"Real fearlessness is the product of tenderness. It comes from letting the world tickle your heart, your raw and beautiful heart. You are willing to open up, without resistance or shyness, and face the world. You are willing to share your heart with others." -- Chögyam Trungpa This is definitely something I need to work… Continue reading Real Fearlessness – Chögyam Trungpa
Month: September 2017
Relationships : Life and Blame
Buddhism says that all of our life's content.... its good things and its bad things, are due to our own doing..... growing out as fruit from our actions. Not other persons actions.............. Not external situations............. Our own actions.... Then there is Relationships................ In two persons life together... in their relationship, who can remember the… Continue reading Relationships : Life and Blame
The Meaning of Taking Refuge – Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche
The Meaning of Taking Refuge A Discussion with Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche In order to become a Buddhist formally, you have to "Take Refuge. " What does "Taking refuge" involve? Do you have to take any vows or make any commitments? "Taking Refuge" in itself is a serious commitment. It is not something you should… Continue reading The Meaning of Taking Refuge – Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche
Introduction to Jukai – Nishijima Roshi
Introduction to Jukai - Nishijima Roshi Sekishin: What is the Jukai ceremony? Gudo: Jukai is the ceremony in which one receives and undertakes the Precepts as a disciple of the Buddha. Sekishin: That sounds, I think, like something to be undertaken solely by Buddhist monks ….. Gudo: No ….. In Jukai, we find both the… Continue reading Introduction to Jukai – Nishijima Roshi
Taking the Precepts – Part 1 – Sewing Buddha’s Robe
Taking the Precepts, Sewing Buddha's Robe by Josho Pat Phelan According to Ch’an Master Sheng-yen, a common saying in Mahayana Buddhism is "Having vows to break is the bodhisattva path. Not having vows to break is a non-Buddhist path." I have heard this expressed as "it is better to take the precepts and break them… Continue reading Taking the Precepts – Part 1 – Sewing Buddha’s Robe
Receiving the Precepts – Part 2 – by Josho Pat Phelan
Receiving the Precepts - Part 2 by Josho Pat Phelan Last time, I began talking about the Ceremony for Giving and Receiving the Precepts [Jukai] as a lay person, and the process or preparation for receiving the precepts. I stopped with repentance and today I would like to begin by reviewing repentance. The repentance verse… Continue reading Receiving the Precepts – Part 2 – by Josho Pat Phelan
Taking Refuge in the Three Treasures – Daido Loori Roshi
Taking Refuge in the Three Treasures - Daido Loori Roshi People ask, “How can I deepen the teacher-student relationship?” It is like asking, “How can I love you?” Is there a book of instructions on how to love? Does the baby get taught how to love its mother, the flowers, the earth, and the rain?… Continue reading Taking Refuge in the Three Treasures – Daido Loori Roshi
The Beginning and Ending of Suffering
"This moment" and "I" have an issue. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Witness: This moment is perfect, just as it is. Commentary: The beginning of struggle and suffering is when the "I" separates from "this moment the way it is", and wants something "other than the way it is". This is a misunderstanding which i have had all… Continue reading The Beginning and Ending of Suffering
Consquentialism
Bumped into this while reading about the rationalization behind global nuclear armament as a good thing.................... The argument was that nuclear armament, as a deterrent of war, is preferable to the consequences of world war. "Consequentialism, as its name suggests, is the view that normative properties depend only on consequences. This general approach can be… Continue reading Consquentialism
Supernatural and Natural – Separateness or Oneness
Of course, the thoughts I am writing here, in fact all that I write, is subject to revision in the future, if what I see changes but up to this point, the flow all seems to be in one direction. Stated clearly, I am inclined to think that there is no division between supernatural and… Continue reading Supernatural and Natural – Separateness or Oneness
Reality is Dharma 