July_08

Thought for the day: July 1, 2008

Repentance and reform are two key elements of Buddhist practice. Mistakes
committed in the past have created obstacles in our lives that repentance very
efficaciously removes. Reform, is the companion of repentance, and simply means
not making the same mistake again.

Thought for the day: July 2, 2008

A simple discipline rightly practiced is far better than advanced techniques practiced
wrongly. In our quest to realize the mind's nature, teachings are often sought out that
are not appropriate for our level of realization. The notion to practice the highest
teaching is one to guard against, as it is often motivated by spiritual arrogance and
greed for success. The first step on the path is always becoming a good human being
and developing wholesome qualities. Bad habits must be rooted out. A humble
attitude in the beginning is one of the most important assets and one that teachers
appreciate most in their disciples. It reflects an inner sense of the magnitude and
seriousness of the path, and those who have it usually stick it out for the long haul.

Thought for the day: July 3, 2008

If you see something and don't know what it is, and you ask someone, "What is
that?" and they tell you it is such and such, the matter is usually over, even though
you have not received any information about the object. If, for example, someone
answers my inquiry about a bird saying, "that is a Robin" I have learned nothing
about the bird, but only about our use of language. The problem with this is that it
seems to me that I am learning about the bird. This becomes even more clear if we
imagine that our inquiry about the bird is met with a reply naming it in a wide variety
of languages.

Why is it that we habitually wish to name objects? This is a very curious human
behaviour. And, why is it that when a name is attached we feel satisfied; even though
no knowledge of the object is gained? Indeed the inclination to name objects and
believing that in doing so we are somehow defining them is a curious human habit.

Thought for the day: July 4, 2008

"There are no fixed dharmas," my teacher often told us. No matter what the dharma
is, it should not be grasped and allowed to become an object of clinging.

Thought for the day: July 5, 2008

Always keep the goal in mind and avoid clinging to the means of attaining it. To
count the hours in meditation, the mantras recited, the prostrations to the Buddha,
and so forth, can become an object of clinging if we lose mindfulness of the aim of
our effort. The means should not be conflated with the aim. If I recite sutra texts as
my practice, for example, or, listen to the enlightened discourse of a great master, if
my mind is elsewhere the words have no meaning. The same is true with mantra
recitation and other forms of meditation. The aim must always be alive in the mind
and the means forgotten about. The practice is like a boat that ferries me to the other
shore. As I cross the sea, I keep my eye on the other shore, not on the boat.

Thought for the day: July 6, 2008

The mind should be tethered to the meditation topic in a comfortable manner. As a
farmer with his ox,who is not concerned whether the ox is close to his post or
wandering at its length, as long as the mind maintains a link to its topic we should
rest comfortably in that meditation.

Thought for the day: July 7, 2008

Seeds planted in unsuitable soil will not grow. In similar manner, our mind is the
ground where we plant the seeds of enlightenment through study, reflection and
meditation. If the mind is full of lust, anger, greed and other disturbances it is
important to focus on these basic hindrances first; thus creating fertile soil for our
efforts to flourish.

Thought for the day: July 8, 2008

As human being we all share the common goal to be happy. Buddhism gives us
the tools to achieve this. It begins by encouraging us to analyze what
"happiness" is, and through this analysis causes us to realize that the
"happiness" we really seek is not supported, but rather an aspect of our own
nature. This realization halts the constant projecting of ourselves outside to
attain something that really is within. This understanding brings the mind to
rest and allows it to turn easily inward, because it is no longer confused by
outward seeking. This provides a foundation for us to understand the tools that
Buddhism offers to discover the nature of our own mind.

Thought for the day: July 9, 2008

Whether one is a vegetarian or not, eating the right kind of food can be an
important support for meditation and good attitude. Certain foods agitate
(Rajasic) the mind, which makes it more susceptible to anger, impatience,
uneasiness, etc; other foods dull the mind (Tamasic), which causes it to have a
propensity towards sleep, sluggishness, and clouded awareness. Some foods are
pure (Satvic) and tend to support good qualities like mental and physical
dexterity and lightness, malleability of mind and body, patience, compassion,
and love. The Hindus were the first to break foods up into these categories over
five-thousand years ago, and the Buddhist later adopted it, as well. As
practitioners, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, it behooves us to be aware of
what these foods are. They are broadly outlined as Satvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic.
Click here for a web link that outlines these foods.

Thought for the day: July 10, 2008

There is a saying, "To everyman is given a key to the gates of heaven; the same
key also opens the gates of hell." This is a Buddhist saying that illustrates an
underling theme that runs through many Buddhist texts, and that is the fact that
the same mind that creates confusion can realize enlightenment.

I read this saying last night while reading one of the lectures by Richard
Feynman, the Nobel prize winning physicist. He points out how it has caused
him to reflect on science and its achievements and how advances in science are
often misused by governments and questions whether scientist should take better
interest in how their discoveries are put to use. Many think it is a responsibility
that scientist often neglect, but shouldn't. Science has often been criticized for
this.

Thought for the day: July 11, 2008

A Buddhist saying goes; " If you see a demon, cut him down; if you see a
Buddha cut him down." It is easy to see why one would cut down a demon; but
why would one want to cut down a Buddha? This saying is really a meditation
instruction for a common mistake that occurs when a seemingly wholesome
thought enters our meditation and we become intrigued by it and develop it
further. For example, one may be meditating on the earth kasina (a common
meditation on the earth element during the Buddha's time,) when the exalted
wisdom of the Buddha or his compassion arises in one's mind. One may be
tempted to look into this thought, but this temptation should be struck down
(just as one would strike down thinking of the earth kasina; while one's
meditation topic is the exalted wisdom of a Buddha.)

Thought for the day: July 12, 2008

The difference between an academic understanding of Buddhism and a genuine
understanding lies in how the lessons are learned. A monk in a monastery who is
under the guidance of a realized master will learn his lessons in an entirely
different way as a scholar in a university. The monk is under constant pressure to
demonstrate his understanding in his life and adhere to a ridged set of
disciplines, as well. Also, he is frequently challenged by the master to verbally
express his understanding of key principles in a context that he is unfamiliar
with. Day after day, year in and year out, he is constantly put on the spot by his
teacher, and having the carpet pulled out from beneath him. In a monastic
environment practice is intense and unnerving. For the monk it is not enough to
know what the teachings are; he must live them, as well. Because of this huge
difference in commitment, one should always seek out advice from left home
people whenever possible and study the works of those who live by the word they
teach to others.

Thought for the day: July 14, 2008

Mindfulness of breathing includes many variations, including the very simple
practice of labeling the inhalation and exhalation, which is the subject of
today's thought. Conceptually the practice is perhaps the easiest to understand,
simply verbally saying to oneself "I am breathing in, I am breathing out," with
each inhalation and exhalation. Don't let the apparent simplicity fool you,
however, correctly practiced it can lead to very deep meditative insight.

On the surface it seems that the object is to correctly label each breath without
mistakenly labeling an inhaling breath as an exhalation or and exhalation as an
inhalation. If you told a child you would give him a hundred dollars for
correctly labeling each breath for half an hour, he or she would probably walk
off a hundred dollars richer, not because he is mindful of the breath; but rather
because he is mindful of the hundred dollars. In this way many misunderstand
this practice.

The child in our example is tying himself to the breath with a rope; when what we
really want is the thin filament of a spider's web. In other words, we are mistaking
the boat for the destination. This is like the traveler crossing a river who stares at the
boat rather than the emerging other shore.

Coarse mindfulness is placing one's entire mind on the practice---like the child who
wants that hundred bucks so bad he is already riding the new bike he is planing to
buy. However, deep and correct practice is far more subtle in that it only demands a
tiny corner of the mind rightly placed. Achieving this may take years and that is why
I view this as a deceptively simple form of meditation.

A sincere application of effort is required if we wish to move beyond the coarse
level of staring at the boat to the increasingly subtle levels of awareness that begin to
emerge from the clouds of deluded thought obscuring it. In time however, the
destination will absorb more and more of our focus leaving only a thread of
awareness on the initial basis. The danger is, of course, losing the boat before we
arrive.

Thought for the day: July 13, 2008

A good dharma practice is like a gem stone with many facets, all contributing
to the beauty of the stone. The study of reason and logic trains the mind to
focus and remain on topic. Well reasoned analyses helps us to discriminate
those teachings that make sense from those that don't or those that are simply
asking us "to take their word for it"---something the Buddha himself never did.
Quiescent meditation is stilling the mind's constant stream of thoughts, with
wakeful alertness watching them rise and fall, and eventually settle completely.
Moral and ethical disciplines are the rudder of the ship; easy to understand
conceptually, but far more difficult to practice flawlessly. These disciplines are
the indispensable foundation for practice. Within these broad categories are
many sub-categories, including such practices as the Four limitless Minds
(kindness, compassion, joy, and giving,) the Noble Eightfold Path, The Six
Paramitas, and many more. Removing fundamental ignorance is a battle waged
on many fronts.

Thought for the day: July 15, 2008

If I can reflect my understanding of the dharma in ordinary activities, then I
have learned my lessons; otherwise I have not.

Thought for the day: June 16, 2008

Once when I was in our monastery's Buddha hall there were some meditation
benches that were not lined up properly together and my teacher asked me to
bring them together. Because I was a very powerful young novice monk, I was
able to use my knee as a lever and move a fifty foot line of benches together is a
single stroke. Although the task was accomplished satisfactorily, my teacher
looked at me and said, "Don't use force." This was to be an underlying
instruction for me throughout my years with my teacher.

As a society we are very result driven. We are conditioned to accomplish the
task at hand, success or failure determined by the result, rather than what was
gained accomplishing it. I stood proudly looking at my teacher beside my row
of benches all snugged up together, whereas, in hindsight, I realize that my
teacher's look was one of disappointment; he would have liked me to have
hidden my strength and patiently moved them one by one.

Success or failure does not really depend on what is accomplished, but rather
what is learned on the way. One need not turn to Buddhism or another religion
to see the proof of this, for the world offers ample proof. Just take a look at how
much "success" rests upon miserable shoulders.

How we do things is as important as what we do. If the means to the end
cannot yield happiness, how can the end be worthwhile. Of course the
knee-jerk response to this will point out that payday is certainly preferred to the
preceding work days; but this thought, like most popular viewpoints, only
reflects a wrong mindset that is conditioned by a society with upside down
priorities.

Now I am sixty-two years old. I could not move a row of benches in one swoop
even if I tried. In fact, today I would probably not be asked; for the benches
being together or not were not the issue to begin with, but were merely serving
as a vehicle for my teacher to teach a lesson that hopefully I have finally
learned.

Thought for the day: July 17, 2008

Constantly bouncing between mindfulness and distraction is a sign that too
much force is being used and the effort should be relaxed. It is also an
indication that an effort is being made to overlook something that requires a
change in lifestyle.

Thought for the day: July 18, 2008

If the destination is not right; it really does not matter if one corrects one's
mistakes along the way. Knowing why we practice the dharma and in simple
terms what these results should look like is essential; Otherwise, the
appearance of a practice can easily deceive. For example, reciting a "holy"
mantra without clear and right intention can cause one to cling to the
practice's form and thereby create another obstacle, rather than remove existing
ones. Therefore, teachers constantly urge their disciples to work with
understanding.

Thought for the day: July 19, 2008

Imagine for a moment the absurdity of a person who throughout his life
committed horrific crimes against his fellow human beings, torturing them by
the most inhumane means, and finally killing them. This person decides that
rape, pillage, and torture have made him sufficiently wealthy and feared, not to
the mention the leader of his people; and he decides that it is time to come to
terms with himself and turn over a new leaf. He turns to the Prince of Peace,
the Buddha, and seeks out a Buddhist Master to study under. The Teacher he
finds knows nothing of his background and gives him the usual instructions.
After a year of practice the student returns for further instructions. The teacher
asks him what questions are most troubling to him and the student replies
that he is still not sure if he should meditate with his eyes open or shut and
that he has been anguishing over whether his right leg should be over the left
or the left over the right. He tells his teacher that after extensive study of the
texts, he finds that while one text say eyes open, another says eyes shut, and
while some texts recommend full lotus with the right leg over the left, others
recommend the left leg over the right. He remarks how extremely frustrating it
is for him and that without clarity on such matters he does not see how he can
progress.

"What is he running from," the teacher thinks upon hearing his student. The
teacher then says to him; "Because you are so "special" you need not worry
about your posture at all. Go meditate and come see me again in a year." The
teacher is very skilled, you see, and knows by his student's question that he is
hiding behind the "form" of his practice.

The disciple returns a year later and reports to his teacher that he had taken
his instructions to heart, and decided to simply meditate lying down with his
eyes shut. But, he found that he often lost his mantra while meditating like
this. The teacher replied, You are very "special" and need not use a mantra at
all. Simply make yourself comfortable, lying or sitting, and just be yourself."

After the third year, the student comes to see the Master; and the Master is not
surprised to see before him a broken man, dishevelled, and skeleton like in
appearance. The student cries out to the master; "What kind of Buddhism is
this you have taught me; I am far worse off now than before I began practicing
the Buddha Dharma."
"Buddha Dharma,?" the Master rhetorically replies; "What right have you to
hide your crimes behind the Buddha Dharma. I have removed it from your life
because you were using the teachings as a veil to conceal the real issues you
must face."

Hearing this, the student wept and repented in detail for all the crimes he had
committed. The Teacher then accepted him as his disciple and the student
never again was concerned whether he should meditate with eyes open or shut,
or the position of his legs.

Thought for the day: July 20, 2008

"Worldly concerns" are no less concerns because we have begun a Buddhist
practice. Buddhism simply gives us the tools to put them in the right
perspective. The problems may remain the same; but we will no longer feel
overwhelmed by them; and this will enable us to work through them in a
clearer more rational way.

Thought for the day: July 21, 2008

Vasanas are karmic propensities; it is the momentum that causes us to act as
we do, think as we do,and simply, be who we are. These propensities are rooted
in our accumulated thoughts and actions from past lives and our current life;
and we are continually creating propensities that will guide our tomorrows.
Our life as it is today is no accident; and who we will become in the future is
not in the hands of chance.

If we can bring ourselves to understand the justness of karma, we can examine
our past without burdening ourselves with judgements about whether or not
things could have been different. Since we are continually creating vasanas that
will push us into the future, we must ask ourselves what is a truly worthwhile
goal. For this we need some point of reference and a better understanding of
who we are and why we are here. Merely asking these questions is a profound
therapy for unravelling the many misconceptions that have us tethered to a
conventional, face value, view of the world.

Thought for the day: July 22, 2008

The capacity to share the loss of another is as important as being able to share
their joy. A person whose natural mode of being is like this lives a far more
fulfilling life because his attitude reflects the underlying oneness of humanity.

Thought for the day: July 23, 2008

A saying goes: " A battering ram can knock down a wall; but it can't repair
the breach." In a similar manner, in a few short moments anger can destroy
the merit accumulated over a long while; but anger cannot repair the damage
done. A short amount of time each day contemplating the consequences of
anger can keep it from arising and causing a set back in one's practice.

Thought for the day: July 25, 2008

"Morality" is one of the "Six Paramitas;" the others are giving, patience,
vigor, samadhi and wisdom. Morality is difficult because desire is strong. It
is said that even great saints who are adapt in the samadhis have given into
lust and fallen. Although we may be pure in precepts, the mind must be
continuously alert for unexpected conditions that may turn us upside down.

Thought for the day: July 24, 2008

"Giving" is one of the "Six Paramitas;" the others are morality, patience,
vigor, samadhi and wisdom. Giving is rightly viewed throughout most of Asia
as a very powerful Dharma Door, much as meditation is viewed in the West. I
have known many Asian people who have sought realization primarily
through the cultivation of giving, practicing very little meditation. This is very
different from the attitude in the West, where meditation is placed on a
pedestal and giving often ignored.

In a Buddhist sutra the story is told of a poor village girl who had no
possessions except her "favorite leaf." One day, upon seeing the Buddha, she
ran up to him and prostrated, placing her favorite leaf at his feet. The
Buddha picked the leaf up and said to the girl that this leaf was now his
treasure and he will accept it in gratitude for the sincerity of her offering.

Both rich and poor have something to give. There are not any dharmas that
are meant only for a specific class of people; and giving is no exception. It is
through making offerings that we free ourselves from attachment and
accumulate merit. It is a very powerful dharma that can save a lot of toiling
on the meditation cushion.

Thought for the day: July 26, 2008

"Patience" is one of the "Six Paramitas;" the others are giving, morality,
vigor, samadhi and wisdom. Patience is a powerful Dharma Door that has
many benefits. Importantly, it prevents anger from arising and in doing so
assures that merit gathered over a thousand days is not destroyed in an
instant. Patience with ourselves is as important as patience with others.
Practicing the Dharma requires years for even a slight amount of genuine
progress to manifest. The core changes that reach deep within who we are
as human beings, beyond the mask of "dharma practitioner," and contrived
good behaviour, takes time, lots of it. And, if we are not patient with
ourselves we will not endure. So, patience with ourselves is as important as
patience with others.

Thought for the day: July 27, 2008

"Vigor" is one of the "Six Paramitas;" the others are giving, morality,
patience, samadhi and wisdom. Vigor is sustained application of effort. The
practice of the Dharma requires a new kind of effort that is removed from
selfish gain. It is easy to work hard for a mundane reward, but it is not so
easy to give rise to the energy to practice the dharma before the right
motivation rooted in altruistic intention has been developed. This is why
practitioners discipline their diet and vital energy and continually turn the
light inward to prevent what energy they have from leaking out in frivolous
activity and chatter. This discipline will enable them to be vigorous on the
path.

Thought for the day: July 28, 2008

"Samadhi" is one of the "Six Paramitas;" the others are giving, morality,
patience, vigor and wisdom. Samadhi is absorbed abstraction, when the mind
no longer experiences a sense of separteness from the topic of meditation.
There are many levels of samadhi, but suffice it to say that it is arrived at as a
result of great effort that does not have samadhi as its goal. When samadhi
itself becomes an object of practice there is great danger in attaining deviant
samadhis that are of no benefit and often harmful. The sutras have many
warnings concerning this and the Shurangama Sutra devotes a book long
section on fifty demon states that arise from deviant samadhi.

Thought for the day: July 29, 2008

"Wisdom" is one of the "Six Paramitas;" the others are giving, morality,
patience, vigor and samadhi. Correct samadhi leads to Wisdom. Known in
Sanskrit as Prajna; it is the subject of the cream of Buddhist scriptures as in
the Prajnaparamita Sutra, for example, where the title also bears its name.
Linked closely with discrimination, it is the knife that cuts through wrong
views and enables the practitioner to attain peace. This kind of wisdom will
remain out of reach for those of us who have not perfected the previous five
Paramitas.

Thought for the day: July 30, 2008

The simplest things that will benefit us the most are often difficult to see just
because of their simplicity. When we study the dharma and come to
understand the exalted levels of awareness that are within our potential as
human beings to attain, we are often intimidated by the wrong assumption
that the path must be complicated and out of reach. While the path is
difficult, it is not complicated. Conceptually the fundamentals of correct
practice are so easy to grasp, that they are often looked past in favor of
advanced methods (which will remain closed to us until what is beneath our
feet is humbly accepted.)

Thought for the day: July 31, 2008

Studying Dharma books can at times become confusing and this can be
discouraging. Often times what is being discussed are ideas that we should
be familiar with, but because of the language these ideas are packaged in
we become more confused than informed. When one finds oneself bewildered
it is important to stop and consider what the meaning is supposed to be,
and forget for a moment what the text says. In other words, make an effort
to form your own opinion by reflecting on the matter at hand before being
spoon fed black ink on paper. Then returning to the text you might find that
it had a remarkably complex way of saying what you know quite well.

In addition keep in mind that simple ideas have many layers; and our ability
to peel off these layers will determine how deeply our understanding
penetrates. Non-violence, for example is a very simple idea. I understand it.
However, the depth of my understanding of the term is very shallow
compared with Mahatma Gandhi’s. In our effort to understand Buddhism
our effort should always be aimed at penetrating simple truths deeply, for
this is what will bring the most benefit.