The Noble Eightfold Path

The Noble Eightfold Path describes the way to the end of suffering, as it was laid out by Siddhartha Gautama. It is a practical guideline to ethical and mental development with the goal of freeing the individual from attachments and delusions; and it finally leads to understanding the truth about all things. Together with the Four Noble Truths it constitutes the gist of Buddhism. Great emphasis is put on the practical aspect, because it is only through practice that one can attain a higher level of existence and finally reach Nirvana. The eight aspects of the path are not to be understood as a sequence of single steps, instead they are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other.

1. Right View

Right view is the beginning and the end of the path, it simply means to see and to understand things as they really are and to realize the Four Noble Truth. As such, right view is the cognitive aspect of wisdom. It means to see things through, to grasp the impermanent and imperfect nature of worldly objects and ideas, and to understand the law of karma and karmic conditioning. Right view is not necessarily an intellectual capacity, just as wisdom is not just a matter of intelligence. Instead, right view is attained, sustained, and enhanced through all capacities of mind. It begins with the intuitive insight that all beings are subject to suffering and it ends with complete understanding of the true nature of all things. Since our view of the world forms our thoughts and our actions, right view yields right thoughts and right actions.

2. Right Intention

While right view refers to the cognitive aspect of wisdom, right intention refers to the volitional aspect, i.e. the kind of mental energy that controls our actions. Right intention can be described best as commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement. Buddha distinguishes three types of right intentions:

1. the intention of renunciation, which means resistance to the pull of desire,

2. the intention of good will, meaning resistance to feelings of anger and aversion, and

3. the intention of harmlessness, meaning not to think or act cruelly, violently, or aggressively, and to develop compassion.

3. Right Speech

Right speech is the first principle of ethical conduct in the eightfold path. Ethical conduct is viewed as a guideline to moral discipline, which supports the other principles of the path. This aspect is not self-sufficient, however, essential, because mental purification can only be achieved through the cultivation of ethical conduct. The importance of speech in the context of Buddhist ethics is obvious: words can break or save lives, make enemies or friends, start war or create peace. Buddha explained right speech as follows:

1. to abstain from false speech, especially not to tell deliberate lies and not to speak deceitfully,

2. to abstain from slanderous speech and not to use words maliciously against others,

3. to abstain from harsh words that offend or hurt others, and

4. to abstain from idle chatter that lacks purpose or depth. Positively phrased, this means to tell the truth, to speak friendly, warm, and gently and to talk only when necessary.

4. Right Action

The second ethical principle, right action, involves the body as natural means of expression, as it refers to deeds that involve bodily actions. Unwholesome actions lead to unsound states of mind, while wholesome actions lead to sound states of mind. Again, the principle is explained in terms of abstinence: right action means

1. to abstain from harming sentient beings, especially to abstain from taking life (including suicide) and doing harm intentionally or delinquently,

2. to abstain from taking what is not given, which includes stealing, robbery, fraud, deceitfulness, and dishonesty, and

3. to abstain from sexual misconduct. Positively formulated, right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others.

5. Right Livelihood

Right livelihood means that one should earn one's living in a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. The Buddha mentions four specific activities that harm other beings and that one should avoid for this reason:

1. dealing in weapons

2. dealing in living beings (including raising animals for slaughter as well as slave trade and prostitution)

3. working in meat production and butchery

4. selling intoxicants and poisons, such as alcohol and drugs. Furthermore any other occupation that would violate the principles of right speech and right action should be avoided.

6. Right Effort

Right effort can be seen as a prerequisite for the other principles of the path. Without effort, which is in itself an act of will, nothing can be achieved, whereas misguided effort distracts the mind from its task, and confusion will be the consequence. Mental energy is the force behind right effort; it can occur in either wholesome or unwholesome states. The same type of energy that fuels desire, envy, aggression, and violence can on the other side fuel self-discipline, honesty, benevolence, and kindness. Right effort is detailed in four types of endeavors that rank in ascending order of perfection:

1. to prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states,

2. to abandon unwholesome states that have already arisen,

3. to arouse wholesome states that have not yet arisen, and

4. to maintain and perfect wholesome states already arisen.

7. Right Mindfulness

Right mindfulness is the controlled and perfected faculty of cognition. It is the mental ability to see things as they are, with clear consciousness. Usually, the cognitive process begins with an impression induced by perception, or by a thought, but then it does not stay with the mere impression. Instead, we almost always conceptualize sense impressions and thoughts immediately. We interpret them and set them in relation to other thoughts and experiences, which naturally go beyond the facticity of the original impression. The mind then posits concepts, joins concepts into constructs, and weaves those constructs into complex interpretative schemes. All this happens only half consciously, and as a result we often see things obscured. Right mindfulness is anchored in clear perception and it penetrates impressions without getting carried away. Right mindfulness enables us to be aware of the process of conceptualization in a way that we actively observe and control the way our thoughts go. Buddha accounted for this as the four foundations of mindfulness:

1. contemplation of the body,

2. contemplation of feeling (repulsive, attractive, or neutral),

3. contemplation of the state of mind,

4. contemplation of the phenomena.

8. Right Concentration

The eighth principle of the path, right concentration, refers to the development of a mental force that occurs in natural consciousness, although at a relatively low level of intensity, namely concentration. Concentration in this context is described as one-pointedness of mind, meaning a state where all mental faculties are unified and directed onto one particular object. Right concentration for the purpose of the eightfold path means wholesome concentration, i.e. concentration on wholesome thoughts and actions. The Buddhist method of choice to develop right concentration is through the practice of meditation. The meditating mind focuses on a selected object. It first directs itself onto it, then sustains concentration, and finally intensifies concentration step by step. Through this practice it becomes natural to apply elevated levels concentration also in everyday situations.

Forgiveness Through Understanding

Unforgiveness is a sign of ignorance. To understand is to forgive.


By unforgiveness I mean a particular attitude, and abiding state of mind rather than an initial emotional reaction. When we are hurt, our pain is natural. If we are trying to suppress or to ignore this feeling, we are not true to ourselves. If we deny an experience of pain, we miss an opportunity to learn a lesson which it brought. So, it is wise to allow ourselves to feel pain before we let it go.

Someone might object an idea that we need to accept our responsibility for all of our experiences. They say, in essence: "If a person suffers from an inferiority complex and feels bad about himself/herself, that person will sink deeper into guilt and self-condemnation after accepting responsibility for all the bad things that happened to him/her. This concept only brings people down and makes them depressed. It doesn't inspire them to greater achievements" .
It might be possible that for certain individuals the burden of reality is too heavy, and they have to believe in illusions for some time. It might be true that in some cases people are too weak emotionally to handle the truth. However, there could be no real healing of wounds or deep personal transformation without accepting of the truth. Truth makes people free, ignorance makes people bound. Surely enough, truth is not always pleasing to human ego. Nevertheless, it needs to be swallowed and assumed before we will break mental patterns which cause us to have painful experiences over and over.

How does our increased understanding helps us to forgive?
First of all, we put all the painful experiences in the context of our evolutionary development. Perhaps, people who have difficulties with accepting responsibility for their pain, still think of it in terms of punishment. But this is never the case. No consequence of our actions is a punishment, but every consequence is a lesson. It brings our attention to a certain area of our life where an inner change is needed. Attention directs our energy flow. "The other person" whom we might blame for something bad that happened to us, is but the outward expression of a particular mental state within ourselves we need to deal with.

For instance, there are some people who complain about "discrimination" and "prejudices" they encounter. But what they fail to understand is that within themselves, they are not so tolerant and open toward others. Those who feel that they are "oppressed", often are full or anger and resentment. If they would have enough power, they would become oppressors and discriminators, just the way people they condemn are.

Forgiveness begins when we stop complaining about life, and accept it as it is â€" as the starting point for making it better. Forgiveness involves our honest self-examination and getting rid of all self-imposed or socially conditioned negativity. If all the people around us feel bad about some group, it doesn't mean that we should blindly accept their attitude. Let us think and decide for ourselves! At the same time, let us not expect ourselves or others to be perfect. We all are in a state of transition. We all make mistakes. But our personal transformation is up to us â€" and as we become determined to work at ourselves, we discover that all seeming obstacles become helpful influences.

The Four Noble Truths Pt. 4

THE FOURTH NOBLE TRUTH: THE TRUTH OF THE PATH LEADING TO THE END OF SUFFERING
The Middle Path
As a youth, Prince Siddhartha enjoyed the indulgent life of pleasure in his father's palace. Later, when he renounced the worldly life and became an ascetic, he experienced the hardship of torturing his mind and body. Finally, not long before attaining Enlightenment, he realized the fruitlessness of these two extreme ways of life. He realized that the way to happiness and Enlightenment was to lead a life that avoids these extremes. He described this life as the Middle Path.

These three ways of life may be compared to the strings of different tensions on a lute. The loose string, which is like a life of indulgence, produces a poor sound when struck. The overly tight string, which is like a life of extreme asceticism, similarly produces a poor sound when struck and is, moreover, likely to break at any moment. Only the middle string, which is neither too loose nor too tight, and is like the Middle Path, produces a pleasant and harmonious sound when struck. So those who follow the Middle Path which avoids the extreme of indulging one's desires and the opposite extreme of torturing one's mind and body unreasonably, will find happiness, peace of mind and Enlightenment. This is the Fourth Noble Truth of the path leading to the end of suffering.

So these who follow the Middle Path which avoid the extreme of indulging one's desires and opposite extreme of torturing one's mind and body unreasonably, will find happiness, peace of mind and Enlightenment. This is the Fourth Noble Truth of the path leading to the end of suffering.

THE EIGHTFOLD PATH
Like a wise and experienced doctor, the Buddha recognized the sickness of suffering. He identified its caused and discovered its cure. Then, for the benefit of mankind, the Buddha put his discovery into a systematic formula that can be easily followed in order to rid ourselves of suffering. The formula includes both physical and mental treatment, and is called the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Four Noble Truths Pt. 3

THE THIRD NOBLE TRUTH: THE TRUTH THE END OF SUFFERING
The Buddha's realization of the end of suffering and his attainment of Nirvana at the age of thirty-five, crowned his search for Truth with success. For six years, the Bodhisattva had spared no effort to find a solution to the problems of suffering. He had tried the principal methods of ending suffering and had found them wanting. Eventually he found his own solution to the problems of life.

CONFINDENCE IN THE BUDDHA'S TEACHING
Having realized the Truth through his own efforts, the Buddha offered it to all who were ready to listen. There is an old story of a turtle and a fish. The turtle lived on land as well as in the water while the fish only lived in the water. One day, when the turtle had returned from a visit to the land, he told the fish of his experiences. He explained that creatures walked rather than swam. The fish refused to believe that dry land really existed because that was something beyond his own experience. In the same way, people may not have experienced the end of suffering, but it does not mean that the end of suffering is not possible.

A patient must have confidence in an experienced doctor, otherwise he will never take the medicine that the doctor has prescribed for him and will not be cured of his sickness. Similarly, people must have confidence in the Teaching of the Buddha, who has shown that end of suffering is really possible.

THE END OF SUFFERING
The end of suffering is the final goal of the Buddha's Teaching. It can be experienced by anyone here and now. For example, when greed and anger arise in one's mind, unhappiness is the result and, when thoughts of greed and anger cease, one's mind becomes happy and peaceful. To end suffering completely, one must remove desire, ill will and ignorance. This is the Third Noble Truth of the End of Suffering.

HAPPINESS
The Buddha taught that the end of suffering is supreme happiness. Every step towards the end of suffering is accompanied by ever-increasing joy. Those who follow the Teaching of the Buddha live happily without greed among those who are overwhelmed by desire. They live happily without anger among those who harbor ill will. The more people free themselves from desire, ill will and ignorance, the greater will be their happiness. When they have completely overcome desire, ill will and ignorance, they will know the supreme happiness as experienced by the Buddha.

ENLIGHTENMENT
By putting the Buddha's Teaching into practice, people too can achieve supreme Enlightenment. Enlightenment has countless qualities, of which perfect wisdom and great compassion are the most important. Through perfect wisdom and great compassion, He is able to help countless beings to overcome their suffering.

EXPERIENCE NIRVANA FOR ONESELF
The end of suffering has been described as supreme happiness and Enlightenment. However, these terms do not fully express the real nature of the end of suffering, or Nirvana. Nirvana cannot be exactly put into words. Attempting to describe Nirvana is like saying that a mango is sweet, and that it is not like a banana or an apple. One has to eat a mango in order to know for oneself what the taste is really like. Similarly Nirvana has to be experienced for oneself.

Therefore, if people have confidence in the Buddha's Teaching and put it into practice, they can achieve happiness peace and Enlightenment.

The Four Noble Truths Pt. 2

THE SECOND NOBLE TRUTH: THE TRUTH THE CAUSES OF SUFFERING
The Buddha's had observed that life is suffering. Before He could find a solution to the problem of suffering in life, He had first to look for the cause of suffering. The Buddha was just like a good doctor who first observes a patient's symptoms and identifies the cause of illness before prescribing a cure. The Buddha discovered that the direct causes of suffering are desire or craving, and ignorance. This is the truth of the cause of suffering, which is the Second Noble Truth.

CRAVING
is the deep-seated desire that all living beings have for the pleasures of the senses, and for life itself. For instance, people always seek to enjoy good food, entertainment and pleasant company. Yet none of these can give them complete and lasting satisfaction. After the fine meal has been eaten, the beautiful music heard and the pleasant company shared, one is still not content. One would like to enjoy these pleasures again and again, and for as long as possible.

People who desire to own many things also can never be fully satisfied too. Like children in a toyshop, they crave all the attractive things they see around them. But like children, they soon become dissatisfied with what they already have and desire more. Sometimes, they can hardly eat or sleep until they get what they want. Yet when they succeed in getting what they want, they may still find their happiness short-lived. Many will be too worried for the safety and condition of their new possessions to enjoy it. Then when the object they possess eventually breaks into pieces and has to be thrown away, they will suffer its loss even more.

When we have obtained something we desire, we may want more and more of it, and so greed arises. Because of desire and greed, people will lie, cheat and steal to get what they want. Uncontrolled desires can also lead to addiction, for example, to smoking, drinking and overeating, all of which lead to suffering and cause mental and physical harm.

If another person prevents one from getting what is desired, one may feel anger towards that person. Desire, when obstructed, can lead to ill will and anger. This in turn can lead to harsh words, violent quarrels and even fights or killings. All this is suffering.

IGNORANCE
Craving or desire is like a great tree having many branches. There are branches of greed, of ill will and of anger. The fruit of this tree is suffering, but how does the tree of craving arise? Where does it grow? The answer is that the tree of craving is rooted in ignorance. It grows out of ignorance.

Ignorance is the inability to see the truth about things, to see things as they really are. There are many truths about the world which people are ignorant of because of the limitations of their understanding.

Science has shown, for instance, that there are sounds that people are unable to hear and waves of light that they are unable to see. People would be totally unaware of radio waves, or ultra-violet light rays if special instruments had not been developed to enable them to observe these things. So long as people remain ignorant of things about the world in which they live, they suffer from all kinds of misunderstandings and delusions.

When people develop their minds and acquire wisdom through study, careful thought and meditation, they will see the Truth. They will see things as they really are. They will understand the suffering and impermanence of life, the Law of Cause and Effect and the Four Noble Truths. By overcoming craving and ignorance, they will attain happiness and Enlightenment just as the Buddha did about 2500 years ago.

The Four Noble Truths Pt. 1

THE FIRST NOBLE TRUTH: THE TRUTH OF SUFFERING
The Buddha's discovery of the solution to the problem of suffering began with the recognition that life is suffering. This is the first of the Four Noble Truths. If people examine their own experiences or look at the world around them, they will see that life is full of suffering. Suffering may be physical or mental.
PHYSICAL SUFFERING
takes many forms. People must have observed at one time or another, how their aged relatives suffer. Most of them suffer aches and pains in their joints and many find it hard to move about. With advancing age, the elderly find life difficult because they cannot see, hear or eat properly. The pain of disease, which strikes young and old alike, is unbearable, and the pain of death brings much grief and suffering. Even the moment of birth gives pain both to the mother and the child that is born.
The truth is that suffering of birth, old age, sickness and death are unavoidable. Some fortunate people may now be enjoying relatively happy and carefree lives, but it is only a matter of time before they, too, will experience suffering. What is worse, this suffering must be borne alone.
MENTAL SUFFERING
Beside physical suffering, there are also various forms of mental suffering. People feel sad, lonely or depressed when they lose someone they love through separation or death. They feel irritated or uncomfortable when they are forced to be in the company of those whom they dislike or those who are unpleasant. People also suffer when they are unable to satisfy their limitless needs and wants.
HAPPINESS IN LIFE
When the Buddha said that there is suffering in life, He did not deny that there is happiness also. On the contrary, He spoke of various kinds of happiness, such as the happiness of friendship, the happiness of family life, and so on. But all these kinds of happiness are impermanent and when one loses them, one suffers. For example, one may like a pleasant and charming person and enjoy his or her company. But when one is separated from that person, the happiness turns into suffering. One suffers because of one's attachment to pleasures that do not last. People often remain unaware of the inevitable sufferings of life because they are distracted by temporary pleasures.

"For the sake of love of purity…refrain from eating flesh,
for fear of causing terror to living beings…refrain from eating
flesh."
-The Buddha-

Namaste!

Each year in the United States, 10 billion land animals are raised and
killed for meat, eggs, and milk. Statistically, farm animals comprise 98
percent of all animals in the country with whom we interact directly,and
that staggering percentage does not even include the estimated 10
billion aquatic animals killed for human consumption. Indeed, the
numbers of animals killed by trappers and hunters; in classrooms,
research laboratories, and animal shelters; and on fur farms; and those
animals raised as companions or used for entertainment by circuses and
zoos, collectively make up only 2 percent of the animals in some
established relationship with humans.
These farm animals—sentient, complex, and capable of feeling pain
and frustration, joy and excitement—are viewed by industrialized
agriculture as mere meat-, egg-, and milk-producing machines, and their
welfare suffers immensely as factory farm profit outweighs their
well-being. Yet, despite the routine abuses they endure, no federal law
protects animals from cruelty on the farm, and the majority of states
exempt customary agricultural practices—no matter how
abusive—from the scope of their animal cruelty statutes. The welfare
of farm animals often loses out to the economic interests of factory
farmers who can make larger profits by intensively confining animals and
breeding them for rapid growth with little regard for the amount of
suffering the animals endure.
Every year in the United States, more than 9 billion animals are killed
for food; millions more die of stress, suffocation, injuries, or disease
in the food industry.
In his or her lifetime, the average American meat-eater is responsible
for the abuse and deaths of some 2,400 animals, including approximately
2,287 chickens, 92 turkeys, 31 pigs, and 12 steers and calves.

Was The Buddha Fat?

I received an email today asking if The Buddha really was fat?
Actually, The Buddha was NOT fat.
In Buddhism there is a lot of symbolism in Buddhism I have compiled a few of the elements of The Buddha statue that is fairly universal:

* The earlobes are elongated, partly to indicate the Buddha is all-hearing and partly as a reminder of the heavy earrings that weighed them down before Siddhartha renounced material things to seek enlightenment.

* The Buddha's head is usually enlarged (sometimes by a large bump on top) to symbolize wisdom; a jewel in the bump denotes brilliance.

* The hair is generally curly. According to legend, after shearing off his long princely locks, Siddhartha from then on had a head of short, fine curls — not a common look in Asia and thus a distinguishing sign.

* A dot or protrusion in the center of the forehead represents power or an all-seeing eye.

* The fingers are long, slender, and usually finely webbed to indicate that the Buddha can "catch" people, similar to the Christian idea of Jesus the fisherman. Webbing also has the practical advantage of making the statue's delicate fingers less likely to break off.

* Often a stylized representation of light emanates from the Buddha, akin to a halo but usually encircling the entire body.

Different postures — standing, sitting lotus position (cross-legged), sitting half-lotus position (one leg hangs down to the ground), and lying down — represent different stages or aspects of the Buddha's life. The two lotus positions symbolize that Buddha, like the lotus plant, emerged from the mud to achieve enlightenment. The reclining Buddha usually represents his death, passing into nirvana and escaping the tedious cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
You didn't ask, but mystic hand gestures called mudra (Sanskrit for "seal" or "sign") are also a big deal in Buddhism. The five most common.

* Teaching mudra. Also called "turning the wheel of law." Used by the historical Buddha when preaching, the right hand is in front of the chest, palm outward, thumb and forefinger forming a circle. The left hand is beneath the right hand, also with thumb and forefinger touching, but palm inward. Variation: right hand at shoulder level pointing up and the left at hip level pointing down, both with palm outward and index finger and thumb forming circles; sometimes called the "reasoning" mudra.

* Fearlessness mudra. Upraised hand lifted above thigh, palm facing out, fingers pointing up, usually with middle finger slightly forward; means "fear not" and is a sign of protection.

* Welcoming mudra. Right hand pointing downward, palm facing out, often with middle finger slightly forward; means welcome, blessing, or charity.

* Meditation mudra. Found mostly on seated images. Both hands in lap, palms upward, usually right on top of left but sometimes fingers curled, thumbs touching to form a circle; indicates a state of, well, meditation.

* Earth-touching mudra. Statue in lotus position, with right hand hanging over right knee, palm inward, fingers (or just forefinger) touching the earth; left hand in lap, palm upward, sometimes holding a begging bowl. Symbolizes the Buddha "calling the earth to witness" his victory over temptation.

I will make another post on Mudras soon.

The Monk and The Scorpion

The city majestrate was walking through the square one morning when he noticed a monk crouching by a puddle left by the just ended downpour.

The monk, had noticed a scorpion in a puddle. He extended his hand and plucked the scorpion from the water.

With this, the scorpion stung the monks finger. The monk dropped the scorpion. The majestrate could here a whimper as he observed the monk sucking his finger in attempt to quell the pain.

The majestrate became astonished when the monk reached back into the water to pick up the scorpion with the inevitable stinging result.

The majestrate admonsihed the monk. " Do you not realize that is the scorpion's nature to sting you?" he asked the monk with a tone of arrogance.

The monk replied "Do you not realize it is in my nature to help it?"

Zen Coffee Philisophy

We are all filled with good qualities of peace, love, joy, compassion, and kindness. When uncomfortable situations arise, we need to remind ourselves of these beautiful inner qualities that we all possess and can share with everyone around us and in every situation we are in. We can mindfully bring those inner qualities out into our world and spread a lot of loving kindness around. When you find yourself getting angry at someone or feeling frustrated in a particular experience, take a deep breath in. Just breathe for a moment or two. Be mindfully aware of how you're feeling and know that you have the ever-present choice to respond to that person or situation with loving kindness. Take a moment or two to breathe in and smell the coffee.

In my Zen coffee philosophy, stirring just a smidge of loving kindness into the coffee cup of all your experiences produces a perfect blend of calm coffee flavored with compassion. Breathe in the peaceful qualities that are within you and feel kindness toward the person who has made you angry or the situation that brought you stress. Breathe out that loving kindness that is within you.

Unbrokenness

There is a brokenness
out of which comes the unbroken,
a shatteredness out
of which blooms the unshatterable.
There is a sorrow
beyond all grief which leads to joy
and a fragility
out of whose depths emerges strength.

There is a hollow space
too vast for words
through which we pass with each loss,
out of whose darkness
we are sanctioned into being.

There is a cry deeper than all sound
whose serrated edges cut the heart
as we break open
to the place inside which is unbreakable
and whole,
while learning to sing.

Buddha's First Sermon and Last Words

1. Buddha's First Sermon:

            SETTING IN MOTION THE WHEEL OF TRUTH
               (Dhammacakkappavattana-sutta)

Thus have I heard.  The Blessed One was once living in the
Deer Park at Isipatana (the Resort of Seers) near Baranasi
(Benares).  There he addressed the group of five bhikkhus:
  'Bhikkhus, these two extremes ought not to be practised by one
who has gone forth from the household life.  What are the two?
There is devotion to the indulgence of sense-pleasures, which is
low, common, the way of ordinary people, unworthy and
unprofitable; and there is devotion to self-mortification, which is
painful, unworthy and unprofitable.
  'Avoiding both these extremes, the Tathagata has realized the
Middle Path: it gives vision, it gives knowledge, and it leads to
calm, to insight, to enlightenment, to Nibbana.  And what is that
Middle Path ... ? It is simply the Noble Eightfold Path, namely,
right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right
livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
This is the Middle Path realized by the Tathagata, which gives
vision, which gives knowledge, and which leads to calm, to
insight, to enlightenment, to Nibbana.
   'The Noble Truth of suffering (Dukkha) is this: Birth is
suffering; aging is suffering; sickness is suffering; death is
suffering; sorrow and lamentation, pain, grief and despair are
suffering; association with the unpleasant is suffering; dissocia-
tion from the pleasant is suffering; not to get what one wants is
suffering - in brief, the five aggregates of attachment are suffering.
  'The Noble Truth of the origin of suffering is this: It is this
thirst (craving) which produces re-existence and re-becoming,
bound up with passionate greed.  It finds fresh delight now
here and now there, namely, thirst for sense-pleasures; thirst for
existence and becoming; and thirst for non-existence (self-
annihilation).
  'The Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering is this: It is
the complete cessation of that very thirst, giving it up, renouncing
it, emancipating oneself from it, detaching oneself from it.
  'The Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation of
suffering is this: It is simply the Noble Eightfold Path, namely
right view; right thought; right speech; right action; right
livelihood; right effort; right mindfulness; right concentration.
  '"This is the Noble Truth of Suffering (Dukkha)": such was
the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the science, the light,
that arose in me with regard to things not heard before.  "This
suffering, as a noble truth, should be fully understood": such was
the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the science, the light, that
arose in me with regard to things not heard before.  "This suffer-
ing, as a noble truth, has been fully understood": such was the
vision, the knowledge, the wisdom, the science, the light, that
arose in me with regard to things not heard before.
  '"This is the Noble Truth of the Origin of suffering": such was
the vision, . . . "This Origin of suffering, as a noble truth,
should be abandoned": such was the vision, . . . This Origin
of suffering, as a noble truth, has been abandoned": such was
the vision, . . . with regard to things not heard before.
  '"This is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering":
such was the vision, . . . "This Cessation of suffering, as a noble
truth, should be realized": such was the vision, . . . "This
Cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, has been realized":
such was the vision, . . . with regard to things not heard
before.
  '"This is the Noble Truth of the Path leading to the Cessation
of suffering": such was the vision, . . . "This Path leading to the
Cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, should be followed
(cultivated)": such was the vision, . . . "This Path leading to the
Cessation of suffering, as a noble truth, has been followed
(cultivated)": such was the vision, the knowledge, the wisdom,
the science, the light, that arose in me with regard to things
not heard before.
  'As long as my vision of true knowledge was not fully clear in
these three aspects, in these twelve ways, regarding the Four
Noble Truths, I did not claim to have realized the perfect
Enlightenment that is supreme in the world with its gods, with
its Maras and Brahmas, in this world with its recluses and
brahmanas, with its princes and men.  But when my vision
of true knowledge was fully clear in these three aspects, in these
twelve ways, regarding the Four Noble Truths, then I claimed
to have realized the perfect Enlightenment that is supreme in the
world with its gods, its Maras and Brahmas, in this world with its
recluses and brahmanas, with its princes and men.  And a vision
of true knowledge arose in me thus: My heart's deliverance is
unassailable.  This is the last birth.  Now there is no more re-
becoming (rebirth).
  This the Blessed One said.  The group of five bhikkhus was
glad, and they rejoiced at his words.


2. Buddha's Last Words:

               THE LAST WORDS OF THE BUDDHA
   (Mahaparinibbana-sutta of the Digha-nikaya, Sutta No. 16)

Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ananda: 'It
may be, Ananda, that to some of you the thought may come:
"Here are (we have) the Words of the Teacher who is gone; our
Teacher we have with us no more".  But Ananda, it should not
be considered in this light.  What I have taught and laid down,
Ananda, as Doctrine (Dhamma) and Discipline (Vinaya), this will,
be your teacher when I am gone.
  'Just as, Ananda, the bhikkhus now address one another with
the word "Friend" (Avuso), they should not do so when I am
gone.  A senior bhikkhu, Ananda, may address a junior by his
name, his family name or with the word "Friend"; a junior
bhikkhu should address a senior as "Sir" (Bhante) or "Venerable"
(Ayasma).
  'If the Sangha (the Community, the Order) should wish it,
Ananda, let them, when I am gone, abolish the lesser and minor
precepts (rules).
  'When I am gone, Ananda, the highest penalty should be
imposed on the Bhikkhu Channa.'
  'But, Sir, what is the highest penalty?'
  'Let the Bhikkhu Channa say what he likes, Ananda; the
bhikkhus should neither speak to him, nor advise him, nor
exhort him.'
  Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: 'It may be,
Bhikkhus, that there may be doubt or perplexity in the mind of
even one bhikkhu about the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the
Sangha, or the Path, or the Practice.  Ask Bhikkhus.  Do not
reproach yourselves afterwards with the thought: "Our Teacher
was face to face with us; we could not ask the Blessed One
when we were face to face with him".'
  When this was said, the bhikkhus remained silent.
  A second time and a third time too the Blessed One addressed
the bhikkhus ... as above.
  The bhikkhus remained silent even for the third time.
  Then the Blessed One addressed them and said: 'It may be,
Bhikkhus, that you put no questions out of reverence for your
Teacher.  Then, Bhikkhus, let friend speak to friend.'
  Even at this, those bhikkhus remained silent.
  Then the Venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: 'It is
wonderful, Sir.  It is marvellous, Sir.  I have this faith, Sir, in
the community of bhikkhus here, that not even one of them has any
doubt or perplexity about the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the
Sangha, or the Path, or the Practice.'
  'You speak out of faith, Ananda.  But in this matter, Ananda,
the Tathagata (i.e. Buddha) knows, and knows for certain,
that in this community of bhikkhus there is not even one bhikkhu
who has any doubt or perplexity about the Buddha, or the
Dhamma, or the Sangha, or the Path, or the Practice.  Indeed,
Ananda, even the lowest in spiritual attainments among these
five hundred bhikkhus is a Stream-entrant (Sotapanna), not liable
to fall (into lower states), is assured, and is bound for Enlighten-
ment.'
  Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: 'Then,
Bhikkhus, I address you now: Transient are conditioned things.
Try to accomplish your aim with diligence.'
  These were the last words of the Tathagata.

Love is...

Karma & Reincarnation Pt.6

THE CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH
The Buddha pointed out that whenever one is reborn, whether as a human being, as an animal, or as a god, none of these states of existence is permanent. The average life span differs for living beings in the six realms of existence but none of them lasts forever. Eventually, rebirth will take place. The realm into which one is reborn and one's conditions of rebirth are determined by past and present actions. This is the law of karma at work.

Because of the force of their karma, people are born and reborn endlessly in one realm of existence or in another. The Buddha declared that there is no permanent rest in this cycle of birth and death. It is only when one follows the Noble Eightfold path taught by the Buddha and eventually attains Nirvana, that one finally becomes free from this ceaseless cycle and gains supreme and permanent happiness.

People who understand karma and rebirth see life in a better perspective. They understand that every action they perform will have its effects now and in the future. The knowledge gives them hope and strength in the face of difficulties. It gives them courage to continue doing good. They are convinced that they will experience the good effects of their wholesome actions either in the short-term or in the long-term.

Karma & Reincarnation Pt.5

REBIRTH IN THE SIX REALMS
Buddhism teaches that birth, death and rebirth are part of the continuing process of change. This is similar to the continuous process of growth, decay and replacement of cells in one's body. According to medical experts, every seven years, all body cells are replaced.

At the moment of death, when this life is over, and the body can no longer survive, the mind is separated from the body. At that time, the craving for life causes one to seek a new existence, and the previous karma determines the place of one's rebirth.

There are six realms in which one may be reborn after death. They are the realms of gods, the demigods, human beings, animals, hungry ghosts and the hells. These are just general categories and within each, there exist many sub-categories. The six realms of existence include three relatively happy states, and three relatively miserable states. The realms of the gods, the demigods and human beings are considered to contain more happiness and less suffering. The realms of animals, hungry ghosts and the hells are considered to be relatively miserable because living beings there suffer more from fear, hunger, thirst, heat, cold and pain.

In general, wholesome actions such as good conduct, charity and mental development, are the causes of rebirth in the happy realms of gods, demigods and human beings. On the other hand, unwholesome actions such as immoral conduct, miserliness and cruelty cause rebirth in the unhappy realms of animals, hungry ghosts and the hells.

One need not wait until rebirth to imagine what existence in other realms is like. For instance, when one is intensely happy or totally at peace with oneself, one experiences a state similar to that of the gods. When baser instincts are followed and one is totally preoccupied with eating, sleeping and sex, existence is like that of the animals. Then again, when one is overwhelmed by fear and pain, or is tortured and killed in this life, one experiences suffering like that of the hells.

Of all the six realms, the realm of human beings is considered the most desirable. In the realm of human beings, the conditions for attaining Nirvana are better. In general, in the unhappy realms, the suffering of living beings is so intense and ignorance so great that they are unable to recognize the Truth and follow the path to attain freedom. Alternatively, living beings in the realms of the gods and demigods experience so much happiness and have so many distractions that they do no think of rebirth until is too late. Then they may be reborn in one of the lower realms of suffering. In the realm of human beings, however, people experience both happiness and suffering, and are intelligent enough to recognize the Truth and follow the path to attain freedom from the cycle of birth and death. Therefore, one is indeed fortunate to be born as a human being, and should remember that the principal cause of birth in this realm is Good Conduct.

Karma & Reincarnation Pt.4

THE CASE FOR REBIRTH
Rebirth is a reality although one may not be aware of it. Those who have developed their minds through meditation have confirmed the existence of past lives. Meditators who have attained powers of concentration have been able to recall their previous lives in great detail. The Buddha and His prominent disciples, in many countries and at different times, have been able to prove the existence of past lives. The Buddha, on the night of His Enlightenment, developed the ability to see His past lives. He also saw beings dying in one state of existence and being reborn in another, according to their actions. Thus it was from personal experience that the Buddha taught His followers the truth of rebirth.

In recent years, evidence has been collected and documented which confirms that rebirth is a fact. There have been cases of people who have been able to recollect their experience of previous lives. Their description of places and persons of the past were confirmed after thorough investigations.

The best known example of this is the case of Bridey Murphy. A Mrs. Ruth Simmons of the United States recollected a previous life in Ireland, more than 100 years ago. She said she had been Bridey Murphy in the year 1789 and gave full details of Bridey's life. The details were later checked and found to be quite accurate, although in her present life, Mrs. Simmons had never been outside America.

In another case in England, a woman called Mrs. Naomi Henry recollected two previous lives. In the first instance, she recalled her life as an Irishwoman living in a village called Greenhalgh in the seventeenth century. Research into her case was carried out which revealed that such a village did exist then. In the second instance, she remembered that in one of her previous lives, she was an Englishwoman who became a nurse to several children in an English town called Downham in 1902. A search into the official records kept in Downham proved that such a woman did exist.

Professor Ian Stevenson of the University of Virginia, U.S.A., has researched and published his findings on more than twenty cases of rebirth. These cases, which have been well documented and verified, are from various countries including France, Italy, India, Sri Lanka and Burma.

Karma & Reincarnation Pt.3

REBIRTH
One question often asked is, "What happens to us after death?"

According to the Buddhists, rebirth takes place at the end of this life. Buddhists regard rebirth as a fact. There is evidence that each person has lived many lives in the past and will continue to lives more in the future.

Karma & Reincarnation Pt.2

DEFINITION OF KARMA
Karma is intentional action, that is, a deed done deliberately through body, speech or mind. Karma means good and bad volition (kusala Akusala Centana). Every volitional action (except that of a Buddha or of an Arahant) is called Karma. The Buddhas and Arahants do not accumulate fresh Karma as they have destroyed all their passions.

In other words, Karma is the law of moral causation. It is action and reaction in the ethical realm. It is natural law that every action produces a certain effect. So if one performs wholesome actions such as donating money to charitable organizations, happiness will ensue. On the other hand, if one performs unwholesome actions, such as killing a living being, the result will be suffering. This is the law of cause and effect at work. In this way, the effect of past karma determines the nature of one's present situation in life.

The Buddha said,

"According to the seed that is sown,
So is the fruit you reap
The door of good of will gather good results
The door of evil reaps evil results.
If you plant a good seed well,
Then you will enjoy the good fruits."

Karma is a law itself. But it does not follow that there should be a lawgiver. The law of Karma, too, demands no lawgiver. It operates in its own field without the intervention of an external, independent agency.

Karma & Reincarnation Pt.1

WHEN PEOPLE
are happy and contented, they tend to take life for granted. It is when they suffer, when they find life difficult, that they begin to search for a reason and a way out of their difficulty. They may ask why some are born in poverty and suffering, while others are born in fortunate circumstances. Some people believe that it is due to fate, chance, or an invisible power beyond their control. They feel that they are unable to live the life they desire so as to experience happiness always. Consequently, they become confused and desperate. However, the Buddha was able to explain why people differ in their circumstances and why some are more fortunate in life than others. The Buddha taught that one's present condition, whether of happiness or suffering, is the result of the accumulated force of all past actions or karma.

Principles of Zen and Buddhism

After the Buddha passed away not too long, about a couple of centuries - I can not tell the number of years exactly - his teachings were interpreted in many different ways which depended on each individual understanding of his disciples. Then it formed in two greatest systems: Theravada or it's often called Hinayana: the Small Vehicle, i.e. the small car only can carries one person to nirvana, it's ideal person is an Arahat (a perfect saint) and Mahayana or the Great Vehicle i.e., the big car that can carries many people at the same time to enlightenment, the ideal person is a Bodhisattva, a person who is on the way to the Supreme Enlightenment of the Buddha. Then about the first century of A. D., Nagarjuna, one of the greatest Buddhist masters of all times, his position is just after the Buddha himself, founded the Madhyamika (Middle Path) School with his Doctrine of Sunyata (Emptiness) and almost the aftermath Buddhist shools' teachings based on his Doctrine, including Zen school. And after him about 200 years, another of the greatest schools was founded by Maitreya then established by Ansanga and Vasubandhu: Vijnanavada (Mind-only) School. These two greatest Indian Buddhist schools have been remained and developed in many other countries such as China, Tibet, Japan, Korea, Vietnam... and now everywhere in the world, along with them is the Theravada system.

So far, there are at least ten great sects in Mahayana Buddhism such as Pureland school with its main practice is praying the name of the Amida (i.e. Infinite Light or Infinite Longevity) Buddha who lives in the Western Paradise. Another school is San-lun (Three Treatises) school, or the Madhyamika school in China, Japan , Korea, and Tibet. This school actually no longer exists in China... but still exists in the Tibetan Buddhists and now is spreading strongly in the West, especially in America through many Tibetan Buddhist masters. (The present Dalai Lama actually does not belong to this school, he belong to the Yogachara school, Gelupa in Tibetan. The third one is Tien-ts'ai (Tendai, in Japanese) school which was founded by Chi-i, one of the greatest Chinese Buddhist masters, its doctrine was based on the Lotus-sutra and its main is samatha and samadhi, one of the Buddhist meditation methods. The fourth one is Ch'an in Chinese (or Zen in Japanese) school. Its founder was Bohdidharma, an Indian Buddhist master, came to China about the latter half of the fifth century and the first half of the sixth century. The main message which Bodhidharma sent to us runs like this:

"Not relying on the words and letters, Teachings are transmitted outside the Scriptures; Pointing directly into one's mind, then one can see into his own nature and attains Buddhahood."

To help people who like to do kensho (see into one's own nature), Zen masters have designed many different methods. The four main ones of them are: counting your breaths out and in, following your breaths with your mind's eye, shikantaza (or just sitting in your whole awareness), and koans. Actually, the practice of this school based on the Way of the Buddha: dhyana (or meditation) which the Buddha did at least for six years until he became the Enlightened One. Its teachings are based on the teachings of the Buddha in the Mahaprajnaparamita-sutra which the doctrine of emptiness of Nagarjuna based on and the teachings of the Buddha in the Lankavatara-sutra which the doctrine of Consciousness-only of Vasubandhu based on. And sometimes the teachings of the Buddha in the Avatamsaka-sutra can be seen in Zen, too. Therefore, it can be said that the teaching system of Zen Buddhism is an integrity of the whole Mahayana Buddhism. When the Yogachara school, the precedent of the Vijnanavada school, at first, was brought by Padmasambhava into Tibet, it adopted some features of the native cult had been there: the Bon of the Tibetan people and the mysticism was one of its characteristics. In Tibetan Buddhism, there is a school called Dozgchen has some characteristics which are somewhat similar to Zen.

However, despite how different those schools seem to be, they all have the same ultimate goal: to help anyone who likes to learn and practice what the Buddha taught: to become enlightened, liberate oneself from his suffering caused by his greed, anger, and ignorance and then if he likes, he can help others do the same thing.

What I have just said above are some simple words on some main ideas and I won't go into the other sects of Buddhism because I think it is enough for this time. If you want to go further into them, you might need to read some books on them such as "The Essentials of Buddhist Philosophy" by Junriro Takakusu.

There are a couple of things here I like to make it clear: There are many and many different methods of meditation which are used in the different Buddhist schools, for example, the methods are used in the Tibetan Buddhist schools can be called "the methods of visualization", this means when a practitioner does one of these he needs something to rely on, usually an image. In Zen Buddhism, the methods are different. This means they do not need any image to rely on, especially in shikantaza. When someone, a Westerner in particular, who reads the teachings of the Buddha, for the first round, on the Four Noble Truth, usually sees that Buddhism shows us everything in this world is full of suffering, temporary, unreliable, deceitful ... oh! too passive and pessimistic... Yes, he is correct but this is just one step or the First Truth of the Four Noble Truth. If he stops right here, he already miss the three more steps that he needs to go and see the whole thing.

Furthermore, all the teachings of the Buddha and Zen masters are for practicing and not only reading. If you like experience something for yourself you might want to practice one of them. Yes, the Buddha-Dharma which Thich Nhat Hanh and his followers are now practicing , I think, it is closer to the teachings of Indian Buddhism than Chinese Buddhism. He goes back to the original teachings of the Buddha, for example, he emphasizes the practice on breathing, on awareness to whatever we do in our everyday life. Another feature in Thich Nhat Hanh's Buddhism is his trend to get closer to Christianity. This is shown in some of his books.

The Four Dharma Seals

In the 26 centuries since the life of the Buddha, Buddhism has developed into diverse schools and sects. As Buddhism reached into new regions of Asia it often absorbed remnants of older regional religions. Many local "folk Buddhisms" sprang up that adopted the Buddha and the many iconic figures of Buddhist art and literature as gods, without regard to their original meaning.

Sometimes new religions sprang up that were Buddhist in appearance but which retained little of the Buddha's teachings. On the other hand, sometimes new schools of Buddhism arose that approached the teachings in fresh and robust new ways, to the disapproval of traditionalists. Questions arose -- what is it that distinguishes Buddhism as a distinctive religion? When is "Buddhism" actually Buddhism?

Those schools of Buddhism based on the Buddha's teachings accept the Four Seals of Dharma as the distinction between true Buddhism and "sorta looks like Buddhism." Further, a teaching that contradicts any of the Four Seals is not a true Buddhist teaching.

The Four Seals are:

1. All compounded things are impermanent.
2. All stained emotions are painful.
3. All phenomena are empty.
4. Nirvana is peace.

Let's look at them one at a time.

1. All Compounded Things Are Impermanent

Anything that is assembled of other things will come apart -- a toaster, a building, a mountain, a person. The timetables may vary -- certainly a mountain may remain a mountain for 10,000 years. But even 10,000 years is not "always." The fact is that the world around us, which seems solid and fixed, is in a state of perpetual flux.

Well, of course, you may say. Why is this so important to Buddhism?

Thich Nhat Hanh wrote that impermanence makes all things possible. Because everything changes, there are seeds and flowers, children and grandchildren. A static world would be a dead one.

Mindfulness of impermanence leads us to the teaching of interdependent origination. All the compounded things are part of a limitless web of interconnection that is constantly changing. Phenomena become because of conditions created by other phenomena. Elements assemble and dissipate and re-assemble. Nothing is separate from everything else.

Finally, being mindful of the impermanence of all compounded things, including ourselves, helps us accept loss, old age and death. This may seem pessimistic, but it is realistic. There will be loss, old age and death whether we accept them or not.

2. All Stained Emotions Are Painful.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama translated this seal "all contaminated phenomena are of the nature of suffering." The word "stained" or "contaminated" refers to actions, emotions and thoughts conditioned by selfish attachment, or by hate, greed and ignorance.

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, a Bhutanese lama and filmmaker, said,

"All emotions are pain. All of them! Why? Because they involve dualism. This is a big subject now. This we have to discuss for a while… From the Buddhist point of view, as long as there is a subject and object, as long as there is a separation between subject and object, as long as you divorce them so to speak, as long as you think they are independent and then function as subject and object, that is an emotion, which includes everything, almost every thought that we have."

It is because we see ourselves as separate from other things that we desire them, or are repulsed by them. This is the teaching of the Second Noble Truth, which teaches that the cause of suffering is craving or thirst (tanha). Because we divide the world into subject and object, me and everything else, we continually grasp for things we think are separate from ourselves to make us happy. But nothing ever satisfies us for long.

3. All Phenomena Are Empty.

Another way to say this is that nothing has intrinsic or inherent existence, including ourselves. This relates to the teaching of anatman, also called anatta.

Theravada and Mahayana Buddhists understand anatman somewhat differently. Theravada scholar Walpola Rahula explained,

"According to the Buddha's teaching, it is as wrong to hold the opinion 'I have no self' (which is the annihilationist theory) as to hold the opinion 'I have a self' (the eternalist theory), because both are fetters, both arising out of the false idea 'I AM'. The correct position with regard to the question of Anatta is not to take hold of any opinion or views, but to try to see things objectively as they are without mental projections, to see that what we call 'I', or 'being', is only a combination of physical and mental aggregates, which are working together interdependently in a flux of momentary change within the law of cause and effect, and that there is nothing permanent, everlasting, unchanging and eternal in the whole of existence." (Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught, 2nd ed., 1974, p. 66)

Mahayana Buddhism teaches the doctrine of shunyata, or "emptiness." Phenomena have no existence of their own and are empty of a permanent self. In shunyata, there is neither reality not not-reality; only relativity. However, shunyata also is an absolute reality that is all things and beings, unmanifested.

4. Nirvana Is Peace.

The fourth seal sometimes is worded "Nirvana is beyond extremes." Walpola Rahula said "Nirvana is beyond all terms of duality and relativity. It is therefore beyond our conceptions of good and evil, right and wrong, existence and non-existence." (What the Buddha Taught, p. 43)

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche said, "In many philosophies or religions, the final goal is something that you can hold on to and keep. The final goal is the only thing that truly exists. But nirvana is not fabricated, so it is not something to be held on to. It is referred to as 'beyond extremes.'"

Nirvana is defined in diverse ways by the various schools of Buddhism. But the Buddha taught that Nirvana was beyond human conceptualization or imagination, and discouraged his students from wasting time in speculations about Nirvana.

This Is Buddhism

The Four Seals reveal what is unique about Buddhism among all the world's religions. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche said, "Whoever holds these four [seals], in their heart, or in their head, and contemplates them, is a Buddhist."

A thought on God

*Hang your gods*

Does God exist or not? Man has been posing this question for thousands
of years. The question itself is the child of a confrontation: between
those who believe and others who don't. But, what's the truth? Before
answering this question, one needs to understand how the concept called
God has come to play such a dominant role in man's life.
Let us begin with understanding our gods, the Hindu God, the Muslim God,
the Christian God to mention a few. Every one of these gods is omnipotent.

They're supposed to have performed miracles and saved huma-nity from
crises in the distant past. Believers who look up to them will tell you
their gods still have the capacity to perform such feats. So,
psychologically speaking, it seems man is ready to bestow anyone with
the status of a god if He can save him from trouble.

Hence, it wouldn't be wrong to assume gods are the children of misery.
For, a happy man who celebrates every moment of his life would hardly
require any god.

He needs God only when life metes out a raw deal. So, ironically, it
won't be an exaggeration to say, gods and Maoists thrive on the same
soil: the soil from which the plants of poverty, famine, pestilence
greed and war sprout. Gods can profit from their business because
everything is in a state of flux.

The angry gods - pagan by nature - stand testimony to this fact. Take
the case of the Hindu gods. Most of them are decorated with an array of
glittering weapons.

They've multiple heads and arms to tackle hydra-headed enemies who work
incessantly for the destruction of humanity. Some of them are even seen
in dancing postures wearing garlands made from human skulls. Would these
gods have come into being if man had lived a life of benediction?

It goes to prove our popular gods are not only the children of misery,
but they're also the children of corrupt ruling classes. It's when the
ruling classes fail to deliver justice that men start looking up to
their Super Saviours. It's not surprising that individuals who shunned
politics in favour of spirituality became the alternate leaders of the
masses - shepherds like Krishna, Jesus, Buddha or Mohammed who brought
along divine messages.

How does one express his gratitude to the super heroes? Certainly, by
worshipping them, by creating scriptures about what they preached, and
creating cults designed to attract more people to sign up. People get
lured into becoming believers primarily because they are led to think
that there's always going to be a saviour who will shoulder their
responsibilities. Unfortunately, they don't realise that freedom comes
from assuming responsibility, not shirking it. Followers, in reality,
are slaves.

However, those who believe in God and those who don't are equally
foolish. The believers must understand that all their gods who existed
in human forms earlier have met their end over time. A dead god is not
likely to revisit now and save them from their troubles. Even the old
scriptures won't be of much help in the current circumstances. As for
non-believers, needless to say, through their denial, they only keep God
alive.

Instead of debating whether God exists or not, it's time man met the
dormant God within. He can aspire to achieve this only when he stops
searching for an out-of-the-world saviour. He should understand that a
saviour is similar to a big banyan tree. No rosebush can grow under its
expansive shadow. So, if man wants to achieve Godhood, it's time he
threw his gods into the fire.

Jesus, Krishna, Mohammed and Buddha went against conventions. They're
the ones who dared to move out of the banyan tree's shadow to find their
own existence. Now, it's for you to decide. Do you want to believe in an
outside God or in the God that you already are? It's also up to you to
decide whether to follow a farcical religion or wake up to the religion
of your consciousness.

Exerpts From The Pali Canon Pt.1

The Bodhisatta (Buddha-to-be)
Asita, the seer, visits the newborn prince

[Date: -80 BE]

Asita the seer, in his mid-day meditation,
saw the devas of the Group of Thirty
— exultant, ecstatic —
dressed in pure white, honoring Indra,
holding up banners, cheering wildly,
& on seeing the devas so joyful & happy,
having paid his respects, he said:

"Why is the deva community
so wildly elated?
Why are they holding up banners
& waving them around?
Even after the war with the Asuras
— when victory was the devas',
the Asuras defeated —
even then there was no excitement like this.
Seeing what marvel
are the devas so joyful?
They shout,
they sing,
play music,
clap their hands,
dance.
So I ask you, who live on Mount Meru's summit.
Please dispel my doubt quickly, dear sirs."

"The Bodhisatta, the foremost jewel,
unequaled,
has been born for welfare & ease
in the human world,
in a town in the Sakyan countryside,
Lumbini.
That's why we're all so wildly elated.
He, the highest of all beings,
the ultimate person,
a bull among men, foremost of all people,
will set turning the Wheel [of Dhamma]
in the grove named after the seers,
like a strong, roaring lion,
the conqueror of beasts."

Hearing these words,
Asita quickly descended [from heaven]
and went to Suddhodana's dwelling.
There, taking a seat, he said to the Sakyans:
"Where is the prince?
I, too, want to see him."
The Sakyans then showed
to the seer named Asita
their son, the prince,
like gold aglow,
burnished by a most skillful smith
in the mouth of the furnace,
blazing with glory, flawless in color.
On seeing the prince blazing like flame,
pure like the bull of the stars
going across the sky
— the burning sun,
released from the clouds of autumn —
he was exultant, filled with abundant rapture.
The devas held in the sky
a many-spoked sunshade
of a thousand circles.
Gold-handled whisks
waved up & down,
but those holding the whisks & the sunshade
couldn't be seen.
The matted-haired seer
named Dark Splendor,
seeing the boy, like an ornament of gold
on the red woolen blanket,
a white sunshade held over his head,
received him, happy & pleased.
And on receiving the bull of the Sakyans,
longingly, the master of mantras & signs
exclaimed with a confident mind:
"This one is unsurpassed,
the highest of the biped race."
Then, foreseeing his own imminent departure,
he, dejected, shed tears.
On seeing him weeping,
the Sakyans asked:
"But surely there will be
no danger for the prince?"
On seeing the Sakyans' concern
he replied, "I foresee for the prince
no harm.
Nor will there be any danger for him.
This one isn't lowly: be assured.
This prince will touch
the ultimate self-awakening.
He, seeing the utmost purity,
will set rolling the Wheel of Dhamma
through sympathy for the welfare of many.
His holy life will spread far & wide.
But as for me,
my life here has no long remainder;
my death will take place before then.
I won't get to hear
the Dhamma of this one with the peerless role.
That's why I'm stricken,
afflicted, & pained."

— Snp III.11

Building a staircase to Enlightenment

In one of the sutras, or discourses by the Buddha, he says that those who practice shamatha meditation, or dwelling in peace, are building a staircase toward enlightenment. To construct such a staircase to enlightenment requires precise measurement and carpentry. The boards have to be completely measured and properly built. The steps must be built properly, the angles must be looked at, and then finally we have to choose certain particular nails that can bear the pressure of people walking on them, and then we hammer them in. So when we talk about shamatha practice, the sitting practice of meditation, we are talking about building a staircase very deliberately, according to the instructions of Buddha. We might ask," A staircase to what? What's it like at the top of the stairs?" It doesn't really matter. It's just a staircase. We are just building a staircase. No promise. No blame. Let us simplify the whole situation. Let us build this particular
staircase very simply and directly.

Chogyam Trungpa. from Ocean of Dharma: The Everyday Wisdom of Chogyam Trungpa. (365 Teachings on Living Life with Courage and Compassion). Number 133. [Unpublished excerpt from "Talk Two of Meditation: the Way of the Buddha," July, 1974, Naropa Institute, Boulder, Colorado.]

Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourselves. The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind. I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I would have were I giving the baby Buddha or Jesus a bath. Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant, and teapot are all sacred.

Thich Nhat Hanh, Miracle of Mindfulness

Buddhist Symbology: The Victory Banner

Early Buddhists adopted the victory banner as an emblem of the Buddha’s enlightenment, heralding the triumph of knowledge over ignorance. Buddha himself supposedly places the banner on the summit of Mt. Meru, symbolizing his victory over the entire universe. Mount Meru is believed to be the central axis supporting the world.

The flag of victory also represents Buddha’s defeat of Mara, who personifies hindrances on the path to spiritual realization. Specifically, there are said to be four types of Maras, each one representing an individual hurdle on the path to spiritual progress.

These are:

Emotional Defilement

Passion

Fear of Death

Pride and Lust

Buddha had to achieve victory and eliminate these four Maras before he could attain enlightenment.

Buddhist Symbology: The Treasue Vase

What could be more valuable than the teachings of Buddha? The treasure vase represents this wonderful, inexhaustible treasure. The vase in this situation is a round pot, with a long neck and a jewel on top.

There is a tradition in India of burying treasure in these vases, but the treasure in this vase is limitless.

Buddhist Symbology: The Golden Fish

Who wants to drown in the river of suffering? Who can avoid this fate? Fish of course! Just as fish swim where they wish and migrate as they will, an enlightened being can choose his own migration (rebirth). The fish can also represent fertility and abundance.

The golden fishes are another holdover from Hinduism, and are usually represented as a pair, historically symbolizing the Yamuna and Ganga rivers of India.

Buddhist Symbology: The Parasol

A parasol is not an umbrella. An umbrella protects from the rain, while a parasol protects from the sun. The parasol also symbolically protects against “the heat of defilements.” Another way to look at it is that the parasol represents the sky and the handle represents a mountain that holds up the sky, or possibly the axis that holds up the whole world. The proximity of the person under the parasol to the “axis of the world” represents the importance of the person.

Still another way of looking at it is that the dome of the parasol represents wisdom, and the hanging part symbolized compassion. The parasol as a whole represents the fusion of both.

Guess who is usually shown sitting under a parasol? Two points if you guessed “The Buddha.” However, other important figures, such as the Dalai Lama and others are entitled to parasols as well.

Buddhist Symbology: The Conch

The conch shell is another well-know symbol in Buddhism. This is another of the big Hindu symbols that has passed over to Buddhism. The great hero Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita carried a conch, as did most Hindu gods and heros.

A conch used as a “horn” is often used to call together assemblies of Buddhists, especially in Tibet, but other paces as well other places. As the sound of the horn goes forth, so does the fame and truthful teachings of the Buddha.

Eight Auspicious Symbology Pt1 : The Lotus

One thing that non-Buddhists always notice are the distinctive symbols involved with the various sects of Buddhism. There are eight major symbols known as the “Eight Auspicious Symbols.”

The lotus has various symbolic meanings throughout Hinduism, and since Hindu influences pervade all of Buddhism, the lotus became important there too.

A lotus flower grows in the mud, its root stretching below the surface of the water, the stem reaches up through the water, and the flower appears to float on top of the water. This reflects symbolically the growth of the soul through materialism (the mud), experience (the water), and the sunshine (enlightenment/Nirvana).

The color of the lotus is also significant:

White Lotus=Mental ans Spiritual Purity

Red Lotus= The heart, compassion and love

Blue Lotus= Wisdom and control of the senses

Pink Lotus= The original and historical Buddha

Purple Lotus= Mysticism

The heart of a being is like an unopened lotus; when the virtues of a Buddha develop, then the lotus blossoms. This is why the Buddha is often depicted sitting on a blooming lotus flower.