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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
“People may look at you and feel your way of life, your interest in Dhamma, makes no sense. Others may say that if you want to practice Dhamma, you ought to be ordained as a monk. Being ordained is not really the crucial point. It’s how you practice. As it’s said, one should be one’s own witness. Don’t take others as your witness. It means learning to trust yourself. Then there is no loss. People may think you are crazy, but never mind. They don’t know anything about Dhamma.”
— Ajahn Chah
1
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
“You might hear that certain teachers are really good and so you go to receive teachings from Thai Ajahns, Zen masters and others. It seems to me you’ve probably had enough teaching, but the tendency is to always want to hear more, to compare and to end up in doubt as a result. Then each successive teacher increases your confusion further. There’s a story of a wanderer in the Buddha’s time that was in this kind of situation. He went to one teacher after the next, hearing their different explanations and learning their methods. He was trying to learn meditation but was only increasing his perplexity. His travels finally brought him to the teacher Gotama, and he described his predicament to the Buddha.
“Doing as you have been doing will not bring an end to doubt and confusion”, the Buddha told him. “At this time, let go of the past; whatever you may or may not have done, whether it was right or wrong, let go of that now.
“The future has not yet come. Do not speculate over it at all, wondering how things may turn out. Let go of all such disturbing ideas – it is merely thinking.
“Letting go of past and future, look at the present. Then you will know the Dhamma. You may know the words spoken by various teachers, but you still do not know your own mind. The present moment is empty; look only at arising and ceasing of sankhara (formations). See that they are impermanent, unsatisfactory and empty of self. See that they really are thus. Then you will not be concerned with the past or the future. You will clearly understand that the past is gone and the future has not yet arrived. Contemplating in the present, you will realize that the present is the result of the past. The results of past actions are seen in the present.
“The future has not yet come. Whatever does occur in the future will arise and pass away in the future; there is no point in worrying over it now, as it has not yet occurred. So contemplate in the present. The present is the cause of the future. If you want a good future, create good in the present, increasing your awareness of what you do in the present. The future is the result of that. The past is the cause and the future is the result of the present.
“Knowing the present, one knows the past and the future. Then one lets go of the past and the future, knowing they are gathered in the present moment.”
Understanding this, that wanderer made up his mind to practice as the Buddha advised, putting things down. Seeing ever more clearly, he realized many kinds of knowledge, seeing the natural order of things with his own wisdom. His doubts ended. He put down the past and the future and everything appeared in the present. This was eko dhammo, the one Dhamma. Then it was no longer necessary for him to carry his begging bowl up mountains and into forests in search of understanding. If he did go somewhere, he went in a natural way, not out of desire for something. If he stayed put, he was staying in a natural way, not out of desire.
Practicing in that way, he became free of doubt. There was nothing to add to his practice, nothing to remove. He dwelt in peace, without anxiety over past or future. This was the way the Buddha taught.”
Hmm or was it shouldn't rely on our 'selves' as they can't be trusted..;)
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited April 2020
“I’ve often said that there are two kinds of tranquility. The wise have divided it into peace through wisdom and peace through samatha. In peace through samatha, the eye has to be far from sights, the ear far from sounds, the nose far from smells and so on. Then not hearing, not knowing and so forth, one can become tranquil. This kind of peacefulness is good in its way. Is it of value? Yes, it is, but it is not supreme. It is short-lived. It doesn’t have a reliable foundation. When the senses meet objects that are displeasing, it changes, because it doesn’t want those things to be present. So the mind always has to struggle with these objects and no wisdom is born, since the person always feels that he is not at peace because of those external factors.”
— Ajahn Chah
Ajahn Chah goes on to explain that the other form of tranquility is born of wisdom, and that wisdom is born of right view. There was a period when his monastery became much more busy, more lay people were coming and he didn’t have so much time to meditate in peace. But he found it was a period of increasing wisdom, that the tranquility through samatha had laid foundations for his wisdom to flourish in contact with people. In the end he could remain tranquil even during a busy day.
When the body comes in contact with a first tactile sensation, such as movement, and becomes a condition, this is vitarka ["examination"]. When the mind makes finer distinctions concerning the eight tactile sensations and its ten associated qualities, this is called vicāra ["reflection"]. Rejoicing now at attaining that which had not yet been attained in the past is called prīti ["joy"]. Calm pleasure in these attainments is called sukha ["bliss"]. Such quiescence is called ekāgratā ["one-pointedness"]. [...] The five constituents are all the essence of samādhi ["concentration"].
[...]
The five constituents arise together [...]. It is like a mallet hitting a temple bell; there are differences, in that at first the sound is rough, but gradually it becomes finer. The five constituents are also like this. At first, there is abundant contact with the aspect of examination, but this does not hinder the others, such as reflection. If examination is strong, then reflection is not yet complete; when examination ceases, reflection becomes clear. Joy is already present from the beginning, and when reflection ceases, the constituent of joy is perfected. Bliss is already present from the beginning, though that bliss may not yet be full; when joy ceases, then bliss is perfected. One-pointedness is already present from the beginning in the movement of the other four constituents, but now when bliss ends, one-pointedness is perfected.
(Venerable Zhìyǐ, T1911.118b20 Mahāśamathavipaśyanā, translated by Paul Swanson)
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
“Buddhist teaching says not to have grasping attachment, not to hold tightly to things. We don’t understand this fully. The point is to hold, but not tightly – to hold without grasping. For example, I see this object in front of me. I am curious to know what it is, so I pick it up and look: it’s a flashlight. Now I can put it down. That’s holding but not tightly. If we are told not to hold to anything at all, then what can we do? We won’t know what to do. We will think we shouldn’t practise sitting or walking meditation. So at first we have to hold on and grasp, but without tight attachment. You can say this is tanha, but it will become parami. For instance, you came here to Wat Nong Pah Pong; before you did that, you had to have the desire to come. With no desire, you wouldn’t have come. We can say you came with desire; it’s like holding. Then you will return; that’s like not grasping. Just like having some uncertainty about what this object is, then picking it up, seeing it’s a flashlight, and putting it down. This is holding but not grasping, or to speak more simply, knowing and letting go. Picking up to look, knowing and letting go; knowing and putting down. Things may be said to be good or bad, but you merely know them and let them go. You are aware of all good and bad phenomena, and you are letting go of them. You don’t grasp them with ignorance. You grasp them with wisdom and put them down.”
— Ajahn Chah
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
“Anything that is prolonged will create dukkha. All contacts pass quickly, because that is their nature. The same goes for sight, our eyes are continually blinking. We can't even keep sight constant for the length of time we're looking at anything. We may be looking at a beautiful painting for a little while and really like it. Someone says: "You can stay here and look at the painting for the next five hours, we're not closing the museum yet." Nobody could do that. We can't look at the same thing a long time, without feeling bored, losing all awareness, or even falling asleep. Sense contacts are not only limited because of their inability to give satisfaction. They are actually waves that come and go. If we are listening to some lovely music, after a few hours the same music becomes unbearable. Our sense contacts are mirroring a reflection of satisfaction, which has no real basis in fact. That's Mara constantly leading us astray.”
— Ayya Khema
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
“If we watch our senses again and again, this becomes a habit, and is no longer difficult. Life will be much more peaceful. The world as we know it consists of so much proliferation. Everywhere are different colors, shapes, beings and nature's growth. Each species of tree has hundreds of sub-species. Nature proliferates. All of us look different. If we don't guard our senses, this proliferation in the world will keep us attracted life after life. There's too much to see, do, know and react to. Since there is no end to all of that we might as well stop and delve inside of ourselves.”
— Ayya Khema
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
“The mind is the greatest and most delicate tool existing in the universe. All of us have it, but few look after it properly. Practically everybody is interested in looking after their bodies. Eating, sleeping, washing, exercising, seeing the doctor when the body is sick, cutting hair, nails, filling teeth, doing everything that's necessary to keep the body functioning well. In reality, the body is the servant and the mind is the master. So we are looking after the servant and forgetting the master. If we do that in our homes, we create chaos. That's one of the reasons why the world looks as chaotic as it does. People kill each other, steal from each other, are unfaithful, lie, gossip and slander. Most have absolutely no ideas that the mind is our most precious asset. It gives us wealth beyond compare and yet we don't know how to look after it.”
— Ayya Khema
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
“ An inner vision is an understood experience. Without that, insight cannot arise. That holds true for small matters in daily life, just as it holds true for the deepest and most profound understanding of the Buddha's teaching. If for instance somebody is not pleased with us and we don't understand why, we shall have that same disharmony happen to us over and over again. We need to realize that we may have said or done something to cause that displeasure. This is a small matter showing the need for understanding an experience. If we think these happenings are something outside of ourselves, we can't change our attitudes. Practicing Dhamma means constantly changing ourselves to reach out towards the sublime. If change were not possible, the Buddha would have given a lifetime of teaching in vain.”
Creative ideas will come to you in the quiet moment in between your thoughts. You are wiser than you think. Be still and see what happens.
— Haemin Sunim
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
“ It is harder to find a person who does take responsibility than to find one who doesn't. Most people don't want to take responsibility for themselves, if they can just manage to stay alive. From that difficulty arises the idea of pre-determined destiny. "What can I do, it's not my fault, it's my kamma." That takes away all possibility for practicing the Dhamma. The Buddha said: "If that were so, the holy life would not be possible, nor would it be feasible to become enlightened." This is the first wrong view that one has to quickly eliminate from one's thinking process, if one wants to practice a spiritual discipline.”
@Kerome said:
“ It is harder to find a person who does take responsibility than to find one who doesn't. Most people don't want to take responsibility for themselves, if they can just manage to stay alive. From that difficulty arises the idea of pre-determined destiny. "What can I do, it's not my fault, it's my kamma." That takes away all possibility for practicing the Dhamma. The Buddha said: "If that were so, the holy life would not be possible, nor would it be feasible to become enlightened." This is the first wrong view that one has to quickly eliminate from one's thinking process, if one wants to practice a spiritual discipline.”
— Ayya Khema
Have you come across Being Nobody Going Nowhere by Ayya Khema @Kerome ? One of my first and favourite Dhamma books.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
@Bunks said:
Have you come across Being Nobody Going Nowhere by Ayya Khema @Kerome ? One of my first and favourite Dhamma books.
No, I haven’t read any of her books. But she was recommended by a friend as being someone who was good at explaining the dhamma in plain terms, and so I searched and found two lecture series by her on Access to Insight.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@Kerome said:
“ It is harder to find a person who does take responsibility than to find one who doesn't. Most people don't want to take responsibility for themselves, if they can just manage to stay alive. From that difficulty arises the idea of pre-determined destiny. "What can I do, it's not my fault, it's my kamma." That takes away all possibility for practicing the Dhamma. The Buddha said: "If that were so, the holy life would not be possible, nor would it be feasible to become enlightened." This is the first wrong view that one has to quickly eliminate from one's thinking process, if one wants to practice a spiritual discipline.”
— Ayya Khema
Have you come across Being Nobody Going Nowhere by Ayya Khema @Kerome ? One of my first and favourite Dhamma books.
I have just ordered it on your recommendation, @Bunks. The reviews are full of praise. Looking forward to diving in. Must be the first Buddhist book I have bought in a long time...
@Kerome said:
“ It is harder to find a person who does take responsibility than to find one who doesn't. Most people don't want to take responsibility for themselves, if they can just manage to stay alive. From that difficulty arises the idea of pre-determined destiny. "What can I do, it's not my fault, it's my kamma." That takes away all possibility for practicing the Dhamma. The Buddha said: "If that were so, the holy life would not be possible, nor would it be feasible to become enlightened." This is the first wrong view that one has to quickly eliminate from one's thinking process, if one wants to practice a spiritual discipline.”
— Ayya Khema
Have you come across Being Nobody Going Nowhere by Ayya Khema @Kerome ? One of my first and favourite Dhamma books.
I have just ordered it on your recommendation, @Bunks. The reviews are full of praise. Looking forward to diving in. Must be the first Buddhist book I have bought in a long time...
Good choice @federica - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
121
Do not think lightly of evil, saying: 'It will not come to me'. Even a water-pot is filled by the falling of drops. Likewise the fool, gathering it drop by drop, fills himself with evil.
122
Do not think lightly of good, saying: 'It will not come to me'. Even as a water-pot is filled by the falling of drops, so the wise man, gathering it drop by drop, fills himself with good.
— The Dhammapada
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
167
Do not follow mean things. Do not dwell in negligence. Do not embrace false views. So the world (i.e. Samsara, the cycle of existence and continuity) is not prolonged.
— The Dhammapada
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
"Nothing in the universe is comparable to the Mind, or can take its place. Everything is Mind-made."
Ayya Khema, 'Being Nobody, Going Nowhere'
Expect more. In fact, I might just type out the whole book.....
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits. When the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten. The purpose of the word is to convey ideas. When the ideas are grasped, the words are forgotten. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words? He is the one I would like to talk to!
— Chuang Tzu
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited May 2020
The talks themselves are spontaneous reflections and exhortations rather than systematic teachings as most Westerners would know them. The listener was required to give full attention in the present moment and to reflect back on his own practice accordingly, rather than to memorize the teachings by rote or analyze them in terms of logic. In this way he could become aware of his own shortcomings and learn how to best put into effect the skillful means offered by the teacher.
— the translator of Ajahn Chah’s Teachings
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Those who easily believe others are said by the Buddha to be foolish.
— Ajahn Chah
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
When you listen to the Dhamma, you must open up your heart and compose yourself in its centre. Don’t try and accumulate what you hear, or make painstaking efforts to retain it through your memory. Just let the Dhamma flow into your heart as it reveals itself, and keep yourself continuously open to the flow in the present moment. What is ready to be retained will remain. It will happen of its own accord, not through forced effort on your part.
— Ajahn Chah
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
“To define Buddhism without a lot of words and phrases, we can simply say, ‘Don’t cling or hold on to anything. Harmonize with actuality, with things just as they are.”’
Actually I might not ... no point in clinging ... hold that ... I am clinging to the Buddha (so far, so good)
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited May 2020
Thus, for one who is practicing with awareness, it isn’t necessary to have someone to advise and teach all that much to be able to see and understand. An example is the case of the Buddha who, in a previous life, was King Mahajanaka. He didn’t need to study very much. All he had to do was observe a mango tree.
One day, while visiting a park with his retinue of ministers, from atop his elephant, he spied some mango tees heavily laden with ripe fruit. Not being able to stop at that time, he determined in his mind to return later to partake of some. Little did he know, however, that his ministers, coming along behind, would greedily gather them all up; that they would use poles to knock them down, beating and breaking the branches and tearing and scattering the leaves.
Returning in the evening to the mango grove, the king, already imagining in his mind the delicious taste of the mangoes, suddenly discovered that they were all gone, completely finished! And not only that, but the branches and leaves had been thoroughly thrashed and scattered.
The king, quite disappointed and upset, then noticed another mango tree nearby with its leaves and branches still intact. He wondered why. He then realized it was because that tree had no fruit. If a tree has no fruit nobody disturbs it and so its leaves and branches are not damaged. This lesson kept him absorbed in thought all the way back to the palace: “It is unpleasant, troublesome and difficult to be a king. It requires constant concern for all his subjects. What if there are attempts to attack, plunder and seize parts of his kingdom?” He could not rest peacefully; even in his sleep he was disturbed by dreams.
He saw in his mind, once again, the mango tree without fruit and its undamaged leaves and branches. “If we become similar to that mango tree”, he thought, “our “leaves” and “branches”, too, would not be damaged”.
In his chamber he sat and meditated. Finally, he decided to ordain as a monk, having been inspired by this lesson of the mango tree. He compared himself to that mango tree and concluded that if one didn’t become involved in the ways of the world, one would be truly independent, free from worries or difficulties. The mind would be untroubled. Reflecting thus, he ordained.
From then on, wherever he went, when asked who his teacher was, he would answer, “A mango tree”. He didn’t need to receive teaching all that much. A mango tree was the cause of his Awakening to the Opanayiko-Dhamma, the teaching leading inwards. And with this Awakening, he became a monk, one who has few concerns, is content with little, and who delights in solitude. His royal status given up, his mind was finally at peace.
In this story the Buddha was a Bodhisatta who developed his practice in this way continuously. Like the Buddha as King Mahajanaka, we, too, should look around us and be observant because everything in the world is ready to teach us.
With even a little intuitive wisdom, we will then be able to see clearly through the ways of the world. We will come to understand that everything in the world is a teacher. Trees and vines, for example, can all reveal the true nature of reality. With wisdom there is no need to question anyone, no need to study. We can learn from nature enough to be enlightened, as in the story of King Mahajanaka, because everything follows the way of truth. It does not diverge from truth.
The gift of Dhamma triumphs over all other gifts;
The taste of Dhamma triumphs over all other tastes;
The happiness of Dhamma triumphs over all other pleasures;
The eradication of craving triumphs over all suffering
I actually don’t know where it’s from @adamcrossley to be honest. But I like it too 😄
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited May 2020
Be in the world, in all its absurdities, yet be cool, detached. Be in it but not of it. The world is a tremendous gift of god. It is a teaching device. You can hear your inner music with the noise of the world as a backdrop, it becomes an aid, not a hindrance. That is why I do not teach renunciation, but rejoicing.
I'm not quite sure where it comes from, From what I gather there are a few different interpretations of the quote...
for example "Let's hope we get a happy ending"
"Instead we hope we find happiness"
It may have something to do with the translation of the bible into Maori....
In western society we get taught how to think but we don’t get taught how to feel.
Anon in recovery meeting
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Everything is just birth and death. It’s not as if there is anything which carries on. There’s just this arising and passing away as it is – that’s all. This kind of seeing will give rise to a tranquil feeling of dispassion towards the world. Such a feeling arises when we see that actually there is nothing worth wanting; there is only arising and passing away, a being born followed by a dying. This is when the mind arrives at “letting go”, letting everything go according to its own nature. Things arise and pass away in our mind, and we know. When happiness arises, we know; when dissatisfaction arises, we know.
— Ajahn Chah
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
This is the nature of enlightenment; it’s the extinguishing of fire, the cooling of that which was hot. This is peace. This is the end of samsara, the cycle of birth and death. When you arrive at enlightenment, this is how it is. It’s an ending of the ever-turning and ever-changing, an ending of greed, aversion and delusion in our minds. We talk about it in terms of happiness because this is how worldly people understand the ideal to be, but in reality it has gone beyond. It is beyond both happiness and suffering. It’s perfect peace.
— Ajahn Chah
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
It is true that the Buddha taught the truth of suffering, but he also taught the truth of "dwelling happily in things as they are" (drishta dharma sukha viharin).
— Thich Nhat Hanh
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited June 2020
The Buddha said that everyone has Buddha nature in them. Buddha nature is the ability to understand and touch our real nature. The answer is already in you. A teacher cannot give you the answer. A teacher can help you be in touch with the awakened nature, the great understanding and compassion in you. The Buddha invites you to be in touch with the wisdom that is already in you.
— Thich Nhat Hanh
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Death is a myth, it is not going to happen. Be fearless.
— Osho
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personDon't believe everything you thinkThe liminal spaceVeteran
“Live in joy, in love,
even among those who hate.
Live in joy, in health,
even among the afflicted.
Live in joy, in peace,
even among the troubled.
Look within, be still.
Free from fear and attachment,
know the sweet joy of the way.”
The internet says it was the Buddha who said this, Jack Kornfield said it was Atisha
Comments
“People may look at you and feel your way of life, your interest in Dhamma, makes no sense. Others may say that if you want to practice Dhamma, you ought to be ordained as a monk. Being ordained is not really the crucial point. It’s how you practice. As it’s said, one should be one’s own witness. Don’t take others as your witness. It means learning to trust yourself. Then there is no loss. People may think you are crazy, but never mind. They don’t know anything about Dhamma.”
— Ajahn Chah
“You might hear that certain teachers are really good and so you go to receive teachings from Thai Ajahns, Zen masters and others. It seems to me you’ve probably had enough teaching, but the tendency is to always want to hear more, to compare and to end up in doubt as a result. Then each successive teacher increases your confusion further. There’s a story of a wanderer in the Buddha’s time that was in this kind of situation. He went to one teacher after the next, hearing their different explanations and learning their methods. He was trying to learn meditation but was only increasing his perplexity. His travels finally brought him to the teacher Gotama, and he described his predicament to the Buddha.
“Doing as you have been doing will not bring an end to doubt and confusion”, the Buddha told him. “At this time, let go of the past; whatever you may or may not have done, whether it was right or wrong, let go of that now.
“The future has not yet come. Do not speculate over it at all, wondering how things may turn out. Let go of all such disturbing ideas – it is merely thinking.
“Letting go of past and future, look at the present. Then you will know the Dhamma. You may know the words spoken by various teachers, but you still do not know your own mind. The present moment is empty; look only at arising and ceasing of sankhara (formations). See that they are impermanent, unsatisfactory and empty of self. See that they really are thus. Then you will not be concerned with the past or the future. You will clearly understand that the past is gone and the future has not yet arrived. Contemplating in the present, you will realize that the present is the result of the past. The results of past actions are seen in the present.
“The future has not yet come. Whatever does occur in the future will arise and pass away in the future; there is no point in worrying over it now, as it has not yet occurred. So contemplate in the present. The present is the cause of the future. If you want a good future, create good in the present, increasing your awareness of what you do in the present. The future is the result of that. The past is the cause and the future is the result of the present.
“Knowing the present, one knows the past and the future. Then one lets go of the past and the future, knowing they are gathered in the present moment.”
Understanding this, that wanderer made up his mind to practice as the Buddha advised, putting things down. Seeing ever more clearly, he realized many kinds of knowledge, seeing the natural order of things with his own wisdom. His doubts ended. He put down the past and the future and everything appeared in the present. This was eko dhammo, the one Dhamma. Then it was no longer necessary for him to carry his begging bowl up mountains and into forests in search of understanding. If he did go somewhere, he went in a natural way, not out of desire for something. If he stayed put, he was staying in a natural way, not out of desire.
Practicing in that way, he became free of doubt. There was nothing to add to his practice, nothing to remove. He dwelt in peace, without anxiety over past or future. This was the way the Buddha taught.”
— Ajahn Chah
^ That’s it right there
It is pointing to a picture of you?
Master! At last!
hahahaha @lobster
I think the Buddha said we should rely on ourselves right?
Hmm or was it shouldn't rely on our 'selves' as they can't be trusted..;)
“I’ve often said that there are two kinds of tranquility. The wise have divided it into peace through wisdom and peace through samatha. In peace through samatha, the eye has to be far from sights, the ear far from sounds, the nose far from smells and so on. Then not hearing, not knowing and so forth, one can become tranquil. This kind of peacefulness is good in its way. Is it of value? Yes, it is, but it is not supreme. It is short-lived. It doesn’t have a reliable foundation. When the senses meet objects that are displeasing, it changes, because it doesn’t want those things to be present. So the mind always has to struggle with these objects and no wisdom is born, since the person always feels that he is not at peace because of those external factors.”
— Ajahn Chah
Ajahn Chah goes on to explain that the other form of tranquility is born of wisdom, and that wisdom is born of right view. There was a period when his monastery became much more busy, more lay people were coming and he didn’t have so much time to meditate in peace. But he found it was a period of increasing wisdom, that the tranquility through samatha had laid foundations for his wisdom to flourish in contact with people. In the end he could remain tranquil even during a busy day.
We are addicted to our thoughts
Santosh Kalwar
Thoughts make a great servant...but a terrible master
(Venerable Zhìyǐ, T1911.118b20 Mahāśamathavipaśyanā, translated by Paul Swanson)
“Buddhist teaching says not to have grasping attachment, not to hold tightly to things. We don’t understand this fully. The point is to hold, but not tightly – to hold without grasping. For example, I see this object in front of me. I am curious to know what it is, so I pick it up and look: it’s a flashlight. Now I can put it down. That’s holding but not tightly. If we are told not to hold to anything at all, then what can we do? We won’t know what to do. We will think we shouldn’t practise sitting or walking meditation. So at first we have to hold on and grasp, but without tight attachment. You can say this is tanha, but it will become parami. For instance, you came here to Wat Nong Pah Pong; before you did that, you had to have the desire to come. With no desire, you wouldn’t have come. We can say you came with desire; it’s like holding. Then you will return; that’s like not grasping. Just like having some uncertainty about what this object is, then picking it up, seeing it’s a flashlight, and putting it down. This is holding but not grasping, or to speak more simply, knowing and letting go. Picking up to look, knowing and letting go; knowing and putting down. Things may be said to be good or bad, but you merely know them and let them go. You are aware of all good and bad phenomena, and you are letting go of them. You don’t grasp them with ignorance. You grasp them with wisdom and put them down.”
— Ajahn Chah
“Anything that is prolonged will create dukkha. All contacts pass quickly, because that is their nature. The same goes for sight, our eyes are continually blinking. We can't even keep sight constant for the length of time we're looking at anything. We may be looking at a beautiful painting for a little while and really like it. Someone says: "You can stay here and look at the painting for the next five hours, we're not closing the museum yet." Nobody could do that. We can't look at the same thing a long time, without feeling bored, losing all awareness, or even falling asleep. Sense contacts are not only limited because of their inability to give satisfaction. They are actually waves that come and go. If we are listening to some lovely music, after a few hours the same music becomes unbearable. Our sense contacts are mirroring a reflection of satisfaction, which has no real basis in fact. That's Mara constantly leading us astray.”
— Ayya Khema
“If we watch our senses again and again, this becomes a habit, and is no longer difficult. Life will be much more peaceful. The world as we know it consists of so much proliferation. Everywhere are different colors, shapes, beings and nature's growth. Each species of tree has hundreds of sub-species. Nature proliferates. All of us look different. If we don't guard our senses, this proliferation in the world will keep us attracted life after life. There's too much to see, do, know and react to. Since there is no end to all of that we might as well stop and delve inside of ourselves.”
— Ayya Khema
“The mind is the greatest and most delicate tool existing in the universe. All of us have it, but few look after it properly. Practically everybody is interested in looking after their bodies. Eating, sleeping, washing, exercising, seeing the doctor when the body is sick, cutting hair, nails, filling teeth, doing everything that's necessary to keep the body functioning well. In reality, the body is the servant and the mind is the master. So we are looking after the servant and forgetting the master. If we do that in our homes, we create chaos. That's one of the reasons why the world looks as chaotic as it does. People kill each other, steal from each other, are unfaithful, lie, gossip and slander. Most have absolutely no ideas that the mind is our most precious asset. It gives us wealth beyond compare and yet we don't know how to look after it.”
— Ayya Khema
“ An inner vision is an understood experience. Without that, insight cannot arise. That holds true for small matters in daily life, just as it holds true for the deepest and most profound understanding of the Buddha's teaching. If for instance somebody is not pleased with us and we don't understand why, we shall have that same disharmony happen to us over and over again. We need to realize that we may have said or done something to cause that displeasure. This is a small matter showing the need for understanding an experience. If we think these happenings are something outside of ourselves, we can't change our attitudes. Practicing Dhamma means constantly changing ourselves to reach out towards the sublime. If change were not possible, the Buddha would have given a lifetime of teaching in vain.”
— Ayya Khema
Creative ideas will come to you in the quiet moment in between your thoughts. You are wiser than you think. Be still and see what happens.
— Haemin Sunim
“ It is harder to find a person who does take responsibility than to find one who doesn't. Most people don't want to take responsibility for themselves, if they can just manage to stay alive. From that difficulty arises the idea of pre-determined destiny. "What can I do, it's not my fault, it's my kamma." That takes away all possibility for practicing the Dhamma. The Buddha said: "If that were so, the holy life would not be possible, nor would it be feasible to become enlightened." This is the first wrong view that one has to quickly eliminate from one's thinking process, if one wants to practice a spiritual discipline.”
— Ayya Khema
Have you come across Being Nobody Going Nowhere by Ayya Khema @Kerome ? One of my first and favourite Dhamma books.
No, I haven’t read any of her books. But she was recommended by a friend as being someone who was good at explaining the dhamma in plain terms, and so I searched and found two lecture series by her on Access to Insight.
I have just ordered it on your recommendation, @Bunks. The reviews are full of praise. Looking forward to diving in. Must be the first Buddhist book I have bought in a long time...
Good choice @federica - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Peace of mind is that mental condition in which you have accepted the worst.
~Lin Yutang~
121
Do not think lightly of evil, saying: 'It will not come to me'. Even a water-pot is filled by the falling of drops. Likewise the fool, gathering it drop by drop, fills himself with evil.
122
Do not think lightly of good, saying: 'It will not come to me'. Even as a water-pot is filled by the falling of drops, so the wise man, gathering it drop by drop, fills himself with good.
— The Dhammapada
167
Do not follow mean things. Do not dwell in negligence. Do not embrace false views. So the world (i.e. Samsara, the cycle of existence and continuity) is not prolonged.
— The Dhammapada
"Nothing in the universe is comparable to the Mind, or can take its place. Everything is Mind-made."
Ayya Khema, 'Being Nobody, Going Nowhere'
Expect more. In fact, I might just type out the whole book.....
Were there a mountain all made of gold,
Doubled that would not be enough
to satisfy a single person:
Know this and live accordingly
Samyutta Nikaya 1.156
This is from the newest season of Ricky Gervais's show After Life, I hadn't heard it before but it seems authentic.
Only the impossible is worth doing.
Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche
https://www.samyeling.org/quotes/
The purpose of a rabbit snare is to catch rabbits. When the rabbits are caught, the snare is forgotten. The purpose of the word is to convey ideas. When the ideas are grasped, the words are forgotten. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words? He is the one I would like to talk to!
— Chuang Tzu
The talks themselves are spontaneous reflections and exhortations rather than systematic teachings as most Westerners would know them. The listener was required to give full attention in the present moment and to reflect back on his own practice accordingly, rather than to memorize the teachings by rote or analyze them in terms of logic. In this way he could become aware of his own shortcomings and learn how to best put into effect the skillful means offered by the teacher.
— the translator of Ajahn Chah’s Teachings
Those who easily believe others are said by the Buddha to be foolish.
— Ajahn Chah
When you listen to the Dhamma, you must open up your heart and compose yourself in its centre. Don’t try and accumulate what you hear, or make painstaking efforts to retain it through your memory. Just let the Dhamma flow into your heart as it reveals itself, and keep yourself continuously open to the flow in the present moment. What is ready to be retained will remain. It will happen of its own accord, not through forced effort on your part.
— Ajahn Chah
“To define Buddhism without a lot of words and phrases, we can simply say, ‘Don’t cling or hold on to anything. Harmonize with actuality, with things just as they are.”’
— Ajahn Chah
I likes it. I will do it.
Actually I might not ... no point in clinging ... hold that ... I am clinging to the Buddha (so far, so good)
Thus, for one who is practicing with awareness, it isn’t necessary to have someone to advise and teach all that much to be able to see and understand. An example is the case of the Buddha who, in a previous life, was King Mahajanaka. He didn’t need to study very much. All he had to do was observe a mango tree.
One day, while visiting a park with his retinue of ministers, from atop his elephant, he spied some mango tees heavily laden with ripe fruit. Not being able to stop at that time, he determined in his mind to return later to partake of some. Little did he know, however, that his ministers, coming along behind, would greedily gather them all up; that they would use poles to knock them down, beating and breaking the branches and tearing and scattering the leaves.
Returning in the evening to the mango grove, the king, already imagining in his mind the delicious taste of the mangoes, suddenly discovered that they were all gone, completely finished! And not only that, but the branches and leaves had been thoroughly thrashed and scattered.
The king, quite disappointed and upset, then noticed another mango tree nearby with its leaves and branches still intact. He wondered why. He then realized it was because that tree had no fruit. If a tree has no fruit nobody disturbs it and so its leaves and branches are not damaged. This lesson kept him absorbed in thought all the way back to the palace: “It is unpleasant, troublesome and difficult to be a king. It requires constant concern for all his subjects. What if there are attempts to attack, plunder and seize parts of his kingdom?” He could not rest peacefully; even in his sleep he was disturbed by dreams.
He saw in his mind, once again, the mango tree without fruit and its undamaged leaves and branches. “If we become similar to that mango tree”, he thought, “our “leaves” and “branches”, too, would not be damaged”.
In his chamber he sat and meditated. Finally, he decided to ordain as a monk, having been inspired by this lesson of the mango tree. He compared himself to that mango tree and concluded that if one didn’t become involved in the ways of the world, one would be truly independent, free from worries or difficulties. The mind would be untroubled. Reflecting thus, he ordained.
From then on, wherever he went, when asked who his teacher was, he would answer, “A mango tree”. He didn’t need to receive teaching all that much. A mango tree was the cause of his Awakening to the Opanayiko-Dhamma, the teaching leading inwards. And with this Awakening, he became a monk, one who has few concerns, is content with little, and who delights in solitude. His royal status given up, his mind was finally at peace.
In this story the Buddha was a Bodhisatta who developed his practice in this way continuously. Like the Buddha as King Mahajanaka, we, too, should look around us and be observant because everything in the world is ready to teach us.
With even a little intuitive wisdom, we will then be able to see clearly through the ways of the world. We will come to understand that everything in the world is a teacher. Trees and vines, for example, can all reveal the true nature of reality. With wisdom there is no need to question anyone, no need to study. We can learn from nature enough to be enlightened, as in the story of King Mahajanaka, because everything follows the way of truth. It does not diverge from truth.
— Ajahn Chah
"Ke te tumanako ka whiwhi tatou ite hari"
The desire is that we all achieve happiness
Kinda like a ~Maori Bodhisattva vow~
The gift of Dhamma triumphs over all other gifts;
The taste of Dhamma triumphs over all other tastes;
The happiness of Dhamma triumphs over all other pleasures;
The eradication of craving triumphs over all suffering
Dhammapada 24.354
The world fights with me; I don't fight with the world - the Buddha
@Bunks, that’s a great quote! Where’s it from?
And I’m interested to learn more about the Maori saying too, if @Shoshin could elaborate..?
I actually don’t know where it’s from @adamcrossley to be honest. But I like it too 😄
Be in the world, in all its absurdities, yet be cool, detached. Be in it but not of it. The world is a tremendous gift of god. It is a teaching device. You can hear your inner music with the noise of the world as a backdrop, it becomes an aid, not a hindrance. That is why I do not teach renunciation, but rejoicing.
— Osho
I'm not quite sure where it comes from, From what I gather there are a few different interpretations of the quote...
for example
"Let's hope we get a happy ending"
"Instead we hope we find happiness"
It may have something to do with the translation of the bible into Maori....
In western society we get taught how to think but we don’t get taught how to feel.
Anon in recovery meeting
Everything is just birth and death. It’s not as if there is anything which carries on. There’s just this arising and passing away as it is – that’s all. This kind of seeing will give rise to a tranquil feeling of dispassion towards the world. Such a feeling arises when we see that actually there is nothing worth wanting; there is only arising and passing away, a being born followed by a dying. This is when the mind arrives at “letting go”, letting everything go according to its own nature. Things arise and pass away in our mind, and we know. When happiness arises, we know; when dissatisfaction arises, we know.
— Ajahn Chah
This is the nature of enlightenment; it’s the extinguishing of fire, the cooling of that which was hot. This is peace. This is the end of samsara, the cycle of birth and death. When you arrive at enlightenment, this is how it is. It’s an ending of the ever-turning and ever-changing, an ending of greed, aversion and delusion in our minds. We talk about it in terms of happiness because this is how worldly people understand the ideal to be, but in reality it has gone beyond. It is beyond both happiness and suffering. It’s perfect peace.
— Ajahn Chah
It is true that the Buddha taught the truth of suffering, but he also taught the truth of "dwelling happily in things as they are" (drishta dharma sukha viharin).
— Thich Nhat Hanh
The Buddha said that everyone has Buddha nature in them. Buddha nature is the ability to understand and touch our real nature. The answer is already in you. A teacher cannot give you the answer. A teacher can help you be in touch with the awakened nature, the great understanding and compassion in you. The Buddha invites you to be in touch with the wisdom that is already in you.
— Thich Nhat Hanh
Death is a myth, it is not going to happen. Be fearless.
— Osho
“Live in joy, in love,
even among those who hate.
Live in joy, in health,
even among the afflicted.
Live in joy, in peace,
even among the troubled.
Look within, be still.
Free from fear and attachment,
know the sweet joy of the way.”
The internet says it was the Buddha who said this, Jack Kornfield said it was Atisha