Non-Prophet

Buddha on Meditation

In Buddhism the practice of meditation comes in many forms, each of which is a prescription for cultivating a particular positive traits in oneself.

"Practise lovingkindness to abandon ill will. Practise compassion to abandon cruelty. Practise appreciative joy to abandon discontent. Practise equanimity to abandon aversion. Practise contemplation of the body to abandon lustful craving. Practise contemplation of impermanence to abandon the conceit `I am'. Practise mindfulness of breathing; for when maintained in being and well developed, it brings great fruit and many blessings." - The Buddha

Dhammapada

The Dhammapada has long been one of the most important texts in my life. It is a collection of short poems that do a wonderful job of dispensing some of the wisdom that was taught by the Buddha. Many hours can be spent discussing the meanings of the verses while citing and comparing between the wide variety of translations that exist. A Google search for Dhammapada will point you to several versions to choose from.

Here:

The Dhammapada, an anthology of 423 verses, has long been recognized as one of the masterpieces of early Buddhist literature. From ancient times to the present, the Dhammapada has been regarded as the most succinct expression of the Buddha's teaching found in the Theravada Pali Canon of scriptures known as the Khuddaka Nikaya ("Minor Collection") of the Sutta Pitaka.
Dhammpada text on a pal leaf

Buddhist tradition has it that shortly after the passing away of the Buddha his disciples met in council at Rajagaha for the purpose of recalling to mind the truths they had received from their beloved Teacher during the forty-five years of his ministry. Their hope was to implant the principles of his message so firmly in memory that they would become a lasting impetus to moral and spiritual conduct, for themselves, their disciples, and for all future disciples who would seek to follow in the footsteps of the Awakened One.

Sayagyi U Ba Khin on Anicca(Impermanence)

If you know Anicca (Impermanence) truly, you know Dukkha (Unsatisfactoriness) also as a sequel and Anattà (No-self) as the ultimate truth. It takes time to understand the three together. Anicca is, of course, the essential factor that must first be experienced and understood by practice. A mere reading of books on Buddhism or book- knowledge of the Buddha-Dhamma will not be enough for the understanding of true Anicca because the experiential aspect will be missing. It is only through experience and understanding of the nature of Anicca as an ever-changing process within your very self that you can understand Anicca in the way the Buddha would like you to understand it. This understanding of Anicca can be developed, as in the days of the Buddha, by persons who have no book-knowledge whatsoever of Buddhism...

In Vipassanà the object of meditation is Anicca and therefore in the case of those used to drawing back their attention to body feeling, they can feel Anicca directly. In experiencing Anicca on or in the body, it should first be in the area where one can easily get [one's] attention engrossed, changing the areas of attention from place to place, from head to feet and from feet to head, at times probing into the interior. At this stage, it must be clearly understood that no attention is to be paid to the anatomy of the body but right to the formation of matter (Kalàpas) and the nature of their constant change. If these instructions
are observed, there will surely be progress...

- Sayagyi U Ba Khin

Gautama Grave

here:

MUMBAI, India -- Thousands of Buddhists gathered in Mumbai on Sunday to lay to rest part of the ashes and bones of Lord Buddha in a ceremony resurrected after almost 2000 years.

Monks in flowing orange robes chanted hymns from scriptures as the remains were lowered into a shallow pit on top of a 90-ft high stone dome, as part of celebrations to mark the 2,550th anniversary of the spiritual leader's enlightenment.

Organisers of the ceremony said this was the first time in around 2,000 years that Buddha's mortal remains were being enshrined.

Right Now

Every passing moment is an opportunity to awaken. - Dr. Lucinda T. Green

Understanding Love and Compassion

There is an excellent piece by Chen Yu-Hsi on understanding metta and compassion from a Buddhist perspective here. He explains that love and compassion are not supposed to be moral ideals that one should attempt to live up to but rather they are the natural way of being for one who is awakened. Good stuff.

Love and compassion are the two key components of the Four Noble States of Mind revealed by the Buddha. In their eagerness to live a moral life, some Buddhists may regard love and compassion as a moral or ethical norm to live up to, or as a lofty ideal to "advocate." Apparently, this normative perception stems from the Chinese Buddhist interpretation of love as "bring happiness to sentient beings" and of compassion as "relieve sentient beings of sufferings." In other words, love and compassion is assigned a prescriptive meaning and an altruist mission.

But the Buddha and historical Buddhist sages were not moralists. Rather, they took an existential approach, pointing out that love and compassion is a quality - and an inner power -- intrinsic to our true nature, i.e., the "Buddha-nature." If we know how to connect with our Buddha-nature, we touch the abundant source of that divine quality. Here we are talking about depth psychology on a spiritual level, not religious ethics. The Buddhist perception of "unconditioned love and compassion" is neither a metaphysical abstraction nor altruist idealism. Indeed, it has an experiential basis, being experienced as the natural unfolding of an enlightened mind that transcends the narrow ego identity along with its dualistic mode of thinking and feeling.

Insofar as true love and compassion is the result of self-transcendence, it inevitably includes the selfless virtues of tolerance, forgiveness and sympathetic understanding (empathy). These virtues, more than anything else, are the acid test for the power of love as they are present in situations in which the ego is being offended or threatened.

It's Dhamma Time.

It's funny how you can live in a place for a long time and still find out that you've missed some of its best parts. Sometime back in the late '90's I was in a Buddhism group here in the Springs run by a retired eastern philosophy prof. from GWU that met at Pikes Perk. The whole group had kind of run its course for me, and in a time honored tradition I honored my teacher with perhaps more of my time than was productive. I soon found another place to learn in the Springs though, and while my attendance has since then been perhaps a bit too impermanent, they have been rock solid. You might not even know that they exist, but if you have a meditation practice of any kind you should probably pay them a visit.

Rocky Mountain Insight, "A nonprofit organization dedicated to educating people in the Dharma - universal truths as taught by the Buddha for the purpose of alleviating suffering" is a wonderful opportunity to re-invigorate your tired meditation practice, or to start one for the first time. The very fact that a teacher with the experience of Dr. Lucinda Greene is even available in the springs warrants that anyone who could care would check it out. RMI is based in the Theravada Buddhism tradition.

Just so happens that this Wednesday, 3/15/05, there will be a great introductory opportunity to visit RMI. Wednesday evening is Sangha, which is usually fairly hardcore with walking meditation followed by a 45min. sit and then a short dharma talk. (7-8:30pm) This week will be a shortened sit and a longer talk, which will be an elaboration on a FANTASTIC talk that she gave a couple of months back. The topic will be the roadblocks we all face on the path, getting to know the bumps and turns and challenges of a successful practice. I heard it last time and it was really a lot of fun, especially when she described the part of the path where I usually get bored and jump for a bit (oh, but it's down the road a long way.... I say..)

So if you are not busy on Wednesday night, and if Buddhism and meditation is something you're interested in, if you've ever wished that you could have a group to talk to and practice with, come.

Sangha starts at 7:00pm on Wednesdays. Participants should be experienced in vipassana meditation OR should show up at 6:30pm for orientation. All are welcome.

This is like the coolest group around, everyone is really nice and filled with metta. Non-Prophet participants, evangelicals even, will not find anything contrary to their faith. The Buddha taught as a regular dude. This group is a serious kick in the ass to any meditation practice, especially one that needs it. As an added bonus, for what it is worth (not much eh?), you'll get to meet me. ;)

Rocky Mountain Insight
2525 W. Pikes Peak Ave., Suite A
Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Phone: 719-634-0566
Click here for a map to RMI

Buddha on Thought

The thought manifests as the word; The word manifests as the deed; The deed develops into habit; And habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care, And let it spring from love Born out of concern for all beings. - The Buddha

Buddha on Profound Truth

Profound truth, so difficult to perceive, difficult to understand, tranquilizing and sublime, is not to be gained by mere reasoning and is perceived only by the wise. [Buddha]

Sukhavagga

Happiness: Dhammapada 197

Ah, happily do we live without hate amongst the hateful; amidst hateful men we dwell unhating.

Ah, happily do we live in good health amongst the ailing; amidst ailing men we dwell in good health.

Ah, happily do we live without yearning amongst those who yearn; amidst those who yearn we dwell without yearning.

Ah, happily do we live, we who have no impediments. Feeders of joy shall we be even as the gods of the Radiant Realm.

Victory breeds hatred. The defeated live in pain. Happily the peaceful live, giving up victory and defeat.