| Thought for the day: July 1, 2007 Set a time for practice every day. If you miss a day here and there, your practice will suffer. If you miss a week here and there, it will die. If you practice everyday, it will gradual change from a task requiring effort to a source of happiness you cannot do without. Our busy modern lives provides many excuses "why" we cannot practice. We should be ready to reschedule our practice just like we would reschedule any other appointment. and not simply miss a day because "something came up." A practice is "built" over time. Even though we may be practicing correctly, it takes time to identify with it. Often it can take years until the gears mesh and you feel engaged with your practice. Therefore, be patient with yourself. Grass will not grow faster by pulling it. |
| Thought for the day: July 2, 2007 The mind tends to think more, more, more; whether we are a monk, yogi, or lay person, makes no difference. We have the power to go against this flow and think, less, less, less. Asceticism is an inner discipline and has little to do with outward appearances. The layperson engaged in the world with a sense of discipline and sacrifice for the sake of the dharma is a true ascetic. |
| Thought for the day: July 3, 2007 I met a bike racer some years ago who raced from Canada to Southern California. I asked him how he focused his mind during the many days of the race. He said that whenever he got on his bike he set a goal for the day; but once started he never looked more than a few feet in front of him. Dharma practitioners can learn something from this. Often people quit meditation and dharma study because they became overwhelmed by the task, and feel unworthy,as well. Often this happens when a practitioner gets too far ahead of himself at the beginning, and is abruptly slammed into his limitations. While it is important to understand where you are going, it is also important to concentrate on where you actually are. |
| Thought for the day: July 4, 2007 Recently, I read a discussion between a Buddhist who engages in interfaith dialog express his frustration with a Buddhist who claimed that the Buddha taught that no enlightenment is possible without taking refuge in the "Triple Gem," the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha (monks and nuns.) To which the advocate of interfaith dialog asked: "If that is the case, who did the Buddha take refuge in?" The Buddhist path is a path of compassion and integration with our fellow human beings with whom we share this great planet. The principles the Buddha taught lead one to self inquiry and an inclination towards basic human values. There is nothing exclusive here. Buddhism is the science of inquiry and gives us the fundamental tools to carry this inquiry very deep into the very foundations of our being. These tools are not patented for only Buddhist use. |
| Thought for the day: July 13, 2007 The Dharmapada urges us to associate with those who are our equal or superior. While our daily befriend those with superior understanding. It is important that those we become close to inspire us to go deeper within ourselves, and challenge us. Friendships for the sake of "helping" the other person should be avoided. As the saying goes: "A clay bodhisattva cannot cross the river of suffering himself, how can he expect to take others across." |
| Thought for the day: July 5, 2007 There is a saying: "The intellect is a good servant, but poor Master," and, "You can't outsmart the Buddha." My own teacher often cautioned his followers to "beware of too much cleverness." The intellect can be a tool of the wisdom mind or a slave of the desire mind. Knowledge of the dharma is only as good as the use to which it is put. |
| Thought for the day: July 6, 2007 A sutra says, "Truly recognize your own faults and do not discuss the faults of others. To be one with all beings, just this is great compassion." As dharma practitioners we should avoid criticising others. The mere fact that we notice a fault in another is a good indication that the same fault is masquerading in ourselves.. |
| Thought for the day: July 7, 2007 Disturbing emotions, particularly anger, are very destructive forces, often inflicting more already fallen from a position of mindfulness, but if I am carried away further and allow anger based action to flow forth, then I have damaged the integrity of my practice. Other disturbing emotions such as lust, jealousy, hate, covetousness, envy, etc are also detrimental, but, since anger is one of the most detrimental disturbing emotion, we will continue using it as an example. While it is best not to become angry at all; it is crucial to control anger quickly when it does arise. This can be likened to controlling a brush fire before it becomes a forest fire. If we contemplate the dangers of disturbing emotions before they arise, we will be far less likely to come under their sway. This preemptive approach is the best way to guard the mind. Once when my daughter Rachel was only seven, she took a candle and lit our curtains on fire. I admit that I became angry, but the urgency of the moment brought my focus to saving the house rather than releasing my anger on my daughter. This gave me time to think more rationally about who was really responsible for the blaze (alas, circumstances occasionally help out.) Better instructions to my little ones regarding the danger of playing with fire may have prevented the entire affair. While it is true that often anger may seem justified, upon closer examination we too are culpable. That is where we should focus our attention. During the minutes putting out the curtain fire, I put together a safety lesson for my kids that I delivered the next day. Harnessing angers negative force allowed me communicate with my daughters and engage them in a meaningful way. Good communication is often the best way to avoid situations that spark anger. It is also a good way to resolve anger that does arise. If we can learn to watch our thought patterns carefully throughout the day, we will not be caught off guard when self control is demanded of us |
| Thought for the day: July 8, 2007 While sexual energy should be controlled, it should never be blocked. Thwarted sexual energy will only lead to excessive anger and deviant views. There are many positive ways to channel this energy through yoga and meditation, so that we desire less and deepen our practice. The full power of sexual energy is realized as an inner expansion of energy, not an outward flow of energy. |
| Thought for the day: July 12, 2007 It is not what you know, but your ability to make use of it that is important. A saying goes: "A body without function is useless." In this saying "body" means "idea." It is referring to the importance of dharma practitioners to put their insights to use in the real world. |
| Thought for the day: July 19, 2007 Speech karma is very powerful. What comes out of our mouth takes on a life of its own and is no longer ours. Therefore, it is important to always engage in thoughtful speech. Angry thoughts do not necessarily have to manifest themselves in angry speech. While angry thoughts are harmful, angry speech is much more so. Frivolous thoughts and other non beneficial thought patterns often give rise to needless talk and wasted energy, and should also be avoided. If we remain mindful throughout the day, unprofitable speech and harmful speech can be eliminated. |
| Thought for the day: July 21, 2007 tremendous discipline. The code of ethics and morality required to even scratch the surface of tremendous discipline. The code of ethics and morality required to even scratch the surface of Buddhism is extremely demanding. The cultivation of virtue and compassion, together with its emphasis on meditation to develop wisdom and concentration, is unmatched by any religious philosophical system. If Buddhism is really nihilistic, why is so much personal sacrifice demanded of its practitioners?demanded of its practitioners? |
| Thought for the day: July 27, 2007 Scholars are especially susceptible to the lure of the "highest philosophical point of view." They prance about debating court yards slapping their hands as they roundly defeat their opponent. And yet they go to the market place and their head turns at the first skimpy skirt that walks by. Although they can present the highest viewpoint in debate; they are confused by their own desires. So what good is their study? |
| When meditation is new it seems totally different from our active life; but as one's practice matures the line between active life and spiritual life becomes more and more indistinguishable. While mediation should help support our role in life by revealing how to become a better person; it is important to understand that the life we lead should support our mediation, as well. |
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