| Thought for the day: June 1, 2008 Attending dharma teachings is essential for spiritual growth; but if we don't practice meditation and inquiry when we are not visiting our teachers, the teachings will run off us like rain water on a bird. |
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| Thought for the day: June 2, 2008 All thoughts, both good and bad, are made of the same stuff. Since the stuff is the same, why give rise to high and low emotions, happiness and unhappiness, good and bad feelings? It is because we look at the thoughts rather than the stuff they are made of. If we identify more with the stuff, and less with the thoughts, we will begin to know our mind, the stuff from which thoughts arise. Just as a mirror does not change regardless of the images before it; will we know our thoughts and yet remain unconditioned by them. |
| Thought for the day: June 3, 2008 "Everyday count the cost; and what is gained will not be lost," a verse from the Vissduhimagga, The Path of Purification. This verse is a warning urging us to protect the gains we have made in our practice of the Budddha Dharma. A little accomplishment requires a great deal of effort, and should be guarded like a precious gem |
| Thought for the day: June 4, 2008 When seeking out a teacher do not follow the crowd; but base your choice upon your own investigation. Many teachers who are popular do not teach in accord with the Buddha dharma. If you are seeking a teacher you must first know what to look for, just as you would want to know the lay of the land before setting out on a long trek thought he mountains. There are many books that describe the conduct of Buddhist monks and lay practitioners, and first make sure that the teacher you select follows the rules of conduct. Next take a look at the teachings that he is offering. Are they his own inventions or based on established texts and traditions. A small amount of homework in the beginning can save a lot of missteps along the way. |
| Thought for the day: June 6, 2008 Thought is energy. Practicing meditation can help one to look beneath thought and feel the flow of energy that supports it.. If we can do this we will find ourselves observing energy flows rather than individual thoughts. By working with these flows of energy we can change the way we think. This transformation of thought is a very positive experience |
| Thought for the day: June 8, 2008 If you put a child in a corner, as soon as it gets out he will look for ways to carry out whatever he was placed in the corner for. This is not the way to teach a child. Far better, would be to teach the child through exploring the consequences of misbehavior. Let us say the child was playing with matches. If instead of placing him in the corner, you explore with him (or her) the possible consequences of playing with fire by asking what could go wrong, and listening to what he has to say, you will be far more effective. Just as being placed in a corner does not train a child, so too, the wild monkey mind that runs after every passing thought does not respond well to being placed in a corner. But, this is exactly what many do when they meditate. That is why you see meditation sessions ending with everyone running downstairs to the bar (a favorite post meditation activity of one New York meditation group I read about.) When we sit in meditation and thoughts arise we should reflect on their consequences, and not just block them, stuffing them into a corner of the mind where they will surely arise again. Putting them in a corner like this does not weaken them; they will arise again as strong as ever. However, skillfully looking at the thought and with balanced reasoning seeing how the thought can lead to unnecessary entanglements that are not conducive to the Path, will weaken them and gradually lead to their non- arisal. This is how do train the mind in meditation. |
| Thought for the day: June 8, 2008 If you are alert you can choose what you want to think about. If you are not alert you will be caught up and entangled by thoughts, just like a fish in a net. Alertness is a very important aspect of mind training. It will help us to meditate effectively and live our lives effectively. Alertness during post meditation will assure that we do not become entangled in activities and relationships that are not supportive of our goals. When alertness is lax, we become weighted down by activities and idle interactions with people that produce nothing positive. The function of alertness is to help us discriminate the profitable from the unprofitable; whether it be in the coarse affairs of our daily lives or meditation's subtle energy currents. |
| Thought for the day: June 10, 2008 Force should be avoided in meditation. When we meditate or take vows we should always be mindful of our ability and motivation. A clear focus for extended periods of time in meditation takes time to develop. If we sit for and hour or more and our mind is wandering half the time, it is probably better to sit a shorter length of time more often throughout the day. Another way to strengthen our meditation is to be keen to recognize moments when our mind is pliable and make every effort to squeeze in a sit. I myself have often hidden in construction sites, bushes, peoples' yards, parks, etc when I spontaneously felt my mind open and clear for meditation. Scheduled meditation is very important; but earn those Brownie points by doing extra work when you can. |
| Thought for the day: June 11, 2008 Meditation is not something that you "do." If it were something you "do" it would be a contrived state, which it is not. Meditation is the art of uniting with those conditions that will bring about awareness of the mind's nature. You cannot do it from your side alone. In stillness the mind becomes like a mirror that will allow you to see those conditions without grasping or labeling them. This kind of seeing is not an imputed state, wherein you imagine a path based on what you have read and heard. It is seeing stripped of all mental constructs. This seeing can only happen when the mind surrenders and allows the magic to work. All great struggles end in surrender. This is not giving up because of laziness, or lack of ambition; but rather the result of an effort that is so sincere and tenacious that you realize its futility. |
| Thought for the day: June 12, 2008 As our meditation deepens and the clouds of disturbing thoughts settle; it can be tempting to follow what is perceived as a wholesome thought, perhaps a dharma teaching we heard or read or a pleasant remembrance of our guru. Feeling free to engage wholesome thoughts is a common mistake and one to be alert for. All thoughts, both wholesome and unwholesome must dissolve if we are to engage properly with the topic of meditation. |
| Thought for the day: June 13, 2008 Precepts, Samadhi, and Wisdom, are three pillars of cultivating the Way. Precepts are the code of ethics and morality that form the foundation of Buddhist practice. If one is strong in one's precepts, one is not easily shaken by bumps and mistakes along the way. They are a great friend in times and need when overwhelmed by obstructions and the hazards that will surely arise as one's practice matures. Samadhi is concentration in the sense of absorbed and deep concentration. It is like a powerful beam of light that can penetrate the ten directions. Wisdom guides the light, pointing it in the direction that will lead to proper knowledge and proper views. |
| Thought for the day: June 14, 2008 If practice is haphazard, a little here and there when one has time, it will always seem like a chore. However, setting a schedule for practice and keeping to it, will gradually transform the chore to something one looks forward to doing. The mental body respond well to consistency, just as the physical body responds well to its daily meals and exercise at the proper time. |
| Thought for the day: June 15, 2008 A good actor not only studies his own script, but studies the entire play. He understands that without understanding the entire framework of the play, his part cannot be played well. In similar manner, as Buddhists we must study Buddhism deeply to understand the philosophical basis which forms its foundation. If we rely on meditation and ritual alone, it is unlikely we will play our part well |
| Thought for the day: June 16, 2008 Buddhism teaches that the "Ordinary mind is the Bodhi Mandala (field of enlightenment.) And, a great Chan master once replied to a student who asked how to realize enlightenment, "Just be ordinary and nothing special." And the Taoist master Chaung Tse famously said, "I don't know about doing things, I just know about leaving things alone." And the Beatles chimed in with a song, "Iet It Be." So what is all the fuss about? Why all the scriptures, disciplines, and rituals? Why is this "Ordinary Mind" so difficult to see. Our motor is running and we have got to turn it off. This is not accomplished by withdrawing from the world, but rather its entanglements |
| Thought for the day: June 17, 2008 A Chan Master once undertook the instruction of a novice who was having great difficulty in detaching himself from the persons of his former, secular life. "You cannot serve the Dharma until you sever these bonds," said the Master. "You must destroy these possessive relationships! Kill them! Regard them as if they no longer existed!" The novice asked, "But my parents? Must I slay them, too?" And the Master replied, "Who are they to be spared?" "And you, Master," said the novice, "must I kill you, too? And the Master smiled and said, "Don't worry. There is not enough of me left for you to get your hands on." The above story illustrates the attitude of one free of attachments. It is our attachment to things and relationships that cause us a good deal of anxiety and fear, which in turn obscures our seeing the clear bright nature of our mind. These attachments constantly stir the mind to guard what it perceives as its own and seek after objects that seemingly bestow happiness. One who is not caught up in this does not fear death for their is nothing that dies. |
| Thought for the day: June 18, 2008 If I see long flowing blond hair falling on the small of the back of a bronze beauty I am trailing on the path to the beach near my home, if my flesh is soft and not made of steal, how can I not but admire the beauty of the feminine form illuminating the path before me? This is a frequent occurrence for me, here on the beautiful island of Maui. I do not wear blindfolds, but I ask myself, " Who is this "she" who has the beautiful hair?" What do I mean by "she" has beautiful hair. Apart from the hair "she" has legs, torso, hands, feet,sparkling eyes, a beautiful smile." I might also find she is funny, and that she is intelligent. She possesses many good qualities, or seems to, at any rate. However, when I try to find someone who "she" is apart from all that I can name; I fail to find anyone. But, then who am I referring to when I say to myself, "she" has beautiful hair, she has a beautiful back, etc. Who is the owner of these qualities. Indeed, I am assuming that there is an owner of all these qualities, a person that they are affixed to, but there is none that I have found. |
| Thought for the day: June 19, 2008 If the thoughts that give rise to disturbing emotions had power within themselves, they would have that power all the time. A particular thought may cause you to become angry, for example, and it seems like the thought has the power to make you angry. However, if you deliberately give rise to that thought another day, it will not move you. The same is true for lust, hatred, jealousy, self doubt, and many other emotions that disturb the balance in our lives. A very good technique for becoming less vulnerable to undesirable thoughts is to consciously give rise to them when all is well and the mind is bright, happy, and stable. If we look at particular thoughts that disturb us, bringing it up again and again in our clear bright mind, we will become less and less vulnerable to them and eventually completely free of them. If there is no foothold for them, they will not visit us. |
| Thought for the day: June 20, 2008 The Chan master Seng Chao remarked, "Looking at what has been once, in he place where once it had been, one notices that it has never failed to be once." Thoughts are like lightning flashes, they appear and never arise the same again. When we resurrect them with the discriminating intellect it can never be the same thing that we are looking at. Seng Chao also said, "Discrimination makes a corpse of life, which it then handles." |
| Thought for the day: June 21, 2008 A Chan saying goes, Get at the root, do not worry about twigs and branches." There are many ways at looking at this expression and many levels, as well. One important application is to know the difference between deal with the manifestation of anger, and dealing with anger. There is a big difference. If, for example, we frequently get angry with a certain person and we vow not to, then we are dealing with its manifestation. Although we may not express anger at the object of our anger, because the anger is still there, it will surely find release elsewhere. This is because we have not created a foundation for our resolve to rest upon. This is like planting a tree in a small planter. Because its roots cannot go deep and grab the earth it will eventually topple as it grows. Anger is the same way. If we merely make a resolve to block the anger, it will grow bigger inside of us and eventually topple our resolve. To solve this problem we must use analytical meditation to look into the real causes of anger to better understand its origins. Superficially we may think that so and so did such and such and that is why I am angry. But, this does not answer the question of why when so and so does such and such it makes me angry, and that is what I have to look at. If I take that apart, then so and so can do anything and I will be unmoved, and that is how it should be. "Hatred harms the hater most of all; anger harms the angry one foremost." |
| Thought for the day: June 22, 2008 Discipline is either a drudgery or a door; it depends upon how hard one applies oneself. |
| Thought for the day: June 23, 2008 The assumption that all Westerners are ignorant of the dharma is a prejudice that is endemic in the East amongst both sadhus and Buddhist monks. In the West there is a reverse prejudice amongst many that all monks and sadhus know more than they do. In any case, it behooves all of us not to make judgements either way based on appearance, but rather examine the message and if that is in accord with the teachings, examine whether or not the messenger adheres to it. |
| Thought for the day: June 24, 2008 A saying goes, "Beware of too much cleverness." It is often tempting to use clever argument to justify within oneself actions that are not beneficial as beneficial. The truth can be twisted to justify just about anything; while rather than put oneself through such mental contortions it is usually best to give it up. |
| Thought for the day: June 25, 2008 A sutra say, Patience is the mother of merit and virtue and nourishes all good roots." A good deal of negativity arises because of a lack of patience. Anger, for example, finds a fertile foothold in one without patience. Patience is also important with oneself. Obstacles in the path to realization can seem overwhelming, but if our attitude is a patient one, we will be willing to knock down the barriers one by one, little by little, until our goal is reached. Impatience is marked by a desire for quick results. But this attitude is a foolish one. Because obstacles took time to develop, cultivating the merit and virtue necessary to overcome them will take time and require patience. Although the path is long, once one settles on it, it becomes an engaging walk. |
| Thought for the day: June 26, 2008 Once your emotions got you, Reason may as well be on holiday. |
| Thought for the day: June 27, 2008 Have you not seen the man of the Way, Who has cut off learning and in his leisure does nothing Who does not reject false thinking or seek Reality? For him the real nature of ignorance is the Buddha nature, And the empty Body of illusion is the Dharma body. This is the opening verse of Yung Chia's Song of Enlightenment. One who mistakenly assumes such freedom before earning it is creating an impossible barrier for himself. |
| Thought for the day: June 28, 2008 Karma ended and emotions empty, defines a Buddha. Karma defiled and emotions turbid, defines a living being. This verse is from the Sixth Patriarch Sutra. This sutra also teaches that within a single negative emotion or thought is the seed of enlightenment; and if in the instant of its arising you can seize it, the true nature of mind will be revealed and karma and afflictions ended. Within each and every thought that we have is the seed of enlightenment. |
| Thought for the day: June 29, 2008 Often meditation is disturbed by thoughts; this is nothing new. Some schools instruct their students to let them go or dissolve them in empty space. While these instructions come from some of the highest teachings, in practice many of us have noticed the same thoughts arising again and again. Obviously letting them go is not enough. So what is the key to letting go of unwanted thoughts once and forever; so that they do not arise again? Kite surfers here in Hawaii are instructed to let go of their kite if they see that they are being pulled into a shallow reef, boat, piling or other obstruction in the water and don't have time to change direction. However, if the kite surfer is entangled in his line he must take a good look and see how to untangle himself before releasing his kite. Otherwise he will be dragged wherever the wind choses to take him. In similar manner, the meditator who finds disturbing thoughts arising again and again, must look to see why they does so. It is not enough to let them go or let them dissolve in empty space. This sounds very nice, but in practice it does not stop unwanted disturbances from arising again. Letting go of disturbing thoughts without understanding why they arise is not a solution. This is like the kite surfer who has a cord looped around his wrist who lets his kite go before untangling it from his wrist. It will just tighten up more and he will be dragged by the wind and become even more tangled in his line. In similar manner, the meditator who does not examine how he is tangled in thought, but just releases them again and again as they arise, will only become hopelessly ensnared. This kind of blind meditation is not taught by any Buddhist school; but many misunderstand Buddhist practice this way. Disturbing patterns of thought or thought habits take a long while to create. Because their roots are deep, they are not easily removed. Teachings such as Mahamudra and Chan that advise letting them go or letting them dissolve into empty space also point out the importance of the cultivation of merit and virtue, compassion, and a broad altruistic path to make this achievable. Unfortunately, this part of the teaching is often not given sufficient attention while meditation is overemphasized. This is a common mistake and why many are plagued by similar undesirable thought patterns arising again and again in their meditation. There are many opportunities when we are not meditating to reflect the Buddhist ideal in our life and interaction with others. This positive action will prove a valuable support to our meditative life. |
| Thought for the day: June 30, 2008 Everyone that we are tempted to criticize has good qualities, as well as bad. No one is one hundred percent bad. If we exercise our mind trying to find the good in people, even when the bad is glaring us in the face, we do ourselves and them a service. Positive thinking changes ourselves and others for the better. |