I’ve been struggling with desire for the last several days. Reflection on the 32 Parts of the Body seems to be especially called for. I will share one of the articles I find most useful here. May we all break free of the bonds of defilement.
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/khantipalo/wheel271.html
Posted in asubha, Buddha, Buddha Vacana, Buddhism, Dhamma, Formal Meditation, Theravada | Tags: body contemplation, lust, patikulamanasikara
Without realizing my own faults, even though they are big, I realize the faults of others, even though they are tiny.
Excerpt From: “Illuminating the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva” by Chokyi Dragpa. Scribd.
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Posted in Bodhisattvayana, Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Lojong, Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: compassion, criticism, faults, suffering
Last night a friend stopped by to find some solace from a situation she’s dealing with at home. I was eager to lend an ear but it became quickly apparent that my willingness had more to do with a desire to gossip and pontificate than to bear witness.
I suspect that I have often been like this but rarely had my own behavior been so glaringly obvious. I already sent her a text apologizing but the fact is that I really need to work on my speech.
Posted in Dhamma
Therefore when you meditate, you first think that there is absolutely no reason to be so upset and feel so much aversion towards the enemy who has been your dearest friend so many times.
You need to think about this again and again in order to subdue your aversion and equalise your mind towards this person.
Likewise, think that there is no reason to be so attached to the person you are close to, your friend, because he has been your enemy so many times.
Think about this again and again to subdue your attachment and equalise your mind towards this person.
Excerpt From: “How to Generate Bodhicitta” by Venerable Lama Ribur Rinpoche. Scribd.
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Posted in bhavana, Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Forgiveness, Karuna, Lojong, Parami, Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: compassion, equalization, mind training
May I receive this food with gratitude and appreciation of the sufferings that it entailed.
May I be mindful that this meal may be my last and not allow it to go to waste.
May I eat not in pursuit of the pleasure of taste but simply as fuel for this body.
I’ve noticed that when I show myself to consume mindlessly there’s a feeling almost akin to dirtiness in the mind. So, once again, I’m trying to come up with a few gathas to help refocus the mind on the present. In addition, I intend to only take two meals a day to train for hardship and reduce my appetite. I will also make the aditthana not to consume sweets more than once a month.
Rough times seem to be on the horizon and I want to train my mind as much as I can now so that I’m less likely to act unskilfully in the future. May we all do the same.
For a bodhisattva who wishes for the enjoyments of virtue,
All harm-doers are like precious treasures.
Therefore, it is the practice of bodhisattvas to cultivate patience,
Free of hatred and animosity toward any-one.
Excerpt From: “Illuminating the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva” by Chokyi Dragpa. Scribd.
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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Khanti, Parami, Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: 37 Practices of the Bodhisattva, patience
Despite the fact that tonglen is a technique that is never mentioned in Pali Canon, I seem to have faith in it and a number of other Mahayana practices. I can’t explain it rationally but I have found myself consistently drawn to lojong and tonglen and have always been inspired by teachers like Shantideva, Atisha and others.
To the point : This morning I was practicing tonglen for a truly close and difficult person in my life. As I was breathing in her suffering it began to occur to me that the pain she was causing others will be the cause for her to experience even more suffering in the future. A true feeling of compassion arose and a desire to help her was paired with it. I have to admit that I was taken aback when I realized that this practice works. One can feel true compassion for those who hurt and belittle one. No, or doesn’t make it easier to be around then but it changes one’s perspective. I am grateful for her help and hope that she is blessed with fortunate circumstances as a result.
Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Family Life, Karuna, Lojong, Metta, Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: Atisha, mahayana, shantideva, Tonglen
May I, when seeing one in need, give rise to delight,
And with a smiling, friendly countenance,
Give away—with a mind free of any hope whatever is desired:
My enjoyments, even my own body, my life, my flesh and blood.
Excerpt From: “Illuminating the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva” by Chokyi Dragpa. Scribd.
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Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dana, Dhamma, Parami, Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: Bodhisattva, generosity, giving, paramita
All phenomena are like dreams and illusions;
There is nothing that is true,
For things appear although they are nonex-istent.
Do not have great attachment to them as real.
The idea that all appearances are but illusions has appealed to me at different times throughout my life. Beginning when I was quite young (probably when I was around 9 years old) Ave I picked up one of my father’s old philosophy books (Bishop Berkeley to be exact) I have had a fascination with understanding perception and how we come to know the world. Later, in college, Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason enthralled me. The idea that our knowledge of things is formed and limited by our perceptual apparatus had stuck with me and Ave influenced the way I understand the Dhamma.
Although I believe the Lord Buddha was the ultimate phenomenologist, the division between phenomenon and noumenon send useful enough for understanding the world as a putthujana. Truly, we can’t see or understand anything as it really is until we have clarified our view and broken free of the defilements.
Excerpt From: “Illuminating the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva” by Chokyi Dragpa. Scribe.
Read this book on Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/283004474
Posted in Buddha, Buddhism, Dhamma, Lojong, Theravada, Tibetan Buddhism | Tags: 37 Practices of the Bodhisattva, Bishop Berkeley, Critique of Pure Reason, Kant, philosophy
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