Sitting Bull... sitting with the earth

Jeffrey

Weekly Words of Wisdom
chosen by Lama Surya Das


"When we are spiritually bypassing, we often use the goal of awakening or liberation to rationalize what I call premature transcendence: trying to rise above the raw and messy side of our humanness before we have fully faced and made peace with it. And

then we tend to use absolute truth to disparage or dismiss relative human needs, feelings, psychological problems, relational difficulties, and developmental deficits."

Psychologist and Buddhist practitioner John Welwood


The title of the thread comes from a native american spiritual leader that Trungpa Rinpoche liked because the name sounded to remind us to connect with the messy world. Om Mani Pema Hung.. The jewel of the mind is in the lotus of the 'muck'..

pegembara

"The world in general, Kaccaayana, inclines to two views, to existence or to non-existence. But for him who, with the highest wisdom, sees the uprising of the world as it really is, 'non-existence of the world' does not apply, and for him who, with highest wisdom, sees the passing away of the world as it really is, 'existence of the world' does not apply.
Kaccaayanagotta Sutta

Here, Sariputra, form is emptiness and the very emptiness is form; emptiness does not differ from form, form does not differ from emptiness; whatever is form, that is emptiness, whatever is emptiness, that is form, the same is true of feelings, perceptions, impulses and consciousness.

Heart Sutra

lobster

Most of us are pragmatic Buddhists, rather than purveyors of 'Intellectual Bull' (well known cousin of Mr Sitting).
For me that means doing 'empty' rituals and mantras, that in some very real sense improve my well being and mindful gibbering . . .
The nuances of pin heads dancing on angels is something I enjoy as much as the next dharma queen, whenever my crown slips . . .

Grounding for most of us, unless in some Purelala land is inevitable and consistent. I consider it an honour to be amongst Buddhists, to be aligned with enlightened beings from the past and praying for me from the future.

The Buddha is my Lotus; I shall not wilt.
He inspires me to sit down in fields of awareness:
He leads me to the still shores.
He restores my practice:
He leads me in the paths of the Middle Way.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no 'evil': For His Nature is in me;
Thy vajra and thy sangha, they inspire me.
Thou preparest a Pureland before me in the presence of my obscurations;
Thou annointest my head with wisdom; My offerings runneth over.

Surely goodness and compassion shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the Temple of the Buddha for Never.



---- original

The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name' sake.



Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou annointest my head with oil; My cup runneth over.



Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever.

-- KJV

Citta

Apropos the thread heading and the Heart Sutra, more Trungpa Rinpoche..
" Form is emptiness...we think we can just about get our heads around that..
All things arise in impermanence and have no unchanging core...
But,
Emptiness is form...
That takes a lifetime to actualise..."