Saturday, February 13, 2010

Peace


Peace

What is Peace? What is confusion?

Well, peacefulness is the end of confusion.
Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually you run towards it.

If you let go a little you have a little peace. If you let go a lot, you have a lot of peace. If you let go completely, you have complete peace.
Actually, in truth, there isn't anything to human beings. Whatever we may be, it's only in the realm of appearances and see the truth, we will see that there isn't anything there but the universal character- birth in the beginning, changes in the middle, and cessation in the end. This is all there is.

If we see that all things are like this, then no problems arise. If we understand this, we will have contentment and peace.
know what is good and bad, whether traveling or living in one place. You can't find peace on a mountain or in a cave. You can even go to where the Buddha attained enlightenment without getting closer to the truth.
Looking outside the self is to compare and to discriminate.

You will not find happiness that way. Nor will you find peace if you spend your time looking for a perfect person or the perfect teacher. The Buddha taught us to look at the Dharma, the truth, and not to look at other people.

Anyone can build a house of wood and bricks, but the Buddha taught us that sort of home is not our real home. It's a home in the world and it follows the way of the world. Our real home is inner peace.

The forest is peaceful, why aren't you? You hold onto things causing your confusion. Let nature teach you. Hear the bird's song then let go. If you know nature, you will know Dharma. If you know Dharma, you will know nature. Looking for peace is like looking for turtle with a mustache. You won't be able to find it. But when your heart is ready, peace will come looking for you.

Virtue, concentration, and wisdom together make up the Path. But this Path is not yet actually wanted, but merely the Path that will take you there. For example, say you traveled the road from Bangkok to Wat Pah Pong; but you were seeking Wat Pah Pong, the monastery, not the road. In the same way, we can say virtue, concentration, and wisdom are outside the truth of the Buddha but are the road that leads to the truth. When you have developed these three factors, the result is the most wonderful peace.

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The Merit Of Producing Buddhist Teaching


The Merit Of Producing Buddhist Teaching And Buddha images

One's light karmic misgiving will dissolve =, while heavy ones lighten
One will be protected by devas, and be unharmed by natural and man-made disasters.
One will be free from suffering from hatred and vengeance
One will be unharmed by yaksas, evil spirits and wild beasts.
One's mind will be peace, free from harm and nightmares.
One's complexion will be radiant.
One will be full of auspicious energy.
One who practices the Dharma wholeheartedly will have adequate living necessities.
One's whole family will be harmonious and be blessed with fortunes and wisdom.
One who practices what one preaches will be respected and loved by all.
One who is dull-minded will be gain wisdom.
One who is ill will gain health.
One who is poor will gain health.
One who is female will be born male in futures lives if one wishes to.
One will be free from reborn ion negative realms.
One will be able to help others grow in wisdom and gain great merit in doing so.
One will always be able to learn Dharma, till one's wisdom and spiritual penetrations are fully grown and becomes Buddha.



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Heart Spoon - Encouragement Through Recollecting impermanence


Heart Spoon Encouragement Through Recollecting impermanence
Ah, the hurt!
Kind Lama, look to this pitiful one.
How i behave and how I've cheated my entire Life.
Please, look upon this mindless one with compassion.

The essential advise to give yourself - Heart-Spoon
Keep it deep within your heart.
Don't be distracted; don't be distracted!
Reflect upon the state of your life from the essential drop at your heart.
Since beginning less cyclic existence, which hasn't ended up to now,
Though you've experienced countless cycles of rebirths-
just so many variations on happiness and pain
You've not slighted of benefit from them.

And though at present you've attained leisure and fortune so difficult to find,
Always till now, they've finished and been lost, have been empty and without meaning.

Now, if you care about yourself,
The time has come to practice the essence of future happiness virtuous actions

You appear so capable, smart, and clever, but you're a fool
As long as you cling to the child's play of appearance of this life
Suddenly you're overwhelmed by the fearful Lord of Death
And, without hope or means to endure, there's nothing you can do.
This is going to happen to you!
Because you think, "I'm not going to die for some time, I'm not going to die for some time,"

While you're distracted by he never -ending activities of this life,
Suddenly the fearful Lord of Death arrives,
Announcing it's time to die."
This is going to happen to you!

Though you make arrangements, saying, "tomorrow" and "tomorrow,"
Just then, suddenly you have to go.
This is going to happen to you

And without choice, leaving behind in disarray
Your left-off work, left food and drink, you have to depart.
This is going to happen to you!
There's no time other than today to spread (your bedding) and go off to sleep;

Upon your last bed you fall like a tree,
And others, unable to turn you with their (lily) soft hands
Tug at your clothes and blanket.
this is going to happen to you.

Even if you completely wrap (your body) in last under and outer clothes,
Still you have no freedom to wear them other than just today,
And when (that body) becomes as rigid as earth and stone,
You behold for the first time your own corpse.
This is going to happen to you.

Though you struggle to speak your last words,
Your will and expressions of sorrow,
Pitifully your tongue dried up, and you can't make yourself clear
An intense sadness overwhelms you

This is going to happen to you!
Though others put your final food, holy substances and relics
With a trickle water into your mouth
This is going to happen to you

Though surrounded by circle of close relatives, heart friends and those near to your heart,
And even though they're loving and distressed at the ending of your being together,

While crying and clinging
Just then, you have to separate forever
This is going to happen to you!
Though you (experience) horrific hallucinations like a turbulence of waves
And are overcome by unbearable, excruciating pain,
Pitiful though you may be, there's nothing to be done;
The appearance of this life are setting (like the sun)
This is going to happen to you!

Though with unbearable compassion your lama and Vajra-friends
Plead in your ear for a critical virtuous thoughts to arise,
And even though they do so with loving minds,
There's no hope; it's unthinkable.
This is going to happen to you!

With an (expelled rasping) sound, "sor...sor"(at the time of death)
The movement of your breathe builds faster and faster,
Then breaks like the string of a violin
And the end of your life has come to its close.
This is going to happen to you

There'll come a time when your cherish and sadly lost lovely body
Is called" corpse" -disgusting and rotten,
And a time when your body, which can't bear even the rough bedding and mattress
Is laid out on bare ground.
This is going to happen to you!
There'll come a time when your body , which can't bear the thorn,
Is chopped to pieces and (from the bone) its flesh is torn,
Is devoured by birds and dogs till nothing left
This is going to happen to you!

Though you (go to so much trouble blowing) "pur...pur" in dressing your body i the finest of clothes
There'll come a time when that body is placed within a burning house,
And your body, which can't tolerate even the fire of (a glowing stick of) incense,

Must be burned in the midst of a fiery conflagration.
This is going to happen to you!
There'll come a time of the announcing, " the deceased, ____, him or herself,"

At the beginning and end of your sweet name.
This is going to happen to you!
And a time when the area is filled with sobbing sounds
Of your affectionate, close companions and circle of servants.
This is going to happen to you!
There'll come a time when your clothes, hats, possessions, and livestock will be divided up

With nothing left in the four directions and corners,
And there'll come a time when in total despair, alone,
You reach the passage to the intermediate state,
This is going to happen to you!

The terror of the four fearful enemies descending upon you your are going to come:
The appearance of being trapped under a mountain of packed rock and rubble
And buried beneath a furious avalanche of earth-what to do?
The appearance of being set adrift on the surface of a vast sea
And carried away by violent, swirling waves-what to do The experience of your heart and ears beng split open

By the sizzling and crackling sounds of a fiery conflagration - what to do?
The fearful experience of being enveloped and swept away
By the swirling dark wind of the end of an eon-what to do
When you're driven by the powerful red winds of karma
And swallowed up by a terrifying darkness-what to do?
When you're bound with lasso by the messenger of Yama?
And, in total despair, are led away-what to do?
When you're tortured in so many ways

By ox-end by scorpion-headed karmic agents- what to do
When you're before the Yama king, the Lord of Death,
As weighs up the whites and blacks - your virtuous and non-virtuous actions-what to do?

When Yama exposes your lie of having spent
Your human life in attachment, hatred and deceit-what to do?
When Yama's court the punishment that is the ripening effect
Of your negative actions (is meted out) - what to do?
When your naked body is stretched out on the glowing red-hot iron ground in the fires of hell-what to do?

Though your body is cut to pieces by a rain if weapons,
still you must experience it without dying-what to do?
 Thoguh you are cooked in molten iron until your flesh falls away and your bones disintegrate

Still you must experience it without dying-what to do?
Though your body and fire burn inseparably, still you must experience without dying-what to do?
When your body is pierced by freezing cold wind
And cracks into hundred thousand pieces-what to do
Having fallen into the miserable state of a hungry ghost with its hunger and thirst

You have to starve for many years-what to do?
When you've become one of those stupid, dump, unfortunate animals
that eat each other alive-what to do?
When the unbearable sufferings of the evil-gone realms

have actually befallen you - what to do?
Now! Don't be distracted! (With the sounds of hurrying)
"la...ur...la..ur,"

Right this moment is the time to steel your will.
It's not only time-it's almost too late.
Right now! Right Now! "La...ur...La...ur...," (apply yourself with) great force
Holy precept of the Lama, kind father;
Heart of the authoritative scriptures of the Victorious Losang;
Practice of te pure path of the complete sutra and tantra;
It's time to place real experience upon your mindstream.

Who's the father Yama, the Lord of Death,
Or you in your practice of realizing the essence of your eternal dream-
The welfare of both yourself and others -as much as you can each day?
Unifying the three doors (of your body, speech, and mind)
out the whole of your effort into your practice

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Vesak day



Vesak day commemorate the Birthday, Enlightenment Day and Paranibbana Day of the Lord Buddha, and thus is to Buddhist the most important day of the year.

Without Him, we would not have had such a great teacher to teach us the Dhamma, hence we owe it to Him to celebrate this day in an appropriate manner.

That means NO hosting noisy, gaudy events or food and fun fairs, because these have nothing to do with Buddha's aim in being reborn.

He came to teach us to contemplate, to live calmly, to face life with equanimity and to strive for liberation from all attachments.

In line with His ideals, we should spend Vesak day doing just that.
We should spent the day in prayer and contemplation, peace and quiet, sitting and thinking about what our Great Teacher has taught us.
Remember him and feel the gratitude well up in your hearts.

This is better than all those noisy procession organised inhis name.
In some countries Buddhist like to bathe an image of buddhaas a baby on Wesak day and then to place ang pos in the donation boxes - they are actually paying for the chance to bathe the image. Hard to understand why they are worthy enough to do that.

Afterall, the Buddha is pure,while we are not.
The devotees should realized that it is better for them to keep the Precepts and cleanse their minds instead.




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Spiritual Love Relationship


Spiritual Love Relationship

Love in the conventional and general sense differs from that of spiritual sense.

Spiritually 4 rules applies:

Rule 1: Become normal friends
Love at first sight seems ridiculous as you can't really love someone you know nothing about when first meet. Unless is ude to great karmic attraction from past. Or you are a Bodhisattva who love unconditionally.

Rule 2: Become Good Friends
First be good friend before considering long term relationship, get to know one another better first make a lot of sense. Be spiritual friend first.

Rule 3 : Be Best Friends
Try to develop and take friendship to next higher level form Good Friend To Best Friend. It takes a lot of effort and patience and time, with dedication will get there.

Don't be complacent to assume knowing the other person inside out, one can never really know or the other can change due to changing situation and circumstances.
Communication is important here as it is the foundation which trust is built upon.

Rule 4: Become Best Friends of Many

Spiritual love is contagious, can spread like "wild fire" which is a good thing. Which this often troubled and confusing world needs.
So Spiritual begins with two person snowball down to as many as possible and" light up" the world if possible for a happier and better world.

How to handle "Love " - Dealing with Lust

It is only human to have lustful thoughts whenever a man comes across a beautiful woman, if you view them as your own sisters, with compassionate mind to rescue them, you will not be moved by beautiful forms or swayed by lustful thoughts. Within family, husbands and wives should respect one another s guest. (For female the advice should be similar)-Patriarch Master YIn Kuang (Pure land Zen)

Overrated Feelings?

Amorous feelings are overrated. As if they are "all or nothing" for some. Why must your love interest be your lover? why can't you try to be good friend?



How to regain your love? click here


To know how to STOP Divorce click here



Learn about How To Win Your Ex Back  click here

 

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The Sangha


The Sangha

When the Buddha "went forth" from home to become a wandering mendicant, he was following a practice fairly common at the time. Others, too roam the countryside, singly or in bands, under the leadership of a spiritual leader or alone.

And in gathering his first discipline together in deer park at Sarnath, the Buddha was simply doing what other spiritual teachers of the time did, for the broad community of wandering ascetic was already divided into a number of Sanghas - religious fellowships- centred on particular teachers.

The word Sangha has many meanings. Italicized, we use it in the most general Pali or Sanskrit sense to mean simply a group or collection of people.

In Buddhism, Sangha form the Third of the Three Jewels - The Buddha, The Daharma and the Sangha - it refers exclusively to the Arya Sangha, the Noble Sangha, all those spiritual attainments are such that there is no possibility pf their ever falling back into the grip of Samsara.

More generally, Sangha is also used to refer to the wider Buddhist spiritual community - all those who follow the Buddha's teachings and live according to this Dharma.



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The Dharma


The Dharma

After the Buddha's death his followers correlated all of his major teachings. In time these set to verse, committed to memory and passed down from generation to generation.

When finally committed to writing, as it began to be around about the first century BCE, the Dharma - the teachings of the Buddha-eventually came to occupy what in modern terms would be a small library.

This was then developed and expanded upon. New material was brought in, and vast canonical literature comprising records of the Buddha's discourses and discussions, stories, parables, poems, and analyses gradually grew up.

Of all this vast mass of teachings, perhaps the most popular formulation are those of the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, that formed a large part of the Buddha's first ever discourse on the Dharma.
The First Noble Truth identifies the problem. "There is Dukkha"- unsatisfactoriness.

Because we are never satisfied, we chase after experience. Constantly seeking satisfaction from the intrinsically unsatisfying, like hamsters in a wheel, we chase round and round, getting nowhere. Gain turns to loss, happiness gives way to sadness. We always seem to think that the final, complete satisfaction is just round the corner. "If only I can do this or get that, then everything will be fine and I'll be happy ever after."But in reality it's never like that. The wheel just keeps on turning.

The Second Noble Truth asserts that the cause of dukkha is craving. We are never satisfied because we have a fundamental disposition towards craving.

No matter what we get, no matter how much or how good, we always want more, or we want something else, or we want it to stop. Between them, craving and its counterpart, aversion, set the shape and boundaries of our personality- "I am the person who drives such and such a car; shops in such and such a place, lives in such and such a neighborhood; wears such and such clothes..." Thus we create our fragile identities. But the structure is unstable.

Things always change. life flows on and we find ourselves caught up in remorseless process of continually having to reconstruct ourselves- "I like this, I want that; I don't like this; I don't' want that" over and over , needlessly.

Such is the un-enlightened human predicament-endless unsatisfactory, driven by craving.

The Third Noble Truth asserts that with the cessation of craving unsatisfactory also ceases.

This is waht Buddha saw on the night of his Enlightenment. Having seen so clearly that the whole of existence, the emdless round of birth and death, is driven bysatiable craving, he could no longer live as if craving would ever produce the final satisfaction with which it constantly enticed. The bond of cravings dropped away, and with it all that had limited and constricted him - he was free!

The Fourth Noble Truth assets that there is a path which leads to the cessation of craving: the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Noble Eightfold Path

Translator usually render the Pali word Samma, which is prefixed to all of the eight limbs or aspects of the Noble Eightfold Path, as "right" but this can give wrong impression, as if there were simple "right" way of doing things as opposed to the "wrong" way, and that one could easily get the path "right" and have done with it. But the Buddhist path isn't quite so simply divided into "right" and "wrong". It is more developmental than that, for its a path of practice, where there is always room for improvement. Rather than "right" we use the word "perfect'"

The Noble Eightfold Path therefore consist of:

Right Understanding - To understand and except the Four Noble Truths.

Right Thoughts - To cultivate thoughts of generosity, loving-kindness and compassion

Right Speech - To refrain from lying, slander, harsh words and gossip. To cultivate truthful peaceful, kind and meaningful speech

Right Action - To abstain from killing, stealing and sexual misconduct. To cultivate harmlessness, honesty and faithfulness.

Right Livelihood - To avoid occupation involving killings (of both humans and animals), the sales of animal flesh, the trading of humans, weapons, poisons and intoxicants. Occupation which are unethical, immoral and illegal should be avoided

Right Effort - To apply mental discipline to prevent unwholesome thoughts arising, and to dispel unwholesome thoughts from that have arisen.

Right Mindfulness - To be aware of the body, and bodily postures and sensations. To be aware of the mind and its thoughts emotions and feelings.

Right Concentration - to practice mediation to train the mind to be focused and disciplines in order to cultivate and acquire wisdom.

The Path isn't traverse in simple consecutive steps. We don't start with vision, move on to emotion, then speech, action, livelihood etc. Rather, one works in different ways on different aspect all the time.



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DANA


Dana occupies an important part in the Buddha's teaching, which is often formulated under three heading - Dana, Sila and Bhavana (giving, morality, meditation or mental cultivation).

That Dana is one heading underscores its importance. Buddhist should take heed and cultivate a good spirit of Dana.

It is a first step towards eliminating the defilement of greed, hatred and delusion (lobha, Dosa and moha) for every act of giving is an act of non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion.

When you give you have loving-kindness (Metta) and Compassion (Karuna) in your heart. So at that time greed, hatred or ill-will, and delusion would be absent.

"Giving" is a word that has very wide connotations. It does not mean that you give only to monks. It does not mean that you givr only expensive things. And it does not mean that you give only material things that cost money. For you can give many immaterial things which may cont even more than material things.

What I mean is that when we are kind to each other, we are giving kindness, gentleness, comfort, peace, happiness, etc. So we can give by being kind. For example, we can lend a sympathetic ear to a troubled person, listen to him (or her) with compassion and give him comfort and encouragement.

To the troubled person, your giving time to listen to him is more important than if he were to receive a material gift. So when we are for each other, reaching out to help whenever we can. Then we give more kindness bt speaking gently, soothingly, not harshly or angrily.

This can bring much cheer to people, as the following poem shows:
Loving words will cost but little Journeying up the hill of life
But they make the weak and wearing Stronger, braver for the strife
So, as up life's hill we journey let us scatter all the way
Kindly words, to be as sunshine In the dark and cloudy day.

When we bring happiness into the lives or others, we are giving in a very meaningful way. In this context, giving would mean more than just giving material things. The attitude involved is also important. For example , during the time of the Buddha, there was one, Prince Payasi, who established a charity for ascetics and Brahmins, wayfarers. beggars and the needy. And he gave such food as broken rice and gruel and also rough clothing.

A young Brahmin called Uttara was out in chare of the distribution. One day uttara made some uncomplimentary remarks about Prince payasi. The prince called him up and asked: But why did you say such thing? Friend ?Uttara, don't we who wish to gain merit expect a reward for our charity?" Uttara replied: But Lord, the food you give-broken rice with sour gruel-you would not care to touch it with your foot, much less eat it! And the rough clothes - you would not care to set foot on them, much less wear them! Prnce Paysai then asked Uttars to arrange to supply better food and clothing and the latter did so.

When the prince died he was reborn in an empty mansion in a low heavenly realm. uttara was reborn in a higher heavenly relam i the company of the 33 gods.
This was because Prince Payasi had established his charity grudgingly. not with own hands, and without proper concern , like something tossed aside.

This account from Payasi Sutta of Digha Nikaya shows the importance of having true care and concern. So whendoing Dana we should take care to cultivate a heart of true loving-kindness and compassion.

Buddhist are taught to offer food, robes, medicine and monastery buildings to monks. Monks are considered a field of merits and worthy of support. it is understandable that Buddhist should giver full support to the Sangha, for the monks are the ones who are in a position to study, practice and safeguard the Dharma for the present and future generations. Without the Dharmma, Buddhism would be lost.

The monks too keep 227 precepts, which restrain them form indulgence in sensual pleasures.

Lay Buddhists thus consider monks to be in better position to cultivate mental purity. So monks generally receive good supports from aly Buddhist and this is as it should be.

But in the true spirit of Dana , Buddhist should not confine their giving to monks only. They should relate well with their fellow Buddhist, showing care and concern and sharing what they can.

Whenever somebody is in trouble and needs help, they should extend the same loving-kindness to society at large, to people of all races and creeds. they can donate liberally according to their ability to hospital s old folks homes handicapped institutions and all worthy causes.

They can also get together and set up such institution, such a broad attitude will make life meaningful and rewarding.




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SUFFERING


SUFFERING

There are 2 kinds of suffering:

The suffering which leads to more suffering,
The suffering which leads to the End of Suffering.

The first is the plain grasping after fleeting pleasures and aversion for the unpleasant, the continued struggle of most people day after day,
The second is the suffering which comes when you allow yourself to feel fully the constant change of experience - pleasure, pain, joy and anger - without fear or withdrawal.

The suffering of our experience leads to inner fearlessness and peace.
We want to take the easy way out, but if there is no suffering, there is no wisdom. To be ripe for wisdom, you must really break down and cry in your practice at least three times.

Monks do not become monks or nuns to eat well, sleep well, and be very comfortable, but to know suffering:
how to accept it...
how to get rid of it...
how not to cause it.
So do not do that which causes suffering, the indulging in greed, or it will never leave you.

In truth, happiness is suffering in disguise but in such a subtle form that you don't see it. If you cling to happiness, it's the same as clinging to suffering, but you don't realize it.
When you hold onto happiness, it's impossible to throw away the inherent suffering. They're inseparable like that.

Thus the Buddha taught us to know suffering, see it as the inherent harm in happiness, to see them as equal.
So be careful! When happiness arises, don't be overjoyed, and don't get carried away.

When suffering comes, don't be despair, don't lose yourself in it.
See that they have equal value.
When suffering arises, understand that there is no one to accept it. If you think suffering is yours, happiness is yours, you will not be able to find peace.

People who suffer will accordingly gain wisdom. If we don't suffer, we don't contemplate, no wisdom is born. Without wisdom, we don't know. Not knowing, we can't get free of suffering - that's just the way it is.

Therefore we must train and endure in our practice. When we then reflect on the world, we won't be afraid like before. It isn't that the Buddha was enlightened outside of the world but within the world itself.

Sensual indulgence and self-mortification are 2 paths the Buddha discourage.

There is just happiness and suffering. We imagine we have freed ourselves from suffering, but we haven't. We just cling to happiness we will suffer again. That's the way it is, but people think contrarily.

When people have suffering in one place, so they go somewhere else. When suffering arises there, they run off again from suffering, but they are not. Suffering goes with them.

They carry around without knowing it. If we don't know suffering, then we can't know the cause of suffering, then we can't know the cessation of suffering. There's no way we can escape it.

Students today have much more knowledge, than students of previous times.
They have got all the things they need, everything is more convenient. But they also have alot more suffering and confusion than before.

Why is this ?

Do not be a Bodhisatta; do not be a Arahant; do not be anything at all.
If you are a Bodhisatta, you will suffer; if you are an Arahant, you will suffer; if you are anything; you will suffer.

Love and Hate are both suffering, because of desire. Wanting is suffering; wanting Not to have is suffering too.

Even if you get what you want, it's still suffering because once you got it, you live it fear of losing it. How are you going to live happily with fear?

When you're angry, does it feel good or bad? If it feels so bad, then why don't you throw it away? Why bother to keep it? How can you say that you are wise and intelligent if you hold onto such things? Some days the mind can even cause the whole family to quarrel or cause you to cry all night. And, yet, we still continue to get angry and suffer. If you see the suffering of anger, then just throw it away.

If you don't throw it away, it'll go o causing suffering indefinitely, with no chance of respite. The world of unsatisfactory existence is like this. If we know the way it is, we can solve the problem.

A woman wanted to know how to deal with anger. I asked her when anger arose whose anger it was. She said it was hers.

Well, if it really was her anger, then she should be able to tell it to go away, shouldn't she? But it really isn't hers to command. Holding onto anger as a personal possession will cause suffering. If anger really belonged to us, it would have to obey us. If it doesn't obey us that means it's only deception.

Don't fall for it. Whether the mind is happy or sad, don't fall for it. It's all a deception.

If you see certainty in that which is uncertain, you are bound to suffer

The Buddha is always here teaching. See for yourself. There is happiness and there is unhappiness. There is pleasure and there is pain. And they're always here.

When you understand the nature of pleasure and pain, there you see the Buddha, there you see the Dharma. The Buddha is not apart from them.

KARMA - CAUSE AND EFFECT!


KARMA - CAUSE AND EFFECT!

Karma refers to action. The intentional deeds we do with our body, speech and mind through action, talking and thinking!

Karmic law always bear fruits when condition ripen.

HOW DOES KARMA WORK?

All deeds leave imprints or mental seeds on our consciousness, which we ripen into our experiences when the appropriate conditions come together.
For example if we help someone with a kind heart, this action leaves a positive imprint on our midstream.

When conditions are suitable, this imprints will ripen in our receiving of help when we need it. Karmic seeds are carried over with us from lifetime to lifetime. However if we do not create the cause or karma for something, we will not experience that result. If one does not plant a certain seed, that certain plant will not grow.

The Buddha Taught:

According to the seed that is sown,
So is the fruit you reap,
The doer of good will gather good result,
The doer of evil reaps evil result,
If you plant a good seed well,
Then you will enjoy the good fruits.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECT OF KARMA?

karma affects our future rebirths and influences what we experience during tour lives-how others treat us, our wealth, social status etc.

Karma also affects our personality and character-our talents, strong personality traits and habits, the kind of environment we are born into is also influenced by karma.
We are according to what we have done.
We will be according to what we do.

WHAT KIND OF KARMA ARE THERE?

If an action brings pain and misery in the long term for oneself and others, it is unwholesome or negative karma. and if it brings happiness, it is wholesome or positive karma.

Actions are not inherently good or bad - they are only according to their motivational and the consequences they brings. Whatever happiness and fortune we experience in our lives are result from our positive action, while our problems from our own negative actions.

HOW IS NEGATIVE KARMA CREATED?

Killing
Stealing
Sexual misconduct
Lying
Tale-bearing
Harsh speech
Idle talk
Craving (Greed)
Aversion (Anger)
Wrong views

HOW IS POSITIVE KARMA CREATED?

There are 10 wholesome actions which one ought to strive to do to create positive karma.
The 10 wholesome actions include avoidance of the 10 unwholesome actions
Charity
Self restrain
Meditation
Reverence
Service
Sharing of merits
Rejoicing I others merits
Hearing the Dharma
Teaching the Dharma
Straightening one's view.

CAN KARMA BE CREATED TOGETHER?

Karma is both collective and individual.
Collective karma is action done together as a group. For example, a group of people kill together. The results of this action can be experienced together as a group in the future lives.

Yet each member of the group thinks, speaks and act differently thus creating individual karma, the result of which only one will experience.

WHO KARMA CONTROL?

There is no one who decides the "reward and punishment" for what we do. We create the causes of our actions, we experience their results. We are responsible for our own experiences. he Buddha discovered the law of karma; He did not create it.

No one create this natural law. By teaching us the law of karma, the Buddha showed us how to work within the functioning of cause and effects to avoid pain and attain True Happiness.

IS EVERYTHING SUBJECT TO KARMA

The law of karma does not apply to "mindless" neutral action such as walking, sitting, sleeping. such action do not produce effects apart from the action itself.

However karma applies to the intentional thoughts one thinks. Similarly. accidents are considered neutral karma because they are unintentional. However, we should always work toward increasing our mindfulness such that accident do not occur.

CAN KARMA CHANGE?

Karma is not inflexibly fixed - it is not fate or predestination, intentional actions at some time or another produce their effects when favorable conditions exist.

Though people in their present lives are experiencing the effects of their past actions (Karma) , it is possible to change, reduces or increase the effect of these past actins through present actions and attitude, which can affect the immediate and future helps one realize that we are whatever we make ourselves to be. We are entirely responsible for our destinies.

HOW DO WE KNOW KNOW OUR KARMA?

The Buddha gave us general guidelines about the results of various actions. For example, the Buddha taught us that killings causes a short life and that generosity results in wealth.
However, only a Buddha omniscient mind can understand the complete dynamics of karma.

There is flexibility in the functioning of actions and their results. While we know that constantly insulting others, for example brings an unfortunate rebirth, just exactly what form we will be reborn into varies. if the action was heavy- for example, with strong anger we repeatedly abuse many people and felt gratified that we had hurt their feelings, the result will be more unpleasant than if we casually teased someone and later regretted our insensitivities.

The condition present at the time that karmic seeds ripen also influence what specific result it brings.

IS KARMA ALWAYS FAIR?

When we see dishonest people who are wealthy , or cruel people who are powerful, or kind people who die young, we ma doubt the law of karma.

But many of the result we experience in this life are results of action in previous lives, and some of the action we do in this life will only ripen in future life's - this is called long term karma. (Short term karma is that which shows results within a short period of time.)

The wealth of dishonest might be result of their generosity in past lives. Their current dishonesty is however leaving karmic seeds to experience poverty in future lives.

Likewise the respect and authority given to cruel people is due to positive action they did in the past. Those die young young are experiencing the result of negative actions such as killing done in past lives. However, their present kindness is planting seeds or imprint on their mind stream for them to experience happiness in the future.

WILL WE SURELY EXPERIENCE NEGATIVE KARMA?

When seeds even small ones are planted in the ground the will eventually sprout- unless they do not receive the needed condition for growth-such as water, sunlight and fertilizer. The ultimate way to uproot karmic imprint or seeds is by meditating on the emotionless of inherent existence.
This is the way to purify the disturbing attitude and karmic imprint completely.

At our level this maybe rather difficult, but we can still stop the harmful imprint from ripening by purifying. This is like preventing the seeds from receiving water, sunlight and fertilizer. Doing much good too can dilute the ill effect of negative karma.

HOW CAN WE PURIFY NEGATIVE KARMA?
Purifications important as it prevent future suffering and relief guilt. By purifying our mind we are able to have grater peace,and have better ability to understand the Dharma.

The 4 opponents power use to purify negative imprints or seeds are:
Regret
Determine to never repeat action
Taking the Threefold Refuge and generating Compassion towards others
Actual remedial practice (Positive action-including apologizing,asking possible amends, practice mediation and chanting)
The four opponent power must be done repeatedly. As we have done many negative actions,we cannot expect to counteract all of them at once.

The stronger the 4 opponents power are, the firmer our determination not to repeat the action and the more powerful the purification will be.

DOES KARMA DETERMINE WHO WE MEET?

Yes- but this does not mean all relationship are predetermine. We may have certain karmic predisposition to feel close to or have friction with certain people, but this does not mean the relationship will be continue along the same line.

If we are kind to those who speak ill of us and try to communicate with them, the relationship will change, creating a [positive karma that will bring happiness in the future.

We are not karmically bound to others - there're no special people who are the only one for us. Since we have many past lives, we have had contact with every being at some pint before.

Our relationship with any particular person also change constantly. However past karmic connection can influence our present relationship. for example, if someone has been our spiritual mentor in a past life, we may be drawn to that person in this lifetime, and when he or she teaches us the Dharma, it may have a very strong effects on us.

IF OTHERS SUFFER FROM NEGATIVE KARMA, CAN WE HELP THEM?

We know what is like to feel miserable, and that is exactly how others feels when they are experiencing the results of their own destructive action. Out of empathy and compassion, we should definitely help. Though others created the causes to experience their difficulties, maybe they also created the causes to receive help us!

We are all alike in wanting happiness while trying to avoid pain. It does not mater whose pain or problem it is- we should try to relieve it. For example, to think, "The poor are poor because of their own past lives" miserliness.

I would be interfering with other's karma if I tried to help" is a cruel misconception. We should never rationalize our own laziness, apathy or smugness by misinterpreting the law of cause and effect.

Compassion responsibility is important for our own spiritual development and world peace.


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Impermanence


Impermanence

Condition exist through change. You can't prevent it. Just think could you exhale without inhaling? Would it feel good? Or could you just inhale? We want things to be permanent, but that can't be. It's impossible.

If you know that all things are impermanent, all your thinking will gradually unwind, and you won't need to think too much. Whenever anything arises, all you need to say is "Oh, another one!" Just that!
Any speech which ignores uncertainty is not the speech of sage.

If you really see uncertainty clearly, you will see that which is certain. The certainty is the things must inevitably be uncertain and they cannot be otherwise. Did you understand? Knowing just this much, you can know the Buddha, you can rightly do reverence to him.

Sometimes I'd go to see old religious sites with ancient temples. In some places they would cracked. Maybe one of my friends would remark, "Such a shame, isn't it? It's cracked." I'd answer, "if they wouldn't cracked there'd be no Dharmma. It's cracked like this because it's perfectly in line with the Buddha's teaching."

Conditions all go their own natural way. Whether we laugh or cry over them, they just go their own way. And there is no knowledge of science which can prevent this natural course of things. You may even get a dentist to look at your teeth, but even if he can fix them, they still finally go their natural way.

Eventually even the dentist has the same trouble. Everything falls apart in the end.

What we can take for certain? Nothing! There's nothing but feeling. Suffering arises, stays, then passes away.

Then happiness replaces suffering - only this. Outside of this, there is nothing and grabbing at feelings continuously. Feeling are not real, only changes.



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The Life Of A Human Being Is Within His One Breathe....


The Life Of A Human Being Is Within His One Breathe....

The Life of a human being exists within the process of one breathe.
Once the breathe is stopped, the man will die!

Suppose I were able to live for one hundred years. Indeed, among the millions of people, how many can really live for one hundred years?
Just take an average count of the breathing of a man who can breathe for sixteen times within a minute, then in an hour he will breathe 60X16 = 960 times.

In a day which consists of 24 hours, he will breathe for 24 X 960 = 2340 times. In a year which is 365 days, he will breathe for 365 X 23040 = 8,409,600 times. Then in a hundred years he will breathe eight billion four thousand million times

Every time when I breathe in the air and send it out, I will be losing one breathe ...Oh, poor me, everyday I lose 2,3,040 breaths. In a year I will be losing 8,409,600 breaths. Our lifespan which amounts to tens of years will come to an end when I finished sending out the last breathe.
From here, we can see that life is indeed short and impermanent!
Some people say, "As soon as a child is born, he begins to die",

Indeed, the day we come to the human realm, is also the day when we start walking towards death!

In this Saha World, what is that in life which is really worth our clinging to?

Because I want to be liberated from the Saha World of the five turbidities, I am mindful of the Buddha, "NAMO AMITABHA" May I be born in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss



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Buddhism And Modern Science


Buddhism = Science?

Does Buddhism conflict with modern science? Among all the major religions of the world, Buddhist teachings do not have any major or significant conflicts with modern science.

It does not have any creation myths, nor does it attempt to attribute any natural phenomenon to supernatural causes.

Buddhism embraces the fully the Theory of Evolution which quite clearly demonstrate the Buddhist doctrine of impermanence. Thus, it has no difficulties with fossil remains, carbon-dating and geological evidence with modern science uses to date the age of the earth to be around 4.5 billion years. These discoveries in fact comment the Buddha's comment that the earth has been in existence for eons.

The Buddha has said specifically that there are countless star systems in existence, and that our world is a speck of dust compared to the vastness and diversity of the universe. He did not claim that the earth was created by unseen deity or that humans are a special creation of that deity.

Using modern astronomy, satellites and radio telescopes, we can observe the trillions of stars and billions of galaxies in the universe, and see clearly that the Buddha made a very accurate observation of our place in the cosmos.

The Buddha's concept of time, in the context of the universe, seems to be very much in accordance with modern science. Buddhism measures the timescale of te universe in "Kalpas" which are inconceivably long periods of time. He gave the analogy of silk cloth brushing the top of a mountain once very hundreds years. The time it takes for the mountain to be worn away is approximately the duration of one "kalpa".

Therefore Buddhist cosmology is quite inline with the current scientific estimates of the age of the universe, which is taken to be about 13.7 billions years old.

Also very interesting, the Buddha mentioned that the universe is in continual state o expansion and contraction and that these cycles last for unimaginably long periods of time, or for many, many "kalpas" it seems that he anticipated the oscillating universe. Theory by more than 2,00 years.

In one of his discourser, the Buddha held up a cup of water. For a long time, nobody understood what he meant but today we can see through a microscope that there are in fact countless micro-organism in any cup of water. Thus there may still be many things the Buddha said that we have yet to discover and comprehend.


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The Buddha Speaks The Ullambana Sutra


Is the 7th Lunar Month the Ghosts' Season?

In India, the raining seasons lasts for three months yearly. It extend from the 15th day of the 4th lunar month to the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. Hence it is very inconvenient for the Sangha to seek alms during this season.

The Buddha decided that all monks must practice diligently these months while staying indoor.

After practicing for 3 months, many members of the sagely assembly attained The Way. Thus, the Buddhas in the ten directions rejoiced over their attainment.

In addition, on this day, the members of the sagely assembly came together to discuss their individual progress during these three months. all merits and demerits had to be declared openly to the assembly. Thus this day is also known as the "Sangha Pravana Day."

At the same time, Venerable Maudgalyayana's mother was suffering in the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts. She had committed heavy negative Karma due to stinginess and greed. She could not be saved by spiritual strength of her strength alone, neither could she be saved by all the earth spirits and heavenly gods.

She could only be saved by the combined strength of the sagely Sagha in the ten directions who had attained the Way.

Hence, Buddha instructed Venerable Maudgalyayana to make Ullambana offering to the sagely Sangha on the 15th day of the lunar month or "the Buddhas Happy Day". By doing so, the parents of the present and past lives would receive the blessings and their negative karma would be purified. Thus, this day is also know as "The Day of Filial Piety".

If the Buddha had taught Venerable Maudgalyayana to make the "Ullambana Offering" on the 15th Day of the 6th lunar month (or any other day), then isn't it true that the 6th lunar month would be regarded as the "Ghosts' Season?" Ghost are always around every day. Who say they only appear during the 7th month?



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Tipitaka - The 3 basket


Tipitaka
Three Baskets (Tipitaka)
Discipline (Vinaya Pitaka)
Discourse (Sutta Pitaka)
Ultimate Doctrine (Abhidhamma Pitaka)


Discipline (Vinaya Pitaka)
1. Major Offences (Parajika Pali)
2. Minor Offences (Pacittiya Pali)
3. Greater Section(Mahavagga Pali)
4. Lesser Section (Cullavagga Pali)
5. Epitome of the Vinaya (Parivara Pali)

Discourse (Sutta Pitaka)
1. Long Discourses (Digha Nikaya)
2. Middle-length Discourses (Majjhima Nikaya)
3. Kindred Sayings (Samyutta Nikaya)
4. Gradual Sayings (Anguttara Nikaya)
5. Smaller Collection (Kuddaka Nikaya)

Ultimate Doctrine (Abhidhamma Pitaka)
1. Classification of Dhamma (Dhammasangani)
2. Divisions(Vibhanga)
3. Discourse of Elements(Dhatukatha)
4. The Book on Individuals (Puggala Pannatti)
5. Points of Controversy (Kathavatthu)
6. The Book of Pairs (Yamaka)
7. The Book of Causal Relations (Patthana)


5. Smaller Collection
1. Shorter Texts (Khuddaka Patha)
2. The Way of Truth (Dhammapada)
3. Paeans of Joy (Udana)
4. “Thus said” Discourse (Itivuttaka)
5. Collected Discourse (Sutta Nipata)
6. Stories of Celestial Mansions (Vimana Vatthu)
7. Stories of Petas (Peta Vatthu)
8. Psalms of the Brethren (Theragatha)
9. Psalms of the Sisters (Therigatha)
10. Births Stories of the Bodhisatta (Jataka)
11. Expositions (Niddesa)
12. Book of Analytical Knowledge (Pastisambhida)
13. Lives of Arahants (Apadana)
14. History of the Buddha (Buddhavamsa)
15. Modes of Conduct (Cariya Pitaka)


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Dawn Of Truth


The Dawn of Truth

1. The Reminiscence Of Past Births (Pubbe-nivasanussati Nana)
2. The Perception of the Disappearing and Reappearing of Beings (Cutupapata)
3. The Comprehension of the Cessation of Corruptions (Asavakkhaya Nana)

Delivered am I
Rebirth is ended
Fulfilled the Holy Life
Done what was to be done
There is no more of this state again.



One of the First Utterances of the Buddha

Anekajati samsaram sandhavissama anibbisam
Gahakarakam gavesanto dukkha jati punappunam
Gahakaraka dittho’ si puna geham na kahasi
Sahha to phasuka bhagga gahakutam visamkitam
Visamkharagatam cittam
tanhanamkhayam ajjhaga

Through many a birth in existence wandered I,
Seeking, but not finding, the builder of this house.
Sorrowful is repeated birth.
O housebuilder (Craving), thou art seen.
Thou shalt build no house (Body) again.
All thy rafters (Passions) are broken.
Thy ridge-pole (Ignorance) is shattered.
Mind Attains the Unconditioned.
Achieved is the End of Craving.



Who is the Buddha?

Once a certain Brahmin named Dona, noticing the characteristic marks of the footprint of the Buddha, approached Him and questioned Him :

‘Your Reverence will be a Deva ?’
‘No, indeed, Brahmin, a Deva am I not,’ replied the Buddha.
‘Then Your Reverence will be a Gandhabba ?’
‘No, indeed, Brahmin, a Gandhabba am I not.’
‘A Yakkha then ?’
‘No, indeed, Brahmin, not a Yakka.’
“Then Your Reverence will be a human being ?’
‘No, indeed, Brahmin, a human being am I not.’
“Who, then, pray, will Your Reverence be ?’


The Buddha replied that He had destroyed Defilements which condition rebirth as a Deva, Gandhabba, Yakka, or a human being and added: I am the Buddha - the Awaken One.

Conversation with Upaka

The Buddha was travelling on the highway,
when between Gaya and the Bodhi tree,
beneath whose shade He attained Enlightenment,
a wandering ascetic named Upaka saw Him and addressed Him thus :

"Extremely clear are your senses, friend!
Pure and clean is your complexion.
On account of whom has your renunciation been made, friend?
Who is your teacher?
Whose doctrine do you profess?"


The Buddha replied to Upaka :

"All have I overcome, all do I know.
From all am I detached, all have I renounced.
Wholly absorbed am I in the destruction of craving (Arahantship)
No teacher have I. An equal to me there is not.
In the world including gods there is no rival to me.
Indeed an Arahant am I in this world.
An unsurpassed teacher am I;
Alone am I the All-Enli ghtened.
Cool and appeased am I.
To establish the wheel of Dhamma to the city of Kasi I go.
In this blind world I shall beat the drum of Deathlessness."

Majjhima Nikaya, Ariyapariyesana Sutta, N.26


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Friday, February 12, 2010


The central theme of a good Buddhism can be said to be:
Evil, Good & Pure


Sabbapapassa akaranam Avoid Evil
Kusalassa upasampada Do Good
Sacitta pariyodapanam Purify the Mind
Etam Buddhana sananam This is the teachings of all Buddhas
Dhammapada - 183 

The Five Aggregates (Panca Khandha)
Human >>>Matter (Rupa) Plus Mind (Nama)


Element Of Extension (Earth) Pathavi
Element Of Cohesion (Water) Apo
Element Of Heat (Heat) Tejo
Element Of Motion (Wind) Vayo

Mind (Nama)
Feeling Vedana
Perception Sanna
Mental Formations Sankhara
Consciousness Vinnana 

Human >>> Five Aggregates (Panca Khanda)

Matter (Rupa)
Feeling (Vedana)
Perception (Sanna)
Mental Formations (Sankhara)
Consciousness (Vinnana)


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