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What Would Buddha Do ?
Shoshin
No one in particularNowhere Special Veteran
Times are tough....
When thinking of the Buddha and what he represents...
I often ask my 'self' what would Buddha do ?
...and I keep on asking what would Buddha do ? .....
It's become my new mantra...attempting to evoke the Buddha within ....
Thus have I heard (and at times have felt) ....We all have Buddha Nature....
Have you asked yourselves lately....What would Buddha do ?
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Comments
My H. gave me a book titled 'What would Audrey do?' which basically looked at social occasions, both formal and informal, posed a question about a particular mode of behaviour or possible occurrence, for each situation, and responded with the correct way to react; then there was an anecdote about Audrey Hepburn having experienced either the same, or a similar incident...
I've lost the book.
I don't know what to do now...I'm at a loss...
I guess the Buddha will have to do...
But.. you know.... Audrey... Well, she just knew....
I reckon he'd run to the supermarket to stock up on dunny paper....
As we know ...
Buddhas are us. Or more correctly. We are Buddha.
Parts of us (z z z ...) are Knot-Buddha.
So how to wake up to the Perfect Audrey or Ordinary Buddha?
Concentrate the Good. Focus on the three jewels and practice. Don't be silly but Sila. In other words use your current Dream Buddha as a Super Model.
I am often silly, crazy or incomprehensible. However I know Audrey Buddha. We each have hidden gems in our flaws. How to use them?
[Usual Middle Way here]
https://wenshuchan-online.weebly.com/how-to-practice-chan-meditation.html
I reckon the first thing the Buddha would do is settle down to learning the language, because you know, a lot has changed in 2500 years.
But seriously, we only know the Buddha from the sutta’s so if you want to know what he was like, perhaps read a few more of them? Alternatively, he was like a physician of enlightenment, perhaps he would learn psychology. Perhaps he would just carry on teaching.
To be completely honest with you, this pandemic and the ensuing appalling global behaviour of people, has made me question what good a spiritual path is at all. What good is it to be all centred and spiritually aware in good times if at the first sign of a disaster, you turn into a complete douche canoe?
I’m bitterly disappointed and feel cheated by people I looked up to as spiritual mentors who are now acting like selfish, hysterical assholes and who are treating everyone (including me) like utter shit. I feel very overwhelmed and scared and feel that humanity as a whole pretty much deserve this pandemic as inherently we are such a horrible species.
No wonder aliens don’t visit us.....
Take a deep breath @FeistyGibblets - often the people who sell themselves as "spiritual" get found out when the s**t hits the fan.
PM me if you need to chat mate.
Sending you a hug from across the border...
Thanks @Bunks
I’m just not coping very well lately. Thankfully we’re ok but I’m high risk as I have a compromised respiratory system and it’s been hellish trying to get basics like hand sanitiser. I managed to make some that adheres to the CDC standard but finding the main ingredient (rubbing alcohol or methylated spirits) was a quest all on its own.
I guess I’m just being unrealistic thinking other people would be anything but self focused. I think it’s the pettiness and nastiness that is really affecting me.
It’s well known that some people have to make a few adjustments when the rubber hits the road. It is the point at which you find out whether your practice is worth something or whether you have just been toying with things, playing with your mind.
That is a little harsh
The other day I came across a Dutch mystic called Hein Thijssen, and I found a blog one of his friends maintained in his name. There was also mention of one or two other Dutch mystics who had come forward in the last twenty years. But it was clear these were exceptions, not many but relatively few.
The process of finding spiritual mentors is difficult, a good proportion of those in the spotlight are just there to make a living. They make the right noises but the changes have not truly penetrated to the core. If you find that in the current circumstances their behaviour is not what it should be then that is a good if difficult lesson.
But in the end there is no reason to think we could not be one of the few. If you stay truly in the moment and make choices from your heart, you can show who you truly are in the crisis.
Yes I can imagine that would be stressful given your medical condition.
This pettiness, selfishness, anger etc are all being driven by one thing - fear.
People are genuinely bloody scared.
When is this going to end? Am I going to lose my livelihood? What if I get sick? Am I going to die? Are my family and friends going to die?
It's really difficult but if we can look at others with a compassionate mind that can be a little bit helpful.
May all beings be well,
May all beings be happy,
May all beings find peace.
My friend told me she's been chanting the Metta Sutta a few times a day.
Do you have enough soap? I think it's just as effective to keep using that if you don't have hand sanitiser. But I am no expert on this stuff.
Take care and reach out to me if you need someone to talk to.
Hand sanitizer is Anti-Bacterial. Not anti-VIRAL. It also plays havoc with your own skin which actually, over time, can adversely affect your own ability to ward off germs... so yes, if you can, use soap and water, and wash your hands using the methods which are currently being shown on tv, online, via YouTube and social media sites...
@Bunks is quite right. All adverse behaviour is born of Ignorance and Fear of the unknown. To be honest, nobody knows exactly how bad this is going to get, or for how long, so people's survival instinct kicks in. And for some, that's manifested in selfish, unskilful and inappropropriate ways.
It's a knee-jerk reaction, and it sorts 'the men from the boys'.
Here's what you do.
Never mind the others.
never mind looking at their pettiness or nastiness.
They're not you.
Focus on the good you can do.
The Kindness,
The compassion,
The empathy,
the acceptance.
And by Acceptance, I don't mean the shoulder-shrugging, 'meh' it-is-what-it-is kind.
I mean the kind that sees, understands and embraces with love.
Because That's the best you can be.
Every time I read this... it cracks me up 😄
When it comes to what would Buddha do ? and those of us practitioners who are not yet fully awaken to our own Buddha Nature AKA enlightenment...
I'm reminded of a few things...
The Dalai Lama's "KINDNESS is my religion"
Plus.....
"If you don't feel that your are enlightened....you can always TRY TO BE"
and....
"Don't practice to become enlightened...Let your practice be the NATURAL EXPRESSION OF ENLIGHTENMENT "
Or in colloquial terms...
FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT !
(Well I'm under the impression we are not really faking it, just digging deep and expressing whats already there... hidden amongst the darkness that clouds the mind )
Search for the Buddha inside yourself, search for the secrets you hide...
Oh I know that. I've long been a thorough hand washer. I always keep sanitiser on hand (geddit?) when I'm out and about so that I can minimise transfer of germs and other nasties to minimise my health issues. So it's not a new concept to me, but all of a sudden, EVERYONE'S got to have sanitiser sighs
I know and I try so hard to remember that and empathise with them. My mum taught me from a young age - try to walk in another person's shoes before judging them.
Thanks, I'll definitely try that
Yes I have enough soap. And I can make some if I can't find any in the shops. I've always been able to make my own and hand sanitiser due to my health condition.
Thank you so much xx
The double messaging we get sometimes doesn't help either.
I can't recall who it was but someone stated we should have enough food etc. in our house for 14 days for our families.
But then the Premier comes out and tells us to only buy what we need as we need it from the supermarket.
@Bunks what I am thinking is that how you treat your groceries after you buy them is important and maybe even as important as how frequent.
Knowledge is power so here is a video I liked to have watched for the ideas and instruction:
Edit: by the way this is a different Jeffrey giving the video than me!
I myself am an alien ... well according to my crazy sibling ...
Fear and alienation are not uncommon.
There is nothing to fear but our own inner turmoil.
Nanu Nanu.
What Would Buddha Do?
Off with their heads!
[lobster removes head - not in use anyway] 🤦🏼♀️🌈💗🙏🏽
I think it is best to determine what the best course of action is moment by moment. The best version of ourselves where we develop are inner understanding for things and outer knowledge. And that would be buddha nature. We may not always make the best decisions but we can try and that will vary by precise details.
Moment by moment?
Iz plan. Always. I'll join
Fall down 6 times, get up six times. But, not immediately. It's ok to sit and catch your breath, take it easy, relax and enjoy the view from down there...
That's probably what the Buddha would do.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-dangerous-downsides-of-perfectionism?utm_source=pocket-newtab
So Buddha life as normal ...
This is why we practice, prepare and unfold. For when we need our salve/salvation. In mainstream tantra we regularly become our understanding of an awakened one.
It is why I speak fluent Buddha.
Sadly I am also less than human and influenced by my lesser/base qualities.
It is why we keep 'good company':
🙏🙏