Global Holistic Motivators
Showing posts with label Buddha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Buddha. Show all posts
Sunday, 18 February 2018
Thursday, 1 January 2015
Thursday, 11 December 2014
9 Jhanas
The nine levels of jhana are:
Delightful Sensations
Joy
Contentment
Utter peacefulness
Infinity of space
Infinity of consciousness
No-thingness
Neither perception nor non-perception
Cessation
The First Jhana: Pleasant Sensations
The concentration begins with one-pointedness concentration and then when the concentration becomes strong you enter a sustained concentration which is a continuous concentration with no interruptions. You start to enter the remaining jhanic factors of aiming, happiness, and joy or rapture. You shift your attention from the meditation subject to the joy associated with your concentration. You do not cling to the sensations, but just watch them. The experience can include some very pleasant physical sensations such as goose bumps on the body and the hair standing up to more intense pleasures which grow in intensity and explode into a state of ecstasy. If you have pain in your legs, knees, or other part of the body during meditation, the pain will actually disappear while you are in the jhanas. The pleasant sensations can be so strong to eliminate your painful sensations.
The Second Jhana: Joy
You proceed from the first jhana to the second by keeping a balanced mind with no clinging to the sensations of the first jhana. Then you shift your attention from the physical pleasure to emotional pleasure. The pleasurable sensations get put to the background and calm the mind further. You feel a great joy in your meditation and keep one-pointedness of mind.
The Third Jhana: Contentment
You let go of the physical pleasures which changes the emotional pleasure from joy to contentment. You experience a more motionless, quiet contentment.
The Fourth Jhana: Utter Peacefulness
The fourth jhana is entered when the mind remains equanimous to the third jhana of contentment long enough that you are ready to let go further. There is no positive or negative feeling in the mind or body. Then there is an all pervading, deep peacefulness, with one-pointedness of mind.
The Fifth Jhana: Infinity of Space
The fifth through the eighth jhanas are the “absorptions without form.” This is because they refer to states of consciousness where there is no perception of a form or body. They correspond to heavenly realms which also have no form or body. That is, beings re-born to the formless realms, which are some of the heavenly planes, do not have a body, but do have pleasant existences.
You enter the fifth jhana by remaining in the utter peacefulness state and then shift your attention to the boundaries of your being. You focus your attention outward as if you are watching yourself from above. You may feel like you are floating above your body at first. You put your attention on your body so that it feels like you are filling the room. This is expanded further and further so that you fill your whole neighborhood, city, country, continent, and then to space itself. You find yourself in this huge expanse of empty space.
The Sixth Jhana: Infinity of Consciousness
You enter the sixth jhana by realizing that the infinite space you occupy includes your consciousness. So you shift your attention to infinite consciousness instead of infinite space. You may feel “at one” with all nature and existence, but do not be fooled, this is not full enlightenment. Concentration is further increased and there is still one-pointedness of mind.
The Seventh Jhana: No-thingness
The seventh jhana is entered by realizing that the content of the infinite consciousness is basically empty of any permanent nature. We also realize that there is no “thingeither. There is nothing in the universe that has any permanent essence to it. We realize that everything is in constant flux.
The Eighth Jhana: Neither perception nor non-perception
The eight and ninth jhanas are difficult to discuss because they are so hard to describe in much the same way nibbana is hard to describe. This is because they are such heightened levels of concentration and of the Path itself, that they must be experienced. There is also very little to discuss with the eighth and ninth jhanas, since the perception levels have become so fine and so subtle. You enter the eighth jhana by letting go of the sense of no-thingness and enter a very natural, calm place. In the eighth jhana there is very little recognition of what is happening, but you are also not totally unaware of what is happening. There is such a peaceful state and you have gone beyond the duality of perception nor non-perception that it is easy to be fooled that you have experienced full enlightenment. But there is still more to do.
The Ninth Jhana: Cessation
When you reach the limits of perception, you realize that lesser mental activity is better for your calm and peaceful state. You enter a state of “cessation” of consciousness where there is only a very sublte form of perception. The meditator may appear to be unconscious. There have been reports of meditators having heart beats as low as 20 to 40 beats per minute at this jhanic level. The nearest way to describe this state is something like a very deep sleep. The eight and ninth jhanas are not full enlightenment, but very close stepping stones to full awakening. Only those who are very close to being fully enlightened can enter the eighth and especially, the ninth jhana.
http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=9_Jhanas
Delightful Sensations
Joy
Contentment
Utter peacefulness
Infinity of space
Infinity of consciousness
No-thingness
Neither perception nor non-perception
Cessation
The First Jhana: Pleasant Sensations
The concentration begins with one-pointedness concentration and then when the concentration becomes strong you enter a sustained concentration which is a continuous concentration with no interruptions. You start to enter the remaining jhanic factors of aiming, happiness, and joy or rapture. You shift your attention from the meditation subject to the joy associated with your concentration. You do not cling to the sensations, but just watch them. The experience can include some very pleasant physical sensations such as goose bumps on the body and the hair standing up to more intense pleasures which grow in intensity and explode into a state of ecstasy. If you have pain in your legs, knees, or other part of the body during meditation, the pain will actually disappear while you are in the jhanas. The pleasant sensations can be so strong to eliminate your painful sensations.
The Second Jhana: Joy
You proceed from the first jhana to the second by keeping a balanced mind with no clinging to the sensations of the first jhana. Then you shift your attention from the physical pleasure to emotional pleasure. The pleasurable sensations get put to the background and calm the mind further. You feel a great joy in your meditation and keep one-pointedness of mind.
The Third Jhana: Contentment
You let go of the physical pleasures which changes the emotional pleasure from joy to contentment. You experience a more motionless, quiet contentment.
The Fourth Jhana: Utter Peacefulness
The fourth jhana is entered when the mind remains equanimous to the third jhana of contentment long enough that you are ready to let go further. There is no positive or negative feeling in the mind or body. Then there is an all pervading, deep peacefulness, with one-pointedness of mind.
The Fifth Jhana: Infinity of Space
The fifth through the eighth jhanas are the “absorptions without form.” This is because they refer to states of consciousness where there is no perception of a form or body. They correspond to heavenly realms which also have no form or body. That is, beings re-born to the formless realms, which are some of the heavenly planes, do not have a body, but do have pleasant existences.
You enter the fifth jhana by remaining in the utter peacefulness state and then shift your attention to the boundaries of your being. You focus your attention outward as if you are watching yourself from above. You may feel like you are floating above your body at first. You put your attention on your body so that it feels like you are filling the room. This is expanded further and further so that you fill your whole neighborhood, city, country, continent, and then to space itself. You find yourself in this huge expanse of empty space.
The Sixth Jhana: Infinity of Consciousness
You enter the sixth jhana by realizing that the infinite space you occupy includes your consciousness. So you shift your attention to infinite consciousness instead of infinite space. You may feel “at one” with all nature and existence, but do not be fooled, this is not full enlightenment. Concentration is further increased and there is still one-pointedness of mind.
The Seventh Jhana: No-thingness
The seventh jhana is entered by realizing that the content of the infinite consciousness is basically empty of any permanent nature. We also realize that there is no “thingeither. There is nothing in the universe that has any permanent essence to it. We realize that everything is in constant flux.
The Eighth Jhana: Neither perception nor non-perception
The eight and ninth jhanas are difficult to discuss because they are so hard to describe in much the same way nibbana is hard to describe. This is because they are such heightened levels of concentration and of the Path itself, that they must be experienced. There is also very little to discuss with the eighth and ninth jhanas, since the perception levels have become so fine and so subtle. You enter the eighth jhana by letting go of the sense of no-thingness and enter a very natural, calm place. In the eighth jhana there is very little recognition of what is happening, but you are also not totally unaware of what is happening. There is such a peaceful state and you have gone beyond the duality of perception nor non-perception that it is easy to be fooled that you have experienced full enlightenment. But there is still more to do.
The Ninth Jhana: Cessation
When you reach the limits of perception, you realize that lesser mental activity is better for your calm and peaceful state. You enter a state of “cessation” of consciousness where there is only a very sublte form of perception. The meditator may appear to be unconscious. There have been reports of meditators having heart beats as low as 20 to 40 beats per minute at this jhanic level. The nearest way to describe this state is something like a very deep sleep. The eight and ninth jhanas are not full enlightenment, but very close stepping stones to full awakening. Only those who are very close to being fully enlightened can enter the eighth and especially, the ninth jhana.
http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=9_Jhanas
Friday, 7 November 2014
Story:The Impermanence of Beauty
Rupananda (Khema Theri) was quite an attractive and graceful woman who was always surrounded by admirers. She never ceased to feel very lonely, however, because all those dear to her—mother, brother, and even husband—had all entered the Order. Missing her family badly, she went to visit them often and heard them speak of the Buddha in such a way that she longed to go and pay him homage too.
But when she learned that the Buddha often talked about the impermanence of the body, she was afraid that he might disparage her for her beauty, and so hesitated to do so. In the end, howe ver, she decided that no matterwhat the Buddha might say to her, she would go and see him anyway.
As soon as the Buddha saw Rupananda, he realized that she was someone very attached to her beauty. To teach her a lesson, he caused a vision of a ravishing young lady to appear before her. When Rupananda saw the young lady, she could not help but remark how extremely beautiful she was and exclaimed to herself, “My goodness, next to her I must look like an old crow!”
Then before Rupananda could realize what was happening, the beautiful young lady started to age and slowly deteriorate before her very eyes until she finally lay sick and helpless on the floor, rolling in her own excrement. Then she died, and Rupananda saw her corpse going through the different stages of decay, oozing pus and other foul liquids, and finally crawling with maggots.
Witnessing this rapid succession of images, Rupananda realized that there was a continuous process of change and decay in the body. “In the same way,” she thought, “like this young girl who has grown old, died, and decayed before my very eyes, I, too, will grow old and decay one day.”
With that realization, the attachment that Rupananda had for her body diminished and she came to perceive its true nature. She then became a nun, and under the guidance of the Buddha, eventually attained arahatship.
This body is built up with bones which are covered with flesh and blood. Within it dwell decay and death, pride and jealousy.
http://www.dhamma.worldofwisdom.asia/2011/12/impermanence-of-beauty.html
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bmDamaStory.pdf
But when she learned that the Buddha often talked about the impermanence of the body, she was afraid that he might disparage her for her beauty, and so hesitated to do so. In the end, howe ver, she decided that no matterwhat the Buddha might say to her, she would go and see him anyway.
As soon as the Buddha saw Rupananda, he realized that she was someone very attached to her beauty. To teach her a lesson, he caused a vision of a ravishing young lady to appear before her. When Rupananda saw the young lady, she could not help but remark how extremely beautiful she was and exclaimed to herself, “My goodness, next to her I must look like an old crow!”
Then before Rupananda could realize what was happening, the beautiful young lady started to age and slowly deteriorate before her very eyes until she finally lay sick and helpless on the floor, rolling in her own excrement. Then she died, and Rupananda saw her corpse going through the different stages of decay, oozing pus and other foul liquids, and finally crawling with maggots.
Witnessing this rapid succession of images, Rupananda realized that there was a continuous process of change and decay in the body. “In the same way,” she thought, “like this young girl who has grown old, died, and decayed before my very eyes, I, too, will grow old and decay one day.”
With that realization, the attachment that Rupananda had for her body diminished and she came to perceive its true nature. She then became a nun, and under the guidance of the Buddha, eventually attained arahatship.
This body is built up with bones which are covered with flesh and blood. Within it dwell decay and death, pride and jealousy.
http://www.dhamma.worldofwisdom.asia/2011/12/impermanence-of-beauty.html
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bmDamaStory.pdf
Story:Does God exist?
Buddha was gathered together with his disciples one morning, when a man came up to him.
'Does God exist?' he asked.
'He does,' replied Buddha.
After lunch, another man came up to him.
'Does God exist?' he asked.
'No, he doesn't,' said Buddha.
Later that afternoon, a third man asked the same question: 'Does God exist?'
'That's for you to decide,' replied Buddha.
As soon as the man had gone, one of his disciples remarked angrily:
'But that's absurd, Master! How can you possibly give such different answers to the same question?'
'Because they are all different people, and each one of them will reach God by his own path. The first man will believe what I say. The second will do everything he can to prove me wrong. The third will only believe in what he is allowed to choose for himself.'
Story:The Lamp
In a village of one hundred houses a single light was burning. Then a neighbour came with his lamp to another’s home and lit a lamp; and in this same way the light was communicated from house to house and the brightness in the village was increased. Thus the light of religion may be diffused without diminishing the one who communicates it. Let the bliss of your witness be diffused. Divide it.
Story:Sandcastles
Some children were playing beside a river. They made castles of sand, and each child defended his castle and said, “This one is mine.” They kept their castles separate and would not allow any mistakes about which was whose. When the castles were all finished, one child kicked over someone else’s castle and completely destroyed it. The owner of the castle flew into a rage, pulled the other child’s hair, struck him with his fist and cried out, “He has spoiled my castle! Come all of you and help me to punish him as he deserves.” The others all came to his help. They beat the child with a stick and then kicked him as he lay on the ground…Then they went on playing with their sand castles, each saying, “This is mine; no one else may have it. Keep away! Don’t touch my castle!” But evening came; it was getting dark and they all thought they ought to be going home. No one now cared what became of his castle. One child stamped on his, another pushed his over with both hands. Then they turned away and went back, each to his home.
Story:What are you?
It is said that soon after his enlightenment the Buddha passed a man on the road who was struck by the
Buddha's extraordinary radiance and peaceful presence.
The man stopped and asked, "My friend, what are you? Are you a celestial being or a god?"
"No," said the Buddha.
"Well, then, are you some kind of magician or wizard?"
Again the Buddha answered, "No."
"Are you a man?"
"No."
"Well, my friend, what then are you?" The Buddha replied, "I am awake."
http://zenpsychiatry.com/
Buddha's extraordinary radiance and peaceful presence.
The man stopped and asked, "My friend, what are you? Are you a celestial being or a god?"
"No," said the Buddha.
"Well, then, are you some kind of magician or wizard?"
Again the Buddha answered, "No."
"Are you a man?"
"No."
"Well, my friend, what then are you?" The Buddha replied, "I am awake."
Story:The Mustard Seed
During Buddha’s time, there lived a woman named Kisa Gotami. She married young and gave birth to a son. One day, the baby fell sick and died soon after. Kisa Gotami loved her son greatly and refused to believe that her son was dead. She carried the body of her son around her village, asking if there was anyone who can bring her son back to life.
The villagers all saw that the son was already dead and there was nothing that could be done. They advised her to accept his death and make arrangements for the funeral.
In great grief, she fell upon her knees and clutched her son’s body close to her body. She kept uttering for her son to wake up.
A village elder took pity on her and suggested to her to consult the Buddha.
“Kisa Gotami. We cannot help you. But you should go to the Buddha. Maybe he can bring your son back to life!”
Kisa Gotami was extremely excited upon hearing the elder’s words. She immediately went to the Buddha’s residence and pleaded for him to bring her son back to life.
“Kisa Gotami, I have a way to bring your son back to life.”
“My Lord, I will do anything to bring my son back”
“If that is the case, then I need you to find me something. Bring me a mustard seed but it must be taken from a house where no one residing in the house has ever lost a family member. Bring this seed back to me and your son will come back to life.”
Having great faith in the Buddha’s promise, Kisa Gotami went from house to house, trying to find the mustard seed.
At the first house, a young woman offered to give her some mustard seeds. But when Kisa Gotami asked if she had ever lost a family member to death, the young women said her grandmother died a few months ago.
Kisa Gotami thanked the young woman and explained why the mustard seeds did not fulfill the Buddha’s requirements.
She moved on to the 2nd house. A husband died a few years. The 3rd house lost an uncle and the 4th house lost an aunt. She kept moving from house to house but the answer was all the same – every house had lost a family member to death.
Kisa Gotami finally came to realise that there is no one in the world who had never lost a family member to death. She now understood that death is inevitable and a natural part of life.
Putting aside her grief, she buried her son in the forest. Shen then returned to the Buddha and became his follower.
http://buddhiststories.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/kisa-gotami-and-the-mustard-seed/
Share your empowering thoughts on this story
The villagers all saw that the son was already dead and there was nothing that could be done. They advised her to accept his death and make arrangements for the funeral.
In great grief, she fell upon her knees and clutched her son’s body close to her body. She kept uttering for her son to wake up.
A village elder took pity on her and suggested to her to consult the Buddha.
“Kisa Gotami. We cannot help you. But you should go to the Buddha. Maybe he can bring your son back to life!”
Kisa Gotami was extremely excited upon hearing the elder’s words. She immediately went to the Buddha’s residence and pleaded for him to bring her son back to life.
“Kisa Gotami, I have a way to bring your son back to life.”
“My Lord, I will do anything to bring my son back”
“If that is the case, then I need you to find me something. Bring me a mustard seed but it must be taken from a house where no one residing in the house has ever lost a family member. Bring this seed back to me and your son will come back to life.”
Having great faith in the Buddha’s promise, Kisa Gotami went from house to house, trying to find the mustard seed.
At the first house, a young woman offered to give her some mustard seeds. But when Kisa Gotami asked if she had ever lost a family member to death, the young women said her grandmother died a few months ago.
Kisa Gotami thanked the young woman and explained why the mustard seeds did not fulfill the Buddha’s requirements.
She moved on to the 2nd house. A husband died a few years. The 3rd house lost an uncle and the 4th house lost an aunt. She kept moving from house to house but the answer was all the same – every house had lost a family member to death.
Kisa Gotami finally came to realise that there is no one in the world who had never lost a family member to death. She now understood that death is inevitable and a natural part of life.
Putting aside her grief, she buried her son in the forest. Shen then returned to the Buddha and became his follower.
http://buddhiststories.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/kisa-gotami-and-the-mustard-seed/
Share your empowering thoughts on this story
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
BUDDHA QUOTES
Buddha was asked, ”What have you gained from meditation”. He replied, nothing. However, Buddha said, let me tell you what I lost: Anger, Anxiety, Depression, Insecurity, Fear of old age and Death.
A man asked Gautama Buddha, "I want happiness."
Buddha said, "First remove "I," that's Ego, then remove "want," that's Desire. See now you are left with only "Happiness.”
"Health is the greatest gift,
contentment the greatest wealth,
faithfulness the best relationship."
"Do not dwell in the past,
do not dream of the future,
concentrate the mind on the present moment."
"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned."
I never see what has been done; I only see what remains to be done.
Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.
“Meditation brings wisdom; lack of mediation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.”
Love the whole world as a mother loves her only child.
'In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.'
"The tongue like a sharp knife... Kills without drawing blood."
Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.
Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so, the wise are not affected by praise or blame
Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.
“The greatest achievement is selflessness.
The greatest worth is self-mastery.
The greatest quality is seeking to serve others.
The greatest precept is continual awareness.
The greatest medicine is the emptiness of everything.
The greatest action is not conforming with the worlds ways.
The greatest magic is transmuting the passions.
The greatest generosity is non-attachment.
The greatest goodness is a peaceful mind.
The greatest patience is humility.
The greatest effort is not concerned with results.
The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.
The greatest wisdom is seeing through appearances.”
It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.
No matter how difficult the past, you can always begin again.
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.
You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.
In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.
"Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule."
Silence the angry man with love. Silence the ill-natured man with kindness. Silence the miser with generosity. Silence the liar with truth.
All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.
If you truly loved yourself, you could never hurt another
You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.
Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.
No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path
We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.
Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things that renew humanity.
To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one's own in the midst of abundance.
All conditioned things are impermanent” — when one sees this with wisdom, one turns away from suffering.
However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.
Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.
An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.
Tuesday, 2 September 2014
Tuesday, 1 July 2014
25 Life Changing Lessons from Buddha
1. LOVE HEALS ALL THINGS.
“Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.”
2. IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY BUT WHAT YOU DO THAT DEFINES YOU.
“A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving and fearless then he is in truth called wise.”
“A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.”
3. THE SECRET OF GOOD HEALTH IS TO LIVE FULLY IN THE NOW.
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”
4. WHO LOOKS INSIDE AWAKENS.
“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”
5. WORDS HAVE THE POWER TO BOTH HURT AND HEAL.
“Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.”
6. LET IT GO AND IT WILL BE YOURS FOREVER.
“You only lose what you cling to.”
7. NO ONE CAN WALK YOUR PATH FOR YOU.
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
8. HAPPINESS NEVER DECREASES BY BEING SHARED.
“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
9. BE KIND TO ALL.
“Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these.”
“Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.”
“Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.”
10. DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU ARE TOLD TO BELIEVE.
“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
11. AS YOU THINK SO SHALL YOU BE
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts. If a man speak or act with an evil thought, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the hoof of the beast that draws the wagon…. If a man speak or act with a good thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.”
12. LET GO OF FEAR.
“The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.”
Read: Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment
13. THE TRUTH HAS A WAY OF ALWAYS LEAKING OUT.
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
14. CONTROL YOUR MIND OR IT WILL CONTROL YOU.
“To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.”
“It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.”
15. DOUBT SEPARATES. TRUST UNITES.
“There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.”
16. NOBODY IS MORE DESERVING OF YOUR LOVE THAN YOU YOURSELF ARE.
“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
17. KNOWING OTHERS IS WISDOM, KNOWING YOURSELF IS ENLIGHTENMENT.
“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”
18. SPIRITUALITY ISN’T A LUXURY, IT’S A NECESSITY.
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.”
19. REPLACE JEALOUSY WITH ADMIRATION.
“Do not be jealous of others’ good qualities, but out of admiration adopt them yourself.”
20. LOOK FOR PEACE WITHIN YOURSELF.
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
21. LET GO OF ATTACHMENT.
“To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance.”
22. CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS WISELY.
“An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.”
23. THERE IS NO WAY TO HAPPINESS. HAPPINESS IS THE WAY.
“There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.”
24. GIVE UP LABELS.
“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.”
25. LOVE. LIVE. LET GO.
“In the end these things matter most: How well did you love? How fully did you live? How deeply did you let go?”
http://themindunleashed.org/2014/06/25-life-changing-lessons-learn-buddha.html
“Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love; this is the eternal rule.”
2. IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY BUT WHAT YOU DO THAT DEFINES YOU.
“A man is not called wise because he talks and talks again; but if he is peaceful, loving and fearless then he is in truth called wise.”
“A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.”
3. THE SECRET OF GOOD HEALTH IS TO LIVE FULLY IN THE NOW.
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”
4. WHO LOOKS INSIDE AWAKENS.
“The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.”
5. WORDS HAVE THE POWER TO BOTH HURT AND HEAL.
“Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world.”
6. LET IT GO AND IT WILL BE YOURS FOREVER.
“You only lose what you cling to.”
7. NO ONE CAN WALK YOUR PATH FOR YOU.
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”
8. HAPPINESS NEVER DECREASES BY BEING SHARED.
“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
9. BE KIND TO ALL.
“Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant with the weak and wrong. Sometime in your life, you will have been all of these.”
“Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering. Some suffer too much, others too little.”
“Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.”
10. DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU ARE TOLD TO BELIEVE.
“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
11. AS YOU THINK SO SHALL YOU BE
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts. If a man speak or act with an evil thought, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the hoof of the beast that draws the wagon…. If a man speak or act with a good thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.”
12. LET GO OF FEAR.
“The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.”
Read: Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment
13. THE TRUTH HAS A WAY OF ALWAYS LEAKING OUT.
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
14. CONTROL YOUR MIND OR IT WILL CONTROL YOU.
“To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.”
“It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.”
15. DOUBT SEPARATES. TRUST UNITES.
“There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills.”
16. NOBODY IS MORE DESERVING OF YOUR LOVE THAN YOU YOURSELF ARE.
“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
17. KNOWING OTHERS IS WISDOM, KNOWING YOURSELF IS ENLIGHTENMENT.
“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.”
18. SPIRITUALITY ISN’T A LUXURY, IT’S A NECESSITY.
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.”
19. REPLACE JEALOUSY WITH ADMIRATION.
“Do not be jealous of others’ good qualities, but out of admiration adopt them yourself.”
20. LOOK FOR PEACE WITHIN YOURSELF.
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
21. LET GO OF ATTACHMENT.
“To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance.”
22. CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS WISELY.
“An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.”
23. THERE IS NO WAY TO HAPPINESS. HAPPINESS IS THE WAY.
“There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path.”
24. GIVE UP LABELS.
“In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.”
25. LOVE. LIVE. LET GO.
“In the end these things matter most: How well did you love? How fully did you live? How deeply did you let go?”
Friday, 13 September 2013
Story:The Abusive Brothers
ONCE THERE WAS A BRAHMIN whose wife loved to praise and speak kindly of the Buddha. He did not mind it at first, but soon his wife’s increased fondness for the Buddha caused him to become jealous.
One day he went to where the Buddha was staying, armed with a question he thought would leave the Buddha baffled and humiliated. In that way, he thought his wife would realize how misplaced her admiration for the Buddha was.
The husband asked the Buddha, “What do we have to kill to be able to live happily and peacefully?” The Buddha’s reply was simple but one that left the angry man appeased and inspired. “To be able to live happily and peacefully,” the Buddha replied, “one has to kill anger, for anger itself kills happiness and peace.” The man reflected on the Buddha’s answer and decided to become a bhikkhu himself. Finally he became an arahat.
When the younger brother heard that his elder brother had become a monk, he in turn became very angry. He went and confronted the Buddha, abusing him badly. When he had finished his string of abusive words, the Buddha asked him, “If you offered some food to a guest who came to your house, and the guest left without eating any of it, who would the food belong to?” The brahmin conceded that the food would belong to him. The Buddha then said, “In the same way, I do not wish to accept your abuse, so the abuse belongs to you.” The man realized his mistake and felt great respect for the Buddha because of the lesson he had taught him. He, too, became a bhikkhu and later also attained arahatship.
The bhikkhus remarked how wonderful it was that the Buddha could make those who came to abuse him realize the Dhamma and take refuge in him. The Buddha replied, “Because I do not answer wrong with wrong, many have come to take refuge in me.
”He who without anger endures abuse, beating and punishment, and whose power of patience is like the strength of an army, him do I call a holy man. - Verse 399, Dhammapada
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bmDamaStory.pdf
One day he went to where the Buddha was staying, armed with a question he thought would leave the Buddha baffled and humiliated. In that way, he thought his wife would realize how misplaced her admiration for the Buddha was.
The husband asked the Buddha, “What do we have to kill to be able to live happily and peacefully?” The Buddha’s reply was simple but one that left the angry man appeased and inspired. “To be able to live happily and peacefully,” the Buddha replied, “one has to kill anger, for anger itself kills happiness and peace.” The man reflected on the Buddha’s answer and decided to become a bhikkhu himself. Finally he became an arahat.
When the younger brother heard that his elder brother had become a monk, he in turn became very angry. He went and confronted the Buddha, abusing him badly. When he had finished his string of abusive words, the Buddha asked him, “If you offered some food to a guest who came to your house, and the guest left without eating any of it, who would the food belong to?” The brahmin conceded that the food would belong to him. The Buddha then said, “In the same way, I do not wish to accept your abuse, so the abuse belongs to you.” The man realized his mistake and felt great respect for the Buddha because of the lesson he had taught him. He, too, became a bhikkhu and later also attained arahatship.
The bhikkhus remarked how wonderful it was that the Buddha could make those who came to abuse him realize the Dhamma and take refuge in him. The Buddha replied, “Because I do not answer wrong with wrong, many have come to take refuge in me.
”He who without anger endures abuse, beating and punishment, and whose power of patience is like the strength of an army, him do I call a holy man. - Verse 399, Dhammapada
Wednesday, 10 July 2013
Story:The Buddha and The Scientist
The physical reality is changing constantly every moment. This is what the Buddha realized by examining himself. With his strongly concentrated mind, he penetrated deeply into his own nature and found that the entire material structure is composed of minute subatomic particles which are continuously arising and vanishing. In the snapping of a finger or the blinking of an eye, he said, each one of these particles arises and passes away many trillions of times.
“Unbelievable,” anyone will think who observes only the apparent reality of the body, which seems so solid, so permanent. I used to suppose that the phrase “many trillions of times” might be an idiomatic expression not to be taken literally. However, modern science has confirmed this statement.
Several years ago, an American scientist received the Nobel Prize in physics. For a long time he had studied and conducted experiments to learn about the subatomic particles of which the physical universe is composed. It was already known that these particles arise and pass away with great rapidity, over and over again. Now this scientist decided to develop an instrument that would be able to count how many times a particle arises and passes away in one second. He very rightly called the instrument that he invented a bubble chamber, and he found that in one second a subatomic particle arises and vanishes 1022 times.
The truth that this scientist discovered is the same as that which the Buddha found, but what a great difference between them! Some of my American students who had taken courses in India later returned to their country, and they visited this scientist. They reported to me that despite the fact that he has discovered this reality, he is still an ordinary person with the usual stock of misery that all ordinary people have! He is not totally liberated from suffering.
No, that scientist has not become an enlightened person, not been freed from all suffering, because he has not experienced truth directly. What he has learned is still only intellectual wisdom. He believes this truth because he has faith in the instrument which he has invented, but he has not experienced the truth himself.
I have nothing against this man nor against modern science. However, one must not be a scientist only of the world outside. Like the Buddha, one should also be a scientist of the world within, in order to experience truth directly. Personal realization of truth will automatically change the habit pattern of the mind so that one starts to live according to the truth. Every action becomes directed towards one’s own good and the good of others. If this inner experience is missing, science is liable to be misused for destructive ends. But if we become scientists of the reality within, we shall make proper use of science for the happiness of all.
http://www.dhammasota.org/DS2010_0709.PDF
“Unbelievable,” anyone will think who observes only the apparent reality of the body, which seems so solid, so permanent. I used to suppose that the phrase “many trillions of times” might be an idiomatic expression not to be taken literally. However, modern science has confirmed this statement.
Several years ago, an American scientist received the Nobel Prize in physics. For a long time he had studied and conducted experiments to learn about the subatomic particles of which the physical universe is composed. It was already known that these particles arise and pass away with great rapidity, over and over again. Now this scientist decided to develop an instrument that would be able to count how many times a particle arises and passes away in one second. He very rightly called the instrument that he invented a bubble chamber, and he found that in one second a subatomic particle arises and vanishes 1022 times.
The truth that this scientist discovered is the same as that which the Buddha found, but what a great difference between them! Some of my American students who had taken courses in India later returned to their country, and they visited this scientist. They reported to me that despite the fact that he has discovered this reality, he is still an ordinary person with the usual stock of misery that all ordinary people have! He is not totally liberated from suffering.
No, that scientist has not become an enlightened person, not been freed from all suffering, because he has not experienced truth directly. What he has learned is still only intellectual wisdom. He believes this truth because he has faith in the instrument which he has invented, but he has not experienced the truth himself.
I have nothing against this man nor against modern science. However, one must not be a scientist only of the world outside. Like the Buddha, one should also be a scientist of the world within, in order to experience truth directly. Personal realization of truth will automatically change the habit pattern of the mind so that one starts to live according to the truth. Every action becomes directed towards one’s own good and the good of others. If this inner experience is missing, science is liable to be misused for destructive ends. But if we become scientists of the reality within, we shall make proper use of science for the happiness of all.
http://www.dhammasota.org/DS2010_0709.PDF
Story:The Two Rings
A rich old man died leaving two sons. For some time the two continued living together in the traditional Indian way, in a single joint household, a joint family. Then they quarreled and decide to separate, dividing all the property between them. Everything was divided fifty-fifty, and thus they settled their affairs. But after the settlement had been made, a small packet was discovered which had been carefully hidden by their fathers. They opened the packet and found two rings inside, one set with a valuable diamond, and the other an ordinary silver ring worth only a few rupees.
Seeing the diamond, the elder brother developed greed in his mind, and he started explaining to the younger one, "To me it appears that this ring is not the earning of our father, but rather an heirloom from his forefathers. That is why he kept it separate from his other possessions. And since it has been kept for generations in our family, it should remain for future generations. Therefore I, being elder, shall keep it. You had better take the silver ring."
The younger brother smiled and said, "All right, be happy with the diamond ring, I'll be happy with the silver one." Both of them placed their rings on their fingers and went their ways.
The younger brother thought to himself. "It is easily understandable that my father kept the diamond ring; it is so valuable. But why did he keep this ordinary silver ring?" He examined the ring closely and found some words engraved on it: "This will also change." "Oh, this is the mantra for my father: 'This will also change!' ". He replaced the ring on his finger.
Both brothers faced all the ups and downs of life. When spring came, the elder brother became highly elated, losing the balance of his mind. When autumn or winter came, he fell into deep depression, again losing his mental balance. He became tense, developing hypertension. Unable to sleep at night, he started using sleeping pills, tranquilizers, stronger drugs. Finally, he reached the stage where he required electric shock treatments. This was the brother with the diamond ring.
As for the younger brother with the silver ring, when spring came, he enjoyed it; he didn't try to run away from it. He enjoyed it, but looked at his ring and remembered, "This will also change." And when it changed, he could smile and say, "Well, I knew it was going to change. It has changed, so what!" When autumn or winter came, again he looked at his ring and remembered, "This will also change." He didn't start crying, knowing that this would also change. And yes, it also changed, it passed away. Of all the ups and downs, all the vicissitudes of life, he knew that nothing is eternal, that everything comes just to pass away. He did not lose the balance of his mind and he lived a peaceful, happy life.
This was the brother with the silver ring.
http://www.dhammasota.org/DS2010_0406.PDF
Seeing the diamond, the elder brother developed greed in his mind, and he started explaining to the younger one, "To me it appears that this ring is not the earning of our father, but rather an heirloom from his forefathers. That is why he kept it separate from his other possessions. And since it has been kept for generations in our family, it should remain for future generations. Therefore I, being elder, shall keep it. You had better take the silver ring."
The younger brother smiled and said, "All right, be happy with the diamond ring, I'll be happy with the silver one." Both of them placed their rings on their fingers and went their ways.
The younger brother thought to himself. "It is easily understandable that my father kept the diamond ring; it is so valuable. But why did he keep this ordinary silver ring?" He examined the ring closely and found some words engraved on it: "This will also change." "Oh, this is the mantra for my father: 'This will also change!' ". He replaced the ring on his finger.
Both brothers faced all the ups and downs of life. When spring came, the elder brother became highly elated, losing the balance of his mind. When autumn or winter came, he fell into deep depression, again losing his mental balance. He became tense, developing hypertension. Unable to sleep at night, he started using sleeping pills, tranquilizers, stronger drugs. Finally, he reached the stage where he required electric shock treatments. This was the brother with the diamond ring.
As for the younger brother with the silver ring, when spring came, he enjoyed it; he didn't try to run away from it. He enjoyed it, but looked at his ring and remembered, "This will also change." And when it changed, he could smile and say, "Well, I knew it was going to change. It has changed, so what!" When autumn or winter came, again he looked at his ring and remembered, "This will also change." He didn't start crying, knowing that this would also change. And yes, it also changed, it passed away. Of all the ups and downs, all the vicissitudes of life, he knew that nothing is eternal, that everything comes just to pass away. He did not lose the balance of his mind and he lived a peaceful, happy life.
This was the brother with the silver ring.
http://www.dhammasota.org/DS2010_0406.PDF
Tuesday, 9 July 2013
Story:The Pebbles and the Ghee
One day a young man came to the Buddha crying and crying; he could not stop. The Buddha asked him, “What is wrong, young man?”
“Sir, yesterday my old father died.”
“Well, what can be done? If he has died, crying will not bring him back.”
“Yes, sir, that I understand; crying will not bring back my father. But I have come to you, sir, with a special request: please do something for my dead father!”
“Eh? What can I do for your dead father?”
“Sir, please do something. You are such a powerful person, certainly you can do it. Look, these priestlings, pardoners, and almsgatherers perform all sorts of rites and rituals to help the dead. And as soon as the ritual is performed here, the gateway of the kingdom of heaven is breached and the dead person receives entry there; he gets an entry visa. You, sir, are so powerful! If you perform a ritual for my dead father, he will not just receive an entry visa, he'll be granted a permanent stay, a Green Card! Please sir, do something for him!”
The poor fellow was so overwhelmed by grief that he could not follow any rational argument. The Buddha had to use another way to help him understand. So he said to him, “All right. Go to the market and buy two earthen pots.” The young man was very happy, thinking that the Buddha had agreed to perform a ritual for his father. He ran to the market and returned with two pots. “All right,” the Buddha said, “fill one pot with ghee, with butter.” The young man did it. “Fill the other with pebbles.” He did that too. “Now close their mouths; seal them properly.” He did it. “Now place them in the pond over there.” The young man did so, and both of the pots sank to the bottom. “Now,” said the Buddha, “bring a big stick; strike and break open the pots.” The young man was very happy, thinking that the Buddha was performing a wonderful ritual for his father.
According to ancient Indian custom, when a man dies, his son takes the dead body to the cremation ground, puts it on the funeral pyre, and burns it. When the body is half burned, the son takes a thick stick and cracks open the skull. And according to the old belief, as soon as the skull is opened in this world, the gateway of the kingdom of heaven is opened above. So now the young man thought to himself, “The body of my father was burned to ashes yesterday. As a symbol, the Buddha now wants me to break open these pots!” He was very happy with the ritual.
Taking a stick as the Buddha said, the young man struck hard and broke open both the pots. At once the butter contained in one pot came up and started floating on the surface of the water. The pebbles in the other pot spilled out and remained at the bottom. Then the Buddha said, “Well, young man, this much I have done. Now call all your priestlings and miracle workers and tell them to start chanting and praying: ‘Oh pebbles, come up, come up! Oh butter, go down, go down!’ Let me see how it happens.”
“Oh sir, you have started joking! How is it possible, sir? The pebbles are heavier than water, they are bound to stay at the bottom. They can’t come up, sir; this is the law of nature! The butter is lighter than water, it is bound to remain on the surface. It can’t go down, sir: this is the law of nature!”
“Young man, you know so much about the law of nature, but you have not understood this natural law: if all his life your father performed deeds that were heavy like pebbles, he is bound to go down; who can bring him up? And if all his actions were light like this butter, he is bound to go up; who can pull him down?”
The earlier we understand the law of nature and start living in accordance with the law, the earlier we come out of our misery.
“Sir, yesterday my old father died.”
“Well, what can be done? If he has died, crying will not bring him back.”
“Yes, sir, that I understand; crying will not bring back my father. But I have come to you, sir, with a special request: please do something for my dead father!”
“Eh? What can I do for your dead father?”
“Sir, please do something. You are such a powerful person, certainly you can do it. Look, these priestlings, pardoners, and almsgatherers perform all sorts of rites and rituals to help the dead. And as soon as the ritual is performed here, the gateway of the kingdom of heaven is breached and the dead person receives entry there; he gets an entry visa. You, sir, are so powerful! If you perform a ritual for my dead father, he will not just receive an entry visa, he'll be granted a permanent stay, a Green Card! Please sir, do something for him!”
The poor fellow was so overwhelmed by grief that he could not follow any rational argument. The Buddha had to use another way to help him understand. So he said to him, “All right. Go to the market and buy two earthen pots.” The young man was very happy, thinking that the Buddha had agreed to perform a ritual for his father. He ran to the market and returned with two pots. “All right,” the Buddha said, “fill one pot with ghee, with butter.” The young man did it. “Fill the other with pebbles.” He did that too. “Now close their mouths; seal them properly.” He did it. “Now place them in the pond over there.” The young man did so, and both of the pots sank to the bottom. “Now,” said the Buddha, “bring a big stick; strike and break open the pots.” The young man was very happy, thinking that the Buddha was performing a wonderful ritual for his father.
According to ancient Indian custom, when a man dies, his son takes the dead body to the cremation ground, puts it on the funeral pyre, and burns it. When the body is half burned, the son takes a thick stick and cracks open the skull. And according to the old belief, as soon as the skull is opened in this world, the gateway of the kingdom of heaven is opened above. So now the young man thought to himself, “The body of my father was burned to ashes yesterday. As a symbol, the Buddha now wants me to break open these pots!” He was very happy with the ritual.
Taking a stick as the Buddha said, the young man struck hard and broke open both the pots. At once the butter contained in one pot came up and started floating on the surface of the water. The pebbles in the other pot spilled out and remained at the bottom. Then the Buddha said, “Well, young man, this much I have done. Now call all your priestlings and miracle workers and tell them to start chanting and praying: ‘Oh pebbles, come up, come up! Oh butter, go down, go down!’ Let me see how it happens.”
“Oh sir, you have started joking! How is it possible, sir? The pebbles are heavier than water, they are bound to stay at the bottom. They can’t come up, sir; this is the law of nature! The butter is lighter than water, it is bound to remain on the surface. It can’t go down, sir: this is the law of nature!”
“Young man, you know so much about the law of nature, but you have not understood this natural law: if all his life your father performed deeds that were heavy like pebbles, he is bound to go down; who can bring him up? And if all his actions were light like this butter, he is bound to go up; who can pull him down?”
The earlier we understand the law of nature and start living in accordance with the law, the earlier we come out of our misery.
Monday, 8 July 2013
Story:The Search - To Walk on the Path
In the city of Savatthi in Northern India, the Buddha had a large center where people would come to meditate and to listen to his Dhamma talks. Every evening one young man used to come to hear his discourses. For years he came to listen to the Buddha but never put any of the teachings into practice.
After a few years, one evening this man came a little early and found the Buddha alone. He approached the Buddha and said,"Reverend Sir, I have a question that keep rising in my mind, raising doubts."
"Oh? There should not be any doubts on the path of Dhamma; Have them clarified. What is your question?"
"Sir, for many years now I have been coming to your meditation center, and I have noticed that there are a large number of recluses around you, monks and nuns and still a larger number of lay people, both men and women. For years some of them have been coming to you. Some of them, I can see, have certainly reached the final stage; quite obviously they are fully liberated. I can also see that others have experienced some changes in their lives. They are better than they were before, although I cannot say that they are fully liberated. But, Sir, I also noticed that a large number of people, including myself, are as they were, or sometimes they are even worse. They have not changed at all, or have not changed for the better."
"Why should this be, Sir? People come to you, such a great man, fully enlightened, such a powerful, compassionate person. Why don't you use your power and compassion to liberate them all?"
The Buddha smiled and said,"Young man, where do you live? What is your native place"
"Sir, I live here in Savatthi, the capital of the state of Kosala."
"Yes, but your facial features show that you are not from this part of the country. Where are you from originally?"
"Sir, I am from the city of Rajagaha, the capital of the state of Magadha, I came and settled here in Savatthi a few years ago."
"And have you severed all connections with Rajagaha?"
"No, Sir, I still have relatives there. I have friends there. I have business there."
"Then certainly you must go from Savatthi to Rajagaha quite often?"
"Yes, Sir. Many times each year I visit Rajagaha and return to Savatthi."
"Having traveled and returned so many times on the path from here to Rajagaha, certainly you must know the path very well?"
"Oh yes, Sir, I know it perfectly. I might almost say that even if I was blindfolded I could find the path to Rajagaha, so many times have I walked it"
"And your friends, those who know you well, certainly they must know that you are from Rajagaha and have settled here? They must know that you often visit Rajagaha and return, and that you know the path from here to Rajagaha perfectly?"
"Oh, yes, sir. All those who are close to me know that I often go to Rajagaha and that I know the path perfectly."
"Then it must happen that some of them come to you and ask you to explain to them the path from here to Rajagaha. Do you hide anything or do you explain the path to them clearly?"
"What is there to hide, Sir? I explain it to them as clearly as I can: you start walking towards the East and then head towards Banaras, and continue onward until you reach Gaya, and then Rajagaha. I explain it very plainly to them, Sir."
"And these people to whom you give such clear explanation, do all of them reach Rajagaha?"
"How can that be, sir? Those who walk the entire path to it's end, only they will reach Rajagaha."
"This is what I want to explain to you, young man. People keep coming to me knowing that this is someone who has walked the path from here to Nibbana and so knows it perfectly. They come to me and ask,'What is the path to Nibbana, to liberation?' And what is there to hide? I explain to them clearly: This is the path.' If somebody just nods his head and says,'Well said,well said, a very good path, but I won't take a step on it; a wonderful path, but won't take the trouble to walk over it,' then how can such a person reach the final goal?"
"I do not carry anyone on my shoulder to take him to the final goal. NOBODY can carry anyone else on his shoulders to the final goal. At most, with love and compassion one can say,'Well, this is the path, and this is how I have walked on it. You also work, you also walk, and you will reach the final goal.'But each person has to walk himself to take every step on the path himself. He who has taken one step on the path is one step nearer the goal. He who has taken one hundred steps is a hundred steps nearer to the goal. He who has taken all the steps on the path has reached the final goal. You have to walk on the path yourself."
-Vipassana Meditation, The Art of Living as taught by S.N.Geonka
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.religion.buddhism/YFaIB20BgA8
After a few years, one evening this man came a little early and found the Buddha alone. He approached the Buddha and said,"Reverend Sir, I have a question that keep rising in my mind, raising doubts."
"Oh? There should not be any doubts on the path of Dhamma; Have them clarified. What is your question?"
"Sir, for many years now I have been coming to your meditation center, and I have noticed that there are a large number of recluses around you, monks and nuns and still a larger number of lay people, both men and women. For years some of them have been coming to you. Some of them, I can see, have certainly reached the final stage; quite obviously they are fully liberated. I can also see that others have experienced some changes in their lives. They are better than they were before, although I cannot say that they are fully liberated. But, Sir, I also noticed that a large number of people, including myself, are as they were, or sometimes they are even worse. They have not changed at all, or have not changed for the better."
"Why should this be, Sir? People come to you, such a great man, fully enlightened, such a powerful, compassionate person. Why don't you use your power and compassion to liberate them all?"
The Buddha smiled and said,"Young man, where do you live? What is your native place"
"Sir, I live here in Savatthi, the capital of the state of Kosala."
"Yes, but your facial features show that you are not from this part of the country. Where are you from originally?"
"Sir, I am from the city of Rajagaha, the capital of the state of Magadha, I came and settled here in Savatthi a few years ago."
"And have you severed all connections with Rajagaha?"
"No, Sir, I still have relatives there. I have friends there. I have business there."
"Then certainly you must go from Savatthi to Rajagaha quite often?"
"Yes, Sir. Many times each year I visit Rajagaha and return to Savatthi."
"Having traveled and returned so many times on the path from here to Rajagaha, certainly you must know the path very well?"
"Oh yes, Sir, I know it perfectly. I might almost say that even if I was blindfolded I could find the path to Rajagaha, so many times have I walked it"
"And your friends, those who know you well, certainly they must know that you are from Rajagaha and have settled here? They must know that you often visit Rajagaha and return, and that you know the path from here to Rajagaha perfectly?"
"Oh, yes, sir. All those who are close to me know that I often go to Rajagaha and that I know the path perfectly."
"Then it must happen that some of them come to you and ask you to explain to them the path from here to Rajagaha. Do you hide anything or do you explain the path to them clearly?"
"What is there to hide, Sir? I explain it to them as clearly as I can: you start walking towards the East and then head towards Banaras, and continue onward until you reach Gaya, and then Rajagaha. I explain it very plainly to them, Sir."
"And these people to whom you give such clear explanation, do all of them reach Rajagaha?"
"How can that be, sir? Those who walk the entire path to it's end, only they will reach Rajagaha."
"This is what I want to explain to you, young man. People keep coming to me knowing that this is someone who has walked the path from here to Nibbana and so knows it perfectly. They come to me and ask,'What is the path to Nibbana, to liberation?' And what is there to hide? I explain to them clearly: This is the path.' If somebody just nods his head and says,'Well said,well said, a very good path, but I won't take a step on it; a wonderful path, but won't take the trouble to walk over it,' then how can such a person reach the final goal?"
"I do not carry anyone on my shoulder to take him to the final goal. NOBODY can carry anyone else on his shoulders to the final goal. At most, with love and compassion one can say,'Well, this is the path, and this is how I have walked on it. You also work, you also walk, and you will reach the final goal.'But each person has to walk himself to take every step on the path himself. He who has taken one step on the path is one step nearer the goal. He who has taken one hundred steps is a hundred steps nearer to the goal. He who has taken all the steps on the path has reached the final goal. You have to walk on the path yourself."
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.religion.buddhism/YFaIB20BgA8
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
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