a riot of green on the earth.
Recommended Books
-Prajnaparamita
-Geshe Chekawa, "In Advice From a Spiritual Friend"
China bans mining on sacred Buddhist mountains
August 24th 2007 Bejjng(Reuters)-China has banned mining on mountains sacred to Buddhists after protests from monks that the exploitation was daming ancient temples and violating holy sites, The offical Xinhua news agency reported on thursday.
The move was in response to complaints from monks in northern Shanxi province' Wulai mountain a scared peak, Xihau said, it also follows a riot among Tibetan Buddhist in the country's southwast in an area that was being mined for lead and zinc.
"The balsting to extract one has cracked the walls and ruined some of the frescoes. "Xinhua qutoed Abbot Shi Renfa of the Manjusri Monstery in the Wutai Mountains as saying
"I used to worry greatly that they would also break the Buddha statuettes and outdoor pagoda made of coloured glaze."
The area is home to rich iron ore deposits for energy metals and other natural resources to feed it's rapidly expanding economy, but the ruling Communist Party is also intent on maintaining social stability and cracks down on public protests
It pays particular attention to stability in the ethnic mirority regions like Bamei toen in southwestern province of Sichuan, where hundreds of Tibetans rioted in June over the expoitation of Yula Mountain smashing mining equipment and attacking work teams in attempt to halt work at the mine.
Keep on knocking
'til the joy inside
opens a window
look to see who's there
With warm good wishes for an auspicious and harmonious Tibetan Year of the Earth Mouse,
Anyone aspiring to buddhahood and planning to come back to earth to help fellow sentient beings must now register with the Chinese goverment according to a new edict from the goverment.Racheting up its conrol over Tibetan Buddhism China asserted it sole right To recognize tulkus.
All future incarnations of living buddhas related to Tibetan Buddhism" Must get government approval" the offical Xinhua news Agency said citing the State Administration for Religous Affairs
Anyone outside China is banned from taking part in the process of seeking and recognising a living Buddha, effectively excluding the Dalai Lama who tradionally can play an important role in giving recognition to cadidate reincarnates
Although there are as many categories of emptiness* as there are types of phenomena, when you realize the emptiness of one specific phenomenon, you also realize the emptiness of all phenomena. The ultimate nature, or emptiness, of all phenomena is of equal taste and of the same undifferentiable nature. Even though the nature of emptiness of all phenomena is the same, and all the different aspects of phenomena, such as whether they are good or bad, or the way they change, arise from the sphere of emptiness, you should understand that emptiness cannot be found apart from the subject or the object.
Emptiness refers to an object's being free of intrinsic existence. Things depend on causes and conditions. This very dependence on causes and conditions signifies that phenomena lack independent, or intrinsic, existence. It also demonstrates how all the diverse aspects of things that we experience arise because they are by nature empty. When we talk about emptiness, we are not dealing with those different aspects, we are dealing with phenomena's ultimate reality.
By the declining day, humankind is at a great disadvantage, save those who do good works, admonish one another to be forthright, and inspire each other to endure hardship.
-Qur'an, Al-'Asr, Surah 103:1-3
"Philip Whalen" read him . he is a good teacher
10,000 prostrations for 2007. Enjoy and take some for yourself.. May all be free and wishes come true.May this be so.
10000 postraciones de 2007. Disfrute y tomar algunos para usted .. Que todos sean libres y desea venir true.May este ser así.
1000 prostrations for month of 15 October 2007 ,9000 for year
God, as Truth, has been for me a treasure beyond price.
May He be so to every one of us.
-Mahatma Gandhi
Gnosis.jpg
Gnosis
Look up gnosis in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
This article is about the concept of gnosis. For the magazine, see Gnosis (magazine).
Gnosis (from the Greek word for knowledge, γν?σις) is used in English to specify the spiritual knowledge of a saint or enlightened human being. It is described as the direct experiential knowledge of the supernatural or divine. This is not enlightenment understood in its general sense of insight or learning (which in Greek is διαφωτισθο?ν)[1] but enlightenment that validated the existence of the supernatural.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines gnosis as, 'A knowledge of spiritual mysteries.' From the word gnosis is derived Gnostic and Gnosticism the latter a modern construct referring to one of various eastern schools which claimed to have supernatural knowledge flourishing during the early Christian era. The term being Koine Greek has, nonetheless, a much broader application than being exclusive to any sectarian group. The term is used by Byzantine and Hellenic cultures as a word to mean a special knowledge or insight of the supernatural. In some sense mature understanding or knowledge. It is the knowledge that comes from experience rather than from rational or reasoned thinking as in intuitive knowledge (see gnosiology).
I am the Lord and the Cosmic Soul; I am myself the Cosmic Body. I am Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra, as well as Gauri, Brahmi, and Vaishnavi. I am the sun and the stars and I am the Lord of the stars. I am the various species of beasts and birds; I am also the outcaste and thief. I am the evil doer and the wicked deed; I am the righteous person and the virtuous deed.
603Artist Writer David Wojnarowicz. Finish work 31 August 2007 Prostrations for 1000 30 August 2007
Below is an example of our most popular prayer adapted from Shatideva's 8th century Indian prayer.
Metta Karuna Prayer
Oneness of Life and Light,
Entrusting in your Great Compassion,
May you shed the foolishness in myself,
Transforming me into a conduit of Love.
May I be a medicine for the sick and weary,
Nursing their afflictions until they are cured;
May I become food and drink,
During time of famine,
May I protect the helpless and the poor,
May I be a lamp,
For those who need your Light,
May I be a bed for those who need rest,
and guide all seekers to the Other Shore.
May all find happiness through my actions,
and let no one suffer because of me.
Whether they love or hate me,
Whether they hurt or wrong me,
May they all realize true entrusting,
Through Other Power,
and realize Supreme Nirvana.
Namo Amida Buddha
.The word Sangha takes on a word meaning through out all times and space. When I first became a buddhist I never understood that It would come to mean freedom and liberation. I take refuge in the Sangha. Practice of dharma is taking place everywhere and for these times of killing each other we must find refuge. Take take refuge in the Lama.Take refuge in the Guru . Take refuge in the Buddha.Take take refuge in the Dharma . Take refuge in the Sangha.Take time today and find your Sangha. And take refuge. May all be free and happy. Judson Laird I heard the words but I did not take to heart. Now the heart busts open hearing or taking refuge. So much has taken place. 15 June 2007
276 Prostrations 724 left for 1000 July 6, 2007 1164
1000 prostrations for 25 June 2007 Total all year of 2007 5000
May your wishes come true and may you be free.
http://www.danielasabina.de/buddhas.htm
This site has taken on the care and support of a Nun and 2 Monks.May this be so Dolma Ling nunnery in Mongolia. Funds are used to provide food, clothing, heat, medical care, 
emergency needs as well as special study opportunities for those enrolled in the program.
$100.00 dollars was given for the Shem Women's Group in Tibet Problems in the villager's eyes are destroyed by the smoke of the sap.Very little light and more smoke. Childern couldn't do their homework and read books because they don't have electricity. "Donate today. " Sonam Tashi and the Nun in Mongolia is Gyalden Kandaa
START of 851 prostrations 149 for 1, 000 for 22 May 2007.
Wherever there is life there must be death.
Whatever comes together must separate.
Whatever is built up will fall down.
What is collected will be scattered.
Wish -fulfilling jewel doesn't have any thoughts or diliberate effort, yet it fufills people's wishes and hopes.
According the scriptures, Avalokitesvara can transform into 33 incarnations (depending on situations) and save beings from 13 types of disasters. The following are the 33 manifestations of Avalokitesvara.
Avalokitesvara who holds the willow branch
Avalokitesvara of the dragon head
Avalokitesvara who holds the sutras
Avalokitesvara of complete light
Avalokitesvara of enjoyment or playfulness
Avalokitesvara who wears white robes
Avalokitesvara who sits on a lotus leaf
Avalokitesvara who views waterfalls
Avalokitesvara who gives medicine
Avalokitesvara of the fish basket
Avalokitesvara the King of Merit
Avalokitesvara of moon and water
Avalokitesvara of the one leaf
Avalokitesvara of blue throat
Avalokitesvara, powerful and virtuous
Avalokitesvara who extends life
Avalokitesvara of various treasures
Avalokitesvara of the rock cave
Avalokitesvara who bestows calmness
Avalokitesvara of 1,000 hands and eyes
Avalokitesvara of fearlessness
Avalokitesvara who wears robe of leaves (Parnashabari)
Avalokitesvara of Vaidurya
Avalokitesvara of salvation
Avalokitesvara of the clam
Avalokitesvara of 6 hours
Avalokitesvara of universal compassion
Avalokitesvara of Ma-Lang's wife
Avalokitesvara of prayer
Avalokitesvara of Oneness
Avalokitesvara of non-duality
Avalokitesvara holding the lotus
Avalokitesvara of pure water
Three men went into the jungle on different occasions and saw a chameleon. "A chameleon is red," said the first man. "No a chameleon is green," said the second man. "Nonsense, a chameleon is brown," said the third man. Those who disagree about the nature of God are like these three men.
-Hindu Teaching Story
200 Prostrations 800 more to go for a 1000.March 4 2007
By the merit of this practice, may all living beings and I be happy and be free from all sufferings and unfavourable conditions. May we accomplish all our aims and wishes temporarily, and attain enlightenment ultimately.
1000 Prostrations Feb 26 2007 Done
100 hundred prostrations done 900 more Feb 26 2007
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Prayers to Holy Tara (Wish Fulfilling Prayer of Tara)
Green Tara
Refuge and Bodhicitta
To the Buddhas, the Dharma and the Assembly of the Noble Ones, I take refuge until I have accomplished the enlightenment state. By the merit of accomplishing the six perfections, I shall accomplish enlightenment for the benefit of all beings
(Recite 3 times)
Homage to Tara
The crowns of gods and demigods are bowed to Her two lotus feet; I prostrate to the Mother Tara, the saviouress from all poverty.
Praise to Tara
OM, prostrations to the Blessed One, the goddess TARA. TARE, the Brave One; All fears are dispelled by TUTTARE. TURE, she bestows all benefits; and along with SVAHA I bow.
(Recite 1, 2, 3, 7 or 21 times)
Mantra
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA
(Recite 7, 21, or 108 times or as many times as possible)
Request for Blessings
Arya Tara, please take heed of me. Having allayed all of my misfortunes, please bless me to attain all favourable conditions, abundance and results, spontaneously and effortlessly
Dedication of Merits
By the merit of this prayer, may all living beings and I be happy and be free from all sufferings and unfavourable conditions. May we accomplish all our aims and wishes temporarily, and attain enlightenment ultimately.
Hear, O children of immortal bliss,
You are born to be united with the Lord.
Follow the path of the illumined ones
And be united with the Lord of Life.
Kindle the fire of kundalini deep
.jpg)
"Warda" Arbic word for rose or flower
pu_erh_tea_set
In meditation. Bring your mind and breath
Under control. Drink deep of divine love,
And you will attain the unitive state.
Dedicate yourself to the Lord of Life,
Who is the cause of the cosmos. He will
Remove the cause of all your suffering
And free you from the bondage of karma.
-Shvetashvatara Upanishad
THE BENEFITS OF PROSTRATIONS
By doing prostrations, you purify obscurations and receive the enlightened qualities of the holy body, speech and mind of a buddha. Even putting your hands together at your heart is a prostration. The sutras explain that making even this simple gesture to a holy object has eight benefits:
In future lives you will receive a good body with perfect shape, organs and senses.
You will receive perfect conditions so that your practice will be successful and your wishes fulfilled, and you will be able to work for the teachings and sentient beings.
You will be able to live in morality. (Without morality, there is no happiness in future lives, liberation or enlightenment.)
You will have devotion. (Without devotion, there are no realizations.)
You will have a courageous mind. (Without a courageous mind you cannot continue to practice Dharma or do extensive bodhisattva work for the teachings and sentient beings.)
You will be reborn as a deva or a human being.
You will achieve the arya path.
You will achieve enlightenment.
Whenever you go into a temple, remember that even a simple prostration to just one Buddha statue has these eight benefits. However, in a single temple there may be hundreds of statues and paintings of the Buddha, so prostrating like this to each one as you look at them is unbelievably beneficial. In addition to the merit you create by circumambulating temples and stupas, it is good to use your hands to accumulate merit by making simple prostrations in this way. Since prostrating to even one holy object creates great merit, this is an easy way for you to accumulate extensive merit.
It is said that holy objects are manifestations of the Buddha. Even though we don’t have the karma to see the actual living Buddha, by appearing as statues, stupas, scriptures and other holy objects, the Buddha allows us to accumulate merit. Some sentient beings can see these manifestations of the Buddha, others cannot. In Tibet there were people who were unable to see the Guru Shakyamuni Buddha statue in the Jokhang Temple, Lhasa’s holiest shrine. To them, the temple appeared to be completely dark; they couldn’t see anything. After much purification, one person who had this problem was eventually able to see the light of the butterlamps but he still could not see the statue. Another person saw only piles of dried meat on the thrones instead of the statues. Just because the statues are there does not mean that everybody can see them. It depends on one’s level of the mind.
The teachings say that animals cannot see holy objects. At Kopan I lift the dogs up to show them the thangkas, but I don’t think that they see what we do. It may be very rare for an animal to be able to see a statue; the texts say they don’t see them at all.
Therefore, it is amazing that we have the karma to see holy objects. We are extremely fortunate because it gives us an incredible opportunity to accumulate merit. You should use every holy object that you lay eyes on, for example, all the pictures of deities in your room, to accumulate merit. That’s the reason they exist.
Think of all the stupas, temples and statues in Bodhgaya. Hundreds and hundreds of Indians come to Bodhgaya from all over the country to offer just a few coins to the Buddha statue in the main stupa. Even though their offering is small, because of the power of the holy object, each offering becomes the cause of enlightenment. This is one of the Buddha’s many skillful ways of guiding sentient beings according to their karma.
Another ten benefits of prostrations are mentioned:
You will achieve a perfect golden body like Guru Shakyamuni Buddha.
You will be extremely beautiful.
You will have an enchanting voice.
Without fear or shyness, you will be at ease among holy beings and other people.
You will make devas and human beings happy.
You will become magnificent in appearance.
You will be able to be with Guru Shakyamuni Buddha and his disciples, the bodhisattvas and arhats.
You will have great wealth.
You will be reborn in the higher realms.
You will quickly achieve enlightenment.
When doing full-length prostrations, which accords with the tradition of the great pandit-yogi, Naropa, you should get up quickly and not stay down on the floor very long. In some traditions, the palms of the hands are held upwards in the prostration. However, the main point of prostrations is not so much their form but that they are done respectfully. Doing prostrations disrespectfully creates negative karma. If you understand this point, you will not be confused by the different styles of prostration. Also, the way you do prostrations is more important than the number you do. It is the same with mandala offerings; it is better to offer a mandala well than to offer it quickly. If you do just one prostration properly, you accumulate unbelievable merit.
If you want to accumulate as much merit as possible by doing prostrations, there are two important points to remember. The first is to visualize as many bodies as possible—either in human form or in the form of a deity—prostrating with you. Also, as you prostrate to the stupa or altar, think that your body covers the entire earth in all directions. The lam-rim teachings say that even if you cannot do physical prostrations because there is something wrong with your limbs or you don’t even have any, if you simply visualize your body doing prostrations, you receive the same merit as if you had actually done them.
Therefore, by visualizing as many bodies as you can, you gain unbelievable merit, creating the cause to be born many times as a wheel-turning king. In his lam-rim teachings, Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo said that to be born as a wheel-turning king even once, you have to accumulate inconceivable merit. TheLankavataraand other sutras mention that you take rebirth as a wheel-turning king as many times as the number of atoms your prostrating body covers from the surface of the earth through to the other side. Of course, it’s not that the only result of doing prostrations is repeated rebirth as a wheel-turning king; the Buddha only mentioned this result to give us an idea of the inconceivable merit we create by doing even one prostration. However, you cover innumerable atoms between one side of the earth and the other when you prostrate, and one prostration creates the cause for that number of rebirths as a wheel-turning king.
His Holiness Serkong Rinpoche once said that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a wheel-turning king, but I’m not sure if all wheel-turning kings are bodhisattvas. With the power and wealth of a wheel-turning king, you can engage in many Dharma activities and benefit others immensely.
The merit we accumulate by doing one prostration is beyond our conception. The result—all the temporal and ultimate happiness up to enlightenment—is beyond the grasp of our mind. Furthermore, remember that karma is expandable. From one small virtuous action, you can experience many happy results for many hundreds of lifetimes, just as from one small non-virtuous action you can experience many different suffering results both in one life and for many lifetimes. But if you cannot comprehend the cause, there is no way you can comprehend the result.
The second important point is to remember that whenever you see a holy object such as a thangka, stupa, statue or scripture, you must see it as your guru. Do not miss this point. If there is an altar in your house, think that all the buddha pictures on your altar are your guru. In terms of creating merit, your guru is the highest, most powerful object. You get the most merit from prostrating to your guru. Therefore, when you prostrate to holy objects on your altar or elsewhere with the concentration that they are your guru, you create the most extensive merit; much greater merit than you do by prostrating without this awareness.
In a way, you should have a business-like approach to your Dharma practice. Business people try to earn the greatest profit in the shortest period of time. You should practice Dharma with this efficiency. Every time you prostrate or make offerings to holy objects, the essential thing to remember is that they are your guru. With this awareness, what you do becomes most profitable, accumulates the most extensive merit. Your guru, all buddhas and bodhisattvas, all holy objects, are there on your altar. Thinking that your altar holds the essence of all the holy objects of the ten directions, prostrate. Then prostrate to all the holy beings, the buddhas and bodhisattvas, of the ten directions. Then prostrate to all the holy objects—statues, stupas and scriptures—in Tibet, India and Nepal. Using your mind in this way, you create much more merit from basically the same action. This is the wise way of doing prostrations.
After prostrating, dedicate the merit to all sentient beings in the six realms and the intermediate state. Think first of the narak beings, then the pretas, then the animals and so forth, dedicating consciously to the sentient beings of each realm, your merit becoming everything they need to alleviate their suffering and all realizations of the path up to enlightenment.
Sometimes you can combine your prostrations with meditation on guru devotion, thinking that your guru is buddha. At other times, recall the kindness of sentient beings and how much they are suffering. In this way, you combine prostrations with lam-rim meditation, which can inspire you to practice more and more. Otherwise, after you’ve been prostrating for a while, you might start to feel exhausted and discouraged, thinking, ‘‘What on earth am I doing here? Am I wasting my time?’’ Reflecting on the lam-rim can prevent this from happening.
No matter what vows you might have broken—tantric root vows or pratimoksha or bodhisattva vows—no matter what negative karma you have created, everything can be purified. Out of his incomparable kindness, Guru Shakyamuni Buddha revealed different purification methods, such as prostrations to the Thirtyfive Buddhas, who are all manifestations of Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, and recitation of their names. As I mentioned before, recitation of each buddha’s name purifies thousands of eons of negative karma. Also, due to the prayers made by these buddhas when they were following the path, each one purifies a specific negative karma.
One of the Thirty-five Buddhas purifies wrong rejoicing, which is feeling happy when somebody harms your enemy or some other person you don’t like, or when your enemy gets into trouble or something bad happens to him. It is also wrong to rejoice when other beings create negative karma. Depending on what it is that you rejoice about, wrong rejoicing can create very heavy negative karma. For example, if a Tibetan hears that a million communist Chinese have been killed in battle and, out of hatred, feels happy and rejoices, he creates incredible negative karma. Even though he hasn’t been involved in the fighting himself, even though he might have been just sitting on a meditation cushion in his shrine room, by practicing wrong rejoicing, he creates the extremely heavy karma of having killed a million people himself. If you haven’t received many teachings and don’t know the details of how non-virtuous actions are created, you are in danger of creating very heavy karma.
You don’t hear of Lama Tsong Khapa’s doing many prostrations to Vajrasattva, but his life story talks a great deal about his practice of prostrations to the Thirty-five Buddhas. Lama Tsong Khapa did 100,000 prostrations to each of the Thirty-five Buddhas. Each day before going to bed he would recite The Bodhisattva’s Confession of Moral Downfalls thirty-five times. This practice makes your mind very comfortable. In one of his lam-rim teachings, Kachen Yeshe Gyaltsen said that a full monk (ge-long) can remain very pure if he practices in this way.
I asked one of my gurus, Denma Lochö Rinpoche, why Lama Tsong Khapa practiced prostrations to the Thirty-five Buddhas rather than to Vajrasattva [see Teachings from the Vajrasattva Retreat, pp. 81-82]. Rinpoche replied that with one proper recitation of The Confession of Downfalls—which means with correct application of the four powers and meditation on the meaning of the prayer—even the five uninterrupted negative karmas can be purified.
These five heavy karmas—killing your father, your mother or an arhat, causing, with harmful intent, blood to flow from a buddha and causing disunity among the sangha—are called uninterrupted because if you create them, immediately after death you are reborn in the hell realm. Other negative karmas do not necessarily cause you to go to hell immediately; there may be the interruption of some other karmic result before that one. But if you have created one of these five particularly heavy karmas, as soon as you die you get reborn in hell. These are not just heavy negative karmas, but uninterrupted heavy negative karmas. However, even these can be purified by practicing The Confession of Downfalls just once. This was the special reason for Lama Tsong Khapa’s doing this practice. If for some reason you cannot do prostrations, it is still good to at least recite the name of each of the thirty-five buddhas every day, like he did.
No matter how heavy the negative karma we have accumulated, the Buddha has revealed a method to purify it. Through his kindness, we have many opportunities to practice purification. Buddha is more to us than a father. Children trust their fathers with their lives. Whatever happens, children’s lives are completely in the hands of their fathers; they totally rely on their fathers. Similarly, we can entrust our entire life to the Buddha. He has shown us that the way to eliminate all suffering is to eradicate the true cause of suffering, the two obscurations, and has taught us the methods for doing so, leading us to temporal and ultimate happiness. The Buddha guides us from happiness to happiness, up to the peerless happiness of full enlightenment. For us sentient beings, the Buddha is our only refuge.
Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever.
--Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi (1869-1948)
kleshasas afflictive emotions=there are energies that permeate us, which can grab our entire being and shape who we become.
Identify your own kleshas & use your writing to bring them up into awareness by using one or more of the following methods:
1. Remember a period in your life that seemed to be dominated by a klesha. Write about it in detail, including the after effects. http://www.quietspaces.com/creativity.html
2. At the end of the day, write about the way or ways a klesha took over your day, even briefly. Examine how it operated, what set it off, what allowed you to escape.
3. Describe your kleshas in specific detail. Make one into a fanciful monster, an ill-wind, an atmosphere. Draw it using colored pens. Go inside the room of the klesha and turn on the light.
4. Write a short story about someone who is under the sway of kleshas ( for inspiration, see such books as Obsession, Lolita, Anna Karenina.)
5. Write a science fiction story in which a tribe called the Kleshas invade the country of Sem (Tib: ordinary mind). Describe how the Sems try to combat this invasion using their top operatives, the Sheraps (Tib. wisdom-mind). Depict the power struggle that ensues.
6. Begin to watch other people as they struggle with or try to overcome their own kleshas. Write brief sketches of them, sending out feelings of loving kindness.
7. Start an imaginary advice column called "Dear Buddha." Write answers to people who have written in concerning kleshas.
8. Join an e-mail list and engage in a discussion on kleshas. E-mail writing is still writing. When you Google "kleshas" (1,710 hits) you'll find a number of references as well as excerpts from discussions in progress, including the following thread: [Bohm_Dialogue] FW: [BUDDHA-L] Seeing the Kleshas as Bodhi
DEDICATION OF MERIT
May the merit and virtues
accrued from this work
Adorn the Buddha's Pure Land,
Repaying the four kinds
of kindness above,
and relieving the sufferings of
those in the Three Paths below.
May those who see and hear of this,
All bring forth the heart of Understanding,
And live the Teachings for
the rest of this life,
Then be born together in
The Land of Ultimate Bliss!
Homage to Amitabha Buddha!
maitreya
The supreme truth is established by total silence, not logical discussion and argument. He alone sees the truth who sees the universe without the intervention of the mind, and therefore without the notion of a universe.
Brain storm these ideas.
"Twight Language"
" Thus have I heard "
"one who unites with the womb"
"weaving"
"Sutra expressed in words"
"Tantra is the irrepressible intrinsic awarenss that pervades both clarity and confusion"
"Continunity"
"Thread"
Meditation is like a single log of wood. Insight and investigation are one end of the log; calm and concentration are the other end. If you lift up the whole log, both sides come up at once. Which is concentration and which is insight? Just this mind.
-Ajahn Chah, "Still Forest Pool"
Often times have I heard
That deep inside resides a Word
Whose endless meadows we must roam
The sacred sound of Sacred OM
-- Sacred OM - [by Shiv Sengupta]
Whether we sit with our arms folded this way and our legs crossed that way is of little consequence. But it is extremely important to check and see if whatever meditation we do is an actual remedy for our suffering.
-Lama Thubten Yeshe, "Wisdom Energy"
2 Motivation
The six common preparations are meditations on (i) the difficulty of attaining opportunities and conditions(ii) the impermancence of life, (iii) the faults of cyclic exixtence, (iv) the casues of effects of actions,(v) the benefits of liberation, and (vi) reliance of a spiritual friend
Instruction on the difficulty of aquiring opportunities and conditions begins with advice on the motivation for listening on the teaching.A Bodhisattva motivation is known as an altruistic mind of enlightment with vast thought. Let me explain this.
10 Refuge
Going for refuge to the Three Jewels- Buddha, his Doctrine and the Spiritual Community- is the foundation of all Buddhist paths. The door of refuge is opened by faith.
Faith is of three types: clarity, desire to attain and knowledgeable conviction. If when you see an image or meet a teacher you are overwhelmed with a feeling of,'Oh how nice this is, how wonderful,' this is the faith of clarity:the mind is clear and receptive.The desire to attain means wanting special qualities that you have heard about, such as the compasssion, love and wisdom of Boshidattavas. It can also signify a wish to be free from the sufferings of cyclic existence, or to engage in from the sufferings of cyclic existence, or to engage in virtues and forsake non-virtues. Through learning about the qualities of Buddha, his Doctrine and the Spirtual Community you can come to generate a desire to attain them. The faith of conviction is, for instance, the knowledge that the Three Jewels are suitable source of refuge If you are bothered by doubt, it is like having a seed that has been burned; it can by doubt, it is like having a seed that has been burned, it can still sprout, but it cannot grow propwerly and its seeds will be black, like smoke. It is said in sutra any auspicious qualities
Faith is like a wheel, always ready to roll along the road; if you have it, you can make internal progress at any time. Faith is an inexhaustible treasure of good qualities. It is a vechicle carrying you along the path to omniscience, an outstretched hand drawing you to all good qualities.
The extent which spiritual qualities can be internalized depends on your faith. If it is middling , so are the qualities developed; if imeasurable, so too will your attainments.
Buddha's own servant who remained with him for so may years was not able to generate any of his master's qualites becasue he lacked faith. When tou have great faith it benefit remains no matter how far awayyou may be from Buddha or your own Lama
It is said that if you have great faith. Padmasambhava will sit by your door while you sleep. The tutor of the Fifth Dalai Lama once entered his pupil's room through the window; Why have you come through the window?' The Dalai Lama asked
'There was no other way becasue a Nying-ma-ba-lama is sleeping at the door.' The tutor replied. He was referring to the Dalai Lama's faith in the Nying-ma-ba transmission.
It is easier to meditate than to actually do something for others. I feel that merely to meditate on compassion is to take the passive option. Our meditation should form the basis for action, for seizing the opportunity to do something.
-His Holiness the Dalai Lama
\
You are wise.
You play and work and meditate.
But still you mind desires
That which is beyond everything,
Where all desires vanish.
Striving is the root of sorrow.
But who understands this?
Only when you are blessed
With the understanding of this teaching
Will you find freedom.
-Ashtavakra Gita 16:2-3
-Heart Sutra
Life continues to create itself and fall away, and suffering returns, and delight arrives, if even for a moment--agony, peace, rapture.
-Sandy Boucher, "Hidden Spring"This is an inspiringly honest book
The more compassionate you are, the more generous you can be. The more generous you are, the more loving-friendliness you cultivate to help the world.
-Thich Nhat Hanh, "Buddhist Peacework"
241 total 60 for today prostrations
07/17/2006
May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.
Like a silkworm weaving
her house with love
from her marrow,
and dying
in her body's threads
winding tight, round
and round,
I burn
desiring what the heart desires.
-Mahadeviyakka
"Further, a disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one subject to illness, who has not gone beyond illness.'... 'I am not the only one subject to death, who has not gone beyond death.'... 'I am not the only one who will grow different, separate from all that is dear and appealing to me.'...
26 prostrastions
"A disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'I am not the only one who is owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator; who — whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir. To the extent that there are beings — past and future, passing away and re-arising — all beings are the owner of their actions, heir to their actions, born of their actions, related through their actions, and have their actions as their arbitrator. Whatever they do, for good or for evil, to that will they fall heir.' When he/she often reflects on this, the [factors of the] path take birth. He/she sticks with that path, develops it, cultivates it. As he/she sticks with that path, develops it and cultivates it, the fetters are abandoned, the obsessions destroyed."
Subject to birth, subject to aging,
subject to death,
run-of-the-mill people
are repelled by those who suffer
from that to which they are subject.
And if I were to be repelled
by beings subject to these things,
it would not be fitting for me,
living as they do.
As I maintained this attitude —
knowing the Dhamma
without paraphernalia —
I overcame all intoxication
with health, youth, & life
as one who sees
renunciation as rest.
For me, energy arose,
Unbinding was clearly seen.
There's now no way
I could partake of sensual pleasures.
Having followed the holy life,
I will not return.
Fog locks the endless sky, wind rises over the vast plains; all plants and trees roar the great lion's roar, expounding universal wisdom; the buddhas of past, present, and future are at your feet, turning the wheel of the great teaching.
If you can understand, you will not expend effort at random. If you do not understand, don't say this mountain is steep--the highest peak is still ahead.
-Yang-ch'i
http://www.asianart.com/exhibitions/svision/i15.html
700 today Prostrations
om mani padme humu
OM MANI PADME HUM
Your father stands on the right, your mother on the left and your worst enemy if front, facing the field of assembly. Other people, as numerous as the particles of the earth in the world, gather behind and to the side. All press their plams together in a jesture of respect, recite the refuge formula and petition the assembly to protect and aid your practice . All are stirred by the faith nearly to the point of tears as you continually recite the refuge formula
Until (manifesting) the essence of enlightment I go for refuge.
To the actuality of the Three Jewels, the three sources[which are a composite of all]Sugatas
To the mind of enlightment which has the nature of channels, winds and drops [purifield as Three Bodies] , And to the mandala of entity and compassion.
Buddha , thw Sugata who is the ultimate object of refuge is theactuality of the the Three Jewels- Buddha, Doctuine and Spiritual Community.The three sources are the lama(for blessings), your own personal deity (for Siddhis ), and the Sky Goers( for special Bodhisattv activites).
In the sutra systems the natural mind of enlightment refers to the Tathagatha essence (Tthagatagarbha) , the seed of Buddhahood present in all sentient beings. Here in tantra, the natural mind of enlightment refers to the wisdom of clear light, the sole self-arisen drop of wisdom. The mind ia an undifferentiability of entity, nature and compassion-respectively , the wisdom of emptyiness, that of clarity, and the all-pervasive wisdom of the union of apperance and emptiness. Refuge is recited six times daily, although some repeat much more often, eventually accumulating a hundred thousand. This is helpful because it creates the virtuous power neccessary for the later practies. There is however, a shorter formula:
Namo, go for refuge to the Lama,
I go for refuge to the Buddha,
I go for refuge to the Doctrine,
I go for refuge to the Supreme Community.
Going for refuge to the Three Jewels - Buddha, his Doctrine and the Spiritual Community- is the foundation of all buddhist paths. The door of refuge is opened by faith.
Faith is of three types: clarity, desire to attain and knowledgeable conviction. If when you see and image or meet a teacher you are overwhelmed with a feeling of, "Oh, how nice this is, how wonderful,' this is the faith of clarity; the mind is clear and receptive.
The desire to attain means special qualities that you have heard about, such as the compassion, love and wisdom of Boshisattvas. It can also signify a wish to be free from the sufferings of cyclic existence, or to engage in vitues and forsake non-virtues. Through learning about the qualities of Buddha, his Doctrine and the Spiritual Community you can come to generate a desire to attain them.
The faith of conviction is, is for instance, the knowledge that the Three Jewels are suitable source of refuge. It is the seed generating these excellent qualities. If you are bothered by doubt , it is like having a seed that has been burned; it can sill sprout, but it cannot grow properly and its seeds will be black, like smoke. It is said in sutra that without faith of conviction it is very difficult to generate any auspicious qualities.
Faith is like a wheel, always ready to roll along the road; if you have it, you can makes internal progress at any time. Faith is an inexhaustible treasure of good qualities. It is a vehicle carring you along the path to omniscience, an outstretched hand drawing you to all good qualities.
The extent to which spiritual qualities can be internalized depends on your faith. If it is middling. so are qualities developed; if immeasurable , so too will be your attainments.
Buddha's own servant who remained with him for so many years was not able to generate any of his master's qualities becasue he lacked faith. When you have great faith, its benefit remains no matter how far away you may be from Buddha or your lama.
It is said that if you have faith. Padmasambhava will sit by your door while you sleep. The tutor of the Fifth Dalai Lama once entered his pupil's room throguh the window.
' Why have you come through the window? the Dalai Lama asked.
' there was no other way becasue a Nying-ma-ba-lama is sleeping at your door,' the tutor replie. He was referring to the Dali Lama's strong faith in the Nying-ma-ba transmission.
For one who has faith even the tooth of a dog can bring blessings. If someone cherishes it as the tooth of a Buddha- whether he has been deceived or is simply mistaken -he will receive as much benefit as if it actually was a Buddha's tooth.
A simple fellow with graat faith visited Lhasa in order to see the image of Jo-wo-Rin-bo-chay in the main temple.
He saw the food offerings that others had made and thought they were ment to be eaten by the image- which he took to be an actual person-himself. He hepled himself to a small portion and mixed it with the butter from one of the lamps. A group of dogs then ran through the temple and made off with Jo-wo-Rin-bo-chay's food, and the fellow was filled with admiration at the way the marvellous lama smiled clamly through it all.. The wind began blowing through the doors and nearly snuffed out the butter lamps A group of dogs ran through the temple and made off with Jo-wo Rin-bo-chay's food, and the fellow was filled admiration at the marvellous lama simled clamly through it all. The wind began blowing through the doors and nearly suffed out the butter lamps, and again the fellow marvelled at how the lama could simple sit and smile at it all. It occurred to him to circumambulate the temple of this wonderful lama, but first he took off his shoes and respectfully places them in the begging bowl on the lama's lap.
While he was outside, the keeper of the temple passes by the alter' and saw the shoes in the image's begging bowl.'Ah these dirty shoes,' he exclaimed and strarted to throw them away, but he was stopped by a command from the image, " Leave them here. ' When the foolish fellow returned and saw his shoes still in the begging bowl, he praised Jo-woRin-bo-chay. " Oh you are such a fine lama, you have kept my shoes for me. Please come and visit me,' he said to the image. 'I will kill a pig for you and heat up some beer;we will have a fine feast'
Due to his good thought, the image answered, 'Yes, I will surely come.'
The fellow returned home and told his family that he had met a very great lama who had accepted an invitation to visit them. 'I do not know when he will come, so please look out for him, he told them. One day his wife went to fetch water from a nearby spring and it it saw a refection of the lama. She ran home and called her husband. ' Your visitor has come, but he has fallen into the water. Please go out and help him.'
Realize the Self, the shining goal of life! The Self is realized in a higher state
Of consciousness when you have broken through
The wrong identification that you are
The body, subject to birth and death.
To be the Self is to go beyond death.
Realize the Self, the shining goal of life!
If you do not, there is only darkness.
See the Self in all, and go beyond death.
-Kena Upanishad
The real meaning of Dharma is that every activity in human life should be harmoniously controlled, because all excess tends to extinction. Dharma keeps all the trends of our life well within limits and teaches us the mode of living a harmonious life. It also purifies and blesses each thought. There is no place for any unbalanced emotion in Dharma.
When trust in God sits next to slothful inactivity
how far away, indeed, is that from chivalry.
Beware you never make another man
the porter of a burden that's not your own.
-Sa'ib Tabrizi: Kulliyyat-i Sa'ib Tabrizi
I EXPERIENCE DEPRESSSION.I take medication. I have retured to meditation in combination with medication .My practice is my companion.
It is essential in Zen study that you do not cling to a sitting cushion for practice. If you sink into oblivion or distraction, or plunge into ease and tranquility, totally unawares, not only will you waste time, you will not be able to digest the offerings of donors. When the light of your eyes falls to the ground one day, in the end what will you rely on?
-Kao-feng
Developing the eyes and clairvoyant perception that arises from the power of meditation, May we ripen beings, purify buddha-fields,and perfect the wishing prayers
That accomplish all the the qualities of the Buddha. May we lead the three aspects of perfecting, ripening, and purifying to their ultimate level and attain buddhahood. The main part of this prayer describes the accomplishment reached by a great enlightened bohisattva who is not yet a buddha. Only the last sentence refers to the state of buddhahood itself, describing it in a very profound way. Through the power of meditaion, which is to say as a result of our practice, we will attain a special capacity of sight and mental clairvyancee, There are five types of "eyes""flesh eye"
Mind of Enlightment
The mind of enlightment is the gereration of altruistic aspiration to highest enlightment for the sake of all sentient beings Since beginningless time we have been reborn in many different ways; an enemy today could easily have been our father, mother, son, daughter or closest friend in a previous life. For example, the clairvoyant Arya Katayana, when on his beggings rounds came upon a young mother with an infant son on her lap. She was eating a piece of fish which a dog was trying to take from her, and she threw a stone at it.Through her clairvoyance the Arya knew that the fish had been her father in its former life and the dog her mother, She did not know her parents had been so reborn and felt no sympthy and affection for them. Moreover, the child she was cuddling had been a great enemy who had murdered her in her previous life. In order to develop equanimity,visualize two persons, one liked and the other disliked, and meditate to discover whether you can equalize your feelings towards them, Another method is to imagine an enemy in front of you, your father on the right and your mother on your left, and try to become even-minded about them. When you are able to equalize your feeling for these persons, practise it towards more and more pwople until you can consider all sentient beings without desiring or hating them on the basis wehher they are friends or enemies. Because this equanimity encompasses all beings everywhere. it is emmeasurable.
In order to develop it, you must begin with specific individuals, and not generality.
In cultivating love, you should refect day and night. " How can I possibly develop immeasurable love and friendship for all individuals?" To do so , picture the person you care for the most and sense the substaining love that have for him. Then imagine someone else and show the same sense of sustaining love to her. One by one increase the number of those who are objects of your sustaining love until you can include all beings in the world systems. They want happiness but do not know how to relieve themselves of it. What they wish for and whay they do are at cross-purposes.
Opportunities and Conditions
(i) birth as a hell-being
(ii) birth as a hungry- ghost
(iii) birth as a animal
(iv) birth as a god of long life
(v ) birth in an uncltured area
(vi) birth as a person having wrong views
(vii) birth in a land where a Buddha has not been
(viii) birth as a stupid person.
Prostrations1000 19-May-2005 Thanks for you Help. May you recieve some your way So far 300 prostrations since date.
Meditation on Impermanence
830 prostrations done. May we all receive its blessings.Thank you for your help!
Meditaion on impermanence begins with refection on impermanence of the external world. Meditation the greatest mark or effect is left by meditating on impermanenence. It will will ultimately release you into the clear light of your own mind.
You can think about your own teachers, some of them may be dead by now. Reflect that if these very special people have died, you yourself will certainly do so.
Next you can meditate on impermancence by thinking about the lords of beings. Where are the great kings of the past? You cannot meet them. Like all the others they have followed their nature of impermancence.
The meditate on the various examples and thier meanings Condsider the change of seasons . Think how quickly they change in the autumn and winter. This can give you a clear idea of the nature of impermanence. Everything that is made, everything thay depends on casuses, is affected by impermanence. If you look at a youthful photograph of an old friend, you feel immediately how good-looking he was but now his flesh is wrinkling, they are old age spots on his face and he is beginning to look ugly.
In Pure land thinking. The mind is both beyond death and blissful by nature. The mind has been caught in cyclic existence, but as soon as we have understood its nature we can transform whenever we are into a pure land If you prosper and attain great wealth you should turn it into the seven wealths of Superior- faith, ethics, giving, hearing, embarrassment. shame and wisdom Worldly wealth is impermanent and disappers moment by moment, while that of a Superior helps life after life
Everyone is impermanent; friends, enemies, and those who are neutral will pass away. Cultivate the knowledge that neither they nor the environment are permanent. In that neither they nor the environment are permanent. In this way you can delvelop a sense of discouragement for the cyclic existence in general. Weather you are famous or powerful makes no difference. Your life is completely subject to uncertain causes and conditions; therfore, no matter what your worldly status may be, make yourself humble.
You can then meditate on impermancence by thinking on the uncertainty causes of death.
only religious practice. Is of use because is of use because it furthers the mind which continues from one life to another.To meditate on impermancence with a great sense of urgency by identifying it and probing into its meaning Sometimes test your relization by going to a place you usually feel happy, at others where you are frightened or sad.
When you meditate, you should be like a mother who has lost her only child, but its image is with her whatever she is doing.Then,in the later stages of paractice that are concerned with realizing emptiness- the final nature of all phenomena-you should be like a herdsman who has brought all his beasts home. He has had much to watch and cope with, but now they are home safely, and he feels relaxed; his mind freed.
If you repeatedly meditate on impermanence,attraction for the things of this life will be lessened, making it easy for Buddhas to bestow blessings on you. If you achievegreat realization of impermanence, they will appear to you and foretell your future lives, including the one in which you will complete the path. There are many types of meditation in Buddhism, and the best is impermance. In the jungle the elephant has the biggest footprint, and in meditation on the greatest mark or effect is left by meditating on impermanence.
" Meditate on impermance"
The Nalanda and Vikramashila two traditions of the ancient Buddhist world.
Thus shall ye think of this fleeting world:
A star at dawn, a bubble in a stream;
A flash of lightning in a summer cloud;
A flickering lamp, a phantom, and a dream.
-Diamond Sutra
"Let's dance the prayer "
The giver, giving,gift and recipient do not exist inherently in and of themselves- that they are empty of objective existence
These three-entity, nature and compassion entity is the wisdom of emptyiness ;
nature is that of clarity; compassion is the all-pervasive wisdom are the finial objects of attainment and you take refuge in them to attain them this is called an effect refuge developed factors that you are striving to manifest in our own mind
bowing down, put your plams together in the form of a lotus
Wherever I am reborn, may I have
The seven qualities of haigh status.
Right from birth may I meet with the with the doctrine,
Having the freedom to achieve it correctly.
There may I delight an excellent lama,
Practising doctrine during day and night.
Realizing and achieving its essential meanings,
May I cross the ocean of cyclic existence in that life.
Thoroughly teaching the excellent doctrine in the world
may I not weary in achieving help for others.
Through unbiased altruism of great force
May we all together attain Buddhahood
Prostrations help us realize that there is something more meaningful than ourselves. In this way we purify the pride that we have accumulated through countless lifetimes thinking: "I am right," "I am better than others," or "I am the most important one." During countless lifetimes we have developed pride that is the cause of our actions and have accumulated the karma that is a source of our suffering and problems. The goal of prostrations is to purify this karma and to change our mind set. Prostrations help us rely on something more meaningful than our pride and ego clinging. In this way, through full confidence and devotion, we get rid of everything we have gathered because of pride.
Just perform as well as you can with proper attitude. You'll know that your doing something right if Ego tries to make you quit. The best result of all would be at he end you truley felt more inspired and reverent.
We bow down to purify all situations from the past where
we did not respect others. Being interested in our own satisfaction and ourselves
we did many negative actions.
The Purification of Body, Speech, and Mind
When we do prostrations we act on the level of body, speech, and mind. The
result of doing them is a very powerful and thorough purification. This practice
dissolves all impurities, regardless of their kind, because they were all
accumulated through our body, speech, and mind. Prostrations purify on all
three levels. Through the physical aspect of prostrating we purify our body.
We offer our body to the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha) and to all
sentient beings, wishing that all their wishes are fulfilled. Through the
repetition of the refuge mantra and the meaning we ascribe to it, we purify
our speech. Through confidence in the Three Jewels we develop enlightened
attitude and devotion. As we are aware of the perfect qualities of the refuge
and offer everything to it, the veils in our minds dissolve. When our body,
speech, and mind are being purified we realize that what we initially thought
of as our body is actually a manifestation of enlightenment as active compassion.
What we initially thought of as our speech is the expression of enlightenment
on the level of joy; our mind is the truth level of enlightenment. We are
able to see the enlightened reality of our body, speech, and mind - their
full of wisdom truth that we initially were not aware of. We realize that
this practice can lead us to our goal, enlightenment, because the three levels
expressing the state of a Buddha appear immediately after the three levels
of our existence - body, speech, and mind - are purified. We do not have
to look for enlightenment anywhere else. We do not have to chase any perfect
realizations. The three levels of enlightenment are true inherent qualities
of our own body, speech, and mind. We did not see it before. Prostrations
help us discover it.
3.Physical Benefits of Prostrations
Prostrations strongly influence the balance and harmony in our body. Blocks
in its energy channels gradually dissolve. This helps us avoid diseases,
lack of energy, and other problems. Our mind becomes clearer. Our ability
to understand increases.
The State of Mind During Prostrations
Between the pillars of spirit and matter the mind has put up a swing.
There swings the bound soul and all the worlds with not even the slightest rest.
The sun and moon also swing, and there is no end to it.
The soul swings through millions of births like the endless circling of sun and moon.
Billions of ages have passed with no sigh of relief.
The earth and sky swing,
Wind and water swing,
Taking a body, God Himself swings.
-Kabir
We should do prostrations with full confidence, joy and motivation to benefit others.
1.Confidence
We should have confidence in the perfect qualities of the Three Jewels and
be sure that their blessing can remove the veils from our minds. The blessing
can appear and the purification is effective when our confidence in body,
speech, and mind meets the transforming qualities of the enlightened body,
enlightened speech and enlightened mind - the sources of the refuge. If we
do not have confidence and cannot open up to the Three Jewels prostrations
will only be like a play.
2.Motivation to Benefit Others
When we do prostrations we should understand that good actions are the source
of happiness of all sentient beings. Prostrations are a good example of this
fact. When we do the practice using our body, speech, and mind, we offer
our energy to others wishing that it brings them happiness. We should be
happy about this fact and do prostrations with joy.
The Proper Practice
1.Visualization of the Refuge Tree In front of us in space we imagine the whole refuge tree. First, we imagine Dorje Chang - the lama who represents all sources of the refuge. We imagine the lama as the center of the refuge tree. We should be fully aware that Dorje Chang is our teacher and that he is the mind of our lama. We think about Dorje Chang to make sure that the manifestation of the nature of mind is not stained by our habitual thoughts. To help us keep the pure view, the view of wisdom, we imagine this perfectly pure form. At the same time we keep awareness that Dorje Chang is the mind of our lama. Everything that appears in front of us in space is like a rainbow or a reflection in a mirror; it is not a thing. If we have difficulties visualizing the whole refuge tree we should have confidence that all objects of the refuge are really in front of us even if we cannot hold them in our mind.
2.Awareness of Ourselves and Others
We are not alone in our practice. We are surrounded by all beings that fill
the whole universe. We imagine our father on our right side and our mother
on our left. When we stand between our parents from this life we realize
that each and every being without exception has been our parent in some previous
life. This helps us remember the goodness of all our parents, all sentient
beings, who were helping us during countless lifetimes.
We imagine the ones we consider our enemies in front of us, between the refuge tree and ourselves. We think of the people who cause us problems and obstruct the realization of our plans. All these people are very important because they help us develop such qualities as patience and compassion. We usually want to avoid such people. We try to stay away from them. We do not want to think about them. Putting them in front of us helps us not to forget them. Treating enemies in such a way protects us against disrespecting them.
We focus our attention on the refuge tree. We are confident that the refuge can free all sentient beings from the suffering of samsara and it can protect us against the anxiety that this suffering causes. In such a mind-set, surrounded by all sentient beings, we start to repeat the refuge mantra. Everything around us starts to vibrate. We experience strong light from the refuge tree. The light shines on us because of our own devotion. This makes us open up even more. Then we start to bow down. We are the masters of the ceremony and lead the whole practice. Our prostrations immediately inspire all beings to begin doing the same practice. We hear all beings repeating mantras and doing prostrations. These vibrations fill the whole universe.
Holding such a vision rather than concentrating only on ourselves widens our activity. On the one hand it gives us strength, on the other hand it gives us motivation to practice. All beings doing prostrations with us give us encouragement. Experiencing great amounts of energy from all beings doing prostrations, we feel even more confidence in and devotion to the Three Jewels. The feeling of "riding with the crowd" helps us finish prostrations quickly and experience great happiness during the practice.
3.The Symbolic Meaning of Each Element in the Act of Bowing Down
To give the ultimate dimension to our practice we should be aware of the symbolic
meaning of a prostration. Touching our forehead with clasped hands, we ask
the objects of the refuge for the blessing of their bodies. At the same time
we imagine that the blessing of their enlightened bodies radiates on us,
goes through our body and dissolves all its obscurations. Then our clasped
hands touch our throat. We ask for the blessing of speech. At the same time
we think that the blessing of their enlightened speech emanates from the
objects of the refuge and purifies all obscurations that we have accumulated
through our speech. In such a way we free ourselves from these obscurations.
When we touch our heart with clasped hands we ask the refuge for the blessing
of their enlightened mind. It helps us get rid of all veils and wrong views
in our minds. We are confident that all evil wishes we have been filling
our minds with since beginningless time are completely purified. We should
think that we are getting the full blessing of enlightened body, speech,
and mind from the Three Jewels. Through the power of this blessing, all veils,
bad karma, and negative tendencies in our body, speech, and mind are purified.
We are completely pure and inseparable from the body, speech, and mind of
the lama and the Three Jewels.
When our body touches the ground with its five points (knees, hands, forehead) we should realize that five disturbing emotions - anger, attachment, ignorance, pride, and jealousy - leave our body and disappear in the earth. In such a way we experience complete purification.
The two aspects of prostrations, dissolving the mind's poisons and getting the blessing from the Three Jewels, cause the transformation of pride, attachment, jealousy, anger, and ignorance into the five corresponding wisdoms. We should be confident that the transformation is actually taking place, that we have the natural, inherent ability to develop these wisdoms.
This symbolic aspect of prostrations will work only if we have confidence. Our confidence can give us this big purification. Practicing without confidence is just like aerobic exercise.
4.The Significance of Devotion
Our devotion will grow the more prostrations we do. Finally, we will reach
the level where we will no longer think that our body, speech, and mind are
any different from the body, speech, and mind of the Three Jewels. Prostrations
give a wonderful result; they are the source of a very powerful blessing
and a great purification. We should not think that prostrations consist only
of an activity of our body. The blessing and purification appear mainly because
of our devotion.
5.Increasing the Strength of Our Practice
We practice with an open mind. We should not think that we are the only person
doing prostrations. All beings are doing them with us. We do not have to
limit our thinking only to ourselves. We should not assert ourselves by thinking, "I
am bowing down." If we think like that we accumulate good potential
that corresponds to the act of doing one prostration. If we think of all
sentient beings doing prostrations with us, the good potential we accumulate
is much bigger. When we are doing prostrations we should think that a hundred
of our emanations are doing them with us. If we are able to imagine that
our practice will be much stronger. We should not count more prostrations
if we imagine more beings doing them with us. This is only one of the special
Vajrayana methods that help us strengthen our practice.
6.Linking the Prostrations with Calming the Mind
After a while our body will be tired. This is a useful moment to practice calming
the mind. When the body and mind are tired, attachment decreases. If we stop
doing prostrations for a moment our mind will naturally calm down by itself
without any additional help on our side. When after a while our body and
mind feel rested again, our mind becomes agitated. This is the sign to start
prostrations again. When we alternate doing prostrations with calming the
mind we can practice ceaselessly.
The Approach to Suffering
Sometimes we might experience difficulties doing prostrations. Pain and fatigue will be in our way. There is always some concern: pain in our knees, elbows, lower back, everywhere. There is no reason to be discouraged by it or lose confidence in our practice. Neither should we strengthen the feeling by saying to ourselves, "I suffer so much, I feel so weak." By doing this we completely block ourselves. We lose the ability to act. When the pain is allowed to "have a say," it can become a real obstacle on the path of our further practice. We should use every unpleasant experience, whether physical or mental, as a means to get enlightened. Such experiences should mobilize us toward greater effort on our path.
Everything we experience depends on the state of mind we are in. If we want to experience things differently we must change the state of our mind. If we manage to efficiently transform suffering into a positive and beneficial experience, the suffering will disappear completely without a trace. This will give us more happiness and joy.
Prostrations are a way of accumulating truly good potential. They are an easy and effective way to purify negative actions from our past. On the other hand, if - due to pain and fatigue - we continue prostrations being depressed, true purification does not take place.
The Techniques of Working with Unpleasant Experiences
1.Depletion of Karma
We should not think of suffering as something very serious. We should remember
that suffering is just karma, that it is impermanent like everything else.
Suffering has its end. When our karma ripens we should remain relaxed and
observe this natural flow of things. If we manage to infuse our practice
with the understanding of the impermanence of karma, it will dissolve by
itself. Karma is not something we have to accept or reject. It is like the
obligation to pay our bills which appears automatically. When we have paid
our debts karma dissolves by itself and there is nothing to reject.
2.Purification of Karma through Physical Indisposition
Dharma practice eliminates veils and stains that are results of our former
actions. We should perceive the physical indisposition that we experience
during the practice as the result of the compassion of the Three Jewels.
This relatively small suffering dissolves future karma which will not ripen.
For this reason we should experience this suffering with joy and confidence.
Such unpleasant experiences indicate that the practice works. The use of
purifying methods may result in many unpleasant experiences on the level
of body, speech, and mind. At the same time, we are getting rid of difficulties
and veils in our minds. As we experience purification as a result of our
practice, our confidence in the Three Jewels increases. We feel deep gratitude
because these relatively small nuisances help free us from conditions that
would otherwise ripen as much greater suffering.
3.Noticing Ego-Clinging through Suffering
We should regard every suffering as an antidote to ego clinging. Experiencing
one's own suffering is in itself a proof of our egocentric attitude towards
all phenomena. At the same time, such situations (where we experience suffering)
give us the possibility to get rid of our ego clinging. If we have no ego-illusion
we can experience no suffering. We should also understand the cause of our
suffering: we experience it because of our former actions which resulted
from our ego clinging. Being so focused on ourselves, we have sown many karmic
seeds which have now ripened as suffering. We can treat suffering as a teaching
showing us the results of actions that result from being focused on oneself.
From beginningless time this ego clinging has been the cause of us being
caught in the cycle of existence (samsara).
4.Observing Our Ego
Ego wants to be satisfied all the time. As long as everything is all right
our ego is content and tries to keep this state. Our "self" clings
to this contentment and our mind is distressed with desire - the poison of
attachment. When nice circumstances are gone, ego still clings to them because
it wants to be content. More attachment and desire appear in our mind. In
the cases of unpleasant situations the ego reacts with anger and hatred.
It tries to avoid them and replace them with pleasant experiences. In this
way our mind is anxious and unhappy. We can recognize the continuous influence
of ego in every situation. It ceaselessly categorizes experiences as pleasant
or unpleasant. If we follow our ego we accumulate karma which will sooner
or later ripen as different kinds of suffering.
5.Unpleasant Experiences as a Test of Our Perseverance
We should remember about our promise to use our body, speech, and mind for
the benefit of others. Knowing that we work for the benefit of all beings
we should keep our promise, subdue our internal difficulties, and continue
our practice.
Translation from the Polish magazine Diamentowa Droga (Diamond Way) by Peter Piasecki and Susan Bixby from Calgary, Canada.
Practicing without confidence is just like aerobic exercise. We practice with an open mind. We do not have to limit our thinking to ourselves.Everything we experiance depends on the state of mind we are in.
Prostrations
Purify the pride that is the cause of our actions and have accumulated through our countless lifetimes thinking." I am right," "I am better than others," or" I am the most important one" We bow down to purify all situations from the past where we did not respect others. Being interested in our own satisfaction and ourselves we did many negative actions.
wisdom of emptiness
Believing that the Three Jewels have the power to help all sentient beings to abondon the obstructions preventing omniscience.
From the depths of your heart. The revealer of refuge who show us what is. These three-entity, nature and compassion
Entity is the widom of emptiness;nature is that clarity;compassion is the all-pervasive wisdom. Theses three- entity, nature and compassion- are the final objects of attainment and you take refuge in them to attain them. This is called an effect refuge becasue it consist of going from refuge to the fully developed factors theat you are striving to manifest in your own mind.
Tibetan Incense
When
used as an offering the generation of inner wisdom is increased, one attains
physical radiance and longevity.
Potala (20), 10" red; in box
Price:$3.95/each
purely hand prepared according to principles of the ancient Tibetan traditional system of medicine
Introduction to Tibetan Medicine
Availability: In Stock
earthy, rich, bold, pure
and slightly smokey
Number
of sticks: About 24 sticks
Stick length: Approximately 25 cms
Burn time per stick: 70 mins plus
Country of origin: Made in Tibet
Potala traditional Tibetan Incense is
purely hand prepared fro highly flavored medicinal herbs and other substances.Richer
and superior quality
than other incenses.Absent of chocking and camphor and is non-toxic and
non-habit forming. Puja offering and purification. Zazen is very good for
this. |
| Dedicate whatever virtue you have achieved. Refect take a moment Turn your mind inward and adjust motive.Giving ,ethics, patience and so on, om mani padme hum brings a brilliance to one's own body. lerarning to moderate the tightness and loseness of your mind. This happiness will soon leave and eventually turn into suffering. |
