How timely. Even this morning I had the opportunity to win, lose, draw or to set the whole mess aside. To be honest, I don’t think I put it to the sure as quickly as I would’ve liked but it is nice to be free of the burden now. So, why waste time feeling remorse for not living up to my own standards?
Life is not a zero sum game. Losers are losers, winners are losers and the only way not to get burned if not to play at all.
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Family Life, Forgiveness, Theravada | Tags: losing, samyutta nikaya, winning
Probably one of the hardest ad hoc spiritual practices that I have the opportunity to practice on a regular basis is that of allowing any person with whom I’m having a contentious discussion to have the last word. Whether it’s an irate customer, a resentful spouse or a snotty preteen, there are so many opportunities to practice what is often called “taking defeat into oneself” in the lojong tradition.
But, why is it so hard? There is the honeyed allure of anger that’s is the first trap I easily fall into, followed closely by a strong but ever-amorphous feeling of injustice. The third snare is ego; I just don’t want to be told what to do or belittled by anyone. And yet, what is won by claiming the last word? Not admiration. Not vindication. At best, I win the resentment of whomever I was speaking with.
May I always gift the last word to another. May I gladly take defeat upon myself.
Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Lojong, Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: last word, taking defeat upon oneself
“Thus you should train yourselves: ‘We will relentlessly exert ourselves, [thinking,] “Gladly would we let the flesh & blood in our bodies dry up, leaving just the skin, tendons, & bones, but if we have not attained what can be reached through human firmness, human persistence, human striving, there will be no relaxing our persistence.”‘ That’s how you should train yourselves.”
Posted in Aditthana, Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: persistence, relentless
“Sakka, King of Devas, all beings, whether deva or human, asura, nāga, or gandhabba, have an earnest desire to be free from enmity, danger, enemies, sorrow and anger. However, they live in enmity and danger amidst enemies, sorrow and anger. This is due to issā (envy) and macchariya (meanness, stinginess).”
I’ve been feeling a little stingy, or perhaps to put it more precisely, a little afraid of not having enough money. I’ve run into a lot of expenses lately hile simultaneously giving less than I feel I should (although I have still been making charitable contributions and Sangha-dana on the days like the current Uposatha).
Anyway, I went in search of teachings on stinginess and ran across this passage frome the Mahabuddhavamsa. Canonical or not, it is just what I was looking for. Wishing you all freedom from envy and stinginess on this uposatha day!
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dana, Dhamma, Theravada, Uposatha | Tags: envy, issā, macchariya, Mahabuddhavamsa, stinginess
Everything you see will soon alter and cease to exist. Think of how many changes you’ve already seen. The world is change. Our life is only perception.
~Marcus Aurelius
Posted in Anicca, Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Stoicism, Theravada | Tags: change, Marcus Aurelius, perception
I’ve posted the Tirokudda Sutta before but something just struck me about it today. The thought that there are so many beings waiting to be reborn. Here is a great post that goes into the mechanics of the paralokafrom Purdhamma.net.
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: Gandabbha, petas, Tirokudda Sutta
“The entirety of a mountain of gold, of solid bullion:
Even twice that wouldn’t suffice for one person.
Knowing this, live evenly, in tune with the contemplative life.
When you see stress, and from where it comes, how can you incline to sensuality?
Knowing acquisition to be a bond in the world, train for its subduing.”
Rulership
Rajja Sutta (SN 4:20)
I’ve been thinking a lot about justice and keep running into the article that Ven. Thanissaro Bhikkhu wrote entitled Wisdom Over Justice. It’s good reading but the thought that keeps returning is that apparent injustice should be accepted because it’s only the result of our kamma. Think of it as if it were the Buddhist version of amor fati but with an equanimous state of mind.
Much like the Lord Buddha reminded the arahant Mahathero Angulimala that he should bear with the abuse and violence he was receiving due to his own past deeds, so too should we gladly bear suffering and misfortune if we are making our way towards liberation.
Why the Sutta passage above though? Simply because, even Lord Buddha was unable to create a temporal rule under which justice could be assured and served. How then do we expect to do anything remotely similar when we are so blind and overwhelmed by desire? Should we not resist the temptation to punish, to exact revenge and to inflame our hearts with righteous indignation? Why not just dress wounds and work to protect the vulnerable in whatever ways are to hand? Why fight for a justice that has never existed in the world and will forever remain an idea in the realm of Plato’s Forms?
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: justice, rulership, Thanissaro Bhikkhu
When I want to bemoan the state of our politics and our society all I really need to remember is that we got here by abandoning (in large part) the precepts. And, adding more hate and resentment will only make things worse. Changing minds is not nearly as important as changing behavior but almost equally impossible. My only solution to the current state of decline is to try to practice dana, sila and bhavana as purely as possible to create better future conditions. May you be well.
Comments Off on Widespread
Posted in bhavana, Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: digha nikaya, generosity, immorality, poverty
“And who is the person like a
line drawn in water? It’s a
person who, though spoken
to by someone in a rough,
harsh, and disagreeable
manner, still stays in touch,
interacts with, and greets them.
It’s like a line drawn in water,
which vanishes right away,
and doesn’t last long.”
Lekkha Sutta AN 3.132
Even if I’m unable to prevent the arising of anger and irritation altogether, I can at least endeavor to let go and regain my composure as quickly as possible. May I strive to treat the vicious with kindness and to look after my heart so that it does not become dyed in black anger.
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada | Tags: anger, Lekkha Sutta
“Should a person do good, let him do it again and again. Let him find pleasure therein, for blissful is the accumulation of good.” The Buddha (Dhammapada, verse 118)
Posted in Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Theravada, Uposatha | Tags: Dhammapada, sila
Improving Lives through Generosity
A hub for the music, culture, knowledge, and practice of Irish stick-fighting, past and present.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 