhahood throughout the universe as well as the permanence of the causes of Buddhahood throughout the universe. Wholly embracing everything from the fruits of Buddhahood down to its causes, it is termed the Buddha as Buddha-nature.

Book thirty-six of the Nirvana Sutra says that the Buddha-nature is not one thing, nor ten things, nor one hundred, one thousand, nor even ten thousand things, nor up to the as-yet-unattained highest perfect enlightenment; the totality of the good, evil, and neutral are all called Buddha-nature.

Buddha-nature is the perfection of the four qualities: the truly permanent, truly blissful, truly self, and truly pure. Eternal because it never changes, pure because it is without defilement, true because it is self-abiding. Because Buddha-nature is unsullied by defilements, while revolving and changing in samsara according to conditions it remains unsullied though in the midst of defilements. Within the person of an ordinary being it is mixed with defilements, like bloody milk --- the sravakas [disciples] are like milk, the pratyekabuddhas [solitary buddhas] like cream, the bodhisattvas like yogurt, and the various buddhas and tathagatas like clarifed butter. Although the level of practice of the commoner and the noble differ, with regard to the quality of the nature of the true cause of Buddhahood they do not differ but are the same. Although the Buddha-nature abides due to its essential nature, this nature is yet without essence. Emptiness is none other than existence, and existence none other than emptiness; neither momentary nor eternal; one nor different; removed from the bifurcations of subject and object, it transcends the four logical alternatives and the eight negations [of Nagarjuna].

In the twenty-eighth book of the Nirvana Sutra the bodhisattva Sinhanada asked about the meaning of the Buddha as Buddha-nature. The answer is that the seeds of all of the buddhas, the highest perfect enlightenment, and the middle path are called Buddha-nature. The sutra also says that "the Buddha-nature is called the emptiness as the ultimate meaning and emptiness as the ultimate meaning is wisdom. One who merely talks about emptiness sees neither the empty nor the nonempty, but the wise one sees both the empty and the nonempty. Empty are all things in samsara, but the nonempty is great liberation. When one sees everything as empty but does not see that which is not empty, it is not called the middle path. Self and no-self are also like this. For these reasons the middle path is called Buddha-nature. Because the Buddha-nature is without change, it is eternal."

The Nirvana Sutra further says: "The sravakas and pratyekabuddhas only see emptiness, but they do not see that which is not empty --- this is not called the middle path." Further, Buddha-nature is called the truth of ultimate meaning, because it dwells eternally without change. Because it is separated from all phenomenal forms, it is as well called the emptiness of ultimate meaning. Because it is separated from all delusion and darkness it is also called wisdom and illumination. Ungraspable and unrestricted, yet one can realize it. One should not rely on a person with wordy explanations but no insight.

Buddha-nature is also called the diamond-like contemplation, because it cannot be destroyed. Buddha-nature is also called nirvana, because it neither arises nor ceases. It is also called Buddha-nature because it is the realization of enlightenment. It is also called the dharma-nature, because it is that which upholds the norm. It is also called the principle of the sangha because it is without error. The sutra says that if a person only has faith in the three jewels of Buddha, doctrine, and community without having faith in the one nature of these three jewels, it is called incomplete faith. Because it is not simply nonexistent like the horns of a rabbit, it is called truly empty; yet because it is not simple nothingness like vacuous space, it is also profoundly existent.

Again, the Hua-yen Sutra calls it formless because it is the unobstructed wisdom in sentient beings. It is also called the "mind's gateway to suchness" because it is intrinsically unchanging. It is also called the "unborn and the unceasing" because the nature of the true conditions and true manifestations of the physical and mental (that is, Buddha-nature) dwells eternally. It is also called the "Buddha-nature that abides of its own nature" because the nature of original enlightenment is uncaused. It is also called the self-nature of nirvana because it is intrinsically quiescent. It is also called the self-nature of wisdom because the self-nature is originally pure and removed from ignorance. It is also called the limit of reality, because the essence of the [Buddha-]nature is true and not false. It is also called suchness in itself, because the nature of the principle is without change. It is not to be found in the five psycho-physical components, the eighteen bases of existence, or in the twelve entrances of cognition, yet neither is it to be found separated from the five psycho-physical components, the eighteen bases of existence, or the twelve entrances of cognition. It is not to be found within living beings nor separate from living beings. It is neither permanent nor impermanent, because it contains both the permanent and the impermanent. It is also called the king of wonderful medicines, because it is able to remove the disease of living beings' passions.

It is also called the treasure house that benefits living beings, as the Nirvana Sutra teaches with a simile about a richman who, in a time of famine, when wealth is hard to come by, opens his treasure house and shares it with all --- so, too, within this world of passions in the time of the semblance doctrine, when living beings are totally perverse and the pure doctrine is exhausted, when the extreme evil of the five heinous crimes increases, leading to the lowest hell of no respite, when perverted views arise and everybody is quarreling with one another and living beings who hold the twelve heterodox views are everywhere, when the dharma is endangered, this, the treasure house of the Buddha doctrine is opened and shared by all --- this is what is meant by the Buddha-nature as the "true cause". All of the living beings of the universe, those of base and noble spirit alike, all possess this nature [of a Buddha], excluding only the grasses, trees, walls, broken tiles, and so on. The sutra teaches the difference between those things without Buddha-nature and those with Buddha-nature and that whichis without Buddha-nature is the earth, trees, tiles, and rocks; that which is distinct from these nonsentient things are all said to have Buddha-nature.

It is only because of ignorance that the gold within the dross is not discovered. If one wishes to have insight, then through emptiness of self and emptiness of phenomena one must dispel belief in the ego-self and the self of things; when fixed in equanimous quiescence, clearly illuminating the identity of principle and phenomena, thoroughly mastering essence and form, and when the mind that follows the object is suppressed, then one will eliminate the self and identify with others. Hearing this without hearing, seeing this without seeing, this is well-seen.

III. The Future Buddha

The third is the Future Buddha. The essence of the above-described Tathagatagarbha Buddha and Buddha-nature Buddha is the true cause of wisdom and the foundation of the truth body. Therefore the essence gives rise to the conditioned, and the practices are pursued according to the conditions --- all are the practices of the matrix of enlightenment, the practices of the Buddha-nature. The tree includes the bud and truth includes untruth, thus all practices are those of the universal bodhisattva of the One Vehicle. With the full completion of the practices the fruits of Buddhahood are realized. Because the Buddha as the matrix of enlightenment and the Buddha as Buddha-nature exist within the bondage of ignorance and the realm of causality, there is likewise the future realization of Buddhahood. Therefore, this aspect is termed the "Future Buddha".

We rely on the Lotus Sutra, which teaches that the bodhisattva Never-Despise [Sadaparibhuta] worshipped all among the four classes of beings, that is, monks, nuns, and male and female lay devotees, as the same because they possess the true essence of the matrix of enlightenment and Buddha-nature. Therefore he told them, "You all practice the path of the bodhisattva and in the future will become buddhas", hence this aspect of the refuge of the universal Buddha is termed the "Future Buddha".

IV. The Perceived Buddha

The fourth is the Perceived Buddha. Because all living beings in theuniverse are none other than the Buddha as the matrix of enlightenment, the Buddha as the Buddha-nature, and the Future Buddha, the forms of living beings are not different from the true Buddha. This is called the "Perceived Buddha".

According to the "Chapter on Clarifying the Dharma" in the eighth book of the Hua-yen Sutra, the superior and inferior levels of living beings are all to be thought of as the Buddha. Although we may speak of the many levels of living beings and their differences, from the point of view of their essence they are all the Buddha as the matrix of enlightenment, the Buddha as the Buddha-nature, and the future Buddha; they should, therefore, all be respected with the thought that indeed they are buddhas. According to the fourth book of the Dasacakra Sutra, we are taught to respect equally the three kinds of monks, that is, those with no precepts, those who break the precepts, and those who keep the precepts, with the thought that they are the true buddhas.

Although we may talk of the difference between holding the precepts and breaking the precepts, because the Buddha as the matrix of enlightenment is the same as the Buddha-nature and the Future Buddha, they are one and not two. Therefore, you should respect all, perceiving them as true buddhas, and this is termed "Perceived Buddha".

The essence of the above four Buddhas is all the same, and according to the teachings of the individual sutras all are the perception of the Buddha. The Lanka and the Scripture of Queen Srimala call it the Buddha as the matrix of enlightenment, the Nirvana Sutra calls it the Buddha as Buddha-nature, the Lotus Sutra calls it the Future Buddha, and the Hua-yen Sutra and the Dasacakra Sutra call it the Perceived Buddha. Therefore these four buddhas comprise a single Buddha, and thus these four buddhas clarify the essence of the eightfold doctrine

The Zen Commandments

When our mind is constantly focused on the future or the past, there is no way to rationally affect a change in our present condition.

Live in the present by practicing breathing meditation

To change this pattern of our mind, from always thinking about and fearing future or past actions, sit calmly for five minutes a day and practice breathing mediation. By doing this, we learn to focus strictly on the present, by focusing solely on the sensation of the breath as it enters and exits our body. And when a thought does arise, instead of allowing it to lead us out of the present moment, to the next task at hand, or next moment of worry about something yet to come, as we do now, gently bless the thought and let it go, without following it. Then, return our concentration to what is happening right now - the sensation of our breath as it enters and exits our body.

Learn how to live without fear by living in the present

The purpose of Buddhist breathing meditation is to allow us to find the beauty, joy and simplicity of living life right now in the present moment. By properly practicing breathing meditation we will quickly become aware as soon as our mind slips backwards into the past or begin to think about what might happen in the future. Once we are aware of this, we can gently bring our mind back into the present moment; by practicing in this way, we learn not to be led by fears of what might happen tomorrow or even awful things that happened in our past.

We can even eliminate basic nervousness, which is another form of fear or worry. If for example we have a job interview, or a presentation, by doing a breathing meditation prior to it, we stop projecting our fears into the future, which only serve to make us nervous. Instead, the meditation puts us back in the present and allows us to present our best, most confident side to our potential employer or our audience.

By training our minds in this way, we learn not to let our fears of the future or past have any power over us. Instead, we focus on the now. Eventually, we will find great calm and peace in living in the present moment. When we are completely present in the moment and work from that moment, we can use all the energy we used to expend in worry and fear to improve the quality of our life every moment of every day. For now is all we truly have.

References: The Zen Commandments - by Dean Sluyler
http://www.suite101.com/content/letting-go-of-fears-and-worries-a24038

Taken from The Buddha Forum, post from Venerable Dharmakara. Http://www.buddhaforum.org

Who is Vajrasattva?

Who is Vajrasattva?

Tibetan: dor je sem pa.
English: the Vajra Hero.
Vajrasattva means "diamond being" or "vajra-being". Its character is as strong as a vajra. By practicing his Dharma, the follower can avoid all evil thoughts, eliminate vexations and have unlimited happiness and wisdom. Meanwhile the guardian deities will forgive them for any mistakes they have made in practicing Buddhism and bestow them a fortune that makes up for any loss. Vajrasattvathe dhyani-boddhisattva or spiritual son of dhyani-buddha, Akshobhya is also regarded as chief of the five dhyani-buddhas. He is usually represented seated on a lotus posture. He wears a crown in which there is often an image of Akshobhya, and the dress and ornaments of Dhyani-Buddhisattva. Against his breast, he generally holds vajra in his right hand; but the vajra may be balanced on its point in the palm of his hand. With the left, he holds the ghanta on his hip. If standing, he balances the vajra in his right hand against his breast, while in the left, hanging pendent, he presses the ghanta against leg. Unlike the other Dhyan-Boddhas, he is always crowned with or without his sakti whom he presses against his breast in the yab-yum attitude, with the right hand holding vajra, while the left holds the ghanta on his hip.

http://discussions-neighborhoods.ebay.com/topic/Antiques-Antiquing-Discussions/Vajrasattva/1300087401

The Lotus Sutra

Here is an excerpt from an article at Wikipedia which discusses the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra is an important and popular text, and you can read more here:



Content

This sutra is known for its extensive instruction on the concept and usage of skillful means – (Sanskrit: upāya, Japanese: hōben), the seventh paramita or perfection of a Bodhisattva – mostly in the form of parables. It is also one of the first sutras to use the term Mahāyāna, or "Great Vehicle", Buddhism. Another concept introduced by the Lotus Sutra is the idea that the Buddha is an eternal entity, who achieved nirvana eons ago, but willingly chose to remain in the cycle of rebirth (samsara) to help teach beings the Dharma time and again. He reveals himself as the "father" of all beings and evinces the loving care of just such a father. Moreover, the sutra indicates that even after the Parinirvana (apparent physical death) of a Buddha, that Buddha continues to be real and to be capable of communicating with the world.
The idea that the physical death of a Buddha is the termination of that Buddha is graphically refuted by the movement and meaning of the scripture, in which another Buddha, who passed long before, appears and communicates with Shakyamuni himself. In the vision of the Lotus Sutra, Buddhas are ultimately immortal. A similar doctrine of the eternality of Buddhas is repeatedly expounded in the tathāgatagarbha sutras, which share certain family resemblances with the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
The Lotus Sutra also indicates (in Chapter 4) that emptiness (śūnyatā) is not the ultimate vision to be attained by the aspirant Bodhisattva: the attainment of Buddha Wisdom is indicated to be a bliss-bestowing treasure that transcends seeing all as merely empty or merely labeled.
In terms of literary style, the Lotus Sutra illustrates a sense of timelessness and the inconceivable, often using large numbers and measurements of time and space. Some of the other Buddhas mentioned in the Lotus Sutra are said to have lifetimes of dozens or hundreds of kalpas, while the number of Bodhisattvas mentioned in the "Earth Bodhisattva" chapter number in the billions, if not more. The Lotus Sutra also often alludes to a special teaching that supersedes everything else that the Buddha has taught, but the Sutra never actually states what that teaching is. This is said to be in keeping with the general Mahāyāna Buddhist view that the highest teaching cannot be expressed in words.
The ultimate teaching of the sutra, however, is implied to the reader that "full Buddhahood" is only arrived at by exposure to the truths expressed implicitly in the Lotus Sutra via its many parables and references to a heretofore less clearly imagined cosmological order. Skillful means of most enlightened Buddhas is itself the highest teaching (the "Lotus Sutra" itself), in conjunction with the sutra's stated tenets that all other teachings are subservient to, propagated by and in the service of this highest truth and teaching aimed at creating "full Buddhas" out of pratyekabuddhas, lesser buddhas and bodhisattvas. The text also implies a parent-child relationship between the innumerable Buddhas and human beings and other types of beings, with an explicit indication that all religions and paths are in some way or another part of the skillful means of this highest teaching, which reaches its fullest expression in the Lotus Sutra. The various religious institutions and their doctrinal proponents notwithstanding, all paths are then, officially speaking, part of the skillful means and plan of Buddhism, thus the sutra's former disavowal of all competitive doctrinal disputes.
Crucially, not only are there multiple Buddhas in this view, but an infinite stream of Buddhas extending through unquantifiable eons of time ("thousands of kotis of kalpas") in a ceaseless cycle of creations and conflagrations.
In the vision set out in this sutra, moreover, not only are Buddhas innumerable, but the universe encompasses realms of gods, devas, dragons and other mythological beings, requiring numerous dimensions to contain them. Buddhas are portrayed as the patient teachers of all such beings.
Some sources consider the Lotus Sutra to have a prologue and epilogue: respectively the Innumerable Meanings Sutra (無量義經 Ch: Wú Liáng Yì Jīng Jp: Muryōgi Kyō) and the Sutra of Meditation on the Bodhisattva Universal Worthy (普賢經 Ch: Pǔ Xián Jīng Jp: Fugen Kyō).
The Lotus Sutra claims to be superior to all other sutras. Chapter ten of the Burton Watson translation states:
".. Medicine King, now I say to you, I have preached various sutras, and among those sutras the Lotus is foremost!"
Chapter fourteen states:
"Among the sutras, it holds the highest place."
Chapter sixteen also reveals that Shakyamuni Buddha did not attain Buddhahood in his current lifetime, but in fact attained it countless lifetimes earlier. Chapter sixteen states:
"In all the worlds the heavenly and human beings and asuras all believe that the present Shakyamuni Buddha, after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, seated himself in the place of practice not far from the city of Gaya and there attained annuttara-samyak-sambodhi. But good men, it has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas since I in fact attained Buddhahood."

Shrine Offerings

This is from a post at the discussion forum called "Buddha Forum." The author is Venerable Dharmakara. The site is at www.buddhaforum.org

This is a simple explanation of the meaning behind Buddhist devotional practices one see in shrines and temples, such as bowing, prostrating, lighting incense and candles, offering of flowers and fruit, which is common in all traditions.

Buddhist Shrines and Images

While it is difficult to imagine Buddhism without the Buddha image or Rupa, it was not until about 500 years after the passing away (Parinirvana) that the practice of making images of the Buddha started. Since that time, Buddha images have been the object of Buddhist devotion and identify for over 2000 years, acting as the inspirational focus and the means for devotees to express their reverence and gratitude for the Buddha's Dharma or Teachings.

The reasons for the Buddha image on the shrine are:

• to remind one of the qualities of Perfect Wisdom and Perfect Compassion of the Buddha,
• it serves to inspire us to develop these qualities as we recall the greatness of the Buddha and His Teachings.

Some days, we may feel agitated, angry or depressed. When we pass by a shrine in our homes or visit a temple, and see the peaceful image of the Buddha, it helps us to remember that there are beings that are peaceful and we can become like them too. Automatically, our minds settle down.

Buddhists pay respect to the Buddha to show their gratitude to Him for showing the way to Enlightenment and liberation by:

Folded Palms

• Place the palms together and raise them to the level of the chest.
• This gesture expresses our deep reverence to the Triple Gem - Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

Prostration

• Prostrating before an image of the Buddha or members of the Sangha expresses our deep veneration.

• This also helps us to overcome egoistic feelings (pride) to become more ready to listen to the Teaching of the Buddha.

• As we prostrate before the Buddha images, we recall the qualities of the Buddha and develop respect for their qualities such as loving-kindness, compassion, virtue, patience, concentration and wisdom. Showing respect to the Buddha and his qualities inspires us to develop these extraordinary qualities ourselves.

What is the purpose of making offerings to the Buddha?

• We make offerings not because the Buddha needs them - the Buddha is an enlightened being, He certainly does not need an incense stick to be happy!

• Nor do we make offerings to win the Buddha's favour. The Buddha developed universal loving-kindness and compassion long ago and won't be swayed by flattery and bribery the way we ordinary beings are.

• We make offerings to create positive energy and develop good qualities such as giving with a respectful attitude and gratitude.

• Moreover, the offerings remind us of certain teachings of the Buddha.

Offering of Light (Lamp/Candle)

• Light symbolizes wisdom.
• Light drives away darkness.
• Similarly, the light of wisdom dispels the darkness of ignorance.

Offering of Incense

• When incense is lit, its fragrance spreads.
• Incense symbolizes the fragrance of pure moral conduct.
• This reminds us to cultivate good conduct.

Offering of Water

• Water symbolizes purity, clarity and calmness.
• This reminds us to practise the Buddha's teachings, so as to cleanse our minds, which are full of desire, ill-will and ignorance, and to attain the state of purity.

Offering of Fruit

• Fruit symbolizes the ultimate fruit of Enlightenment which is our goal.
• Fruit also reminds us that all actions will have their effect.

Offering of Flowers

• The freshness, fragrance and beauty of flowers are impermanent.
• Fresh and beautiful flowers will soon become withered, scentless and discoloured.
• This reminds us of the Buddha's teaching that all things are impermanent.
• We should value what we have now and live in the present.

The Lotus

The most common flower seen in Buddhist shrines, or on the base of statues, are lotuses, as they represent the potential or actuality of Enlightenment.

• The lotus grows out of the mud and blossoms above the water surface, yet it is not dirtied by the mud from which it grows.

• The Buddha is likened to the lotus. Like a lotus that rises out of a muddy pond, the Buddha rose above the defilements and sufferings of life.

• We are right now surrounded by defilements and sufferings, just as the lotus seed is surrounded by dirt, mud and filth. We should rise above our defilements and sufferings, just like the lotus flower arising above the muddy water.

• This serves to remind us of our own potential Buddhahood. We may have defilements today, but we all have the potential of growing out of defilements and achieving wisdom like the Buddha.

Source: Buddhist Studies
http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/observances.htm

Green Tara Mantra

Green Tara mantra
Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā / Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha

Tara, whose name means "star" or "she who ferries across," is a Bodhisattva of compassion who manifests in female form. In Tibetan, Tara is known as "Dölma" (Sgrol-ma), or "She Who Saves." In particular she represents compassion in action, since she’s in the process of stepping from her lotus throne in order to help sentient beings.

The syllable Om has no conceptual meaning, and is sound representing the entire universe, past present and future. You can read more about Om on the page discussing the Om shanti shanti shanti mantra.

Symbolic translation

The central part of Tara’s mantra is a loving play on her name. According to Sangharakshita, a traditional explanation of the mantra is that the variations of her name represent three progressive stages of salvation.

1. Tāre represents salvation from mundane dangers and suffering. Tara is seem as a savioress who can give aid from material threats such as floods, crime, wild animals, and traffic accidents. Tara is therefore said to protect against ordinary worldly dangers.

Tara is a bodhisattva embodying compassion in the female form of a young goddess.

2. Tuttāre represents deliverance into the spiritual path conceived in terms of individual salvation. In traditional terms, this is the path of the Arhant, which leads to individual liberation from suffering. This is seen in Mahayana Buddhism as a kind of enlightenment in which compassion does not figure strongly. Tara therefore offers individual protection from the spiritual dangers of greed, hatred, and delusion: the three factors that cause us individual suffering.

3. Lastly, ture represents the culmination of the spiritual path in terms of deliverance into the altruistic path of universal salvation – the Bodhisattva path. In the Bodhisattva path we aspire for personal enlightenment, but we also connect compassionately with the sufferings of others, and strive to liberate them at the same time as we seek enlightenment ourselves. Tara therefore delivers us from a narrow conception of the spiritual life. She saves us from the notion that spiritual progress is about narrowly liberating ourselves from our own suffering, and instead leads us to see that true spiritual progress involves having compassion for others.

By the time we have been liberated from mundane dangers, liberated from a narrow conception of the spiritual path, and led to a realization of compassion, we have effectively become Tara. In Buddhist practice the “deities” represent our own inner potential. We are all potentially Tara. We can all become Tara.

Svaha, according to Monier Monier-William’s Sanskrit Dictionary, means: "Hail!", "Hail to!" or "May a blessing rest on!" We could see this final blessing as symbolizing the recognition that we are, ultimately, Tara.

Her mantra can therefore be rendered as something like "OM! Hail to Tara (in her three roles as a savioress)!" although this may one of those occasions when the mantra is best left untranslated, because the words have no “meaning” in the normal sense of the word. Instead they are more like a play on her name, like variations in a piece of music by Bach or like improvisations in a piece of jazz music.

Literal translation

There’s a more literal meaning of the mantra as well:

“Tare” is the vocative form of Tara, so it means “O Tara!”

“Tu” is an exclamation that can mean “pray! I beg, do, now, then,” and so “tuttare” could mean something like “I entreat you, O Tara” or “I beg you, O Tara.”

“Ture” is probably the vocative form of “tura,” which means “quick, willing, prompt,” and so it would mean something like “O swift one!”

So the mantra could be rendered as “OM! O Tara! I entreat you, O Tara! O swift one! Hail!

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha
Pronunciation notes:

ā is like a in father
e is ay in lay
v is pronounced halfway between English v and w. If in doubt, then a w sound will do
In Tibetan pronunciation “svāhā” becomes “soha.” This is technically incorrect from a Sanskrit point of view, but it also has many centuries of tradition behind it, and in any event few Westerners pronounce Sanskrit correctly either! Still, outside of the Tibetan tradition it’s probably best to revert to the best approximation possible of the Sanskrit, where both a’s are long (as in father), and the v comes close to being an English “w” sound.
The Bodhisattva-Goddess Tārā (or Tara)

Tara means "star," "planet," or "she who ferries across." She is a bodhisattva embodying compassion in the female form of a young goddess. She is often considered to be such an advanced bodhisattva that she is actually a Buddha.

Tara’s name is said to derive from the verb meaning "to cross" or "to traverse". In Pali the verb tarati means "to get to the other side." This word is cognate with the Latin "trans" (across). The word Tara also literally means "star."

An interesting overlap between these two senses is the use of stars in navigation. The Pole Star, used at least for millennia to guide travelers, was known as Dhruva-Tara (the immovable star). Tara becomes a focal point on the far shore that helps us guide our lives in a safe direction. We can take her enlightened qualities of wisdom and compassion as our guide, moment by moment, as we navigate our lives.

A third meaning of "tara" is "the pupil of the eye," again suggesting a focal point and conveying a sense that Tara watches over those who navigate the treacherous waters of life in search of the further shore of liberation.

Tara’s name in Tibetan is Dölma, which means "She Who Saves." She is seen as guarding against the Eight Great Terrors of lions, elephants, fire, snakes, robbers, imprisonment, shipwreck or drowning, and man-eating demons. In each case these terrors are symbolic of spiritual dangers. For example, the First Dalai Lama described the demons against which Tara offers protection as being our self-consuming spiritual doubts.

A female bodhisattva

The most striking thing about Tara is also the most obvious: she is female. While there are many female representations of enlightenment, most are relatively obscure and male forms predominate. Tara, however, is very well known and is one of the most popular Buddhist deities in the Mahayana world, outside of the Far East, where Kwan Yin, the female form of Avalokiteshvara, predominates.

To westerners, having a female form representing compassion may seem natural, but it should be remembered that in traditional Buddhist iconography the male form tends to represent compassion while the female form more often represents wisdom. Tara bucks that trend.

Traditionally, even in Buddhism, which has seen countless enlightened women, the female form has most often been seen as disadvantageous for the pursuit of the spiritual life compared to the male form, to the extent that female spiritual aspirants often aspire to be reborn in male form to help them in their future spiritual endeavors.

There is an important sense, however, in which Tara is not female and in which the "male" Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are not male. Enlightened beings are said to be beyond the limiting conditions of ordinary human consciousness, and are not defined by the gender of their body. Gender is seen in Mahayana Buddhism as being a psycho-social construct that can be transcended. An important passage in the Vimalakirti Nirdesa, an important Mahayana Sutra, illustrates this.

In the story, Shariputra, the foremost in wisdom of the Buddha’s human disciples, is in conversation with an unnamed "goddess" who is immeasurably his spiritual superior. Shariputra, trapped by his dualistic thinking, asks the goddess, "Goddess, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?" He assumes of course that the female form is a hindrance.

The goddess replies, "Although I have sought my "female state" for these twelve years, I have not yet found it." The goddess does not see herself as female, or Shariputra as male, because she has transcended limiting thinking, has transcended socio-cultural conditioning, and has even gone beyond any biological conditioning.

The goddess then seriously messes with Shariputra by transforming herself into his form and transforming him into a female. She says:

"All women appear in the form of women in just the same way as the elder appears in the form of a woman. While they are not women in reality, they appear in the form of women. With this in mind, the Buddha said, ‘In all things, there is neither male nor female.’"

Although the goddess is not named, she may have been a prototype for the much later emergence of Tara herself, who is said to have spoken the following words in her earlier incarnation as Jnanachandra:

Here there is no man, there is no woman,
No self, no person, and no consciousness.
The labels ‘male’ or ‘female’ have no essence,
But deceive the evil-minded world.

The green goddess

The other striking thing about Tara is her greenness. She is represented as a beautiful, often voluptuous, sixteen-year-old woman, clad is silks and jewels: a highly attractive figure. And yet the color of her skin is green, and this surely clashes with her otherwise attractive appearance.

Tara is associated with the color green in a number of ways. First, as we will see when we consider Tara’s origins, in one myth she is said to have been given her name by Amoghasiddhi Buddha, who is himself green. Tara is Amoghasiddhi’s spiritual consort.

Secondly, both Tara and Amoghasiddhi are connected, in the Five-Buddha Mandala, with the element Air, which is itself associated with that color.

Thirdly, Green Tara is a forest goddess, and in one story is shown as being clad in leaves. Her Pure Land, in distinction to others that are composed of precious gems, is said to be lush and verdant:

Covered with manifold trees and creepers, resounding with the sound of many birds,
And with murmur of waterfalls, thronged with wild beasts of many kinds;
Many species of flowers grow everywhere.

She is therefore a female form of the "Green Man" figure who is found carved in many European churches and cathedrals, and who is found in the Islamic traditions as the figure Al-Khidr.

Tara’s symbols

Tara holds an utpala, or blue lotus, in her right hand, which is held at chest level. This hand is simultaneously in the vitarka, or teaching mudra. Tara may save, but the beneficiaries of her protective powers learn to save themselves through following her teachings!

The utpala is a night-blooming flower, and so Tara protects at the time of greatest fear, during both literal darkness and while we are in the darkness of ignorance.

The core significance of the lotus flower is that it remains unstained even in the most contaminated environments. Early Buddhist texts often refer to the fact that water simply runs off of a lotus. The Dhammapada, an early Buddhist teaching, refers to the unstained nature of the lotus in this way:

58. Yathā saṅkāradhānasmiṃ
ujjhitasmiṃ mahāpathe
Padumaṃ tattha jāyetha
sucigandhaṃ manoramaṃ.

59. Evaṃ saṅkārabhūtesu
andhabhūte puthujjane
Atirocati paññāya
sammāsambuddhasāvako.

Which means:

58. As upon a heap of rubbish,
Thrown out by the highway,
May grow a lotus
Delightful and of pure scent,

59. So, among defiled beings,
Among blind, unawakened beings,
The disciple of the Fully and Perfectly Awakened One
Shines with wisdom.

The lotus has therefore, since the earliest days of Buddhism, and probably even before then, signified the way in which awakened wisdom can exist in the world without being contaminated by it.

via http://www.wildmind.org/mantras/figures/greentara

Getting closer to the Balm of Acceptance

Getting Closer to the Balm of Acceptance
by Sharon Salzberg

In Buddhist teaching, suffering isn’t considered redemptive. What is redemptive, and healing, is our transformed relationship to suffering. Each element of our experience provides its own challenges and opportunities for a new relationship. When we are in pain or distress, we can hold that pain in bitterness or in compassion, in isolation or in connection to community. We can respond to the helping hands that might be reaching toward us, or we can refuse to believe that we deserve any support at all.

In contrast to the ways most of us have been conditioned, Buddhism emphasizes the naturalness of suffering in a world of constant change. Buddhists try to address the assumptions we carry that define suffering as a betrayal, as something blameworthy that we should hide or be ashamed of, and we work to loosen those habits of mind.

When my friend Meg faced death after an intense, eleven-year effort to overcome ovarian cancer, she took morphine. “I don’t want to take more than I need. I don’t want to be foggy minded. But I don’t need to be a hero about it either. If I hurt, I’ll take it. I don’t think you get extra points for suffering.”

Meg was a warm, compassionate, caring person, even through the difficulties of her illness. She developed an openheartedness to others through the relationship she fostered to her own pain. One day, I experienced a very moving encounter with her on the phone. I had just undergone exploratory surgery to determine whether an ovarian tumor was benign or cancerous, the same kind of cancer she had. I had learned the results of my test only a few days before, and when I told her that the tumor had proved to be benign, Meg said to me with such joy, “Sharon, I have been praying for you. I am so happy for you.” Her response went beyond ordinary kindheartedness. In her offering of concern, she didn’t take center stage; her own situation was not the reference point. In the intensity and purity of her caring, she was simply delighted that I was healthy.

At a time when she was suffering herself, it must have required a great effort to include another in her concerns. But she gave me the gift of her wholehearted prayers and joy without a hint of comparison or struggle. I am sure that if I had commented on how extraordinary I found her generosity of spirit, she would have been quite puzzled. Meg’s response arose out of how she viewed life — not as something free of suffering if you do all the right things, but as something filled with happiness and pain in the natural course of events. Neither is left out.

Through the Buddha’s teaching, we learn that suffering isn’t aberrant, but inevitable; death is not a personal failing, but the result of being born; and hostility toward our condition only isolates us and brings us further from the balm of giving and receiving kindness. In Buddhism, we use meditation to train our minds so that we can open more fully to our situation. Rather than close down and withdraw, we open to the pain — which is a natural part of life — that helps us inevitably care for ourselves.

The process of learning to let go, however, isn’t a linear one, where we suddenly “let go.” Rather, it happens in fits and starts, where we open but then close down; we release clinging and then somehow forget that it is that very release that actually makes us happy. We need to remember to begin again after getting lost or overwhelmed; we learn to do that and return to what is happening in the moment with less judgment, more kindness toward ourselves. Being discouraged or blaming ourselves for not being perfect is a natural part of a genuine path, part of how transformation happens.

While some people will begin training when faced with a health crisis or a situation of extreme suffering — and I do know people who do that and still find benefit — it is certainly far better to begin in ordinary times, when conditions aren’t so hard. Then, when we really need it, that inner strength has been cultivated, and our ability to exhibit love and compassion for ourselves and others is much closer at hand.

Source: Sh'ma Journal
http://www.shma.com/2011/05/suffering-is-part-of-life-getting-closer-to-the-balm-of-acceptance/

via Buddhaforum.org