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| Thought for the day: September 1, 2007 Meditative awareness is not a conceptualized state of mind that we step into. We don't "do" meditation. It is rather a state of mind that we allow to happen, by making ourselves vulnerable to it. While this attitude is so common in the East, it is something that Westerners have a good deal of difficulty understanding. The Eastern approach is the humble and contrite approach, whereas the Western approach is the "I can do it" approach. The mind is continually busy conceptualizing this and that, and trying to "do" mediation just adds one more thing to conceptualize. We need to turn off our motor and keep it off. This is how we allow meditation to happen; by getting out of the way long enough to catch a glimpse of the natural play of the mind.This very subtle approach requires a good deal of skill and effort than the "do" approach; but it works. |
| Thought for the day: September 3, 2007 Some people sneer at any Teaching that is not the highest. Today many sutras and vinaya teachings are ignored in favor of the Wisdom Teachings or the Highest Yoga Tantras.This is as absurd as wishing to paint the eve of a house, but unwilling to use the lower rungs of the ladder. The fact is that the Sutra, Vinaya, and Wisdom teachings are not separate teachings, but rather an integrated system of teachings that together form the Buddha dharma. If through a mixture of ignorance and arrogance we overlook the so called "lesser" teachings, we are doing ourselves a tremendous disservice. Sometimes, however, the opposite is true. A dharma student may become intimidated by higher teachings and not look at them at all. This is like wishing to paint the eve of a house, but afraid to ascend all the way up the ladder. Even if our main practice is the so called "lesser teachings," it is a good practice to read the higher teachings from time to time and hear them from great Masters. Although we may not understand the meaning, our sincere listening will plant seeds in our mind stream that will ripen one day when the conditions are right. |
| Thought for the day: September 4, 2007 "Remove the impunities of the self, little by little, bit by bit. and from time to time," from sayings of the Buddha in the Dharmapada. Each individual must work within his own capacity, striking a balance between striving beyond one's capacity and laxity. |
| Thought for the day: September 5, 2007 Progress made on the Path must be carefully protected; it is easily lost through laxity. |
| Thought for the day: September 6, 2007 Some who study the dharma use their knowledge to debate the nature of reality with others, while not truly understanding the meaning themselves. Their knowledge is like a lasso that has hooked onto a wild elephant and drags them about in every direction. Because they do not know the true meaning of the texts they study they are easily made fools even by those of little learning who understands the meaning well. To use words and arguments derived from the sacred scriptures to make a show of great knowledge will forever prevent oneself from comprehending the meaning (which is surely not to win debates or show off great knowledge.) The wise person therefore quietly guards what he has studied within himself and puts forth great effort to peel off the various level of meaning. As his knowledge grows he is of service to others in subtle and less conspicuous ways. This is the natural expression of his knowledge and is effortless. |
| Thought for the day: September 7, 2007 When Buddhist say "all is empty," they do not mean that they do not exist at all. What they do mean is that things do not exist the way that they appear. We tend to think that objects are capable of standing alone, independent of anything else, and that are world is filled with such objects. Buddhists, however, say that all these objects we see are relative to each other and cannot exist in isolation. It is because of this that they are empty, and it is said that while existing for all practical purposes; if analyzed they do not exist in isolation and are dependent on many factors, as well. Part of the confusion that leads us into thinking that objects are real substantially existing entities is due to the process of naming. We impute names to the objects of the world and assume that the name stands for a real object; but it does not. Not seeing clearly the interdependence of things, we are easily overwhelmed in a world that appears to be filled with individual and separate objects. This viewpoint carries on to ourselves and we see ourselves as separate from all the other living beings on the planet and this leads to selfish viewpoints and all our problems. |
| Thought for the day: September 8, 2007 There are two forms of negation often discussed in Buddhist philosophy. The one is a non-implicative negation and the other is an implicative negation. The non-implicative negation negates something, but does not establish something else in its place; for example, if I say, the vase does not exist ultimately, I am not saying that its absence ultimately exists. An implicative negation would be one that negates something, but implies something else in its place. An example of an implicative negation would be, John does not eat in the daytime. The implication is that he eats at night. The use of non-implicative negation is primarily used in discussions on emptiness; the aim of these logical discussions is to avoid setting up emptiness as a conceptual reality---a great and frequent danger, especially for more advanced students. The idea of non-implicative negation can be brought down to earth and applied to dealing with everyday problems, as well. Often people getting out of a bad relationship, for example, think of starting another relationship right away, rather than simply negating the bad one. Or, as often happens, quitting one substance abuse and going on to another. There are many such examples, wherein, almost in the same breath we think of eliminating something undesirable and substituting it with something that we view as more promising. It often would be far wiser to simply negate what is undesirable and thus give life's flow a chance to set a new course for you. |
| Thought for the day: September 9, 2007 Seng Chao, the famous Chan master said, "Beware of the person who is trying to help you." Many are those rushing forth to teach or lend us their sympathy or compassion who are more anxious to give a display of knowledge or achievement than to help anyone. In general if you have not asked for help or advice, beware of anyone offering it. And of course stay away from dharma events offering the "highest teaching" which happens to come at the highest price. |
| Thought for the day: September 10, 2007 Sutras frequently caution "do not be attached to the form of a practice." This is a warning not to get big headed about practicing the dharma. But, it is also a way of urging us not to confine our practice to meditation, study, yoga and other disciplines commonly associated with the path and to apply the same principles to the ordinary activities of daily life. The goal is to merge all our activities into the path and thereby see the dharma working in everything and activity. |
| Thought for the day: September 11, 2007 We are constantly "turned by conditions" because a thread of awareness is broken from the time we leave meditation to the time we return. This is a normal state of affairs for all of us on the path to realization. "Being turned by conditions" simply means being turned upside down by events. As meditation is brought into our active life we will gradually become able to view the entire picture rather than just our part in it and maintain conscious self awareness throughout even trying events. |
| Thought for the day: September 12, 2007 Stock market investors know the value of diversification, which means that their portfolio of companies is diversified amongst several classes of companies. These may include technology, financial institutions, commodities, retail stores, etc. In similar manner dharma practitioners should invest in a broad based practice and avoid being overly invested in one form of discipline, such as meditation, for example. A broad based practice would include, meditation, yoga, study, listening to dharma lectures, making offerings to teachers and monks, etc. This is the best way to invest in yourself and accords with what is taught in the sutras. If we practice this way we will easily avoid the dangers of one sided practice (which leads to extreme and wrong views.) |
| Thought for the day: September 13, 2007 If, when the mind is free and disengaged, we give rise to inquiry, then we will become less vulnerable to unwanted thoughts that overwhelm the mind in fruitless distraction. |
| Thought for the day: September 14, 2007 Dharma practice conditions the mind to act in a dharmic way. But, the goal is not a conditioned response to life and our interaction with it. The goal is spontaneity that accords with dharma and to break away from conditioned responses. An athlete, for example, can become very strong through training, but this strength is merely conditioned by his training. However, through the right discipline he can eventually transform his conditioned strength into natural strength. This is the goal of yoga, for example. As dharma practitioners we aspire to practice conditioned dharmas to arrive at unconditioned dharmas. In the beginning we may practice generosity because it is the right thing to do; but as time goes on, if we are sincere, we will become a generous person. All dharmas are like this. |
Thought for the day: September 15, 2007 There is only one true teaching and it has been taught by all the great teachers of the world. But, because people grasp at the messenger, rather than listening to the message, they use religion to divide rather than unite and miss the message and dishonor the messenger. |
| Thought for the day: September 16, 2007 If you know an entire sutra or more, teach that. If you know a page, teach that, If you know a paragraph, teach that, If you only know one sentence of dharma, teach that. But, don't teach unless asked. |
| Thought for the day: September 17, 2007 I was reading an essay by the Dali Lama last evening and he spoke of a Tantric yogi who said that he took a consort for sexual union to purify his knowledge through transforming the sexual energy. The Tantra view is much different than the sutra school's view of abstaining from sexual activity and is considered a more advanced practice. However, the Dali Lama cautioned that only advanced yogis can transform sexual energy and they can transform urine and excrement into ambrosia, as well, and if we cannot do the latter then we cannot do the former will be beyond our reach, as well.. |
| Thought for the day: September 18, 2007 Practice the Teachings of the Buddha; but don't necessarily become a Buddhist, advices HH the Dali Lama. Buddhism is a way of living and adapts well to many traditions and enhances them. |
| Thought for the day: September 19, 2007 Suffering of change is one of the three types of suffering. This form of suffering is really misidentified as happiness. It occurs when, we are experiencing an unpleasant sensation, as when we are tried after a long walk. When we sit down we feel pleasure and identify sitting down as a source of pleasure. But if sitting down were really a source of pleasure, we would not get uncomfortable when sitting for a long time. The other two forms of suffering are the suffering of suffering and the suffering of cessation. |
| Thought for the day: September 21, 2007 Hatred and anger hurt the one who holds these dispositions far more than the target. Often the one who is the target of our anger and hatred could care less how we feel. Also, in the course of a life enemies can become friends and friends can become enemies. Knowing that it is far better to treat others equally. As a monk my Teacher always paired up people who did not get along well for various tasks. Those who bring out the worst in us are really doing us a favor by allowing us to see what we might otherwise keep buried. The important thing is to see the negativity arise as in a mirror, but just look at it and see it for what it is, without allowing negative action to arise from it. |
| Thought for the day: September 21, 2007 As Buddhists we should make a special effort to embody the Buddhist teachings in our everyday interactions with others. This extends the size of our meditation cushion to the world in which we live. However, should we fail in our effort, we should be mindful that we are not Buddhas, but rather Buddhists practicing the path to Buddhahood. Reflecting on this we should contemplate our failures throughout the day and try not to repeat them. Within every mistake is an opportunity to learn. |
| Thought for the day: September 23, 2007 While meditating today I realized that my mind was that place where I never am. Moving from thought to thought, what a grand tour of everything beside the essential point of meditation! And this is after forty years of meditation practice and years of proper instruction. Of course, we know that the mind of duality is not the true mind, and yet I see so much dualist thinking going on. Constantly I find myself eliminating something and immediately turning to something else to replace it. Why not just drop something and let it go at that; but the habit is strong that things need to be replaced and my mind stays busy. |
| Thought for the day: September 24, 2007 When you find yourself with nothing to do, do it. |
| Thought for the day: September 25, 2007 The power of now combines with our past to create our future. The three periods of time are forever linked and dependent one upon the other. |
| Thought for the day: September 26, 2007 Those who sell the power of now are selling a bankrupt philosophy that perpetuates the denial of the past Not only is this denial selective as it aims at wiping out only the negative, but it is impossible and can only create a fantasy present and future without a sound basis for growth. No matter how creative and positive our thinking may be, past negativity will burst our bubble unless it is resolved through the understanding of negativity's basis. Understanding the basis of that which is disturbing is brought about by realizing that it is fully deserved and owning it. This will enable us to view it with the eye of equanimity and in mediation see its causes, which will often be linked to some form of selfishness on our part and disregard for others. |
| Thought for the day: September 27, 2007 Unprofitable thinking is often reflected in habits we wish we did not have. Our body language is a mirror of our mind. The most obvious example is an angry face, which always has an angry mind lurking behind it. Whenever we catch ourselves engaged in unwanted physical comportment, we should immediately reflect on the mental state behind it. |
| Thought for the day: September 28, 2007 Although things both good and bad happen for a variety of reasons, the mind habitually tries to seek the reason, as if a single cause could be found. This is particularly true for negative occurrences. We tend to think "what could I have done differently." But the search for a single cause is as futile in the conventional everyday sense as it is in the ultimate sense. Because this is so, we should rest our mind in equanimity and cease searching for single causes. This approach opens the mind and enables it to see that all things are caused by a variety of conditions and we can correct our mistakes by spreading our attention to the whole of our being rather than a single aspect of it. |
| Thought for the day: September 29, 2007 Look at the space separating thoughts and work to expand that gap. |
| Thought for the day: September 30, 2007 My teacher often said, "Truly recognize your own faults and don't discuss the faults of others. To be one with all beings, just this is great compassion." If we notice a fault in another and do not have an immediate sense of compassion for the one we are faulting; it is almost certain that (in some form or other) we have the same fault. If this were not the case, we would not notice the faults of others. Therefore, whenever we notice faults in others we should turn the light inward and ask ourselves how we are manifesting a similar fault. |