April-08

Thought for the day: April 2, 2008

Begin everyday with a "not to do list."

Thought for the day: April 1, 2008

Christianity's saving grace comes from the moral and ethical discipline it commands, and one that
is all too often put aside. For them, "accepting Christ" has become a hindrance because of one
sided clinging to it.. Buddhism avoids this problem by not establishing the possibility of salvation
from "other" to begin with. It simply says that without moral and ethical discipline you will be too
blinded by personal ambitions and desires to see how to set yourself free from them.

Thought for the day: April 3, 2008

Meditation has nothing whatever to do with stopping thoughts or mental images. What it does
have something to do with is not being moved by thoughts and images. Not being moved by
states of mind or turned upside down by conditions is meditation. This is the foundation that
leads to seeing the nature of the mind. We are turned by mental states because of false views
and attachments. As we progress in our meditation these will cease to move our mind and
gradually cease to arise. This effort must be a total effort involving all aspects of our life,
bringing everything to the task---and it can be done.

Thought for the day: April 4, 2008

What is Buddhism? Well, it is what you make of it. There is no salvation by faith in Buddhism.
The Buddha taught his disciples to examine his teachings and cautioned those tempted to
follow them blindly. While one can accept the Buddha as their teacher, either formally or
informally, the benefit or lack thereof is entirely the responsibility of the student.

The very notion of salvation by faith rests on the assumptions that are not demonstrable
Buddhism goes to extraordinary lengths to teach us to break the habit of assuming something is
the case without actually proving it to oneself. Buddhism's highly developed system of
philosophy and logic gives us the tools we need to correctly analyze the path we are on and
travel it knowingly. These tools coupled with correct meditation and livelihood will enable us to
experience directly within our own consciousness the truth of Buddhism. If we do this we will see
these truths at work in the most mundane affairs of life. These truths are not confined to
Buddhism.

Thought for the day: April 5, 2008

Today I read an article (link below ) about Jason Magnessa, an extreme sports enthusiast that is
pioneering yoga on a slack line (similar to a tightrope.) In the article (see link below) he
mentions how it has greatly benefited his meditation and how deep his meditation becomes when
sitting on a slack line for twenty minutes. While I am a big fan of extreme sports, and truly admire
the accomplishment of Jason, it also points out common misconceptions about what meditation is
and how easily these misconceptions can form.

Meditation has nothing whatever to do with the focus extreme sports demands. Mr. Magness
reveals his naiveté by expressing how sitting in full lotus while balancing on a slackline has
deepened his meditation. While this demands tremendous focus, conflating "focus" in this
context with the meditative focus taught in Buddhist sutras is a mistake. The target of the focus
is different and thus the result. If you plant apple seeds you won't grow pears.

The misconception that certain postures could benefit meditation was widespread during the
Buddha's time. The Buddha forbade his disciples to engage in them. If we are focused on Mt.
Everest why declare we are looking at Barcelona?

Recently a good friend who is very skilled on the rings told me that for him the rings were
meditation. But, when pressed in what "sense" it was I could not get an answer. Concentration is
not mediation in the Hindu or Buddhist sense. Concentration brings an object in focus and trains
the mind on it. This makes one who practices it become the object of his topic. One could focus
on being a good mom or dad, a good engineer, a good thief; if one's concentration is good one
will become good at whatever the object is. Meditation is the reverse.

Thought for the day: April 6, 2008

The Path was not meant to be fun; but it is not without its unexpected joy.

Thought for the day: April 7, 2008

Success in meditation is very difficult to assess if we attempt to judge it by the experience we
have while meditating. A better way is to analyze the increase or decrease of disturbing
emotions in one's active life. In addition, decreasing desires and increasing compassion is a
sign that meditation is going well. Qualities such as patience and decreasing anger are also
important indicators.

Thought for the day: April 8, 2008

A wandering monk during a very contentious period of Chinese history when Buddhism was
banned observed,, "Of the deep thoughts some had when leaving fame and fatherland behind,
all that remains in mind is an ancient temple and a tall Cyprus." When we die, what thoughts
will we have? This is an important question to ask oneself, for our last thought at the moment of
death will determine our rebirth. And since the moment of death is uncertain, there is a sense
of urgency here.

Thought for the day: April 9, 2008

Salvation comes in many colors. There is salvation by threat; "accept this doctrine or this person
or we will kill you." Salvation by laying guilt trip, "You are a mess and the only way to strengthen
yourself out is to accept this person or doctrine." Salvation by promise, " Paradise is yours if
you accept this person or doctrine." Salvation by common sense, "Salvation lies within me and is
realized by my own effort."

All of us must learn to untie our own knots. We bind ourselves up and must set ourselves free. A
little reverse engineering goes a long way. Anger, lust, greed are powerful energies that we are
all familiar with. On the coarse level these energies display themselves in obvious ways. But,
through meditation we can become familiar with these energies before they arise in their coarse
and obstructing ways. These same forces that lead to attachment and craving can be quieted
and turned around leading to insight and liberation.

Thought for the day: April 10, 2008

Mantra recitation while engaged in one of the "Four Limitless Minds," kindness, compassion,
joy, and giving, is an aid to meditation. Contemplations, such as the four limitless minds, and
other contemplations, help us to avoid the pitfall of mental laxity that is a danger that often
befalls mantra practitioners when they entertain the notion that mantras have a magical power
of their own that will benefit them regardless of focus. The frame of mind is of utmost importance
when reciting mantras.

Thought for the day: April 11, 2008

An effort to familiarize oneself with the Path before actually walking it can help one avoid its
pitfalls. Taking smaller bites prevents choking, so after first developing a broad perspective of
what the path entails, begin by practicing only as much as you feel comfortable with. Building a
solid foundation first will assure your place on the finish line.

Thought for the day: April 12, 2008

Thoughts are the manifestation of our mind. Any attempts at blocking them, cutting them off, or
stuffing them back in spends a lot of energy with limited results. Buddhism sometimes uses the
analogy of a bird freed from its cage on a ship. It will eventually return of its own accord for it has
nowhere else to go. Our thoughts are the same way. They too will return to the mind for they
have no other place to go. When we meditate our effort should be to develop a keen alertness
that enables us to be aware of the rise and fall of thought. If we do this we will not need to cut off
thoughts or stuff them back in because our alertness preempts our following them to begin with.
Doing so we eliminate a tiresome step in meditation.

Thought for the day: April 13, 2008

Scholasticism is good, meditation is better, and a combination of the two best of all. Study is
necessary to undersatnd correct practice, but without practice study is of little benefit. Similarly,
meditation without study is likely to be incorrect meditation.

Thought for the day: April 14, 2008

No matter how trivial and mundane the task might be, learn to engage the mind fully. This will
offer an indirect support to our meditation. Avoiding frivolous talk and activity is also a support.

Thought for the day: April 15, 2008

"Sympathetic Joy," rejoicing in the merit and virtue of others, is a dharma door highly praised
by the Buddha. It, together with kindness, compassion, and giving, form the "Four Limitless
Minds" a powerful way to counter selfishness that entangles us in limited views of ourselves.
Plus, if you are a miserable person, what better escape than to think about someone who is
not. Might a little sunshine poke between the clouds of your mind.

Thought for the day: April 16, 2008

True happiness stands on its own; it is the nature of the mind, and is the happiness spoken of
by the Buddha. It is this fundamental happiness that is part of who we are, but is often
confused by the happiness that arises and falls with the success or failure in our everyday life
and relationships with others. When we sit in meditation and we go deep beyond thought, we
begin to feel a happiness and mental engagement that is seemingly without an object. Being
happy about nothing helps us to develop a distaste for happiness dependent on things and
events, and enables us to develop an even mindedness towards all relative happiness and
loss. This even mindedness is a wonderful support to our meditation.

Thought for the day: April 17, 2008

Shantideva said, "You cannot cover the earth with leather, but you can cover your own feet."
We live in a world with many obstacles that cause unhappiness, fear, anger, and many other
disturbing emotions. That is the nature of things. While we cannot change the world, we can
move through life without being harmed or fearful of its obstacles. We do this by developing an
understanding that things and events are not inherently obstructing, but are so only by virtue
of the way we interact with them. For example, many become angry in a traffic jam and curse
the traffic, as if it had some inherently negative quality. But, apart from the way we interact with
it there is nothing in a traffic jam that makes people angry. If there were such a negative
quality in a traffic jam, traffic jams would make everyone angry. But, many people don't get
angry in traffic jams. This is because they interact with them differently than the driver full of
road rage. All things are like this. It is not the things and events that disturb, but the way we
interact with them.

Thought for the day: April 18, 2008

Meditation topics are meant to be engaged with in an almost playful manner and never held to
tightly. Just as we might play with a small child, by catching hold one moment and letting go
another, almost losing at times, but never quite so. In similar manner, the mind is placed firmly
on the meditation topic at times, and lightly others, always maintaining at least a thread of
awareness gently upon it. If we maintain our hold too tightly it will disappear altogether and we
will fluctuate between either a firm focus or no focus at all. If we are too lose, we will not be able
to grasp the topic at all. Therefore, it is essential to know when a firm hold of a meditation topic
should be slackened and a lose hold firmed up. If we do this, meditation will become playful
and enjoyable. Rather than setting up the meditation topic as something out there that we
"do," we dance with it holding closely at times arms length at others, never forgetting who we
are dancing with.

Thought for the day: April 19, 2008

I read an excerpt from the teachings of a Buddhist scholar that said that changes in life
circumstance may prevent us from doing our prostrations, meditation, or other devotional
activity. He advised that in such circumstances one should take one's activities and use them
as meditations. He gave the example of a new mother who complained that she no longer had
time for her prostrations. He suggested that she care for her child with the same devotion as
she did her morning prostrations and let that be her morning practice.

This is very problematic advice and inherently unsound. Prostrations, like other meditation
topics, are "neutral" activities that do not have anything in and of themselves to engage the
mind. It is up to the meditator to dive deeply enough into his devotions to become engaged
with the nature of his mind that under right circumstances the meditation topic can reflect.

Caring for an infant and other demands of life are engaging by their very nature. They
demand attention. Meditation topics, on the other hand, don't demand attention. It is up to the
individual to skillfully place his or her attention upon the meditation topic and become
engaged with it.

While very accomplished yogis and yoginis can become meditatively absorbed in any activity
they perform, the same is not true for us ordinary folks. If we wish to develop the skill
necessary to become like the yogi, we must begin by learning to meditate using
attention-demanding neutral meditation topics. The effort to extend this focus into our daily
life is what is called post-meditation practice.

Thought for the day: April 20, 2008

Does sound come to the faculty of hearing, does the faculty of hearing go to sound, do they
meet in the middle; such contemplations were advised by the Buddha and many meditation
masters. They may seem absurdly simplistic on the surface, but they are not if the many layers
of understanding them are peeled away. Understanding contemplations often requires us to
step outside of our assumptions and try to understand the perspective from which they
originate.

Thought for the day: April 21, 2008

There are two speech karmas to look out for; one is speaking words fueled by anger, jealousy,
deceit, and other negative emotions. If words pregnant with these and other negative emotions
part our lips we not only harm others, but ourselves, as well. If we catch ourselves and refrain
from speaking them, our control will do us and the would be recipient far less harm. But, still,
unspoken negativity has wings and harms others and pollutes our own mind. If we find our
head swimming in negativity, it is not enough to thwart its expression. Why is it there at all? It is
arising for a reason and that reason has to be understood. We do not want to be a fertile field
for negativity to alight in and grow. When the mind is clear and bright is the best time to
contemplate how negative emotions arise in the mind. This proactive approach will make it less
likely that we become the host for the seed of negativity.

Thought for the day: April 22, 2008

A sincere application of effort is very important. Always examine your motivation and never try to
cheat the Buddha. It is often tempting to try to justify actions that are not beneficial by making
allowances and contriving ways in which they could be viewed as beneficial. You can't cheat the
Buddha, but you can cheat yourself.

Thought for the day: April 23, 2008

The chances of realizing a small amount of Wisdom by looking deeply into the ordinary affairs
of life and applying great effort to understand them, is greater than spending the same energy
trying to understand "holy" scriptures.

Thought for the day: April 24, 2008

The meditation topic should be mingled with all other thoughts, but never lost sight of in the
process. A common mistake is to wish to concentrate on "just" the meditation topic. This causes
one to spend a considerable amount of energy blocking thoughts out of the mind---an
impossible task. While the main thread of awareness is focused on the meditation topic, a
corner of our awareness should make note of the rise and fall of thoughts. While passing
thoughts are and emotions are not to be developed, they are not to be entirely blocked either.
Maintaining a balance between not developing thoughts or emotions and not blocking them
either, helps us to avoid the extreame of holding the meditation topic too tightly or loosely.

Thought for the day: April 25, 2008

Avoid thinking negative thoughts about anyone. If there is a basis for your negativity, you do
not benefit the person who is the basis for your thought, and as Buddhist our aim is to benefit
others. If there is no basis for your thinking, then you have bogged yourself down in an
erroneous assumption without any basis. In either case no one benefits. However, in cases
where there is a basis for thinking negative thoughts, and you can seek out a positive quality of
that person to think about; thus cancelling out the negative thought, this exercises strengthens
meditation and also benefits the would be target of your negativity. Always bear in mind,
"thoughts have wings."

Thought for the day: April 26, 2008

              Buddhism

         Now Hiring

       Inquire Within

Thought for the day: April 27, 2008

Study has its pitfall just like meditation. The pitfall of study is confusing a lot of information with
understanding. Accumulating facts may help one win debates and pass examines, and yet
contribute nothing towards our inner realization. This often is the case and sutras warn
students not to merely accumulate facts. The effort should always be towards application. How
we use our knowledge to remove our own fetters is the most important point of learning. If we
can use our learning to disentangle ourselves from our attachments, then we honor our
learning with realization. If, our learning only helps us win debates and display our knowledge
by teaching a lot of "facts" to novices, then we are practicing a worldly dharma. In such a case,
we may as well be studying and teaching physics, literature, or anything else, which is OK, but it
becomes a hindrance when we don't clearly distinguish the study of Buddhism from its practice.
Buddhist study must strike to the bone if it is to be considered practice.

Thought for the day: April 28, 2008

Mind intruders wouldn't be there if they did not want something. You can either barricade
yourself in to keep them out or remove what they are after.

Thought for the day: April 29, 2008

The mental attitude when practicing meditation should be expansive and never rigid or closed
off. Like a sponge we should absorb our thoughts without changing. Allowing everyday
thoughts into this clear, bright, expansive mind will effortlessly dissolve them. The nature of
mind is not obstructed by everyday thoughts; but the notion of self and others that we
habitually give rise to (which we construct out of them) blocks our view. If we simply allow our
thoughts to emerge from mind and dissolve therein, without creating more constructs out of
them, the mind will eventually stop creating thoughts. The key is not so much "doing", but
rather "allowing" things to happen.

Thought for the day: April 30, 2008

Contemplate emptiness as non-contextual awareness. This may be a useful aid for you; it is for
me. Our general awareness is contextual. We think in terms that have meaning in a particular
framework. When we read a book, for example, we identify with the characters according to the
framework of the author's composition. Those same characters will not have the same meaning
outside the author's context. The characters of the book derive their meaning relative to
everything else in the book. This is similar to relative truth in Buddhism. Relative truth is the truth
of objects that are gained by their relationship with other objects. If we seek out a meaning for
any given object isolated from all other objects we cannot find one. This unfindability is its
emptiness. If I look at a teapot, the teapot I see is only a name. This name is ascribed to the
bulbous thing with a spout that pours water. Apart from this name, the thing does not exist. It is
purely imaginary. There is no such thing that exists that the name "teapot" is ascribed to. True,
we think that "I poured tea this morning with the teapot," I washed the teapot," "I pissed in the
teapot," whatever, we talk of the teapot as if it is a solid object that supports its name. But, on
scrutiny it is not so. Apart from the usage of the name there is not real object that can be found
as the basis of the word "teapot."

Of course, we do use the teapot to pour tea. This is the conventional teapot. However, if you
search for a "teapot" apart from its name, you will not find one. This is its absolute unfindability
or its emptiness. To see this just turn your head around.