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I too believe the simplier the life, the better. I also believe in nature, animals, and the role of the environment. There is a time for everything. And in everything is a purpose. No matter how small. There is meaning. As for the cycle of life...the life and living; the moment of death; the separation of the body & soul; reincarnation. For me it is just this simple. But that is just my understanding of the Buddist thinking. |
I've not been updating daily but I saved these to post as I really liked them:
June 22, 2010 Tricycle Daily Dharma The Joy and Pain of Close Relationships You do not learn non-attachment by disengaging and avoiding the intensity of relationships, their joy and their pain. It is easy to disguise as non-attachment what is not non-attachment at all, but your fear of attachment. When you really care about someone and you are willing to commit to that friendship, then you have fertile ground to learn about both attachment and non-attachment. That is what makes the marriage relationship so rich. -Judy Lief, "Tying the Knot" (Spring 1998) June 24, 2010 Tricycle Daily Dharma All You Have To Know Lord Buddha says that all you have to know is what you are, how you exist. You don't have to believe anything. Just understand your mind; how it works, how attachment and desire arise, how ignorance arises, and where emotions come from. It is sufficient to know the nature of all that; that alone can bring you happiness and peace. Thus, your life can change completely; everything turns upside down. What you once interpreted as horrible can become beautiful. Lama Yeshe, "Your Mind is Your Religion" |
Re: The Daily H.H The Dalai Lama
In the final analysis, the hope of every person is simply peace of mind.
(H.H. The Dalai lama) I think this is a good place for me to start: do I have peace of mind? If the answer is no, then I need to examine my life to find out why not. And fix it. This finding out can only be done by some type of introspective thinking: journal writing is a good place to start. This allows me to have a conversation with myself. This gives me a place to call home-MY home, that I don't have to share with anyone, unless I choose to do so. I get to know myself. Do I truly have peace of mind where I am and just not realize it? That is something I can determine over the course of several weeks of writing. I just might not know it. If I truly don't, then what can I do about it? Can I change my point of view, so that I have it where I am? Can I change the situation where I am. so that I will have peace mind? If the answer is no, then I need to determine what will give me peace of mind and find it. I suggest solitude for a time after leaving a situation. This lets me get to know myself again as I am now. I am probably not the person I thought I was. So some time meditating, have more conversations with myself (journal writing again), and making new friends lets me find out both who I am and who I want to be in order to simply have peace of mind. Lady_Wu |
Re: the daily Daode Jing
which is more important, your honour or your life
which is more valuable, your possessions or your person which is more destructive, success or failure because of this great love exacts great cost and great wealth a greater loss knowing when you have enough avoids dishonour and knowing when to stop will keep you from danger and bring you a long happy life (Laozi) |
Re: The Daily H.H.Dalai Lama
The only purpose of religion is to control yourself, not to criticize others. Rather we must criticize ourselves. How much am I doing about my anger? About my attachment, about my hatred, about my pride, my jealousy? These are the things we must check in daily life.
(H.H.The Dalai Lama) Namaste |
Re: The Daily Daode Jing=Tao Te Ching
when the world follows the Tao
horses run free to fertilize the fields when the world does not follow the Tao war horses are bred outside the cities there is no greater transgression than condoning people's selfish desires no disaster greater than discontent no greater retribution than for greed (Laozi) |
Re: The Daily H.H.Dalai Lama
Not to identify oneself with something, or to associate things with the "me," and to see that the idea that there is a "me" which is distinct from things is a delusion-that is true wisdom.
(H.H.The Dalai Lama) |
Re: The Daily Daode Jing=Tao Te Ching
without opening your door
you can know the whole world without looking out your window you can understand the way of the Tao the more knowledge you seek the less you will understand the Master understands without leaving sees clearly without looking. (Laozi) |
Four kinds of generosity (Tibetan Buddhism)
Trungpa Rinpoche says that genrosity is the giving up of privacy and inviting all sentient being as one guests...
Four kinds of generosity are mentioned in the Tibetan tradition: 1. Giving material things to those who are in want. 2. Giving protection to those who need it. 3. Giving love. 4. Giving dharma. Namaste, Lady_Wu |
Re: The Daily H.H The Dalai Lama
The first step in seeking happiness is learning. We first have to learn how negative emotions and behaviors are harmful to us and positive emotions helpful.
(H.H.The Dalai Lama) |
Re: the daily Daode Jing
if i understood only one thing
i would want to use it to follow the Tao my only fear would be one of pride the Tao goes in the level places but people prefer to take shortcuts |
Happy Birthday!
H.H.The Dalai Lama
Turns 75 today!!! |
Anger
Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else. You are the one getting burned,
(Buddhist saying) |
I'm so happy that this thread has continued. I was sort of on hiatus, but I am going to try and be back now, as much as I can. And after seeing that Linus and others are reading Buddhism for Beginners, I decided to take it off the shelf and read it again, this time the whole way through. I will be checking back and posting more often...
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Re: The Daode Jing=Tao Te Ching
Good to have you with us, Rainbow! I have been absent for awhile due to illness. I try to post a saying for the Tao Te Ching everyday and a quote from H.H.The Dalai Lama everyday, and perhaps something of my own that is related to one or the other. I am primarily Taoist and secondarily a Buddhist.
Namaste, Lady_Wu:ohm: there is an old saying it is better to be passive in order to see what will happen it is better to retreat a foot than advance an inch (Lao-Tzu) This is related to wu wei, one of the central Taoist concepts. "Wu" translates as "no" . "Wei" translates as "to do". So wu wei literally means "to do no" whatever. This is generally translated as "nonaction". |
Quote from the Buddha
You yourself, as much as anyone in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.
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Re: H.H.Dalai Lama
This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples, for complicated philosophies. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple, the philosophy is kindness.
(H.H.The Dalai Lama) |
Re: The Daode Jing=Tao Te Ching
the Tao of Heaven works in the world
like the drawing of a bow the top is bent downward and the bottom is bent upwards the excess is taken from and the deficient is given to (Laozi) |
Im a practicing Buddhist of the Mahayana & Tibetan school. Ive also started the Shambhala Warrior Training as well. Im currently working on my Ngondro. Ive taken my Rufuge Vows, and hopefully this yr will take my Bodhisattva Vows. Ngondro http://turtlehill.org/khen/tersar.pdf www.ngondro.net Shambhala www.shambhala.org I also practice equal parts Paganism, & Santeria, although as pretty much a Solitary in my area. I also still study Catholicism. So yes I believe you can blend them. I also know when its wise to discuss & not. Ive been studying religions since I could read, both informally & formally. I think they all have something to offer & so much in common. We only need look with both open eyes & open minds. |
This is a lesson from my Temple. I give credit to the author, but I dont want to name him here w/o his permission.
The Buddha and Christmas Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede “A Wal-Mart worker died early Friday after an "out-of-control" mob of frenzied shoppers smashed through the Long Island store's front doors and trampled him, police said. The Black Friday stampede plunged the Valley Stream outlet into chaos, knocking several employees to the ground and sending others scurrying atop vending machines to avoid the horde. When the madness ended, 34-year-old Jdimytai Damour was dead and four shoppers, including a woman eight months pregnant, were injured._” BY Joe Gould, Clare Trapasso and Rich Schapiro DAILY NEWS WRITERS .Updated Friday, November 28th 2008, 10:46 PM According to one witness that spoke with the New York Daily News "When [other employees] were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling, 'I've been on line since Friday morning!' They kept shopping." The term "senseless death" gets bandied around a good deal in the media but Jdimytai Damour's was beyond senseless. It was an unnecessary tragedy. While this particular episode happened two years ago, in 2010 we still had people camping overnight outside stores, waiting for super deals and also trampling other shoppers on Black Friday. Do we ever learn? Is this what Christmas is all about? Needless to say, or at least in my humble opinion, I doubt that The Buddha would be up at 5:00 AM on Black Friday trying to fight his way to the first Nintendo Wii, large screen LED TV or other gadgets for himself. If The Buddha were with us today I think he would appreciate the core values of the Christmas season without getting swept up by the frenzy that sometimes surrounds it. While not a Christian, he could celebrate the life of Jesus and the example he left us of compassion and wisdom. He could help a friend decorate her tree in order to bring a sense of warmth and good cheer to her home. I bet he would even think of a great Secret Santa present for a co-worker. If The Buddha were exchanging presents he would not get gifts for the sake of crossing someone off a list or spend days trying to get the best deal on an item but he would likely take the time to truly think through how to help improve the lives of his friends and family. We too can take a step back from the holiday craziness and reflect on how we can help other people. Such reflection may lead to the perfect gift but more likely will lead to a sense of appreciation for all that we have been given. We should not get too hung up on a perfect gift but focus more on the act of giving itself. When we extend our generosity to others we also grow as a person. When we reflect on what the individual we're giving to means to us we are literally extending our heart to them while offering a token sign of appreciation for our connection. When we meditate about the season and take the time to connect with the heart of compassion, then we develop a gift that is truly meaningful both to the recipient and to our self. For our niece with a lot of energy and a smidgen of grace maybe we can give her dance lessons. For our sibling who is going through a rough time at home we can take them out of town for a weekend. It is not so much what we give this time of year, but that we give with warmth and compassion in our heart. And when you give, give without expecting anything in return, that would take away so much value to your act. When you extend yourself selflessly to others, you reconnect with the spirit of this holiday and to all sentient beings, with or without a gift. When you practice Bodichitta, when you feel compassion and offer the gift of your heart, it is the sort of Christmas present The Buddha could get behind. |
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I studied Wicca for yrs., everything was ok until I transitioned. All of a sudden as a Male I was no longer welcomed. I have since found a local grp ran by a Military Psychologist of all things, that have no problems with me at all. When I talked to my Temple Abbott about changing my Buddhist female name to a Male one, he had no prob.. He even explained the dual nature of the Buddha. Quote:
I am doing the purging, letting go, thing with "stuff" lately. Its hard for me as well, but I gotta admit it felt good to get rid of some things. I use the free pg on Craigslist, and my local branch of Freecycle a lot. I recently had an op to give some much needed items to a Cancer survivor in treatment. He was so happy & said it was his best xmas gift of all. That totally made my day. Letting go is good. Keep up the good work Diva. Quote:
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I have recently been studying the Way Of The Samurai (Great Courage), and have found this to be a great help to me. I have been doing severe austeries for the past fifteen years such as seclusion, celibacy, poverty, renouncing family, worldly pleasures, caring for the sick without pay, study, meditation, etc. I try to live each day as though I could die, without attachment, and freedom from rebirth. The only thing I am having a real problem with now is leaving my furkids without a home. I have become super attached to caring for them all.
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Now a Roshi!
i have posted this is several other places but wished to post it in the sangha as well! after 10 years on intense study, meditation, tai cji, qi qong and other spiritual work, i have finally been officially ttansmitted in the lineage of Gao-Tazi and the Hombu of Hanshi Swansey and the IMAOaOM, the title of
Roshi (Taoist and Ch'an Zen Priest) with Inka I am Dharma Successor Soke Roshi Shihan Jordan Weiss and Taoist Priest Xian Wu Chang Dao-Ling, among Others. i humbly bow to All who have taught me with much wisdom, kindness, compassion, and patience. may i prove to be a worthy successor and Chen Jen! i, pres, am now officially known as Roshi Kellee Wu-Xian Lin Gao in addition, i, a disabled person, achieved my black belt (1st dan) in Shin Sin Do Kung Fu! i showed my learning by successfully fending off real-time (not just by forms or in the ring) a 6 ft, 300 lb man who was not taking NO! for no and attempting to rape me. i am 5 ft and weigh 90 lbs and am disabled. i showed him that if he did not back off that he would be severely injured, killed if necessary,and got him away from me without having to do so! i think he was so shocked that i did not submit that that alone scared him, lol. he has not been seen in these parts again. so i used my training to show that i can now apply what i learned! "little weedhopper" did it! i am setting up first a virtual zendo for Taoists and Buddhists, and all who for whatever reason lack a spiritual home. there will be Taoists/Buddhists services offered, meditation sessions, and any other help needed. all will be open to any who wish to come. in addition, i can perform interfaith services such as weddings, commitment ceremonies, etc. i am also offering Taoist/Buddhist counseling to any in need. online and by phone. again these services are free of charge. the only time i will ever charge for my services is, when i am well enough to do so, i set up a real time Pastoral Counseling Service authorized by the state in which i reside. the fees then would be minimal, based upon ability to pay, enough to subsidize those who cannot. i really do not believe that a Roshi should charge for anything. but that is just my opinion. ok. enough. when the zendo is up and functioning. i will make a postin about it. in the meantime, i offer my services to the sangha, should anyone need or want a Roshi. namaste |
I think I need to read this thread over and over. I am seeking a new Truth, a new path for my life. I have been stuck in this PTSD hell for 3 and 1/2 years now. I am tired of being gripped with anxiety and fear. I think a paradigm shift is in order for me.
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put me in your prayers
this upcoming Sunday (April 16th), i have the chance to attend a new class session of Cha'n Buddhism and meditation. please light a candle, burn incense, whatever your personal practice, that i will feel well enough to attend for the two hours. this is first formal Cha'n sangha i've had a chance to become a part of and am needing the support very much! also i ask for a way to find a ride there and back for those times when my generous housemate cannot take me.
namaste and gassho, DamselFly :moonstars: |
Buddhism as a path
Buddhism can certainly offer you a new paradigm! There are several good sites online to introduce you to the basics:
E-Sangha, Buddhanet, the Buddhist Channel, Buddhist Depot, etc. you also might want to look into finding a local sangha (Buddhist community) that would offer classes and an intro to meditation. i am a roshi (Taoist/Zen Buddhist Master), so if you wish to ask any questions privately, i will gladly offer my services! namaste, DamselFly :moonstars: Quote:
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my first class @ Buddha Mind Monastery
last saturday i attended my first class at Buddha Mind Monastery in Ch'an Buddhism! i enjoyed it very much though find its teaching most different from the Tibetan Buddhism i am used to. they seem to be a combination of Taoism and Buddhism. since i am both Taoist and Buddhist, i think i have found a good spiritual home. the Jian Dharma Masters or Shifus were all women! THAT most refreshing. They understood that i could only come to every other class and seemed impressed that i was coming two hours (each way) for class. interesting juxtaposition-while i was at the monastery, my housemate went to a casino, lol! the first meditation They teach is shunyatha (emptiness) meditation. They speak of "going to the Pure Land". i am going to look into taking a course from Ashoka University (ashokaedu.com) in Ch'an Buddhism plus learn everything available from Buddha Mind Monastery's website.
namaste, DamselFly :moonstars: |
Oh.. that does sound interesting. I find it hard to find Tibetan Buddhist temples here (short of going 50 miles from here to one in downtown L.A.). I may have to renew my search again.
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Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently had a stroke.
It is asked that as many as possible do the Medicine Buddha pujas, and or the Medicine Buddha practices. If you scroll down to the 23rd you will find the downloads if you dont know/have them. http://www.fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/ri...practices.html |
Buddhists basics.
i know that there are those who read this thread who do not know the basics of Buddhism. following the outline in H.H.The Dalai Lama in His book, How To Practice, i have decided to give short lessons in Buddhist basics. as to not make the posts overly long, i'll present them in one paragraph "dharma talks". if anyone want explication upon anything, just say so in a post or pm me. i do not set myself up as anyone who has great knowledge, only a student along the Path like everyone. coming up: the Four Noble Truths.
namaste! DamselFly :moonstars: |
The Four Noble Truths
we all have Buddha-nature. we all have the potential to become Buddhas (or in some traditions, are already Buddhas). we first need to realize and renounce participation in the cycle of existence. this is first done by understanding its nature, in the Four Noble Truths:
1. true suffering: the inherent fact of birth, life, and rebirth is suffering. no matter what your material condition, you in some way or other suffer. 2.true sources of suffering: counterproductive emotions and contaminated karmas (actions). counterproductive emotions are those that arise from an action in the past. such an incident should be discussed once, to let the feelings arisen out, and then forgotten. those that arise from such feelings as lust, hatred, anger, etc, should not be discussed, as talking about them only gives them more force and clinging to the mind. instead, one should reflect upon the disadvantage such emotions produce and to prevent them from arising by replacing them with feeling of love, compassion, friendship. contaminated karmas arise from the latter emotions. they can affect both this life and the life to come. 3. true cessation from suffering. there is an end to suffering. this involves overcoming the defilement of the mind, which arises from ignorance. no-one wants to suffer. 4.true paths. the paths to end suffering (and here i speak of those in the Path i know, the Tibetan Buddhist Path) are training in morality, meditation, and wisdom. other Paths concentrate more on meditation or on morality, but we believe that all three are necessary to end ignorance and there by end suffering. in short to realize one's true Buddha-nature. other spiritual Paths can also provide this, but here we speak of the Buddhist Path. please, anyone wanting to help on this do so. explications are welcome. discussion is necessary. this is an engagement. i just provide an outline, with which others might disagree. speak up! this is our sangha! i am but one member. namaste. DamselFly:moonstars: 4. |
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I have been neglecting my spiritual path for a long time and I think it is really starting to affect my life. I feel so empty and lost sometimes and am having a really hard time right now. I decided that I am going to renew my reading and start investigating the different traditions to find one that it right for me. As I go, I will post things I find of interest. I hope others are well on their path...
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I've started to re-look back into the Buddhism I had started in NYC. One of the things I'm looking into is being able to meditate at home and even on the road. I've been investigating online sanghas to help me refocus my energies again. The one I had be a part of before (at lioncity.net) closed and is embroiled in a lawsuit (seems weird for a buddhist community but such is the online life).
I was curious if any other Buddhists knew of good online Buddhist communities. |
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[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Tibetan-Chakra-Meditations-Ben-Scott/dp/B00004VKLJ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344620694&sr=8-2&keywords=tibetan+sound+healing+cd"]Amazon.com: Tibetan Chakra Meditations: Ben Scott, Christa Michell: Music[/ame] I have it loaded in my iphone. I listen to the sound but also visualize the colors and symbols (Chakras). It's very powerful and healing. Let me know what you think. I'm more eclectic in my spirituality but I do find tools within Buddhism and Taoism to be essential to it all. |
i've always found i like the beliefs of the Buddhist way, and a while back was made to read the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh (who is fascinating) which i was grateful for. i have found his teaching to be simplistic which i appreciate. i also learned that i have to handle my spirituality to please myself, not someone else. i also learned that not all who claim Buddhist actually walk in that light. i like to learn from people who actually walk in the light of the Spirituality they claim.
i started to dive deep into my own spirituality when it was what helped me cope and find my way. The Buddhist word is relaxing and calming to me. One thing that comes to mind was being told to touch the Earth for a grounding experience, how simple is that? Visiting the monastery on top of a beautiful mountain a few times touched me deeply and i wanted to learn more about the Monks and their whole way of life. They are so at peace. i wanted that too. Touching the prayer wheels and sitting in that energy moved me greatly. After a mini nervous breakdown a couple of years ago, i stopped looking into Spirituality to fix me. i reclaimed some of my own roots and although i still agree with the teaching of Buddha, i don't use that as my only source of Spirituality. i call on ALL of the deities that have helped me throughout my life, Buddha is just one of them. |
I doubt that this is true for people in very serious chronic pain, but one thing I have noticed as a meditator who lives with arthritis pain is that first, because of your awareness, the pain gets much worse. You had no idea how much pain there was. It's damned near everywhere. Your body practically throbs with it. And then it recedes. I imagine that the same number of neurons are firing -- or however pain works. But the pain seems to rest almost. I know that the pain is there. But I am neither distracting myself from it nor focusing on it, and it becomes less significant. I wish I could explain it better. But I am impressed with how much meditation helps my arthritis pain. And sorta surprised that the process begins with the pain seeming to get much worse.
A friend of mine goes to the chiro -- a good one -- and after he hasn't gone for a while and goes back again, he realizes how much pain he has been enduring. It's not till the pain is less or even gone that he realizes how much there was. I don't know what the research says, but I doubt that meditation lessens my pain. It's just that if I meditate, more of the time my reaction to it is, "Oh. That's pain," not fear and self-pity. I then move around more, which I think DOES help the pain long term. |
You've discovered a deep truth. It's not uncommon, what you describe Martina. It is difficult to manifest without a teacher though. My foster-parents are Buddhists and practice Vipassana meditation and yoga for back pain. When they meditate 2 hours every day, everything else in life flows and the pain and struggle and misery is significantly less. It has to do with perception as you imply. If you focus on the possibility and expectation of pain, you will experience more pain. Meditation can significantly increase well-being and happiness (serotonin). All that focus is healing your body, little by little. Over time, you probably will find you're maintaining mobility as where others with arthritis who rely on medication solely may have decreased mobility.
Namaste ~ the Light in me honors the Light in you Quote:
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i've often wanted to learn to really meditate, REALLY meditate. i've tried so many times but i just can't get to the level i want to. i am a hypnotherapist and i think that somehow interferes with my inability to really get to the level i want . i keep putting myself in the role of the person putting the other person under. i know that there are different levels of meditation, and sometimes when people say they are meditating they are doing other things, or actually just relaxing... in reading those books a couple of years ago i learned about mindful meditation etc... but that is not what i want, i want this: http://shamamabear.files.wordpress.c...985xsmall2.jpg |
i am new to this thread, and fairly new to exploring my spiritual side. It feels like i have already been walking a Buddhist path for a very, very long time, as i read literature and visit the journey within, it all feels so familiar and i am nodding in agreement ... In these passed few weeks, though...i have had much self exploration, meditation time and am very much on a very deep journey of self, and looking forward to sharing more as i explore and walk this path.. |
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