PAI-CHANG
I loved the short and sweet version of things. This passage really says all that needs to be said. Lets just keep it simple we don’t need to confuse our minds with literal descriptions of “God” because there are none, words are too limited and the enlightened mind cannot be explained. This short passage is one of the best examples that I have heard of the enlightened mind and the Buddha nature. Most reading confuse me and make my head spin thinking and thinking and trying to pull out meaning making things more complicated than they are. I just want to say OUCH Because how can it be important if its not complicated. This one is just there another reminder that the enlightened mind is the original mind and that all of the words teachings and descriptions only confuse things more. Like in yoga when you quiet all of your thoughts and let go of all things taught that is when you can become enlightened. It comes from inside you nowhere else. Just your realization that the mind is perfect. “You are simply free from delusion and unreality.” “Be a lamp to yourself. Be your own confidence. Hold on to the truth within yourself, as to the only truth.” The Buddha. I can always come back to that quote.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
TZU-SSU
TZU_SSU
I really enjoyed this reading. Like some of the others that we have read I like the ones that remind us the we have everything that we need inside ourselves and that we cannot escape our nature. We just need to act sincerely in accordance to our nature and stop trying to fight it or change it that is what creates conflict you cant fight your nature. Can you? We spend most of our lives seeking the greater “afterlife” that we often forget to live in harmony with nature and enjoy life. The readings that really mean something to me are the ones like this that remind us to live simpler and show us that we have everything that we need inside us already. And when we fail we need to look into ourselves to find out the why we failed and that maybe it wasn’t something we did wrong but only our definition of failure that was wrong and needs to change. I also liked the quote that “he makes sure that his own conduct is correct and seeks nothing from others; thus he is never disappointed. He has no complaints against heaven and no blame toward other people” Culturally we measure success by comparing what other people have and we find ourselves always disappointed and wanting something more or different but if we lived and acted by our own individual values and followed our own hearts desires and rules that is when we truly feel successful. “The mature person pays attention to what is happening in his inmost self” How many of us actually do this why don’t we trust our own judgment. Why are we constantly looking for someone else to tell us how to be? As this reading said we already know we just have to pay attention.
I really enjoyed this reading. Like some of the others that we have read I like the ones that remind us the we have everything that we need inside ourselves and that we cannot escape our nature. We just need to act sincerely in accordance to our nature and stop trying to fight it or change it that is what creates conflict you cant fight your nature. Can you? We spend most of our lives seeking the greater “afterlife” that we often forget to live in harmony with nature and enjoy life. The readings that really mean something to me are the ones like this that remind us to live simpler and show us that we have everything that we need inside us already. And when we fail we need to look into ourselves to find out the why we failed and that maybe it wasn’t something we did wrong but only our definition of failure that was wrong and needs to change. I also liked the quote that “he makes sure that his own conduct is correct and seeks nothing from others; thus he is never disappointed. He has no complaints against heaven and no blame toward other people” Culturally we measure success by comparing what other people have and we find ourselves always disappointed and wanting something more or different but if we lived and acted by our own individual values and followed our own hearts desires and rules that is when we truly feel successful. “The mature person pays attention to what is happening in his inmost self” How many of us actually do this why don’t we trust our own judgment. Why are we constantly looking for someone else to tell us how to be? As this reading said we already know we just have to pay attention.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Dogen
Dogen
This explanation of the practice of meditation was the simplest and best that I have ever read. Meditation is not to learn something new or to become enlightened. It is used to quiet your mind get rid of all passing thoughts and bring it back to the beginners mind. Like Shunryu Suzuki said, “Our original mind includes everything within itself. It is always rich and sufficient within its self”
Meditation seems so simple but it is extremely difficult to let your thoughts come and go and not get involved with them. I can’t even read a book, watch a movie or write this paper without getting involved with my thoughts.
I like how he said if you can’t find the truth where you are where else do you think you will find it. It seems like everyone is always looking for someone else to give them the answers or the truth how powerful would it be if we could realize that it is already inside us.
This explanation of the practice of meditation was the simplest and best that I have ever read. Meditation is not to learn something new or to become enlightened. It is used to quiet your mind get rid of all passing thoughts and bring it back to the beginners mind. Like Shunryu Suzuki said, “Our original mind includes everything within itself. It is always rich and sufficient within its self”
Meditation seems so simple but it is extremely difficult to let your thoughts come and go and not get involved with them. I can’t even read a book, watch a movie or write this paper without getting involved with my thoughts.
I like how he said if you can’t find the truth where you are where else do you think you will find it. It seems like everyone is always looking for someone else to give them the answers or the truth how powerful would it be if we could realize that it is already inside us.
The Buddha
I really enjoyed this reading from Buddha. He takes things down to such a pure and simple level. “When you realize something is unwholesome and bad for you give it up. And when you realize that something is wholesome and good for you do it.” It would be so nice if everyone could just live that way. I also liked that he said “Do not be lead by holly scriptures” why do we feel we need to complicate the simplest things by adding religious laws and rules? Why do we need someone else to tell us what is wholesome and what is not? Each of us already knows this deep inside ourselves. We are taught to doubt ourselves and that we need to follow someone else’s religion. I have always felt that religion and faith were things that were very personal that cannot be regulated by anyone else but you.
“Be a lamp to yourself. Be your own confidence. Hold on to the truth within yourself, as to the only truth.”
I also liked the part about the man crossing the river. I agree that we should use “truths” to help us through a point and only apply them at that point and then let them go. So many times people try to apply truths to all aspects of life or force their teachings onto other people out of context even when it no longer applies or doesn’t even make sense. “A reasonable man will realize that the raft has been useful to him in crossing the river and arriving safely on the other shore, but that once he has arrived, it is proper to leave the raft behind and walk on with out it.
“Be a lamp to yourself. Be your own confidence. Hold on to the truth within yourself, as to the only truth.”
I also liked the part about the man crossing the river. I agree that we should use “truths” to help us through a point and only apply them at that point and then let them go. So many times people try to apply truths to all aspects of life or force their teachings onto other people out of context even when it no longer applies or doesn’t even make sense. “A reasonable man will realize that the raft has been useful to him in crossing the river and arriving safely on the other shore, but that once he has arrived, it is proper to leave the raft behind and walk on with out it.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Shmelke of Nikolsburg
“How do we deal with the wicked-the torturer, the rapist, the terrorist, the child molester?”
Question: “We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourself. How can I do this if my neighbor has wronged me?”
I think that this reading brings out one of the biggest questions that humanity has a question that according to this Rabbi has only one answer “Love your neighbor like something which you yourself are. For all souls are one.”
I am not sure that it can bee that black and white. I have heard of many people who have struggled with the concept of how can I love my neighbor when he has wronged me? No one really knows hoe they will react if someone wrongs them, their family or their children. Even the most religious people the law abiding citizens who have complete faith in God will sometimes take matters of justice into their own hands forgetting that “if you punish him, you only hurt yourself.” They forget their faith, their God and themselves.
But if people truly believed that it would hurt them to punish then would we have laws, jails and punishments at all? Could society function without these things? Would or could people really love and forgive the people who wronged them without man’s justice? Forgiveness is another extremely difficult process for people and I think that people in general need to know that the “evil” people will be punished in this life. Anyway this reading really brought up all of my questions about forgiveness and the whole concept of love thy neighbor. I know that this has always been a question, and that there will always be many different exceptions to the love thy neighbor rule.
Question: “We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourself. How can I do this if my neighbor has wronged me?”
I think that this reading brings out one of the biggest questions that humanity has a question that according to this Rabbi has only one answer “Love your neighbor like something which you yourself are. For all souls are one.”
I am not sure that it can bee that black and white. I have heard of many people who have struggled with the concept of how can I love my neighbor when he has wronged me? No one really knows hoe they will react if someone wrongs them, their family or their children. Even the most religious people the law abiding citizens who have complete faith in God will sometimes take matters of justice into their own hands forgetting that “if you punish him, you only hurt yourself.” They forget their faith, their God and themselves.
But if people truly believed that it would hurt them to punish then would we have laws, jails and punishments at all? Could society function without these things? Would or could people really love and forgive the people who wronged them without man’s justice? Forgiveness is another extremely difficult process for people and I think that people in general need to know that the “evil” people will be punished in this life. Anyway this reading really brought up all of my questions about forgiveness and the whole concept of love thy neighbor. I know that this has always been a question, and that there will always be many different exceptions to the love thy neighbor rule.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Philo
“Today” means boundless and inexhaustible eternity. Periods of months and years and of time in general are ideas of men, who calculate by number; but the true name of eternity is today.”
These words really hit home for me. It seems that in my life and in our culture we are all living for tomorrow. Always putting off that trip until we have more money. Saying to the kids we will play later mommy is busy now. Never spending enough time with friends and family because there is work that needs to be done. I am always trying to remind myself: Live for today. Enjoy every minute. Life is short. But it never seems to work and I find myself at the end of the day or the week or the months asking myself were did the time go. If I keep up like that life will be over in a flash. I want to enjoy my life. Get to know my parents better before they are gone, and really play with my kids more. That is they way this reading took my thoughts.
I also enjoyed the part about his super abundant wealth in nature, more than enough for as many as wish to profit from it and that every soul the he created has goodness in it. This is also something that needs to be remembered. When there is too much bad news in a day its hard to remember that every one has goodness in them, and that the goal of wisdom is laughter and play. This reading gave me a lot to think about on how I spend my time, how I tolerate others and do I “play” enough. I am sure that I will read this piece again and again. When I am feeling overwhelmed and lost.
These words really hit home for me. It seems that in my life and in our culture we are all living for tomorrow. Always putting off that trip until we have more money. Saying to the kids we will play later mommy is busy now. Never spending enough time with friends and family because there is work that needs to be done. I am always trying to remind myself: Live for today. Enjoy every minute. Life is short. But it never seems to work and I find myself at the end of the day or the week or the months asking myself were did the time go. If I keep up like that life will be over in a flash. I want to enjoy my life. Get to know my parents better before they are gone, and really play with my kids more. That is they way this reading took my thoughts.
I also enjoyed the part about his super abundant wealth in nature, more than enough for as many as wish to profit from it and that every soul the he created has goodness in it. This is also something that needs to be remembered. When there is too much bad news in a day its hard to remember that every one has goodness in them, and that the goal of wisdom is laughter and play. This reading gave me a lot to think about on how I spend my time, how I tolerate others and do I “play” enough. I am sure that I will read this piece again and again. When I am feeling overwhelmed and lost.
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