Saturday, November 12, 2016
And what, Monks, is Ageing? by Sylvia Swain
Posted on 1 June 2013 by Buddhism Now
And what, monks, is ageing? In whatever beings of whatever group of beings, there is ageing, decrepitude, broken teeth, grey hair, wrinkled skin, shrinking with age, decay of the sense-faculties—that, monks, is called ageing. (Buddha)
This is not simply and literally about that trilogy of—disease, old age and death. Sadly, no one is ever too young to become ill or die. But they say that, whatever age we die, after the heart stops we have a few minutes left in which the brain is still active. Now in a timeless realm and uninterrupted by any sound, the consciousness can be rounded out, made whole, according to the life—conscious and unconscious—of that being. People who have a religion which provides for after-death welfare, such as in Tibetan Buddhism, are less troubled. But those without such beliefs, can trust to nature’s spiritual intentions for them, as they, like plants, struggle instinctively and unerringly towards the light.Samyutta Nikaya 12:16
“Bhikkhu, if one teaches the Dhamma for the purpose of revulsion towards birth … for the purpose of revulsion towards ignorance, for its fading away and cessation, one is fit to be called a bhikkhu who is a speaker on the Dhamma.
If one is practising for the purpose of revulsion towards ignorance, for its fading away and cessation, one is fit to be called a bhikkhu who is practising in accordance with the Dhamma.
If, through revulsion towards ignorance, through its fading away and cessation, one is liberated by nonclinging, one is fit to be called a bhikkhu who has attained Nibbāna in this very life.”
Friday, November 11, 2016
Mindfulness in Different Buddhist Traditions
Bhikkhu Anālayo 2016 Barre Center for Buddhist Studies
In modern day meditation circles, different understandings of mindfulness frequently exist side by side. Finding a meaningful way of relating one form of mindfulness to another can provide a model for coming to terms with the variety of Buddhist teachings nowadays available in the West.
In modern day meditation circles, different understandings of mindfulness frequently exist side by side. Finding a meaningful way of relating one form of mindfulness to another can provide a model for coming to terms with the variety of Buddhist teachings nowadays available in the West.
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Bāhitika Sutta - The Cloak MN 88
Then, when it was morning, the venerable Ānanda dressed, and taking his bowl and outer robe, went into Sāvatthī for alms. When he had wandered for alms in Sāvatthī and had returned from his almsround, after his meal he went to the Eastern Park, to the Palace of Migāra’s Mother, for the day’s abiding.
Bodhinyana Buddhist Monastery - Coming Home to Stillness & Peace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOL5RTd-WDk
Published on Nov 6, 2016
An introduction to Ajahn Brahm and Bodhinyana Buddhist Monastery, as well as a glimpse into the simple life of a Buddhist monk living in a forest monastery.
The footage used was kindly made available to us by the Korean KBS TV crew, who produced a Korean documentary about us in 2015.
The footage used was kindly made available to us by the Korean KBS TV crew, who produced a Korean documentary about us in 2015.
A Better Way to Be Alone: Loneliness from Buddhist’s Perspective
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Wednesday, November 9, 2016
WHO DO YOU CALL ‘WISE’?
Thus said the Blessed One: “Bhikkhu, a wise person of great wisdom does not intend for his own affliction, or for the affliction of others, or for the affliction of both. Rather, when he thinks, he thinks of his welfare, the welfare of others, the welfare of both, and the welfare of the whole world. It is in this way that one is a wise person of great wisdom.” – Anguttara Nikaya, Book of Fours
Nipponzan Myohoji: This Buddhist temple offers peace, silence in a noisy city
by Ruhi Bhasin, The Indian Express, November 6, 2016
<< The temple was constructed not only to spread the message of Buddhism but also to improve trade relations between India and Japan. (Express archive)The noise of busy streets and heavy traffic fades into the background as soon as you enter ‘Nipponzan Myohoji’ — a Japanese Buddhist temple founded by Nichidatsu Fujii Guruji. Except for a man sweeping the floor, you find yourself surrounded by a peaceful silence within the sanctuary of the temple.
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
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The Buddha’s Baggage
Everything you wanted to know about karma but were afraid to ask
By Thanissaro Bhikkhu
WINTER 2016 Tricycle
Courtesy of Hiroshi Wantanabe/Gallerystock.
Karma and rebirth are often treated as Buddhism’s cultural baggage: a set of Indian beliefs that—either because the Buddha wasn’t thinking carefully, or because his early followers didn’t stay true to his teachings—got mixed up with the dharma even though they don’t fit in with the rest of what he taught. Now that the dharma has come to the West, it’s time, we believe, to leave all this unnecessary baggage unclaimed on the carousel so we can focus on the Buddha’s true message in a way that will speak directly to our own cultural needs. However, the real problem with karma and rebirth is that we tend to misunderstand what these teachings have to say. This is because Buddhism came to the West at the same time as other Indian religions, and its luggage got mixed up with theirs in transit. When we sort out which luggage really belongs to the tradition, we find that the bags marked “Karma” and “Rebirth” actually contain valuables. And to help show how valuable they are, here are my answers to some frequently asked questions on these topics.
To demolish this impure foundation, he gave the powerful tool of Vipassana." ~ S N Goenka
"In Buddha's teaching, man matters most; when we talk of man, mind matters most; when we talk of mind, purity matters most so that it can generate pure love and compassion. Purity of mind can be achieved only when impurities are removed from the root level of the mind (anusaya). It is this root of the mind (anusaya) which generates and multiplies impurities.
And if this habit pattern is not changed, the impure mind is not changed; and if the impure mind is not changed, the individual is not changed; and if the individual is not changed, the society, the world is not changed. So Buddha strikes at the root cause of misery, which is the very foundation of the problem. To demolish this impure foundation, he gave the powerful tool of Vipassana." ~ S N Goenka
Monday, November 7, 2016
Anukampa Project mission to Establish Bhikkuni presence in Europe
2016-11-03 Daily Mirror Kalani Kumarasinghe
There appears to be an increased interest in the status and changeability of social roles of both men and women across cultures. By and large, research indicates that traditional patterns of social behaviour persist where gender specific roles are concerned. There is also evidence that despite certain shifts in public perception in society, the establishment of conventional roles in Asian cultures begins almost from infancy and continues into old age. So why would this norm be an exception in the orders of Buddhism?
There appears to be an increased interest in the status and changeability of social roles of both men and women across cultures. By and large, research indicates that traditional patterns of social behaviour persist where gender specific roles are concerned. There is also evidence that despite certain shifts in public perception in society, the establishment of conventional roles in Asian cultures begins almost from infancy and continues into old age. So why would this norm be an exception in the orders of Buddhism?
Lessons in Samadhi
GROUNDWORK July 30, 1956
If, when you’re sitting, you aren’t yet able to observe the breath, tell yourself, ‘Now I’m going to breathe in. Now I’m going to breathe out.’ In other words, at this stage you’re the one doing the breathing. You’re not letting the breath come in and out as it naturally would. If you can keep this in mind each time you breathe, you’ll soon be able to catch hold of the breath.
Mudita, sympathetic happiness. It will come.....
"When you see other people progressing, becoming happier, if your mind is not pure, you will generate jealousy towards these people. "Why did they get this, and not I? I’m a more deserving person. Why are they given such a position of power, or status? Why not I? Why have they earned so much money? Why not I?" This kind of jealousy is the manifestation of an impure mind.
As your mind gets pure by Vipassana and your metta gets stronger, you will feel happy when seeing others happy. "All around there is misery. Look, at least one person is happy. May he be happy and contented. May he progress in Dhamma, progress in worldly ways". This is mudita, sympathetic happiness. It will come." ~ S N Goenka
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Why Former Pixar CFO Lawrence Levy Walked Away from It All
In his new book, the author details his long and winding road to Buddhism—and Steve Jobs’s reaction to his career change.
By Lakshmi Gandhi NOV 01, 2016
Because movies like Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Monsters, Inc., are now considered modern-day classics, it’s hard to remember just how turbulent Pixar’s first years were. But when Lawrence Levy was recruited by Pixar chief Steve Jobs in 1994, the animation studio was bleeding cash. Unique structural challenges seemed to block any easy avenue to taking the company public, and a skeptical staff eyed their enigmatic boss with mistrust and resentment. In what reads like an IPO thriller, Levy, who served as the struggling company’s chief financial officer, details both his professional and personal journey in To Pixar and Beyond: My Unlikely Journey with Steve Jobs to Make Entertainment History.
'In the moment of mindfulness, there is no suffering'
by Ajahn Sumedho Courtesy of buddhismnow.com
'.. This is about this moment here and now. It’s not about whether suffering exists as a kind of metaphysic or abstraction or theory of suffering. We’re not talking about suffering as a theory or an idea, but as an actual experience, here and now. There might be physical pain, but if we’re mindful, we reflect on this as: There is pain. It’s like this. But then we don’t create aversion around it; so there’s no suffering. If we have a fever or cancer or anything that people think is suffering, and then we’re mindful, there is no suffering in that moment. When there is heedlessness, we might worry or be caught in despair and negative states towards it. But at any moment of mindfulness and understanding, there is no suffering.
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