Cattāri Brahmavihārā

Posted by: Michael | 04/20/2016

What’s it worth?

This morning I opened yesterday’s mail and got a pretty nasty surprise: a six thousand dollar medical bill. Mornings are stressful enough but this news threatened to send me directly over the edge. Fortunately, I was able to catch myself before I was tempted into acting unskillfully.

I considered the following: what is worse? An erroneous $6k bill or the akusala kamma of acting and speaking based on anger. Luckily the calculus was an easy one and it was just really enough to help me out the brakes on.

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: akusala kamma, anger, contemplation, reflection

Posted by: Michael | 04/19/2016

The Dhamma Mirror

109. I will teach you the Mirror of Dhamma which, if someone possesses, he may confidently say: “Rebirth in hell as an animal or a ghost is impossible for me. I am a Stream-Winner, safe from falling into misery; I am bound for enlightenment.”
And what is the Mirror of the Dhamma? Concerning this, a noble disciple has unwavering faith in the Buddha and thinks: “Such indeed is the Lord – a Noble One, a fully enlightened Buddha, with perfect knowledge and conduct, happily attained, a knower of the worlds, guide unsurpassed of men to be tamed, a teacher of gods and men, a Buddha, the Lord.”
He has unwavering faith in the Dhamma and thinks: “Beautifully taught is the Lord’s Dhamma, immediately apparent, timeless, of the nature of a personal invitation, progressive, to be attained by the wise each for himself.”
He has unwavering faith in the Sangha and thinks: “Happily faring are the Lord’s disciples, straightforwardly faring are the Lord’s disciples, correctly faring are the Lord’s disciples, methodically faring are the Lord’s disciples – namely, the four pairs of individuals, the eight types of persons. These disciples of the Lord are worthy of offerings, hospitality, gifts, salutations with folded hands; they are an incomparable source of goodness in the world.” Also, he has the virtues that are loved by the Noble Ones – complete, perfect, spotless and pure, virtues that are freeing, praised by the wise, uninfluenced by worldly concerns and conducive to concentration.

Digha Nikaya II.93

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Posted by: Michael | 04/18/2016

Practice for the Dead

I don’t know why but I found myself looking at photos of the WTC today on 9/11 and stumbled across the pics of people who jumped after the planes hit. Seeing those photos brought me immediately back to the feelings of despair and hopelessness I felt all those years ago and there was a chest crushing sadness that accompanied the whole experience.

Of course dedicating merit is a response in line with the Dhamma but I also found myself inspired to record the Ksitigarbha mantra out of the wish that any restless spirits so lingering on there might be guided to the Dhamma and out of suffering. Who knows if this actually helps but the intention that it reinforced in my own heart and mind were justification enough.

Strange how these connections happen.

Sabbe sattaa sabba dukkha pamuccantu!

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Karuna | Tags: 9/11, Bodhisattva, jizo, ksitigarbha, WTC

Posted by: Michael | 04/17/2016

Easing into Meditation

A technique I’ve been experimenting with to deepen my formal meditation is to deliberately tighten the focus of my awareness as recommended in Culadasa’s book.

Since I’ve begun I’ve always had a hard time just being aware of the present moment and have rushed to the breath at the nose. I did this because I would always find myself daydreaming instead of actually meditating. The other day I decided to begin with tonglen, may breathing in the chaos around me and breathing or live and goodwill. Amazingly this turned out to be the way to ease into the first step of meditation and then, about fifteen or twenty minutes latest I shifted down into body awareness, then the breath and then the breath at the nose. I have to remind myself that it’s not the feelings that arise which are the hallmark of a good meditation but it is exciting nonetheless to have found a way into deeper states.

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Posted in Anapanasati, Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Formal Meditation, Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: Culadasa, meditation techniques, Tonglen

Posted by: Michael | 04/14/2016

Happy Uposatha – Do Not Be Lazy

104. There are these six dangers associated with idleness. Thinking: “It’s too cold,” one does not work. Thinking: “It’s too hot,” one does not work. Thinking: “It’s too early,” one does not work. Thinking: “It’s too late,” one does not work. Thinking: “I am too hungry,” one does not work. Thinking: “I am too full,” one does not work.

Digha Nikaya III.184

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Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada, Uposatha | Tags: idleness

Posted by: Michael | 04/13/2016

Chod Practice

I had heard of chod practices before but had never been particularly interested. Now, for whatever reason, I find mutating having taken a real interest. This may have something to do with my recent explorations into pre-Christian druidic traditions and Haudenosaunee medicine practices but, unlike these, the Vajrayana traditions have yet the savor of the Dhamma.

I have just bought the book Feeding Your Demons by lama Tsultrim Allione and have been so far impressed. Naturally I worry about going astray from the Dhamma but if I keep clear in my mind that these practices are simply inspired by the Dhamma much like those of present day Theravadin teachers then I should remain on terra ferma.

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: chod, Tsultrim Allione, Vajrayana

Posted by: Michael | 04/12/2016

Blame

There is the lojong slogan that talks about driving all blames into oneself and it is a practice that I have at times loved and at times questioned. I have seen how accepting responsibility and placing the blame for a situation firmly on my own shoulders had defused potentially explosive outcomes and truly believe there is much to be gained from the practice.

And yet there is a fear.

Call it the fear of being taken advantage of, or suffering unjustly or being plain stupid but there is a limit that I’m apparently unwilling to cross. But what would it mean to take the blame for everything? Take the blame when my wife tells me i’m the reason for our son’s bad behavior? Take the blame when my business partner abuses me of sailing to prevent a negative outcome? Yes, taking the blame will certainly busy my sheltered personality and damage my self esteem but what would be gained? A spouse who believes in her husband’s willingness to accept responsibility and to change. In the case of taking blame for a bad business decision it really only world in the level of helping to lab my grasp on any idea that I am this or that.

My I learn to take the blame into myself and cut the bonds of servitude to the ego.

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Lojong, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: Blame, equanimity, praise

Posted by: Michael | 04/11/2016

For Whom Am I Practicing?

My aunt recently did and I received news that another of my aunt’s now has lung cancer. I have been dedicating the merit of my practice to the aunt who died and now also to my sick aunt but I have also begun spending time offering compassion and merit a la tonglen at least once a day in a more formal way.

As far as my training goes, I have always been told that we dedicate merit to the deceased and offer metta and karuna only to the living. And yet something about this seems incomplete. Knowing that all identity is shorthand anyway I feel I can use my memory of the person or a picture to connect with them and wish for their freedom from suffering on the in breath and in the out breath dedicate my merit and whatever goodness to them.

This other centered practice and to initially turn everything in its head but really, nothing has changed. Practicing for others is nothing less than practicing for myself. Transforming my heart and mind only happens through others.

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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Formal Meditation, Karuna, Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: aunt, compassion, family, merit, Tonglen

Posted by: Michael | 04/08/2016

Paradigm Shift

Changing the way I view formal meditation had really helped to cut through the negativity and the suffering that resulted from clinging to ideas of your the mediation should go. But rather than seeing every sit as a failure of ease and peace don’t arise I am now able to regard all sessions as successes provided I have kept up the effort of returning the attention to the object. A good meditation is, for me, one in which I have exerted effort to keep the attention on the object regardless of the results (although stability and peace are definitely provisional goals) .

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Posted in Anapanasati, Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Formal Meditation, Theravada | Tags: Anapanasati, paradigm shift

Posted by: Michael | 04/07/2016

The Good Person

97. Possessed of four qualities, one is understood as being a good person. What four?
Concerning this, the good person does not speak of what is to the discredit of another, even when asked. What then when unasked? If, however, on being questioned, he is required to speak, then with reserve he dispraises the other person, with hesitation and in brief. This is the meaning of the saying: “This person is good.”
Again, the good person, even when unasked, speaks of what is to the credit of another. What then when asked? If, however, on being questioned, he is required to speak, then without reserve he praises the other person without hesitation and in full. This is the meaning of the saying: “This person is good.”
Once again, the good person, even when unasked, speaks of what is to his own discredit. What then when asked? If, however, on being questioned, he is required to speak, then without reserve he speaks of what is to his own discredit without hesitation and in full. This is the meaning of the saying: “This person is good.”
Finally, the good person does not speak of what is to his own credit, even when asked. What then when unasked? If, however, on being questioned, he is required to speak, then with reserve he speaks of what is to his own credit, with hesitation and in brief. This is the meaning of the saying: “This person is good.”

Anguttara Nikaya II.78

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